Dateline for 10 October 2019

A powerful super-typhoon has left the Northern Marianas unscathed and is on its way to Japan; France criticised for ignoring French Polynesia's decolonisation as Tahiti leader wants to stay French; Papua New Guinea does not have an adequate Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, the Accident Investigation Commission says; medical researchers in Solomon Islands have shown previous cases of dengue, zika, chikungunya and ross river virus, were not diagnosed at the time; despite Pacific countries being on their way out of the Rugby World Cup there's no shortage of Pacific talent in teams still at the tournament.