More Top Stories
Cook Islands passport proposal
6 January 2025
Top cop position advertised
7 December 2024
Police need numbers and bigger budget
9 December 2024
Niki Rattle: A call for stronger human rights protections
10 December 2024
Solid and Hazardous Waste Bill referred to Parliament committee
10 December 2024
DPM defends CIIC finance and travel policies
6 December 2024
Cook Islands has its first mosque
14 November 2024
CI Muslim opens up about her faith and journey
16 November 2024
RAC to address mosque legality
19 November 2024
I don’t expect much change: PM Brown on US Elections
6 November 2024
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
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 Clerk sparks outrage over deep sea mining statement
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
MCI rejects ‘dark fleet’ label
3 August 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
Challenging ‘rape culture’
8 July 2024
Pacific
Government ready to assist Vanuatu community fundraising
Cook Islands Government has expressed its willingness to assist Rarotonga’s Vanuatu community in their fundraising efforts following the recent devastating earthquake in Port Vila.
Fears for families as Vanuatu reels from deadly earthquake
The devastating 7.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Vanuatu on Monday, claiming the lives of at least 14 people and injuring more than 200, has sent shockwaves around the world, with Ni-Vanuatuans residing in Rarotonga praying for the safety of their loved ones at home.
Media ban at marae 'juvenile' says Peters
NEW ZEALAND – A media ban at Waitangi’s Te Tii marae was “juvenile” and “silly” and showed how out of touch its trustees were, said New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.
PM English pays tribute to Ngati Whatua at Orakei
NEW ZEALAND – Prime Minister Bill English has acknowledged Ngati Whatua and the occupation of Bastion Point at Waitangi Day commemorations in Auckland.
$300m worth of cocaine intercepted on Kiwi yacht
AUSTRALIA – A New Zealand-registered boat, seized off the coast of New South Wales, is at the centre of a huge cocaine bust.
PACIFIC BRIEFS 7/2/2016
ASIANS SURVEYED ON SAFETY CONCERNS
Concerns over brothel for PNG's Manus
Papua New Guinea – Concerns are being raised over a proposed brothel for asylum seekers on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island.
PACIFIC BRIEFS 6/2/2017
CHURCH FACES $60 million in payouts
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Doctors plead for pregnant refugee
A Kuwaiti woman facing a possibly life-threatening birth on Nauru is being denied airlift to Australia
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.
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.
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.
Super Rugby to be played in Samoa
Auckland Blues versus Queensland Reds in Apia