Unexploded bombs being detonated in Solomon Islands today
Solomon Islands police have notified residents at Hells Point in the Alligator Creek area east of Honiara that they will be exploding bombs through to 2pm local time today.
Unexploded ordnance being detonated at Hells Point in 2019 Photo: Solomon Islands Police
They warn fishermen, farmers, hunters and the general public in the Henderson area, Alligator Creek and Tenaru School areas are kindly warned to keep away from Hells Point while the operation is in progress.
Inspector Clifford Tunmuki says this is a normal task aimed to reduce the number of unexploded ordnances stored at the site.
He says air traffic control at Honiara International Airport will coordinate the detonation.
CNMI still to attain herd immunity
The Northern Marianas says despite high levels of vaccination against Covid-19 herd immunity has not been attained yet.
The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation's chief executive officer Esther Muña says to do so 80 to 85 percent of the eligible population has to be fully vaccinated.
As of the beginning of this week, 63.5 percent have been fully vaccinated.
Samoa Sevens team denied entry to Samoa after not meeting covid protocols
The entire Manu Samoa Sevens team is among a group of 72 people who were denied travel to Samoa on a repatriation flight from New Zealand last Friday.
Samoa media reports everyone denied travel did not meet the Ministry of Health Covid-19 requirements.
The Manu Samoa Sevens were on their way home after failing to qualify for the Olympic Games at the Monaco Sevens tournament last week.
Because they were in Europe and had travelled back through several other covid affected countries they must go through a mandatory 21 day quarantine period in New Zealand.
The report says 202 of 280 passengers were able to make the flight and are now in quarantine at MOH approved sites.
Cooks MP warns against rash tree pruning
A Cook Islands opposition MP says a number of trees in Rarotonga have been "carelessly hacked at".
Nooroa Baker, who also runs an arborist business, has shared his disappointment in Parliament at the pruning of trees by Infrastructure Cook Islands.
He says they have little chance of ever growing back due to the way they have been cut.
Nine trees were cut outside the Sinai Hall in Avarua and even more in Matareva earlier this year.
Cook Islands News reports residents have long been concerned with the cutting down of the treasured toa species.