PAC - Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association articles from February 2006

PAC - Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association archives from February 2006

Papua asylum seekers 'fleeing persecution'.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 MELBOURNE (Pacnews) - The 43 asylum seekers from the Indonesian province of Papua, who arrived on Cape York two weeks ago, are now settling in to life on remote Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. The single men, who...

Fiji diplomats complains of laxity in civil service.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - Fiji's Ambassador to China, Jeremaia Waqanisau is frustrated that numerous requests for information from his Beijing office to government ministries have fallen and deaf ears. It is really irritating when...

Pearl industry makes a comeback in French Polynesia and Cook Islands.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 MELBOURNE (Pacnews) - The pearl industry in the Pacific's two main pearl producing countries, French Polynesia and Cook Islands, is making a comeback. French Polynesia had a stellar year in 2005, with loose pearls exports...

Convicted Pitcairn sex offenders back in court.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 AUCKLAND (Pacnews) - Several Pitcairn Islanders convicted of sex charges against women and underage girls on the island returned to court yesterday. The men appeared at the Pitcairn Court of Appeal sitting in Papakura,...

Pacific Businesses urged to take advantage of China/ Pacific Trade Ministerial conference.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - Business people in the Pacific wanting to find markets for their products in China have been urged to take advantage of the upcoming China -Pacific Islands Trade Ministerial Conference to be held in Fiji in...

New NZ troops arrive as Solomon's police worry.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 WELLINGTON (Pacnews) - Police in the western province of Solomon Islands have expressed concern about instability on neighbouring Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Officers posted in the provincial capital of...

Pacific Plan discussed.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Forum Secretariat) - Representatives of Pacific Islands Forum countries are meeting here in Suva, Fiji this week to discuss the implementation of the Pacific Plan, a framework for regional cooperation and integration,...

Marshall Islands registered chemical cargo vessel collides off French coast.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 PARIS (Pacnews) - A Marshall-Islands registered chemical cargo vessel, the "Ece" has collided in the early hours of Tuesday (Paris time) with another cargo ship, registered in Malta, French marine authorities said. The...

Fiji's sprint queen will not take part in the Commonwealth Games.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - Fiji's track queen, Makelesi Bulikiobo, won't be taking part in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in March, Fiji TV reports. Bulikiobo, who won five gold medals in the 2003 South Pacific Games, injured...

Sir Rabbie welcomes Australian suggestion.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Papua New Guineas Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu has welcomed the proposal by the Australian Opposition for the establishment of a Pacific Development Trust. Sir Rabbie...

American Samoan report alleges human trafficking between Samoas.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 PAGOPAGO (Pacnews) - A report by American Samoas Office of Territorial and International Criminal Intelligence and Drug Enforcement has highlighted the existence of organised crime in the territory, human trafficking cases and...

Ni Vanuatu hotel administrator flees Solomon Islands.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 HONIARA (Pacnews) - A former manager of one of the Solomon Islands premier hotels fled the country in rush after an alleged failed attempt to transfer SBD$537,000 (US$73,000) into his personal account in a Honiara bank. ...

Women can be better leaders than men, scholar says.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 SAIPAN (Pacnews) - Women in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas possess characteristic that make them better leaders than men, according to an expert who recently addressed a workshop for women in the Commonwealth. ...

Fiji soldiers in Bougainville cause schools to stay closed.
February 1, 2006... 01 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - The continued presence of five former Fiji soldiers in the Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville has caused some schools in the area to delay opening for the new school year. The Autonomous...

Adaptation to climate change in the Pacific does not mean surrender, says World Bank report.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 SYDNEY (Pacnews) - A report released today by the World Bank says Pacific Island countries that plan ahead and act early to avert the impacts from climate change-related and other natural disasters, will do far better in the...

Joint investigations into armed robbery in Solomon Islands.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Police in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands will conduct a joint investigation into an armed robbery at a logging camp on Ovau Island in the Solomon Islands. Deputy Police Commissioner...

Ratu Josefa Iloilo's Middle East trip cancelled.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - A planned official visit to the Middle by Fijis President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo has been cancelled, Fiji Television reported. Ratu Iloilo was scheduled to leave the country today (02 Feb). His official...

NZ man arrested for Norfolk murder.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 AUCKLAND (Pacnews) - A Nelson man has been arrested by police hunting the killer of an Australian woman on Norfolk Island almost four years ago, NZ Herald reports. Australian Federal Police want the 28-year-old extradited...

Pacific Islanders blamed for violent crimes in Australia.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 NUKUALOFA (Pacnews) - Gangs of Pacific Islanders are believed to be committing armed robberies in the Australian state of New South Wales. Radio and Television Tonga correspondent in Sydney, Lisiate Prescott said that...

Fijians set to join Romanian rugby team.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 BUCHAREST (Pacnews) - Romania's Farul Constanta have lured four Fijians to the club in a bid to win their first national rugby title since 1998. We have secured four young Fiji players to strengthen our squad and win the...

Tokelau finalising registration for referendum.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 TOKELAU (Pacnews) - Officials in Tokelau are finalising registrations for next week's referendum on self determination in association with New Zealand. The vote on the political future of New Zealand's last colony takes...

Funding sought for the repatriation of Tuvaluan and Nauru workers.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 YAREN (Pacnews) - Funding for the repatriation of Kiribati and Tuvaluan is still to be finalised by relevant authorities. International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Representative on Nauru, Shamel Mahmoodi told PACNEWS...

Pacific Islander sought for the murder of Sydney taxi driver.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 SYDNEY (Pacnews) - Police in Sydney are looking for a woman in her early 20s of Pacific Islander appearance for the brutal murder of a taxi driver, Youbert Hormozi early on Monday (31 Jan) morning. Sydney Morning Herald...

Man remanded over Norfolk Island killing.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 AUCKLAND (Pacnews) - A 28-year-old Nelson man has been remanded in custody following the issue of an Australian arrest warrant for the murder of a woman on Norfolk Island nearly four years ago. Glenn Peter Charles McNeill...

Man held for gold smuggling.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - An employee with Lihir Management Company in Papua New Guinea was caught trying to smuggle out gold samples at the regional airport. The gold samples were estimated to be worth more that K73, 000...

CNMI has highest student-teacher ratio.
February 2, 2006... 02 JANUARY 2006 SAIPAN (Pacnews) - The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands has the highest student-to-teacher ratio in the United States and its territories, averaging 23.7 students for every teacher from kindergarten to grade 6 in...

EXIM Bank invites offers to purchase Air Nauru aircraft.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 WASHINGTON (Pacnews) - United States Export Import (EXIM) Bank is seeking cash offers to purchase Air Naurus repossessed Boeing 737-400 aircraft. The aircraft, a 1993 Boeing 737-400 with additional fuel tanks, was...

Peace Corps volunteer dies in Tonga shark attack.
February 2, 2006... O2 FEBRUARY 2006 NUKUALOFA (Pacnews) - A United States Peace Corps volunteer in Tonga was killed in a shark attack on the Tongan island of Vavau yesterday, Matangi Tonga reports She has been identified as Tessa Horan, 24 of New Mexico. ...

PNG prepares for major ACP conference.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Papua New Guinea (PNG) will this year host the biggest international conference to date where more than 500 participants from 79 African Caribbean Pacific Group of States (ACP) and 27 European Union...

New TV station for Cook Islands.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 RAROTONGA (Pacnews) - A new private television station is about to be launched in Cook Islands, Cook Islands News reports. With an initial set up budget of about NZD$500,000, the channel will provide a rival to Cook...

Chinese official unaware of moves to be ousted from Kiribati.
February 2, 2006... 02 FEBRUARY 2006 TARAWA (Pacnews) - A caretaker at the Chinese Government office in Kiribati says he has no knowledge of governments attempt to remove the delegation from the country. The caretaker, Mr Yang, says he only heard of the...

West Papuans have decent claim - Senator Joyce.
February 3, 2006... 03 FEBRUARY 2006 CANBERRA (Pacnews) - A group of West Papuans now seeking refuge in Australia appears to have a genuine claim for asylum, high profile government backbencher Barnaby Joyce said. The 43 Papuans, including seven children,...

Fiji president indicates his availability for another five year term.
February 3, 2006... 03 FEBRUARY2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - With the presidential elections less than a month away in Fiji, the secretariat of the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) has confirmed incumbent Ratu Josefa Iloilo is available for reappointment, Fiji Times reports....

PNG and Solomon Islands to sign border treaty today.
February 3, 2006... 03 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - An important instrument guiding border management relations between Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Solomon Islands will be signed today. The common border treaty will be signed in Honiara between PNG's...

An intense drilling campaign has found large gold deposits in the Gold Ridge Mine in Solomon Islands.
February 3, 2006... 03 FEBRUARY 2006 HONIARA (Pacnews) - Australian Solomons Gold, the owners of Gold Ridge, says it is extremely encouraging and plans are underway to list the mine on a major resource-based stock exchange. The announcement of the plans was...

No funds yet for Micro Games.
February 3, 2006... 03 JANUARY 2006 SAIPAN (Pacnews) - Funds have not been appropriated for the hosting of the Micronesian Games in June, and there may not be enough time to construct the needed sports facilities, according to the Commonwealth of the Northern...

PNG health standards slammed.
February 3, 2006... 03 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Some Papua New Guineans have to walk four days for medical help when 20 years ago nobody was expected to walk more than four hours to an aid post, PNG's corruption watchdog said. Transparency...

Former Kiribati President says laws on foreign business operators must be enforced.
February 3, 2006... 03 FEBRUARY 2006 TARAW (Pacnews) - A former president of Kiribati, Teburoro Tito, has called for tighter government controls on foreign investors. His concerns come after local shop owners complained that they are being undercut by a...

Chinese team visit Vanuatu next week to finalise MSG secretariat construction.
February 3, 2006... 03 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - A 12-member technical team from China will be in Vanuatu next week to finalise plans for the construction of the new Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) secretariat in Port Vila. Interim secretariat...

Environmental groups oppose Moorea hotel's new overwater bungalows.
February 3, 2006... 03 FEBRUARY2006 PAPEETE (Pacnews) - Several environmental groups are opposing plans by Sofitel to build an additional 19 over-the-water bungalows on Tahiti's sister island of Moorea. The opposition is led by the Moorea Environment...

Police chief slams claim.
February 3, 2006... 03 FEBRUARY 2006 HONIARA (Pacnews) - Solomon Islands Commissioner of Police Shane Castles has refuted allegations that the Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP's) promotion policy is discriminatory against Malaitans. "From my perspective as...

Fiji's top diplomat call it quits.
February 3, 2006... 03 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - Admired as one of Fiji's top diplomat who is just at ease with the world's rich and powerful as he is with his own people on tiny Dravuni Island in Kadavu, Kaliopate Tavola is calling it quits. Thirty...

NZ Government fears more unrest in Tonga.
February 3, 2006... 03 FEBRUARY 2006 NUKU'ALOFA (Pacnews) - The New Zealand Government is concerned with the financial implications for Tonga of the settlement of last year's six-week strike by public servants which promised 80 per cent salary increases over two...

Bouganiville government moves for proper burials.
February 3, 2006... 03 FEBRUARY 2006 BUKA (Pacnews) - The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has taken steps to progress the reconciliation process with parties now extracting the remains of those killed during the 10-year conflict. The remains are of...

Tonga will not change its WTO terms of accession, says Labour Secretary.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 NUKUALOFA (Pacnews) - There will be no changes to terms that Tonga agreed to in its accession to the World Trade Organisation WTO, Matangi Tonga reports... According to the Secretary of Tongas Ministry of Labour, Paulo...

Bill to ban plastic bag importation.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 KOROR (Pacnews) - Palau Senator Santy Asanuma has introduced legislation to ban the importation of plastic shopping bags which he said threaten the environment. According to Senate Bill 7-142, the widespread supply and...

Pacific unemployment benefit numbers drop by 18-percent in 2005.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 WELLINGTON (Pacnews) - New Zealand's Associate Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Luamanuvao Winnie Laban has welcomed the decrease in the number of Pacific people on the Unemployment Benefit. Figures released by the...

PNG and Solomon Islands to build chanceries.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 HONIARA (Pacnews) - Papua New Guineas Foreign Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu says he hopes his short visit to Solomon Islands will bring the two countries' bilateral relations to another level with the signing of a new agreement...

NMI may not be able to host Micro Games.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 SAIPAN (Pacnews) - A Micronesian Games Organizing Committee official says the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) may not be able to host the games due to lack of funds. Michael White, the committees vice...

NZ party welcomes governments response to Tonga inquiry report.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 WELLINGTON (Pacnews) - New Zealand's United Future leader and former chairman of Parliament's foreign affairs, defence and trade select committee Peter Dunne has welcomed governments response to the committee's inquiry into the...

PNG Prime Minister likely to reshuffle his cabinet this week.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Papua New Guineas Opposition Leader, Peter O'Neill and his Peoples National Congress Party (PNP) are expected to be recalled to rejoin government, NBC News reports. Its been speculated in Port...

Clark justifies her Waitangi marae no-show.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 WELLINGTON (Pacnews) - New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has defended a decision to again snub a welcome at Waitangi's Te Tii Marae, playing down the marae's significance at the annual commemorations. She told the New...

Landslide and heavy rain kills mother and two children.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - A landslide and several days of heavy rain in the Fiji town of Labasa has killed a woman and her two young children. Dead are 28-year old Nileshni Chand and her daughters Elvina Grace, 4, and Melvina...

Murder suspect may be on island soon.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 AUCKALND (Pacnews) - The Nelson man accused of the murder of waitress Janelle Patton on Norfolk Island four years ago could be returned to the island for trial by the end of the month. Glenn McNeill will appear in the...

12 Fiji men detained in Solomon Islands.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - Twelve former Fijian soldiers are under house arrest in the Solomon Islands capital, Honiara after local immigration authorities found anomalies in their arrivals papers. PACNEWS has established that the...

August general election for Tuvalu.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 FUNAFUTI (Pacnews) - Tuvalu will go to the polls on 03 August, according to Prime Minister Maatia Toafa. PM Toafa told PACNEWS they are looking forward to the general election of which he is a contender for a second term in...

Fiji newspaper under fire for publishing controversial cartoons.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - Fiji's Daily Post newspaper today issued a statement justifying its publication of controversial cartoons which is the cause of numerous riots overseas. Company General Manager, Mesake Koroi said the Fiji...

PNG cut off for 17 hours.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - The aged telecommunication submarine cable between Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Australia has collapsed, leaving PNG cut off from the rest of the world for 17 hours. Telikom PNG acting managing...

Workers fight for cost of living adjustment.
February 6, 2006... 06 FEBRUARY 2006 RAROTONGA (Pacnews) - The Cook Islands Workers Association (CIWA) has begun talks with the Cook Islands government in an effort to revive the cost of living adjustment (COLA) for workers, Cook Islands News reports. CIWA...

Solomon Islands immigration yet to decide on whether to charge Fijian men.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 HONIARA (Pacnews) - Solomon Islands immigration authorities are yet to decide whether to charge the 12 former Fijian soldiers or deport them immediately to Fiji. Government Communication unit advisor, Johnson Honimae told...

French lawmakers asked to endorse frozen voters roll.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 PARIS (Pacnews) - A special meeting of Frances both Houses of Parliament will decide in the following weeks on a proposed change to the French constitution that would allow New Caledonia to restrict future votes to only...

Newspapers' decisions put kiwis at risk.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 WELLINGTON (Pacnews) - New Zealand newspapers have the absolute right to publish but the decision to print cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed was ill-judged and put the lives of New Zealanders overseas at risk, Prime...

People of Manus in PNG warned not to invest in money scam.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Police in Papua New Guineas Manus province have urged people not to invest their money in the illegal money scam, U-Vistract, which has opened up a branch of an illegal bank in Manus. Manus...

Tongan party supports government committee on political reform.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 NUKUALOFA (Pacnews) - Tonga's only political party, the Peoples Democratic Party supports the work of the government sanction national committee for political reform, chaired by Prince Tuipelehake. Party leader, Teisina...

French defence minister suggests supervised trip to nuclear testing sites.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBSURY 2006 PAPEETE (Pacnews) - Frances defence minister Michle Alliot-Marie has offered to organise a trip to French Polynesias former nuclear testing sites of Moruroa and Fangataufa, in a bid to quell tensions in the wake of the leaking...

Customs officers arrest suspected drug dealer.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 NUKUALOFA (Pacnews) - Customs officers at Tonga's Fuaamotu Airport have arrested a passenger carrying about two kilogrammes of cannabis on a flight from Fiji on Saturday (04 Feb) Radio Tonga News reports that Customs...

Fiji men deported.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - It's now confirmed that the 12 former Fiji soldiers detained in Solomon Islands have been put on the midday flight out of Honiara to Fiji. Government spokesman, Johnson Honimae said that local immigration...

Central Bank aware of circulation of counterfeit notes.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 HONIARA (Pacnews) - Solomon Islands Central Bank of Solomon Islands has reported the circulation of counterfeit notes throughout the country's banking system. The banks currency and operations manager, Daniel Haridi...

Samoa bans import of firearms.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 APIA (Pacnews) - Samoa has temporarily suspended the issuance of permits to import firearms and ammunition. The suspension went into effect on 31January. The Minister of Police, Prisons and Fire Services, Ulu Vaomalo...

Fijian man absconds from custody.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 HONIARA (Pacnews) - The deportation of 12 former Fiji soldiers from Solomon Islands has taken a new twist, with the escape from custody of one of the men. This was confirmed to PACNEWS by one of the acting co-ordinator of...

France-Oceania summit moved to June 26.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 PARIS (Pacnews) - The France-Oceania summit is expected to be held in Paris on 26 June and chaired by French President Jacques Chirac. The official announcement for the dates was made late last week, during a meeting in...

NZ man accused of Norfolk Is murder to be extradited.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 NELSON (Pacnews) - A New Zealand man will be extradited to Norfolk Island where he will be charged over the murder of a woman four years ago, the first on the isolated Australian territory in 150 years. Glenn McNeill, 28,...

Military weapons banned in public.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - The Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) is not aware of soldiers authorised to carry military-issued weapons in public, The National reports. Acting commander Navy Captain Tom Urr said the last...

Palau launches programme against invasive species.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 KOROR (Pacnews) - Palau has launched a programme that will combat invasive species, Palau Horizon reports. President Tommy Remengesau, in his weekly conference, announced his intention to rid Palau of invasive species that...

Fiji PM exhorts Daily Post.
February 7, 2006... 07 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - Fiji's Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase has called on Fijis news media to be responsible and to exercise restraint in publishing controversial cartoon caricatures of the Holy Prophet Mohammed, carried in...

Hon. Veikune loses hereditary nobility title and Speaker's position.
February 8, 2006... 08 FEBRUARY 2006 NUKU'ALOFA (Pacnews) - Tonga's Honourable Veikune, formerly known as Siosifa Fatafehi Fuatakifolaha has lost his job as Speaker of the Tongan Legislative Assembly. He has also been stripped of his hereditary nobility title,...

China's interest in Pacific region growing.
February 8, 2006... 08 FEBRUARY 2006 SAIPAN (Pacnews) - China's dominance in the Pacific can be expected in a decade or so, given its growing presence in many islands all over the region even now, Saipan Tribune reports. Visiting professor emeritus Ron...

Sir Rabbie calls for a review of MSG visa waiver arrangements.
February 8, 2006... 08 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Rabbie Namaliu has instructed his officials to look at ways of closing gaps in visa waiver arrangements that exist among Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) countries....

Police Commission to decide on new Vanuatu police chief.
February 8, 2006... 08 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT VILA (Pacnews) - Vanuatu's Internal Affairs minister George Wells says it's up the Police Service Commission to decide whether a ni-Vanuatu will be the country's next police commissioner. The Police Service Commission...

Shell stand-off.
February 8, 2006... 08 FEBRUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Employees of Shell (PNG) Limited are planning industrial action over the proposed takeover of the company's Papua New Guinea assets by InterOil Corporation. Employees told the Post Courier that they...

Deliberate infecting of HIV now a crime.
February 8, 2006... 08 FEBRUARY 2006 SUVA (Pacnews) - People in found to be wilfully spreading the HIV/AIDS virus would be charged with a criminal offence as result of recent amendments to the Public Health Act in Fiji. Fiji's Health Minister Solomone Naivalu...

Guam Guard begins new deployment to Africa.
February 8, 2006... 08 FEBRUARY 2006 HAGATHNA (Pacnews) - An advance team from the Guam Army National Guard's 1st-294th Infantry Battalion's Team Charlie departed Monday to begin the deployment process that will eventually take the soldiers to the Horn of Africa....

UN to monitor independence vote in Tokelau.
February 8, 2006... 08 FEBRUARY 2006 MELBOURNE (Pacnews) - United Nations observers are headed to the Pacific island territory of Tokelau for a referendum on self-government later this week, Radio Australia reports. The tiny territory, administered by New...

Secrecy surrounds detention of eight Samoans after anti-drug swoop.
February 8, 2006... 08 FEBRUARY 2006 APIA (Pacnews) - Secrecy surrounds the situation of eight Samoan people being held in custody in Apia after being arrested in an anti-drugs operation yesterday. The police wouldn't reveal the age or gender of the suspects,...