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Roadshow not consultation

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.

Education

USP Student body represents 14,000 students

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.

Fiji 'bungled' human rights opportunity

FIJI – Fiji has bungled an opportunity to improve its human rights record after it forcibly deported a young refugee seeking asylum according to Amnesty International.

Regional

Bishop believes deal is still on

Australia – Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says US officials are continuing to interview asylum seekers in Nauru as part of the refugee deal with America, despite lingering uncertainty over the agreement.

Regional

Tension over refugee deal mounts

Papua New Guinea – Police in Papua New Guinea are requesting extra officers be sent to Manus Island to deal with asylum seekers at Australia’s offshore detention centre.

Regional

PACIFIC BRIEFS 4/2/2016

POHIVA BELIEVES HE HAS THE NUMBERS TONGA – Tonga’s Prime Minister says he believes he has the numbers to easily defeat a proposed motion of no-confidence. The motion was submitted this week and signed by seven Noble Representatives and three People’s MPs including former Deputy Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu and sacked Internal Affairs Minister Fe’ao Vakata. ‘Akilisi Pohiva said he continued to have the majority support of the 26-member parliament. The motion is currently before the Parliamentary Privileges Standing Committee before a date for the motion is announced. Pohiva said he wanted to know on what basis the motion had been submitted. “The most interesting element of the motion is to see, to know the grounds for the motion. What are the allegations provided in the motion? These are the things we are waiting for.” REPORTER ATTACKED OUTSIDE COURT FIJI – The Fijian Media Association says people need to respect, appreciate and understand the hard work of journalists. Its general secretary Stanley Simpson made the comment after a Fiji Sun reporter was attacked by a relative of an accused person at the Suva Magistrates Court. The reporter was taking videos of the three accused persons when the man walked towards her, grabbed and threatened her. Simpson said the association strongly condemned such acts committed against journalists. He said Fiji was a democratic country and people needed to know how hard journalists worked to get the news out under trying circumstances. RALLY CALLS FOR SEIZURE OF WEAPONS NEW CALEDONIA – Two hundred people rallied outside the French High Commission in New Caledonia yesterday over the lack of security south of Noumea. The road past St Louis has been repeatedly closed by police in recent months after people travelling on the road were targeted by gunmen. A delegation from a residents’ association was received by the High Commission and assured that the curfew to close the road at night will be lifted next week if the situation remains calm. The demonstrators also called for arms in circulation in St Louis to be seized. In the latest attacks last Sunday, bullets pierced the armour of police vehicles and injured two officers. SAMOA LAUNCHES CYBER SECURITY PLAN SAMOA – Samoa has launched a five-year national cyber security plan. The minister of communication and information technology Afamasaga Rico Tupa’i said government and the business sector should work together to protect the development of the country’s economy from cyber attacks. He is challenging the country to volunteer to help government to protect and fight against cyber crimes. Tupa’i said the plan was to help Samoa innovate online.“It’s a concrete step towards a safer Samoa. It’s an initiative to ensure that your information is safely guarded and that your privacy and security is top priority of government,” he said.

Regional

Pregnant woman flown from Nauru

NAURU – A heavily pregnant woman being held at the offshore processing centre on Nauru has been flown to Australia for treatment.

Regional

Stripped naked during police raid

SUVA – A Fijian couple have lodged a complaint against police for allegedly stripping them naked in public during a drug raid at the market in Labasa.

Regional

Escaped refugee deported from Fiji

FIJI – An Iranian refugee who fled from Manus Island to Fiji seeking asylum has been deported back to Papua New Guinea.

Regional

Where to for ailing Wellington Sevens event

NEW ZEALAND – The Wellington sevens are officially in jeopardy. New Zealand Rugby has acknowledged that the tournament may not survive in the capital, with executive member Nigel Cass saying there were just 20,000 for the latest tournament at Westpac Stadium.

Regional

No commitment to swap a single refugee

AUSTRALIA – The United States could resettle none of the refugees from the Australian-run immigration detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru and still be upholding a swap deal it has struck with Australia, according to publicly known details.

Regional

Doctors plead for pregnant refugee

A Kuwaiti woman facing a possibly life-threatening birth on Nauru is being denied airlift to Australia

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Gun-toting lord found 'not guilty'

TONGA – A jury has found a Tongan noble representative not guilty of five charges including firearms offences regarding three separate incidents last year.

Regional

Fiji sugar industry questions viability

FIJI – A Fiji sugar expert says hard questions need to be asked about the future of Fiji’s sugar industry.

Regional

Refugee escapes from PNG to Fiji

FIJI – A young refugee detained on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island by Australia has escaped to Fiji where he is now seeking asylum.

Regional

Super Rugby to be played in Samoa

Auckland Blues versus Queensland Reds in Apia

Regional

Health emergency declared

MARSHALL ISLANDS – The Marshall Islands has declared a health emergency to respond to recent outbreaks of Hepatitis A and the Zika virus.

Regional

800 homes damaged by floods

FRENCH POLYNESIA – More than 800 homes have been destroyed or flooded in Tahiti after the weekend’s severe storms.

Regional

Dog caused death of child

SAMOA – A freak series of events led to a five-year-old girl dying after being struck by a pick-up truck last week in the village of Sagone on the Samoan island of Savai‘i.

Regional

Warning to beware of immigration scammers

NEW ZEALAND – The New Zealand Immigration Advisors Authority (IAA) has issued a warning to Samoan residents seeking immigration advice.

Regional

Tietjens' sees first-hand how money talks

SAMOA – Manu Samoa Sevens coach, Sir Gordon Tietjens, has experienced for the first time the methods by New Zealand to deny players from representing Samoa.

Regional

Judges refuse to front committee

samoa – Samoa’s Prime Minister Tuila’epa Sailele Malielegaoi has sent out a strong message that the judiciary should be held in contempt of parliament when they refused to appear before a Special Parliamentary Committee set up to investigate the work of the Lands and Titles Court.

Regional

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