PAC - Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association articles from January 2005

PAC - Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association archives from January 2005

REGIONAL HEADLINES - MON 3 JAN 05.
January 3, 2005... PAPUA NEW GUINEA Sir William Skate and Dame Carol Kidu Honoured ECP Immunity Tested Shoe War Ends Airline 'No Shows' Will Pay FIJI Travel Agency Denies 'Cheaters List' Red Cross Appeal Hits $52,869 - Forum Chips In. 2005 Traffic Toll...

Roadblocks set up as search for the killer of Australian RAMSI officer continues.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 HONIARA (Pacnews) - The hunt in Solomon Islands for the killers of Australian Federal Police officer, Adam Dunning, is continuing with road checks being set up in various areas of Honiara. Residents of Kakabona a village on...

Regional participants at world gathering on tsunami restoration meeting.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 WELLINGTON (Pacnews) - New Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen Clark and Foreign Minister Phil Goff will be in Indonesia this week for a summit of international donors in Jakarta, Indonesia for last week's devastating tsunami, which...

Trust warns people off Takutea.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 RAROTONGA (Pacnews) - Concerned conservationists in Cook Islands' Atiu Island are concerned with the fast decrease of the bird population on the uninhabited island and the illegal intrusion of wildlife. The 120-hectare...

2004 tourism arrivals an estimated 215,000.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 PAPE'ETE (Pacnews) - French Polynesia's tourism authorities estimate the French Pacific country has this year welcomed around 215,000 visitors, which is about the same as last year, in spite of the 230,000 target they had set...

Air Niugini announces new boarding rules.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Papua New Guinea's national carrier Air Niugini is cracking down on passengers who fail to board their flight after being allocated a seat. The airline has instituted a new fail-to-board policy in...

Niue comes up with five proposals for Fiji meet.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 ALOFI (Pacnews) - Budding Niue entrepreneurs have entered five tourism development proposals to an event being staged in Nadi, Fiji in February. Tourism executives from around the region hope to meet potential partners and...

PR status for non-citizens facilitated this month.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Papua New Guinea has opened itself up this month to welcome non-citizens who have stayed in the country for at least eight years to apply for a permanent residency (PR) status in the country. And if...

Tourism investment increase substantially in the region.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 PACIFIC (Pacnews) - Statistics have indicated that there has been a substantial increase in tourism investment in the Pacific Islands in recent years. Major investments have been taking shape in Cook Islands, Fiji, New...

Fiji TV makes final payment.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 SUVA (Pacnews) - Fiji Television has made a final payment of AUD$1. 68million (USD$1. 313m) to buy and take complete control of EMTV, Papua New Guinea's only free-to-air television station. The transaction was completed...

Pacific Forum donates towards international relief effort on Asian tsunami destruction.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 PACIFIC (Pacnews) - Pacific Island leaders have authorised a donation of FJD$80, 000 (USD$48, 672) towards the international relief efforts on the destructive earthquake/tsunami that destructed countries in Asia last week. ...

2005 heralds free education for Solomon Islands children.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 HONIARA (Pacnews) - Solomon Islands' Minister of Education Snyder Rini says he believes that with the substantial increase in the allocation of primary school grants, it is possible to abolish school fees at the primary school...

Land reclamation committee jumps over first hurdle.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 PAPEETE (Pacnews) - Representatives of at least 43 families seeking to reclaim land in French Polynesia's Tupai Atoll have signed a draft agreement with the government for the return of the land. The signing has cleared the...

REGIONAL SUMMARY Tuesday 4 Jan 2005 (c) Copyright PINA 2004.
January 4, 2005... REGIONAL HEADLINES - TUE 4 JAN 05 REGION PNG, Marshall Islands Know the Danger Taiwanese President to Visit Solomon and Marshall Islands PAPUA NEW GUINEA Police say Elections Costs High SOLOMON ISLANDS Heightened Security for...

Fijian business executive dies in PNG fire.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Papua New Guinea police are investigating the death of a Fijian man and South African business partner in Kavieng after a fire razed their house to the ground during the early hours of the New Year...

Public outcry on exorbitant electricity costs.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 NUKU'ALOFA (Pacnews) - There has been widespread outcry in Tonga on the high cost of electricity, prompting sacked former Cabinet Minister Clive Edwards to reveal a few disturbing facts about Crown Prince Tupouto'a and his...

Minister sets 2005 goal for Bougainville.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Papua New Guinea's Minister for Inter-Government Relations, Sir Peter Barter, says the new year will begin with an initiative to speed up the next phase of Bougainville's transitional autonomy in...

Government earmarks USD$100,000 for Indian Ocean tsunami victims.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 NOUMEA (Pacnews) - The New Caledonian Government has announced it would donate about USD$100,000 or about CFP$10 million to help with an international relief effort on the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami devastation on...

France wants French Polynesia better integrated in Pacific region.
January 4, 2005... 04 JANUARY 2005 PAPE'ETE (Pacnews) - France's High Commissioner in French Polynesia, Michel Mathieu, has relayed a government wish that it wants to see French Polynesia take all the necessary initiative for regional integration. In his New...

PACNEWS DIGEST - The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS.
January 4, 2005... Trade Commissioner says Cook Islands must prepare for quality visitors from China RAROTONGA, COOK ISLANDS - Rohan and Adrianne Ellis are in Rarotonga, Cook Islands for Christmas and New Year celebrations with the family. Ellis is the...

Call for climate-change meeting and Kyoto Protocol signing.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 CANBERRA (Pacnews) - An Australian Premier has called on Prime Minister John Howard to tackle climate change now and sign on to the Kyoto Protocol if he wants to save the country's future generations. South Australian...

PM Lini signs agreement for two ships.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 PORT VILA (Pacnews) - Vanuatu's Prime Minister Ham Lini and Chinese Ambassador, Bao Shusheng have signed an agreement to formalise the construction of two ships for the country. The agreement follows a request originally...

Taiwan president plans Pacific visit.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 PACIFIC (Pacnews) - Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian plans to visit two South Pacific allies and at least one country that has diplomatic ties with China, the country's Foreign Ministry announced. The move reportedly would...

Dunning killer suspected remanded in custody.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 20-05 HONIARA (Pacnews) - John Hen Ome, a 31-year-old Solomon Islander suspected of shooting Australian police officer, Adam Dunning, to death two weeks ago is further placed in custody. He had been arrested and charged on...

28 theft counts filed vs. ex-Speaker, wife.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 SAIPAN (Pacnews) - Foremr Northern Marianas Speaker Oscar Rasa and his wife Patricia have been charged with 28 counts of theft. They will appera in court on Monday next week. The Rasas appeared have appeared in court to...

Government commits PGK$2m for Asia tsunami rescue efforts.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Papua New Guinea's Acting Prime Minister, Sam Akoitai has announced an initial PGK2 million (USD$636, 000) as a start-off mark for PNG's contribution towards the Asian tsunami relief and reconstruction...

PACNEWS DIGEST - The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS.
January 5, 2005... Tsunamis, a tragic lesson for Tonga A PACNEWS feature today comes from a letter written by a concerned Tongan woman, now living in Jakarta, Indonesia, who felt and saw the immediate effects of the devastating December 26 earthquake and...

Possible Cyclone Forming North of Fiji Moving Toward Open Sea.
January 5, 2005... REGION - The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre in Hawaii has issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert for an area about 545 nautical miles North West of Fiji. At present the disturbance is slowly moving away from Fiji and Vanuatu. They say there...

Fijian scouts face chicken pox scare at international jamboree.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 MANAWATU (Pacnews) - The fear of chickenpox has isolated 27 Fijian scouts attending the 17th World Scout Jamboree in New Zealand. More than half of the Fijian contingent has been moved from the Manfield Park jamboree venue...

Agriculture Minister faces axing.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Serious allegations of misconduct in public office have surfaced against Papua New Guinea's Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Mathew Siune. Milne Bay Governor, Tim Neville, made an announcement...

Canadian nickel giant gets French tax holidays for Goro Nickel.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 TORONTO (Pacnews) - Canadian mining giant Inco has reached an agreement with the French Government on obtaining significant tax rebates for its USD$1.88 billion Goro Nickel and cobalt project in the Southern part of New...

French experts re-assess tsunami risk in French Pacific islands.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 NOUMEA (Pacnews) - French geo-scientists are moving to re-assess natural disaster risks in French Pacific island countries and territories, following the deadly Indian Ocean tsunami. A joint release from the French...

Tongans pray for their future.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 NUKU'ALOFA (Pacnews) - Thousands of Tongans have packed local churches in the past week to pray for their country. It is the annual Week of Prayer and Tongans have focussed "on various important issues pertaining to the...

Possible cyclone forming for Fiji.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 SUVA (Pacnews) - The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre in Hawaii has issued a tropical cyclone formation alert for an area about 545 nautical miles North West of Fiji. At present the disturbance is slowly moving away from Fiji...

CHARITY CRICKET MATCH LIVE IN THE PACIFIC.
January 5, 2005... SUVA, Fiji Islands - Regional Television stations are working together to broadcast a charity cricket test between Australia and the rest of the world at the MCG in Australia next week. (January 10) Fiji TV has been licensed to broadcast the...

REGIONAL HEADLINES - WED 5 JAN 05.
January 5, 2005... PAPUA NEW GUINEA Election Hinges on Weapons Destruction SOLOMON ISLANDS Murder Suspect Remanded Government Appoints Asian Tsunami Committee NORTHERN MARIANAS Marianas remember Those Lost Protection Given to Crime Stoppers Now Law ...

Labour calls for media standards authority.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 SUVA (Pacnews) - The Fiji Labour Party has called for the establishment of a Media Standards Authority to guide editors on reporting ethical issues. The Indian-dominated party says this would ensure that the media were not...

Samoa women's report to be presented at UN Special Session.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUAR 2005 APIA (Pacnews) - Samoa joins seven other nations next week in presenting its country report to the 32nd Session of the United Nations Committee on CEDAW in New York. Samoa becomes the only second Pacific Island country to...

Palau Legislature backs ocean oil drilling.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 KOROR (Pacnews) - Members of the 6th Olbill Era Kelulau (OEK), Palau's legislature, have approved a House Joint Resolution urging implementation of oil exploration in Kayangel. The resolution supports a 2002 agreement...

Government urges Bougainvilleans to hold hands.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 BUKA (Pacnews) - Papua New Guinea's National Government is urging Bougainvilleans, currently outside the peace process, to join in. In making the call, Minister for Inter-Government Relations, Sir Peter Barter said the...

New Caledonia pays homage to Indian Ocean tsunami victims.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 NOUMEA (Pacnews) - New Caledonia will fly its national flags at half mast on Wednesday (local time) as a sign of respect for the victims of the tsunamis that struck eight Indian Ocean countries. New Caledonia's Congress...

Charity cricket match to screen on Pacific TV.
January 5, 2005... 05 JANUARY 2005 SUVA (Pacnews) - Regional television stations are working together to broadcast a charity cricket test between Australia and the rest of the world at the MCG in Australia next week. (January 10) Fiji TV has been licensed to...

Air Vanuatu cancel flights, loses millions to competition.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 PORT VILA (Pacnews) - Air Vanuatu has lost around Vt280 million (USD$2. 649m) as a result of stiff competition from a foreign airline and political bickering among its directors. The airline's ATR aircraft has also been...

New Caledonia archaeologists uncover historic fort.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 NOUMEA (Pacnews) - Archaeologists working for the institute for research and development in New Caledonia have discovered a historic fort in the Loyalty islands. Officials in the north of Mare have found cut blocks of coral...

Niueans not expecting any election fireworks.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 ALOFI (Pacnews) - The lead up to the 2005 general election on Niue is unlikely to spark any hot debate. The main interest will centre on the appointment of a new Premier. Niue News says political commentators are at this...

Kemakeza off to Mauritius.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 HONIARA (Pacnews) - Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Sir Allan Kemakeza today leaves Honiara to attend the United Nations Conference on the future of Small Islands Developing States (SIDS), in the Indian Ocean island nation of...

American Samoa's Governors are sworn in.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 PAGO PAGO (Pacnews) - American Samoa's Governor Togiola Tulafono and Lieutenant Governor Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia, have been sworn in to their first full four-year term in office. The King and Queen of Tonga, and the Samoa...

Police to provide security for Oceania soccer tournament.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 HONIARA (Pacnews) - Solomon Islands will provide security for the participants in the Oceania Football Confederation Under 20 qualifiers tournament to be held in Honiara starting on January 17. Participating countries...

Chief queries raids on foreign investors.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2006 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Senior Papua New Guinea government officials and police may have committed a diplomatic or blunder after allegations have surfaced that they were using the Prime Minister's Office's power to intimidate...

Royal Tongan liquidator sells aircraft.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 NUKU'ALOFA (Pacnews) - The liquidator for Royal Tongan Airlines has sold the company's Twin Otter aircraft for about USD$830,000. The liquidator PricewaterhouseCoopers didn't name the buyer in the transaction last month,...

UN and COMSEC encourage disaster management strengthening.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 LONDON (Pacnews) - Commonwealth leaders are going to start examining ways of strengthening existing disaster management networks and initiatives among member countries. The London-based Commonwealth Secretariat is seeking to...

Army chief denies Mara ousting.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 SUVA (Pacnews) - Fiji's army commander, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, has denied allegations that the army forced former president, the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, to step down during the coup of May 2000. Bainimarama says...

Japanese investors leaving.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 SAIPAN (Pacnews) - Japanese investors are leaving Northern Marianas by the numbers because they feel the business climate no longer is as conducive to investment as before. Hiroyuki Saito, vice president of Saipan LauLau...

Icebergs in NZ waters after 57yrs.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 WELLINGTON (Pacnews) - New Zealanders complaining about unseasonal summer rain in recent weeks have received proof of changing climatic conditions after icebergs were sighted in local waters for the first time since 1948. ...

SUMMARY HEADLINES - THU 6 JAN 05.
January 6, 2005... REGION Kerry Moving Toward Vanuatu PAPUA NEW GUINEA PM Questions Raids on Foreign Investors Plastic Bag Ban Ignored Prince Andrew Plans to Visit FIJI Commander Says President Voluntarily Stepped Down During Coup Sinking Inquiry Finds...

Death penalty draft report completed.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Papua New Guinea experts have completed a draft report on the death penalty for its criminals. NBC/PNG reports that copies of the document have been sent to the Ministers for Justice and Internal...

Chamorro language to be assessed.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 HAGATNA (Pacnews) - The Department of Chamorro Affairs at the University of Guam has received a one-year grant of USD$87,040 to conduct a scientific assessment to determine the current status of the Chamorro language on Guam,...

Tikopia and Anuta warned of cyclone.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 HONIARA (Pacnews) - The people of Tikopia and Anuta islands, Temotu province have been warned to expect strong winds which would develop into a cyclone level within the next 24 hours. Principal Meteorological Officer...

Isle troops prepare for Iraq duties.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 HONOLULU (Pacnews) - More than 2,200 members of the 29th Infantry Brigade from Hawaii have begun final preparations before they are sent to Baghdad, which has seen an increasing insurgency ahead of the Jan. 30 Iraqi election....

Assembly approves measures boosting the economy.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 PAPEETE (Pacnews) - The French Polynesia Assembly has approved measures aimed at boosting Tahiti's economy by providing aid to new car dealers and helping the home construction sector. The Assembly approved a measure aimed...

State top brass in travel query.
January 6, 2005... 06 JANUARY 2005 SUVA (Pacnews) - A major investigation against senior government officials, including government departments' CEOs and Cabinet Ministers in Fiji for abusing travel privileges in the past year. At least 20 CEOs and 22...

EMTV sale create controversy.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - The sale of Papua New Guinea's sole television station EMTV to Fiji Television Limited has struck a discord with PNG's licensing authority, Papua New Guinea Telecommunications Authority (PANGTEL). ...

Former President's son new Speaker.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 YAREN (Pacnews) - Nauru has elected a new Speaker to replace Vassal Gadoengin who died over three weeks ago. He is Valdon Dowiyogo, Member of Parliament for Ubenide. Mr Dowiyogo is the son of Nauru's longest serving...

Pacific urged to do more for natural disasters.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 SUVA (Pacnews) - The head of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat says Pacific island states still have a lot of work to do to prevent a similar disaster from a tsunami. Forum Secretary General, Greg Urwin will be among 2,...

Polynesian Airlines get new Tonga rights.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 APIA (Pacnews) - Samoa's national carrier, Polynesian Airlines, will fly its Dash 8 planes to Tonga's capital, Nuku'alofa this year. Airline chief executive, Malopaia John Fitzgerald, says Polynesian Airlines will operate...

Australia promotes women's involvement in Solomons politics.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 HONIARA (Pacnews) - The Australian Government is providing more than USD$45,000 to the Solomon Islands National Council of Women to increase women's participation in political governance ahead of the 2006 elections. The...

Cooks donate for Asian tsunami effort.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 RAROTONGA (Pacnews) - Donations for the international relief have also been pouring in from the Cook Islands in the Pacific. The Cook Islands Red Cross has banked approximately NZD$52,000 (USD$36, 371) towards the tsunami...

PNG hospital prepares mass grave for HIV/Aids victims.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Eighty-four unclaimed bodies at the Port Moresby General Hospital morgue in Papua New Guinea, are being prepared for a mass burial to be held later this week. The National newspaper reports most of...

Five die from turtle meat poisoning.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 PORT MORESBY (Pacnews) - Five people died on Rambutso Island in Papua New Guinea's Manus Province after eating turtle meat at a feast during New Year celebrations. A further four people are still being hospitalised at the...

Mineral prospects applications increase.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 HONIARA (Pacnews) - Solomon Islands has seen a considerable increase in interest shown by potential overseas investors for mineral prospecting in the country. Minister of Mines and Energy in the Ministry of Natural...

NZ PM keeps one RNZAF aircraft ready for Pacific.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 WELLINGTON (Pacnews) - New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark, has reserved a Royal NZ Air Force aircraft in case of an emergency in the Pacific Islands after she authorised the use of NZ planes for the international relief...

'Ice' use plunges for isle teens.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 HONOLULU (Pacnews) - Fewer Hawaii students are smoking, drinking or using drugs these days, with "ice" use falling to a record low in the latest confidential survey sponsored by the state Department of Health, released...

PNG six to be jailed for illegal crossing into Indonesia.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 WEWAK (Pacnews) - At least six Papua New Guineans, charged last year for entering Indonesia illegally, have now been sentenced to four years imprisonment, by a court in Jayapura, West Papua. The six men were convicted of...

World's best sevens player arrives in NZ.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 AUCKLAND (Pacnews) - Waisale Serevi, better known as the world's best sevens rugby player, has arrived in New Zealand to take part in the Air Pacific/Pacific International 7s at Ericsson Stadium, Auckland. Serevi holds an...

SUMMARY HEADLINES - FRI 7 JAN 05.
January 7, 2005... VANUATU Cyclone Moves in on Pt. Vila PAPUA NEW GUINEA Grand Coalition Still Under Discussion SOLOMON ISLANDS Australia Promotes Women in Politics RAMSI Should Listen More to 'Little' People FIJI Alleged Suspect in Alleged...

Learn from Pacific - UN says, as world summit approves warning centre.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 JAKARTA (Pacnews) - The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, the world's only regional warning system for natural disasters like earthquakes, tidal waves and tsunamis, has been pointed out as a system other regions must...

Natural and man-made disasters threaten stability of small islands.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 MAURITIUS (Pacnews) - The United Nations has given a grim picture of the world's small island developing states (SIDS) ahead of a meeting on how they would cope with what they have in Mauritius in the coming week. In...

Intending candidates ready for March national elections.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 NUKU'ALOFA (Pacnews) - Potential candidates for Tonga's parliamentary elections in March have been busy are filling out the requirement forms for their candidature. Radio Tonga reports that one requirement is an endorsement...

Vanuatu seen worst of Cyclone Kerry.
January 7, 2005... 07 JANUARY 2005 PORT VILA (Pacnews) - The Vanuatu Meteorological Service says the country may have already seen the worst of Cyclone Kerry. The cyclone formed early yesterday and has mainly affected the northern islands of Vanuatu. ...

PACNEWS DIGEST - The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS.
January 7, 2005... Climate Change and Over Fishing Among Key Issues for the Pacific Islands Pollution-busting Measures Needed to Protect Coral Reefs: Coastal Fish Stocks are Already Depleted LONDON/NAIROBI - Global warming and the over exploitation of...

Sailor dies aboard US nuclear sub after accident.
January 10, 2005... 10 JANUARY 2005 HAGATNA (Pacnews) - A crewman has died from injuries he sustained when the US nuclear submarine USS San Francisco ran aground on Saturday off Guam in the Pacific Ocean, the US Navy has said. Medical personnel rushed to the...

Police catch High Commissioner basher suspect.
January 10, 2005... 10 JANUARY 2005 SUVA (Pacnews) - Fiji police have caught a man suspected to have mugged and bashed Australia's High Commissioner, Jennifer Rawson, at the weekend. Police spokesperson, Inspector Unaisi Vuniwaqa, says they made the arrest...

Regional partners ready for Pacific Cyclone season.
January 10, 2005... 10 JANUARY 2005 CANBERRA (Pacnews) - With the cyclone season bearing down into the Pacific now, Australia has teamed up with France and New Zealand to put in place a series of disaster response strategies. Under the France Australia New...

Minister urges arms surrender.
January 10, 2005... 10 JANUARY 2005 BOUGAINIVLLE (Pacnews) - Papua New Guinea's Minister for Mining, Sam Akoitai, has used his personal experience on Bougainville to urge the youth and men of Southern Highlands Province to surrender their arms. "Guns result...