The people of Kiribati celebrated the 45th anniversary of independence from the United Kingdom on 12 July 1979; the government planned a three-week programme with sporting events, singing and beauty contests

Ruth Cross Kwansing, one of the 18 women candidates out of 114 vying for one of the 44 parliamentary seats up for grabs in Kiribati's national elections, believes that 'government inefficiencies' have prevented an improvement in citizens' living standards

A recycling operation for used lead batteries in Kiribati, which removed 7000 tonnes of toxic waste from the island over a 20-year period, could be replicated and used in other Pacific nations to manage hazardous waste

Nepal and Kiribati established diplomatic relations and the ambassadors exchanged views on various issues of common interest to strengthen bilateral cooperation in national and international fora