Author: TMC Palau

[Photo: Supplied] Twenty-seven years after its establishment, the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission has opened its first office in the Northern Division. The new Labasa office means people will no longer have to travel to Suva to seek assistance for human rights violations and discrimination complaints. It is expected to improve access to justice for vulnerable groups who may have previously felt isolated or unsure of where to turn for help. Commissioner Shantelle Khan says the office will provide an important outlet for those facing human rights issues.Article continues after advertisement “Can you imagine the vulnerable groups, the people…

How Palau became caught between two superpowersPublished 15 July 2026, 9:48 amThe United States is establishing and reinforcing its military positions across the Pacific, including on the tiny nation of Palau — a country with a population of just 18,000. It’s a key part of what’s known as the second island chain — located in a region US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has described as “the tip of America’s spear” in the Pacific. The sovereign state has a compact which gives the US exclusive military access in return for security and economic support. But as tensions between Beijing and Washington…

[Photo: File] Minister for Public Works, Transport and Meteorological Services Ro Filipe Tuisawau has acknowledged that while progress has been made in Fiji’s water sector, rural communities remain at a disadvantage. Speaking in Parliament, Ro Filipe stressed that villages and settlements outside urban centers continue to face gaps in reliable water supply, with many families depending on rainwater harvesting or struggling with inconsistent borehole systems. To address this, the government has allocated $10 million in the new financial year for borehole development and rural water projects. The programme, to be implemented with the Ministry of Lands, will focus on drilling…

Super W seminifal: Drua v RedsKick-off: 1:05pm, Saturday 18 JulyVenue: Churchill Park, Lautoka, FijiFijian Drua Women’s head coach Mike Legge believes winning collisions and executing well are key areas his team will need to focus on against the Queensland Reds Women’s in Saturday’s Super W rugby semi-final in Lautoka.Legge said the visitors will be physical upfront and would be tough opponents.He also pointed to having a good start and being consistent in the first 20 minutes could determine how the team performs in the match.”I’ve been pretty consistent with the areas that I see wins us games, and that’s the…

[Photo: FILE] Sugar has carried Fiji’s agriculture for generations, but the government says that dependence must now change. Speaking in support of the 2026–2027 National Budget, Lands and Mineral Resources Minister Filimoni Vosarogo again pointed out Fiji has relied too heavily on sugar, imports and global markets that the country cannot control. He says the next phase of agriculture must come from new industries that can create jobs, increase exports and give farmers more opportunities. “For too long we have been dependent on sugar, dependent on imports, dependent on global markets that we cannot influence. And that era, we think,…

[Photo: File] Four years is not enough to fix the deep economic challenges inherited by the Coalition Government, says former Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad. He pointed this out in Parliament as he pushed back against Opposition criticism of the 2026–2027 National Budget. Prof Prasad said the government was dealing with problems built up over many years and warned that economic recovery and reform could not happen overnight. His comments came as he rejected Opposition claims that the budget lacked discipline, questioned government borrowing and failed to deliver enough capital investment.Article continues after advertisement Prof Prasad accused the Opposition of…

In January, Robson Henry died at the age of 66. Chances are, you have never heard of Henry. He was not famous, rich, or powerful. In many ways, Henry was no different from the thousands of young men and women who, at the age of 18, chose to serve by enlisting in the U.S. Army. Nor does the fact that he stayed in the Army for the next 26 years, serving multiple tours of duty in the Middle East, meaningfully distinguish him. And yet, Henry was special: Unlike the vast majority of his fellow soldiers, he was not from the…

[Photo: File] Cutting Ministers’ salaries and reducing the size of cabinet would only save a few million dollars and would not solve Fiji’s wider financial challenges, says Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel. Immanuel made the comments while defending the 2026–2027 National Budget in his right of reply in Parliament today. Immanuel responded to calls that government should first reduce its own costs before asking the country to accept tough financial decisions. “It is much harder to explain which services should be reduced, (22:08) which taxes should be increased, or which families should receive less support. But it is easy to stand…

Cash set aside to host the Pacific Island Forum Leaders’ Meeting (PIFLM) in New Zealand next year may fall short of what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) expected it to cost.RNZ Pacific has received a document from MFAT under the Official Information Act (OIA) that puts potential operating costs at $30 million over two years, as of March.Budget 2026 set aside $20m over that time to host PIFLM.An MFAT spokesperson said that due to “subsequent work to clarify expectations and scope, and to tighten cost estimates”, they now expected the budget to cover it.When asked specifically how…

Religious scholars signing an appeal requesting an end to Chairman Lee’s detention. Concerns Raised at European Academy of Religion’s International Conference Held in Rome—Strong Appeals Over Violation of International Law. European scholars of religion are making strong appeals to the South Korean government to release Lee Man-hee, the 95-year-old Chairman of Shincheonji Church, who remains in detention.   Chairman Lee was detained on 24 June on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act and was indicted on 30 June. The Joint Police–Prosecution Investigation Headquarters alleges that, between July 2021 and January 2024, he directed the mass registration of approximately…