PINA

By Iliesa Tora Pacific Island heads of states and fisheries ministers have agreed that more needs to be done to protect our oceans from ongoing threats and exploitation. The ministers made this commitment at the 5th France-Oceania Summit, which was held virtually on 19 July from Papeete in Tahiti. French President Emmanuel Macron also spoke at the meeting, informing members that...

As Fiji continues to battle a spiralling outbreak, its government has directed asymptomatic health staff who have tested positive to COVID-19 to keep working. In a letter circulated by the Ministry of Health, those infected staff have been asked to continue their work in COVID safe "bubbles" without elaboration. Health workers who are primary or secondary contacts of COVID patients have...

New Zealand and Fiji will meet in the gold medal match of the men’s Olympic sevens tournament at Tokyo 2020. The All Blacks Sevens, who finished fifth at Rio 2016, made sure of their place in the medal final with an impressive 29-7 defeat of Great Britain in the semi-finals. New Zealand dominated possession for most of the match and led...

Fijian Speaker of Parliament, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau has rejected three petitions against the iTaukei Land Trust Amendment Bill. Three separate petitions were filed by SODELPA leader Viliame Gavoka, Opposition Whip Lynda Tabuya, and MP Jese Saukuru, calling for Bill 17 to be withdrawn. Ratu Epeli informed the House the Bill was introduced, along with the 2021/2022 National Budget, a majority of...

by Nick Rogers and Richard Reinen-Hamill With a resolution to Samoa's election crisis seemingly reached, several Pacific experts have set out how the country may be able to avoid a repeat in future More than three months after a nail-biting election contest, the people of Samoa finally know the identity of their next government. April’s contest left Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono...

Australia’s AstraZeneca vaccine rollout in the Pacific Islands to hit one million doses by the end of the week, according to International Development Minister. Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Zed Seselja, says the vaccine rollout to island nations has had “significant uptake” as COVID-19 continues to impact the region. Australia has committed 15 million doses of AstraZeneca to assist...

Fiji records 715 new cases of COVID-19 and 11 deaths Tuesday. Ministry of Health and Medical Services permanent secretary Dr James Fong said 97 cases were from the Western division and 618 cases from the Central division on Vitilevu, Fiji's main island. He also reported 11 new COVID-19 deaths from 22-27 July including a health worker. “A 46-year-old healthcare worker from the...

Minister for Defence Inia Seruiratu says Fijians are not playing their part in helping to end the COVID-19 outbreak in Fiji. With case numbers above 20,000 and about 200 people dead, Seruiratu has told parliament that government measures and restrictions are futile without public acceptance and compliance. “Our complacency and disobedience are perhaps the greatest security threat to our hopes to...

The United States and the Federated States of Micronesia have agreed on a plan to build a military base in the Pacific island nation, in line with the Pentagon's strategic ambition to increase its footprint in the Indo-Pacific region and keep China at bay. Reaching a consensus on defence buildup in Micronesia capped the “high-level defence talks” held this week...

By Makereta Komai, PACNEWS Editor in Tokyo Ahead of today’s semi-final match against Great Britain, New Zealand men’s sevens rugby coach Clark Laidlaw is determined to atone for the disappointment quarter-final exit in Rio 2016. After beating Canada 21-10 in the first quarter-final match Tuesday, Laidlaw is happy that his boys have made it to the semi-finals. "Sevens is such a fickle...