Breaking News 9

Cyclone Monitoring
Weather experts from around the Pacific region have been meeting in Niue this week, to discuss disaster management. And not surprisingly - given the location of the conference - cyclones are top of the list. Just eighteen months ago, Niue was devastated by Cyclone Heta, while neighbouring Cook Islands was either struck or sideswiped by four cyclones. But while no-one can stop cyclones lashing the region, discussions of weather forecasters and emergency service experts at this week's meeting are focused on developing strategies to ameliorate the impact of future cyclones.
Pacific Beat

Bougainville
The deputy governor of the PNG province of Bougainville has accused some Australian nationals of creating political instability and trying to derail the peace process on the Island. Last year, an aircraft owned by an Australian company was impounded by the PNG Civil Aviation Authority for illegally landing at the decommissioned Aropa Airport, near Kieta. Deputy Governor Gerard Sinato says Australians who were on that plane spent the past few months on Bougainville, working with separatist leader Francis Ona.
Pacific Beat

Polygamy
A Papua New Guinea health official has warned that the practice of polygamy could result in entire families being decimated by HIV-AIDS. The warning was recently issued in Mount Hagen, by the Western Highlands provincial HIV-AIDS response co-ordinator. Polygamy is practised in many parts of the highlands region, mostly by rich men taking on more than one or two wives. Papua New Guinea currently has the highest number of HIV-AIDS cases in the Pacific region.
Pacific Beat

Wallis and Futuna
The French government has just released the latest census results for Wallis and Futuna, and like many other Polynesian countries, the French territory is losing its young people. The census shows that the population of nearly 15,000 people is growing very slowly, with many Wallisians migrating to greener pastures.

The latest census for Wallis and Futuna was held in July 2003, but the official results have just been released by INSEE - the National Office of Statistics and Economic Studies.(The French government has just released the latest census results for Wallis and Futuna, and like many other Polynesian countries, the French territory is losing its young people. The census shows that the population of nearly 15,000 people is growing very slowly, with many Wallisians migrating to greener pastures.

MACLELLAN: The latest census for Wallis and Futuna was held in July 2003, but the official results have just been released by INSEE - the National Office of Statistics and Economic Studies(Maclellan).

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