Fiji

Fiji's Health Ministry said it was closely monitoring the outbreak, which has already moved to Samoa and Tonga.

The ministry is also rolling out training for health workers and urging the public to ensure children are vaccinated before going overseas, especially to New Zealand, Samoa, or Tonga.

"Outbreaks around the world, including in neighboring countries, puts us at risk of having travel related cases of measles," the ministry said in a statement Friday.

Villagers should refrain from diving and fishing in coastal waters following reports of submarine rumblings and what sounded like explosions, the NDMO said.

People should also avoid the mountain's slopes, the office said, describing the situation as "high-risk".

The NDMO and the Mineral Resources Department were despatching an assessment team to the area today, a spokesperson said.

A full media briefing is expected later today.

The warning follows a magnitude 5.1 quake in the area on Sunday, which has been followed by multiple aftershocks.

Fiji were the last Pacific side to reach the quarter finals in 2007 and bowed out of contention at the current tournament with a narrow defeat by Japan on Wednesday.

Between the end of the 2015 Rugby World Cup and the start of the current tournament Fiji played eight tests against so-called tier one nations, winning three and losing five.

That included victory over France in Paris last year which lifted the Flying Fijians to a best ever eighth place in the world rankings.

With only three other teams in the pool, Vanuatu didn’t need extra motivation as they displayed a clinical performance, putting 8 goals past Tonga to follow up on their opening win and secure a spot in the play-off with full match points from two matches.

The Etienne Mermer coached  side were rewarded in the 28th minute with Bong Kalo putting Vanuatu in front with a nice finish in the box.

Kalo followed up with his second, a minute later in a similar style, before Jonathan SpokeyJack connected a cross from Bethuel Ollie for an early three goal lead two minutes later.

The South Americans, mostly amateurs, led 21-12 at halftime on the back of converted tries from halfback Santiago Arata, number eight Manuel Diana and centre Juan Manuel Cat as well as a penalty from Felipe Berchesi.

First five Berchesi kicked two more penalties in the second half to keep the scoreboard ticking over as the Fijians fought to get back in the game and Los Teros held on to claim their third victory in 12 World Cup matches.

Cheika hit out at his Fiji counterparts and claimed they were insincere in referring Hodge’s tackle after Saturday’s game in Sapporo which has resulted in a citing and a judicial hearing in Tokyo on a day still to be determined.

The first-half tackle prevented a possible try for Fiji and left flanker Peceli Yato concussed.

Fiji players immediately asked for the television match official to review the tackle. The TMO concurred with the referee and his assistant that the tackle did not even warrant a penalty.

The visit by the multi-rotor Ospreys is a first for Fiji.

The Fiji Times reported the unusual aircraft touched down at Nadi International Airport on Tuesday.

A US Embassy official in Suva said the aircraft are destined for Australia and are not part of any operation in the Pacific.

Yesterday a man named as Muhammad Rheesh Isoof appeared in the Nadi Magistrates Court facing five murder charges for the deaths of Nirmal Kumar, his wife Usha Devi, their daughter Nileshni Kajal and her two daughters Sanah and Samarah Singh.

He also faced an attempted murder charge relating to the one-year-old baby cousin of the two dead girls.

A freelance reporter in Fiji, Lice Movono, said rumours of witchcraft circulating since the discovery of the dead family three weeks ago in the Nausori Highlands, can now be put aside as the case reveals more information.

Just weeks after levelling fierce criticism at Scott Morrison, Mr Bainimarama also played down the differences between the two leaders.

AAP reports the two prime ministers signed the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership, aimed at strengthening security and economic ties.

The Fiji leader recently accused Australia of being insulting over negotiations about climate change at the Pacific Islands Forum. He even told media that he had been mistaken in his earlier belief that Mr Morrison was his friend.

The tournament aims to encourage equal opportunities for Women’s rugby and Deaf rugby across the Pacific region and beyond.

In a statement, Oceania Rugby Competitions Manager Wayne Schuster said they are excited about the inclusion of the Oceania Rugby Deaf tournament.

The category will feature International Deaf teams from Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa.

The Canadian Women’s team and the Japan SDS Men’s and Women’s team will feature in this year’s format including Oceania’s Vanuatu Women’s team, who will feature in their first international rugby outing.