PINA

The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Henry Puna, has been given a lifeline after the Marshall Islands broke ranks from the Micronesian bloc of countries to support the Cook Islanders' tenure in office. It's the first public sign of disagreement between Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Palau, and Marshall Islands since they began withdrawing from the...

The Marshall Islands may expel Russian yachts and boats on sanctions lists from its ship registry as a response to the war with Ukraine. “We also are one of the largest ship registry programmes for flagged ships throughout the global shipping industry,” Foreign Minister Casten Nemra said at a press conference in Taiwan. “We are also looking into expelling any Russian...

The Solomon Islands' prime minister said Tuesday that a contentious security agreement with Beijing was “ready for signing”, denying reports that his country had been pressured to allow a Chinese naval base to be built in the Pacific island nation. In an impassioned speech to parliament, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare offered little detail on the shape of the final deal...

Australia has been told it must increase investment and look at establishing a military presence in the Pacific to counter China’s influence in the region after Solomon Islands confirmed it was close to signing a security deal with Beijing. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare on Tuesday defended the proposed deal as he denied his country has “picked a side”....

New Zealand will need to send a strong signal to other Pacific Islands after China's overtures to Solomon Islands, Minister of Defence Peeni Henare says. After visits with counterparts in Fiji and Australia last week, the minister says maintaining a cooperative Defence Force presence in the region - and not solely for humanitarian aid - is a priority for New...

Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama and New Zealand’s Minister of foreign affairs, Nanaia Mahuta met in Suva, Tuesday signing the Duavata Partnership: Aotearoa Whenua Manapori o Whiti Tauaki Mahitahi, an expanded statement of partnership between the two countries. “The Duavata Partnership is a landmark achievement in the advancement of Fiji and New Zealand collaborations, which has continued to enhance over...

President David Panuelo of the Federated States of Micronesia(FSM)on Monday asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to back up calls for a ceasefire and Russia's pullout from Ukraine. “I believe now is the appropriate time for the People’s Republic of China to demonstrate its global leadership by calling on the Russian Federation to cease hostilities and withdraw from Ukraine,” Panuelo said...

AgriExchange Pty Ltd (Costas), Australia's largest Agriculture/Horticulture employer, is back in Fiji for the fourth time this week, conducting medical tests, job interviews and job tests. Costas have operations all over Australia focusing on different products such as grapes, citrus, and mushrooms, to name a few. Permanent Secretary for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, Osea Cawaru, on behalf of the Fijian...

The ninth meeting of the Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA) Steering Committee has endorsed a new interactive reporting technique proposed by the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Educational Quality and Assessment Programme (EQAP). PILNA, being the region’s largest assessment, focusses on the literacy and numeracy proficiency skills of Year 4 and Year 6 students. These are required skills that children...

The Auckland-based Blues survived a red card and a fraught period around half-time when they almost gave up a 19-point lead before beating Moana Pasifika 32-19 in a rescheduled Super Rugby Pacific match. All Blacks prop Nepo Laulala was sent off with the Blues leading 24-12 in the 58th minute on Tuesday for a shoulder charge which made contact with...