PINA

When Timor Leste heads to the polls on Saturday to elect its next president, there will be more candidates and more female candidates than ever before. It's been five years since the last presidential election was held in the country. Australian National University scholar Andrea Fahey, who has studied Timor Leste politics for 20 years, said the country had a semi-presidential...

At the sitting of the Fono Ekepule this week, Niue Member of Parliament Terry Coe tabled the notice of intention to move a motion of no confidence against the Cabinet. As stipulated by article six of the Niue Constitution four members of the Legislative Assembly may give notice of their intention to move a vote of no confidence. The four members...

A surreal controversy has erupted in Solomon Islands after the Chinese Embassy allegedly shipped several crates holding replica firearms into the capital Honiara, just months after the city was shaken by violent riots. Last week, local media in Solomon Islands reported that a large shipment of weapons had been secretly brought into Honiara in February on a logging vessel. The prospect...

Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa confirmed a community transmission case in Samoa late Thursday, with the country moving to Alert Level 2 for 24 hours before being elevated to Alert Level 3 from 12am Saturday to go into lockdown. The positive community transmission case was discovered on Thursday afternoon, after an individual underwent testing for COVID-19 as part of...

Port Moresby North West MP Lohia Boe Samuel was arrested and charged for murder and locked up at the Boroko Police Station cells Thursday. Commander NCD/Central Assistant Commissioner Anthony Wagambie Junior said the MP was invited to Boroko Police station, escorted to the NCD Homicide section and charged today under section 300 sub section (1) (b)(ii) of the PNG Criminal...

Fiji's campaign period for the 2022 general election will start on 26 April. This has been confirmed by the Electoral Commission in accordance with Section 109A of the Electoral Act 2014, following their meeting today. Electoral Commission chairperson Mukesh Nand, Jawahar Lal, Kavita Raniga, Selina Lee Wah, Margot Jenkins, Simione Naiduki and Ateca Ledua attended the meeting. The campaign period will end...

Papua New Guinea Police Minister William Onglo says the country should not need guns to run the election. “This should not be a concern, we should be running elections without guns, but in some areas around the country, we need guns to control the crowd and protect the citizens and (allow them to) exercise their democratic right (to vote),” he...

A combination of factors, including misinformation that the pandemic is over, the lifting of mask mandates, ending physical distancing - and a more transmissible Omicron BA.2 variant - are causing an increase of COVID-19 cases globally, the World Health Organisation warned on Wednesday. “After several weeks of declines, reported cases of COVID-19 are once again increasing globally, especially in parts...

The deputy secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum Dr Filimon Manoni has noted with ‘great interest’ the inclusion of the Forums planned Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) in discussions on debt for climate. At a joint ESCAP and PIFS workshop on debt for climate on Wednesday, the deputy SG for the Pacific Islands Forum stressed the fund, or Pacific Resilience...

Three more cabinet ministers tested positive for COVID-19, confirmed the Minister for Health Wednesday. They include the Minister for Internal Affairs Sangstar Saulala, Minister for Foreign Affairs Fekitamoelao 'Utoikamanu, and the Minister for Justice and Prisons Samiu Vaipulu. Minister for Health, Dr Saia Piukala confirmed he is currenlty in self-isolation and has tested negative so far for COVID-19. He said he is...