PINA

Argentina won the third event of the HSBC SVNS 2024, beating Australia in Perth (Boorloo) in front of the biggest rugby audience in Western Australia’s capital since the Wallabies drew with the Springboks in the Tri Nations Series in 2017. The sell-out crowd at HBF Park, hosting a SVNS event for the first time, were treated to near-perfect weather conditions...

Tuvalu is gearing up for its national election today. Tuvaluans will cast their votes to fill the 16-member parliament when polls open from 8am till 4.00pm Friday, local time. Elections are held every four years on tiny island nation with a population of over 11,000 people. There are no political parties in Tuvalu, which means that all candidates run as independents, and...

Reports questioning Taiwan-Tuvalu ties are nothing but rumors, Ambassador to Tuvalu Andrew Lin said Thursday, adding that the Pacific Island nation would continue to maintain strong, steady ties with Taiwan after Tuvalu’s elections today. In an article last Friday by the Weekend Australian, Tuvaluan Ambassador to Taiwan Bikenibeu Paeniu was cited as saying that “sources from Tuvalu” said it could...

Papua New Guinea will be hosting Pope Francis in late August. Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands general secretary Father Victor Roche confirmed the Pope's visit with RNZ Pacific on Thursday. Papua New Guinea has approximately two million Catholics - about 20 percent of the nation. The Pope is visiting two cities in PNG over three to four...

By Yvonne Su, Assistant Professor in the Department of Equity Studies, York University, Canada The recent climate migration deal signed by Australia and Tuvalu in November 2023 has been touted as providing a “lifeline” to the people of the South Pacific nation who face existential threats from rising sea levels and climate change. The Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty is the world’s...

Captains of the best 12 men’s and women’s rugby sevens teams in the world were soaking up the sun in Perth on Wednesday ahead of the hotly anticipated third round of HSBC SVNS 2024 on 26-28 January. Players and fans can look forward to three action-packed days of rugby sevens and buzz-filled nights at HBF Park where fireworks can be...

Nauru’s Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade Lionel Aingimea and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi sign joint communique reaffirming the restoration of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Nauru and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), in Beijing on 24 January. Minister Aingimea said it is a particular time in history for it restarts the friendly ties between the two...

By Munkhtuya Altangerel - Resident Representative, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji Amidst the turbulence of global conflicts and economic uncertainty, one thing is clear: the current energy paradigm is unsustainable. Our dependence on fossil fuels is not only exacerbating climate change, but also leaving many countries vulnerable to potential price shocks and geopolitical instability. As we enter 2024, the time for...

The draws for the OFC Men’s Nations Cup 2024 – Qualifying and OFC Men’s Nations Cup 2024 have been held at the OFC Home of Football – Te Kahu o Kiwa, in Auckland, New Zealand. The Qualifying tournament will be hosted in Tonga from 20-26 March and the OFC Men’s Nations Cup 2024 will be held in Vanuatu from 15-30...

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Executive Board Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala of Tonga as its Regional Director for the Western Pacific. Following his confirmation, Dr Piukala addressed the Executive Board: “Today, I stand before you as the first Regional Director from the Pacific in WHO’s history. The enormity of this task is not lost on...