News and information service for Banaban Network Worldwide!

Stacey King's Blog – May 2009 Archive (41)

Australian researchers find kava is safe

ABC RADIO AUSTRALIA - Updated Thu May 14, 2009 10:40am AEST

An Australian research team has found that kava can be a safe and effective treatment for anxiety. The news has been welcomed by kava-producing Pacific countries which are trying to overturn international import bans on the product.

Presenter: Barbara Heggen

Speaker: Jerome Sarris, University of Queensland's School of… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 15, 2009 at 12:23pm — 3 Comments

Kirbati Shipping to Start a Regualr Service to 4 Islands

TMCnet.com (Pacnews) - May 13, 2009

NUKUALOFA, May 14, 2009 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) -- Kiribati Shipping Services Limited (KSSL) on Wednesday formally signed an agreement with Nauru, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Wallis and Futuna to provide regular feeder shipping services to these countries. The four small island states (SIS) have been confronted with irregular shipping services since 2006. KSSL general manager Itibwinnang… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 14, 2009 at 4:31pm — No Comments

Fiji Local News in brief -

Fiji Times Online - Briefly Thursday, May 14, 2009

ROTUMA will receive about $20m for major capital works on the island for the next five years. The interim Government made the decision based on its remoteness and strategic location between Fiji and other countries in the northern Pacific. Commissioner Eastern Tomasi Tui said Rotuma could play a vital role in the exchange of commodities to Pacific islands such as Tuvalu and was… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 14, 2009 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Deadline nears for Pacific maritime claims

ABC Radio Australia - Stephanie March Last Updated: Fri, 8 May 2009 14:56:00 +1000

Countries in the Pacific region have less than a week to submit claims to the United Nations if they think they have legitimate grounds to extend their continental shelf boundaries. Solomon Islands, Paupa New Guinea and Federated States of Micronesia have submitted a joint claim which covers the Ontong Java plateau. Phil… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 13, 2009 at 2:59pm — No Comments

Disaster looming on rising sea levels: island nations

Space Daily - MANADO, Indonesia, May 12 (AFP) May 12, 2009

Rising sea levels that could wipe whole nations off the map and displace scores of millions of people are being overlooked in global climate change talks, island countries said Tuesday. Major emitters are pushing for greenhouse gas emissions cuts that are too low to prevent devastating sea rises, representatives said at the World Ocean Conference in Indonesia's Manado city.

"Dealing with environmental refugees will have… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 13, 2009 at 2:51pm — No Comments

Small Island States in Pacific to discuss shipping services

Radio New Zealand International - Posted at 09:55 on 12 May, 2009 UTC

Small island states in the Pacific are expected to demand improved shipping services when they meet in Tonga this week. Pacific ministers for maritime transport in the small island states, or SIS, are meeting to talk about issues such as the need for improved regional shipping services and lower freight costs. The SIS group at the meeting will… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 13, 2009 at 2:47pm — No Comments

Pacific Regional heads stand up against pirate fishing

Fiji Daily Post 13-May-2009 09:03 AM

A MOVE by the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) that include the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu have come down hard on pirate fishing. They now support the closure of all high seas areas to clamp down on pirate fishing and the move has been applauded by Greenpeace. Greenpeace… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 13, 2009 at 2:43pm — No Comments

Pacific and Foreign aid survives Budget axe

ABC News - Budget 09 By Linda Mottram posted 13 May 2009

Despite producing a 2009-10 Budget marked by disappearing revenues and a slide into the red, some Government pledges have survived - among them, the aid budget. There is little new in the list of aid programs. But aid spending in the new financial year will rise from $3.7 billion to $3.8 billion, keeping faith with the commitment to grow the… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 13, 2009 at 2:40pm — No Comments

Fiji Government targets Rotuma - Kiribati also interested

Fiji Broadcasting Corp Ltd - Friday, May 08, 2009

Close to a hundred government officials will be heading towards Rotuma this weekend. The delegation will be on the island to start and finalise development work. Commissioner Eastern Tomasi Tui says the Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama wants development in Rotuma completed within two years. Tui says the team to Rotuma will be part of the Rotuma developement… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 8, 2009 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Forum's hard line brings ripple effect to Pacific nations - Kiribati concerns

NZ Herald.co.nz - Dev Nadkarni: 4:00AM Friday May 08, 2009

With its suspension from the 16-nation Pacific Islands Forum last week, Fiji has been pushed yet closer to the precipice. The suspension automatically kicked in as the deadline imposed by the Forum nations' leaders on the Fijian military leadership to come up with a schedule for holding elections in 2009 expired on May 1.… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 8, 2009 at 1:26pm — No Comments

Deployment to South Pacific cancelled

Australia Network News - Wed, 6 May 2009 11:33:00 +1000

A crew member on board a US Navy warship has become ill with swine flu and 50 others are showing symptoms, leading the military to cancel a scheduled deployment to the South Pacific. The outbreak was on the USS Dubuque - a California-based amphibious transport dock ship. It had been scheduled to deploy on a four-month humanitarian mission in the Pacific… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 8, 2009 at 1:19pm — No Comments

Thrills and skills: All hands on deck and on shore in Fiji -The Banaban story touched her most...

The Independent - Australia and Pacific Saturday, 2 May 2009 Chris McLennan / Alamy

Welcome to the luxury cruise that likes to give something back. Channel 4 News presenter Sue Turton climbs aboard the Tui Tai for an unforgettable journey through the Fijian islands

The big blue: the yacht 'Tui Tai' (above)… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 8, 2009 at 1:16pm — 1 Comment

U.S. Navy halts aid vessel trip to South Pacific over flu concerns

International News Brief 6 May 2009

The US navy has postponed an aid mission to the South Pacific after a sailor on the vessel developed H1N1 influenza, commonly known as swine flu, and nearly 50 others sailors on the ship also showed symptoms of the new virus.

The U.S.S. Dubuque was put out of commission after… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 7, 2009 at 9:30am — No Comments

Rabi Teen in police custody after knifing granny

FIJI TIME ONLINE - Wednesday, May 06, 2009

A TEENAGER was arrested after he attacked his grandmother with a cane knife on Friday. The alleged incident happened on Rabi Island within Cakaudrove province and police on the island are holding the 19-year-old in their custody. They have not charged him.

Rabi Island Council executive director Molly Amon said the islanders were shocked over the attack which took place at Nuku… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 7, 2009 at 9:25am — No Comments

Digicel Cancel Plans for Mobile Services in Kiribati

TARAWA, Kiribati, Apr 14, 2009 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) -- Pacific communications giant Digicel has cancelled plans to establish service in Kiribati, saying the government telecommunications agency prevented it from establishing operations, reports Radio New Zealand International. According to the government's Telecommunications Authority Kiribati, the anticipated arrival of Digicel will not happen.

Digicel blamed the Authority for the lack of cooperation to fulfill expectations. But… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 6, 2009 at 4:34pm — No Comments

Lifeboat deja vu hits us

Great Lakes Advocated NSW Australia - TIM CONNELL 6/05/2009 9:32:00 AM

ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER LIFEBOAT: A lifeboat at Tuncurry’s Peter Caves Marine, the second to wash up near Forster in a week. The reporter is in the photo for scale. Photo: Carl Muxlow.

WHAT? Again? This is getting weird. Eyebrows were raised when an orange… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 6, 2009 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Rabi Villager knifed, hospitalized

FIJIVILLAGE.COM Publish date/time: 05/05/2009 [07:30]

A 49 year old villager of Rabi is in serious condition at the Rabi Health Centre after he was struck with a cane knife by a 35 year old fellow villager. Assistant Spokesperson Sergeant Atunaisa Sokomuri had confirmed that an argument developed between the two after the suspect assaulted the victim's grandson.

The victim tried to stop the… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 6, 2009 at 8:51am — No Comments

Rabi Victim Recovers

FIJI TIMES ONLINE - By THERESA RALOGAIVAU Wednesday, May 06, 2009

(Thanks to Koro for emailing story through to us)

Elliot Rota with relatives at Labasa Hospital yesterday

A TWELVE-year-old is nursing serious head injuries, while an iron rod impaled another, and about 20 other students were treated for shock and abrasions when the truck they were travelling in… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 6, 2009 at 8:00am — No Comments

Asian Development Bank warns Pacific of sharp downturn

ABC RADIO AUSTRALIA 5 May 2009

The Asian Development Bank has told Pacific Islands finance ministers that the impact of the global financial crisis on the region is worse than expected, and country-specific action plans are now needed. The finance ministers were in Bali over the weekend for the bank's Board of Governors meeting. At a special Pacific-only consultation on Saturday, the bank's Pacific… Continue

Added by Stacey King on May 5, 2009 at 7:40pm — No Comments

Welcome Banaban Voice Member 300 - Starr Den

Mauri and congratulations Starr Den - you are our 300th member on Banaban Voice.
Welcome aboard and hope you enjoy your time here and journey.
Regards
Stacey

Added by Stacey King on May 4, 2009 at 9:30pm — No Comments