PINA

At the 26th edition of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) General Assembly, Fijian official and Oceania National Olympic Committees(ONOC) President Dr Robin Mitchell is set to be elected the ANOC President. He is the sole candidate nominated for election and has been serving as Acting President since 2018 after Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah was charged with forgery in...

With only seven overseas-based players, the main focus of Samoa is to give enough exposure to its local players in the Fiji Rugby Invitational Series. The team brings 23 local players from Samoa who have not had enough international experience. Manuma Samoa coach Afa Hanipale says the overseas-based players who are from New Zealand gives a good balance to the side. He...

The Papua New Guinea Orchids squad for this year’s Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) in England will feature 11 debutants and just four players who competed at RLWC2017, as head coach Ben Jeffries looks to nurture talent that can represent PNG women’s rugby league at the highest level for years to come. Two-thirds of the squad, which has an average...

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has announced his cabinet line-up. PM Marape has put together a 33-member cabinet, with the Minister of Bougainville Affairs yet to be named. Among the key appointments are Justin Tkatchenko who becomes PNG’s new Minister for Foreign Affairs. Ian Ling Stuckey as Minister for Treasury, Dr Lino Tom as Minister for Health, William Duma...

Calling China's launches of ballistic missiles in its recent military exercises earlier this month “unacceptable,” Japanese parliamentarian Keiji Furuya, who is on a three-day visit to Taiwan, said Tuesday during a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen that Beijing's ambition of changing the status quo in the Taiwan Strait must be stopped. Furuya, chairman of the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council,...

The Chinese government has pledged to build a national narcotics laboratory in the country to boost the capability of the Royal PNG Constabulary amidst growing transnational organised criminal activities in the country. The transitional crime network has already created threats on the PNG sea borders and in the Pacific, whether it is drug trafficking, people smuggling, environmental crimes or cybercrime. Chinese...

The internationally known Vailima beer and other Vailima products may after all continue to be produced in Samoa. Samoa Breweries Ltd (SBL) Tuesday announced that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been reached with Charlie Va’ai and Beatrice Ott to produce Vailima in Samoa. “It’s always been our strong preference to keep the production of Vailima in Samoa,” says Paradise Beverages...

Following nine months of pulsating action the destination of men’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2022 title will be decided in Los Angeles this weekend. Argentina, Australia, Fiji and South Africa each head into the final tournament of the season with a shot at walking away as champions. South Africa currently lead the standings with 124 points, two clear of Australia,...

Tonga faces continual challenges and is extremely vulnerable to the existential threat of climate change and climate disasters, the Minister for Foreign Affairs told Commonwealth counterparts in Canada. “We must urgently invest in more disaster risk preparedness,” Fekita 'Utoikamanu told the CPA Small Branches Network in Halifax, Canada. She was speaking on a panel, addressing Disaster Risk Preparedness for Small Jurisdictions,...

Samoa's Legislative Assembly this morning reappointed Tuimaleali’ifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II as the Head of State for a second term of five years. The announcement came from the Speaker of the House, Papalii Lio Masipau informing Parliament of the notice from the Government to support the re-election of Tuimalealiifano. Tuimalealiifano had his first term in office extended in late July this year...