Author: TMC Palau
[Photo: FILE] The 2026 Vodafone Vanua Championship may be starting today, but one team aims to be part of the competition next year. Vatulele is targeting to feature in the Fiji Rugby Union competition in 2027. Club games have started with two rounds concluded on the island. Across Vatulele, clubs are laying the foundation for a bigger rugby future, and the signs look promising according to Bainivualiku captain, Ilaitia Tavua.Article continues after advertisement “The various clubs are made up of players from villages across Vatulele, and everyone is looking forward to the opportunity to represent the Vatulele Rugby Union next…
Earlier this year, Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape proposed that polygynous marriage in the country be outlawed by 2030 to protect women. This will be a big shift in family structures and culture. In PNG, polygynous unions are not uncommon. While the majority of women, around 81.2% of women, are in monogamous unions, the other 18.8% are in polygynous unions. One of us, Mambon, showed in a previous article that polygyny, which was once practised mostly in certain regions, is now spreading across the country. In this article, we ask: do women in polygynous marriages have weaker voices…
[Photo: FILE] Defending champions Argentina will renew their World Cup rivalry with Switzerland in the quarter-finals on Sunday, 12 years after Angel Di Maria’s extra-time winner knocked the Swiss out of the 2014 tournament. Lionel Messi’s side booked their place in the last eight after staging a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Egypt, recovering from two goals down with just 11 minutes remaining. Messi says his team never gives up, adding that every World Cup match is proving to be a battle. Switzerland also arrived full of confidence after making history by reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the first…
[Source: Fiji Rugby] Head coach Senirusi Seruvakula has made several changes to his Fiji Water Flying Fijians matchday 23 for Sunday’s Nations Championship clash against England. Three changes have been made to the starting pack, with Mesake Doge replacing Peni Ravai at tighthead prop, while Levani Botia comes into the starting side at number eight. Temo Mayanavanua shifts into the second row alongside Isoa Nasilasila, with Tevita Ratuva moving to blindside flanker. Captain Tevita Ikanivere retains the hooker’s jersey, packing down with Eroni Mawi and Doge in the front row.Article continues after advertisement The backline also sees a reshuffle, with…
The shortage of quality courts across the country remains one of Netball Fiji’s biggest challenges as it works towards its long-term goal of qualifying for the 2032 Olympic Games. According to Netball Fiji Transition Oversight Committee secretary Alumeci Sachs, associations in the Northern Division and the maritime islands have little to no access to proper netball courts, creating a major obstacle to the sport’s development at the grassroots level. Having proper netball courts outside Viti Levu is in Netball Fiji’s wish list as it may attract more youth to the sport. “We call on the goverment for the day to…
[Source: Reuters] Greenlanders attending a traditional kayaking championship in Nuuk rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed call for U.S. control of the Arctic island on Wednesday, saying its future should be decided by Greenlanders themselves. Speaking at a NATO summit in Turkey’s Ankara, Trump this week renewed his demand to gain control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, arguing it was important for U.S. national security. At the kayaking championships in Nuuk harbour, where competitors performed rolling manoeuvres in the water by flipping their kayaks upside down and back upright, spectators said Trump was focused on the island’s natural resources…
[File Photo] George Speight, the last person to be sentenced to death in Fiji, claims the Truth and Reconciliation Commission does not have the authority to achieve its purpose. Speaking before the Constitutional Review Commission, the 2000 coup leader said this is one of the reasons he has chosen not to appear before the TRC. Speight says that while the TRC is a necessary part of the process to move Fiji forward, it does not have the authority or mandate “to go all the way” because of the 2013 Constitution. His recommendation is to first amend the 2013 Constitution and…
[File Photo] An Occupational Health and Safety inspector charged over the fatal 2023 Ferris wheel incident in Suva has yet to take his plea. The accused, 34-year-old Ashneel Nath, appeared before High Court judge Justice Thushara Rajasinghe at the Suva High Court. He faces a manslaughter charge linked to an alleged breach of duty. The case relates to the death of a 21-year-old woman who fell from a Ferris wheel during the 2023 Vodafone Showcase at the Vodafone Arena in Suva. Justice Rajasinghe told the court that it was frustrating that the counsels were not able to liaise and solve…
Efforts to preserve and promote the Hindi language are gaining renewed attention, with National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad urging families and communities to play a greater role in keeping the language alive. Prasad says Hindi is an important part of Fiji’s cultural identity and history, and encouraging younger generations to learn and use the language will help preserve it for the future. He says steps such as allowing Hindi to be used in Parliament and increasing Hindi-language content in the media have helped strengthen recognition of the language. “When our government came in 2023, we took the first…
[File Photo] Former coup leader George Speight has made it clear that he supports calls for the removal of constitutional immunity after similar calls were also made by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, Great Council of Chiefs member Ro Naulu Mataitini and former journalist Joe Nata. He described the 2013 Constitution as “contentious” and “contradictory”, pointing to its immunity provision as an example. “From that principle alone, all the other constitutions do qualify, in one degree or another. But this one doesn’t. And that’s the cry that comes from the lowest levels of society, with those who have been…