Largest cocaine haul: Australian police seized 2.7 tonnes of cocaine hidden in underground bunkers beneath false floors in three shipping containers near Sydney, arresting two men and valuing the drugs at about A$816m—another reminder of how lucrative the region is for traffickers. Solomons security & policing: Solomon Islands’ police chief Ian Vaevaso was suspended less than two months after appointment over allegations tied to mishandling meth evidence, with an independent tribunal set to review the case. Maritime crime crackdown: RSIPF, Customs and Immigration intercepted the Belize-flagged MV WEALTH in Renbel Province after intelligence from regional partners, with suspicions of drug trafficking and tobacco smuggling; 19 crew were detained. Cost of living & business pressure: PM Matthew Wale urged Solomon Airlines, banks, telecoms and other service providers to cut costs and profit margins, and told Honiara City Council to improve licensing and ease the cost of doing business. Indigenous business & resource accountability: Wale backed stronger support for indigenous firms in procurement and warned against exploitation of natural resources, pushing for a shift toward inclusive growth. Transport & trade upgrades: Solomon Ports commissioned the Kulabule Jetty to boost domestic shipping and inter-island trade, while CEMA plans short-haul landing crafts to reduce freight costs for copra and cocoa farmers. Skills & road safety: Australia provided SINU TAFE with training equipment worth over SBD170,000, and MID with World Bank support wrapped road safety training and a national conference to strengthen the National Road Safety Council framework. Climate risk: SPREP urged Pacific communities to prepare for El Niño impacts as the event is declared underway.