2020

Madeleine McCann's parents welcome declaration of formal suspect

Kate and Gerry McCann said it reflected progress in the investigation, adding they still hoped to be reunited with Madeleine, who went missing in 2007.

Portuguese prosecutors made Christian Brueckner an "arguido" on Thursday, but did not formally reveal his name.

Brueckner has not been charged and denies any involvement in the case.

Madeleine disappeared during a family holiday in Praia da Luz and investigators believe she was abducted from the apartment where the family were staying in the Algarve resort.

Nauru President named regional magazine’s Pacific ‘leader of the year’ in 2020

A report in the Nauru Bulletin said the Fiji-based publication highlighted that President Aingimea’s leadership and unwavering determination, grit and a burning desire to save the University of the South Pacific earned him respect and accolades in 2020.

The report goes on to say while USP Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia is credited with exposing the rot in the regional institute of learning, it is his incoming chancellor that made sure that the VC kept his job last year.

Full moon and lunar eclipse delight skywatchers

Those gazing up at the skies on Friday, weather permitting, would have seen a penumbral lunar eclipse, which happens when the moon passes through the Earth's shadow.

The phenomenon, which began at 17:00 GMT in the UK and ended at around 21:00, saw the moon move into Earth's penumbra, or outer shadow, causing it to look darker than normal.

Ed Bloomer, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, said people in the UK would be able to see the display "nice and clearly".

Tom Cruise drops Top Gun 2 trailer

Top Gun: Maverick sees him revisit brilliant but reckless pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, still flying but unable to let go of his past.

The trailer shows Cruise apparently pulling off some incredible aerial moves on board a US Navy jetfighter.

"Everything you see in this film is for real," he told the San Diego audience.

"We're working with the Navy, all of the flying you see in this picture is real, I really wanted to give you all an experience of what it is to be inside that aircraft.

2020 SPTE to be held in Christchurch

The SPTE is the largest annual Business to Business tourism event organized by the South Pacific Organisation for the Pacific islands. It is a platform for sellers, which facilitates collaboration between tourism service providers, national tourism offices of SPTO member countries and international buyers including travel agents and tour operators from around the world.