DEFENCE TREATY: Papua New Guinea’s cabinet has approved a bilateral defence treaty with near neighbour Australia, paving the way for the nations’ leaders to sign the agreement.

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape confirmed today that the treaty had been formally approved by his cabinet.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he and Mr Marape would sign the treaty soon.

UGANDA: Two Kenyan human rights activists have gone missing in Uganda after being abducted by armed men while attending a campaign event for opposition leader Bobi Wine, it was reported today.

Mr Wine slammed the “abduction” of Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, saying they had been “picked up mafia-style” at a petrol station and driven off at speed.

Ugandan police have been approached for comment.

PAKISTAN: The death toll after violent clashes between security forces and demonstrators in Pakistan-administered Kashmir rose to nine today.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sent a delegation to the region’s capital for talks with the protest leaders, officials said while appealing for calm.

He also said his government was committed to addressing public grievances in Kashmir.

Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, a minister in Mr Sharif’s cabinet, said talks with representatives of the Awami Action Committee were under way in Muzaffarabad.

PHILIPPINES: The death toll from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in the Philippines has reached 72, officials confirmed today.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council spokesman Junie Castillo said search operations were now complete and there were now “zero missing” persons.

He added the focus of operations had now shifted to supporting the injured and the displaced.