Non-government organisations are frustrated with the Cook Islands government seabed mineral consultations that are being held in New Zealand, calling for a 10-year moratorium to allow for independent research and capacity building within the Cook Islands.
The University of the South Pacific Students’ Association (USPSA) from 14 campuses spanning 12 member countries convened in Rarotonga yesterday representing the voice of 14,000 students.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Refugees in Port Moresby have been told to voluntarily return to Manus Island with dignity – or be “compelled” to go back.
Valls favours staying French
NEW CALEDONIA – A former French prime minister Manuel Valls says the French government should say before New Caledonia’s referendum what its preferred outcome is. Valls, who was in Noumea last week as the head of a French National Assembly delegation, was speaking at a public debate.
TONGA – Some senior government officials in Tonga have abused foreign-funded projects, Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva has claimed.
NAURU – Four years after the Australian government was repeatedly warned the mould growing throughout Nauru’s regional processing centres was making people sick, refugee families, including young children, are still being forced to live under rotting canvas in Nauru.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Thirteen more refugees detained in Papua New Guinea by Australia have been returned to Manus Island from Port Moresby.
fiji – A prominent trade unionist in Fiji said he’s not surprised the public prosecutor has decided not to push ahead with charges against him. Felix Anthony, who is the head of the Trade Unions Congress, was arrested at the end of January over comments he made in support of striking airport workers in Nadi.
TONGA – Tonga’s prime minister said Pacific people are resilient and he expects his country to bounce back from the devastation caused by last week’s Cyclone Gita.
NEW ZEALAND – A prominent New Zealand research scientist said sea level rise from the Antarctic ice sheet may be twice that of previous estimates.
FIJI – Auckland may have a traffic problem – but so does Suva.
AMERICAN SAMOA – A doctor in American Samoan says a free 24 hour clinic operating after Cyclone Gita has seen a steady flow of patients.
SAMOA – Businesses in Samoa are being urged to support and collaborate with other entrepreneurs around the region.
MICRONESIA – Three fishermen have been rescued in the Federated States of Micronesia after they spent eight days stranded at sea.
TONGA – Emergency educational supplies from UNICEF have been flown to Tonga this week.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Nine Manus Island refugees who tried to resettle in Papua New Guinea are reportedly being returned to the island.
FIJI – New accusations of police brutality with claims of torture and rape have surfaced in Fiji.
PACIFIC – New research shows targets set out in the Paris climate change agreement may not be enough to offset sea level rise in the next 300 years. The research, published this week in the journal Nature Communications, says the world will experience sea level rise of between 0.7 and 1.2 metres even if the targets are met.
TONGA – New photographs taken just yesterday around the eastern area of Tonga’s main island of Tongatapu show extensive damage to homes, vegetation and schools caused by the category four Cyclone Gita.
PACIFIC – UNICEF says the rate of newborn deaths in Kiribati, Papua New Guinea and the Federated States of Micronesia remains alarmingly high.
NAURU – A female asylum seeker on Nauru with a life-threatening heart condition is refusing an offer to be transferred overseas for medical treatment, saying she will not go without her son.