PINA

By William Kadi and DIrk Heinz We have watched these past few weeks as the evolving situation surrounding the Solomon Islands/China security pact has unfolded. It appears that every journalist and political commentator is suddenly an expert in the Solomon Islands. We would be surprised if half of them even knew where the Solomon Islands was before the first rumblings...

The Melbourne Rebels are preparing for a physical encounter with Moana Pasifika, looking to keep their finals dream alive. The Rebels enter Saturday's clash with the Super Rugby newcomers eager to avenge Sunday's crushing defeat to the Crusaders as part of Super Round. Catch every game of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season on Stan Sport. Start your Free Sport Trial...

Fijian Drua Head Coach Mick Byrne has announced his line-up for the historic first homecoming match at ANZ Stadium Suva, as the men from Fiji take on the Highlanders from New Zealand. It’s the first time in six months for majority of the players to return home for a chance to play in front of family and fans in the...

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are increasingly concerned for more than 1 million people in Pacific nations as they struggle with their first major wave of COVID-19 fuelled by the Omicron variants. Ramping up vaccinations is vital as the rapid surge in COVID infections is causing increasing death and illness in countries with low immunisation...

Freesoul Real Estate Development Limited has been fined $1million (US$500,000) by Fiji’s High Court in Suva for two counts of undertaking unauthorised developments at Malolo Island in 2018. The charges against Freesoul relate to the failure to comply with a prohibition notice issued by Fiji Department of Environment in June 2018 and carrying out of resort development activity in Malolo...

Australia will resist sending soldiers and police to Solomon Islands if they are forced to operate alongside Chinese security personnel as concern grows that Beijing will deploy brutal and repressive tactics in the Pacific island nation. Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews on Wednesday warned it was “very likely” China would attempt to send troops to Solomon Islands, while also claiming...

The former governor-general of Tuvalu vying to head the Commonwealth as its next secretary-general is hoping the region will get behind his campaign to become the first Pacific Islander to get the top role. Sir Iakoba Italeli is a long-serving Tuvalu government official, who has been the Queen's representative between 2010 to 2019; and also held the position of attorney-general...

Australia's spy chief says Canberra is concerned Chinese police deployed to the Solomon Islands under a new security pact could use “ruthless” techniques previously used to quell anti-government protests in Hong Kong. Andrew Shearer, the director-general of the Office of National Intelligence, travelled to the Pacific islands nation last month in a failed attempt to persuade Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare...

As part of the UN’s climate action efforts, the Secretary-General’s Net-Zero Expert Group met for the first time on Wednesday, on a mission to develop stronger and clearer standards for net-zero emissions pledges by non-State entities — such as businesses, investors, cities and regions—and speed up their implementation. In a video message, António Guterres thanked the group for taking up...

Pacific nations are set to kick start their World Cup campaigns in June when they take the field in the first Tests played in the Southern Hemisphere since 2019. New Zealand will host Tonga in Auckland, while Samoa meet Cook Islands and Fiji face Papua New Guinea in a Pacific Test double-header at Campbelltown Stadium on 25 June. The Tests will...