PINA

Papua New Guinea Police have made a startling revelation that firearms for the National Elections security operations have yet to be purchased. Deputy Police Commissioner Anton Billie says the firearms might not be procured and received by the time the election writs are issued on 28 April and when nominations and campaigns start in earnest. “We haven’t purchased anything yet. I’ve...

Russia must immediately suspend military operations in Ukraine, the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Wednesday, in The Hague. By a vote of 13 to two, with Vice-President Kirill Gevorgian of Russia and Judge Xue Hanqin of China dissenting, the ICJ ruled that Russia “shall immediately suspend the military operations that it commenced on 24 February.” The court’s ruling...

Tongan Deputy Prime Minister Poasi Mataele Tei has thanked the ‘Pacific Family’ for the assistance rendered to Tonga in the past six weeks, following the devastation caused by the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Haapai volcanic eruption and tsunami on 15 January. Tei was speaking at the farewell ceremony for members of the Australia Defence Force (ADF), Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) and the...

Some seasonal workers are alleging that their employers are eating into their salaries with hidden deductions after receiving on $100 (US$72) for a week's worth of work on Australian farms. A Senate Committee inquiry has been investigating their working conditions, and is expected to table a report at the end of the month. Samoan-Australian Lieta Sauiluma-Duggan is an advocate for seasonal...

Opinion by Douglas J McCauley The ocean is often seen as the last wild frontier: a vast and empty blue wilderness where waves, whales and albatrosses rule. This is no longer true. Unnoticed by many, a new industrial revolution is unfolding in our seas. The last several decades have seen exponential growth in new marine industries. This includes expansion of...

COVID outbreaks in the Blues, Highlanders, and Crusaders squads have forced New Zealand Rugby (NZR) to amend the DHL Super Rugby Pacific Round 5 schedule. Moana Pasifika will now play the Gallagher Chiefs at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland at 7.05pm on Saturday night in what will be the only New Zealand-based DHL Super Rugby Pacific match this weekend. No matches...

Captain Nemani Nagusa returns from injury to lead the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua in their Round 5 Super Rugby Pacific clash against the Western Force in Sydney on Saturday. Coach Mick Byrne has made some key positional changes and youngster Jona Mataiciwa will make his first start at fullback while former Suva forward Sorovakatini Tuifagalele has also named in the...

Work continues on setting up a permanent United Nations office in Fiji’s capital Suva. UN Resident Coordinator, Sanaka Samarasinha confirmed they continue to work with the Fijian Government and have already looked at some potential sites. Once completed, UN House will bring all branches of the international agency under one roof. “We have engaged with the government and the design is a...

About 65 women have put up their hands to contest the Papua New Guinea General election. They announced at the third Practice Parliament for Women in Port Moresby that they were prepared to take on the men. The initiative is being implemented as a partnership among the Independent Political Parties and Candidates Commission (IPPCC), Parliament, Department for Community Development, Youth and...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has released a US$5 million (Vatu566 million) grant from its Pacific Disaster Resilience Programme (Phase 3) to help finance the Government of Vanuatu’s response to the community transmission of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Vanuatu is battling large-scale community transmission of the virus, with the Ministry of Health confirming a total of 252 COVID-19 cases since...