PINA

Health and environmental problems linger on decades after the United States detonated 67 nuclear bombs in the Marshall Islands. It will be the second environment-related initiative that the small island country spearheads in its two years of membership at the Human Rights Council. After obtaining the appointment of a human rights expert on climate change in September 2021, the Marshall...

Cook Islands Prime Minister says a new partnership with the United States is compatible with its relations with China and will enhance diplomacy in the region Cook Islands is one of 14 Pacific countries that have endorsed the U.S's new Pacific partnership aimed at countering China's growing influence in the region. But Prime Minister Mark Brown said the new partnership doesn't...

When Solomon Islands foreign minister Jeremiah Manele was hosted at New Zealand Parliament for a bi-lateral meeting, he was ushered into the “rainbow room”. Same-sex sexual activity is a crime in Manele’s country, though it reportedly goes unpunished. “That was the only room available for us to be able to use,” Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said, after their meeting. Then, in...

Non-government Organisations including the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Ocean Foundation, WWF and Global Tuna Alliance are calling on the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) members to move away from yearly quota-setting to a science-based, pre-agreed management procedure (MP) for skipjack tuna. The group made the appeal in an open letter, urging the WCPFC, particularly fisheries bloc within the...

In collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), the United States is hosting the first-ever Clean Energy Workshop and Pacific Women in Energy Conference from October 4-6 in Suva to support the Pacific Islands’ clean energy transition and climate adaptation efforts. Led by U.S Department of State Bureau of Energy Resources Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) Laura Lochman, the...

Cook Islands rugby league coach Tony Iro has named an “experienced” side for the Rugby League World Cup to be held in England from 15 October to 19 November 2022. Iro has named a number of Super League and NRL players with the likes of senior reps Tinirau Arona, Makahesi Makatoa, Esan Marsters, Tepai Moeroa, Dylan Napa, Anthony Gelling, Dominique...

Fiji Bati coach Joe Rabele has named his squad for the Rugby League World Cup later this month. Back-to-back premiership winners Apisai Koroisau and Viliame Kikau are in the squad as well as Eels winger Maika Sivo. Eels centre Waqa Blake is not in the squad alongside Tariq Sims, Daniel and Jacob Saifiti. Several other NRL players in the squad include Tui...

Samoa have named their line-ups for the Rugby League World Cup. The team are packed with NRL stars, including some considered the best in the sport, and who have turned down lucrative offers by Australia and New Zealand. The polite declines by several NRL stars to wear the Green and Gold jersey of Australia in particular, has shocked many Aussie fans....

Thirty schools in Honiara and the province of Guadalcanal have been identified to take part in ceremonies at the 2023 Pacific Games. Students from the schools are poised to play a role in medal ceremonies, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and a planned Adopt a Nation scheme. Of the 30, 11 are operated by Honiara City Council, nine by churches, five...

Solomon Islands foreign minister Jeremiah Manele said veiled references to China in an American-led Pacific declaration were one of the reasons his country was reluctant to sign up to the deal at first. Solomon Islands signalled it would not sign the 11-point declaration between the United States and Pacific Island nations, a blow to Washington which had hoped to bring...