Nauru

During their conversation, Waqa asked Netanyahu that Israel assist his country in medical training, water, waste management and innovation.

"You have been our wonderful friend," Netanyahu said. "It's a pleasure to receive you in the land of Israel and the State of Israel."

"I hope you have an excellent visit that reflects our excellent relations."

On Sunday, Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) thanked Waqa for his country's longstanding support for Israel at the United Nations, according to a report on israelnationalnews.com

In handing down the 2017/18 budget, Mr Adeang told Parliament it provides for $128.7 million in revenues and $128.6 million in expenditures.

He said Nauru’s development partners are expected to inject another $28.8 million during the year ahead.

The minister added that despite a downturn in the economy, the Government does not plan to introduce any new taxes to maintain current services or to fund 50th independence anniversary celebrations in 2018.

Speaking at the plenary session of the UN Ocean Conference in New York, Waqa said this “is a criminal act, akin to piracy, and must be addressed with urgency.”

He said the nation's landmass is only 21 square kilometres and the exclusive economic zone is over 15,000 times larger and its economic survival depends on tuna.

Waqa urged governments, businesses and civil society to support the Tuna 2020 Traceability Declaration to ensure that all tuna products can be tracked from the vessel where the fish is caught to the final buyer.

The reason for this audit backlog is because the Ministry of Finance has not been able to produce any public accounts or financial statements since 1998 therefore, a huge part of the functions of the Nauru SAI could also not be carried out.

A statement said the completion of this audit displays the professional and collaborative working relationship between the Ministry of Finance and Department of Audit, and proves that working together is all part of enhancing accountability and transparency and strengthening public financial management.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Paul Chang said at a Legislative Yuan interpellation session today that the president is scheduling visits to the Solomon Islands, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Nauru, Tuvalu, and Kiribati.  

The president’s upcoming overseas trip to the Central and South Pacific is considered important as the nation has six diplomatic allies in the region.     

Judge Mohammed Khan is accused of using large sections of a article written by Australian barrister, Stephen Lawrence, called "Abuse of Process - Judicial Enforcement of Fundamental Values and Principles".

RNZI reports Judge Khan is alleged to have used large swathes of Mr Lawrence's article in a judicial decision he made in 2015, without any attribution as to the source of the material.

The oath ceremony was presided over by Judge Jane Crulci and certificates conferred by President Baron Waqa.

President Waqa said welcomed the new citizens saying they add to the diverse ethnicity of what makes Nauruans.

He said immigrants are a special breed of people who have unique skills, attitudes and visions that can transform a country.

The MOU was signed in Suva, Fiji by India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Gen Dr V.K Singh and Nauru’s President Baron Waqa.

President Waqa is attending the India-Pacific Islands Sustainable Development Conference currently underway in Suva.

The MOU was presented to the president today.

Minister Singh also met with President Waqa yesterday.

Photo Twitter/.You Tube 

The new church was officially opened by Maveni Kaufononga, president of the Trans-Pacific Union Mission (TPUM) church region, based in Fiji, and Nauru Government Minister Shadlog Bernicke.

Reagan Aliklik, the elder and landowner who donated the land for the church, shared a brief history of Adventism in the small nation. He said that in 1975, a small group of Adventists made up of Kiribatians and Solomon Islanders who came to work in the phosphate mines, started worshipping together.

The offer comes ahead of the planned closure of the Manus Island centre by the end of Oct­ober with Immigration Minister Peter Dutton reaffirming economic migrants would be barred entry to Australia.

Dutton told 2GB radio Thursday that those not found to be refugees would be returned to their homelands, with about 400 of the 850 men on Manus Island having already received negative determinations.