Tahiti

The march by residents of Mataiea was held despite a statement by the government of Edouard Fritch in February that its deal with the Americans had become void.

The demonstrators, who included local fishermen and families, are opposed to building the islands in the Atimaono lagoon, saying the area is their food source.

The government said its agreement with the Seasteading Institute was not a legal document and that it expired at the end of 2017.

It also said it hoped that this would end the debate about the floating islands.

After weeks of campaigning and preparations, just over 6300 players gathered at a Papeete stadium for the performance.

This was short of the target of 10,000, and the record held by Hong Kong, where more than 8000 people took part.

Three years ago, 4750 participants jointly played at the ukulele festival in Tahiti to make it into Guinness Book of Records.

The song Te ra mai te tiare had been chosen for the latest challenge.

Three years ago, 4750 participants jointly played at ukulele festival in Papeete to make it into Guinness Book of Records.

Being dethroned by 8000 players in Hong Kong, Tahiti now wants to bring together 10,000 ukulele players on 24 February.

The song Te ra mai te tiare has been chosen for the challenge, with Tahiti Nui TV broadcasting a tutorial to help with practice.

The event is being organised by a range of institutions.

The suspension was unanimously agreed by the Pacific Games Council's General Assembly during a meeting in Port Vila yesterday.

In a statement, the Council said French Polynesia's government had interfered in the autonomy and independence of sporting associations, which culminated in its decision to boycott the 2017 Mini Games in Vanuatu.

Sevens was to be one of two sports featuring Tahitian athletes in Port Vila, after the French Polynesian government opted to boycott the event and not support the team.

Pacific Games Council CEO Andrew Minogue said they were expecting the team to arrive in Vanuatu on Thursday before being informed they weren't coming at all.

Their detention is the latest following a series of recent police operations intercepting huge quantities of drugs on yachts.

In all cases the suspects have been transferred to France, but this time the suspects - two Dutchmen and a Pole - will face the court in French Polynesia.

The three arrived in a catamaran in Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas islands from Costa Rica.

The prosecutor said the men said they didn't know they had 500 kilogrammes of cocaine on board.

He said the drugs were probably destined for the Australian market.

The Cook Islands finance minister Mark Brown said the initiative was part of the One Polynesia approach of doing business to ease financial burdens on Polynesian countries.

RNZI reports Air Rarotonga's managing director Ewan Smith said east-west regional air links across the South Pacific had been the subject of recurring discussion ever since the demise of the so-called Coral Route linking Tahiti, the Cook Islands and Fiji early in the last decade.

The French territory is competing with Samoa and Guam for the right to stage the event in two years time, after Tonga pulled out because of a lack of government support.

Tahiti previously hosted the Games in Papeete in 1971 and 1995 but lost out to Tonga and Solomon Islands in the original bidding process for 2019 and 2023.

The President of the Tahiti Olympic Committee, Tauhiti Nena, said all of the national sporting federations are on board but they still need to persuade the government to come to the party.

Samoa’s eager attackers pushed the opposing back line to their limit before defender Sina Sataraka finally fired the ball into the back of the net from outside the penalty box in the 12th minute to put her side ahead.

The hosts earned a second goal in the 32nd minute when Madeleen Ah Ki met a corner kick at back post but the game leveled out for the remainder of the half as a tired and satisfied Samoa switched to a more defensive game.

In wet and windy conditions, the French territory scored two unanswered tries and kept the Cookies scoreless in the second half.

The test was marred by ill-discipline, with Tahiti prop Martin Taeae, winger James Tekurio and Cook Islands centre Samuela Longo Leuta sent off amid a flurry of eight cards.

President of Tahiti Rugby Union, Charles Tauziet, claimed the "underdog" tag prior to kick-off but said the visitors ultimately won the game up front.