Volunteers are stepping are stepping in Solomon Islands to help with food deliveries as COVID-19 cases escalate and Rugby League great Olsen Filipaina has died at the age of 64.

Pacific Beat

Pacific Beat: Friday

The rugby league world is mourning the loss of Olsen Filipaina, the player credited with opening the way for Pasifika players to take their place in the NRL. Patrick Skene, who authored the player's biography, says he was honoured to have been his storyteller.

Pacific rugby league pioneer Olsen Filipaina, the "Galloping Garbo", dies aged 64

Young Solomon Islanders are putting their lives on the line to help distribute food in the capital Honiara, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. The number of positive COVID-19 cases in Solomon Islands has passed 4,200, with 229 added to the list during the latest 24 hour reporting period.

Solomon Islands' youth help with COVID-19 food relief

Fiji's Olympic gold medal winning rugby 7s captain, Jerry Tuwai, has no plans to stop playing, despite taking on a role as Ben Gollings' assistant coach. Meanwhile after a disrupted World Series season, leaving Fiji out of contention, the target now is gold at the Commonwealth Games.

Fiji's Tuwai in no hurry to stop playing, despite taking on coaching role

Concerns raised over deep sea cemetery for international space station in the Pacific Ocean, and Papua New Guinea's main hospital faces a medicine shortage.

Pacific Beat: Thursday

Papua New Guinea's main hospital is facing a shortage of medicines including in antibiotics as the country faces a COVID-19 surge around the country.

Papua New Guinea faces medicine shortage as COVID-19 soars

As the Fijian Drua count down to their debut appearance in Super Rugby, Fijiana are set to enter the fray, after their entry into Australia's Super W season was confirmed for 2022.

Drua ready for Super Rugby action, as Fijiana confirmed for 2022 Super W season

After years of criticism, Facebook is looking to hire a Tok Pisin speaker to manage online abuse, but experts say more is needed.

Facebook's attempt to hire a Tok Pisin speaker is a 'bare minimum', expert says

NASA's International Space Station will end its life in a watery grave in the Pacific Ocean, along with hundreds of other space objects.

International Space Station to 'nosedive' into Pacific Ocean spacecraft cemetery

A Samoan couple in Australia share their harrowing tale of getting COVID-19 and the residents of Banaba Island in Kiribati are facing a food crisis.

Pacific Beat: Wednesday

An island in Kiribati whose phosphate rich soil boosted agriculture in Australia and New Zealand is now facing its own food crisis. The residents of Banaba, also known as Ocean Island, have been out of food supplies for weeks due to delayed shipments from Tarawa.

Banaba battles food, water crisis due to delayed shipments

Vaitoelau and Dennis Ah Fook did not think much about COVID-19, until September last year when Dennis had to be rushed to hospital. It completely changed their lives.

Couple share harrowing story of COVID-19 hospitalisation, urges Pacific Islanders to vaccinate

Tongans living on the main island of Tongatapu have been assured that if they are connected to the domestic supply, then their water is safe again after last month's tsunami. But for those who rely on tank systems, they are being warned not to drink that water and use it only for cleaning because of the contamination caused by volcanic ash deposits.

Tonga's water supply still a long way from being completely fixed after the tsunami

Questions remain about the health of Fiji's Prime Minister and Pacific languages are dying out at an extraordinary rate but linguists are trying to save them.

Pacific Beat: Tuesday

Chef Dora Rossi has been cooking up tuna carpaccio in her kitchen and speaks about health benefits of the fresh fish.

Samoan Chef Dora Rossi cooks up tuna carpaccio

Focusing on the Pacific region, the program brings you interviews with leaders, newsmakers, and people who make the Pacific beat.

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