Josephine Latu is from Tonga and is a masters student in communication studies at AUT University.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Pacific Media Watch.

Pacific Media Watch contributing editor Josephine Latu has been signed on to become one of 18 mentors in a pilot programme launched this week by Tonga’s Women and Children Crisis Centre.

The inaugural I-YEL programme will run over a period of 12 months and will aim to encourage, prepare and challenge young people to be advocates for human rights with a special focus on women and children’s rights, social justice, gender equality and the overall goal of promoting the elimination of violence against women and children. Read more »

Former Public Service Commisioner Catherine Adifaka (left) and Solomon Islands honorary consul to NZ Doreen Kuper at the Being the First book launching in Honiara. Photo: Marilyn Waring/PMC

Pacific Scoop:
By Josephine Latu

When Solomon Islanders at the launch of Being the First were each handed a copy of the book, the general reaction was one of “awe”.

The book is the first ever to document the lives of leading Solomon Island women from their own point of view, and the first published historical account of achievements by local women over the past 50 years. Read more »

Pacific Spice performing at Radio Tarana's Fiji Festival in Manukau City. Photo: Josephine Latu/PS

Pacific Scoop:
By Josephine Latu

Pacific Spice – a dance group made up of Cook Islanders, Samoans and Tongans – captivated the audience with a lively Bollywood number at New Zealand’s weekend Fiji Festival hosted by community broadcaster Radio Tarana. Read more »

Pacific Press Release – Pacific Media Watch

PACIFIC MEDIA CENTRE WINS GRANT FOR PMW FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION PROJECT

AUCKLAND (AUT University/Pacific Media Watch):  The Pacific Media Watch freedom of expression monitoring project at AUT University has been awarded a $15,000 development grant to expand its regional database and journalism resource.

The PMW project was adopted by AUT’s Pacific Media Centre in 2007 and has been developed by Pacific Islands contributing editors based in the School of Communication Studies for the past three years. Read more »

Hosanna Kobakoro ... teen pageant "isn't all about beauty, boobs and bimbos". Photo: Miss Teen Idaho

Pacific.Scoop
By Josephine Latu

Fiji-American teenager Hosanna Kobakoro is set to represent her home state in next year’s Miss Teen USA after winning the title of Miss Teen Idaho USA last weekend.
Read more »

The Princess Ashika death toll of 74 passengers and crew made it Tonga's worst shipping tragedy. Photo: TNews.

Pacific.Scoop
By Josephine Latu

Potentially damning testimonies from a welder and an engineer were presented this week to Tonga’s Royal Commission of Inquiry charged with investigating sinking of the Princess Ashika interisland ferry.
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Professor Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop ... "for too long we have been the subjects of other people’s policies." Photo: Josephine Latu/PMC

Pacific.Scoop
By Josephine Latu

New Zealand’s first professor of Pacific studies, Tagaloatele Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop, wants to see more Pacific Islanders at decision-making levels and she believes postgraduate education is the key to achieving this goal.
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Aid supplies for Niua being loaded onto the patrol boat VOEA Savea. Photo: Tongan Minfo

Pacific.Scoop
By Josephine Latu

Tonga’s tsunami alert system was put to the test again as another major 8.0 quake rocked Vanuatu, alarming neighbouring island states.

Tonga had expected a possible tidal wave to strike at 2.52pm yesterday, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre bulletin from Hawaii – before the warning was lifted.
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Princess Pilolevu visits the disaster area in the Nuias. Photo: Tongan Minfo

Pacific.Scoop
By Josephine Latu

The Tongan government has released the names of nine victims who died on Wednesday after three large tidal waves hit the north-eastern island of Niuatoputapu in the Nuias.

They are Losalio Lefai, Sefo Lefai, Toni Lefai (child), Tina Lefai (infant), Kalolo Kivalu, Lesina Tupouto’a, Tu’ulomia Tavake, Heneli Losalu, and Lupe Pukenga.
Read more »

'Ofa Likiliki ... Tongan government "out of touch" with reality. Photo: UN Radio

Pacific.Scoop
By Josephine Latu

Human rights advocates have strongly criticised the Tongan Parliament’s refusal to ratify the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women earlier this month.

The Legislative Assembly had voted 18 to 1, with four abstentions not to ratify CEDAW at this time.
Read more »