PINA

Following the announcement of the inclusion of Fijiana Drua into Australia’s premier Women’s XV Rugby competition, the Buildcorp Super W, Fiji Rugby Chief Executive John O’Connor highlighted that this is another historical milestone for the Fiji Rugby Union and for Women Rugby in Fiji. "We are excited with this opportunity considering that we just kicked off our first organized domestic...

The COVID-19 pandemic could be defeated this year but only if vaccines, tests and treatments are made available to all people, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday. The UN chief was among world leaders calling for US$23 billion to support the ACT-Accelerator, the landmark collaboration that makes these goods accessible to everyone globally. “Vaccine inequity is the biggest moral failure...

Up to 40 world leaders are due to make “ambitious and concrete commitments” towards combating illegal fishing, decarbonising shipping and reducing plastic pollution at what is billed as the first high-level summit dedicated to the ocean. One Ocean summit, which opens on Wednesday in the French port of Brest, aims to mobilise “unprecedented international political engagement” for a wide range...

Tonga has reported 31 new COVID-19 positive cases Thursday, one of them in Vava'u, as authorities try to slow the outbreak with a continuing lockdown. Two new suburbs of Nuku'alofa, named as Mataika and Kolomotu'a have one case each. All of adults who tested positive were vaccinated. There are also children testing positive but the age and genders of the new...

Kiribati reported 222 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, bringing the total positive infections to 2,173. The omicron variant is now widespread in the community as cases continue to be recorded on South Tarawa, Betio, Buota, Butaritari island and in North Tarawa. The health ministry has confirmed that a 65-year-old woman who previously had a stroke has been admitted to an isolation...

Locals’ access to skipjack purse-seine tuna fishery of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) has increased. The 2020 tuna fisheries assessment report, conducted by the Pacific Community (SPC), shows that more than half the vessels in the skipjack purse-seine fishery are flagged to or chartered by the small island developing states (SIDS). SPC senior fisheries scientist Steven Hare summarises the...

U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Fiji on Saturday to reassure Pacific island leaders that Washington and its allies are committed to providing security and COVID vaccines, as China steps up its aid and influence in the region. Blinken's Fiji visit, the first by a secretary of state in four decades, follows a meeting that will take place...

Tongan Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni has confirmed that a total of 20 new positive COVID-19 cases have been recorded Wednesday. This is an increase from the 14 cases announced Tuesday. That means Tonga now has 34 COVID-19 cases since 01 February and 35 in total since the first case was reported late 2021. The new cases are close contacts of earlier cases...

A team of workers from Elon Musk's SpaceX are in Fiji trying to re-establish full internet communications in Tonga, with a Starlink broadband connection. Starlink uses satellites to connect remote areas to the internet. It came 25 days after Tonga lost all communications when its Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted, severing its undersea cable. Gorilla Technology chief executive Paul Spain told Morning...

The Government of Japan has formalised two grant agreements, worth $300 million Japanese Yen (FJD$6 million) funding to the Government of Fiji through Japan’s Economic Social Development Programme (ESDP). The funding assistance will enable the procurement of heavy machinery equipment for Fisheries, Agriculture and Waterways. The provisions of heavy machinery will be utilised in post-disaster recovery, rehabilitation and ultimately support...