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Government fears church brings instability

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, June 2, 2009) – Fiji’s Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy says the interim regime shouldn’t cancel the Methodist Church conference as it impinges on religious freedoms.

Police and the military issued a statement ordering the church to cancel their annual meeting in August saying some church members were trying to bring instability to the country.

ECREA director Chantelle Khan says it is aware of information about a senior church member urging members to plan protests at the meeting but the church has its own internal affairs to sort out.

"One of the things to recognise is the freedom inherent in the practice of multiculturalism [and] multi religious states is the discussion of the church of its own internal affairs and future direction. So we’re not very happy with this particular decision. We’re also aware the new Methodist...

Nereus surpasses 10,000 meter depth

By Haidee V. Eugenio

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, June 3, 2009) – Nereus, a robotic submarine, has started exploring the deepest-known part of the world's oceans called the Challenger Deep, located in the Marianas Trench near the CNMI and Guam.

On Sunday, the hybrid remotely operated vehicle Nereus passed the 10,000-meter mark.

Challenger Deep is reported to be 11,000 meters deep, more than 1.2 miles deeper than Mount Everest is high.

At that depth, pressure reaches 1,100 times the pressure at the surface.

After a six-hour journey to the bottom on Sunday, Nereus reached 10,600 meters deep, according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, which is conducting the May 23 to June 6, 2009 expedition.

WHOI (www.whoi.edu), the world's largest private, nonprofit ocean research, engineering and education organization, is using the free social...

Opposition decries ‘step backwards for Samoa’

MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, June 1, 2009) – Samoa's main opposition party says the disqualification of nine of its MPs is a blow to the democratic system.

The MPs from the Tautua Party were disqualified by the speaker of parliament and will now have to stand again in by-elections.

They are accused of changing political parties after their terms began.

The speaker ruled the MPs are in breach of Samoa's anti party-changing legislation, although they dispute that.

The party leader, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, says they are not afraid of standing for re-election, but the ruling is a step backwards for Samoa.

He said: "It is a very sad day for Samoa, especially the integrity of parliament. Because as far as we are concerned, this is the end of democracy in Samoa."

Second five-year revision discussed in Brussels

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Times, June 2, 2009) -President of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Council and Foreign Affairs and External Trade Minister of Solomon Islands, Hon. William Haomae launched the second-five year review of the Cotonou Agreement on Friday at the 34th Session of the ACP-EU Council of Ministers, in Brussels, Belgium.

Prior to the launch, the ACP Council, chaired by Mr. Haomae, had the opportunity to examine the second revision of the Cotonou Agreement and took time to discuss a negotiating structure which would be proposed to the European side.

"It is in the interests of all our member states that this Agreement is revised to ensure that it remains relevant and applicable to the reality and demands of the world today," Haomae said.

He said based on the exchange of notification letters in February, an ACP negotiating mandate has also been developed.

Haomae said...