Vanuatu

Commencing at 4:30pm, the Namatan Finale will be at the Saralana Park and there be something for everyone.

The best Namatan films will be screened free for the public and the 2017 winners will be announced.

The Vanuatu Wan Voes Kivhan group will be performing to raise money for people in TORBA Province affected by Tropical Cyclone Donna with a guest appearance by the Monkey Boys.

Food and kava will be available to put everyone in a festive mood.

Eight films made the finals of this year’s Namatan Short Film Festival.

Currently, Vanuatu uses Britain's Adoption Act, which was written in 1958.

The minister, Ronald Warsal, said many of its provisions did not apply to the country and it was difficult for the courts to implement consistently.

Mr Warsal said Vanuatu needed a law which suited the local context and addressed the real interests of the country's children.

RNZI reports the bill will likely be debated in November.

Photo file: Vanuatu Parliament 

Mexico looked to be absolutely cruising in the opening exchanges. Two moments to forget for Daniel Alick in the Vanuatu goal handed the Central Americans total control as he spilled Kevin Magana’s effort, before gifting the ball to Ronaldo Cisneros to score. It could easily have been more as El Tri’s dominance continued right up to the break.

So much so that, when Bong Kalo coolly slotted past Abraham Romero to halve the deficit, the goal had the air of a consolation strike for the new boys. Even more so when Uriel Antuna rattled the crossbar moments later.

Van2017 Em Pawa female mascot officiated the robotic presentation yesterday at the ICT day in the Convention Centre in Port Vila.

Standing up as the voice of empowering women and girls in Vanuatu, her presence beside the girls reflects not only women in Sport but also to help narrow the gender divide with women in ICT.

Community Relations and Events Coordinator Relvie Poilapa said “this is a first to have Ni-Vanuatu Girls in such areas of technology, and it is indeed a pride, an achievement for women and Girls, and also for Vanuatu.

China's Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang, who is on a visit to Vanuatu, said the ships will be on their way home after active duty protecting international waters from pirates off the coast of Somalia.

RNZI reports there are to be cultural activities to reflect the strengthening of ties between China and Vanuatu.

In discussions with the acting Prime Minister Ham Lini, Mr Zheng said he was satisfied with the progress Chinese funded development projects in Vanuatu were making.

The Vanuatu Daily Post said the incident happened one night in April as the woman went home.

The man sat next to the woman and sexually harassed her verbally while touching her lap.

The woman took out a small knife and stabbed him twice before escaping out the window.

After reporting the incident to police, the woman said she was approached by someone demanding compensation for the perpetrator's loss of blood.

Under the MOU signed between the Ministry of Education and Van2017 Pacific Mini Games, the ministry will assist the Van2017 outreach program, which is called the “Champions Program” targeting primary schools around the country.

The Champions Program driven by the Mascot of the Games, Nasi the Nasiviru, the loveable bird and friend of children, will be delivered through a 25-week programme with the distribution of 30,000 booklets and dice, posters and lessons plans to school children in over 400 primary schools across the six Provinces.

At the request of the Vanuatu government, the Chinese government is providing 2 SUV and 25 buses that can seat 19 passengers each.

The assistance includes 15% spare parts and spare parts for vehicles provided by China previously.

Four technicians including an interpreter will also be sent to Vanuatu for 20 days to provide technical service.

Vanuatu Helicopters took an assessment team to the five islands that make up Torres - Toga, Loh, Tegua, Metoma and Hui - over the weekend.

The operations manager Andy Martin said there was very little food as all the crops were destroyed, houses were ruined and the water was tainted.

Martin said people seemed to be in good spirits, but he wished he could have done more to help.

The storm impacted many of the northern islands last week.

Marielo Laloyer, who is from Torba Province but now lives in Port Vila, said she hoped businesses in the capital would help with supply relief materials that can be sent north within the week.

"The greatest needs on Torres at the moment is nails, saw, hammer, rice, sugar and matches because I think the Red Cross and the NDMO is moving down to Torres with tarpaulin and water. So we are just planning a small fundraising to help."