Downtown Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
Papua New Guinea - crime
The Papua New Guinea police commander in the capital Port Moresby, Benjamin Turi, says the police presence there will be increased because of a surge in crime.
He said there will be more foot patrols in the worst-affected areas of the National Capital District and Central Province.
The Post-Courier reported Turi saying there will also be 'stop-and-search' patrols implemented to identify suspicious individuals.
Turi has also called on residents to be vigilant and not to walk alone, not to dawdle, not to wear headphones, to always lock car doors and to travel home early.
Women and girls are specifically cautioned against traveling alone in taxis at night.
Vanuatu - petitions
A Vanuatu court clerk has confirmed that five separate election petitions have been lodged in the Supreme Court following the snap election and official declaration of the 52 Members of Parliament (MPs).
Joel Shemi said the petitioners are from the Malo/Aore, Pentecost, Maewo, Efate and Tanna constituencies.
He said they are challenging the election outcome and are now expected to present evidence to support claims of irregularities or violations affecting the results.
Tuvalu - climate
Tuvalu's Prime Minister Feleti Teo has used the Honiara Summit to talk on the impact of climate change on oceanic and coastal fisheries.
One of his suggestions was setting up compensation to support small island developing states adversely affected by climate change.
He said Tuvalu faces losing around 40 percent of its most important locally produced food, and a significant percentage of the access fees which are the mainstay of its government budget, due to industrial development based on fossil fuels they took no part in.
Teo also advocated for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
New Zealand - volcanoes
There are high hopes a new AI volcano forecasting tool will save lives around the world.
New Zealand researchers led the team which created a tool which uses data from well-monitored volcanoes and applies it to under-monitored sites.
Volcanologist Professor Ben Kennedy said active volcanoes in Aotearoa, like Whakaari and Tongariro, are unpredictable.
This new modeling system could change that and be used to predict future eruptions.
University of Canterbury Civil and Natural Resources Engineering Research Engineer Dr Alberto Ardid said with hundreds of volcanoes dotted around the Pacific ring of fire alone, timely and accurate eruption forecasting is vital.
New Zealand - bill
The Aotearoa Tongan Response Group has told a select committee it strongly opposes the Treaty Principles Bill.
Submission hearings continue at Parliament with councils, iwi, community organisations and now Pacific leaders in the hot seat.
Chair Anahila Kanongata'a says she rebukes those who denigrate the rights of Māori as tangata whenua:
She said they call on the crown to do the right thing and apologize, and most of all, to honor Te Tiriti.
Tongan community leader Pakilau Manase Lua said the New Zealand government has shown time and again that it has a pattern of trampling on the mana and sovereignty of indigenous peoples, not just in Aotearoa, but in the Pacific region.
ACT leader and associate justice minister David Seymour - who brought the bill to the House - said the committee would be a chance for every New Zealander to have their say on how the Treaty was interpreted in modern times.
