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AUSTRALIA’S RUDD LOOKS TO SET NEW FOREIGN POLICY

SYDNEY, Australia (ABC News Online, Jan. 2) – A leading foreign policy expert at the Lowy Institute think tank says he believes Australia will pursue a new, more daring foreign policy under the Rudd Government.

Michael Fullilove is the director of the Insitute's Global Issues Program.

He says there have already been some changes in a very short period of time, and a new style of foreign policy is emerging.

"The commitment to withdraw combat troops from Iraq is a clear break from an established Australian Government position over many years," he said.

"The ratification of Kyoto is again a break from the Howard Government, and something that I think energised the Bali conference on climate change.

"The whaling decision is not a first-order issue, but is a values issue, and is indicative of some of the new things.

"That's what we've seen already. But I think in the coming year, and in the...

Editorial

The Cook Islands Herald

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands (Dec. 29) – With depopulation occurring at an alarming rate in the outer islands, have we reached the point of no return? That is, the point where no matter what initiatives, assistance, incentives or enterprise is applied, it is too late to stop the outward flow of people.

Most concerning and frightening is the situation in Penrhyn with the Grubnau pearl enterprise being slowly wound down after Lillian Grubnau had invested over $5 million in establishing her pearl business which employed not only locals but Fijians and others. Opposition from other locals in Penrhyn also presented her with some difficult moments. Penrhyn’s population was reported by the most recent Census (2006) to have dropped to 250 people. Since that announcement, anecdotal evidence is that the population is now down to about 200 people.

The latest pearl harvest in Manihiki was not as hoped and the pearl authority has a hard...

By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, Jan. 3) – Four men were arrested by the Drug Enforcement Administration for trafficking and possession of a controlled substance — "ice."

Arrested were Vincent David Cabrera Jr., 29; Joseph Matagolai Aldan, also known as Joey, 32; Vicente Q. Falig, 42; and Greg Magofna also known as Goru, 30.

Cabrera was arrested on Dec. 31 at 4:25 p.m. in Koblerville and was brought to Superior Court for a bail hearing yesterday morning before Associate Judge David A. Wiseman.

Wiseman set a cash bail of $100,000 and Cabrera was remanded to the custody of the Department of Corrections after the hearing.

A preliminary hearing was set for Jan, 10 while the arraignment will be on Jan. 14.

The affidavit submitted to court stated that Cabrera is on probation for federal drug charges.

It added that a buy-walk operation was conducted on Sept. 20, 2007 in the parking lot of Moon Night Club in...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Jan. 2) – Papua New Guinea will host the 16th African-Carribean-Pacific/European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly in November.

Pacific Magazine reports that an advance mission from the co-secretariats of the ACP-EU JPA is expected in PNG in January 2008 to look at the country’s preparations.

PNG government Minister Tony Aimo, who represented PNG at the 14th Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Rwanda last month, said a total of nearly 4 million US dollars has been set aside by the government to host the meeting.

The Somare Government has campaigned vigorously for PNG to host international meetings in a bid to improve the country’s image and showcase its culture to the outside world.