PINA

Republic of Fiji Military Forces Commander, Brigadier General Jone Kalouniwai says instilling discipline in soldiers is at the top of his agenda. Speaking to FBC News Kalouniwai said he will implement a modernisation plan in the RFMF during his five-year term. The new Commander wants changes in staff professionalism saying he is overwhelmed with what is to come. “I think if I...

By Christopher Knaus In the pre-dawn light, beneath a water tower on the West Papuan island of Biak, Yudha Korwa lay bleeding in the dirt. Four days earlier, the young high school student, full of hope in post-Suharto, Reformasi Indonesia, had joined hundreds of other independence activists to fly the Morning Star, the banned West Papuan flag, near Biak’s harbour. Now...

Unless wealthy nations commit to tackling emissions now, the world is on a “catastrophic pathway” to 2.7-degrees of heating by the end of the century, UN Secretary General António Guterres warned on Friday. This is far beyond the one to 1.5 degree Celsius threshold, agreed by the international community as part of the 2015 Paris Agreement. The UN chief's remarks came...

Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has admitted there is distrust between Pacific Islands Forum member countries. Speaking on Radio Fiji One’s “Na Noda Paraiminisita” programme, Bainimarama says in his capacity as Chair he aims to unite the region. Bainimarama was asked about his role and what he intends to do as Fiji will be in a leadership role for the next...

Fiji has recorded 79 new cases of COVID-19 Sunday, increasing the total number of cases to 49,889 with 564 deaths since the outbreak in April. Permanent secretary for Health, Dr James Fong said 35 cases are from the Western division and 44 cases are from the Central division in Vitilevu, Fiji’s main Island. “There have been 82 new recoveries to report...

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the adverse impacts of climate change, Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa has told an international conference. The Prime Minister had made the comments during the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting which was held virtually on 17 September. Emphasising the parallel threats of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change,Mata'afa said having added an additional layer of risks...

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr has called for urgent action from international governments and leaders to address climate mitigation and adaptation as small nations such as Palau faces devastating impacts of global warming. In his remarks during the Virtual Island Summit in early September said islands of the world “have been at the frontline of the intensifying impacts of Climate...

American Samoa confirmed its first positive case of COVID-19, the island nation's Department of Homeland Security said Friday. The case was detected last Thursday among 43 travelers who were quarantined at a hotel in the village of Utulei. After the case was confirmed, more than 200 travelers quarantined at a nearby hotel were also tested. No other positive cases were...

Fifty-two hotels have closed while 48 are still operational out of the 144 hotel operations in Samoa that the Samoa Tourism Authority has on its records. STA Chief Executive Officer, Fa’amatuainu Lenata’i Tuifua, gave the tourism statistics in a recent interview with the Samoa Observer. He said 26 hotel operations are also currently being used by the Government to quarantine returning...

Campaigners have criticised Captain Ian Finley, a UK resident who has represented the Cook Islands at the International Maritime Organisation since 2006, for consistently defending industry interests. By Rich Collett-White A negotiator representing the Cook Islands at the UN who has been criticised for blocking efforts to tackle global shipping emissions has been paid at least US$700,000 since 2010 by...