Vanuatu

The Pacific Community’s (SPC) PARC (Pacific Awareness and Response to Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle) experts and a team from Biosecurity Vanuatu team has noted a high rate of Metarhizium infection among the invasive pests caught in traps and artificial breeding sites set up on the two islands. 

The recent surveillance and monitoring activities on both islands found that traps sprayed with metarhizium have successfully infected beetle larvae, which will ultimately reduce the number of the coconut pest.

Minister of Finance and Economic Management, John Salong, and Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Vanuatu, Li Minggang signed the handover certificate last week.

The grant will greatly assist Ni-Vanuatu families who have been adversely impacted by Tropical Cyclone (TC) Judy and TC Kevin.

Minister Salong thanked the Government and the people of the People’s Republic of China for their great friendship and the assistance.

The funding will be used to provide emergency assistance to those in need.

Ratu Kaliova Dau and Mohammed Ramzan scored for Fiji while Kemly Lehi scored both the goals for Vanuatu.

In other matches today, New Caledonia will be facing the Solomon Islands at 7pm (Fiji Time) while Vanuatu will face the Solomon Islands at 4pm (Fiji Time) followed by the game between Fiji and New Caledonia also at 7pm (Fiji Time).

New Caledonia will face Vanuatu at 4pm (Fiji Time) on Friday followed by Fiji taking on the Solomon Islands at 7pm (Fiji Time) reportts FijiVillage.

The latest problem; mechanical issues, which has grounded the airline for over a week and caused travel disruptions to hundreds of people.

It is expected to cost the airline more than $VT169 million ($NZ2.3 million), one board member who did not want to be named told our correspondent last week.

"The government is very serious and it is looking at how we will step in to really address the issue," Foreign Minister Jotham Napat told RNZ Pacific.

This is not the first time the airline has failed to provide a service to its customers.

In the second game later that day, New Caledonia face Solomon Islands. 

NZ Pacific reports further round-robin games will take place on Thursday and Saturday with the final and the 3rd/4th place match occurring on Sunday.

The Oceania Futsal Nations Cup will take place in October.

Photo Fiji Football  Association

The Volcanic Alert Level remains at Level 2.

Latest data analysis from the monitoring system shows volcanic earthquakes and emissions of steam at the crater summit.

The department said with the ongoing activity and the associated hazards, the danger zone is limited to the volcanic cone.

Visitors will continue to smell volcanic gas while approaching the volcanic cone.

The public has also been reminded that eruptions can occur at any level of unrest with little or no warnings.

Mt. Garet has remained at Volcanic Alert Level 2 since 31 January, 2018.

Dr Mark Ero, who specialises in the study of insects, completed a visit to Vanuatu recently through a Pacific Community (SPC) project to raise awareness on the invasive species.

RNZ Pacific reports Dr Ero is concerned that the damaged logs and coconut palms left in the aftermath of the double cyclones last month was the preferred breeding hosts for the beetle.

He said if the palm trunks were not cleaned and destroyed properly they would become conducive breeding grounds for the beetle, enabling the population to explode, exacerbating damage levels and spreading further.

The briefing follows reports that the Gupta's were spotted in Switzerland when they were supposed to be in custody.

Minister Lamola says this already happened in February but South African authorities were only notified on Thursday.

He says they were also surprised to learn that the UAE considered the Gupta's to be residents of Vanuatu, an island in the South Pacific.

Sisead Village community council chairman Paul Fred in Port Vila lives in one of the many homes in which residents do not have water seeping into the house because of a tarpaulin handed out in aid that lines his corrugated tin roof.

"To accept two cyclones within a week, it's unexplainable. We've never experienced two cyclones like this one," Fred told RNZ Pacific.

"But it's a good experience for the generations of today, it comes to remind them that we have to prepare."

The schools are being supported by the Vanuatu Klaemet Infomesen blong Redy, Adapt mo Protekt (VanKIRAP) project and the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department (VMGD).

In Vanuatu, above average rainfall can cause flooding, soil erosion, crop damage and damage to infrastructure.

Drought can cause crops to wither and die, and water sources to dry up.

Rainfall data helps VMGD’s meteorologists and climatologists provide early warning of these two kinds of extreme hydrological events.