PNG a Flashpoint After Riots Sparked by Pay Dispute Kill 15

A violent day of riots and looting on Jan. 10 in the capital of Papua New Guinea (PNG), Port Moresby, and the country’s second-largest city, Lae, has left at least 15 people dead. The unrest was sparked by local civil servants, including police and military personnel, going on strike over a pay dispute. Supermarkets, shops, and cars were set alight during the turmoil, and a hospital had to be evacuated over concerns a fire was spreading. This incident follows weeks of tension related to high employment and an increase in the cost of living. Government officials deducted between US$26 and US$80 from the wages of police and military personnel, leading to the strike....