PINA

Early data from Tonga's violent volcanic eruption suggests it is the biggest blast since Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines 30 years ago, volcanologist Shane Cronin says. The eruption of the underwater Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano, about 65km north of Nuku'alofa, on Saturday shot thick ash and steam 20km skywards. University of Auckland volcanologist Professor Shane Cronin said scenes on the ground...

The European Commission has proposed suspending a visa-free travel arrangement with Vanuatu due to concerns about the Pacific nation’s controversial “golden passports” scheme. The proposed suspension, which still needs to be voted on by EU states, would prevent all holders of passports issued as of 25 May 2015 – when Vanuatu started issuing a substantial number of passports in exchange...

Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Limited (ATH) is on the cusp of launching the completion of its greenfield network project in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Scheduled to open in the next few months, the greenfield network roll out has been executed with little help from host country, Papua New Guinea. ATH chief executive officer, Ivan Fong, made the remarks at the annual general...

By Ofani Eremae When Malaysian logger Richard Kong Sing Ngea pleaded guilty in December 2020 to the illegal harvesting of Tubi trees in Solomons’ Isabel Province, tribal leader Wilson Tohidi was thrilled. Ngea’s admittance of guilt, Tohidi believes, should prompt the Solomon Islands Government to seize the illegally felled logs and return them to landowners. His tribe, Tohidi insists, is the rightful...

Despite the annihilation of two major Japanese cities in 1945, atomic bombs have not been relegated to the pages of history books, but continue to be developed today – with increasingly more power to destroy than they had when unleashed on Hiroshima and Nagasaki back in 1945. Those first nuclear weapons deployed by the United States, indiscriminately killed tens of...

Attention turns to Spain where Malaga and Seville will host the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series for the first time. 16 men's and 12 women's teams will compete over three days of non-stop action. New Zealand's men's and women's teams are unable to travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are replaced by Germany and Belgium, respectively. Taking place on 21-23 January,...

Moana Pasifika has secured Southland Head Coach Dale MacLeod, and specialist prop Pauliasi Manu to their 2022 Super Rugby Pacific coaching team. Dale MacLeod, who takes on responsibility for Moana’s Defence strategy, coached the Southland Stags in 2020 and 2021, has also coached the Blues A, and Highlanders Bravehearts teams. Pauliasi Manu, 34, made his debut in 2011 for the...

While military presence will be scaled down in Honiara, Solomon Islands, contingents from the Fijian, Australian and New Zealand armed forces will remain on standby to ensure stability in the island nation. This, according to Chief of the Australian Defense Force, General Angus Campbell. He said the police-led effort of restoring stability in the Solomon Islands would continue. General Campbell commended the...

“I am not resigning,” CNMI Governor Ralph Torres said on Tuesday. “The issue between former Governor Fitial and myself is totally different,” he added during a media briefing on KKMP radio. In February 2013, Fitial became the CNMI’s first governor to be impeached by the House of Representatives. He resigned before the Senate could hold a trial. Torres acknowledged that his...

Tongan Prime Minister-designate Siaosi Sovaleni has urged Tongan parents to embrace the COVID-19 vaccination for young children, as the latest official data shows a low percent rate of vaccinations for this age group. Sovaleni has urged parents on Facebook to take their children for their second jabs. He said the vaccination rate for children aged 12 – 17 was still low. His...