Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele Photo: Facebook / Peter Kenilorea
Papua New Guinea - census
Papua New Guinea's first census in over a decade kicks off next week.
Administrative Services Minister Richard Masere told the Post-Courier preparations are "on track".
They've been getting ready since 2019 but Covid-19 pandemic meant there has been a three year delay.
Twenty-two thousand tablets are being distributed among the census takers.
More than 15 thousand of the census takers are teachers.
The Australian High commission is supporting the massive task by supplying satellite imagery of isolated places to help teams overcome landscape, infrastructure and remoteness issues.
Solomon Islands - election
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremaia Manele welcomes a legal challenge against his election.
The High Court has confirmed that the case seeks the court's interpretation on the process of the Prime Minister's election starting from the nomination period to the date of election.
Local media understands the case was filed by the opposition leader Mathew Wale.
Speaking in parliament this week, Manele said it is an opportunity for the court to make its legal interpretation and provide reasoning on the process.
"A legal case has been filed in court challenging the legality of the Prime Minister. I merely state this for the information of the House. I will not talk further since it is before the court".
"I, however, welcome it because it is an opportunity for our court to clarify the issues raised," he said.
Manele was elected as the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands on 2 May.
Samoa - archbishop
Pope Francis has appointed Father Mosese Vitolio Tui as the new archbishop of Samoa - Apia.
The announcement was made in Rome last night.
Father Mosese, of the order of Salesians of Don Bosco, was ordained a priest in 1994 as the first Samoan Salesian.
He was the founding principal of the Don Bosco Technical College Alafua, and later founded the Don Bosco College at Salelologa, Savai'i.
The previous archbishop Alapati Mata'eliga died in April last year.
Tonga - coroner
A coroner has criticised the care of a Tongan woman living with a disability in Auckland New Zealand after she was found dead.
Ruth Finau, 30, was left unchecked by support workers for two days.
She was discovered at her support accommodation in South Auckland a day after staff first found her lying in bed and thought she was sleeping.
Coroner Tania Tetitaha said the standard of care Ms Finau received was not good enough, Kaniva Tonga reported.
Tetitaha's findings said Finau died suddenly in July 2021, and she had not had her medication.
West Papua - rights
A researcher at Human Rights Watch in Indonesia says the situation in West Papua is hard to compare to Gaza.
It follows a spokesperson for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua or U-L-M-W-P saying Indonesia's condemnation of the conflict in Gaza is hypocritical because Indonesia has occupied West Papua for 61-years.
Andreas Harsono said part of the reason for Indonesia's support is because of religious ties with Palestine.
"Palestine, Gaza and the West Bank, of course, is recognised by more than 130 countries, members of the United Nations," he said.
"Meanwhile, West Papua is being discussed mostly among seven or maybe 10 other countries, so this is this is difficult to compare."