Vanuatu's 13th Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau Photo: VBTC
Aussie dollars to boost Vanuatu economy
Australia will give a new tranche of economic support to Vanuatu following a meeting between the two countries' prime ministers.
Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese completed a bilateral meeting in Canberra yesterday.
A spokesperson for Australia's Prime Minister says some of the money will go towards supporting aviation, trade, infrastructure, cyber security and banking.
The spokesperson said both Prime Ministers agreed Australia would prioritise the construction of a new home for Vanuatu's Council of Ministers and National Security Council Secretariats under the agreement.
Intensifying efforts to combat HIV/AIDs in Fiji
Fiji's Health Minister says it is alarming that the country has increased its estimated HIV and AIDS infection rates by 129 percent over the last decade.
Atonio Lalabalavu said this has put Fiji among 38 countries with a big rise in infection rates according to the UN AIDS Global Report.
He said the AIDS Monitoring 2022 report for Fiji shows that there was a 173 percent increase in AIDS-related deaths between 2010 and 2021.
Dr Lalabalavu said the Health Ministry will intensify its efforts in diagnosis and treatment and the governance of its HIV /AIDS response programme.
Duo jailed for manslaughter
Two men in American Samoa charged in the death of a man in 2020, have been sentenced to seven years in jail.
Samoa News reports that Aperaamo Tonia and Ofisa Malo were initially charged with second-degree murder but they struck a plea bargain and entered guilty pleas to manslaughter.
The lawyer for Tonia told the court this was his client's first offence and resulted in a tragic incident.
The lawyer also pointed out the victim was the instigator.
But Associate Justice Fiti Sunia said Tonia and Malo assaulted the victim who slapped the defendant after asking for money.
Justice Sunia also said kicking, stomping and punching the victim who suffered severe injuries "is way beyond reasonable" for self defence.
US officials change mind on ban on America Samoans
The US Department of Defense has reversed an earlier decision which disqualified American Samoans from a programme of the Hawaii National Guard.
This resulted in recruits from the territory who were attending the Hawaii National Guard Youth Challenge Program, being sent home on Monday.
Twenty-five high school students left Pago Pago last month to attend the nearly six month programme.
They had only been in Hawaii for six weeks when they were declared ineligible because they are not US citizens but US nationals.
However, after parents contacted the American Samoa government and the Hawaii Governor, the Department of Defense reversed its decision.
Nadi hosts World Hindi Conference
Over 1500 international delegates from major hindi-speaking countries have convened in Fiji for the 12th World Hindi Conference.
It is the first time a South Pacific nation has hosted the forum which kicked off on Wednesday in Nadi.
Fiji's acting permanent secretary for education Timoci Bure said the event will determine the pathway forward for Fiji's hindi-speaking stakeholders in schools and the community.
The theme of the conference is "Hindi - Traditional Knowledge and Artificial Intelligence".
'The guns are my son's' says Samoan minister
A senior Cabinet Minister in Samoa has confirmed a consignment of firearms and ammunition brought into the country this week belongs to his son.
The chairman of the FAST party and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Laauli Leuatea Schmidt, told the Samoa Observer the consignment belonged to his son Leuatea James Schmidt who holds a valid dealer's licence.
Laauli says the licence was under his name long before he became an MP.
He says he handed the business and licence to his son.
He also says the importation of such a consignment under his son's name was done "legally".
Holiday ditched, replaced by two others
The Constitution Day public holiday on Fiji's calendar will be removed.
Cabinet made the announcement while noting the approval of two new public holidays - Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Day and Girmit Day which will be commemorated in May.
There will now be 11 public holidays in 2023.