PINA

The United States military presence in Palau is not a response to any immediate threat, according to a battalion commander for Task Force Oceania. Pacific Islands Battalion commander for Task Force Oceania LTC Rachel Sullivan in an interview said the U.S forces that are in Palau” are not here in response to any threat.” They are here as part of the...

The Samoa Alliance of Media Practitioners for Development (SAMPOD) has condemned political attacks against Samoan women journalists and called on the United Nations to lend its support. The SAMPOD statement was released after more than 1,000 men and women assembled for a peaceful march calling for an end to violence on women. Ironically, a young female reporter was verbally attacked by...

The Samoa caretaker Government are clinging onto power using the Head of State's unconstitutional powers, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, the leader of Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party has said. Mata’afa says the Human Rights Protection Party's (HRPP) efforts to cling onto power whilst the nation is under a State of Emergency is deeply concerning, noting that they...

Fiji's Trade Minister Faiyaz Koya has outlined the importance of remaining focused on the future to emerge stronger while chairing the 2021 Pacific ACP (PACP) Trade Ministers Meeting today. “Our region has embarked on numerous initiatives and programmes to accelerate transformation across multiple facets of our economic sectors. From fighting for the rights of our artisanal fishers for food security...

Two weeks ago, Lepani Raiyala lost his partner Maree Stewart to COVID-19. Stewart, a popular radio personality in Fiji, was only 39 when she died in hospital after contracting the virus amid the Pacific nation's deadly outbreak. Raiyala, who also tested positive for coronavirus, was forced to watch Stewart's funeral service “helplessly” via Zoom while isolating at a COVID-care facility in...

Leone Nakarawa has been given more responsibility as he will lead the Flying Fijians against the All Blacks in their final test match on Saturday in Hamilton. Nakarawa replaces Levani Botia for the captaincy role after the hard-hitting center was ruled out due to a knee injury earlier this week. Head Coach Vern Cotter said “Earlier in the week we knew...

The All Blacks team has been named to play Fiji in the third match of the Steinlager Series at FMG Stadium Waikato on Saturday 17 July. The naming sees a return from injury for midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown and loose forward Ardie Savea in what will be their 50th Test matches. Savea will start at openside flanker and Lienert-Brown is in...

A former Comanchero bikie and a missing property magnate owing hundreds of millions of dollars after his businesses collapsed are among Australians granted citizenship through Vanuatu’s controversial citizenship-by-investment scheme. Marco Francis Coffen and Zhou Xiang Huang, both from Australia, appear on a list of people who purchased citizenship from Vanuatu for US$130,000 last year. A Vanuatu passport allows visa-free travel through...

Vanuatu Council of Ministers (COM) has approved for the President to extend the State of Emergency (SoE) for the current coronavirus pandemic under Disaster Risk Management Act No. 23 of 2019. The extension period will begin from 01 August to 31 December this year and shall be extended, subject to advice from the National Disaster Committee. The extension will be applied...

Niue has become one of just a few countries in the world to reach herd immunity against Covid-19 after it vaccinated almost 100 per cent of its eligible population. The Pacific Island nation, which has a population of nearly 2,000 people, reached the milestone within two months. A national celebration was held on Tuesday to mark the vaccination milestone. With Pfizer vaccines...