Author: TMC Palau

[Photo: FILE] Climate advocate Adi Sivoki Oripa Susu is calling for greater investment in nature-based solutions, saying mangrove restoration is essential to protecting Fiji’s coastal communities from the growing impacts of climate change. She says mangroves play a vital role in strengthening coastal resilience by protecting shorelines and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere. Adi Susu warns that climate change is not only damaging the environment but also threatening the culture, identity and livelihoods of coastal communities. She says rising sea levels are causing the loss of ancestral land, which also means the loss of cultural heritage and traditional knowledge passed…

Team Fiji Basketball 3×3 rep, Bulou Tuisue. [Photo: TAINA BASIYALO] More than 15 years after first wearing the Fiji jersey, Bulou Tuisue is preparing for another career milestone – leading the nation’s women’s 3×3 basketball team onto the Commonwealth Games stage for the very first time. The 35-year-old captain believes Fiji’s early arrival in Scotland has already paid dividends, giving the squad valuable time to recover from the demanding journey and adapt to the new time zone ahead of competition. While Tuisue is one of the newest members of the team’s 3×3 programme, having only taken up the fast-paced format…

Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa. [Photo: FILE] The Health Ministry will now work to ensure that HIV allocated funds are fully utilised. Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa has stressed this following concerns raised to the Ministry regarding the redeployment of HIV funds. Considering that there is now a dedicated HIV taskforce, according to Ravunawa, the unit will have its own funding to operate and combat the spread of HIV and STIs in the country. He stressed that while HIV infections continue to rise, particularly among young people aged 15- 35, it is still manageable and preventable with proper…

Overview: Pacific leaders, environmental groups and advocates across the region are condemning a U.S. proposal to move forward with offshore mineral leasing in federal waters off American Samoa, arguing it ignores overwhelming public opposition and threatens the Pacific’s ocean, culture and livelihoods. The proposal marks another step toward a potential lease sale later this year, despite nearly 70,000 public comments opposing seabed mineral extraction. PAGO PAGO, 20 JULY 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — Pacific leaders and environmental advocates have condemned a United States government proposal to advance plans for an offshore mineral lease sale in federal waters off American Samoa.  They…

On 3 October 2015, a US gunship repeatedly fired upon the Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) trauma centre in Kunduz, Afghanistan. The attack — which occurred during a Taliban attack on other parts of the city — killed 42 people, including patients, medical staff and caretakers, and destroyed the only major trauma hospital serving northeastern Afghanistan. This infamous attack demonstrated a dangerous erosion of respect for the protected status of hospitals under international humanitarian law (IHL) and, together with widespread attacks on health facilities in Syria and Yemen, it became a major catalyst for United Nations Security…

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. [Photo: FILE] Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says major reforms are needed to revive Fiji’s sugar industry, as taxpayers continue to support a sector facing production challenges. He says modernisation, improved farming systems and upgraded facilities are critical to increasing output and reducing the industry’s ongoing struggles. Rabuka says while government continues to support the sugar industry, long-term solutions must focus on increasing production through large-scale farming and mechanisation. “The real solution should be large-scale farms, mechanized cultivation and mechanized harvesting.”Article continues after advertisement Rabuka admits Fiji has fallen behind in upgrading its sugar mills, with ageing…

[Photo: FILE] Post-mortem reports presented during the High Court trial into the death of Nadi-based doctor Isireli Biumaitotoya, also known as Dr Leli Darling, revealed that some of the injuries sustained were so severe that they are only seen in rare cases. Dr Biumaitotoya was allegedly murdered at his home in Namaka between August 31 and September 1, 2025. Thirty-eight-year-old Peceli Rokoravolo, who is reported to have been known to the victim, is charged with one count of murder in relation to the case. Photographs presented in court and viewed by FBC News showed deep cuts that had torn through…

Overview: Images from the interception of a Chinese fishing vessel in Tuvalu reveal the harsh reality of illegal fishing in the Pacific. Authorities say the vessel allegedly used deceptive tracking tactics to avoid detection while operating without a valid permit, highlighting the growing challenge of protecting the region’s vast ocean resources. FUNAFUTI, 20 JULY 2026 (AAP) — The interception of a Chinese vessel accused of illegal fishing highlights the technical lengths many use to remain undetected across millions of square kilometres of open ocean.  Tuvalu Police operating on a Sea Shepard patrol boat boarded and arrested a Chinese longliner, the…

An Emmy award-winning costume designer has described the opportunity to work on Disney’s Moana live-action film as a “dream come true”.Liz McGregor, who hails from Kolomotu’a in Tonga but is based in Auckland, said she received an email “that came out of the blue” from Disney and initially thought they wanted her to provide some consultation, but was told the US entertainment giant wanted her to lead the costume design for the movie.”Dream come true”: Tongan costume designer on Moana projectPacific WavesMcGregor is no stranger to working on major movie productions, her credits include Mulan (2018), Blood Diamond (2005) andThe…

[Source: Reuters] U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reassured Asian allies that a U.S. pursuit of positive ties with Beijing did not mean they ​were being abandoned. As top diplomats joined a regional security gathering on Thursday held amid an escalating Middle East conflict. Speaking a day after meeting Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, where the ‌two discussed laying the groundwork for a September visit to the U.S. by President Xi Jinping, Rubio said cooperation with China would not come at the expense of Washington’s close Asian partners. “We’re already present. We have a role, and we’re not going to abandon…