Malaysian investment push: Prime Minister James Marape welcomed Malaysian interest to expand PNG’s oil palm, livestock and downstream processing, saying it could create jobs and boost food security, with talks involving the Malaysian Palm Oil Board and New Britain Palm Oil. Agriculture support: The PNG Biosecurity Authority is running PlantwisePlus “plant clinics” at Boroko Market to help farmers tackle pest and disease issues, with CABI-trained plant doctors and partners including CIC and provincial agriculture departments. IMF funding boost: The IMF approved about $163m for PNG after programme reviews, unlocking roughly $82m under the EFF/ECF and $81m under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility. Bougainville on the parliamentary agenda: Marape urged Parliament to handle the 2019 Bougainville referendum result with maturity and respect, as the formal process moves into decision stage. Digital and AI skills: DICT and the International Training Institute signed a five-year AI and digital skills partnership, aiming to build national ICT capability through training, internships and AI use cases. Energy exploration: TotalEnergies and PETRONAS are preparing the ultra-deepwater Mailu-1 well offshore Central and Milne Bay, with consultations on timelines, safeguards and local engagement. Sports funding squeeze: PNGFA president John Kapi Natto says lack of sponsorship is a major setback for the Premier Soccer League’s 20th anniversary season. Finance sector tech: Comrade Trustee Services went live with Smartstream’s Air to automate reconciliation for the Defence Force Retirement Benefit Fund, cutting processing from hours to minutes. Fisheries controversy: Outrage in Manus follows a video alleging dolphin deaths in a purse seine catch, with the fisheries minister saying investigations will lead to heavy penalties. Media loss: The Media Council of PNG mourned Genesis Ketan, a long-time trainer and media leader, after her passing.