The Asian tiger mosquito is one of the vectors responsible for transmitting dengue fever. Photo: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Samoa - dengue
Samoa's Ministry of Health says the country's dengue outbreak is over.
The Ministry said there had been 496 cases since November 2023, but six in the previous two weeks.
No deaths were recorded in the outbreak.
The Heath Ministry said the highest concentration of cases remains in the Northwest Upolu and Apia Urban Area regions.
Fiji - Google
The Fiji government says the country will host a new FJ$200 million Google Data Centre soon.
This was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica in an interview with fijivillage.com this week.
As well as the Data Center, Kamikamica said Google will install four new submarine internet cable connections in Fiji.
Samoa - visa
The leader of the parliamentary opposition group in Samoa is calling on the government to address public concerns about New Zealand increasing its visa fees.
Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi told local media there is deep frustration within the Samoan community regarding the substantial fee hikes scheduled to come into effect in October.
He said the increased costs are a significant burden and will exacerbate delays already plaguing the visa application process.
However, despite Tuilaepa's concerns, the New Zealand government said its ongoing commitment to supporting its Pacific neighbours will see the continuation of subsidised fees for visa applicants from Pacific countries.
Solomon Islands - roads
Australia is committing to deliver road infrastructure support in Solomon Islands' Malaita province.
Its high commissioner to the country, Rod Hilton, joined prime minister Jeremiah Manele to witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the South Road Rehabilitation Project.
The road is the only land link for communities in South Malaita but can only be traversed by four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Australia says it will deliver essential infrastructure support to make the Malaita South Road reliable and climate resilient.
Emergency repairs worth US$1.3 million are being carried out while longer-term rehabilitation planning is conducted.
Meanwhile, Solomon Islands Manele said tar-sealing roads in Malaita's provincial capital Auki will start very soon.
On his first trip to Malaita since taking power in May, Manele said improved infrastructure can stimulate economic growth.
In-Depth Solomons reported China signed a MOU with the Solomon Islands government in October last year agreeing to pay for the project.
Malaita province has the largest population in Solomon Islands and is served by a network of dirt roads.
Tonga - language
Tongan Language week has started in Aotearoa New Zealand.
This year's theme relates to the language being sustainable when it is used at home, at church and in the wider community.
Auckland University's School of Business and Economics is holding a celebration of lea faka-Tonga on Monday afternoon.
Most of the Tonga diaspora in Aotearoa - which numbers around 82,000 people - understand their heritage language but less than half are speakers.
Australia/New Zealand - commitment
The leaders of Australia and New Zealand are doubling down on their commitment to a united Pacific.
Following a meeting in Canberra, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon say the success of their respective nations is tied to the region's strength.
The leaders' said "the Pacific is strongest when it works together", and renewed their pledge to support the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and its 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
Both leaders highlighted their preference for Pacific-led regional security and backed the Pacific Policing Initiative.
And they acknowledged the position of regional leaders that climate change is the "single greatest threat to Pacific peoples".
