STEM Push: UNESCO’s new STEM education institute in Shanghai is officially up and running, with a mandate to boost inclusive, equitable science and tech learning from early years to adulthood. Solomons Politics: In the biggest local shake-up, Matthew Wale was sworn in as Solomon Islands PM after a tight parliamentary vote, quickly forming a full 24-member Cabinet and promising “discipline and prudent management” as reforms may be painful. Geopolitics Watch: The Pacific Islands Forum is set to meet in Palau in late August, a venue that raises the stakes as China and the US compete for influence across the Indo-Pacific. Fuel Costs: Honiara’s maximum fuel prices have been adjusted for 16–30 May, with the government warning that without fiscal support prices would be higher. Energy & Jobs: ADB and SIEA have signed on for the Solomons’ first large-scale grid solar project, aiming to cut heavy diesel dependence. Fisheries Drama: The live dolphin export ban was lifted quietly, then reinstated—prompting fresh debate over how fast policy changes should move.