Papua New Guinea police Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
Papua New Guinea - violence
A person is reportedly dead and 600 students are without classrooms in Papua New Guinea, after a drunken fight escalated.
The Post-Courier reported most of the Mapumanda Primary School in Lagaip, Enga was razed, including homes of teachers and the surrounding community.
One classroom was saved.
The newspaper reported clans from two tribes fought after a drunken brawl started on Sunday evening, and weapons were brought in.
Local MP Aimos Akem was credited with intervening and calling the provincial police commander.
Akem said he is working on restoring basic government services in the district, and law and order is a priority.
Fiji - visit
Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has left for China.
FBC reported the trip has been confirmed by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is on the invitation of the Premier of the State Council, Li Qiang.
China said this visit speaks to the close relations between the two nations.
It also said that through this visit, China hopes to work with Fiji to build an even closer community with a shared future between China and Pacific Island countries.
Northern Mariana Islands - visas
Lawmakers in the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam have passed a resolution calling for the establishment of a Marianas Visa Program, to cater to both US territories' workforce needs.
This came during last month's Mariana Islands Legislature Association conference.
The resolution essentially requests the US Congress to repeal the 'CNMI-Only Transitional Worker program', and approve a non-immigrant worker visa program, tailored to meet the needs of Guam and the CNMI.
The CNMI-only transitional worker program, which has a cap of 13,000 that is reduced annually by 1,000, will be terminated in December 2029.
Papua New Guinea - Pope
The Papua New Guinea government and the Catholic Bishops Conference have allocated around US$2.5 million ($10m PNG kina) to prepare for Pope Francis' visit.
The Post-Courier reported the visit will be guided by strict Vatican protocols and security arrangements.
The Pope is set to meet with the Governor-General, state leaders and the PNG Council of Churches.
Sir John Cardinal Ribat, Archbishop of Port Moresby, said a world leader coming to PNG will heal their image in the global platform.
He said there is also a possibility PNG will have its first saint canonized.
Pacific - maritime
A new report says achieving the ambitions laid out in the International Maritime Organisation's revised strategy - on the decarbonisation of international shipping -could negatively impact Pacific states.
Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu commissioned research by University College London and the Micronesian Center for Maritime Transport.
The resulting report says multiple shipping agencies interviewed in 2024 expressed concern that very little cost impact - as a result of the midterm measures -would be absorbed by shipping agencies, with virtually all passed on directly to customers.
Vanuatu - energy
The second part of the Vanuatu Energy Access Project has been completed.
The 45 kilometres of new transmission and distribution lines, from Turtle Bay to Port Olry in Santo, are part of the second project component completed under the project.
The Asian Development Bank's senior country officer, Nancy Wells, said the new milestone will bring Vanuatu closer to its target of 100 per cent grid-based renewable electrification by 2030.
Vanuatu's Minister for Energy, Ralph Regenvanu, said as more households are connected, sustainable power will be delivered to residents and businesses on the island, spurring economic activity.
