Fijain Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele in Suva. June 2025 Photo: Facebook / Fiji Government
Fiji/Solomon Islands - defence
A newly signed defence agreement between the governments of Fiji and Solomon Islands will allow Fijian troops into Honiara during national emergencies.
This includes general elections, natural disasters and other national emergencies.
The agreement was signed on 9 September and announced by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at Fiji's parliament last week.
Rabuka has promised to operate on non-political, non-interventionist terms.
American Samoa - US shutdown
The government of American Samoa says it's closely monitoring the ongoing impact of the US federal shutdown on the territory.
The US government entered a shutdown after lawmakers and President Donald Trump failed to break a budget impasse.
American Samoa's Governor Pulaali'i said the government shutdown is a real disruption.
He said everyone depends on paychecks to provide for their daily needs and timely support for families.
Governor Pulaali'i said this situation is critical for their people, and they remain mindful of the challenges it may bring.
He said he remains hopeful that Congress and the Administration will arrive at a resolution soon.
Fiji - scams
The Consumer Council of Fiji is raising alarm bells that the level of sophistication and complexity of online scams is increasing.
It said the level of awareness is not matching the pace at which it gets more complex.
The Council's Ziyad Parvez told fijivillage.com that fraudsters are not above using the latest technology to execute the scams.
He said in one incident, a person working on a private island transferred about FJ$7000 to an account that seemed to be in Papua New Guinea, but it was actually someone from Fiji using a scrambling technology.
Vanuatu - ban
Vanuatu's livestock and biosecurity minister says he is working on a policy to ban consumption of imported food in schools.
The Vanuatu Daily Post reports Ian Wilson telling the National Commercial Commodity Forum that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for over 70 per cent of all deaths every year in the country.
He said the report shows that unhealthy diets at schools are contributing to the growing NCDs, as children are eating a lot of rice, biscuits, bread, tinned fish, and noodles at schools.
Wilson said a policy banning consumption of imported food, and allocating funds to help schools purchase local food, will create greater demand for local crops.
Guam - import
Guam has temporarily banned mango imports from the Northern Marianas, after an invasive insect was discovered on Saipan.
Researchers confirmed the mango fruit borer at the CNMI's Division of Agriculture compound in Kagman.
Kuam News reports Division of Agriculture director Jack Ogumoro saying the discovery was made earlier this year when visiting scientists sampled infected mangoes.
Invasive species coordinator Natasha Tomakane says the ban is a precautionary measure to protect regional agriculture.
Papua New Guinea - shortwave
The head of Papua New Guinea's national broadcaster is looking for ways to bolster the station's radio broadcast capabillity.
Kora Nou has been in Aotearoa inspecting Radio New Zealand Pacific's shortwave service.
It broadcasts right across the Pacific, providing lifeline untillity support on request when natural disasters strike.
Nou said with a government mandate to have full coverage across PNG, he's looking for the right solution.
"So the shortwave we want to build won't be analogue shortwave but we are thinking of digital shortwave," he said.
"There is a lot of work to be done still but we are happy to come here to New Zealand to work with our friends here, and whatever we decide to build it will be for the good of the staff at NBC and for the good of the people of Papua New Guinea."
NBC's own shortwave service closed more than 20 years ago.
