Monthly Archives: April 2020
‘Jakarta Six’ trial to continue online after court rejects postponement
By Lani Diana Wijaya in Jakarta
The trial of six Papuan activists will be held online or long-distance amid the enforcement of large scale social...
Term of digital distance learning begins for NZ teachers and pupils
By John Gerritsen, education correspondent of RNZ News
The second term of New Zealand's school year starts today, but nobody is going to class.
Schools are...
NZ lockdown – day 20: Four more Covid-19 deaths, 17 new cases
By RNZ News
Four more people have died from Covid-19 in New Zealand in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry has confirmed.
Nine people have...
Conflict watchdog warns Jakarta is fuelling tension in Papua over virus
Pacific Media Watch
The Covid-19 coronavirus is “exacerbating tensions” in Indonesia’s West Papua region and exposing the “shortcomings” of Jakarta government policy, warns a conflict...
Ruby Princess crew put in virus danger – not protected, says union
Pacific Media Centre
Fears are mounting over the safety of 1040 crew members - many of them from the Philippines - on board the Ruby...
Why is it so hard to stop the Covid-19 misinformation social media spread?
ANALYSIS: By Tobias R. Keller and Rosalie Gillett of the Queensland University of Technology
Even before the coronavirus arrived to turn life upside down and...
Coronavirus ‘our common enemy’ says Chinese consul – Tahiti cases hit 55
Pacific Media Centre
The Chinese consul in French Polynesia, Shen Zhiliang, has described the new coronavirus causing the global Covid-19 pandemic as "our common enemy”.
He...
Fiji steps up testing in Suva lockdown area, says Health Minister
By Maggie Boyle in Suva
Fiji's Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete says that with mobile health clinics "hitting the ground" in Suva, the aim is...
NZ lockdown – day 19: Health Ministry ‘looking at visit rules’ after fifth death
By RNZ News
New Zealand's Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield today confirmed the Health Ministry is "actively looking" at the rules around people visiting...
Human Rights Commissioner calls for release of detainees amid virus alarm
By Stefan Armbruster of SBS News
Australia's Human Rights Commissioner has called for the "urgent" and "immediate" release of immigration detainees in line with recommendations...
Three Papuan police officers killed in ‘misunderstanding’ clash with military
By Benny Mawel in Jayapura
Three officers from the Mamberamo Raya Police force have died while two others sustained wounds following a reported clash with...
Selfish lockdown breaches cause headaches in Fiji, NZ
PACIFIC PANDEMIC DIARY: By Sri Krishnamurthi, self-isolating in Auckland under New Zealand’s Covid-19 lockdown as part of a Pacific Media Watch series.
The lockdown breaches...
Police Minister Kramer blasts two journalists in virus reporting row
Pacific Media Watch
Papua New Guinea’s Police Minister Bryan Kramer has published an extraordinary attack on two leading journalists over their reporting of the Covid-19...
NZ lockdown – day 18: Another drop in new confirmed and probable cases
By RNZ News
New Zealand's number of recovered cases of Covid-19 continues to be higher than the number of new infections, the Director-General of Health...
Pacific coronavirus: Cyclone Harold leaves death, destruction
By Tess Newton Cain and Dan McGarry
There are now more than 220 confirmed cases across the Pacific Islands region (excluding Australia and New Zealand)...
Fiji police make 193 virus lockdown violation arrests, blast ‘selfish group’
By Ritika Pratap in Suva
Fiji police have arrested 193 people in the last 24 hours for violations of the country's coronavirus lockdown and the...
NZ lockdown – day 17: Coronavirus death toll rises to four, 442 recover
By RNZ News
New Zealand has had two further deaths because of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, doubling the death toll to four, says Director of...
OPM proposes West Papua ceasefire to help contain spread of Covid-19
By Agung Sandy Lesmana and Ria Rizki Nirmala Sari in Jayapura
The Free Papua Organisation (OPM) has offered a ceasefire in the independence struggle against...
Second coronavirus case in Timor-Leste – and first Timorese national
By Antónia Gusmão in Dili
Timor-Leste has registered its second case of Covid-19, the Integrated Crisis Management Centre (CIGC) has confirmed.
The patient – a Timorese...
Philippines online classes at UST to resume – no failing marks this term
By Laurd Menhard B. Salen in Manila
The oldest and one of the largest universities in the Philippines has announced that it will continue online...
NZ lockdown – Day 16: Second death confirmed, cases rise on Good Friday
By RNZ News
A Christchurch woman in her 90s who was living in the Rosewood rest home is New Zealand's second death from Covid-19, the...
1.2m Indonesian workers laid off as coronavirus crushes economy
By Made Anthony Iswara in Jakarta
The Covid-19 pandemic, which is spreading like wildfire in Indonesia, has taken not just lives but also the...