Author: TMC Palau

Nathaniel Hanna Holloway, marine ecologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, which co-led the monitoring effort alongside Island Conservation, placed the Ulong results in their wider scientific context.  “These early signals from Ulong show how quickly ecosystems can rebound when stressors are removed. For the first time in Palau, we’re seeing measurable evidence of seabird-driven nutrient flow returning to the land and sea. It’s powerful proof that terrestrial action spills over into benefits for surrounding reef communities, which people rely on for their livelihoods.” The study used a Before-After-Control-Impact monitoring model, tracking seabirds, nutrients, reef fish and…

[File Photo] The new Pacific Australia Skills Hub is being established to address Fiji’s workforce shortages, not to meet Australia’s labour needs. Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau has dismissed claims that the training centre is designed mainly to prepare workers for Australia. Tuisawau says the hub is focused on closing Fiji’s technical skills gap, particularly in sectors facing growing demand for skilled workers. “It is basically to work on fighting the skills gaps we have here in Fiji, specifically the technical skills.”Article continues after advertisement The Minister says the centre will also strengthen the country’s local workforce by…

The Papua New Guinea-Australia Mutual Defence Treaty, known as the Pukpuk Treaty, comes into force today.James Marape and Anthony Albanese, the prime ministers of the two countries, are meeting in Brisbane to discuss the treaty, which was signed in October last year.The Pukpuk Treaty, PNG’s first-ever defence alliance and Australia’s first in over seven decades, strengthens defence cooperation between PNG and Australia through intelligence sharing, logistics and training.It includes a pathway for up to 10,000 Papua New Guineans to join the Australian Defence Force.Marape said the agreement would boost PNG’s security capabilities while maintaining national sovereignty and independence.The Australian government…

[File Photo] The term “Fijian” is a colonial construct that does not carry the same cultural and historical meaning as “iTaukei”. Professor Steven Ratuva highlighted this during his submission to the Constitutional Review Commission. Responding to a question from CRC member Ami Kholi on identity and personal identification, Ratuva argued that the two terms represent fundamentally different concepts, with one emerging from Indigenous self-identification and the other from colonial history. CRC Commissioner Ami Kholi questioned Professor Ratuvua on aspects of Identity.Article continues after advertisement “I think you were just about to speak about identity, and we got cut short there;…

[File Photo] The government is encouraging businesses to employ persons with disabilities by taking advantage of new tax incentives. At the launch of Fiji’s Inclusive Employment Guidebook, Minister for Women Sashi Kiran highlighted that employers are eligible for a tax rebate of up to 400 percent when they hire persons with disabilities. Kiran said this measure is one of the strongest in the region and reflects the government’s commitment to building a fairer and more inclusive economy. The Minister stressed that inclusive employment is not only about fairness, but also about tapping into the talents and skills of people with…

[Photo: Bose Vavataga] Farmers in Rakiraki today highlighted several issues affecting them, with the cane payment being the hottest topic of discussion. Farmers told the Special Committee on the Sugar Industry that the cost of planting and harvesting cane has increased, and the current payment is not sufficient to sustain their livelihoods. Prominent Rakiraki sugarcane farmer George Shiu Raj gave a breakdown of rising production costs to justify the industry’s demand for a $ 110-per-ton cane payment. Article continues after advertisement [Photo: Farmers] Shiu Raj warns that high harvesting, cartage, and land rental expenses leave small-holder farmers with as little…

A group of former Pacific prime ministers, presidents and senior diplomats has warned that Pacific Islands countries are at a crossroads as geopolitical competition reshapes the region.This comes after China fired a test nuclear-capable missile in the South Pacific on Monday, and amid Australia’s busy campaign of signing security treaties with Pacific countries.The Pacific Elders Voice group warns that growing geopolitical competition in the Pacific is threatening the future of regionalism and the sovereignty of island nations.It also warns that larger neighbours are reframing the Pacific region’s vulnerabilities – including climate change, economic dependence and geographic isolation – as opportunities…

[Photo Credit: Reuters] At the La Esperanza cemetery in western Venezuela, local volunteers have been digging graves ​for victims of the country’s devastating twin earthquakes last month, unloading coffins and helping families search for loved ones. In the hills above the ‌hard-hit town of Catia la Mar, local volunteers working alongside some cemetery workers have buried 314 people at La Esperanza cemetery, community council head Elis Zabala, 33, said on Tuesday. About 100 of the people who were buried are identified only by a number linked to morgue records. The volunteers are performing jobs often handled by ​government teams in…

[File Photo] A police officer has been remanded in custody after failing to appear at the Magistrates ‘ Court in Suva yesterday. The officer was expected to appear as a witness in a case involving alleged possession of illicit drugs. The officer had been served a summons to attend the trial but did not show up when the matter was called. The court ruled that his absence was a serious breach, stressing the importance of witness testimony in drug-related cases.Article continues after advertisement As proceedings for the mentioned case continue, the officer is now expected to appear in court on…

Tonga has become the 179th state to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).The ratification was formalised on Tuesday at a ceremony at the United Nations headquarters in New York.Tonga’s permanent representative to the UN Viliami Va’inga Tōnē said this is just a legal formality but a statement of who they are and what they stand for.”The Pacific has felt the pain of nuclear testing. Ratifying the CTBT is our contribution to ensuring that no one, anywhere, has to go through that again,” he said.The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) said the ratification reflects Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa…