PINA

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is altering the process for negotiations to curb fisheries subsidies in a manner that will make it harder for developing countries, including Pacific member states to engage in the talks. PACNEWS has confirmed that Chair of the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations, Santiago Wills, has communicated to Member States’ Heads of Delegation on a specific and...

Beginning more than a millennium ago, intrepid seafarers traversed vast Pacific Ocean expanses in double-hulled sailing canoes to reach the far-flung islands of Polynesia, the planet's last habitable region to be settled by people. A genetic study published on Wednesday has deciphered the timing and sequence of this settlement of an area spanning about a third of Earth's surface, with...

Fiji is among the climate-vulnerable countries in the region that continues to receive less than one percent of global climate finance. Minister Responsible for Climate Change, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said this is unfair and unsustainable. While speaking on ‘priorities for Fiji at COP26’ in parliament today, Sayed-Khaiyum highlighted the unfair disbursement of climate financing is against the Paris Agreement which states the...

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday repeated his call for a global COVID-19 vaccination plan to boost production and reach millions over the coming months, in line with recommendations by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Speaking at a summit on the global pandemic, hosted by United States President Joseph Biden, the UN chief stressed that the move is not philanthropy,...

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape, says PNG has experienced the impacts of climate change, therefore, he as the leader is qualified to talk about climate change and to call on industrialised nations to contribute more towards reduction of carbon emissions and the conservation of existing rainforest, including the rainforest in Papua New Guinea. The Prime Minister made this...

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) has announced two new senior appointments within the Force. Captain Humphrey Biu Tawake has been appointed as the deputy Commander Republic of Fiji Military Forces whilst Colonel Sapenafa Motufaga is now the new Chief of Staff (CoS) at the Headquarters RFMF. Before taking on this role, Captain Tawake headed the Republic of...

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...