Nauru

Health Secretary Dr Teatao Tiira told Radio Kiribati News the new cohort from Tuvalu will join their fellow trainee doctors from Tuvalu who are currently in the country undergoing a two-year internship training under the programme.

Dr Tiira says the Tuvaluan students will be joined shortly in the programme by three medical students from Nauru who are expected to arrive in the country sometimes this month.

The Committee concluded its review of Nauru's implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child this week.

Nauru's Home Affairs Minister, Charmaine Scotty, presented the island's first report in 20 years to the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Ms Scotty said the Government had completed a review of the child protection system which resulted in legislation dedicated to the promotion and protection of children.

She said her ministry also established the Child Protection Services Division in 2015.

RNZ reports in one petition former president, Sprent Dabwido, challenged Lionel Aingamea and Tawaki Kam in the Meneng constituency, while Dale Cecil challenged President Baron Waqa in Boe constituency.

An election petition in Nauru needs to be given directly to the respondent but up to and beyond the final possible date for this process the MPs named were out of the country.

Mr Cecil accused Mr Waqa of bribery, treating and breaking advertising laws on election day.

Photo: Voting in Nauru in the 2016 general election

RNZ reports the group met yesterday at the beginning of the latest Pacific Forum summit in Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia.

Made up of the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau and Tuvalu, the group says the summit has to focus on improving air services.

It wants fair and equitable access to air services for their countries.

The Committee bases its evaluation on the State party’s report and written replies, the delegation’s replies and also on information from other UN bodies and agencies and NGOs.

RNZ reports the petitioner, Dale Cecil, was in court on Wednesday and said the magistrate heard reasons from both sides over whether Mr Cecil had served the petition on Mr Waqa according to the rules.

Mr Cecil accuses Mr Waqa of bribery, treating and breaking advertising laws on election day.

He said the matter had been adjourned to October the 4th.

The registrar of the Supreme Court, Filimone Jitoko had confirmed petitions regarding three separate constituencies would be heard by the court, but only after this matter had been settled.

RNZ reports the group was set up by the Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, in response to the Melanesian Spearhead Group's inclusion of Indonesia as an observer and not granting West Papua membership of the group.

A number of Pacific heads of government have raised their concerns over West Papua at the United Nations, with the Tongan PM, 'Akilisi Pohiva last year asking the UN to intervene.

At a meeting in Honolulu last week, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Enele Sopoaga, and Nauru's ambassador to the Pacific nations, Marlene Moses joined the group.

Wilson Security's decision follows the announcement by the service provider, Broadspectrum, earlier this year that

SPC has provided in-country technical assistance to establish national shipping councils in order to improve national coordination and adopt a data collection system which will serve as an improvement in supply chain efficiency, leading to competitive freight rates in line with other Pacific sub-regions.

SPC is also improving national coordination and public-private partnership to facilitate trade and the conduct of energy audits to improve maritime port efficiency.

RNZ reports the delegation's planned visit comes amid a growing debate in Europe over whether to adopt Australia's policy to deal with refugees from the Middle East and Africa.

Danish media reports say the delegation, which is made up of members from six political parties, is due to leave Copenhagen on Saturday.

Last month, Austria's foreign minister Sebastian Kurz also advocated considering Australia's policy but was warned against doing so by Austria's ambassador to Australia.