Regional
Heavy rain forecast in cyclone's wake
Wednesday 29 March 2017 | Published in Regional
AUSTRALIA – Queenslanders are waking up to a huge clean up following the “monster” cyclone Debbie, as the now ex-tropical cyclone still brings heavy rain as it works its way through the state.
North Queensland takes a hit
Wednesday 29 March 2017 | Published in Regional
AUSTRALIA – Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has activated a disaster response plan after a powerful cyclone pummelled the north of Queensland.
Flosse calls for sacking
Tuesday 28 March 2017 | Published in Regional
FRENCH POLYNESIA – French Polynesia’s broadcaster has issued a statement to support a journalist whom a convicted political figure demanded to be sacked.
Carbon-rich soil lauded
Tuesday 28 March 2017 | Published in Regional
PACIFIC – A Pacific scientist says boosting the carbon content in soil is crucial to helping small island states become more resilient to climate change.
Police rampage claimed
Tuesday 28 March 2017 | Published in Regional
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – A human rights group in Papua New Guinea is accusing police of burning down 150 houses in a village near the Porgera Gold Mine, during an early morning raid over the weekend.
Tonga expects Teufaiva Stadium to host July rugby tests
Tuesday 28 March 2017 | Published in Regional
TONGA – The Tonga Rugby Union expects Teufaiva National Stadium will finally be ready to host international rugby in July. The ‘Ikale Tahi have not played on home soil since 2009 and a scheduled home test against Wales in June has been moved to New Zealand because the field was deemed unfit for play. Representatives from World Rugby and Turf Management New Zealand visited Nuku’alofa last week to assess the playing field. Tonga Rugby CEO Fe’ao Vunipola said the governing body has given them the go ahead to begin preparations for hosting Samoa and Fiji in the Pacific Nations Cup in July, pending a final sign-off. “They were all surprised when we all turned up to Teufaiva – the whole field now is green – it’s all green,” he said. “The grass has grown, it’s so healthy, because we had been having rain for the last few weeks and even the turf management consultant from New Zealand was surprised by how quick the grass had grown, so there’s no major work to be done.” “They will be mowing it, fertilising it and fixing little patches wherever they feel they need to but overall there’s no need for a huge improvement to be done, like they anticipated before,” Vunipola said. Teufaiva National Stadium is being refurbished for Tonga’s hosting of the 2019 Pacific Games but had faced numerous delays, while the Games Organising Committee and the government have clashed on multiple occasions. Work at the Teufaiva site has since begun and the Papua New Guinea government has committed over US$15 million towards the project. Despite the frustration of the ‘Ikale Tahi being deprived a home venue for two full Rugby World Cup cycles, Vunipola was keen to look forward and said it was an “awesome feeling” for the Tongan rugby community. “I think for us our priority was always to bring a game to here and to qualify for the 2019 World Cup,” he said. “Which by playing the two important matches here gives us more chance of winning it this year because that’s the only way we can qualify for 2019 is to win the Pacific Nations Cup this year.” “People have priorities, the government have the people of Tonga as their priority but now we are just grateful that they are lending us a big hand to help us out because rugby union, as you know, is the Tongan national game – has been and will always.” Vunipola said upgrades to other facilities at Teufaiva will also be carried out in the coming weeks. “Priority is the playing area. The grandstand work, changing rooms and stuff, is, I think, straightforward. It only involves the replacement of plumbing, fittings and stuff and then doing some decoration work to the grandstand.” - RNZI
Samoans now obtaining surgical needs in India
Tuesday 28 March 2017 | Published in Regional
SAMOA – Samoa has begun sending patients needing medical treatment overseas to India instead of New Zealand.
Fa'afafine to consult with media on coverage
Tuesday 28 March 2017 | Published in Regional
SAMOA - The Samoa Fa’afafine Association(SFA) is organising a media summit this week in an effort to have fair, accurate, and inclusive news coverage of their issues and stories in the media in the future.
Samoa considering taxing church ministers
Tuesday 28 March 2017 | Published in Regional
SAMOA – Samoa’s government is eyeing up the millions of tala it will collect from church ministers if they are required to pay taxes.
Oceans conference to be 'game-changer'
Tuesday 28 March 2017 | Published in Regional
FIJI – Fiji says it’s crucial that members of the United Nations reach a consensus at this year’s Ocean Conference, saying it could be a game-changer for the future of the Pacific.
New coach heartened by Fijian effort
Tuesday 28 March 2017 | Published in Regional
FIJI – Fiji coach Christophe Gamel remains proud of his players despite two errors gifting New Zealand a 2-0 victory in the FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Lautoka at the weekend.
Potential Philippines Isis threat
Tuesday 28 March 2017 | Published in Regional
AUSTRALIA – The Islamic State terrorist group could establish a caliphate in the southern Philippines, according to Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Queensland braces for the worst
Tuesday 28 March 2017 | Published in Regional
AUSTRALIA – Tropical Cyclone Debbie intensified to category four as it hit the north Queensland coast yesterday morning
Sugar mill petition refused
Friday 24 March 2017 | Published in Regional
fiji – The Fiji government has refused to consider a petition from the National Federation Party calling for the Penang Sugar Mill to be repaired. The petition was compiled on behalf of more than 300 cane growers in the districts around Rakiraki.
Actor appeals against domestic violence
Friday 24 March 2017 | Published in Regional
SAMOA – A star of critically acclaimed film One Thousand Ropes has pleaded with the heads of Samoan families to take a lead against domestic violence.
99 on trial for sorcery killings
Friday 24 March 2017 | Published in Regional
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Ninety-nine men have appeared in court in Papua New Guinea to stand trial for the brutal killing in 2014 of five men and two children they believed were conducting sorcery.
Pasifika celebration marks 25 years
Friday 24 March 2017 | Published in Regional
NEW ZEALAND – Auckland’s Pasifika Festival will celebrate it’s 25th anniversary this weekend with special programming to mark the significant milestone.
Move to block reserve lease
Friday 24 March 2017 | Published in Regional
Residents of the Karikari Peninsula in the Far North are trying to block the lease of a public reserve to a Chinese developer.
Adele concert 'best one ever'r
Friday 24 March 2017 | Published in Regional
The reviews are in and according to her fans, Adele’s show in Auckland on Thursday night (New Zealand time) was the “best concert” ever.
Dairy owners say they've had enough
Friday 24 March 2017 | Published in Regional
Dairy and liquor store owners in Auckland want cigarette companies to pay for security to protect them from attacks.