Pacific News Briefs

NORTHERN MARIANAS WARNED TO PREPARE FOR SUPER TYPHOON Compiled by Samoa News staff Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — US National Weather Service issued a warning to residents of the Northern Marianas to prepare for super typhoon Bavi, before storm force winds hit the area on Sunday night. The category five typhoon was expected to make landfall on Monday morning. However, seas were already hazardous, before tropical storm force winds expected to hit the islands on Sunday. National Weather Service meteorologist Josh Whisnant said the typhoon was expected to pass between the islands of Tinian and Rota — slightly closer to Rota — with peak wind speeds of 280km/h, Whisnant said. It was expected to weaken slightly before passage, but winds could still reach 257 km/h. He said preparation was the most important thing people could do, with anything not secured likely to be picked up by winds well before the arrival of the typhoon. The weather service said the winds would pose a deadly threat, and advised people to seek shelter in re-enforced concrete buildings and be ready to evacuate, if necessary. Flash flood warnings were in place for the entire area, with waves predicted to reach 8-11m near the center of the storm, as it passes. Bavi is the second category five cyclone to hit the area in a space of months. Sinlaku battered the Marianas and Guam in April, causing widespread devastation to local infrastructure and the economy, killing at least six and wiping out up to 60 percent of the livestock on Saipan. Some residents were still without electricity and living in temporary shelters following Sinlaku. FIJI FUEL PRICES DROP The Fiji Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) says fuel and LPG prices are reduced for July. Diesel is dropping between FJ$1.19 and FJ$1.25 across the country. Motor spirit prices will decrease by 49 to 52 cents per litre and kerosene by around 42 cents in most parts of the country. LPG prices will also decrease. The FCCC said these reductions reflect improving global market conditions following progress in ceasefire negotiations in the Middle East. But it warned global fuel markets remain vulnerable to geopolitical events and prices may continue to fluctuate as the global energy market recovers. SAMOA FUEL PRICES Samoa's minister of finance has announced a reduction in the price of diesel and kerosene for July. Diesel is down 82.3 sene to $4 tālā and 45 sene per litre, while kerosene has dropped 100.1 sene to 54.02. Petrol has a tiny increase, up 1.7 sene. The statement, signed by the finance minister, said the price decreases for both diesel and kerosene reflect the removal of the premium that traders and consumers paid for these refined products in April, but petrol prices did not include these premiums and stay at April levels. It said the crude oil and refined product markets can be expected to remain volatile over the coming months. TONGA FUEL PRICES Tonga has lowered their maximum fuel prices for the first time since the war in the Middle East began. Since February, diesel prices in Tongatapu have been raised by more than 64 percent. That price cap has lowered by 85 sene to 4.20 pa'anga per litre from 1 July. The price is now below what it was in April. PNG CLIMATE CHANGE PLAN A French court has ordered energy giant TotalEnergies to rewrite its climate plan, in a landmark ruling that could have implications for one of Papua New Guinea's biggest proposed gas projects. France 24 reported the court found the company had failed to properly account for its customers' emissions - which make up more than 90 percent of TotalEnergies' carbon footprint. Judges will now oversee the company's revised emissions reduction plan, marking the first time a court anywhere in the world has supervised a corporate climate strategy. The PNG government expects a final investment decision later this year. MEDICAL AND TOURIST VISAS Fijian nationals travelling to India on a medical or tourist visa will no longer have to pay a fee. The fee waiver applies to tourist, medical, and medical attendent visas. Previously a tourist visa would cost FJ$230, and a medical or attendant visa would cost FJ$185 for up to six months. All other visa fees for Fijian nationals will remain unchanged. UN ENVIRONMENT MEETING Pacific leaders are speaking at a UN environment meeting in Bangkok this month. The Committee on Environment and Development is a subsidiary body of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). In attendance from the region will be the climate change ministers of Fiji - Lynda Tabuya; Solomon Islands, Wayne Ghemu; and Tuvalu, Maina Talia. The ninth session of the committee started 1 July. (Source: RNZ Pacific) Section: Regional Tags: PACIFIC NEWS BRIEFS
2026-07-06 16:48:04