Gold Ridge mine disaster: A landslide at the Gold Ridge open-pit gold mine on Guadalcanal has killed at least one person, with police and officials warning more may be buried as recovery continues amid unstable debris and hazardous conditions; authorities say many victims are believed to be informal miners operating in restricted areas, while the company says its staff and contractors are safe and operations have resumed. Mining governance: Independent MP Peter Shanel Agovaka is calling for urgent government action on illegal mining at Gold Ridge, warning it threatens safety, the environment, investor confidence and government revenue. Maritime security deal: The Solomon Islands and the United States have signed the Shiprider agreement in Honiara, allowing authorised Solomon Islands officers to work aboard US vessels for joint maritime surveillance and enforcement against illegal fishing and transnational crime—while opposition figures have criticised it as a sovereignty risk. Port and investment race: Prime Minister Matthew Wale says the US is in advanced talks to finance Bina Harbour, a deep-water port project seen as a key commercial boost and a strategic counter to Chinese interest. Banking and payments: Regional efforts are pushing stronger banking connectivity and public finance coordination, including work on correspondent banking and a Pacific payments mechanism feasibility study, with the Central Bank of Solomon Islands involved. Digital payments upgrade: BSP says it is rolling out upgraded 4G EFTPoS terminals across Pacific markets, with Solomon Islands included in the next phase. Education and infrastructure: Japan has pledged support for Solomon Islands’ free education rollout via a concessional loan and says it will back a new school through the Sasakawa Foundation; Australia also handed over water tanks to St Joseph Tenaru Secondary School. Culture and tourism: The Nambawan Haus Museum has opened in Tulagi, positioning it as a flagship heritage tourism site.