Photo: RNZ Pacific/Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor
Nauru - influenza
Nauru officials say a recent avian influenza outbreak in Australia will not affect Nauru.
Nauru's government and Health Ministry are working closely with importers and the Australian government to ensure the safety of imported poultry goods to Nauru.
Avian influenza has been picked up in two egg laying farms in Victoria
The affected properties have been placed under quarantine.
Pacific nations affected by this outbreak are French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
Certification is temporarily suspended for all Australian products to affected countries and will be updated as changes occur.
Samoa - fines
The Samoan village of Faleatiu has been fining parents who do not send their children to school, and it is urging all other villages to follow suit.
Village mayor, Matagi Tufanua Pati says the last time a family was fined for stopping their children from going to school was three years ago.
He says under the bylaws, the penalty for families not taking their children to school is is 500 sows (Aumatua) or a fine of $5,000 tala.
The mayor says families have a challenge of bringing their kids to school because of the distance from the main road, but they try their best to do so to avoid punishment.
Kiribati - transport
A new transport network system for Kiribati's Tarawa is expected to start by the end of this year.
The project will be constructed and administered by China with the standards, specifications and practices of Kiribati to be considered.
The implementation content of the project includes construction of a new 80-metre Buota bridge, with concrete beam structures to connect South Tarawa and North Tarawa.
A 220-metre causeway between Anraei to Tanaea is also set to be reconstructed.
On top of that, a more than seven-kilometre mud road in Bonriki, Temaiku and Buota will also be upgraded.
Fiji - diabetes
Health experts say diabetes related issues in Fiji have become an escalating burden on society.
The Fiji Times reports the growing prevalence of diabetes mellitus has become a significant public health concern, with profound implications for individuals and the health care system alike.
A substantial portion of the population living with untreated or poorly managed diabetes has heightened the risk for complications such as foot ulcers and infections, ultimately leading to amputations.
In Fiji, mortality rates following amputations range from 13 percent to 80 percent within one to five years post-surgery.
Guam - military
A former Guam Delegate has raised concern about the US military's buildup in Guam, and the sacrifices being demanded of the island and its people in the name of military security.
The Pacific Islands Times reports Robert Underwood spoke to the Rotary Club of Tumon Bay about his concerns.
He said housing, cultural, and economic insecurity Guam is experiencing due to the military buildup stems from Guam's powerlessness in the face of the American military-industrial complex.
US Defense officials told the ABC last year its investment in the new missile defence system was a sign of the department's commitment to protecting the citizens of Guam.
The official said feedback was being collected from the public to help inform studies on the environmental impact of the system.