Australia and Papua New Guinea leaders trek toward WWII South Pacific battleground

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia and Papua New Guinea’s prime ministers on Tuesday began trekking into the South Pacific island nation’s mountainous interior to commemorate a pivotal World War II campaign and to underscore their , which faces challenges from China’s growing regional influence. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese received an elaborate traditional welcome when he arrived by helicopter at Kokoda Village with his Papua New Guinean counterpart James Marape. The pair will walk 15 kilometers (9 miles) over two days along the rugged Kokoda Track where the Japanese army’s...