PINA

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...

Nuclear activists have hit out at Australia's decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines in partnership with the United States and United Kingdom. It's Australia's most significant defence change in decades and replaces a $90 billion(US$66 billion) contract it had with France to build 12 diesel-powered submarines. In a press conference announcing the deal, Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it signals that...

Former Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi shook hands with his successor Fiame Naomi Mata’afa as her Cabinet Ministers and Members arrived for Friday’s Parliament session. Ahead of the 18 HRPP elected Members of Parliament swearing-in ceremony Friday morning, Samoa’s two dominant parties have finally set aside their differences, in what would hopefully bring to an end the four-months running...

The temporary reduction in carbon emissions caused by global COVID-19 lockdowns did not slow the relentless advance of climate change. Greenhouse gas concentrations are at record levels, and the planet is on path towards dangerous overheating, a multi-agency climate report published on Thursday warns. According to the landmark United in Science 2021, there “is no sign of growing back greener”, as...

Border restrictions on Fiji's main island Viti Levu have been lifted Friday. The move came after 62 percent of all adults are fully vaccinated and over 97 percent of the population have received their first jab. Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said domestic travel is now open for the whole of Viti Levu. “Inter-island travel, however, will remain highly controlled, including to Vanua...

Fiji has recorded 197 new cases of COVID-19 and four new deaths Thursday, increasing the total number of cases to 49,517 and 542 deaths since the outbreak that started in April. Permanent secretary for Health, Dr James Fong said 93 cases are from the Western division, 98 cases are from the Central division in Vitilevu, Fiji’s main island and six...

Australia’s decision to build nuclear submarines will isolate Australia from its regional neighbours who have, for decades, pursued a nuclear-free Pacific, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (Ican) has said. While the Australian government and defence force have insisted the submarines will be nuclear-powered, and never nuclear-armed, Ican, the winner of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, argues that a...