Nadi International Airport in Fiji. Photo: Supplied/Fiji Airports
Fiji tightens up international border conditions
Fiji has strengthened its conditions for entry for all travellers from red list countries.
The Government says this move is in response to the threat of the new Covid-19 Omicron variant.
South Africa, Botswana, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel are all Fiji's red list countries.
Despite Australia confirming its first cases of the strain on Monday, it is not on Fiji's red list.
Fiji opens to fully vaccinated tourists from Australia and the US tomorrow - the first time since Covid-19 closed its borders almost two years ago.
Micronesia receives pandemic donation from China
The Federated States of Micronesia has received a donation of 150,000 US dollars for its Covid-19 response from China.
A statement from the office of Micronesia's government says the donation comes as a result of the first-ever China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers Meeting held a month ago.
According to the government the donation will be used to purchase necessary medical supplies and equipment.
It says this is the fourth direct cash donation to Micronesia from China over the course of the pandemic.
Samoa mourns Patu Tiava'asu'e Falefatu Sapolu
Tributes are flowing in after the death of Samoa's longest serving Chief Justice, Patu Tiava'asu'e Falefatu Sapolu.
Aged 71, he had recently returned from New Zealand where he was undergoing treatment.
Patu was appointed Attorney General in 1988 and became the second Samoan to be appointed Chief Justice in 1992.
He served until his retirement in 2019.
He was nominated as a HRPP candidate for this year's election but withdrew for medical reasons.
Tahiti's Flosse to run for French Assembly seat
French Polynesia's veteran politician Gaston Flosse says he will run in next year's election for a seat in the French National Assembly.
Flosse was forced out of office in 2014 over a corruption conviction after serving as president and French senator.
He has been ineligible for public office since then but can stand again next year if France's highest court won't uphold last year's conviction in another public fund abuse case.
Flosse, who is 90, and president Edouard Fritch were both fined and ordered to jointly settle a bill of $US820,000.
It is not known when the Paris court will make its ruling.
Jesus wept in Samoa
There are reports that a painting of Jesus Christ at a resthome in Samoa has been weeping.
The Samoa Observer said witnesses saw the painting of Christ weeping water and blood once a resident, Monsignor Joe Stowers, experienced severe pain on Friday night and the weeping stopped when he died on Sunday morning.
The image of Jesus Christ was in the room of Brother Monsignor at the Home of the Elderly at Mapuifagalele
Brother Vincent James Dominica-Rosario said the painting filled up some cups placed under the painting.
Brother Rosario told the Observer he believed the weeping was a sign that Brother Monsignor is a saint.