Author: TMC Palau

Journalists play an important role in every democracy, whether in the Pacific or abroad. They report on government decisions, elections, public spending, development projects and issues affecting ordinary people. They also give communities a voice and help people understand what is happening around them. For small Pacific countries such as Solomon Islands, this work is especially important. Our communities are spread across many islands, distance makes information hard to gather and share, and journalists often work with limited resources. In July 2025, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted Resolution 59/15 on the Safety of Journalists. The resolution calls on…

Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona announced the Nova Porta del Palau on 15 October 2026, adding a new visitor entrance from Via Laietana to the modernist concert hall. The new area brings together public information, a shop, exhibition material and a planned immersive experience.Nova Porta del Palau adds a new route in BarcelonaThe announcement from the venue’s operator describes the Nova Porta del Palau as a welcome space connecting the building with the city. Its visitor service point is intended to provide information about the programme, concert tickets and visits, while the route also includes the Palau shop…

Fresh lawsuit challenges Trump’s American Samoa mining plansAn environmental group is challenging the United States’ legal authority to sell seabed mining leases covering waters off the coast of American Samoa, as the Trump administration pushes ahead with plans for a deep sea mining auction around the Pacific territory.The US is proposing to lease more than 31 million acres of seabed, with the sale scheduled for 19 November. The decision marks the first time the US has offered such leases and comes despite widespread opposition from locals and environmental groups.Fa’asao Amerika Samoa co-founder Seumalu Elora Raymond told Pacific Waves that the…

Feature – A Tongan youth leader believes discrepancies in New Zealand’s education system should not prevent Pasifika youths from succeeding in their careers.Louise Amelia Murphy, 44, from Brooklyn in Wellington, said the academic achievement of Pasifika children, especially those who come to Aotearoa at a young age, remains an area of concern.She said that it is critical for families to ensure they set the right direction for their children early on.”Set the right pathway and get educated,” Murphy said.She believes the primary challenges for Pasifika children in the local education system in Aotearoa center around culture and language.With English being…

The concert began with a roar of guitars and the deafening clamor of the Barcelona audience. On the stage of the Palau Sant Jordi, Julian Casablancas intoned Tyrants of the mellow moon with an excess of autotune. He came out dressed in a black trench coat and sunglasses that he did not take off during the whole concert. At the beginning, more shy: hanging from the microphone and swaying from one foot to the other, turning his back to check the setlist. But, little by little, something started heating up. The audience, who were already shouting everything from the start,…

The PNG Chiefs, the NRL’s newest franchise, has launched its logo and jersey in Port Moresby ahead of its 2028 debut.The club, which is locked in a legal battle with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) over trademark rights to the “Chiefs” name, revealed its brand identity and kit on Wednesday morning.The launch went ahead after New Zealand’s High Court declined an urgent application by NZR for an interim injunction to stop the unveiling.PNG Chiefs logo launched on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.Screengrab / Facebook/TVWAN OnlinePNG’s Prime Minister James Marape said the PNG Chiefs gives every child in the country a dream.”Every child…

Labour has slammed Prime Minister Christopher Luxon over New Zealand’s ambivalence to Israel becoming a Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) partner.Luxon attended the meeting in Palau last month when PIF leaders decided to recognise Israel as a new partner – announced only today.A Pacific politics expert says Israel’s participation at next year’s PIF summit remains unclear, given active arrest warrants against senior Israeli politicians.New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has “serious questions to answer” over Israel becoming a partner of the region’s main political decision-making institution, Labour’s foreign affairs spokesperson says.Israel has joined the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) as a development…

By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA Kumasi, Oct. 20, GNA – International and local Christian leaders have converged in Kumasi for the ongoing Love Ghana Festival, a multi-day outreach initiative focused on unity, prayer, evangelism and community service. The festival, described as the largest city-wide non-denominational evangelistic campaign in the Ashanti Region, is being organised by the Church in Ghana in collaboration with the Palau Ministry, formerly the Luis Palau Association. Ghana has welcomed Evangelist Andrew Palau and his wife, Mrs Wendy Palau, from the United States as lead guest speakers for the festival, alongside ministers from the United States and the United Kingdom. Evangelist Palau,…

Israel has joined the Pacific Islands Forum, the region’s principal political organisation, as a partner.Israel has stepped up its diplomatic focus on the Pacific over the last few years, winning the dedication of numerous Pacific Islands countries in the process.As a PIF partner, Israel will participate in the Forum’s Sectoral Partnership Stream, engaging actively with the region on development priorities. The PIF has more than two dozen external dialogue partners, including the United States, China, the United Kingdom, France and the European Union.The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that this will be along the lines of water management, desalination, agriculture and…

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale has called for more job opportunities for Solomon Islanders through Australia’s Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.Solomon Islands is one of nine Pacific Island countries that is part of the PALM scheme, which allows eligible Australian employers to recruit workers from the region for seasonal and longer-term placements.Wale gave the keynote address at the inaugural PALM Approved Employer Expo in Honiara on Tuesday.He said that more than 13,000 Solomon Islanders have participated under the PALM scheme since 2018 in various sectors and industries, calling it “a massive achievement and a huge investment for our…