PINA

Samoa's Ministry of Health (MOH) has reported 155 new community cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours to push the country's cumulative total to 622. Upolu continues to lead in terms of total cases with the MOH confirming 606 cases with Savai'i recording 16 active cases. According to the MOH health workers have administered a total of 940 Rapid Antigen...

It's been more than two years since many Pacific countries closed their international borders as a result of the pandemic. But in that time, some nations have decided to relax restrictions to welcome tourists back and revive the economy. With sandy beaches and warm, sunny weather Cook Islands is a dream destination for many travellers. Now Aussies can be part of the...

By Geraldine Panapasa Ten years ago, at the age of 21, Sashi Kumari was admitted to hospital and told her kidneys were failing. She was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), which requires four-hour dialysis twice every week and ultimately a kidney transplant. “I was very scared in the early stages of my diagnosis,” she said. “I thought about my family,...

Pacific states are watching Ukraine because their sovereignty and territorial integrity can also easily be violated. By Patrick Kaiku Russia’s invasion of Ukraine vividly demonstrates how great power politics can shatter confidence about universal adherence to international norms. When the international order is undermined, it is usually small states that seek assurances to promptly redress that order to ensure their own...

Controversial Israel Folau is “definitely interested” in playing for Tonga at next year's Rugby World Cup and has “no regrets” over the homophobic comments that ended his Wallabies career. The devoutly Christian full-back -- part of the Wallabies team that lost the 2015 World Cup final to New Zealand at Twickenham -- was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 for...

Fijian Drua head coach Mick Byrne has retained his star mid-field combination of Kalaveti Ravouvou and Apisalome Vota for a sixth consecutive start in the Super Rugby Pacific round 6 match against the Melbourne Rebels at AAMI Stadium on Friday. Jone Koroiduadua starts at loosehead prop with Kaliopasi Uluilakepa switching to tighthead prop for this match, while it’s a first...

Moana Pasifika have named their side for the Round 6 DHL Super Rugby Pacific match against the Hurricanes. The team is delighted to welcome fans on Friday 25 March to Mount Smart Stadium in what will be the first opportunity for fans to witness Moana Pasifika play in the flesh. Head Coach Aaron Mauger is looking forward to playing the Hurricanes...

Papua New Guinea Parliament has approved the creation of seven new electorates which will be included in this year’s General Election. Prime Minister James Marape Tuesday tabled the 2021 Electoral Boundaries Commission (EBC) Reports and Recommendation in parliament, which recommended the creation of 12 new electorates based on population from the 2011 National Census. “From these 12 electorates, the EBC has...

The U.S President Joe Biden has appointed Ambassador Joseph Yun as Special Presidential envoy for Compact negotiations. The United States has a special and longstanding relationship with the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and the Republic of Palau – collectively known as the Freely Associated States (FAS). “We are currently engaged in negotiating amendments...

By Rebecca Kessler UN member states failed on 18 March to finalise a legally binding tool to sustainably manage the largest ungoverned place on the planet: the high seas. The lack of agreement came after almost two weeks of talks in New York, three previous conferences, and more than a decade of discussion. Almost 27,000 unique species, including fish, mammals,...