PINA

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...

Embattled Super Rugby debutants Moana Pasifika are refusing to reschedule their cancelled game against the Force, saying enough is enough after playing six games in three weeks this season. In a move that could have major ramifications for the make-up of the top eight, Moana chief executive Pelenato Sakalia told the Herald he was in no rush to lock in...

Fans will not be able to watch the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua and Highlanders match live on TV this weekend. This has been announced by Drua Chief Executive Brian Thorburn as fans are encouraged to buy tickets for the game. Some may think they can watch it on Sky Pacific but Thorburn says that’s not going to be the case. The Drua...

A win this weekend against the Highlanders is important for the Swire Shipping Fiji Drua side, says head coach Mick Byrne while speaking at a press conference Wednesday at Albert Park in Suva. The game on Saturday at the ANZ Stadium is a good chance for the Fijian side to register a win and keep its dreams of making the...

The writs for this year’s general election will be issued on 12 May, says Papua New Guinea Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai. He told The National that the issuing of writs originally planned for Thursday 28 April, had to be moved for various reasons including the impact of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic which made it impossible for the commission to update...

By Dionisia Tabureguci Tuvalu is confident in the prospects of its former Governor General Sir Iakoba Taeia Italeli to make the Secretary-General’s position in the Commonwealth. Sir Iakoba is Tuvalu’s nominee to head the eminent body, whose members include 54 independent countries, most of whom were former British colonies. “We are extremely proud of his campaign because, if he wins, he will...

Independent scientists are questioning Japan’s plans to dump just over one million tonnes of nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean, following a review of the available evidence. The panel of multi-disciplinary scientists, hired by the intergovernmental Pacific Islands Forum, has not found conclusive evidence that the discharge would be entirely safe, and one marine biologist fears contamination could affect the...