Angry landowners shut down Bougainville airport

Angry landowners shut down Buka airport in Bougainville on Wednesday, disrupting scheduled flights and holding the travelling public to ransom. The Post Courier reports that landowners from nearby Ieta village, under the leadership of Rungunahana Incorporated Land Group chairman, Herman Tugen, stormed the airport at around 9am. The landowners overturned luggage trolleys, parked their vehicles…

Maelanga angered over body search

AUSTRALIAN immigration officials did an “explosive body search” on Manasseh Maelanga despite being told he was the Solomon Islands’ deputy prime minister. The incident last week at Brisbane International Airport infuriated Mr Maelanga, who yesterday expressed utter disappointment at the treatment. “I understand we leaders are exempted to immigration checks and body searches in international…