This aerial image released by the US Geological Survey (USGS) from Civil Air Patrol on November 28, 2022, shows the lava on the northeast rift zone of Mauna Loa in Hawaii. - Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world, has erupted for the first time in nearly 40 years, US authorities said, as emergency crews went on alert early Monday. Photo: AFP PHOTO / US Geological Survey
Hawaii volcano erupts
The largest active volcano in the world, Hawaii's Mauna Loa, has erupted.
Local authorities say the eruption does not pose an immediate threat requiring evacuation, but have warned residents to be prepared if conditions change.
However Hawaii News Now reported an ashfall advisory had earlier been issued for Hawaii Island.
The volcano last erupted in 1984.
Mauna Loa is located on Hawaii's Big Island, the most southern of the archipelago, and home to more than 200,000 people.
PNG government is set to table its Budget today
The Papua New Guinea electoral commissioner Simon Sinai has submitted a budget of $US64 million for the local-level government elections next year.
The Post Courier quotes the commissioner saying the electoral roll needs to be corrected after the numerous mistakes during the general election in June and July.
This money he said would cover the rolls, polling and everything else associated with the election.
The PNG government is set to table its Budget today and significant allocations to the Electoral Commission are expected.
Fiji election will officially begin next week
The 2022 Fijian General Election will officially begin next Monday, December 5 with pre-polling.
Mohammed Saneem Photo: Fiji govt
Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem said the schedules for the pre-poll will be published on the Elections Office website on a daily basis and road signs have already been installed in areas where pre-polling will take place.
Pre-polling papers will be delivered by the election office.
"Postal ballots will be sent out. There are 9000 of them to be sent out, which we want to do in an orderly fashion. Here's the thing about the postal feature elections office itself will be delivering hundreds of postal ballots because we went to a lot of organizations and got those people to apply for a postal ballot."
Those in Fiji who will not be voting through pre-polling will take to the polling stations on December 14th.
Fiji nurses deployed to Tuvalu
Over the weekend, nurses from Fiji were deployed to Tuvalu, to enable Covid-19 and other vaccination programmes to continue.
During the current outbreak in Tuvalu, a total of 25,591 vaccine doses have been administered.
The World Health Organisation reports that from January 2020 to date there have been 2,828 confirmed cases of Covid-19 with zero deaths in the country.
French Polynesians encouraged to get Covid-19 booster shots
People in French Polynesia are being encouraged to get Covid-19 booster shots as reported infection numbers keep accelerating.
Within a week, there has been a doubling of cases and now six people are in hospital, which the authorities say confirms the emergence of a new wave.
They recommend social distancing, in particular for those most at risk, to help curb the spread of the virus.
They say only 22 percent of those over 60 have had a booster.
Last year when the territory was hit by an outbreak of the Delta variant, more than 600 people died, of whom more than 94 percent had not been vaccinated.
Private medical practices in New Caledonia to close doors for two days
Private medical practices in New Caledonia will be closed on Thursday and Friday as doctors express their concern about the future of the healthcare sector.
The doctors' professional body has repeatedly highlighted the growing lack of doctors but said there has been no response from the government, although it is aware of the problem.
One of the doctors said they don't understand this silence, and the incomprehension becomes anger.
The organisation's head said just as doctors defended the health of New Caledonians during the pandemic, they remain determined to remain at the service of the population.
The doctors say the malaise in the sector has led them to close their practices in the hope of their concerns finally being heard.
Members of two New Caledonian public sector unions strike
Members of two New Caledonian public sector unions went on strike (Monday) for higher pay in the face of inflation.
The action follows several unsuccessful meetings with the government, the latest last Friday.
The sector is traditionally granted the same indexed increase as in France, which in July saw a 3.5 percent hike, but now New Caledonia hasn't followed suit.
The union says it wants to find a way of being compensated for the loss of purchasing power because inflation has jumped by 5-point-2 percent, with an increase of about 40 percent in the cost of fuel and gas in two years.
The strike coincides with the arrival in Noumea of the French interior minister Gerald Darmanin.
No decision on whether Samoa govt will bring Toa Samoa players to Samoa
The Samoan government has yet to decide if it would help to bring the darlings of the recent Rugby League World Cup home to meet local supporters.
While there has been no official word from Rugby League Samoa, Deputy Prime Minister, Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio, told Radio Samoa that Cabinet is yet to discuss or formalise a decision on ensuring the rugby league heroes travel to Samoa.
The Samoa Observer reports Tuala saying they will discuss what they can do for their boys sometime soon.
He said some of these boys were born and raised overseas and they have been wanting to come home.
Czech Republic consulate established in Tonga.
A Czech Republic consulate has been established in Tonga.
It's the first time a diplomatic mission from the Czech Republic has been established on any Pacific Island nation.
Local Tongan businesswoman, Robina Nakao, has been appointed as the honorary consul.
Czech Ambassador to the Pacific Islands, Tomáš Dub, said his country wants to strengthen its relations in the Pacific Islands.
"Your country is a key country in the region and I'm glad that today's Europe and Pacific countries are finding a way to come together. Europe has now adapted its Indo-Pacific strategy and the Czech Republic has recently adapted its Pacific strategic plans too, so we have concrete plans as the consulate is open."
Former Samoa Cabinet Minister dies
A senior member of Samoa's Parliament Tapunuu Niko Lee Hang has passed away aged 68.
The former Cabinet Minister was a member of the Human Rights Protection Party.
He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in a by-election in December 2001 and has been in office in various roles since then.
