Pacific Islands Forum secretary general, Henry Puna. Photo: Forumsec
Indonesia's Covid-19 numbers rise sharply
The death toll from Covid-19 is rising sharply in Indonesia along with the number of confirmed cases.
There are 991 reported new deaths, and more than 54-thousand cases in one day, taking the total to over 2.6 million.
So far just under 70-thousand people are reported to have died in Indonesia from the virus.
The Health Ministry said the highly contagious Delta variant has spread to 11 areas outside the main island of Java.
FAST has 26 seats to HRPP's 17
In Samoa's latest electoral petition hearing for the Vaisigano No. 1 seat, both candidates have been cleared of corruption.
The court has found that neither the caretaker HRPP Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Lopao'o Natanielu Mua or Niuava Eti Malolo from election night FAST party winner, were guilty of bribery.
Niuava maintains his seat and Lopao'o is free to contest further elections.
FAST has 26 seats to HRPP's 17 with eight by-elections to be contested by both parties.
PIF Secretary General hopes dialogue can heal rift
The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Henry Puna, says it's no fun being the cause of a rift in the organisation, but he hopes dialogue can heal it.
Earlier this year Mr Puna, who had been Cook Islands prime minister, got the job ahead of the Marshall Island's candidate, Gerald Zackios.
This prompted the five Micronesian member countries to say they would leave the Forum because they expected the role to go to their candidate.
Groups within the Forum are currently trying to resolve the rift and Mr Puna said, while he is not involved, he puts great store in people talking through problems to resolve them.
"All we need is to sit down, listen to the others point of view, likewise we share ours and see where we can compromise or we might be able to zero in on an agreement to our problem."
Pacific economic ministers seek debt relief
Pacific Island countries are seeking debt relief as their economies continue to suffer due to the effects of the pandemic.
Debt relief was high on the agenda during a virtual meeting of Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers.
Tuvalu's Minister of Finance Seve Paeniu says strains caused by Covid-19 have left some governments struggling to provide basic and essential services.
Some coiuntries have borrowed heavily, and Mr Paeniu told Reuters a meeting with creditors will be sought to secure financial assistance
The Asian Development Bank earlier this year said more than one million people in the Pacific could fall into extreme poverty as a result of Covid-19.
Vanuatu passports become the travel documents of choice
Vanuatu passports have become the travel documents of choice for some of the world's criminal elite.
The Guardian reports that since 2020, two-thousand people have purchased citizenship for the Melanesian country at a cost $US130,000 each.
The $US260-million windfall has brought the country new citizens including South African bitcoin thieves, a murder accessory, and another accused of extorting the Vatican.
Others who have purchased passports with visa-free access to Europe and the UK are a Syrian businessman sanctioned by the US, a suspected North Korean politician, and a former member of a notorious Australian motorcycle gang.
Cook Islands police blame Covid-19 for delay in renewing MOU with the nation's only Women's Counselling Centre.
Cook Islands police have blamed Covid-19 impacts and staffing changes for lengthy delays to a renewal of a memorandum of understanding with the nation's only Women's Counselling Centre.
The police have responded to the communication breakdown with Punanga Tauturu, which has been urging them to re-join forces for almost two years.
Instead of men going straight to court, the group want to lead more early prevention and ask police to refer domestic violence survivors to them.
Cook Islands police spokesperson Trevor Pitt said it's been an issue for the past few years due to staffing changes, but more co-operative work with Punanga Tauturu is on the agenda.