Regional
Future bleak for tropical corals
Saturday 7 May 2016 | Published in Regional
El Niño storms seem to be strengthening due to climate change, and in turn intensifying coral bleaching. This is particularly vivid at Christmas Island, where the water has warmed the most, writes Robynne Boyd for the Pacific Standard.
Melanesians linked to ancient hominid
Friday 6 May 2016 | Published in Regional
A recent report has concluded that Melanesian people retain DNA links to long-extinct forms of human life. The discovery, reported in the journal Science, adds to the growing body of evidence that all humans alive today are basically hybrids of ancient humans.
Noisy at the bottom of the deepest sea
Friday 6 May 2016 | Published in Regional
CHALLENGER DEEP – Scientists have recorded a cacophony of sounds including ship propellers at the deepest part of the world’s oceans, more than 10,000 metres below the surface.
Drones patrolling marine reserve
Friday 6 May 2016 | Published in Regional
ADAMSTOWN – Ocean-going drones are being used to help to spot illegal fishing in the world’s largest, continuous marine reserve.
Organic farming initiative
Friday 6 May 2016 | Published in Regional
PACIFIC – More than a thousand Fijian, Vanuatu and Samoan youths will be helped to secure employment through organic agriculture with the launch of a US$1.5 million two-year programme in Suva, Fiji. Activities of the project will address the high levels of youth unemployment in the three countries through skills building in organic agriculture, income generation, food security and climate change resilience. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Coordinator Osnat Lubrani said the UN is looking forward to supporting a programme focused on sustainable livelihoods that targets youths, adding the project can open up opportunities for income generation, boost confidence and empower young women and men. “The UN is proud to work in partnership with Pacific Community (SPC) and Pacific Organic and Ethical Trade Community (POETCom) on this initiative, an excellent approach to sustainable farming and at the core is that it relates to food security and nutrition as well as climate change adaptation,” she said. “All these are closely connected to the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals.” Organic agriculture builds resilient farming systems with the ability to withstand extreme weather events and can provide yields comparable to conventional or chemical based farms. As lead implementing agency, POETCom will work with partner civil society organisations, FRIEND, Farm Support Association and Women in Business Development, and the governments of the three countries to identify suitable youths to receive training in organic agriculture and product development. Target youths are those seeking employment between 18 and 30 years of age or transitioning to formal employment within the next 12 to 24 months. The programme will address the high level of youth unemployment in the three countries, at around 44 per cent of the youth population in Fiji and 8.9 percent in Vanuatu. To do this, it will support linkages between the agriculture and tourism sectors of these countries, mapping value chains from the farms to hotel tables or retail outlets. POETCom Coordinator Karen Mapusua said: “In Fiji we are going to focus on Cyclone Winston badly hit areas helping to rebuild the economy through supporting the value chains between the suppliers (youths) and buyers (hotels and restaurants), developing menus that will use local products or the promotion of local products. “Simply, the youths will be trained to do organic farming, develop a product for example banana or coffee and be supported to market their product with the tourism sector.”
Papua New Guinea's great timber heist
Thursday 5 May 2016 | Published in Regional
PACIFIC VIEWPOINT By Frédéric Mousseau Oakland Institute
Search on for monkey-faced bat
Thursday 5 May 2016 | Published in Regional
WESTERN PACIFIC – The Australian Museum has announced a scientific expedition to the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville to undertake research into a pair of unique and rarely-sighted indigenous mammals.
Social media blamed
Wednesday 4 May 2016 | Published in Regional
SAMOA – Principals in Samoa coping with the latest school brawls say social media is to blame.
Goalkeeper killed by lighting
Wednesday 4 May 2016 | Published in Regional
AUSTRALIA – Australian football goalkeeper Stefan Petrovski has died in hospital after being struck by lightning during training in Malaysia.
Dismissal of Fiji chiefs heavy-handed
Wednesday 4 May 2016 | Published in Regional
FIJI – An academic who’s been banned from Fiji says the Great Council of Chiefs may no longer be relevant but the way it was dissolved leaves a sense of unfinished business.
Key backs territories joining Forum
Wednesday 4 May 2016 | Published in Regional
FRENCH POLYNESIA – New Zealand’s support for French Polynesia and New Caledonia joining the Pacific Islands Forum is a significant development, according to the director of the New Zealand Institute for Pacific Research.
Blame game over self immolations
Wednesday 4 May 2016 | Published in Regional
NAURU – Australia’s Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says refugee advocates are to blame for two refugees setting fire to themselves on Nauru in the past week.
Australia staunch on immigration policy
Wednesday 4 May 2016 | Published in Regional
AUSTRALIA – Australia’s Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has hit out at “advocates and others” who he believes are pressuring refugees to “behave in a certain way”, saying the Federal Government will not be persuaded to change its border protection policies.
Anti-fraud office must reopen
Wednesday 4 May 2016 | Published in Regional
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Papua New Guinea’s Police Commissioner says he will follow a recommendation from the country’s Supreme Court to reopen the anti-corruption unit he closed last month.
Ukeleles replace the organ at Bill Sevesi's funeral
Tuesday 3 May 2016 | Published in Regional
NEW ZEALAND – Family and friends gathered in New Zealand on Monday to celebrate the life of renowned musician Bill Sevesi where the organ was replaced by the ukulele at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell.
Wreck of Cook's Endeavour found
Tuesday 3 May 2016 | Published in Regional
USA – Researchers believe they have found the wreck of HMS Endeavour, which carried Captain James Cook on his exploration of the Pacific.
PNG's opposition leader 'suspended'
Tuesday 3 May 2016 | Published in Regional
PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Papua New Guinea’s opposition leader’s 2012 election victory has been stayed by the National Court.
Mega-resort planned on remote island
Tuesday 3 May 2016 | Published in Regional
MICRONESIA – Plans to build a Chinese “mega-resort” on a remote Micronesian island have local politicians fearing residents will be shunted from their homes and “reduced to just doing cultural dances” for tourists.
Medical treatment criticised
Tuesday 3 May 2016 | Published in Regional
NAURU – The Iranian refugee who died after setting himself on fire at the Nauru detention centre was without doctor’s care for two hours at the medical facility and lay in agony for a further eight hours in Nauru’s hospital before morphine was administered, his wife says.
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