PINA

The leader of the Solomon Islands survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament on Monday following riots in the capital last month. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told lawmakers in a fiery 90-minute speech that he’d done nothing wrong and would not bow down to “the forces of evil” or to “Taiwan’s agents.” At one point he picked up his chair and...

The matter against six Fiji Opposition Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) Members of Parliament has been transferred to the Suva High Court. The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) had made an application to transfer the matter to the High Court on the grounds that it is of public interest and the accused are parliamentarians. The matter involves SODELPA MP Salote...

Low-lying islands in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) are experiencing massive flooding that threaten the communities across the nation. “We are watching what’s happening,” FSM President David Panuelo said in a statement, “And, first and foremost, I would ask our citizens to feel assured that their government is aware of what’s happening and is ready to take action.” The FSM...

The Australian opposition has attempted to blunt a Coalition scare campaign by ruling out negotiating a stronger emissions reduction target if next year’s election results in a hung parliament. The senior Labour frontbencher Chris Bowen said his party had “paid a big price” in the “climate wars” over the past decade, and a central task of an incoming Albanese government...

The Cook Islands says its first case of Covid-19 is a good test ahead of the opening of its borders next month. The case is a weak-positive result from a 10-year-old boy who travelled from New Zealand with his family last week. The case was detected on arrival when the boy was asymptomatic. The family arrived on a repatriation flight with...

The new date for the reopening of the multi-billion-kina Porgera mine is April next year, according to Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape. He told The National that the country’s three other major resource projects – Papua LNG, P’Nyang and Wafi-Golpu – were “on track.” The Government also wants to get the Pasca A oil and gas project “over the...

Members of  Solomon Islands Parliament have defeated the motion of no confidence in Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare tabled by the Opposition Leader Mathew Wale. Those that voted in favour of the motion was 15, those that voted against the motion was 32 with 2 MPs abstained from voting. The Prime Minister has survived the motion with 32 voting against...

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has acknowledged those in government that have remained firm despite pressure from rioters for them to resign in the past week. He said the government stood their ground because they love the country and are the defenders of the country’s young democracy. Sogavare said the decision not to resign rests on the Constitution of the...

Solomon Islands Opposition Leader says the motion of no confidence on the Prime Minister is in recognition of the anger on longstanding political issues. Speaking on the floor of Parliament the Opposition Leaders said his decision to call on Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to resign at the height of the unrest is democratic, and his decision not to was also...

The Leadership Tribunal inquiring into misconduct charges against Papua New Guinea deputy Prime Minister and Member for Bulolo Sam Basil has cleared him of all charges. The tribunal found that evidence put forward by the Public Prosecutor were deficient and did not meet the relevant standard of proof to sustain the allegations and that there was no merit in the...