Independent Analysis and Reportage
Asia Pacific Report
RNZ Pacific reporters The Fiji Police Force has yet to charge any suspects four months after the alleged murder of the reportedly infamous Jone Vakarisi while he was in military custody. Vakarisi, 37, who was widely known for being on the wrong side of the law and reportedly linked to criminal networks, died on April
By Rashneel Kumar, editor of the Cook Islands News Cook Islands’ Democratic Party leader Tina Pupuke-Browne has pledged an “honest campaign review” after preliminary results showed the party losing all its seats. Pupuke-Browne said the party will learn from its dismal 2026 general election performance, but added that it is “premature” to declare their final
ANALYSIS: By Robin Andersen In a Double Down News (DDN) video report, British filmmaker Richard Sanders begins a summary of a “horrific new [United Nations] report” with a listing of three atrocities committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian children. Sanders tells of an infant who was shot in the head while breastfeeding in his mother’s arms, a 16-year-old
By Andrew Naidu in Suva Fiji’s High Court has granted an application seeking the release of seven electronic devices seized by police from British-Fiji journalist and sports marketing official Charlie Charters. The application was heard before Justice Pita Bulamainaivalu after preliminary issues were raised concerning the proper parties to the proceedings and the transfer of
By Teitimoana Tairi of the Cook Islands News The Cook Islands Party (CIP) could secure a supermajority for its fifth consecutive term in government after three independent female candidates who won seats in Mangaia agreed to join the party. CIP leads following the preliminary count of the 2026 general election with 12 seats, leaving them
RNZ Pacific reporters Dozens of large demonstrations by West Papuans to mark a key anniversary of their homeland’s incorporation into Indonesia have been met with mixed and sometimes violent responses by police. Saturday was the anniversary of the infamous 1962 US-brokered New York Agreement under which Papua’s former colonial power, the Netherlands, agreed to transfer
By Jake Wise in Suva The Palestinian solidarity movement in Fiji is calling for greater transparency over the security arrangements surrounding the Israeli Embassy. Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) coordinator Shamima Ali, representing the movement, questioned what specific threat had prompted the heightened police presence around the embassy after police confirmed the additional security was
ANALYSIS: By Laurens Ikinia in Jakarta As Indonesia marks the 81st anniversary of its independence on Monday — August 17 — the republic has much to celebrate. Over eight decades, Indonesia has transformed itself from a newly independent archipelago into one of the world’s largest democracies and economies, holding together an extraordinarily diverse nation across
RNZ News New Zealand’s spy agency says it is increasingly coming across espionage activity in the Pacific — and has identified individuals connected to an unnamed foreign intelligence service. The NZSIS reports that individually, Pacific states remain vulnerable to attempts at subversion, both in politically, and in the community. Security expert Al Gillespie told RNZ’s
COMMENTARY: By Tracy-Moana Campbell A country currently indicted for genocide has no business training our teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand on the topic of genocide. The notion is ludicrous. Under this National policy Kiwi teachers are going to be trained about genocide by Israelis. It is intended that some Kiwi teachers will be sent to
Asia Pacific Report Palestine protesters in Aotearoa New Zealand celebrated an unprecedented 150 weeks of continuous rallies in the heart of Auckland today and were told by a human rights advocate they were the “rainbow people — offering hope”. Kathy Voyles, who describes herself as a global citizen dividing her time between New Zealand and
By Lucy Xia of RNZ Thousands have toured the metro City Rail Link’s deepest station — Karanga-a-Hape Station — ahead of its opening next month, and the station and its surrounds have come alive with music, performances and queues of people lining up to order food at St Kevin’s Arcade. The event today drew in