http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/?tab=pacific Latest news stories from the Pacific. Radio Australia News nospam@your.abc.net.au nospam@your.abc.net.au 2008-05-16T14:41:55+11:00 2008-05-16T14:41:55+11:00 Australia's immigration minister says he has nearly finalised the cases involving a large number of long-term detainees who have been held for up to six years. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2246333.htm 2008-05-16T14:41:55+11:00 pacific australia immigration Papua New Guinea's prime minister, Sir Michael Somare, has ordered a stalled investigation trying to trace hundreds of millions of missing dollars from PNG's finance office be restarted. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2246334.htm 2008-05-16T14:41:54+11:00 papua-new-guinea public-sector The New Zealand prime minister, Helen Clark, has failed to get any concessions from Japan on its whaling program during her visit to Tokyo. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2246512.htm 2008-05-16T13:08:55+11:00 new-zealand japan conservation The Australian High Commission in Fiji has stopped processing visa applications after a second death threat was made against High Commissioner, James Batley. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2245541.htm 2008-05-16T13:08:50+11:00 fiji australia United States Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice has met the Tongan Prime Minister Dr Fred Sevele in Washington, to discuss relations between the two countries. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2246121.htm 2008-05-16T08:19:11+11:00 tonga fiji united-states Some 1,000 refugees living in Australia on temporary protection visas will be granted permanent residency. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2246119.htm 2008-05-15T17:00:31+11:00 australia immigration pacific New Zealand police have been asked to investigate whether the qualifications of former immigration department executive Mary-Anne Thompson had been falsified. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2245781.htm 2008-05-15T17:00:32+11:00 new-zealand kiribati immigration The Commonwealth Secretariat has approved a new project to support the Cook Islands develop and manage its seabed mineral resources. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2246123.htm 2008-05-15T17:00:31+11:00 cook-islands mining mining The Solomon Islands opposition has again called on the government to draw up an exit plan for the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, or RAMSI. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2245780.htm 2008-05-15T14:53:30+11:00 solomon-islands pacific defence-forces The leaders of New Zealand and Japan have held talks in Tokyo agreeing to enhance co-operation in areas such as the environment and security. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2245423.htm 2008-05-15T14:53:30+11:00 japan new-zealand climate-change trade Samoa has become the first member nation of the Pacific Islands Forum to nominate a candidate as the next secretary general of the regional group. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2245067.htm 2008-05-15T12:05:05+11:00 pacific samoa Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has admitted he stopped an investigation into PNG's finance office, but says he did so on bad advice. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2244898.htm 2008-05-14T18:37:38+11:00 papua-new-guinea Pacific development experts say Australia's latest budget, with its provisions for overseas development, is not markedly different in its focus to the aid policy of the previous government of Prime Minister John Howard. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2243934.htm 2008-05-14T17:05:12+11:00 australia pacific budget Commonwealth foreign ministers have expressed grave concern over the commitment of Fiji's military government to hold democractic elections by a deadline of March next year. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2243933.htm 2008-05-14T17:05:12+11:00 fiji elections The Fiji Nurses Association says developed countries that poach Fiji's nurses should have to pay for their training in the first place. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2244896.htm 2008-05-14T17:05:12+11:00 fiji health australia new-zealand Japan and New Zealand customs authorities signed an agreement on Wednesday to ensure safe and smooth trade. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2244541.htm 2008-05-14T17:05:12+11:00 new-zealand japan privatisation-and-deregulation international-aid-and-trade Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare denies any involvement in Taiwan's cash for recognition scandal. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2243795.htm 2008-05-14T10:31:26+11:00 china taiwan papua-new-guinea Fiji's ousted prime minister Laisenia Qarase has faced court again on new corruption charges. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2243548.htm 2008-05-14T08:36:00+11:00 fiji courts-and-trials The Commonwealth has urged the Pacific Islands Forum and the international community to keep pressure on Fiji to honour its promise to hold free and fair elections within a year. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2243547.htm 2008-05-14T08:36:00+11:00 fiji pacific Police in Fiji are continuing to search for the person responsible for making a death threat last week against Australia's High commissioner James Batley. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2243555.htm 2008-05-13T16:16:09+11:00 australia fiji Vulcanologists say molten rock appears to be moving higher inside New Zealands Mt Ruapehu. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2243546.htm 2008-05-13T16:09:49+11:00 new-zealand Palau's President has signed a bill which will ban the export of live reef fish. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2243545.htm 2008-05-13T16:09:49+11:00 palau conservation environment The head of the New Zealand immigration service has been forced to resign. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2243209.htm 2008-05-13T16:09:47+11:00 new-zealand kiribati immigration Police in Fiji say they have identified a man they believe was behind an incident in which the son of an expatriate was held hostage at the weekend. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2243440.htm 2008-05-13T15:37:18+11:00 fiji australia crime New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark will begin a visit to Japan and South Korea Tuesday, hoping to build on momentum established by the free trade agreement signed last month with China. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200805/s2242469.htm 2008-05-13T12:30:28+11:00 new-zealand japan south-korea china