PINA

Tonga is set to introduce compulsory inoculation against COVID-19. A Bill to amend the Public Health Act to enforce inoculation of the Public against COVID-19, was among seven Bills that government tabled in parliament Tuesday. A new Emergency Powers Clause 181A of the Public Health Act, states that it will be a crime for anybody to refuse to be vaccinated against...

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s father, Ross Ardern, carried out Dawn Raids as a young policeman in Auckland. The involvement of Ardern’s father in the Dawn Raids, which the Government formally apologised for on Sunday, was reported by Newstalk ZB on Tuesday. Ardern reportedly said her father was uncomfortable about his involvement in the raids and did not believe...

Fiji has recorded 1,220 new cases of COVID-19 and seven deaths Tuesday, increasing the total number of cases in the island nation to 32,663 since the outbreak that started in April. Fiji's permanent secretary for Health, Dr James Fong said 464 cases are from the Western division and 756 cases are from the Central division in Vitilevu, Fiji's main island. Dr...

Fiji's main island Viti Levu remains at the mercy of COVOD-19 and this is concerning for the Ministry of Health as 2 261vlives have been claimed due to the infection. Permanent Secretary for Health, Dr James Fong said the ministry has the capacity in the morgues to cater for the increased deaths. The Health Ministry has been registering COVID deaths in...

Papua New Guinea Commissioner of Police and Controller of the PNG COVID-19 National Pandemic Response, David Manning, has called on citizens to come forward and get the COVID-19 vaccine. Manning called upon citizens not to be complacent against COVID-19 even as no new COVID-19 cases were recorded on Saturday 31 July. He said so far the virus has affected 17,774...

By Makereta Komai, PACNEWS Editor in Tokyo At only 18 years of age, Nancy Abouke of Nauru is now ranked 10th in the women’s 76kg category after her Tokyo 2020 Olympic debut in weightlifting. The young Nauru lifter competed alongside some of the world’s top female lifters in the 76kg body weight category, recording a total lift of 203kg (snatch-90kg and...

Since the ancient Olympics in Greece, medicine and healthcare have played a key role in the success of athletes in every Olympiad The same holds true for the modern Olympics since 1896. In fact, in concept, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Medical and Scientific Commission is the oldest of its commissions for precisely this reason. Guam’s Dr Luis Cruz who is...

No doubt, many in the national, regional and global sporting and Olympic Movement probably do. Rapilla is a trailblazer in the sporting world. ‘I've been very fortunate that I've had great support from day one. Sir John Dawanincura was Secretary-General when I came in. He took me on board, and he believed in me and challenged me,’ said Rapilla. She...

A top Democrat and vice chairwoman of the United States House armed services committee wants greater inclusion of Australia in a Pacific naval strategy, suggesting any conflict with China could easily happen away from the main confrontation point of Taiwan, in waters where the Communist regime wants to create choke points. Congresswoman and former navy commander Elaine Luria, the first...

New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced further support for Fiji, including funding support for nursing staff and 100,000 doses of vaccines due to arrive in country today. “Our thoughts remain with Fiji during this incredibly challenging period,” Mahuta said. “New Zealand has funded 100,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine directly from the Spanish government in order to meet Fiji’s...