PINA

“Addressing and preventing violence in all its forms against any individual – men, women, girls, boys, and communities is critical for development,” says Pacific Islands Forum, Deputy Secretary General, Dr Filimon Manoni. Speaking at the Pacific Prevention Summit to end violence against women and girls, Dr Manoni said violence impedes all forms of development. “It instills fear within communities, homes, schools,...

The head of a Pacific elders body has backed a Torres Strait Islander-led push to hold the federal government accountable for its actions to tackle climate change. Paul Kabai and Pabai Pabai have taken the government to court demanding further emissions reductions in line with science. Hailing from the Boigu and Saibai communities, the two Torres Strait Islander men are arguing...

The AFP and forensic leaders from 11 police forces across the Pacific gathered in Canberra last week, to strengthen and support forensic capabilities across the region. AFP Forensics hosted its first face-to-face Pacific Forensic Working Group (PFWG) meeting in three years, with members from the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Kiribati, Guam, Palau, Nauru, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga...

The Pacific Community (SPC) and Aotearoa New Zealand have signed a bold new deal to boost climate action across the Pacific. Announcing the new partnership that will underpin the Pacific Community's (SPC) Climate Change Flagship programme, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni said, “In the face of the escalating impacts of climate change on our region, it's vital we...

The world could breach a new average temperature record in 2023 or 2024, fuelled by climate change and the anticipated return of the El Nino weather phenomenon, climate scientists say. Climate models suggest that after three years of the La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean, which generally lowers global temperatures slightly, the world will experience a return to...

The relentless advance of climate change brought more drought, flooding and heatwaves to communities around the world last year, compounding threats to people’s lives and livelihoods, the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said on Friday. WMO latest State of the Global Climate report shows that the last eight years were the eight warmest on record, and that sea level rise...

Jack Niedenthal, who was recently “fired” as health secretary of the Marshall Islands, blasted the national government for turning a blind eye to the “blatant corruption” involving “greedy politicians.” “Our people, at the hands of our own corrupt leaders, are like the tiny little bait fish in the ocean. If they get too close to the surface of the sea,...

Exercise Croix du Sud (Southern Cross) will run from 24 April to 6 May in New Caledonia. This major joint and combined military exercise, planned and led by France, will consist in a multinational force conducting a post disaster humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operation, involving important land, maritime and air assets and unit from 19 nations, including France. Exercise...

Flooding. Droughts. Landslides. Storm surges. Coastal Inundation These were some of the impacts of a triple-dip La Niña event, which was declared for the Pacific last year. A triple-dip La Niña means that the system developed three years in a row. The first La Niña event was declared in 2020, and again in 2021 and 2022. La Niña occurs when there...

A delegation led by a Solomon Islands leader ousted by the Pacific nation’s pro-Beijing government delivered a stark warning last week: that China’s growing influence in their country foreshadows an authoritarian takeover — and, potentially, a future attack on the U.S akin to Pearl Harbour. “When you look back at World War II, this is the similar thing that has...