A betel nut stall Photo: Supplied / Ann M Clarke
Solomon Islands - betel nut
A major Australian company involved in the recruitment of Solomon Islands seasonal workers has raised concerns about the use of betel nut.
This concern was shared to officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade by a team from meat processing company firm JBS Primo.
The JBS Primo team is in Honiara this week to conduct interviews for more workers to join the about 400 Solomon Islanders already with the company.
JBS Australia PALM Coordinator, Faamita Faalava recently had an incident where a Solomon Islands worker caused a delay upon arrival, and was subsequently fined, for bringing betel nut to Australia.
Fiji - courts
Fiji's former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has pleaded not guilty to a charge of abuse of office.
The charge in the Suva Magistrates Court relates to a report lodged by the acting supervisor of elections, Ana Mataiciwa.
It is alleged that last year, when Sayed-Khaiyum was the acting prime minister, he agreed to pay the then elections supervisor Mohammed Saneem's taxes without the proper approval.
The magistrate ruled the case be called again on September 5 for agreed facts and to confirm the number of witnesses.
Palau - nuclear waste
Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr has called on Japan to raise the transparency of the decommissioning process at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The Japan state broadcaster, NHK, said Whipps made the statement on Tuesday in a meeting with Fukushima Governor Uchibori Masao, after visiting the plant.
Palau is a member of the Pacific Islands Forum, which continues dialogue with the Japanese government over the scheduled release of treated nuclear wastewater from the crippled plant.
Many concerns have been raised about the effects.
Vanuatu/PNG - farming
The Pacific Community (SPC), has announced the launch of an initiative to strengthen the kava and coconut industries in Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.
The SPC and the International Trade Commission says the project, known as "ACP-Business Friendly", promotes and builds on farming practices that promote sustainable production.
It aims to help ni-Vanuatu and Papua New Guinean farmers to absorb economic shocks and attract investments.
Programme Manager Sadiq Syed said the programme facilitates productive value chain alliances and improves access to global markets.
Vanuatu - internet
Starlink is moving closer to providing internet services to Vanuatu after registering its trademark in the country.
The company, owned by tech-billionaire Elon Musk, is now obtaining its broadcasting licence, to allow it to legally operate in Vanuatu.
Starlink promises to deliver high-speed internet to the remotest parts of the world, using satellites.
The Daily Post reports people have already been using Starlink in Vanuatu illegally.
Tonga - parliamentarians
In Tonga, people have been calling for the health of prospective MPs to be checked before they run for parliament.
A by-election is coming up, triggered by the death of the previous MP.
In the past two years, four MPs have died and they all had gone overseas for medical help, funded by taxpayer money.
This means that three by-elections have already taken place in Tonga, with a fourth one due on July 13.
RNZ Pacific's Tonga correspondent, Kalafi Moala, said: " there is a real concerrn in Tonga for healthy members of parliament, to allow them to spend more of their time in parliament and not in hospital."
PNG - police
Papua New Guinea Police Commissioner, David Manning, says his staff are investigating a number of transnational financial criminal allegations involving Papua New Guineans and foreigners.
Manning said this includes the allegations of fraud and official corruption first raised by ABC News and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCR).
Both media organisations had alleged that former chief executives of PNG Ports Corporation, Late Fego Kiniafa and Stanley Alphonse, were bribed by International Container Terminal Services to win the contract to operate Lae and Motukea Wharfs.
The company got the contract to operate the two major wharfs for a term of 25 years.
Prime Minister James Marape has ordered an independent investigation.
