PINA

The Australian government has brushed off criticism from the UN secretary general labelling it a “holdout” after Scott Morrison refused to strengthen the nation’s 2030 emissions reduction target. The communications minister, Paul Fletcher, branded António Guterres a member of the UN “chattering classes” after he used an address to a sustainability summit to take an extraordinary public swipe at Australia’s...

Thirty members of the Royal PNG Constabulary (RPNGC) personnel are flying in this morning from Port Moresby to Honiara in a second deployment since the November rioting and looting. Solomon Islands High Commissioner to PNG, William Soaki, this morning sent off the officers to support police in the upcoming Parliament sitting. According to Soaki, this contingent will be the second batch...

The goal to limit future warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, highlighted in the Paris Agreement on climate change, and driven home in last November’s COP26, gathering in Glasgow, is now on “life support” and “in intensive care,” the UN chief told the Economist Sustainability Summit on Monday. Speaking via video link, Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted some of the progress made at...

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr said that Our Ocean Conference next month will be an opportunity for the Pacific region to highlight the role of Pacific Islanders as stewards of the oceans. In a virtual Our Ocean Conference pre-event sponsored by the Sasakawa Foundation, President Whipps said Pacific nations have always taken “great responsibility” in the management and protection of...

Samoa Health authorities have recorded 66 new community cases in 24 hours up to Monday night to bring Samoa’s total number of active COVID-19 community cases to 247. A statement released by the the Ministry of Health’s data that showed a total of 1,510 tests were done as at 12pm Monday at 17 designated COVID-19 screening sites including health facilities. In...

Our mission is to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 2.5 million tonnes by 2024 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. This was announced by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, during the celebration of International Day of Forests with the theme “Forests and Sustainable Production and Consumption" at the Ministry of Forestry Headquarters Monday. In highlighting the value of forests, Prime Minister...

The ABC is planning to employ more journalists in the Pacific region and re-establish satellite feeds for its international service under a $12 million US$8.8 million) request for funding submitted to government last year. Expansion of ABC Radio Australia across the Pacific into different time zones and creating specialised content focused on the region that can air on ABC television...

By Graeme Dobell As Australia must close the gap between its First Nations peoples and other Australians, so it must open the door to Melanesians. The two needs are distinct and separate. Yet they share elements of necessity and symbolic importance. Closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in life expectancy, child mortality, literacy, education and employment is a great...

-A record-breaking double by Chris Wood has helped New Zealand to a dominant 4-0 win over Fiji in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Oceania Qualifiers. His 73rd minute goal makes him the outright leading goal scorer for the All Whites and vindicated his selection straight into the lineup after arriving in Doha just days before the match. Coach Danny Hay...

After a couple of days of disruption, the on field action returned to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Oceania Qualifiers in Doha, with Papua New Guinea beating New Caledonia 1-0 in a physical but wildly entertaining encounter at Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium. Both sides made several changes to their starting XI’s after first round losses, Papua New Guinea holding top-ranked...