GENEVA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights office called on Australia on Friday to re... View MoreGENEVA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights office called on Australia on Friday to restore food, water and health services to some 600 interned refugees and asylum
seekers in Papua New Guinea, which the government cut
off three days ago.
Hundreds of asylum-seekers were refusing to leave an Australian detention camp in Papua New Guinea that
authorities closed Tuesday, citing fears for their safety, despite food, water
and electricity being cut off.
Thomas said of those transferred to Manus under Australia's tough policies, nearly 600
had returned home voluntarily, seven were deported and five had died --
leaving 610 genuine refugees and 201 non-refugees on the island.
Canberra has been forced on the defensive by the move from Wellington's new government, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull saying Australia would instead prioritise a similar deal with the US to resettle refugees in America, despite
slow progress.
The United States has so far only accepted 54 refugees.
Under a refugee swap deal, the United States has agreed to
accept potentially up to 1,250 asylum seekers from Manus and Nauru, in return for Australia taking refugees from Central America.
Scrum-half Shaun Johnson finished with 14 points from a try and
five goals with other tries scored by Jordan Rapana, Brad
Takairangi, Kodi Nikorima, Isaac Liu, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
It struck a deal with former US President Barack Obama for America to resettle an unspecified number of the detainees, but so
far just 54 people have been notified of their acceptance and a group of only 24 have flown out.
Australia refuses to allow asylum seekers arriving by boat to reach its
shores, detaining them in camps in PNG and Nauru in the South Pacific.
The United Nations and rights groups have for years cited human rights abuses among detainees in the centres.
After making steady and consistent progress in his recovery, Burgess came through a full first training session in Albert Park after the
England team returned to Melbourne from Perth and Bennett admits his return is timely as
the team enter the knockout stages.
SYDNEY, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Australian private
security on Tuesday vacated an asylum seeker
detention centre in Papua New Guinea (PNG) ahead of its planned closure, detainees said, leaving about 600 refugees and asylum seekers barricaded inside and
refusing to move.
WELLINGTON/SYDNEY, Nov 3 (Reuters) - New Zealand Prime Minister
Jacinda Ardern said she would offer to take 150 refugees
held by Australia when she meets counterpart Malcolm Turnbull on Sunday,
promising Canberra a breather from a stand-off at a Papua New
Guinea detention site.
31, fearing for their safety in the general community on Manus Island off Papua New Guinea's north coast.
But hundreds of detainees are refusing the leave the Australian-run and funded
Manus Island detention centre, which will close on Oct.
Refugee advocates warned of an "extremely tense" situation at a Papua New Guinea asylum-seeker camp Monday ahead of its closure, as Port Moresby demanded clarity
from Australia on its plans for what happens next.
(0700 GMT), asylum-seekers told Reuters after the deadline that half the camp still had power at 10.
Despite threats that water and power supply to the camp would be cut by 5 p.
(1230 GMT), along with access to water.
The NRL superstar scored one of Fiji Bati's 14 tries to swamp the hapless Welshmen in Townsville to top Pool D with their second emphatic win of
the tournament after smashing the United States 58-12 in their opening match.
SYDNEY, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Papua New Guinea Immigration Minister Petrus Thomas said authorities would
take steps on Monday to forcibly remove around 450 men who
remain in an abandoned Australian detention centre without food or running water.
NRL stars Kevin Naiqama and Suliasi Vunivalu scored two tries each, while Gold
Coast Titans superstar Jarryd Hayne launched his World Cup
by scoring next to the posts following a mid-field break by Akuila Uate.
"In terms of the people currently at the Manus Island centre, they should comply with the lawful requirements of the government of Papua New Guinea," Turnbull told reporters in the Philippines
on Tuesday, adding that the US deal "is progressing".
"We will be taking steps with relevant authorities to move the residents based on serious exposure to health risk for the food of everyone that is remaining," Thomas said in a statement issued late on Sunday.
Asked if Widdop provides him with more options, " Bennett said: "It does.
He was very good but Stefan (Ratchford) was very good
there last week as well so we have got some good
options. We've got a pretty good squad and capable
of doing a job if we need them.
Behrouz Boochani, a Kurdish journalist detained on Manus, said in a Facebook post on Friday that the detainees do not want to be resettled in PNG as they cannot work
or provide for their families there and they do not feel
safe.
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GENEVA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights office called on Australia on Friday to re... View More