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By John Ravelo

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands (April 2, 2002 – Saipan Tribune)---Saying that a pullout by the military from the CNMI would be disastrous to its already ailing economy, the Saipan Chamber of Commerce yesterday defended the U.S. Navy’s bombing practices on Farallon de Mendinilla.

The stance came as the Navy announced plans to appeal an adverse federal court decision in connection with the military exercises on the island.

Mike Schadeck, the Chamber’s Armed Forces Committee chair, disclosed that the court case filed by the Center for Biological Diversity against the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Defense Department may still take a long time, after the military formally appeals the summary judgment rendered by U.S. District Court Judge Emmett J. Sullivan.

Sullivan’s order, which was issued last month, declared that the bombing exercises on Farallon violate the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. But the order did not rule on whether or not the Navy...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (April 2, 2002 – The National)---All major business houses in the Highlands region are scaling down their operations after losing millions of kina because of lack of road access to the international port in Lae.

The vital link, the Garia Bridge in the Markham Valley, was washed away by heavy flooding over a week ago and supply trucks have not been able to make their way into the Highlands, while export crops have not come down the highway to Lae.

One of the road transport companies involved in movement of large tonnage every day is East West Transport (EWT). National operations manager, Rod Cameron, described the situation as "disastrous."

EWT is incurring thousands of kina in lost revenue daily. "I believe the loss of revenue would be in millions of kina," he said.

He said EWT has six trucks bound for the Highlands provinces stranded in Lae, while more than 20 bound for Lae with coffee and tea for overseas exports are...

By Mike Gordon and Brandon Masuoka

HONOLULU, Hawai‘i (April 2, 2002 – Honolulu Advertiser/PIR)---After drifting at sea and out of radio contact for more than two weeks, 11 crewmembers of a crippled Indonesian refueling tanker were rescued south of the Big Island today by the cruise ship Norwegian Star, U.S. Coast Guard officials said.

The Norwegian Star was enroute to Fanning Island, Kiribati when it sighted the disabled tanker.

One of the crewmembers aboard the Insiko 1907 was severely burned when it caught fire March 13 and, this morning, was airlifted by a Coast Guard helicopter to Kuakini Hospital, Honolulu said Petty Officer David Mosley. The 50-year-old man was suffering from burns on 54 percent of his body.

A 12th crewman died in the fire, Mosley said.

The cruise ship spotted the refueling tanker about 220 miles south of the Big Island and called the Coast Guard about 1:45 a.m. today, Mosley said.

The future disposition of the tanker...

SUVA, Fiji Islands (April 3, 2002 – Radio Australia)---Fiji's central Reserve Bank is forecasting higher economic growth for the country this year.

Radio Australia correspondent Ofa Kaukimoce reports.

"The governor of Fiji's Reserve Bank, Savenaca Narube, says the revised estimate is now 4.4 percent. The earlier forecast was three and a half per cent.

"According to Narube, growth is expected in all sectors except cane and sugar.

"The Reserve Bank attributes the growth to higher consumer spending, which is supported by higher disposable income.

"And, as economic activity picks up, employment is expected to rise.

"The governor says the Reserve Bank will continue to support the recovery of the economy, through low interest rates.

"Ofa Kaukimoce, Radio Australia News, Suva."

For additional reports from Radio Australia, go to PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT News/Information Links: Radio/TV News/Radio Australia.