COVID-19 pandemic

The match was meant to take place in Apia in April but was postponed due to Covid-19.

A final date and venue is yet to be confirmed but RNZ Pacific understands the qualifying match will be held on November 14th at the 2021 World Cup venue Waitakere Stadium.

Tonga assistant coach, Sione Pulu, said their squad is excited to get back on the field again after a dramatic campaign which involved a measles outbreak, visa entry complications and a global pandemic. (links)

"I think we're still lucky it's going ahead," he said.

Thirlby said the positive test was a "shock" as she hadn't shown any symptons of coronavirus. She's now in self isolation.

All 16 players and other coaching staff and management have returned two negative COVID-19 tests.

The move is part of the latest changes to the nation's pandemic response and includes a lifting of the daily curfew in the capital Port Moresby.

Pandemic response controller, David Manning, said international flights are now open to Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Solomon Islands which are in addition to Australia which already has access.

Manning said passengers are still required to get approval from his office to travel to the country and must be able to show a negative test result for Covid-19 before being allowed on a flight.

Full detail of the new restrictions will be announced on Monday and will last for two weeks, the office of Prime Minister Jean Castex announced.

On Sunday France reported 12,565 cases of Covid-19.

It comes after the city of Marseille closed bars and restaurants last week.

The maximum alert level in France comes into force when the infection rate in a locality exceeds 250 per 100,000 people and at least 30% of intensive care beds are reserved for Covid-19 patients.

As first reported in the Sunday Times, the firm is writing to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to say the industry is now "unviable".

The firm says it has been hit by delays in the release of big-budget films, putting 5,500 jobs at risk.

The premiere of James Bond film No Time To Die has been postponed twice and is now due for release in April 2021.

It is hoped that the Cineworld cinemas will be able to reopen next year, with staff being asked to accept redundancy in the hope of rejoining the company when theatres open again.

People will be able to fly from New Zealand to New South Wales and the Northern Territory - and avoid mandatory quarantine - from 16 October.

The nations closed their borders in March in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Officials say the risks are now low enough to justify a "travel bubble".

"The establishment of a travel zone between Australia and New Zealand has been finalised," said Australian Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack.

The global pandemic has wreaked havoc on the domestic game in Aotearoa, with the national secondary schools and youth tournaments among a host of events to be cancelled.

Experienced administrator and rugby league agent, Jordan Friend, said the coronavirus has been devastating for the development of young players in New Zealand.

"Cancellations of these tournaments will affect players in terms of less exposure, but also mentally for kids not getting that opportunity," he said.

He added that there will be emphasis on measures to support the learning continuity of the most marginalized.

Tuilaepa made the remarks at the UNESCO-backed Global Education Coalition Event, which is a platform for collaboration and exchange to protect the right to education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the Government approved 18 million Tala as special assistance to support education, including early childhood education and 10 million tala for teachers.

Samoa was the first Pacific nation to respond to the global pandemic by closing its borders in March.

The nation’s current state of emergency orders still have international borders closed, with restrictions to opening hours for business including 7pm closure of shops and 10pm closure of bars and restaurants.

Sunday trading is prohibited with certain exceptions such as 3pm-7pm opening for shops and pharmacies.

Shipping lines and cargo vessels continue to bring in supplies and imported goods, under strict quarantine measures.

Samoa remains coronavirus-free.

After scientific warnings that deaths could soar without urgent action, Johnson stopped short of another full lockdown as he did in March but warned that further measures could come if the disease was not suppressed.

"We reserve the right to deploy greater firepower, with significantly greater restrictions," he told parliament following emergency meetings with ministers and leaders of the United Kingdom's devolved governments.

Just weeks after urging people to start returning to workplaces, Johnson advised office workers to stay at home if they could.