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.
Ebola vaccine being fast tracked
Trials in West Africa prove 100 per cent effective
Berlin attacker shot dead
GERMANY – The Berlin market attacker, Anis Amri, has been shot dead by police in Milan.
Tonga welcomes 2000 Chinese tourists on board cruise ship
TONGA – Around 2000 Chinese tourists visited Nuku‘alofa on Friday last week on the Italian cruise ship Costa Atlantica, which began its journey from China.
Fiji land laws imposed on foreign owners
FIJI – A Fiji economics professor says the imposition of retrospective laws on foreign landowners sends a signal that Fiji is not a safe place to invest.
Earthquake aid co-ordination needed
SOLOMON ISLANDS – Shelter, health and education are the priority areas for authorities responding to recent quakes in Solomon Islands.
Seismic volatility a part of life in PNG
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – There have been no reports of significant damage or casualties from a big earthquake in Papua New Guinea on Saturday night.
Stranded on flooded river island
FIJI – About 1000 villagers stranded on their island in Fiji’s Rewa river delta say they are running out of food after six days of constant rain and rising floodwaters. The villagers said the river water had flooded homes, crops were under water and they have no means to get to their jobs in nearby Nausori and Suva. Bale Bulimaivale of Muana Village on Toga Island said the community was running out of food and sanitary supplies. “People are worried because they might lose their job, their security and their safety. The livestock, people’s lives are all in danger because the water levels continues to rise. It has not receded yet.” The three villages on Toga Island are connected to the mainland via a culvert which is now flooded, and there is no boat to get out. “It’s been hard for us. The main crops like cassava and yam are under water.” She said the villagers were managing with the few basic items they have. “We were caught off guard and now we don’t have any transport to buy food.” The villagers could move to the double-storey village hall, but were busy securing their homes and livestock, Bulimaivale said. She had not heard of any help coming yet but she said she thought they could hold out for another three days. The government said assessment teams were being deployed across Fiji to ascertain the extent of damage and the government had urged people along the banks of the Rewa River to move to higher ground. The National Disaster Management Office’s Akapusi Tuifagalele said until the weather cleared, it was still too early to ascertain the full extent of damage. “But by looking at things it seems that, you know, we are not as bad as what has happened during Winston or any other disaster where it cost us millions of dollars, but it’s more of a wait and see.” The flooding and landslides caused extensive damage to infrastructure and crops, particularly in the northern and central areas and parts of the western divisions. The worst-affected towns were Nausori, Rakiraki, Ba, and the northern island of Qamea, where a slip hit houses, a school and a health centre. On Viti Levu, parts of the main Kings and Queens roads were closed, and power and water supplies had been affected in some areas. - RNZI
Flooding chaos continues in Fiji
Opposition calls for disaster zone declarations
School's $700,000 trip to Hawai'i questioned by audit office
NEW ZEALAND –An audit has questioned a NZ$700,000 trip to Hawai‘i by an entire New Zealand school.
Landslide takes house, almost takes wife
FIJI – A Fijian man defied danger and bravely pulled his wife to safety as a landslide destroyed their house on Thursday.
River swim claims life of young Fijian
FIJI – Simione Naduva remembers the hour after 10.00am on Tuesday as the most terrifying and chaotic of his young life.
Christmas crayfish tails selling for $100
AUSTRALIA – Overindulgence is in keeping with many Christmas celebrations, but eye-popping retail prices for lobster in Australia could mean it is a luxury that is out of reach for many people this festive season.
Fiji's sevens campaign yet to start
FIJI – Fiji’s interim-sevens coach has sent out a warning to the world series teams, saying Fiji may have lost out on titles in Dubai and Cape Town but there is plenty of opportunity to contend for a third consecutive series title.
Job to 'tell truth' about West Papua
NEW ZEALAND – The man selected by Indonesia’s government as its new ambassador to New Zealand says it’s his mission to relay accurate information about West Papua.
Flooding widespread across Fiji
TD04F brings rain, flooding and landslides
China building industrial complex in PNG
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – China has agreed to spend nearly $US4 billion to build a giant industrial park in Papua New Guinea.
Tillerson a 'friend of Papua New Guinea'
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, has welcomed the nomination of the head of ExxonMobil to be the new US Secretary of State.
Nauru welcomes faster network
NAURU – Nauru’s government says the introduction of a new 4G connectivity network will have far reaching and profound benefits to the nation.
Looks like my kind of Pacific
PACIFIC VIEWPOINT
War declared on tribal fighting
PNG sending troops to stop violence in Hela