Typhoon Mawar intensified into a Category 4 strength storm with sustained winds over 200km/hr it was expected to start impacting Guam between 8pm and 10pm local time on Tuesday 23 May 2023. Photo: Zoom Earth
Tonga - quake
There are no reports of damage after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck off Tonga on Friday morning.
The US Geological Survey reports the quake was 280km south-west of Houma, and around 170km deep.
Kaniva Tonga reports no casualties or damage were reported.
Reports from residents on social media showed the quake was felt on the main island Tongatapu.
Guam - Mawar damage
Typhoon Mawar inflicted an estimated $US4 million worth of damage to Guam's only public hospital.
It's been just over three weeks since the typhoon wrecked havoc on the US territory and people continue to live in temporary evacuation shelters.
Guam Memorial Hospital's associate administrator of operations told the hospital's board the damage cost was extensive and continued to grow.
French Polynesia - court
Three men in French Polynesia have been given prison sentences for trying to smuggle 21kg - about $US50 million worth - of methamphetamine into the territory last year.
Part of the drug consignment was detected when a French Polynesian passenger on the cruise ship MS Zuiderman wanted to offload some luggage in Raiatea while travelling to Tahiti.
The organiser of the smuggling attempt has been given a seven-year jail sentence while the man who picked up the drugs in California has been given a four-year sentence.
A third man, who was an intermediary in the operation, was given a three-year sentence, which was suspended because he has cancer.
Cook Islands - immigration
The Cook Islands' Acting Principal Immigration Officer has apologised for confusion caused over new immigration regulations.
Chere Arthur said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration is now prioritising migrating current permit holders to the new system.
Under the new regulations immigration visas and permits can be approved for one to three years.
It also offers cheaper three-year work visas.
However, Cook Islands News reported on Monday foreign workers are concerned by what the new system could mean.
US/Pacific - task force
American Samoa Congresswoman Uifaatali Amata Radewagen has co-chaired the first meeting of the US Indo-Pacific Task Force.
The Task Force was set up to counter China's growing influence in the Freely Associated States compacts with the US and in America's territories.
She said China is the "antithesis" of the Freely Associated States' values of "democracy, good governance…and the rule of law".
Uifaatali said this is a message she heard in meetings with Freely Associated States leaders at summits last year in Hawaii and in Washington.
She called on the Administration to ensure funding for a Compacts agreement that is fair, just, reasonable and protects US interests in the Pacific.
PNG - maritime borders
The Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, James Marape, has told MPs the Ship Rider Agreement with the United States will strengthen the country's maritime borders.
The measure is now before parliament for ratification.
It was signed last month by the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and PNG Defence Minister, Win Daki.
The signing was done alongside the Defence Cooperation Agreement which the government says is the result of negotiations spanning seven years.
Marape said the measures don't necessitate amendments to the National Constitution or existing PNG legislation.