CoveragePost
February 26, 2023
RNZ Pacific New Zealand police report that the number of people cited as uncontactable following Cyclone Gabrielle has dropped to eight — down from 13 on Friday night. Some of those were people who, “for a variety of reasons, do not engage with authorities”, police said in a statement. However, getting in touch with them ... <a title="Cyclone Gabrielle: Police report number of uncontactable people down to single figures" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/26/cyclone-gabrielle-police-report-number-of-uncontactable-people-down-to-single-figures/" aria-label="Read more about Cyclone Gabrielle: Police report number of uncontactable people down to single figures">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 24, 2023
RNZ Pacific Indonesian security forces were about to launch a rescue operation for a pilot held hostage in Papua before New Zealand intervened, reports ABC News. The ABC quoted Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, Mahfud Mahmodin, as saying his forces knew the exact location of New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens, who was ... <a title="NZ government ‘intervened’ to stop operation to save pilot, says Jakarta" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/24/nz-government-intervened-to-stop-operation-to-save-pilot-says-jakarta/" aria-label="Read more about NZ government ‘intervened’ to stop operation to save pilot, says Jakarta">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 23, 2023
PNG Post-Courier As day five dawned in Papua New Guinea’s kidnapping drama, the family of one of the four hostages captives — one of three women held in the Bosavi mountains, Southern Highlands province — was relieved she was set free yesterday afternoon. The Post-Courier was reliably informed of the release by the gunmen, with ... <a title="Priority with ‘greedy’ kidnappers is to return captives to families, says PNG police chief" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/23/priority-with-greedy-kidnappers-is-to-return-captives-to-families-says-png-police-chief/" aria-label="Read more about Priority with ‘greedy’ kidnappers is to return captives to families, says PNG police chief">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 23, 2023
PNG Post-Courier The Post-Courier has exclusively been advised of the release of one of the women held captive by armed men in the Bosavi mountains, Southern Highlands. Police Commissioner David Manning confirmed with the newspaper that the woman was released yesterday afternoon with authorities working to bring her home. “The release of one of the ... <a title="PNG gunmen free one of 3 women held captive, reports Post-Courier" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/23/png-gunmen-free-one-of-3-women-held-captive-reports-post-courier/" aria-label="Read more about PNG gunmen free one of 3 women held captive, reports Post-Courier">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 22, 2023
PNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinean security forces have been authorised to use the full force of the law to secure the four captives being held hostage by an armed gang in Bosavi, Nipa-Kutubu, Southern Highlands province since Sunday. Police Commissioner David Manning said the abductors were being offered “a way out”. Manning described the gang ... <a title="Failure to free PNG hostages could cost captors ‘their lives’, warns police chief" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/22/failure-to-free-png-hostages-could-cost-captors-their-lives-warns-police-chief/" aria-label="Read more about Failure to free PNG hostages could cost captors ‘their lives’, warns police chief">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 22, 2023
PNG Post-Courier An Australian-based anthropology professor and three Papua New Guinean women researchers are being held captive inside the jungles of the Southern Highlands after they were kidnapped at gunpoint in Fogoma’iu village in the Bosavi LLG. Four local guides who were also seized were told to jump into the Hegigio river after being released ... <a title="PNG police negotiators try to win freedom for hostage researchers" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/22/png-police-negotiators-try-to-win-freedom-for-hostage-researchers/" aria-label="Read more about PNG police negotiators try to win freedom for hostage researchers">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 22, 2023
RNZ Pacific A West Papuan independence movement leader, Benny Wenda, says the release of New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens held hostage by armed rebels is out of his hands. The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) fighters kidnapped Mehrtens on February 7 after he landed a small commercial passenger plane in Nduga regency. The group ... <a title="Wenda calls on West Papuan rebels to release kidnapped NZ pilot" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/22/wenda-calls-on-west-papuan-rebels-to-release-kidnapped-nz-pilot/" aria-label="Read more about Wenda calls on West Papuan rebels to release kidnapped NZ pilot">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 20, 2023
RNZ News The number of people in Aotearoa New Zealand whose deaths have been officially linked to Cyclone Gabrielle has risen to 11, with confirmation of two further deaths today. In a statement, police said a person who passed away in their Onekawa home on Thursday is “believed to have died in circumstances related to ... <a title="Cyclone Gabrielle: Death toll rises to 11, Civil Defence targets isolated communities" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/20/cyclone-gabrielle-death-toll-rises-to-11-civil-defence-targets-isolated-communities/" aria-label="Read more about Cyclone Gabrielle: Death toll rises to 11, Civil Defence targets isolated communities">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 18, 2023
Jubi News in Jayapura An indigenous Papuan negotiation team has traversed rugged highlands forests in the Indonesian-ruled Melanesian province in search of the New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens, who was taken hostage by rebels last week. The crisis over the captive pilot held by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) led by Egianus Kogoya ... <a title="Indigenous Papuan negotiators walk to forest hideout to seek release of pilot" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/18/indigenous-papuan-negotiators-walk-to-forest-hideout-to-seek-release-of-pilot/" aria-label="Read more about Indigenous Papuan negotiators walk to forest hideout to seek release of pilot">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 18, 2023
RNZ News New Zealanders should be prepared for the number of fatalities in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle to increase, says Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. He said at a media briefing in Gisborne that every available resource was being used to help find those who are missing and to rescue those who were known about ... <a title="Cyclone Gabrielle: NZ death toll now 7 – PM Hipkins warns of more fatalities" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/18/cyclone-gabrielle-nz-death-toll-now-7-pm-hipkins-warns-of-more-fatalities/" aria-label="Read more about Cyclone Gabrielle: NZ death toll now 7 – PM Hipkins warns of more fatalities">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 16, 2023
BACKGROUNDER: By David Robie Papuan independence rebels are playing a desperate game of cat and mouse with Indonesian authorities over their hostage taking last week with a New Zealand pilot caught in the middle. Christchurch-raised Philip Mehrtens, 37, a pilot for the national feeder airline Susi Air owned by a former cabinet minister and with ... <a title="Papuan cat-and-mouse over NZ pilot taken captive by ‘freedom’ rebels" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/16/papuan-cat-and-mouse-over-nz-pilot-taken-captive-by-freedom-rebels/" aria-label="Read more about Papuan cat-and-mouse over NZ pilot taken captive by ‘freedom’ rebels">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 10, 2023
PNG Post-Courier The Papua New Guinea government’s top legal adviser, Dr Eric Kwa, has been arrested and charged on allegations of dangerous driving causing death. Dr Kwa, the Secretary for the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, was allegedly involved in a fatal road accident that caused a death on October 17, 2022, and was the ... <a title="PNG government’s top legal adviser charged over ‘dangerous’ road death" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/10/png-governments-top-legal-adviser-charged-over-dangerous-road-death/" aria-label="Read more about PNG government’s top legal adviser charged over ‘dangerous’ road death">Read more</a>
