PINA

Teti Tela and Frank Lomani have been selected in Swire Shipping Fijian Drua line-up to take on Queensland Reds for this weekendin round four. Flanker Meli Derenalagi captains the side again this week in the continued absence of Nemani Nagusa, while the match day 23 also features three potential Drua debutants. In the front row, Kaliopasi Uluilakepa (1) and Samuela Tawake...

Sport in the Pacific Islands is to benefit from preemptive moves by an Oceania-stakeholder Working Group’s evolving architecture leading to the BRISBANE 2032 Olympic Games to benefit trainers, coaches, specialists, and athletes in the islands – but with an emphasis on Pacific islanders for Pacific islanders. In opening remarks to the hybrid online and in-person ONOC Secretaries-General Workshop in Guam,...

There is a need for the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of Oceania to be more transparent with its national federations and athletes on grants and opportunities offered through the Olympic Solidarity Programme. Ricardo Blas, Secretary-General of the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) made the call at the opening of the ONOC Secretaries-General Workshop, a quadrennial meet that kickstarts the beginning...

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are becoming a socio-economic burden for Fiji as they account for an estimated 84 percent of premature deaths in the island nation, said a World Health Organisation (WHO) official. Shiva Anjini Singh, WHO Strategic Planning Officer, made the comments while highlighting the overview of the situation analysis of NCDs in Fiji during the Wellness and NCD consultation...

Papua New Guinea's Attorney-General Dr Eric Kwa has filed a special reference in the Supreme Court to seek clarification on whether people convicted by a competent court can contest the General Election. Solicitor-General Tauvasa Tanuvasa said that the special reference was filed as a result of concerns raised by the public. “The attorney-general is concerned that there are interested parties or...

China is always a trustworthy friend for South Pacific countries, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday. China is willing to work with South Pacific countries to set a new example of mutual support, solidarity and cooperation between countries of different sizes and with different systems, Wang said. Noting that China has helped Tonga when it faced volcano eruptions,...

The first Covid-19 case has been discovered in Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. The case is an Aitutaki resident, and the person is isolating at home. Household contacts are currently being identified and are asked to quarantine. Like Rarotonga, the population on Aitutaki is highly vaccinated and Prime Minister Mark Brown said they are prepared for this. Over the weekend 24 new cases...

The Vanuatu Government has extended the 6pm-6am curfew for Efate and its offshore islands for another 48 hours. The Order to extend the curfew until Thursday was signed by the Minister of Health, Bruno Leingkone, and published in the Official Gazette Tuesday. Vaccination on Efate and offshore islands will be suspended during the curfew period. It will resume after the curfew...

By Ronald Toito'ona A recent illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing report released last December revealed that Pacific licensed vessels or fleets are heavily involved in IUU fishing in the region through the misreporting of tuna catch. The Quantification of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing in the Pacific Islands Region Report 2020 also concluded that IUU fishing in the...

The disaster stricken island of Nomuka received a visit last Friday from Tongan Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, who was flown to the island on Australian Defence Force Chinook helicopter with Australia's High Commissioner, Rachael Moore. A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said that the PM met the people on the island and said that government will do all...