Pasifika News
FIFO 2011: 8th annual Pasifika documentary film festival starts today in Tahiti
PAPEETE, TAHITI – The 8th edition of FIFO, the Pacific International Documentary Film Festival, begins today in Papeete. From a field of 230 documentaries entered this year, 37 films were selected for screening – 15 of which will be judged in competition by a prestigious international jury. The event will… Read More
Cyclone Wilma causes damage in Samoa
TROPICAL Cyclone Wilma has hit American Samoa and reports say the tramway cable from Utulei to Mount Alava has broken in two. Two homes, one in Aua and another in Leloaloa, lost their roofs while a home in Fagasa was also badly damaged. Downed powerlines are making it difficult for… Read More
Elite surfers flock to Hawaii, wait to take on 20-foot wave
A select group of the world’s best surfers was gathering in Hawaii Wednesday in hopes waves on Oahu’s North Shore would grow big enough for an elite tournament. The Quicksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau is held only when wave heights tower over 20 feet between December 1 and February… Read More
UN concerned about Chile’s action against Rapa Nui
The United Nations has expressed concern about the force used by Chile against Rapa Nui protestors on Easter Island. The UN Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya, says he is gravely concerned about the actions of the Chilean security forces last month. Mr Anaya says at the… Read More
Samoa Tops Economic Freedom Ranking for Pacific
The 2010 Wall Street Journal-Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Freedom has put Samoa highest among Pacific Island countries. Samoa is 84th among the 179 countries listed, with Fiji two places behind in 86th place. Vanuatu and Tonga make the top 120 countries, while Solomon Islands and Kiribati are in the… Read More
Cyclone Vania Pounds New Caledonia, Moves South
MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, Jan. 13, 2011) – Cyclone Vania pounded New Caledonia’s main island with heavy winds and rain, after passing through the Loyalty Islands on Thursday. The Loyalties were also shaken by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake that sent residents running to higher ground despite the bad weather. Cyclone… Read More
Chilean Judge Recuses, Postpones Rapa Nui Case
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Jan. 14, 2011) – The court in Easter Island in Chile has deferred the case against 17 Rapa Nui brought against them for seizing a luxury hotel complex. It was to be heard today but was deferred until February the 8th because the… Read More
Air Pacific Downsizing, Restructuring
Fiji’s national airline, Air Pacific, announced yesterday that it is undertaking a major downsizing and restructuring process. Fiji’s Attorney-General and Minister for Civil Aviation, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, said in an address to Air Pacific staff that the measures were necessary in order to achieve longevity and sustainability for the national carrier.… Read More
Wikilieaks NZ Cables Mention Tonga
Wikileaks has given New Zealand’s Sunday Star-Times 1490 diplomatic cables from the US’s Wellington Embassy. To date, only a few of those cables have been publicly released, however they clearly indicate an increasing reliance by the US on NZ when it comes to Pacific security issues. This has important ramifications… Read More
Pacific Council of Churches Decries Chilean Military Violence in Rapa Nui
The Pacific Conference of Churches has appealed to Chilean authorities to restrain from using force in the crackdown on indigenous Rapa Nui protesters campaigning to retain their ancestral land. A church statement from the Fiji capital of Suva called for a ” peaceful outcome”. The appeal came today after reports… Read More
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