Pacific news in brief for 27 May
123RF
Dengue fever cases in Tonga have reached 793, as of an update on Monday.
Tonga's Ministry of Health said 417 of the cases are from Tongatapu and 310 from Vava'u.
Three people were in Vaiola hospital in stable condition.
People are urged to continue cleaning up mosquito breeding sites around homes and schools.
Three police officers have been arrested in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, after a woman was shot and killed at Waigani market.
NBC
reported a weapon was discharged during a police operation to deal with illegal activities by some vendors at the market.
Commissioner of Police, David Manning said the three police personnel are the subject of a criminal investigation.
"From the briefing provided to me, it appears the police officer who discharged the weapon, had not intended to shoot this young lady, but that is not the point. A woman is dead because a gun was fired.
"I call on all members of the community to remain calm, while this matter is investigated, to allow justice to be served."
Commissioner Manning said following the incident, he is instructing a review of police procedures and the use of warning shots.
Solomon Islands Police have arrested an 18-year-old male in relation to the murder of a 29-year-old woman in Guadalcanal Plains at the weekend.
Police said the deceased was alone washing at a well.
Supervising Provincial Police Commander Guadalcanal Province Superintendent Edwin Sevoa appealed to those involved to stay calm while police investigate.
Ten members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) have taken part in Operation Tui Moana, a two-week operation targeting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Nine vessels of interest were listed, including one confirmed apprehension for suspected IUU fishing activities.
FFA officer in charge of the fisheries operations division Jason Raubani said the operation's success highlights the continued strong regional cooperation that is in place, and the commitment to protecting the rights of agency members and their valuable tuna resources.
He said follow-up investigations are already underway.
Papua New Guinea police have told a parliamentary committee that there is little chance that unlicensed guns in the Highlands can be retrieved before the 2027 general election.
Assistant police commissioner of operations Julius Tasion told the committee that police had tried to retrieve the unlicensed guns, but were resisted by locals.
He said the norms have changed and when someone becomes a leader at the village level, they have weapons to defend their land or village.
The National
reported that Chief Superintendent Kyle Saltmarsh, chief of staff to the police commissioner, saying the normalisation of guns and ammunition in the country remained a challenge for the police.
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck south of Tonga late Sunday night, prompting initial concerns but ultimately resulting in no tsunami threat to the island nation.
Local media reported the tremor occurred at 11.49pm local time, with its epicentre 180 kilometres south of 'Eua and 204 kilometres south of Tongatapu.
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