Guam has launched a 'vacation and vaccination' promotion, clashes between West Papuan guerilla fighters and Indonesia have been compared to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and in the Northern Mariana Islands a traveller has tested positive for Covid-19 at the border.
Guam hopes to draw American expat tourists by offering vaccine vacations. Photo: Supplied
Guam begins vaccine tourism campaign
Guam is offering Covid-19 vaccinations to American expats in Asia to encourage visitors to its shores, with 'Air V&V', a vaccination and vacation programme.
It aims to encourage Americans in Asia who may lack ready access to vaccines to visit the unincorporated US territory to get their vaccine shots.
The country aims to vaccinate 80 percent of its own eligible residents by late July, and reopened its borders for tourism last week, with those who are fully vaccinated able to skip the post-arrival quarantine.
However the US Centers for Disease Controls recently raised its travel advisory for Guam to its most restrictive level 4, warning Americans not to travel there.
The alert was raised after Guam recorded more than a hundred new Covid-19 cases in the last 28 days, and three deaths in three days.
The Japan Times reports the Air V&V programme is planned to begin with an initial allotment of 1,500 vaccine doses.
Fighting in West Papua compared to Gaza - PNG politician
A leading Papua New Guinea politician has called for regional action over West Papua, saying what's happening there is as serious as the situation in Gaza.
Powes Parkop, the governor of PNG's capital, said Indonesian military operations in pursuit of West Papua Liberation Army guerilla fighters continue to cause spillover problems for PNG.
Powes Parkop Photo: RNZ / Koroi Hawkins
He noted the deep concern voiced by Indonesia and other countries about the plight of Palestinians, as Israel pounds Gaza with attacks on the Hamas movement.
"But the same situation is happening right here in our region, and nobody's saying anything. And we just allow Indonesia to do as it pleases, to shut down the entire territory (of Papua), and engage in a total war against a small band of men who are poorly armed, but they're determined to fight."
He said the Melanesian Spearhead Group should facilitate peace talks involving Indonesia and West Papuan leaders.
The Indonesian government has declared the West Papuan Liberation Army a terrorist group, after repeated deadly attacks by several small guerilla factions against civilians and members of Indonesia's security forces.
Northern Marianas traveller tests positive for Covid-19
A person has tested positive for Covid-19 at the border in the Northern Mariana Islands.
The latest case takes the country's total case count to 174 since the first was recorded there on 28 March last year.
The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation said the latest case was picked up by travel screening, and tested on arrival.
The person has been moved to isolation for close monitoring.
Tracing for immediate contacts has begun, including passengers on the same flight.