Author: TMC Palau

Guam narrowly escaped a direct hit from Category 4 Typhoon Champi early Sunday morning after the powerful storm made a last-minute turn westward, keeping its most destructive winds largely offshore.National Weather Service Guam meteorologist Landon Aydlett said Champi passed closest to the U.S. territory at 4:26am Sunday, October 18, about 16km south of Merizo in southern Guam and 33km south of the island’s central area.The typhoon was packing maximum sustained winds of 225km/h when it passed Guam.”Certainly, we had a near miss of this typhoon in all its intensity,” Aydlett said during an early morning weather briefing.”We’ve been very fortunate…

The Aitutaki Island Council has activated its emergency operations centre as Tropical Cyclone Wati approaches.Wati, a category 2 system, is moving southeast towards the Southern Cook Islands, with conditions expected to deteriorate over the coming days.The Cook Islands Meteorological Service said Tropical Cyclone Wati is gradually moving south to southeast at around 16 km/h and is about 290km north of Palmerston at 2pm today local time with max sustained winds of upto 91 km/h close to its centre, with gust reaching 130 km/h.Its forecast for Aitutaki and Ngaputoru (Mauke, Mitiaro and Atiu) is:Fresh to strong winds of 35-55 km/h, with…

The Fiji Bati have started their Rugby League World Cup with a strong win, 40-12 over the Cook Islands.The Bati scored seven tries to the Aitu’s two.The Fiji Bati sung ‘This is my Prayer’ (Oqo na noqu masu) in response to Cook Islands’ pre-game challenge and went on to a powerful win in the teams’ pool clash in Newcastle.Cook Islands, led by captain KL Iro, laid down the challenge after the national anthems, walking up to the Bati team as they lined up at halfway.Api Korosau led Fiji Bati in singing their response at halfway.On the field they managed to…

The Kiwi Ferns have been given a huge fright in their Rugby League World Cup opener, before beating Fiji 18-12 in Newcastle.The courageous Fiji Bulikula, playing in their maiden World Cup, refused to be overawed.With the score 10-12 at the break, Fiji held their lead until 18 minutes in the second half when the Ferns drew level with a penalty from former Jillaroo Zahara Temara.She booted over another to give them a 14-12 lead with five minutes remaining.Leianne Tufuga scored the try that sealed Fiji’s fate, scoring in the corner after a superb chip kick from Raecene McGregor with two…

Benjamin Alard and friends will perform Falla and the Reinvention of the Harpsichord at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona on 5 November 2026. The concert links the venue with the centenary of Manuel de Falla’s Concerto for Harpsichord and Five Instruments, first performed there on 5 November 1926.Falla’s centenary concert returns to the original venueThe concert begins at 8pm in the Concert Hall, according to the organiser. Alard appears as harpsichordist and conductor, joined by Miguel Colom on violin, Fernando Arias on cello, Álvaro Octavio on flute, Ángel Luis Sánchez on oboe and Pablo Barragán on clarinet.The…

Another potentially powerful typhoon is threatening the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands, with Tropical Storm Champi forecast to strengthen into a category 2 typhoon before passing over or near Guam on Sunday.The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) upgraded the system to a tropical storm early Friday, with sustained winds of 40 miles per hour.Champi was about 825 miles east of Guam, moving west at 12 miles per hour, with a typhoon watch in effect for Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan.Forecasters warn that even a slight change in the storm’s track could significantly affect wind and rainfall conditions across the islands.American…

Guam remains under its highest typhoon alert as authorities warn that Category 4 Typhoon Champi conditions could bring life-threatening winds, coastal flooding, and widespread power outages overnight.The island has been under Condition of Readiness 1 since 1pm Saturday, with residents ordered to remain indoors until the government declares Condition of Readiness 4.The Guam Joint Information Center said Champi is expected to pass just south of or over southern Guam late Saturday evening into Sunday morning.The US National Weather has forecast that the storm could bring sustained winds of 140mph about 225km/h.National Weather Service warnings are available here.Evacuation centresAuthorities have urged…

Tropical Cyclone Wati has strengthened into a Category 2 system as it makes its way south through the Cook Islands.The Cook Islands Meteorological Service has issued various weather alerts across the whole of the Cook Islands group.Wati currently lies over the Northern Cook Islands and is expected to move southeast during this weekend and it is expected to intensify into a Category 3 system for a time on Sunday, while remaining over the open waters.At 8am local time, Tropical Cyclone Wati was located approximately 160km south of Suwarrow moving southeast at 12km/h.The system has maximum sustained winds of 100km/h near…

Tonga recorded their first-ever win over England in their opening pool clash at the 2026 Rugby League World Cup in Perth on Saturday night, with a 30-12 victory.It was a Haumole Olakau’atu double that inspired the Tongan XIII to the win.The win is the Pacific nation’s first over England in their history and helps avenge a two-point loss in the 2017 World Cup semifinal.Kristian Woolf’s men repelled multiple waves of England attack before scoring twice in three minutes to turn a 10-6 lead into a 22-6 advantage midway through the second half.England fought back through Dom Young before Haumole Olakau’atu’s…

Four Seasons Explorer Palau unveils M-Dock, a new waterfront restaurant, bar and lounge where Mediterranean flavours meet Pacific pace. Set at Four Seasons Explorer’s home port marina in Koror, M-Dock pairs cocktails, fresh seafood and handmade pastas with lagoon views and laid-back waterfront evenings. The opening brings Four Seasons Explorer’s Palau story ashore, extending the 39-metre (128-foot) catamaran’s seafaring luxury into a relaxed social hub with a character of its own. A destination in its own right, M-Dock also welcomes Four Seasons guests at the beginning and end of their Explorer voyage. Open to locals and visitors alike, it is…