Pacific news in brief for 15 August
Community leaders from Vanuatu and Solomon Islands have committed to establish a transboundary marine protected area in their shared ocean space.
The Solomon Star reported President of Torba Province, Edgar Haward, saying Torba was honored to host Temotu, its neighbor across national solwara borders.
The proposed protected area aims to ensure total recovery of marine ecosystems, strengthen food and nutrition security, and open new opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
The provinces will seek support from the Melanesian Spearhead Group to advance the initiative.
The formal legal declaration will be made at the PIF Leaders' Summit.
American Samoa - dengue
American Samoa is reporting a number of its cases of dengue fever are linked to recent travel to neighbouring Samoa.
Territorial epidemiologist, Adam Konrote said as of 8 August, the territory reported 34 lab-confirmed cases.
"Of these, 26 cases are travel-associated, primarily linked to recent travel to western Samoa," he said.
"Eight cases have been confirmed to be locally acquired."
Konrote said Tafuna is the village with the most confirmed cases.
Samoa has reported nearly 8000 clinically diagnosed cases of the disease and six deaths.
New Caledonia/Australia - travel
Australia's government is advising travellers to New Caledonia to exercise "a high degree of caution".
This comes more than a year after violence broke out in Noumea over a proposal by the French state to change voter eligibility.
That proposal was eventually abandoned.
Australia's 'smart traveller' site warns that there's still a high police and security presence in country, and isolated security incidents may occur across the territory.
Tonga - election
Tonga's parliament has wrapped up its session, ushering in a three-month campaign period for November's general election.
Bills passed in the session included the Personal Health Information Protection Bill, and the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Bill.
Parliament is set to reconvene in October to formally close the session before the election.
Talanoa 'o Tonga reported many of the current members are expected to run.
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20 hours ago
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Budget eats: Discover culinary gems on the French and Italian Rivieras
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Your unmissable stop in this port city should, however, be La Boite a Sardine, its quirky interior furnished with fishing memorabilia, from life jackets to buoys, shelves piled with tinned fish cans. Here, the owner talks you through the daily changing chalkboard menu (in English if you prefer): super fresh plates of marinated anchovies in golden olive oil and stuffed butterflied sardines with fresh sourdough are just €7 a pop. The manager at La Boite a Sardine discussing the menu. Photo / Stephen Emms When evening rolls in, hit relaxed craft beer bar Les Berthom, which serves local pilsner for €4 and oozing croque-monsieur for €9. A final tip: swap Michelin-recommended Sepia (although its €57 three-course menu is worth it if you have the cash) for its adjoining bar Julis, a guinguette offering cheaper tapas alongside phenomenal sea and city views. Don't miss the specialty sardines in La Boite a Sardine. Photo / Stephen Emms Nice If you're as penny-pinching in this famed southern French resort as we were, head straight to the outdoor market at Cours Saleya in Vieux Nice, open every day except Monday, and renowned for local products like olive oils and pistou. Two must-try specialities, cooked over a wood fire, are pissaladière, a delicious flatbread stuffed with olives, onions and anchovy, and socca, flat chickpea pancakes. Both can be bought at the legendary Chez Theresa, a stall trading since 1925, for about €3 (it also does a signature chard pie). Warning: the queue moves slowly at weekends. Enjoy a day out at Cours Saleya. Photo / Stephen Emms Grab the freshest snacks at the market. Photo / Stephen Emms For a vibrant dinner, try Berco in the winding cobbled streets of the old town where, if you can bag a table, small plates hover at about €6. If it has to be the palm tree-lined promenade, hip hangout Babel Babel serves iconic local specialty, panisse (chickpea fritters) at €6. Dine at Berco for a cheap, but filling dinner. Photo / Stephen Emms Take your food for a picnic by the beach. Photo / Stephen Emms Sanremo One train journey along the cerulean sea later, and Sanremo is just over the border into Italy, its steep old town known as the 'pinecone' and topped with a highly photogenic 18th-century church. Food-wise, the best bargains are to be had at city institution La Tavernetta, which dates back to 1950 and serves sardenaira (the Ligurian version of pissaladière with anchovies, local olives, garlic cloves and capers), or focaccia formaggio for €1.20, while coffee is a humble euro and, during aperitivo hour, an ice-cold glass of wine or frizzante is just €1.50. La Tavernetta is a city institution, one you should not skip. Photo / Stephen Emms Try a variety of breads for cheap at La Tavernetta. 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NZ Herald
a day ago
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Trump seeks US-Russia-Ukraine summit after Putin meeting fails to secure ceasefire
'If all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin. Potentially, millions of people's lives will be saved.' [L-R] US President Donald Trump, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Photo collage / AFP After the summit, Trump spoke first with Zelenskyy, the White House said. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen later joined the call, officials said. The European leaders, who had been wary of being left out of the Alaska meeting, held their own talks on Saturday and said they supported the proposed three-way summit. 'We are also ready to work with President Trump and President Zelenskyy towards a trilateral summit with European support,' they said in a joint statement that added that pressure must be maintained on Russia. 'As long as the killing in Ukraine continues, we stand ready to uphold the pressure on Russia. We will continue to strengthen sanctions and wider economic measures to put pressure on Russia's war economy until there is a just and lasting peace,' they said. Russia could not have a 'veto' on Ukraine joining the European Union or Nato, they added. Today, following a conversation with President Trump, we further coordinated positions with European leaders. The positions are clear. A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions. Killings must stop as soon as… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 16, 2025 The war, which has killed tens of thousands and devastated much of Ukraine, went on despite the summit. Ukraine announced that Russia had launched 85 attack drones and a ballistic missile during the night. Russia said it had taken two more villages in Ukraine. Zelenskyy said Trump had laid out the 'main points' of the summit and that he would go to the White House on Monday 'to discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war'. Trump and Putin emerged from their talks at a Cold War era air base to offer warm words at a press briefing but took no questions from reporters. 'We're not there yet, but we've made progress. There's no deal until there's a deal,' Trump said. He called the meeting 'extremely productive' with 'many points' agreed, but did not offer specifics. 'There are just a very few that are left, some are not that significant, one is probably the most significant,' Trump said without elaborating. Trump muses second meeting, Putin says 'next time in Moscow' Putin also spoke in general terms of co-operation at the joint press appearance that lasted just 12 minutes. 'We hope that the understanding we have reached will... pave the way for peace in Ukraine,' Putin said. As Trump mused about a second meeting, Putin smiled and said in English: 'Next time in Moscow'. The former KGB agent tried to flatter Trump, who has voiced admiration for the Russian leader in the past. Before the summit, Trump had warned of 'severe consequences' if Russia did not accept a ceasefire. But when asked about those consequences during a Fox News interview after the talks, Trump said that 'because of what happened today, I think I don't have to think about that now.' Putin warns Western allies Trump, whose tone with Zelensky has changed since he berated the Ukrainian President at the White House in February, told Fox that 'now it's really up to President Zelenskyy to get it done'. Trump could not get Russian agreement to get Zelensky into Friday's talks. But Zelenskyy, who has rejected suggestions that Ukraine give up territory, said Saturday that he supported the American efforts. 'It is important that America's strength has an impact on the development of the situation,' he said. Putin warned Ukraine and European countries to 'not create any obstacles' and not 'make attempts to disrupt this emerging progress through provocation or behind-the-scenes intrigues'. Russia in recent days has made battlefield gains that could strengthen Putin's hand in any ceasefire negotiations. Although Ukraine announced as Putin was flying in that it had retaken several villages, Russia's army on Saturday claimed the capture of Kolodyazi in Ukraine's Donetsk region and Vorone in the neighbouring Dnipropetrovsk region. - Agence France-Presse
Scoop
2 days ago
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Pacific news in brief for 15 August
Solomon Islands - marine Community leaders from Vanuatu and Solomon Islands have committed to establish a transboundary marine protected area in their shared ocean space. The Solomon Star reported President of Torba Province, Edgar Haward, saying Torba was honored to host Temotu, its neighbor across national solwara borders. The proposed protected area aims to ensure total recovery of marine ecosystems, strengthen food and nutrition security, and open new opportunities for sustainable livelihoods. The provinces will seek support from the Melanesian Spearhead Group to advance the initiative. The formal legal declaration will be made at the PIF Leaders' Summit. American Samoa - dengue American Samoa is reporting a number of its cases of dengue fever are linked to recent travel to neighbouring Samoa. Territorial epidemiologist, Adam Konrote said as of 8 August, the territory reported 34 lab-confirmed cases. "Of these, 26 cases are travel-associated, primarily linked to recent travel to western Samoa," he said. "Eight cases have been confirmed to be locally acquired." Konrote said Tafuna is the village with the most confirmed cases. Samoa has reported nearly 8000 clinically diagnosed cases of the disease and six deaths. New Caledonia/Australia - travel Australia's government is advising travellers to New Caledonia to exercise "a high degree of caution". This comes more than a year after violence broke out in Noumea over a proposal by the French state to change voter eligibility. That proposal was eventually abandoned. Australia's 'smart traveller' site warns that there's still a high police and security presence in country, and isolated security incidents may occur across the territory. Tonga - election Tonga's parliament has wrapped up its session, ushering in a three-month campaign period for November's general election. Bills passed in the session included the Personal Health Information Protection Bill, and the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Bill. Parliament is set to reconvene in October to formally close the session before the election. Talanoa 'o Tonga reported many of the current members are expected to run.
