Nauru

“New Zealand and Nauru enjoy a good relationship and the High Commissioner will play an important role in strengthening our engagement around mutual interests,” says Mr Peters.

“New Zealand contributes approximately $2.3 million in development assistance to Nauru each year with a focus on building greater self-reliance through improving educational achievement, protecting Pacific fisheries and increasing access to renewable energy.

Instead they had to settle for a silver between them, secured by Ovini who lost to New Caledonia’s Teva Gouriou in the gold medal match.

However, two finals and a silver is no small achievement for a pair of brothers who only took up the sport four years ago in a country where it is relatively unknown.

Most people in Nauru, a small Micronesian island nation in the central Pacific, are not familiar with judo as Australian rules football (AFL) and weightlifting are the most popular sports there.

The Guardian reported that Iranian refugee Arash Shirmohamadi has been told he must relinquish custody of his Australia-born baby girl in order to apply for resettlement.

Both Mr Shirmohamadi's wife and his child, who he has never seen in person, are in detention in Brisbane.

Recordings of phone conversations and an email chain indicate the ABF was pressing for family separation for refugees who the US was lining up for resettlement.

US Immigration officials who were last week on Nauru told about 70 refugees they would be resettled in America.

The project is currently supported by a $900,000 technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The $79.59 million project, which will enhance port operations in Nauru through structural improvements and capacity building of relevant agencies, will be financed by ADB, the Government of Australia, the Green Climate Fund, and the Government of Nauru. The project is scheduled for discussion by ADB’s Board of Directors in early 2018.

The UAE and Nauru have signed a memorandum of understanding to exempt UAE nationals carrying diplomatic, private, VIP and regular passports from obtaining pre-entry visas, with the possibility of staying for up to 90 days on each visit, starting from November 19, 2017.

Ahmed Saeed Elham Al Dhaheri, assistant under-secretary for consular affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said that the exemption came during the visit of Nauru's foreign minister to the country, to attend the annual International Participants Meeting at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The 'Be Fit, Be Healthy' competition is aimed at tackling alarming statistics around obesity, including a 40 percent diabetes rate.

The competition is among events being planned for the 50th anniversary of independence being celebrated next year.

Competitors must be a citizen of Nauru and top prize is a trip to Brisbane.

Children are also being asked to compete in a separate category for those under 18.

Under an agreement struck with the Obama administration, the US agreed to take 1250 asylum-seekers from Australia’s offshore processing centres on Nauru and Manus Island, subject to the Trump administration’s “extreme vetting”. Of those 1250, 54 have been resettled in the US.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s office would not comment on how many refugees were likely to be part of the next intake, or when their resettlement would take place, saying the issue was a “matter for the US”.

The comments come just over a week after the first refugees from Manus arrived on Nauru, where they were welcomed by the Acting Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and local service providers. They were also given a cultural introduction to Nauru which included an island tour, and provided with an overview of the extensive support available.

“One man has been reunited with his wife, which is a heart-warming story,” Mr Adeang said.

The park is being developed as part of Tuvalu’s initiative for its preparation in hosting the 2019 Forum Leaders meeting.

The purchase follows the agreement signed on the margins of the 48th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting in Samoa in September.

President Baron Waqa and Tuvalu Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga signed the agreement on 07 September for the sale of Nauru rock boulders.

Waqa is pleased with the arrangement with Tuvalu and hopes it will be a long term relationship that is mutually beneficially to both countries.

Minister for Justice and Border Control, David Adeang, has delivered a speech as head of the Nauru delegation to the 7th conference of state parties in Vienna, Switzerland.

Mr Adeang said Nauru is committed to assisting global and domestic efforts to address the scourge of corruption.

“Since Nauru became a state party to the convention, we have participated in country reviews, one of which was our own for each year. This reflects our commitment as a state party to the goals of the convention,” he told the UN.