PINA

Two Fiji nationals living in Modesto, California Jyoteshna Karan, 52, and Praveen Singh, 45, were sentenced for leading a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Karan received three years and four months in prison, and Singh received two years. According to court records, from 2006 through 2015, Karan and Singh conspired to make straw...

The leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, Peter Dutton has been accosted for comments about a Pacific climate conference that could damage Australia's standing in the region. Australia is bidding to host the COP31 climate conference in 2026 in conjunction with Pacific island nations but the opposition leader rejected it, saying it would cost "tens of billions of dollars". Dutton...

A landmark court conviction in Papua New Guinea related to the murder of a mother-of-five accused of sorcery is being hailed as a major victory in the fight to stop such attacks and murders. For the first time, a court has found a person guilty of accusing someone of sorcery under legislation, known as the Glasman Act, which was passed...

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) will hold its first regional technical cooperation session in Fiji from 07 to 11 April, during which it will engage in exchanges with three States parties: Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu. Facilitated by several partners, this is the Committee’s first regional engagement outside Geneva or New York. It...

There are many gaps in implementing the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). This has been highlighted by Regional Representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Heike Alefsen. Alefsen pointed out that enforcement and awareness gaps, along with delays in reporting, are key challenges that will be...

After four days of continuous talks with New Caledonia's political forces, French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls has returned to Paris Tuesday, without any deal as yet regarding the French Pacific territory's political future. As he left Nouméa, Valls told local media the positive point is that just like during his earlier visit which ended on 1 April, all parties...

Nauru remains steadfast in its adherence to the one-China principle, Lionel Aingimea, Nauruan Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade affirmed on Monday after the inauguration of the country's embassy in Beijing. In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), Aingimea reaffirmed Nauru's recognition of China's sovereignty over all its territories, including Taiwan, and expressed hopes that other Pacific nations would...

By Nicholas Weising One of the first aims of the United States’ new Department of Government Efficiency was shutting down USAID. By 6 February, the agency was functionally dissolved, its seal missing from its Washington headquarters. Amid the sudden shutdown, Australia must increase its developmental aid to Pacific islands before China fills in. The most aid-dependent countries—the Freely Associated States, including Marshall...

Great news coming from Oceania, where two prominent Olympic lifters were elected to the presidency of their respective National Olympic Committees: in Cook Islands, Luisa Peters is the new NOC leader, while in Samoa Jerry Wallwork will be at the helm of the country’s Olympic body. Luisa Peters is a member of the IWF Athletes Commission and is also sitting...

French Polynesia’s president has issued a stark warning over the risks of deep-sea mining, saying it will be allowed in his territory “over my dead body” as he argues the potential for environmental damage outweighs any benefits. Moetai Brotherson’s comments to the Guardian come as countries in the Pacific and elsewhere grapple with whether to extract minerals from the sea...