Kiribati

Kiribati president Anote Tong made the call at the Pacific Islands Forum — which started in Port Moresby on Monday — where Pacific nations have gathered to form a united position to take to the Paris COP21 meeting in December.

“What we are talking about is survival, it's not about economic development... it's not politics, it's survival,” Tong said.

Tong said Australia and New Zealand should use their relative regional power to advocate for smaller countries.

The leaders of the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau and Tuvalu caught up on Monday before the wider 16 nation Pacific Island Forum leaders summit in Papua New Guinea later this week.

They issued a special declaration on climate change that demanded the world limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and that countries uphold the principle of polluter pays.

There are ten young offenders being held in adult prisons in Kiribati for crimes such as stealing bike parts.

The Juvenile Justice Act will set standards for the youth justice system, including a new youth court and a focus on diverting children into community led rehabilitation programmes.

UNICEF's child protection specialist, Salote Kaimacuata, says surveys conducted in Fiji show separating youth and adult offenders is important to reduce the risk of reoffending.

At present, there are 10 young offenders being held in adult prisons in Kiribati. These children and adolescents, and others before them, had to navigate the adult justice system, being held alongside much older offenders and tried as adults. 

Tuvalu and Kiribati both say upcoming climate talks in Paris are vital as rising sea levels threaten their existence.

Fourteen Pacific Island nations have been meeting in Jaipur in India to discuss rising sea levels.

Enele Sopoaga says failure is not an option.

He says the nation may be able to purchase land in other places, such as New Zealand and Australia if necessary.

However he says that won't stop climate change and its impact on Tuvalu, whose nine coral atolls are home to about 11,000 people.

KNOC's Sport Education Officer, Tenoa Betene told Radio Kiribati News Kiribati will only be competing in three sports - Tennis, Weightlifting and Boxing.

Competing in Tennis are Tabera Bonteman and Kaoa Fakaofo. Takirua Betero and Toonga Tokitebwa will take part in weightlifting while Tevi Steven will compete in boxing.

The team is expected to depart for the Games on 03 September and to return on 17 September.

“Kiribati, as a nation faced with a very uncertain future, is calling for a global moratorium on new coal mines. It would be one positive step towards our collective global action against climate change and it is my sincere hope that you and your people would add your positive support in this endeavour,” said President Tong.

The Kiribati Ministry of Health and Medical Services has announced it is bringing in the vaccine as part of a comprehensive child survival package.

The vaccine helps to prevent severe and life-threatening diarrhoea among infants, and is being introduced across all provinces in Kiribati, with the backing of the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, and the World Health Organisation.

In the past five years Kiribati has experienced repeated diarrhoea outbreaks, many caused by rotavirus, leading to hospitalisation and even the deaths of young children.

A US charity discovered the bodies, which included a Congressional Medal of Honour recipient, at the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific during World War II.

A repatriation ceremony was held in Tarawa on Saturday before the remains arrived in Honolulu.

“I was very pleased to learn of the discovery of the remains of our Marines on the island of Tarawa — one of our most significant and contested battles,” commandant of the Marine Corps, General Joseph Dunford, said.

“This battle demonstrated the indomitable fighting spirit of our Marines.

“Although we flagged that Kiribati is not ready for this change, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had to go ahead. The centre stopped providing these country specific warnings but they have continued providing tsunami information and guidelines on the propagation and expected risk level from each tsunami that could be generated from an earthquake when it actually reaches our shores,” said Toorua.

KMS is the designated national focal point for tsunami in Kiribati and operates a 24 hours a day, seven days a week, service.