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Vanuatu holds snap election as nation braces for costly post-earthquake reconstruction effort

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By Doug Dingwall and Vanuatu reporter Leah Lowonbu in Port Vila Dressmaker Jenny Banga is busy trying to put food on the table after the deadly magnitude-7.3 earthquake that struck Vanuatu last month. While the capital Port Vila's CBD is closed and surveyors assess building damage, her shop is off-limits. Ahead of national elections Thursday, her mind is on other things than...

Samoa’s PM Fiame ready to face leadership backlash

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Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa is ready to face constitutional processes and procedures over questions of confidence in her leadership. In a statement distributed to the media at the Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi Convention Centre on Tuesday, the government leader is steadfast in following the rule of law. “Disregarding the rule of law will undoubtedly have far-reaching negative impacts on...

The case to keep guns out of police hands in Solomon Islands

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In a country where trust in the police is already fragile, bringing in more weapons won’t help.  By Sheridan Ward Solomon Islands is one of 26 nations in the world without a standing military. Yet the Pacific nation is also one of only two non-militarised countries – alongside Haití – to experience armed conflict. Solomon Islands offers a cautionary tale...

Australia unveils $190 million security deal for Solomon Islands

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Australia has struck a new security agreement with Solomon Islands to bolster the size of the Pacific island nation's police force. The ABC has been told that Australia has committed $190 million (US$118 million) to grow the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force and establish a new police training centre in Honiara. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Solomon Islands counterpart Jeremiah...

Proposed Solomon Islands constitutional amendment defeated, 14 MPs’ absent from voting

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Solomon Islands government’s move to amend the constitution which proposed an extended timeframe to allow for the establishment of the Constituent Assembly was defeated Thursday after only 31 MPs voted for it and 14 MPs, mostly from the Opposition, were absent when the roll was called. The amendment needed three quarter or 38 of the 50 MPs to support before...

Fist bumps as more than 130 Australians arrive home safe after surviving Vanuatu’s worst earthquake in 100 years

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With a fist pump and tears of relief, Chantel Mara was visibly emotional as she stepped onto the tarmac at Brisbane international airport, finally home after witnessing the devastation caused by the Vanuatu earthquake. “It feels so good to be home,” she said. “We’re home. We’re safe.” Mara was among the 136 Australians who returned on two RAAF planes on Thursday evening,...

Surveillance, aid, responders and evacuees covered by RNZAF Vanuatu flights

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Multiple Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) flights to Vanuatu this week have delivered emergency responders and tonnes of search and rescue equipment and aid, while 93 New Zealanders and approved foreign nationals have been evacuated. Another evacuation flight is being planned for Saturday and the aircraft will also deliver more humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies as part of...

Tuvalu fighting to ensure its future amid sea level rise: PM Teo

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Tuvalu, an island nation threatened by sea-level rise in the South Pacific, is preparing for the worst-case scenario of submersion by digitising its government and taking other steps to secure its future, Prime Minister Feleti Teo said in a recent interview. Made up of nine low-lying coral atolls with an average height above sea level of just 2 metres, Tuvalu's...

48 Australians arrive home as those stranded ‘feel abandoned’

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Australians stranded in Vanuatu are calling for help as Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) planes bring 148 citizens home after delivering vital assistance following a deadly earthquake. The Australian government has repatriated 148 citizens on two RAAF planes sent to deliver search and rescue teams and other assistance following a 7.3-magnitude earthquake that devastated Port Vila. A young mother fresh off...

Pacific nations on the rise in IRL World Rankings

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Fetū Sāmoa have skyrocketed up the women’s IRL World Rankings after their successful Pacific Championships campaign, while Tonga have moved back into the top four men’s teams and New Zealand feature for their first time in the wheelchair rankings. Australia remains first in the men’s and women’s rankings following their Pacific Cup victories, while England are still the top wheelchair...

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Samoa political saga: Challenge to party removal reported

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Samoa's prime minister and the five other ousted members of the ruling FAST Party are reportedly challenging their removal. FAST chairman La'auli Leuatea Schmidt on...

Chiefs hope for party reconciliation

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Chiefs from several constituencies whose members of parliament (MPs) were sworn in as new cabinet ministers on Wednesday hope for a resolution to the...

Coalition government likely in Vanuatu, where women struggle

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Unofficial results in the Vanuatu election show another rainbow coalition is likely, with voters again sending a potpourri of parties to parliament. Ni-Vanuatu went to...