Tahiti

An estimated 2,500 people protested against a compulsory vaccination law in French Polynesia over the weekend. Lawmakers last month passed legislation making vaccination against Covid-19 compulsory for anyone dealing with the public and individuals deemed to be vulnerable. They have been given two months to be inoculated or risk a fine of $US1,700 and a suspension of their work contracts.

The Tahiti beach soccer team's World Cup journey has ended with a 5-4 extra time defeat by Japan in the quarter-finals. The Tiki Toa trailed inside five minutes in Moscow following an own goal from Teaonui Tehau. Shusei Yamauchi doubled Japan's lead from the penalty spot within 20 seconds and the Asian champions held a 2-0 lead after the first period.

Tahiti are a win away from the knockout rounds at the Beach Soccer World Cup after beating Spain 12-8 in their second group match in Moscow. Heimanu Taiarui gave the Tiki Toa an early lead with a long range effort after 69 seconds, before Javi equalised in the sixth minute with a stunning bicycle kick.

French Polynesia will tomorrow re-open its borders for quarantine-free travel. Such access will be allowed for vaccinated tourists arriving from the United States who have tested negative for Covid-19 no more than three days before departure. Air Tahiti Nui is relaunching its Los Angeles to Papeete service after a three-month break imposed by France as its pandemic worsened.

More than 100 employees of Air Tahiti have agreed to accept voluntary redundacy as French Polynesia's flag carrier grapples with the downturn in tourism. The carrier is to shed 13 pilots and 40 cabin crew as well as ground staff - six months after the airline suspended flights because of the Covid-19 outbreak. Air Tahiti Nui resumed flights to the US and France in July but services to Asia and New Zealand remain suspended.

French Polynesia may be linked to a cable planned between South America and Australia. The OPT telecommunications company said discussions were continuing with Chile to consider a hook-up for French Polynesia. Last month, reports suggested that the planned cable would be laid between Chile, New Zealand and Australia but bypassing French Polynesia. However, the OPT said a decision was not expected before December.

Another 202 people have been flown to French Polynesia on a French government-sponsored relief flight from Paris - the seventh such flight since the Covid-19 related shutdown of air services. The French High Commission said the Air Tahiti Nui plane carried patients who had completed their care in France, students and French public servants.

The French military has flown a three-month old baby from French Polynesia to New Zealand for urgent surgery. The plane carried a medical team with the patient and their parents and returned to Tahiti after three hours in Auckland. The cargo plane, which has been deployed by Paris to Tahiti for a month, was sent by the French High Commission.

Tahiti kept alive their Rugby World Cup qualifying hopes after beating the Cook Islands 13-9 in Rarotonga to win the Oceania Cup. 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.