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HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, March 1) – Nauru air carrier Our Airline on Friday made an emergency landing at Honiara International Airport after its cockpit’s windshield cracked.

The Boeing B737-300 was on a scheduled flight to Honiara when the incident happened.

As a result the aircraft was grounded and spent about three days at the Honiara Domestic Terminal to allow local engineers to assess the damaged windscreen.

Solomon Airlines Engineering Department’s general manager Brian Johnstone confirmed the incident adding that it was the worst damaged he had seen in his 20 years aviation career.

Solomon Airlines was involved in the assessment.

Solomon Star understands the aircraft was carrying passengers at that time and most of them have to be accommodated in the hotels while waiting for the repair to be done.

The delay in fixing the problem was because the windscreen and engineers had to be flown in from Australia.

"The...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, March 1) – Samoa’s tourism authority board has terminated the suspended chief executive officer, Matafeo Reupena Matafeo’s, contract in a decision endorsed by the cabinet yesterday.

Matafeo was re-appointed last year for a second three-year term in the position.

The board’s decision follows an investigation by the Ombudsman over allegations of sexual harassment against the tourism boss.

Matafeo’s former secretary, Lu’isa Fuimaono, had lodged a complaint to the minister of tourism, Misa Telefoni, and the board, which was later referred to the Ombudsman office for an investigation.

The report has revealed unwanted sexual advances and abuse of power by the suspended CEO against the complainant.

The Ombudsman, Maiava Iulai Toma, in his report has recommended that the authority urgently consider putting in place a policy on sexual harassment and procedures to handle complaints that may arise....

PAPEETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, March 1) – The French Council of State has overruled two laws voted in last November by the then Oscar Temaru majority creating new taxes, claiming Tahitian [language]was wrongfully used at the Assembly of French Polynesia during debates.

The Council of State overruled a law creating taxes on phone numbers and another one on profits made by selling houses or apartments.

In its ruling, the Council of State said Tahitian was used during debates even after several Assembly members complained about this situation and said that they would prefer if French was used for a better understanding of the legislations.

Legal experts in Papeete said the Council of State reminds Tahitian politicians that Tahitian can be used within the Assembly of French Polynesia but only if all Assembly members can understand what is said.

The vote on laws must be done in French, which remains the official language of French Polynesia.

Former...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, Mar. 1) - Australia is well braced to deal with shocks from slumps in world stock markets, Treasurer Mr. Peter Costello says.

Costello said yesterday movement on global markets and the Australian stock market, triggered by events in the Peoples’ Republic of China, showed how global markets were all inter-connected.

[PIR editor’s note: Stock markets around the world plunged earlier this week – by 416 points in the United States and 158 points in Australia – to record lows. According to the International Herald Tribune, the global slump was triggered by a nine percent drop in mainland China's two major bourses in Shanghai and Shenzhen. Both rebounded sharply Wednesday, rising nearly 4 percent after state-controlled media reported that the government might allow greater foreign investment in Chinese stocks and would not impose capital gains taxes on stocks soon. ]

Costello said he had spoken before how external...