Author: TMC Palau
Overview: A developing tropical system northwest of Yap is bringing gusty winds and choppy seas to Palau, with wind gusts up to 30 mph expected through Tuesday. The National Weather Service says conditions should gradually improve as the system lifts away from the region — but residents are urged to secure loose outdoor items and watch for road debris in the meantime. By: L.N. Reklai KOROR, Palau (July 14, 2026)— Weather forecasters are tracking a developing tropical system northwest of Yap, Federated States of Micronesia, that is expected to bring gusty winds and rough seas to Palau through Tuesday, according…
[Source: File] Round Three of the Vodafone Vanua Championship and Royal Tea Ranadi Cup will be staged around the country tomorrow, with several teams looking to strengthen their positions on their respective points tables. In the Vodafone Vanua Championship, Pool A leaders Cakaudrove will travel to face Macuata at Ratu Ganilau Park. Cakaudrove tops the standings with four points after its opening-round victory, while Macuata will be chasing its first win. Pool B pace-setters Tavua and Vatukoula, both on five points, will square off at Theodore Park in a clash that could prove decisive in the race for top spot.…
[Source: Reuters] The U.S. will hit Brazil with new 25% duties on its furniture, ethanol, machinery, footwear, sugar and other goods, launching a new wave of tariffs that could affect dozens of countries as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to rebuild its leverage on major trading partners after legal setbacks. The late-night announcement by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer made Brazil the first country targeted under Trump’s new tariff strategy, which relies on Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, an unfair trade practices statute. Trump’s previous global tariffs under an emergency law, including duties of up to 50%…
The Tongan government has launched its first national policy dedicated to helping deportees, or “returnees”, back to the kingdom reintegrate into society.Many Tongan nationals deported to the island after spending decades overseas return to a country they barely know, faced with the daunting prospects of social isolation, and limited support.But advocates are hoping the policy – Tonga National Returnees Reintegration Policy & Strategic Plan of Action 2026-2030 – will reduce reoffending and help people rebuild their lives.The document was as unveiled on Wednesday in Nuku’alofa following a year of collaboration between government agencies, churches, non-government organisations and deportees themselves.The process…
[Source: Reuters] The shirt worn by Brazil great Pele when he scored twice in the 1958 World Cup final has sold for $4.9 million at auction, becoming the most valuable piece of memorabilia linked to the football legend, Sotheby’s said on Thursday. The number 10 shirt, worn by the then 17-year-old as Brazil beat hosts Sweden 5-2 in Stockholm to win their first world title, attracted 10 bids from more than five bidders, the auction house said. The sale made it the second-most expensive football shirt sold at auction, behind the $9.3 million paid in 2022 for the shirt worn…
[Source: Reuters] New Zealand detected on Friday the first infection of a native bird by the deadly H5N1 bird flu, days after confirming a migratory seabird had tested positive in the country’s first recorded case of the disease. A swamp harrier hawk, known locally as a kahu and found in the North Island’s Wairarapa region, had been infected with the virus, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard said in a statement. New Zealand reported its first confirmed detection on Wednesday, in a brown skua found near Wellington. “While it’s disappointing to find a native bird with H5 bird flu, it’s not unexpected…
[Source: File] McDonald’s Fijian Drua Women winger, Repeka Tove, was over the moon after being informed yesterday she would make the matchday 23 for the Super Rugby W semifinal against Queensland Reds in Lautoka tomorrow. The 27 year old was not in the initial 23 that was released on Wednesday. However, she now has a chance to play after replacing the injured Ivamere Nabura on the bench. Tove made the matchday squad when the Drua Women hosted its first Super W semifinal in 2024 but she didn’t get any game time.Article continues after advertisement She says her family didn’t know…
A Fijian high chief Ratu Tevita Mara wants to reduce the military’s powers and restore iTaukei (indigenous) rights.”[We need] a military that defends the nation and never rules it, courts, prosecutors, and elections beyond the control of any government and the strongest protection of our (iTaukei and Rotuman) land, seas, and custom,” the former military-general said this week.Ratu Tevita, who is the traditional head of the Lau province, made the comments in a written submission from the Vanua o Lau (Lau people) to the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC).”Repeal section 131(2) [of the 2013 Constitution] which gives the military an open-ended…
[Photo: Supplied] Under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation, airlines including Fiji Airways must offset emissions on eligible international routes. Rather than purchasing credits from overseas markets, Fiji Airways is exploring whether high-integrity, local carbon projects can meet CORSIA’s requirements to keep the economic and environmental benefits at home. Fiji’s First Aviation-Focused Carbon Market Training to build this local capability, Fiji Airways hosted an IATA-led Carbon Market Training at the Fiji Airways Aviation Academy. The training was designed to build a shared understanding across regulators and the industry.Article continues after advertisement This initiative falls under the airline’s…
A vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman [Source: Reuters] Iran and the United States exchanged intensifying fire on Thursday in a week-long escalation that has largely unraveled last month’s truce, while Tehran disputed President Donald Trump’s claim that a U.S. citizen had been released. For the first time since a memorandum of understanding paused fighting last month, the United States launched two big waves of air strikes in a single day on Wednesday, mostly on targets near Iran’s southern coast, and kept firing on Thursday. In a statement, U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces began…