Articles Search

SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, June 6) – The Australian Government has toned down its travel warnings about Fiji, after the Interim Government last week ended a state of emergency.

The Melbourne Herald Sun reports the Australian Government last night changed its travel advice to people going to Fiji, reducing the threat level from "high degree of caution" to "exercise caution".

Travel advisories warning people of dangers in Fiji were strengthened by Australia and other countries around the time of the military coup.

But the latest advice continues to warn people that political tensions could lead to violence.

"You should avoid demonstrations, street rallies and public gatherings as such events could result in civil disorder," the advice now says.

In light of the human rights abuses alleged to have been carried out by the military on critics of the interim regime, the Australian Government has warned travellers to avoid military installations, activity and...

By Agnes Donato

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, June 6) – Only about 12 million metric tons of pozzolan remain available on Pagan, according to a mining expert working for the Department of Public Lands.

This estimate by DPL consultant John W. Wilson is much lower than previous estimates regarding the quantity of pozzolan on Pagan, which ranged between 32 million and 200 million metric tons.

In a statement, DPL said Wilson's report takes into account the loose nature of the pozzolan deposit, and the erosion that has taken place since the first measurements of volume were reported in the U.S. Geological Survey's 1984 report.

DPL Secretary John S. Del Rosario described Wilson's report as "the first professional analysis of the amount of pozzolan on Pagan."

"Dr. Wilson's estimate is markedly lower than earlier estimates and shows the cost of mismanagement of this valuable resource over the past decade," Del Rosario said.

He was alluding to JG...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 5) – The chairman of the South Pacific Games committee says completion dates for most of the venues for the August games [to be held in Apia, Samoa] is well ahead of schedule.

The region’s biggest sporting event has attracted a record 6,000 registrations, although this will be reduced once the number of participating athletes for the 33 [categories] has been decided.

Chair, Vaeolenofoafia Vui Tapasu Leung Wai, says however there is still one venue to be completed.

"I must be honest with you that the only venue we are trying to complete is the lawn bowling, but we have a specialist from New Zealand who is growing the grass and he’s saying definitely this will be ready before the opening ceremony."

Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Fiji and Samoa are fielding the largest teams with numbers reaching over 300.

But the Northern Marianas are pinning their medal hopes on just eight...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, June 5) – Hundreds of men, women and children from two villages in Papua New Guinea’s Dunantina area of Henganofi district in Eastern Highlands province have been rendered homeless after their houses were burnt to the ground by angry rival clansmen.

The burning down of Megusa and Numuri villages and other destruction early last Saturday morning was in retaliation over the death of a man during an armed hold-up which took place last Friday evening along the Dunantina road.

According to a source, about 50 houses at Megusa were ransacked and burnt to the ground and almost half the number of houses at Numuri were destroyed.

Livestock including pigs, goats and chicken were slaughtered and coffee bags stolen by angry rival clansmen during the raid.

The source said clansmen of the deceased from the Kesavaka and Wagave areas organised the raids after hearing of the death of their tribesman.

He said fortunately...