Samoa Prime Minister says Sunday ban under state of emergency needs proper law.
Samoa's Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, has responded to criticism of her government lifting the Sunday trade ban.
All main and small markets can now reopen for business from 4am to 9am in the morning.
The prime minister told reporters after a cabinet meeting that the Sunday ban was introduced by the previous government under the Covid-19 State of Emergency but it needs a proper law.
"I think that is something that needs to be a dedicated law, I think it's something that we need a discussion on in the country because no one had discussion about Sunday banning, it was all part of the protection for Covid."
She said the reopening of swimming on Sundays as well, will give the local tourism industry some space to earn money from domestic tourists because the lockdown of borders has prevented overseas visitors coming in.
Niue's Richard Hipa undergoes emergency surgery in Auckland
Niuean MP and former leading civil servant, Richard Hipa, underwent emergency surgery in Auckland on Thursday.
Mr Hipa was airlifted to Auckland on an RNZAF Hercules on Thursday.
The Broadcasting Corporation of Niue reports Mr Hipa's son Aldric saying his father's condition fluctuated on the flight and he went into cardiac arrest.
He was transported to Auckland City Hospital where he underwent surgery, with surgeons telling the family that that was successful.
Fiji govt confirms the priority groups for the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.
The Fijian government has confirmed the priority groups for the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine for those living in Viti Levu.
They include pregnant women, individuals aged 60 years and above and people with comorbid issues.
Also included in the priority group are people with rheumatic heart disease, HIV infection and people with disabilities.
Individuals receiving the Moderna vaccine must present antenatal care clinic cards, Special Out-Patient Department clinic cards or medical certificate to prove the medical condition at the vaccination centre before getting vaccinated.
The vaccines will be available at all Covid-19 vaccination sites.
Refugee family pleads for freedom in Darwin after 8 years of detention by Australia
The last refugee family being held in a hotel in Darwin, is sleeping in the yard of their compound, in protest at their continued detention.
The Maghames family of four was flown from Nauru to Australia in February last year for medical treatment, which they haven't received.
The Refugee Action Coalition's Ian Rintoul says they had been promised that after treatment they would be released into the community in Australia.
He says they now find themselves as the last family being held in Darwin with no explanation from the Morrison Government.
"The Maghames family - they're still in detention for no explicable reason. There's nothing distinctive about their position compared to others who were transferred by the government - the government can't blame medivac legislation. They went to these people after the medivac legislation was repealed and quite deliberately transferred them for medical treatment from Nauru to Australia," Mr Rintoul said.
New police patrol boat for Kiribati
The new generation of Guardian Class Patrol boat being rolled out across the Pacific by Australia as part of strengthening regional maritime security. Photo: Austal
Kiribati is the latest recipient of a new police patrol boat donated by Australia.
The Kiribati Newsroom reports the RKS Teanoai II arrived in Kiribati waters this week after a long journey from Western Australia through Cairns and Solomon Islands.
It replaces its predecessor, also called Teanoai, which was also gifted by Australia, under the original Pacific Patrol Boat Programme between 1987 and 1997.
Australia has progressively been replacing those vessels with 19 larger and more capable Guardian-class Patrol Boats, which are going to 12 Pacific states.
RKS Teanoai II is now off Tarawa where the crew are expected to spend at least two weeks in quarantine, before an official welcome.
CNMI decides to extend travel incentive
The Northern Marianas has decided to extend its travel incentive plan to December to allow more time for promotion in South Korea to set in.
The travel investment resumption plan provides subsidies to airlines, hotels, travel agencies, and related businesses to help sustain efforts to revive the CNMI's tourism industry.
The program started in July and was suppose to last just eight weeks or only until about September.
The Marianas Visitors Authority said the decision to extend it is a result of the growing number of vaccinations in Korea, an anticipated demand for travel during a national holiday in September, and interest expressed by other airlines to fly to the CNMI.
Kava farming in remote South Guadalcanal grows
The Solomon Islands Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has noted huge involvement of communities in kava farming in the remote South Guadalcanal in 2021 compared to 2018.
A team from the Guadalcanal Province Extension office toured the region between the 8th to the 18th of July on a kava follow-up and processing demonstration mission and recorded the increase.
Team leader and Chief Field Officer for Guadalcanal Joseph Wotomaru said his team visited six wards in the region and saw a huge increase of 52 per cent.
In 2018 there was a record total of just over 48,000 kava plants being planted.
However, the recent data shows an increase of 101,165 kava planted which is approximately 50.6 hectare of kava being planted to date.
Tonga Police continue investigations into cocaine haul
Tonga police investigations continue into a massive cocaine haul in the Kingdom
12 people have been charged over a haul of more than 14 kilogrammes of cocaine, with an estimated street value of over 2.2 million US dollars, found on beaches in Vava'u
Police said the first packets of cocaine were handed over to officers in July, after being washed up on Vava'u beaches triggering a large search operation, on the outer island.
Police arrested a number of locals in relation to the find and they remain in police custody.
Matangi Tonga reported their cases are also expected to be called on August 17th, at the lower court.
On August 2nd, Tonga Police also arrested three foreign nationals and seized almost 7kg of cocaine at a rented residence in Houmelei, in Neiafu.
They were detained in police custody but have since been released with strict bail conditions.
Possible execution of PNG death row prisoners closer
As soon as the Papua New Guinea has decided on a mode of execution those prisoners on death row can have their sentences carried out.
That's according to the PNG Correctional Services commissioner, Stephen Pokanis, who says the executions could proceed soon after the Government sets up a committee to establish what mode of execution will be used.
The Post Courier reported his comments follow a court decision last week in which a five-man bench quashed a National Court temporary order that had stayed the prisoners' death sentences.
Mr Pokanis said initially 26 prisoners, convicted of multiple murders, had been sentenced to death.
But only 15 remain in custody after three died, four escaped, two were released on appeal, and another two had their sentences reduced on appeal.