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By Liberty Dones Variety News Staff

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands (July 3, 2002 – Marianas Variety)---The Commonwealth Ports Authority (CPA) remains hopeful that the $20 million Tinian runway project will be completed by the end of August.

The project, which is being handled by Telesource CNMI, began in Dec. 2001, but due to delays caused by environmental and engineering concerns, the completion date was revised.

The project now is 68 percent complete, CPA said.

"We still believe that we’ll be able to meet the end of August deadline," CPA Executive Director Carlos H. Salas said.

Recently, the contractor began excavation work of up to about 600 feet to incorporate a new taxiway design. This change in design was made upon the advice of the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA also approved changes in longitudinal and latitudinal slopes as well as in the sediment and erosion control mechanism.

CPA said a 30 degree, instead of a...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (July 4, 2002 – Radio Australia)---The election in Papua New Guinea continues to deliver inconclusive results.

Hundreds of extra police have been moved into the Southern Highlands where voting hasn't even begun yet.

There are real doubts about whether polling teams will be able to get to some areas because of armed tribesmen.

Fourteen seats declared so far are all coastal province seats or out in the islands' provinces.

While no Independents have won yet, two parties -- the Prime Minister's Peoples Democratic Movement and Sir Michael Somare's National Alliance -- have each won three seats.

Another party has won two, while six other parties have won one seat each.

PNG’S BILL SKATE EYES TOP JOB IN PORT MORESBY

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (July 4, 2002 – Radio Australia)---There's been one early withdrawal from the race to be Papua New Guinea's next prime minister.

Bill Skate, who ran...

CHINA’S JIANG AND KIRIBATI’S TITO DISCUSS COOPERATION, TAIWAN

BEIJING, China (July 3, 2002 – Xinhua-New China News Agency)--China will make a concerted effort to push forward bilateral friendship and cooperation with Kiribati on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence.

Chinese President Jiang Zemin made the comment Wednesday in Beijing during talks with visiting President of Kiribati Teburoro Tito, who is on a six-day working visit to China as Jiang's guest.

During the talks, the two presidents exchanged views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common concern.

Jiang spoke highly of the bilateral relations which have continued to progress since Tito's 1996 visit to China, and pointed out that there has been frequent contact between leaders and officials, fruitful exchanges and cooperation in such fields as education, health and space science, and mutual support for each other in international affairs.

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WENO, Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia (July 3, 2002 – Radio Australia)---At least 39 people are feared dead in landslides caused by a tropical storm lashing Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia.

Speaking from Weno, state public affairs director Gideon Kikku said many more people may die.

He appealed for help.

He said at least 40 people have been injured and the storm, Chata'an, is still sweeping the area.

Chuuk, known as Truk during colonial times, has a population of about 65,000.

Mana Silva of KGUM radio on Guam said the storm is expected to worsen.

"The weather service is watching it closely and they expect within the next 48 hours it will be upgraded to a typhoon and it will be in the area of Guam early evening Friday.

"Residents are being told to stock up on emergency goods and put up storm shutters and the like," Silva said.

LANDSLIDES KILL 22 IN CHUUK STATE

HAGÅTÑA, Guam (July 4, 2002 –...