PINA

The Solomon Islands have defeated Tahiti 3-1 at Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha today, meaning they take top spot in Group A of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Oceania Qualifiers. The game was played in unusual circumstances, with both teams assured of making the semi-finals, due to the Cook Islands and Vanuatu unfortunately having to pull out of...

Alex Greive and Chris Wood both scored doubles as New Zealand made it three wins from three in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Oceania Qualifiers by claiming a 7-1 win over New Caledonia at the Suheim bin Hamad Stadium in Qatar. With New Zealand already through to the semi-finals, coach Danny Hay took the opportunity to make nine changes...

The Fiji Pearls had to work hard to secure a 56-41 win against Singapore in the PacificAus Sports Series. Singapore was relentless in attack and put up a solid defensive line when the Pearls had possession. The national side gave away too many possessions in the first quarter but recovered thanks to some good defense that allowed turnovers to be made...

An allocation of $6million (US$3 million) has been provided to support Fiji Rugby Union and the Fijian Drua in meeting the New Zealand Rugby Union’s financing requirements for Super Rugby Pacific. While delivering the 2021-2022 Revised National Budget in Parliament last night, Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the investment also for 51 percent shareholding in Counter Ruck Pte Limited, or...

The President of the Pacific nation whose nomination for the Secretary General post became a flashpoint for the possible breakup of the Pacific Islands Forum has said not only does he not want the Micronesia area nations to pull out of the Forum, he wants current Secretary General Henry Puna to stay on the job. In a 17 February letter...

The UN set an ambitious five year deadline on Wednesday for countries to ensure that citizens worldwide are protected by early warning systems against extreme weather and climate change, the UN chief announced, marking World Meteorological Day. “Early warnings and action save lives,” Secretary-General António Guterres said in a video message during a ceremony marking the day, adding that the...

The former prime minister of Samoa has been found guilty of contempt of court after fighting judgments that tried to manage the 2021 election turmoil. In a decision delivered by the Supreme Court of Samoa on 23 February, New Zealand justices Robert Fisher and Raynor Asher set out how Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and others “damaged the fabric of Samoa” with...

Taiwan has long struggled for global recognition, but on Tuesday the leader of one of the world's smallest countries vowed he will not rest until the island is an “equal member of the family of nations”. The sparsely populated Marshall Islands, whose president is conducting a five-day visit to Taiwan, is among the self-ruled island's remaining 14 diplomatic allies that...

Time is running out for governments to reach an ambitious Paris-style agreement for nature, say campaigners, who warn that crucial negotiations to protect biodiversity are moving at a “snail’s pace”. Amid increasingly alarming scientific assessments about the state of life on Earth, negotiators are meeting in Geneva for talks aimed at halting and reversing the destruction of wildlife and ecosystems...

The final count of the ballots from Niue’s Fono Ekepule returned 11 votes to five against the motion defeating the vote of no confidence in Premier Dalton Tagelagi Cabinet. The sixteen members present all spoke after the presentation of the motion by Common Roll member Terry Coe. Despite Speaker Hima Takelesi’s decision that the vote will be by secret ballot, the...