Regional
Church petitions against death penalty
Tuesday 1 September 2015 | Published in Regional
PORT MORESBY – The Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea is lobbying for supporters to sign a petition opposing the death penalty.
PM: 'There's no poverty in Samoa'
Tuesday 1 September 2015 | Published in Regional
APIA – There’s no poverty in Samoa. So says Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, who has rejected a segment of the first State of Human Rights Report for Samoa about poverty in his country.
Some surprises in World Cup selection
Tuesday 1 September 2015 | Published in Regional
wellington – Malakai Fekitoa elatedly tweeted this weekend to express how he felt after he was announced as one of the 31 All Blacks squad elected for the Rugby World Cup 2015.
Melanesia facing El Niño crisis
Saturday 29 August 2015 | Published in Regional
PACIFIC – The 2015 El Niño phase is causing major disruptions to food production across Melanesia.
Sold baby returned to his mother
Saturday 29 August 2015 | Published in Regional
PORT MORESBY – The two-month-old baby boy sold by his father for 500 kina last week has been returned to his mother, Papua New Guinda police say.
Police defend use of gunfire
Saturday 29 August 2015 | Published in Regional
GOROKA – The police chief in Eastern Highlands in Papua New Guinea has defended his officers firing at students during a protest in Goroka.
Sun the most efficient energy source
Thursday 27 August 2015 | Published in Regional
Nuku‘alofa – Solar power is the most efficient renewable energy method in Tonga, students from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand found after investigating various renewable energy projects during a one-week trip.
Tonga a potential Whale Heritage Site
Thursday 27 August 2015 | Published in Regional
NUKU‘ALOFA– Tonga has been included in the draft list of destinations with the potential to become accredited international Whale Heritage Sites.
Sorcery action needs urgency
Thursday 27 August 2015 | Published in Regional
PORT MORESBY – The United Nations has condemned the latest incidents of sorcery-related violence in Papua New Guinea.
Challenge to save Tonga's ancient sites
Thursday 27 August 2015 | Published in Regional
NUKU‘ALOFA – An endangered ancient site threatened by government development has triggered the creation of the Tonga Heritage Society.
Climate talks failure 'not an option'
Tuesday 25 August 2015 | Published in Regional
JAIPUR – Two of the world’s most vulnerable low-lying island nations – Kiribati and Tuvalu – say failure at upcoming climate talks in Paris is not an option, as rising sea levels threaten their very existence.
Collapse 'not linked' to mine shut down
Tuesday 25 August 2015 | Published in Regional
PORT MORESBY – A section of Papua New Guinea’s Ok Tedi mine collapsed in June, damaging machinery and blocking an access road, but the company insists the fall has nothing to do with the shutdown of operations.
Pacific's ' garbage patch' mapped for clean up
Tuesday 25 August 2015 | Published in Regional
PACIFIC – Researchers have returned from mapping and sampling a massive, swirling cluster of rubbish floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, as part of an ambitious mission to attempt to clean it up.
Drought, frost conditions to worsen
Tuesday 25 August 2015 | Published in Regional
PORT MORESBY – The Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, is warning that the country’s current drought and frost conditions will likely worsen.
Islands fighting to secure a future for children
Tuesday 25 August 2015 | Published in Regional
PACIFIC – Greenpeace says the governments of Australia and New Zealand must change their attitudes to climate change and be more supportive of Pacific island countries.
Six months to clear typhoon debris
Tuesday 25 August 2015 | Published in Regional
SAIPAN – The effects of a cyclone remain long after the event stops making news headlines. One of the most unattractive post-cyclone duties involveS the basic but arduous task of cleaning of the mess.
Navy checks for illegal fishing
Monday 24 August 2015 | Published in Regional
HONIARA – The New Zealand Navy has been assisting Vanuatu and Solomon Islands with patrolling their respective Exclusive Economic Zones.
Firms urged to provide roles for Pasifika youth
Monday 24 August 2015 | Published in Regional
AUCKLAND – New Zealand construction firms have been urged to provide jobs and internships for young Maori and Pasifika people.
White bread linked to Pasifika obesity
Monday 24 August 2015 | Published in Regional
Half of Auckland’s Pacific kids are obese and a third overweight at age 10, says a recent nutrition survey by AUT. The New Zealand Herald’s Martin Johnston filed this report.
Samoa commits to human rights
Monday 24 August 2015 | Published in Regional
APIA – The continuous physical and sexual abuse of women and children in Samoa is not acceptable. The point was made by Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi during the launch of Samoa’s first State of Human Rights report. The report was prepared by the Office of the Ombudsman in its role as Samoa’s National Human Rights Institution (NHRI). “In a society which holds such strong community and family values, it is not acceptable that we continue to see women and children physically and sexually abused,” Tuilaepa said. This abuse, he added, is often at the hands of their loved ones. Tuialepa went on to say that abuse includes children who are sent out to work on the streets. “The children, Samoa’s future and the guardians of family legacies, continue to labour in the streets,” he said. He also touched on the plight of people with disabilities who are still denied equal participation in many areas of society. The launch of the report follows months of hard work by the Ombudsman, Maiava Iulai Toma and his team at NHRI. The report explores in depth the Fa‘a Samoa (samoan cultural) principles of equality, respect and protection, which complement basic human rights in international law. It also draws attention to the relationship between these principles and the bigger picture issues which form the basis of the report – namely, the equality, respect and protection of vulnerable populations; all aspects of health; environmental health; and religious and economic freedoms. The main focus of the report is the need for better safeguards for equality and respect for women, children, people with disabilities and prisoners – considered by the report as the most vulnerable sectors in Samoan society and the most in need of stronger human rights protections. The report concludes with a discussion of the emerging issues of mental health and freedom of speech. Also contained within the report are a number of recommendations made to relevant government ministries and agencies in order to better strengthen human rights protections for the people of Samoa. “As Samoa continues to develop and prosper, more needs to be done to ensure quality health care is available and accessible for all Samoans,” Tuilaepa said.
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