PINA

By Phil McCabe and James Hita The decision by New Zealand’s Supreme Court last week against a giant seabed mining proposal in the South Taranaki Bight is a wake-up call for the world’s would-be seabed mining industry, both in the deep oceans of international waters and for countries contemplating such activities off their own coasts. The mining operation, proposed by...

The Fijian Drua have welcomed six additional squad members for its debut Super Rugby Pacific 2022 season. Joining the team are Olympic Gold Medallist and 7s star Kalione Nasoko, Flying Fijians and Nadroga prop Jone Koroiduadua, Namosi and former NRC Drua halfback Ratu Peni Matawalu, Flying Fijians and Naitasiri lock Chris Minimbi, Northland (NZ NPC) flanker and former Fiji U20...

Lifting rugby union and getting the national sevens teams into the next Olympics are the dreams of Papua New Guinea National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop. He hosted the dinner on Friday in his capacity as the new patron of Papua New Guinea Rugby Union. Parkop said he was honoured to be appointed as patron, assuring the new union board, led...

John Kotsifas has been re-elected as President of World Taekwondo Oceania (WTO) and eight other members have been voted onto the organisation's Council. Kotsifas first became President in 2015, was re-elected in 2017, and can now look towards another four years at the helm after running unopposed. Election result was announced in an online ceremony due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The...

Papua New Guinea’s three biggest hospitals are fighting an uphill battle against COVID -19, with one reporting two to three deaths per day. The Port Moresby General Hospital, Mount Hagen General Hospital and the Goroka Base Hospital –– the latter two based in the Highlands region –– all reported that no one is safe in Papua New Guinea from COVID-19. “Everybody...

Fiji has recorded 22 new cases of COVID-19 Monday, increasing the total number of cases to 51,154 and 632 deaths since the outbreak in April. Permanent secretary for Health, Dr James Fong said there have been 3,941 new recoveries to report since the last update, which means that there are now 8,898 active cases. “There have been 51,154 cases during the...

New Caledonia has recorded another seven fatalities linked to Covid-19, raising the tally of the outbreak to 157. Another 155 people have tested positive, bringing the number of infections to 8,142 since the start of the outbreak four weeks ago. 5,810 of the cases are now reported to have recovered. 277 Covid-19 patients are in hospital and a further 109 are being...

Japan’s new Prime minister, Fumio Kishida, on Monday called a parliamentary election for 31 October and vowed to bolster the country's response to the coronavirus pandemic, shortly after being formally confirmed by lawmakers in the top job. Kishida, a 64-year-old former foreign minister with an image as a consensus builder, earlier unveiled a cabinet line-up dominated by allies of former...

A New Zealand Supreme Court ruling against seabed mining has been described as important for the Pacific region. After a long legal process the Supreme Court has ruled against a bid by Trans Tasman Resources to mine the South Taranaki seabed. The ruling was welcomed by Te Paati Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer of Ngāti Ruanui iwi in South Taranaki, who led...

A lot of ANZ customers in Fiji were struggling which was expected in the business environment, according to ANZ Country head to Fiji Rabih Yazbek. “So from ANZ’s perspective, we’re kind of stepping up and committing to helping our customers,” he said. “It’s a tough environment and we are focused on being able to support the customers, the community and the...