PINA

-Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says respect for their sovereignty was likely among the reasons why Pacific leaders accepted an offer of partnership from the U.S, after earlier shelving China's. “For many Pacific countries emerging from COVID, fighting climate change and with increased debt, we would be looking for support from all corners,” Brown told the ABC's Pacific Beat...

Nuclear powers have criticized an effort led by the Marshall Islands at the United Nations to seek help on dealing with the consequences of nuclear testing, sources following the talks involving countries including the United States, Britain, Russia, India and China told Reuters. Pacific islanders, who are particularly threatened by rising sea levels from climate change, are becoming more vocal...

Kiribati will put another three New Zealand judges before a tribunal for misconduct, as Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta warns of “constitutional issues” in the Pacific nation. The Kiribati government has been waging a campaign against the country’s judiciary after attempting to prevent High Court judge David Lambourne – the husband of the country’s opposition leader – from entering the country,...

The re-establishment of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) regional mission for the Pacific in Suva Fiji, will expand the presence and support of USAID in Fiji and Pacific. It is a landmark achievement in the U.S and Fiji’s commitment to build a resilient Pacific region of peace, harmony, security and social inclusion and prosperity. This was articulated at...

The Fiji Times editor-in-chief Fred Wesley says he has to live under the ambiguous provisions of the Media Industry Development Act (MIDA) 2010 “from Monday to Sunday”. He said this while speaking at the sixth Pacific Media Summit in Honiara, Solomon Islands last week. Wesley pointed out provisions in the law that said no media organisation in Fiji could publish materials...

By Anthony Bergin and Neil Baird Marine safety and sea transport are major concerns for the Pacific islands region. The island states have a high level of dependence on inter-island transport for the movement of both goods and people. All Pacific peoples benefit from their access to affordable, safe and reliable sea transport. As Sam Bateman argued many years ago,...

Fijiana 15’s Head Coach Senirusi Seruvakula has named his maiden 23-member squad to face England in their debut Rugby World Cup match on Saturday at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. Seruvakula has selected the best available players to take on the opponent who has more test matches, experience, and wins in their bag compared to Fijiana. Brumbies Loosehead Prop Iris...

Samoa on Wednesday took advantage of World Rugby's new eligibility rules by including former All Blacks Steven Luatua and Jeff Toomaga-Allen in their squad to tour Europe next month. The pair were among eight players uncapped by Samoa in coach Seilala Mapusua's 31-strong group for Tests against Italy, Georgia and Romania -- their first northern hemisphere tour since 2019 ahead...

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host his Solomon Islands counterpart Manasseh Sogavare against a backdrop of accusations China has influenced the Pacific island nation. Prime Minister Albanese will welcome Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to Canberra on Thursday 6 October. Australia and Solomon Islands are part of the Pacific family and have a strong security partnership, based on...

Environmental concerns were high on the list of issues to be addressed at the recent three-day Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders, held in Honolulu from 12 to 14 September with Japan’s decision to release up to 1.25 million tons of water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean one of the most pressing concerns. That is a position...