PINA

Fiji has recorded 72 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, increasing the total number of cases to 50,200 and 577 deaths since the outbreak in April. Permanent secretary for Health, Dr James Fong said there have been 32 new recoveries to report since the last update, which means that there are now 12,982 active cases. “There have been 50,200 cases during the...

More than 30,000 people are targeted to get their COVID-19 vaccination by the time the nationwide lockdown for Thursday and Friday’s mass vaccination campaign ends, Samoa authorities say. Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa has appealed to the country to use the opportunity to get vaccinated to achieve a 99 per cent herd coverage of immunity for Samoa. Mata'afa addressed parliament on...

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr on Tuesday urged the United Nations to allow Taiwan to participate in its system on the first day of the general debate of the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) 76th session in New York. In his 13-minute address, Whipps Jr thanked Palau's international allies who came to its aid during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular the...

A Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral (Registration of Voters) Act 2012 was passed by the Fijian Parliament today despite strong opposition. This means Section 2 of the Principal Act is amended in the definition of “residential address” by deleting “, including the province and division, provided however that he or she has lived there for a period...

-Two expatriates, a 62-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman, were separately charged in Papua New Guinea’s Alotau magistrate’s court last week with possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition. In the first case, alleged illegal firearms dealer Huong Haw Chin, a Malaysian businessman from Sarawak’s Sibu, pleaded not guilty in the Alotau magistrate’s court to four charges of possessing unlicensed firearms and...

The close-knit Solomon Islands tourism industry is in mourning following the death of Tourism Solomons CEO, Josefa ‘Jo’ Tuamoto who passed away in Suva, Fiji, on Tuesday, 21 September. Tuamoto had recently returned to Fiji to be close to family while he recuperated following a recent bout of ill health. Announcing the sad news, Tourism Solomons board chairman, Chris Hapa said...

A programme aimed at addressing persistent and widespread gender gaps in the workplace in Fiji helped a raft of companies maintain operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with some reporting a lift in business performance. The Rakorako programme, an initiative of the International Financial Corporation (IFC) and Fiji Human Resources Institute (FHRI), has already resulted in 65 new policies and practices...

The interim chief executive of the Fijian Drua, one of two Super Rugby Pacific new entrants for 2022, says the depth on the islands is such that a place in the eight-team finals is possible next year – an outcome that could knock an Australian side out of the playoffs. “I think it's really hard to predict, and you don't...

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday welcomed important commitments made towards climate action by the world’s two largest economies, as the 76th High Level debate began in New York. He hailed United States’ President Jose Biden’s announcement that the U.S would significantly increase its international climate finance to approximately US$11.4 billion a year. “This increased contribution from the United States will...

Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF)Commander, Brigadier General Jone Kalouniwai has confirmed receiving the resignation of two senior officers. The two are deputy commanders, Brigadier General, Mohammed Aziz and RFMF Chief of Staff, John Fox. The new military chief said there is no malice in the two senior officers stepping down and they left on good terms. “They went out of the...