PINA

1News can reveal the New Zealand Government will soon allow frequent travellers from Samoa to bypass visa requirements when visiting Immigration Minister Michael Wood confirmed he hoped to have the change signed off within the next couple of months. “I wouldn't expect that it's going to be something that takes us a long time,” he said. It would cover those travelling often,...

After days of intense negotiations that stretched into early Sunday morning in Sharm el-Sheikh, countries at the latest UN Climate Change Conference, COP27, reached agreement on an outcome that established a funding mechanism to compensate vulnerable nations for ‘loss and damage’ from climate-induced disasters. “This COP has taken an important step towards justice. I welcome the decision to establish a...

As the gavel comes down at COP27, countries on the frontlines of the climate crisis including Pacific Island nations have compelled world leaders to take a step forward on climate justice by establishing a loss and damage finance facility, Greenpeace Australia Pacific says. The COP27 final decision text does not see any improved commitments to phase out all fossil fuels...

Following two weeks of extensive negotiations at the UN Climate Change Conference COP27, nearly 200 countries have agreed on a set of key outcomes, including the establishment of a fund to address loss and damage due to climate change. Welcoming the developments, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland,stated:“I welcome this historic outcome from the COP27 summit and applaud the tireless negotiators...

Australia hopes to host the 2026 COP summit, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Saturday, seeking to overhaul his country's reputation for foot-dragging on climate change. “It is a good opportunity, I believe, for Australia to show and to host what is a major global event,” Albanese said during a visit to Bangkok. Centre-left Albanese was swept to power this year on...

Developing countries vulnerable to the worst ravages of global heating have spent the past week at United Nations climate talks urging more support from wealthy nations. The Pacific state of Kiribati has a very specific and unusual demand – that its islands be physically raised up to escape the encroaching seas. The plan to dig up huge clumps of sand and...

The Fijian Elections Office is concerned with the amount of postal voter applications received so far. Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem said they expected around 23,000 applications from registered voters, however, they have received only 4,303. Saneem has flagged that there is a potential for low turnout in the postal voting because people have not applied. “Now how does this get resolved,...

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) on 18 November affirmed continuing cooperation on fisheries subsidies and other key issues. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, meeting with Pacific Islands ministers in Nadi, Fiji, lauded the group's advocacy on and stewardship of the ocean and climate. To reaffirm longstanding cooperation between the two organisations, the WTO and the...

By Praveen Menon Australia is talking up its green credentials at the annual U.N. climate summit, but its policies do not match the portrayal as it continues to support new mining and energy projects, and fuels the crisis through its enormous fossil fuel exports. A year after his predecessor was slammed as a climate laggard, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government is...

Australia have defended their World Cup title in style with a 30-10 win over Samoa at Old Trafford on Sunday. With skipper James Tedesco and centre Latrel Mitchell claiming doubles and halves Nathan Cleary and Cameron Munster all class, the Kangaroos scored six tries to two in front of 67,502 fans at the Theatre of Dreams. The Kangaroos were first to...