Dateline Pacific for 5 February 2021

The Pacific Islands Forum is facing an uncertain future. On Thursday from a field of five candidates the former Cook Islands prime minister, Henry Puna, was elected pipping Marshall Islands' diplomat Gerald Zackios by just one vote.

Fiji authorities have detained then deported the vice-chancellor of the University of the South Pacific Professor Pal Ahluwalia.

Organisers of the 2022 Pacific Mini Games in the Northern Marianas remain confident the event will go ahead next year, despite lingering concerns over the impact of Covid-19.