PINA

Even before Miss Samoa Moemoana Safa'ato'a Schwenke's name was announced, people at home already knew she had won it. Why wouldn't she? She was mesmerising from the start and after her talent, there were no questions about who should be the queen of the Pacific. And in winning the Miss Pacific title, she has repeated what her mother MaryJane Mckibbin-Schwenke...

Australia may need to work with China in the Pacific to ensure a record level of development aid and loans are not misused and that the fight for influence doesn't become a flashpoint, a report says. Traditional development partners of Pacific Island nations including Australia, the US. and New Zealand are locked in a geopolitical competition with China, and complex...

Regional media leader and news publisher Robert Iroga is in Suva to speak at a commemorative event this morning at the Forum Secretariat. The longtime journalists and former ACP Head of Media and Communications will be part of a panel event today marking the anniversary of the signing of the Teieniwa Vision for Pacific Unity against Corruption, which evolved from...

The Fijian Drua went down 43-40 to the ACT Brumbies in their Super Rugby Pacific warm up match in Canberra Saturday night. The visitors made an explosive start to the match with winger Taniela Rakuro showing his sheer speed and strength to get across the line and score for an early lead. Fullback Ilaisa Droasese, Te’ ahiwaru Cirikidaveta and Rakuro scored...

The Pacific Island nation of Palau has become the first member state of the United Nations to deposit its instrument of ratification of the Marine Biodiversity Treaty in New York. Last week, on Monday 22 January 2024, Palau’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Ilana Seid submitted her island nation’s ratification instrument to the Office of the Under-Secretary General...

Although 2023 was the warmest year on record globally, it was the 3rd warmest year on record in the Western Pacific region. December 2023 was the warmest December on record, with August, September and October also warmer than their corresponding months in all previous years. 2016 was the hottest year on record for the Western Pacific. The five warmest years...

Reports coming from Funafuti seem to suggest that a new government is in the making – comprising Opposition members from the previous Parliament and the newly elected members. PACNEWS has been reliably informed that former executive director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), Feleti Teo is emerging as a possible contender for the Prime Minister’s position. There are...

Australia considers itself the economic and security guardian of the Pacific region. But increasingly China has ambitions to further its interests among island nations. This week, Pat Conroy, Australia’s minister for International Development and the Pacific, who is also the Defense Industry minister, visited East Timor and Nauru. He said in a statement that his trip was “to further strengthen our deep...

It’s a significant milestone for Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) with eight referees receiving their FIFA accreditation for 2024, in a ceremony held last week. The group includes two centre referees, three assistant referees, two futsal referees and a beach soccer referee. Among the list of referees, presented by FIFA, is the country’s first female centre referee, Shama Mamae, who formally...

Ronna Lee Galumalemana is the new CEO at Football Federation Samoa. She replaces Acting CEO Pelenatete Taei and will officially start her role on February 19 at the conclusion of the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament -Oceania Qualifier which is being hosted in Samoa. “Galumalemana is vastly experienced in Administration, Training and Development, Management, Media and Marketing and has a strong business...