Samoan man charged with double murder; Namah says party members using violence will be dumped; Green Climate Fund says help is coming for Tonga and Nauru Covid numbers continue to soar
Samoan man charged with double murder
A man police believe shot dead a father and son on Savaii in Samoa has been charged with two counts of murder.
It happened at Fogapoa on Savaii on Thursday evening after a dispute over land escalated
Acting Police Commissioner Papalii Monalisa Keti said immediately after the shootings the accused man surrendered to police.
The dead man was in his 60s and his son was 18 years old.
Namah announces party members using violence will be dumped
The Papua New Guinea opposition leader, Belden Namah, has declared any MPs in his PNG Party who endorse or use violence will be disowned.
He is calling for the people to reject any political party or candidate which uses violent and illegal means to try and win.
The National newspaper reported there have already been 30 election-related deaths.
Mr Namah said he has instructed all his candidates to steer clear of illegal practices and foul play, including violence, during the elections.
Earlier this week the National Research Institute called on the government to do more to promote free and fair elections.
Included in its recommendations is a call for tougher penalties to stop candidates or their supporters from using violence and intimidation to win votes.
Nauru Covid numbers continue to soar
The number of active Covid-19 cases in Nauru has surpassed one-thousand, as the country faces its first outbreak in the community.
There are now 1048 known active community cases.
President Lionel Aingimea said one in every five people being tested is Covid positive.
Managed isolation facilities are full, people who test positive are advised to isolate at home.
Mr Aingimea has previously said the country will soon have to start living with the virus.
The Nauru Government is also offering a subsidy each evening to allow people with Digicel phones to use them more easily.
Green Climate Fund says help is coming for Tonga
The Green Climate Fund, which was set up to help developing countries cope with climate change, is promising more aid to Tonga.
Tonga's Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni and the executive director of the GCF, Yannick Glemarec, have met in Kigali in Rwanda ahead of the Commonwealth leaders meeting.
Hu'akavameiliku was seeking an update on possible funding from the body after Tonga suffered severe damage due to two recent cyclones, and a volcanic eruption and tsunami earlier this year.
The seafront section of the Royal Palace in Nuku'alofa is blanketed in ash and there's damage to the fence and grounds from the tsunami that followed the volcanic eruption on January 15. Photo: Matangi Tonga
Mr Glemarec said his agency is working on the latest Tonga proposal on coastal resilience and it may go to the board for consideration early 2023.
He also said the necessary support will be provided to develop other projects to help mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.
The prime minister expressed his hope the GCF would help his government build a more climate resilient Tonga.