Author: ngewakl
AIRAI, Palau —Senior leaders from the Republic of Palau and representatives from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, along with U.S. interagency and law enforcement partners, convened for a productive U.S. – Palau Joint Committee Meeting at Palau International Airport on March 5. The U.S. and the Republic of Palau concluded a highly productive working-level JCM, deepening the security partnership by connecting Palauan officials with a range of U.S. interagency experts to address shared challenges. The meeting utilized the JCM platform to facilitate direct dialogue between Palauan leaders and U.S. representatives from the departments of State, Justice, Homeland Security, and War. This…
The search for the missing crew of the cargo vessel Mariana off Saipan has turned fatal, with rescuers recovering one body from the overturned ship. Photo: US Coast Guard The search for the missing crew of the cargo vessel Mariana off Saipan has turned fatal, with rescuers recovering one body from the overturned ship as efforts continue to locate five others, according to the United States Coast Guard. Divers from the US Air Force 31st Rescue Squadron recovered the deceased individual at about 5:12 pm Monday following a detailed underwater assessment of the vessel. The team inspected the ship’s exterior…
Marshall Islands flag Photo: Facebook / Office of the President, Republic of the Marshall Islands / Hersol C Canete Marshall Islands Finance Minister David Paul says he has no guarantee of fuel shipments for the next two months onward. Paul told RNZ Pacific the country is at the mercy of the market, with no way of predicting future supply due to the conflict in the Middle East between Israel, the United States and Iran. “Your guess is as good as mine,” he said. “In order to be realistic, everything is still fluid, and anything can happen. I really cannot predict…
A parliamentary hearing in the Netherlands regarding the human rights situation in the country’s former colony, West Papua. 21 April, 2026. Photo: Supplied The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has called on the Netherlands to stop selling arms to Indonesia. Representatives of the ULMWP were this week at the Dutch Parliament for a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the human rights situation in West Papua. In a video relayed to the Dutch from ULMWP members in Papua, the pro-independence group called on the Netherlands to stop selling weapons to Indonesia. “We, the people of West Papua, urge the…
Overview: A simple idea—swap, don’t shop—is gaining traction in Palau. With hundreds of pounds of clothing already collected, the Community Closet Clothing Swap at the Civic Center is sparking conversations about waste, affordability, and how small acts of sharing can strengthen community ties. By: Laurel Marewibuel KOROR, Palau (April 23, 2026) — Shuri Chibana, organiser and project lead for Rengelekel Belau, is bringing a University of Hawaiʻi-inspired clothing swap to Palau, aiming to foster community connections and cut landfill waste. “When I was a student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, my roommate, Giada Colombo, helped lead a clothing…
Jone Vakarisi Photo: Mai TV More allegations of torture by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) are emerging in local media amid growing calls for an independent investigation into the death of a man in military custody. Jone Vakarisi, notorious for drug- and gang-related violence, died on 16 April after being taken in by the RFMF for questioning regarding a “national security investigation”. Vakarisi was reportedly linked to – or among a group of individuals – who attempted to “undermine security at the RFMF installations” by trying to access military assets. The Fiji military had initially attributed his death…
Applications for the new Drua head coach will close on 15 May 2026. Photo: PHOTOSPORT The Fijian Drua has advertised the head coach position to be vacated by Glen Jackson at the end of the current Super Rugby Pacific season. A statement from the club on Friday said Drua will undertake a thorough and structured global recruitment process to identify and appoint the best candidate for the position. The change in tactics is evident with the recruitment of new chief executive, former Wallabies Jeff Miller, who is now at the helm of the Nadi-based franchise. Drua’s previous CEO Mark Evans…
Elena Pasilio, RNZ Pacific’s Tokelau affairs correspondent Over Easter Weekend this year South Auckland was a hub of Tokelauan culture with communities from across Aotearoa gathered at Bruce Pulman Park to mark the 50th Tokelau Easter Tournament – the event often described as both a sporting competition and cultural gathering. The Tokelau atolls, which this year marked 100 years under New Zealand administration, have a strong community in Aotearoa, with many families maintaining close cultural and familial ties with the islands. Teams travelled from Tokelau communities in Hutt Valley, Porirua, Rotorua and Taupo, with others flying in from the South…
Anzac Day dawn service in Auckland, 2026. Photo: Nick Monro / RNZ A Pacific researcher says Pasifika soldiers who served in the World Wars deserve to be remembered this ANZAC Day. The Kaitiaki Taonga of Te Papa Museum Pacific Collection said their stories have been forgotten for long enough. Grace Hutton’s research revealed Pacific soldiers in World War One were known as “very hard working, neat, clean and well disciplined.” She said many left their island homes in search of “adventure,” but when they returned, they never shared their stories. “It was too different from their life back home to…
Chiefs halfback Cortez Ratima celebrates his try against the Drua. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport Super Rugby Pacific’s ‘Super Round’ has ended with a scoring spree between the Chiefs and Fijian Drua, as the rivals put on a thriller under the roof at Christchurch’s Te Kaha. Both sides played a high octane brand, with the Chiefs proving to strong in the chaos to run out 42-22 victors and take top spot on the ladder. The Fijians kicked things off through Mesake Doge, before the Chiefs asserted their dominance through their rolling maul, with hooker Brodie McAlister rumbling over. Centre Quinn Tupaea’s hot…