Papua New Guinea

A fire destroyed a commercial building housing a number of businesses in Mendi, southern highlands; started at the generator house after a power failure, it was fought by local boys with buckets, lacking fire brigade service and water tankers

Partial privatization of state energy company PNG Pover Ltd. is moving on after years of lack of initiative, notwithstanding progress in talks; the government is considering options that would benefit customers and investors and a transparent process

A training program for small-to-medium entrepreneurs in Wampar has seen the participation of over 1000 people, with the explicit intent of channelling energies into useful, community building activities, avoiding risk of criminal involvement

191 foreigners have been detained in five days for breaching their visa or work permit; the Special Spot Check Operation in Morobe aimed at discouraging illegal practices that affect national revenue and security

100 houses will be built by the end of the year at the Duram Farm housing project in capital Port Moresby to provide affordable housing for public servants

Representatives of the media industry related to the parliamentary committee about ho newsrooms were embracing digital tools; Editor-in-Chief of daily outlet The National, Ms. Pakakota, underlined how the local media landscape changed significantly

President Toroama has been re-elected in the 2025 Bougainville general election; PM Marape said government remained committed to dialogue and the result provides continuity and stability in leadership at a critical time for decision making

The Coffee Industry Corporation has budgeted K500.000 (€100.000) to revive the Wahgi Men Plantations in Banz, Jiwaka and a credit line of over K10 million, managed by National Development Bank, will provide accessible funds for small- or block-holders

The country's first five coronary bypass graft surgeries have been successfully performed at Port Moresby general hospital by a mixed team of PNG and Singapore doctors from 15 to 19 August

Millions of Kina have been lost in the past two weeks due to power blackouts and internet failures, says the PNG Manufacturing Council, adding that it is not a problem of capacity but of poorly run grids and mismanaged maintenance

9 rugby league players have been handed long bans form fields after a brawl broke out during a clash in Papua New Guinea National Rugby League Competition in Lae; 3 officials got 12 months suspension and the two clubs involved were fined over $6000

The pervasive levels of violence in Papua New Guinea have become the priority of the Institute of National Affairs: executive director Paul Barker said that alongside increasing the number of police, the wider community must be taken in