Pacific Beat

The " sea-sun and.

Less than half of the Pacifc people living in and around Auckland are putting their children in child restraints and seat belts.

The Australian government has today reaffirmed its decision to reschedule almost 20 million US dollars of aid to Papua New Guinea.

The backstabbing rich family, the woman struggling to make ends meet, the rebellious children stranded beyond the generational gap.

The EU recently committed almost six million US dollars to help Pacific countries and French territories in the region for what's called "food security".

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, has told mining and petroleum industry leaders he hopes his new tax changes and reforms will end the exploration slump in his country.

Most artists the world over have experienced the struggle for recognition and many have probably been told, at least once, to get a real job.

There have been mixed but mainly positive reactions in New Caledonia to the recent announcement that the territory will have a 10 percent share in Goro nickel, a mining project developed by Canadian mining giant INCO.

In Samoa, the first Polynesian to become a Catholic cardinal, Pio Taofinu'u, has announced his retirement after 30 years in office.

The police mutiny trial in Vanuatu is expected to conclude this week.

The Opposition has fared better than the Government in the first round of the national elections in Kiribati.

After PNG, Guam, New Caladonia, French Polynesia and Fiji have the largest amount of people living with AIDS in the Pacific.

The people of Guam, FSM, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana's have been warned - the dreaded El Nino phenomenum is here again, so be prepared.

Kiribati, electoral authorities in the country claim they are satisfied with voter turnout in today's general election.

This Sunday is World Aids Day.

In Solomon Islands, police are questioning six people who may have witnessed last Friday's shooting deaths of an officer in the Star Division of the Police Force, and a civilian assisting the police in the hunt for rebel leader Harold Keke.

The finding's of a commission of inquiry into Papua New Guinea's largest private sector superannuation fund has revealed shocking revelations of misappropriation, extortion, kick-backs and money laundering.

The Australian Government's defence think-tank says Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands are struggling to survive as nations.

Deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry took to the stand today in Fiji's controversial treason trial to provide his side of the story relating to the events of May 19, 2000.