Man dies in quarantine in the CNMI
A man has died while in quarantine at the former Mariana Resort & Spa Saipan and the case is being investigated.
The Department of Public Safety said a 22-year-old male, who was a resident of Guam and had arrived on Saipan last week, died while in quarantine.
No other details are available.
There have been 95 new cases of Covid-19 reported in the Northern Marianas, taking the total of positive cases to 787.
The new cases follow a pattern of double-digit increases of Covid-19 infections in the last few days.
The Commonwealth Health Corporation reports that there are 355 active cases right now and four are in hospital.
PNG keeping a watch on Covid-19 strain Omicron
Papua New Guinea is keeping watch on the new emerging Covid-19 strain Omicron.
PNG's Covid-19 National Pandemic Response controller David Manning said PNG government is prepared to deploy a rapid response to the new variant with lessons learned from the recent spread of the Delta variant.
Mr Manning said it's impossible to keep new strains of Covid-19 out of any country and it's a matter of how long a new variant can be kept out and using this time to prepare.
He said the WHO and other leading bodies are unable to provide clear guidance, which is a concern for many developing countries, while there has been a range of different responses by developed economies.
Ni-Vanuatu students in New Caledonia still waiting for government allowances
Ten ni-Vanuatu students studying at the University of New Caledonia have sought shelter at a nunnery in the Saint Louis area since last week.
Tony Wright, a former Port Vila MP who is in New Caledonia, said the students cannot stay at the campus because of outstanding bills.
Mr Wright said according to reports he's received, the students haven't been paid their allowances for November.
He said some ni-Vanuatu communities in New Caledonia have been fund raising to assist them.
The nuns said they are happy to house the students.
Last week marked the end of the study year but the students are unable to return to Port Vila because the borders is closed due to the pandemic.
New Caledonia is expected to open its borders starting from 19th of December.
Fiji Football plans are underway to produce results at the World Cup qualifiers next year
Plans are underway for Fiji Football to produce results at the World Cup qualifiers next year, after the preliminary draw was announced earlier this week.
Fiji have been named in Group B alongside New Caledonia and the 2016 OFC Nations Cup finalists Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.
Fiji's national football coach, Flemming Serritslev, said despite being up against some tough competition, he's confident they can do well.
He said now they can study their opponents and strategically map out what they need to do to perform at their best.
All matches will take place in Qatar from 14 to 30 March 2022.
Samoa police on standby to send peacekeeping forces to Solomon Islands
Samoa Police are on standby to send personnel to assist peacekeeping forces in the Solomon Islands after days of rioting in Honiara.
TV1Samoa reports Acting Commissioner Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo said so far there has not been any request for help but they are ready to help.
Samoan police headquarters in Apia Photo: RNZI/Sally Round
Since the rioting and looting started last week, Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea have sent troops to help keep the peace there.
Auapa'au said under the RAMSI project, more than 300 Samoan Police had been deployed to help in Honiara and other areas of the Solomons.
Samoa Ministry of Health amends covid-19 testing for travellers arriving from Fiji
The Samoa Ministry of Health has amended its covid-19 testing requirements to allow for travellers arriving from Fiji.
A repatriation flight is scheduled from Fiji to Samoa on December 9 bringing home students as well as Samoans working in Fiji.
Samoa's Ministry of Health issued an advisory Tuesday night saying travellers from Fiji to Samoa are no longer required to have the previously mandatory blood serology for Covid-19 antibody test done in Fiji before travel.
The advisory said all passengers with a legitimate vaccination certificate are exempt from blood serology, but a legitimate vaccination certificate must be presented to board the flight.
Vanuatu Supreme Court fines Minister of Justice and Community Services
The Vanuatu Supreme Court has fined the Minister of Justice and Community Services, Esmon Saimon, $US6,132 for breaches of the Leadership Code.
Judge Oliver Saksak also ordered the Minister to pay another US$88 for breaching the Road Traffic (Control) Act.
He has also been given 100 hours of community work.
The court had heard Saimon refused to stop for police when driving his ministerial car in December 2020.
He pleaded guilty to the offence in October.
Justice Saksak said Saimon had also been a church elder at the time of the offence but resigned when the charges were brought against him.
Samoa's Justice Vui Clarence Nelson to be sworn in as a Senior Supreme Court Judge
Vui Clarence Nelson was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2006.
He was first appointed as a Judge to the District Court in 2000.
The swearing in ceremony will be held at Vailele, the residence of the Head of State, his Highness Tuinalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvai II.
Samoa's acting Chief Justice, Vui Clarence Nelson Photo: SPC
A graduate of St Joseph College, Justice Nelson is the first Pacific Island Judge to be appointed to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Justice Nelson was instrumental in seeing the passing of the Sex Offender Registry Act in 2018. He was also vocal against the move by the government to re-introduce corporal punishment after it was abolished in 2013.
In 2018 the Samoa Government introduced the use of reasonable force in schools under the Education Act 2009 in 2018.
