Vanuatu

Teams from the group, invited to monitor elections by the Vanuatu government, were deployed to Tanna, Port Vila, Efate and Santo earlier in January to assist with Friday's elections.

The Police Media Unit told the Daily Post the man from Paama died around 2am Friday at the Correctional Center in Port Vila. At this stage the cause of death is not clear and the police are investigating to find out how and where the man died.

Construction work has yet to begin on the main Korman site in Port Vila, 10 months after Cyclone Pam caused widespread damage.

The CEO of the 2017 Mini Games, Joe Carlo says everything has been in a holding pattern until the outcome of Friday's snap election is made clear.

Qantas has announced it has suspended its codeshare with Air Vanuatu effective immediately, and will no longer sell Air Vanuatu's flights from Sydney and Brisbane to Port Vila on its website.

A Qantas spokesperson says the airline is continuing its assessment of the situation and the options for customers who have commenced travel or who are booked on returning services.

Isaac Hamariliu is a member of Caretaker Prime Minister, Sato Kilman’s Peoples Progressive Party while American-born, Robert Bohn is the founder of his People Development Party. In the tenth legislature, they were occupying the two seats of Epi constituency.

In the smallest constituency of Paama, Graon and Jastis Party’s, William Fred Taso has reportedly secured the only seat, according to unofficial results.

Official closing time was 4.30pm and major polling stations.

Common issues reportedly faced in most polling stations were the name of a voter did not match that in the electoral roll, or was nowhere to be found on the electoral list.

General Manager Flight Operations Stephen Hunt says, “The condition of the runway at Port Vila has been gradually deteriorating and we have taken the difficult decision to suspend services before the situation becomes unsafe.”

Air New Zealand will operate one more return service between Auckland and Vanuatu on Sunday in order to repatriate customers, supported by additional safety measures.

Department of Cooperatives officials confirm a container of 1,000 bags was loaded at the wharf for shipment to Luganville this week.

While traditionally consumers are used to Calrose and Sunwhite rice from Australia, Cooperative officials say the newly introduced rice is healthier to eat as it has no sugar inside.

OCOF is an online forum which allows climate officers in pacific countries including Vanuatu to share their seasonal climate outlooks.

It is a monthly teleconference where they(climate partners) get together to discuss and analyst past happenings and possible implications, the Director at the Climate Division of the Vanuatu and Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD), Philip Malsale explained.

Anti-corruption advocates and others say today's vote is crucial in deciding whether or not the country can veer away from years of political instability.

Every bare wall, fence, and palm tree in Port Vila has been covered in candidate posters in the build-up to today, but many have said it has been a short, hurried campaign.