The Australian government has backed a plan to break the asylum seeker policy deadlock which would see centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea re-established to process refugee claims. 211 asylum seekers were taken to Christmas Island last Friday on two Navy boats after they called Australian authorities saying their boat had engine problems late Read more
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said was beginning to think that “western-styled disciplinary methods we have been adopting in recent years – which includes frowning on the strap – is not working” and he is seriously considering the reintroduction of corporal punishment. He made this comment following a brawl between Avele and St Joseph’s colleges Read more
Benny Wenda, the head of the Free West Papua Movement, has succeeded in having his name removed from an Interpol wanted list. He had had been issued with a red notice and was at risk of arrest and extradition. The Indonesian authorities say they wanted him to stand trial for murder and arson, offences he denies. But Read more
The SDL Party wants Fiji to be declared a Christian State, Christianity to be the state religion and Fijian to be the national language of the state. The SDL (Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua) was founded in 2001 by Laisenia Qarase. It is widely seen as the successor to the Alliance, the former ruling party that had dominated Fijian politics Read more
Secondary school pupils in Suva are supporting the Walk On Walk Strong (WOWS) nationwide appeal to raise funds which is underway in Fiji, for children living with cancer. Wows was begun by Sina Kami, whose 15 year old daughter, Tae, died of cancer in 2008, to raise the funds needed to fulfil her daughter’s dream of Read more
Australia and New Zealand will reappoint High Commissioners to Fiji and relax travel sanctions affecting members of its government. This announcement was made following a meeting in Sydney on Tuesday attended by New Zealand Foreign Minister Mr McCully, Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr and Fijian Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola. The decision has met with Read more
A Filipino lay missionary Ryan Turallo died in a boat tragedy off the Shortland Islands in the Western province of Solomon Islands. Turallo worked as Student Affairs Coordinator at St. John Bosco Senior Technical School in Nila of the Shortland Islands. A boat carrying 10 people left Gizo for Nila in the Shortland Islands last Read more
Samoans could be brought into Christchurch to aid the city’s rebuild following top-level talks between the Samoan and New Zealand Prime Ministers. At a press conference on Thursday New Zealand Prime Minster, John Key, said he and Samoan Prime minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi had discussed the possibility of expanding the existing Recognised Seasonal Employer Read more
The parish of Saint Pius the Tenth in Raiwaqa has become the first parish in Fiji to launch a one-year NCD [non communicable disease] awareness program. Parish priest Father Tom Rouse said the awareness focused not only on the parishioners but people living in the parish boundary as well. “Fiji and other parts of the Read more
The Bishop of Jayapura, Leo Laba Ladjar OFM thinks that the Papuan people should hold a dialogue between themselves before entering into dialogue with Indonesia. He acknowledged that this dialogue would be quite difficult. He was speaking during a meeting of all Catholic clerics with representatives of the police force to build a partnership for security and Read more