Regional
Plastic bottles scourge of the Pacific
Monday 12 February 2018 | Published in Regional
SAMOA – With a number of Pacific countries banning plastic bags in response to the pollution in the ocean, Samoa continues to face a dilemma on how to manage its waste.
Cyclone Gita churns through islands
Monday 12 February 2018 | Published in Regional
SAMOA – Samoa is in recovery mode after Cyclone Gita ravaged the island nation and now the storm system has Tonga in its sights.
Storm lashes islands
Monday 12 February 2018 | Published in Regional
SAMOA – Cyclone Gita is hitting Samoa and American Samoa with strong winds and torrential rains, and authorities are warning people to stay indoors.
Taufatofua takes his shirt of again
Monday 12 February 2018 | Published in Regional
TONGA – He did it again.
New Zealand to help Kiribati with marine safety
Monday 12 February 2018 | Published in Regional
KIRIBATI – New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is planning to look at wider distribution of emergency locator beacons in Kiribati in the wake of last month’s ferry disaster.
Judge orders medivac of refugee teen
Monday 12 February 2018 | Published in Regional
AUSTRALIA – Australia has been ordered to bring a young girl from the Nauru detention centre to Australia for urgent psychiatric treatment, with warnings she could take her own life without intervention.
Genetic impact of nuke tests needs study
Friday 9 February 2018 | Published in Regional
FRENCH POLYNESIA – The French Polynesian president Edouard Fritch says he wants a study to be carried out to see if the French nuclear weapons tests caused genetic mutations.
Wild weather forces evacuations
Friday 9 February 2018 | Published in Regional
AMERICAN SAMOA – Some families in American Samoa have had to evacuate their homes due to flooding amid severe weather in the territory.
Sadness and anger as victims mourned
Friday 9 February 2018 | Published in Regional
KIRIBATI – The director of Kiribati Maritime agency says there is a lot of sadness and anger in Kiribati as the country remembers the more than 80 victims of last month’s ferry disaster.
Journalists forced to delete news files
Friday 9 February 2018 | Published in Regional
KIRIBATI – The Kiribati government has banned a New Zealand TV crew from reporting on the MV Butiraoi ferry disaster.
80 per cent of Pacific deaths NCD related
Thursday 8 February 2018 | Published in Regional
SAMOA – Samoa’s Health Minister has reported up to 80 per cent of deaths in Pacific countries can be attributable to non-communicable diseases.
Foreign media cold shouldered
Thursday 8 February 2018 | Published in Regional
KIRIBATI – The government of Kiribati says it does not want foreign journalists entering the country to report on the recent ferry disaster before the incident has been investigated.
Medics voice Pacific health concerns
Thursday 8 February 2018 | Published in Regional
PACIFIC – A volunteer doctor working in remote parts of the Pacific says there’s a big need for education about the role diet plays in combatting diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.
Winner sues for anonymity
Thursday 8 February 2018 | Published in Regional
USA – The winner of a US$560 million lottery jackpot last month is suing state lottery officials in a bid to protect her anonymity.
Track blocked off by protesting landowners
Wednesday 7 February 2018 | Published in Regional
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Landowners from part of the Kokoda Track say they will stop tourists from undertaking the famous walk unless the Papua New Guinea government meets their demands.
Sea search for vessel suspended
Wednesday 7 February 2018 | Published in Regional
KIRIBATI – Kiribati’s Marine Division says the sea search for passengers of the MV Butiroi has been suspended after the ferry sank over two weeks ago.
Asylum seekers sent to 'limbo'
Wednesday 7 February 2018 | Published in Regional
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Some asylum seekers detained by Australia on Manus Island have been told they will have to leave Papua New Guinea.
Gym-related ACC claims climb
Wednesday 7 February 2018 | Published in Regional
NEW ZEALAND – Last year 52,964 claims were made to ACC for gym-related injuries, including 783 for fractures or dislocations, 177 for dental injuries and 13 for hernia.
Earthquake topples hotel in Taiwan
Wednesday 7 February 2018 | Published in Regional
TAIWAN – A magnitude-6.4 earthquake has struck near the coastal city of Hualien in Taiwan, the US Geological Survey (USGS) says, leaving two people dead, more than 100 injured and causing buildings including a hotel to collapse.
Billions evaporate as shares slump
Wednesday 7 February 2018 | Published in Regional
WORLD – Fears of another plunge in Wall Street shares proved unfounded on Tuesday after the Dow Jones shrugged off an initial 500-point drop to post early gains.