Bishop Edwin Dela Pena was sipping coffee after dinner in a southern Philippines coastal town last Tuesday when he received a phone call: it was from one of his diocese priests, who sounded panicky and distressed. [restrict] Father Teresito “Chito” Sugarno, the vicar general of Marawi City, had been taken hostage by Islamist militants along […]
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Kiribati says in dire need of cash to combat climate change
The Pacific island nation of Kiribati is in dire need of aid as drought pushes it closer to declaring a state of emergency and it struggles with rising seas and other effects of climate change which could cost “billions”, said President Taneti Maamau. [restrict] The urgency of the problems facing low-lying Kiribati means it cannot […]
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Pacific Games Council to make last attempt to keep 2019 Games in Tonga
The Pacific Games Council (PGC) Executive Board met last Friday to address the Tongan Government’s letter of withdrawal from hosting the 2019 Pacific Games. [restrict] As part of its meeting, the Executive Board was addressed by Lord Vaea, acting President of TASANOC, and Lord Sevele, the Chairman of the Tonga 2019 Pacific Games Organising […]
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‘Desperation drives women to sex work’ in Samoa
APIA, 29 MAY 2017 (SAMOA OBSERVER) — The lack of employment opportunities has forced more than 400 women in Samoa to turn to prostitution. [restrict] And Member of Parliament Olo Fiti Vaai blames the government for ignoring the unemployment problem for far too long. “There are no employment options,” he told the Samoa […]
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G7 leaders walk fine line between Trump and Paris deal
The leaders of the G7 countries face a dilemma at a summit beginning on Friday in Sicily: how hard they can push Donald Trump without pushing him right out of the Paris climate deal? [restrict] Trump has threatened to withdraw from the agreement, but is still making up his mind. Two weeks ago, the White […]
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A wave of Pacific partnerships in action for our Ocean health
As caretakers of the world’s largest ocean basin, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) with Members and global partners have committed to four different partnerships for Ocean health. [restrict] These are now registered in the UN Ocean Conference Registry of Voluntary Commitments – global initiatives for collaborating partners to help implement Sustainable […]