Samoa's opposition leader has called on his followers to oppose a judiciary ruling, five people have died in fighting in Papua New Guinea, and a remote shipping route will open opportunities for Vanuatu's largest island.
Port Moresby businesses have been disrupted by frequent power cuts. Photo: Supplied/ MSchlauch - public domain
Five dead in Papua New Guinea violence
Five people have died in a violent clash between people from neighbouring districts in Papua New Guinea's East Sepik province.
The National reported several people were also injured, and at least two people taken hostage.
Provincial police commander Albert Beli said the fight was between people from Mui village in Maprik district and Bapandu village in Wosera-Gawi district.
The fight reportedly started two weeks ago when men from Bapandu, who had been drinking, went to Mui and injured a sleeping man.
Mui villagers then retaliated by burning down Bapandu village on Saturday.
There has been a shortage of police in the area, but Beli said teams were being sent to the area to help restore peace.
Meanwhile the provincial government is engaging with the tribes to negotiate peace.
HRPP calling on followers to oppose judiciary decision
Samoa's opposition leader Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi wants people to turn against the judiciary following the Court of Appeal decision's which ended his more than 20-year reign as Samoa's Prime Minister.
Despite having conceded defeat, he asked the people of Samoa to protest the decision and stand with him, and has called on his supporters to encourage their communities and villages to also back his protests.
On Monday he addressed hundreds of people who marched in heavy rain against the country's judiciary.
He has claimed the courts acted in defiance of the Constitution and the Head of State by ruling an impromptu swearing in of the FAST party as the country's government was legitimate.
Tuila'epa said his HRPP Party would not let their guard down and would keep the new government honest.
The rallies supporting him would now shift to the big island to give Savai'i residents a chance to show their support too, he told the crowd.
New High Commissioner to Tonga
The Australian government has announced its new High Commissioner to Tonga; Rachael Moore takes over from Adrian Morrison.
Australia's focus in Tonga was particularly on working with the country toward stronger health systems, recovery from Covid-19, gender equality, and building resilience to natural disasters and climate change, the country's Minister for Foreign Affairs said.
Moore is a career officer with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and previously served overseas in Dili, Jakarta and Port Moresby.
Power outages causing disruption in PNG
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape says frequent power outages throughout the country are due to ageing infrastructure.
There have been repeated power disruptions to PNG Power's service in recent weeks - including in the capital Port Moresby, which have caused outrage among residents who have taken to social media to vent.
The NBC reported the blackouts had been costly, and major businesses and hotels had been forced to use standby generators.
Marape says his government was addressing the problem grid by grid.
New shipping scheme route for Vanuatu
A fifth route is about to be added to a Vanuatu shipping scheme connecting remote communities by sea to boost social activities and economic growth.
The new route will go to Santo island, and is expected to be running by the end of this month.
The routes are part of the Shipping Support Subsidy Scheme, which was established in 2012 by the Vanuatu Interisland Shipping Support Project.
Backers, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), said the scheme enabled companies to operate routes to otherwise "commercially unviable destinations".
There have already been more than 150 voyages to the remote islands of Torres, Tafea East, Tafea West, and Banks since the project started, which the ADB said had resulted in almost $850,000 in contracts being gained for the area.
Tonga renews Covid-19 State of Emergency
Tonga's government has renewed its Covid-19 State of Emergency for another month.
The State of Emergency was first declared by Prime Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa on 12 March 2020 under the Emergency Management Act.
For the last 17 months it has been renewed each month, and enforced by police and the King's armed forces.
The national restrictions remain the same, including the curfew from midnight to 5am.
