Governor Lou Leon Guerrero Photo: RNZ Pacific / Eleisha Foon
Guam - drugs
Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero has issued a special address on fentanyl, a synthetic opioid drug.
She told the media that Guam is no stranger to the war on drugs.
She said fentanyl is a potent and deadly synthetic opioid that is beginning to cast its dark shadow over Guam.
Leon Guerrero said it's not like any other drug - a single dose can kill you.
In early July, the Guam Police Department Chief Stephen Ignacio reported three fentanyl-related deaths on the island.
Kiribati - health
An oxygen plant is now operational Kiritimati, Kiribati, one of the world's most remote atolls.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said as of July, the oxygen plant in Kiritimati could fill up to 24 oxygen cylinders with medical oxygen in 24 hours - meaning the facility can support four patients with severe COVID-19 simultaneously, providing relief to the local healthcare system.
Previously, the hospital in Kiritimati relied on shipments of cylinders by sea, from the national referral hospital in South Tarawa, more than 3000 kilometres away.
The WHO, the European Union and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services of Kiribati worked together to deliver the plant to Kiritimati.
Papua New Guinea - military
Papua New Guinea's Defence Force regional headquarters in Mt Hagen are being moved to Mendi in Southern Highlands.
The PNG Defence Minister, Billy Joseph, announced the change.
The Post-Courier reported him saying that a large defence force presence is needed in the upper part of the Highlands Region, namely Southern Highlands, Hela and Enga provinces, where there are highly volatile areas.
He said a headquarters in Mendi would establish a more peaceful environment and help reduce lawlessness.
Kiribati - recycling
A commercial operation to recycle used lead-acid batteries in Kiribati could be replicated and used in other Pacific nations to manage hazardous waste.
Kiribati's lead-acid battery recycling system was highlighted at the Fourth Clean Pacific Roundtable in Funafuti, Tuvalu.
Alice Leney, of the Kiribati Solid Waste Management Programme, said lead acid batteries are some of the most common toxic chemicals you'll find around people's normal living environment in the Pacific.
On average, Kiribati exports about 20 tons of batteries once every six months, mostly to Australia and Asia.
Fiji - travel
Fiji's Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad says the launch of a flight route from Nadi to Dallas, Texas, will benefit Fiji in "countless ways".
Prasad, who is also Fiji's finance and national development minister, said by connecting Fiji with one of the busiest travel hubs in the world, they are opening their doors to a vast new market of travellers from North America.
He said in 2023, tourism contributed to 40 per cent of Fiji's economic growth and made up over 36 per cent of employment.
New Zealand - employment
The New Zealand Labour Party's employment and Pacific peoples spokespeople have weighed in on the unemployment figures released last week.
Willie Jackson and Carmel Sepuloni said the statistics show 11,100 more Māori and Pasifika people are without jobs, compared to this time last year.
Stats NZ figures have unemployment among Pacific people at 8.3 per cent.
