RAROTONGA, 09 SEPTEMBER 2019 (COOK ISLANDS NEWS)—Health officials charged with preventing a measles outbreak say they are “expecting the worst”. There have been no cases of the highly infectious disease reported yet, but Health Secretary Dr Josephine Aumea Herman says she can’t rule out undiagnosed cases. “It would be naive to believe the island is […]
Category: Pacific News
Posted inPacific News
Solomon Islands to sever ties with Taiwan, shift alliance to Beijing
HONIARA, 06 SEPTEMBER 2019 (REUTERS) — The Solomon Islands intends to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan and align itself with Beijing, the leader of a high-level government team representing the South Pacific archipelago has said. The switch, which still needs to be formalised, would be a prize for China in its bid to peel away […]
Posted inPacific News
Solomon Islands Minister Agovaka: Why we must switch to China
HONIARA, 05 SEPTEMBER 2019 (SOLOMON STAR) — Establishing diplomatic relations with China may lead to a boost in the local economy, Solomon Islands Communication and Aviation minister Peter Shanel Agovaka claims. Agovaka, who led a controversial ministerial delegation to China recently, appeared before the Foreign Relations Committee (FRC) inquiry Wednesday. The FRC is inquiring into […]
Posted inPacific News
Pacific drug smuggling transit countries becoming destinations
AUCKLAND, 30 AUGUST 2019 (RNZ PACIFIC)—The executive director of the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police organisation says countries in the region used for transiting methamphetamine to Australia and New Zealand are now becoming destinations themselves. Carl McLennan, also a superintendent in the New Zealand police, says smugglers use drug dependent Pacific people as cheap workers […]
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A skull that could be Amelia Earhart’s will be DNA tested
LONDON, 30 AUGUST 2019 (MAIL ONLINE) —- The recently concluded expedition to find Amelia Earhart’s lost plane led by the explorer who discovered the Titanic could be a step closer after a skull believed to be hers was sent for DNA testing. The National Geographic reported Scientist Robert Ballard, 77, who was involved in the […]
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NZ Government hands-off on West Papua violence
WELLINGTON, 26 AUGUST 2019 (NEWSROOM)—With concerns over violence in West Papua escalating, New Zealand officials appear reluctant to wade in more significantly – despite the Green Party calling for action. As Indonesia cracks down on protests in the disputed West Papua territory, the Government has declined to condemn the violence. Indonesia has deployed a thousand […]