Author: TMC Palau
Papua New Guinea weightlifter Morea Baru is the first Pacific Island athlete at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow to win a medal.The 36-year-old lifted a total of 282 kilogram in the men’s 65kg category – 125kg in the snatch and 157kg in the clean-and-jerk.It is his fourth Commonwealth Games medal and second bronze, with two silvers won in previous Games.Morea Baru with his bronze medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.Facebook / Team PNGIndia’s Raja Muthupandi won silver with a total lift of 286kg, while Malaysia’s Aznil Biden took his third straight gold, winning with a total of 299kg.Samoa’s Felevaa Tafi…
Lelean Memorial School U18 after winning the Eastern Zone and Lutubula Shield. For the first time in its history, the Vodafone Deans under 18 eliminations will be held in four zones this weekend to determine the top eight teams that’ll progress to the national quarterfinals. The standard practice has been the top three U18 teams from the Eastern and Southern Zones, while two from the West make the Deans quarterfinals. However, this year, all top four teams from the respective zones make the eliminations, which gives Northern schools equal chances of making the nationals. Eastern Zone champs, Lelean Memorial School,…
[Source: Fijian Rugby/ Facebook] An all-Vanua Levu final has been confirmed in the Vodafone Vanua Championship Under-20 competition after Cakaudrove and Macuata secured semi-final victories today. Cakaudrove produced a strong second-half comeback to defeat Northland 23-16 in the second semi-final. Trailing 16-10 at halftime, the northern side overturned the deficit to book its place in the championship decider. Earlier, Macuata edged Coastland 39-32 in a high-scoring first semi-final to secure the first spot in the final. The results set up a blockbuster all-northern clash between Macuata and Cakaudrove, guaranteeing that the Vodafone Vanua Under-20 title will head to Vanua Levu.Article…
[Photo: Taina Basiyalo] David Tolu Young has capped off a history-making Commonwealth Games campaign with a sixth-place finish in the men’s 50m freestyle final in Glasgow, Scotland. The Fijian sprint sensation touched the wall in 22.18 seconds, finishing just one-hundredth of a second behind South Africa’s Calvyn Justus (22.17) in a world-class field. Australia’s Cameron McEvoy claimed gold and set a new Commonwealth Games record with a blistering 20.97 seconds, ahead of compatriots Flynn Southam (21.44) and Jamie Jack (21.47). While Young narrowly missed the medals, his appearance in the final had already etched his name into Fiji’s sporting history…
Young learners at Vunidawa Primary School in Cakaudrove are continuing to attend classes in a converted teacher’s quarters as the school seeks support to build a dedicated early childhood education classroom. The need for a proper ECE facility was raised during Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s talanoa session in Koronatoga. School Head Teacher Semi Daugunu says creating a safe and suitable learning environment for the school’s youngest students remains a priority under its three-year strategic plan. “At the moment, one of our teacher’s quarters is being used as the ECE classroom, while the other is occupied by a teacher. We hope…
[File Photo] Republic of Fiji Military Forces Commander Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai is calling on personnel to uphold integrity, accountability and transparency as the force prepares for reforms. Speaking during an RFMF service at Tuvasu Hall, Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Major General Kalouniwai said every member has a responsibility to protect the reputation of the military and maintain public trust. He says serving in the RFMF is not about personal interests, but about safeguarding the institution and honouring the trust placed in it by the people of Fiji. “This is especially important in demonstrating honesty, integrity and transparency to the…
Papua New Guinea’s many parties in parliament make for fragmented politics. In previous posts, one of us (Laveil) used the effective number of parties (ENP) index to measure fragmentation at elections and in the previous parliament. In this post, we extend the analysis to the current parliament. Although most candidates stand as independents, most winners come from parties. Since 1977, an average of 81% of winners in each election belonged to parties, reflecting the tendency of parties to endorse the candidates they judge most likely to win. PNG’s parliament had 109 seats between 1975 and 2011, 111 seats between 2012…
[File Photo] New Zealand and Fiji are stepping up efforts to reach a trade target of two billion dollars, with both countries looking to build on growing economic ties and business opportunities. The target comes as the two nations formalise a renewed partnership that will guide cooperation over the next five years. New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji Greg Andrews says trade remains a key priority under the newly signed Duavata Partnership Agreement. The agreement, signed last week by Fiji’s Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran Dutoka and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, outlines cooperation in…
Supplied by SPC Firefighters from Fiji and Samoa have strengthened regional disaster response capabilities after completing their first joint Urban Search and Rescue and Swift Water Rescue training. The programme is the first major outcome of a twinning partnership signed in April 2025 between Fiji’s National Fire Authority and the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority. The partnership focuses on firefighter exchanges, shared training programmes, and building skills to respond to increasingly complex emergencies across the Pacific. The National Fire Authority says Fiji aims to become a regional training hub, allowing neighbouring countries to access advanced rescue training closer to…
[Source: Reuters] A federal appeals court on Saturday declined to allow U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to implement in 23 states his executive order that aims to tighten rules for mail-in voting ahead of November elections that will decide control of Congress. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the administration’s request to lift an injunction several Democratic-led states secured on June 25 from a lower-court judge who concluded that key parts of the Republican president’s order were unconstitutional. In asking the court to pause U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani’s ruling while it pursues an appeal, the U.S.…