Samoans warned about water usage
Samoans are being called on to conserve water as the country experiences a "meteorological drought."
The Meteorological Division reports there is also a medium chance of very dry conditions throughout the country over the next three months.
On Tuesday the Samoa Water Scheme Association cautioned that over the course of the last 12 months, there'd been a significant drop in accumulated rainfall totals for much of the country.
The association says this has meant a significant reduction in ground water recharge, surface water flow, and water availability
The met office says everyone needs to do their part to conserve water.
OACPS summit backs Vanuatu's climate change push
The 76 member states of the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) says it supports Vanuatu's push for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice to protect the rights of people against the effects of climate change.
Secretary General, Georges Rebelo Chikoti told the Pacific News Agency at the 10th OACPS summit in Luanda, Angola that Vanuatu's climate change initiative is very important to member states.
Last week Vanuatu published a draft UN resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the Court on states' legal obligation for climate action and the consequences of causing harm.
While the court, which is the UN's main judiciary arm, has no binding authority, its opinion could inform lawsuits around the world and strengthen vulnerable countries' positions in international negotiations.
The draft resolution aims to establish the legal avenues for climate justice for present and future generations. It was prepared with a broad coalition of 17 countries, including Angola, Bangladesh, Germany, Mozambique, New Zealand, Portugal and Vietnam.
Angolan Foreign Minister and OACPS Secretary General Georges Rebelo Chikoti Photo: ALAATTIN DOGRU/AFP
Kalsakau warns of future cyber attacks
Vanuatu prime minister Ishmael Kalsakau says a risk of future cyber-attacks on the Government network remains.
Last month, the entire government network went down following a coordinated cyber attack.
Kalsakau recently announced that 70 percent of services were back up and running.
As the Daily Post reports, he said hacking their system is "bread and butter" for hackers around the world.
But he said hopefully a new system will help experts react more swiftly to future threats.
Ex-Bougainville president now head of PNG university
John Momis, who was president of the autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville for ten years, is now the chancellor of the PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment.
Momis was president from 2010 to 2020 and unsuccessfully sought legal permission to stand for a third term.
He also failed to win the regional seat for Bougainville in the recent PNG national elections.
He has been a central figure in the political life of Bougainville for 50 years.
The chancellor's position at the university, which is in Kokopo in East New Britain, has previously been held by former PNG prime ministers, Sir Julius Chan and Sir Rabbie Namaliu.
PNG and National Guard sign partnership deal
The Papua New Guinea Defence Force has signed a partnership deal with the United State's Army's Wisconsin National Guard as part of World War II commemorations.
It marks 80 years since the militia force participated in the Pacific Campaign.
PNG Defence Force Commander, Major-General Mark Goina, told the Post Courier, the deal would involve training provided by the National Guard.
A wreath-laying ceremony was held at Ela Beach Remembrance Park in Port Moresby, where Wisconsin National Guard Major General, Paul Knapp, said the deal was part of a global partnership.
"Papua New Guinea joins a group of 95 nations as a member of the National Guard's State Partnership Programme. The United States began this program in 1993, to build relationships that enhance global security and cooperation between nations," he said.
Niue covid cases continues to rise
Eight new cases of covid-19 have been recorded in the latest reporting period in Niue.
That takes the active case tally to 66, with three recovered cases.
180 cases have been recorded in total since Covid-19 arrived at the border 'via air from New Zealand' in March this year.
Covid number increasing in French Polynesia
The Covid-19 numbers in French Polynesia continue to climb, with a further 141 infections being counted in the 72-hour reporting period covering the weekend.
There are now 400 active cases.
Four people with Covid-19 are in hospital - one of them in intensive care.
Local television says one Covid-9 patient died in hospital last week, but the death has not been included in the pandemic's tally.
There have been repeated calls for people to update their vaccination status as only 23 percent of those over 60 have had a booster.
Last year when the territory was hit by an outbreak of the Delta variant, more than 600 people died, of whom more than 94 percent had not been vaccinated.
