More Top Stories
Fifth weekly Sydney flight to Rarotonga announced
23 October 2024
CIIC directors seek $350,000 in damages over defamatory claims
21 October 2024
Man found guilty of rape, burglary
24 September 2024
Tenants face water bill burden
8 October 2024
BRO CHECK campaign: ‘Reach out, you’re not alone’
8 October 2024
Concerns over Minister’s role in inmate work releases: PAC
5 October 2024
Tourism contribution set to surpass half-billion dollar mark
25 September 2024
Parliament’s 12 sitting days sufficient for business: Clerk
24 September 2024
Parliament Clerk sparks outrage over deep sea mining statement
23 September 2024
Parliament’s 12 sitting days sufficient for business: Clerk
24 September 2024
Tapaitau and Charlie-Puna released to ‘family jobs’
21 September 2024
3000 companies at risk due to Act oversight: Browne
23 September 2024
Police apprehend four juveniles in connection with motorcycle thefts
23 September 2024
Deep sea dilemma: Cook Islanders weigh the cost of mineral riches
21 September 2024
Anxiety on the rise: Cook Islands faces mental health challenge
7 September 2024
Cook Islands deep sea mining poll sparks controversy
7 September 2024
Helmet safety concerns raised amid enforcement challenges
2 September 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
STI cases on the rise
2 September 2024
Rising seas, rising costs: Climate impacts on Cook Islands economy
2 September 2024
Inflation eases but concerns remain
31 August 2024
Prime Minister defends $659,000 MPs travel bill
23 August 2024
Taxpayers foot $659,000 bill for MPs travel and allowance
22 August 2024
Corruption report exposes ‘bribe and sexual favours’
17 January 2023
PM Brown eager to hand over Forum chair role to Tonga
13 August 2024
ICI explains road works delay in front of old Sheraton site
10 August 2024
Diaspora dismayed over lack of Te Maeva Nui livestream
8 August 2024
Everyone is a winner, says Culture
7 August 2024
Local women outshine global peers in business leadership
8 August 2024
Housing crisis hits tourism industry
27 July 2024
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 2024
Tapaitau appeal dismissed
17 July 2024
Challenging ‘rape culture’
8 July 2024
Pacific
Tahiti sailors win 2024 Regatta in Raro
Sailors from Tahiti edged over Rarotonga, proving to be very competitive taking out first place in both the Lasers and the Optimist classes, winning the 2024 sailing challenge overall trophy.
Former PM Puna first Cook Islander elected to East-West Center Board
Former Cook Islands prime minister and secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum, Henry Puna, has been confirmed as the first Cook Islander appointed to the East-West Center Board of Governors based in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Power disconnected in parliament
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Power has been disconnected from Papua New Guinea’s Government House and Parliament House because of outstanding bills.
Rugby player adds to call for dialysis treatment
TONGA – A former Tongan international rugby player, who says he is stranded overseas because of kidney disease, has added his voice to calls for dialysis treatment to be provided.
Bank to help improve infrastructure in Port Vila
VANUATU – Vanuatu has signed a deal for further work to achieve improved access to sanitation, drainage facilities, and roads in the capital, Port Vila.
After weeks of bushfires, now its flooding
NEW ZEALAND – Firefighters in New Zealand’s second-largest city Christchurch have halted the advance of a massive bushfire that destroyed 11 homes and forced more than 1000 people to evacuate.
No budget to try to qualify for Commonwealth Games
SAMOA – Samoa will miss next year’s Commonwealth Games netball tournament because there is no money in the squad’s budget for any further test matches before the qualifying cut-off date in June.
Bad planning sees city streets flooded
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Streets in Port Moresby are being flooded by rainfall due to poor planning and design of recently built or reconstructed roads.
New Zealand government funds diabetes research initiatives
NEW ZEALAND – New Zealand scientists will investigate whether microbes found inside the human gut could hold the key to battling the development of diabetes.
Tongan skier fails on debut
TONGA– Tongan skier Kasete Skeen was unable to achieve a result on his debut at the Alpine World Ski Champs in St Moritz.
PACIFIC BRIEFS 18/2/2017
DENGUE FEVER CLAIMS ANOTHER LIFE NEW CALEDONIA – A dengue fever epidemic in New Caledonia has claimed a second life.
Hundreds displaced by tribal wars
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – The Red Cross is helping refugees displaced from their homes in due to ongoing warfare in a remote part of the Pacific.
Christchurch fire under control
NEW ZEALAND – Firefighters in New Zealand’s second-largest city have halted a wildfire after it burned down 11 houses in the outer suburbs and forced more than 1000 people to evacuate.
Government not focused on dialysis
TONGA – The Tongan government does not have the finances to provide dialysis treatment but is instead aiming to address rates of renal failure and kidney disease by managing rates of diabetes first.
Chinese investment in PNG causing unease
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – In the mountains near Port Moresby, a new road and a new bridge mark the site of Papua New Guinea’s most recent hydroelectricity project.
Northern Marianas shocked by abuse allegations
NORTHERN MARIANAS – The Northern Marianas has been rocked by allegations its former Catholic bishop abused an altar boy when he was a priest on Guam.
Performance inspired by past life on Rapa Nui
EASTER ISLAND – New Zealander Lisa Allan has a strong feeling she once travelled with ancient Polynesian mariners from Rapa Nui to New Zealand.
NZ should take refugees
NEW ZEALAND – The Green Party in New Zealand says Prime Minister Bill English should offer to take the 1200 refugees currently being held on Nauru and Manus Island if Australia’s deal with the United States falls over.
PACIFIC BRIEFS 17/2/2017
INTEGRITY OF CHURCH TRIAL DOUBTED GUAM – A lawyer representing former altar boys on Guam is casting doubt on the trial being held by the Vatican to investigate allegations the island’s Archbishop abused them.
Emergency declared as fire rages on
NEW ZEALAND – Hundreds of people in the New Zealand city of Christchurch have been evacuated from their homes as bushfires threaten some suburbs.
PM Pohiva should survive vote
TONGA – A political scientist who specialises in the Pacific region says the Tongan prime minister’s troubled tenure could ironically be his saving grace when it comes to defeating a looming no-confidence motion.
Fiji sevens stars offered contracts
FIJI – The Fiji Rugby Union has begun offering contracts to its Olympic champion sevens squad stars.