Refugees refuse to leave Australian ship at Nauru

Tensions flared again today between officials and mostly Iraqi asylum seekers when some refused to be unloaded from an Australian navy ship docked at the tiny Pacific island of Nauru.

Two boatloads of asylum seekers disembarked from the Australian troop carrier HMAS Manoora early today, raising hopes for an end to the two-week standoff by 217 people who have refused to go ashore at Nauru so their applications for refugee status can be processed.