PINA

New Caledonia's pro-independence FLNKS movement and five other small nationalist parties have agreed that they will only discuss the territory's accession to full sovereignty in talks planned with France. The joint position was adopted at the weekend at the Congress of the FLNKS and then a meeting involving other pro-independence parties - their first since last December's independence referendum. Just over...

The Fijian Media Association (FMA) does not endorse any report it has not participated in, but agrees with certain statements within the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) report particularly on the threat of legislation such as the Media Industry Development Authority (MIDA) Act to criminalise and impose heavy fines on media organisations or editors. While we are under various pressures the...

Fijiana 15s side will host a test match against Canada in preparation for the upcoming Rugby World Cup but a date is yet to be confirmed. Coach Senirusi Seruvakula confirms that talks are already underway to have the game in Fiji which would give them more game time. “There’s a test match haven’t been confirmed, playing against Canada when we come...

The Oceania Continent of the Olympic Movement made commitments under five thematic areas at the Olympic Solidarity Forum which was part of pre-workshops of the ONOC 42nd Annual General Assembly (AGA) last week. The Olympic Solidarity Forum was one of several pre-AGA workshops held prior to the Annual General Assembly and its outcomes were tabled for endorsement at the AGA. The...

The Nauru Olympic Committee (NOC) has paid tribute to Papua New Guinean official Karo Lelai, who is set to step down as chair of the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) Athletes' Commission. The former chair of the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission was elected as chair of the equivalent body within ONOC in 2018. Lelai has also chaired the...

Solomon Islands Opposition Leader Matthew Wale says the foreign minister’s visit to Suva on an ‘explain tour’ of the China security treaty is a disgrace. Wale said the intention and purpose of the tour to explain the pros and cons of the security agreement has contradicted their argument that the matter is a sovereign issue and regional friends should not...

The Tongan Government has agreed to allow bars and kava clubs and certain face to face education in classrooms to open and put in place new isolation and quarantine timelines, starting from Saturday, as COVID-19 cases in the Kingdom continues to decrease. The Prime Minister, Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni announced the changes in the first face to face press conference with...

A new project on Building the Capacity of Pacific Media to Report on Anti-Corruption was launched in Fiji today by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA). The project, implemented by PINA through the Pacific Anti-Corruption Journalists Network (PACJN), aims to build the capacity of selected national media associations and journalists...

The seat of convicted SODELPA MP, Niko Nawaikula has become vacant and he has been disqualified from contesting Fiji's 2022 General Election. Speaker of Parliament, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau clarified this in parliament this morning saying Nawaikula had been convicted with one count of tendering false information to a public servant and one count of obtaining a financial advantage and is...

A meeting between Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and her Solomons Islands counterpart is a positive step forward, according to the prime minister. Scott Morrison said the meeting between Senator Payne and Jeremiah Manele in Brisbane reinforced Australia's role in the region. The meeting came following heightened tensions between the two countries in the wake of the Solomons signing a security...