PINA

Investigations are being conducted into the source of a Covid-19 outbreak in Tonga, according to the prime minister Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni. The virus is suspected to have been transmitted from one of a number of merchant ships that had delivered aid to Tonga over the last two weeks. Tonga went into lockodown at 6pm on Wednesday after two port workers tested...

There are a total of 190 positive COVID-19 cases recorded in Solomon Islands Thursday. The Minister of Health and Medical services Dr Culwick Togamana gave the updated figure during his daily situation report on the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. He said of the 190 positive cases, 167 cases are in Honiara, with Makira province registering its first two positive case,...

Papua New Guinea Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Bulolo Sam Basil has been appointed as Acting Prime Minister for the next 14 days. Prime Minister James Marape made the announcement before departing for China Thursday. Marape is accompanied by Commerce Minister William Sam, Petroleum Minister Kerenga Kua and Fisheries Minister Dr Lino Tom and other relevant government officials. Prime Minister James...

By Catherine Wilson Corruption continues to have a crippling effect on the lives of many people in southwest Pacific Island countries, exacerbating hardship and inequality and eroding human and national development. Islanders speak of the mismanagement of public funds and assets by political elites at the national level, but also by organisations and individuals in communities, the loss of resource...

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is deeply concerned about the impact of the Hunga Tonga - Hunga Ha’apai underwater volcano eruption, and tsunami, on the people of the Kingdom of Tonga. In response, the Director General, Kosi Latu, has assured that SPREP is standing by and ready to work with the Government of Tonga and partners...

Moana Pasifika Head Coach Aaron Mauger has named three formidable lineups for Friday’s pre-season ‘Ofa Atu Tonga’ fundraising match against the Gallagher Chiefs. The game will be played in three 30-minute blocks, allowing the coaches to test the full depth of their squad. This is an historic occasion for Moana Pasifika being the first time the inaugural Super Rugby Pacific squad...

Pacific Media Network and Sky join forces for ‘Ofa Atu Tonga with commentary in Lea FakaTonga (Tongan Language. Sky has long offered commentary in te reo Māori, and gagana Samoa, and this weekend will see a Tongan team from Pacific Media Network join the Sky Crew to call the history-making fundraising Super Rugby pre-season match between Moana Pasifika and the...

A foreign diplomat has found himself tangled up in a Border Force raid at a Christian missionary’s Queensland home. Christian missionary Jane Smith was asleep when her husband broke the news border security was about to raid their Queensland home. “I thought he was joking. I said, “Ah stop staking stupid, talking crap to me, taking sh*t,” she told a parliamentary...

Tuvalu has ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)last week. Given this momentous occasion, Tuvalu’s Foreign and Justice Minister Simon Kofe has made the following statement of support and encouragement: “Our Pacific region has suffered from the effects of decades of nuclear testing. By ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), Tuvalu is reiterating its commitment to the elimination of all nuclear...

New Zealand has announced it will reopen its border to visitors in stages, starting at the end of February, after its earlier plans to do so were derailed by Omicron. It will be the first time the country has opened up since prime minister Jacinda Ardern announced its snap closure in the first month of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020....