Author: TMC Palau
[Source: Reuters] Australia faces multi-faceted threats from autocratic regimes, hackers and antisemitic extremists that present a systemic challenge to national security and are degrading the security environment, the country’s spy chief said. While Australia’s terrorism threat level remains at “probable”, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Director-General Mike Burgess said the designation does not accurately capture the “concurrent, cascading and compounding threats.” ASIO’s annual assessment followed a year in which Australia confronted threats on multiple fronts, from online radicalisation, state-sponsored cyberattacks to arson against Jewish businesses and a mass shooting in Sydney. “‘Probable’ does not tell the full story. The next…
Overview: Pacific climate advocates have expressed disappointment over the outcomes of the UN June Climate Meetings (SB64) in Bonn, warning that delays and divisions among negotiators have pushed critical decisions on climate action, finance and adaptation to COP31 in Türkiye. The Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) says the lack of progress comes at a time when climate impacts are intensifying across the region, leaving vulnerable communities facing greater risks and uncertainty. BONN, 22 JUNE 2026 (PICAN)—The outcomes of the June Climate Meetings in Bonn, Germany (SB64) is marked by delay, division and a dangerous weakening of ambition at a…
A lot will be at stake when hosts and reigning champions Extra Labasa take the field in the first BiC Fiji FACT semifinal against Ba on Saturday. The Babasiga Lions will be desperate for a win as they aim to prove that their dominance is no fluke. The Northerners have not won a Fiji FACT on their home turf in 27 years, with their last victory coming in 1999. The side is also unbeaten at home since July 2025 and will be looking to maintain that record while securing back-to-back Fiji FACT titles after winning it last season.Article continues after…
[Photo: File] The Suva High Court will set a trial date next month for a tertiary student charged with manslaughter. Twenty-one-year-old Aisake Lovobalavu appeared before Justice Pita Bulanaivalu this morning. Lovobalavu is facing one count of manslaughter in relation to an alleged incident in March this year at Nauluvatu Settlement in Suva. Lovobalavu’s lawyer, Kalisito Maisamoa, told the court that the post-mortem report for the victim has not yet been provided by the State, while the medical certificate of death provided is not legible.Article continues after advertisement Maisamoa informed the court that the defence will file a voir dire application…
[Photo: File] The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre says the government should prioritize spending in the new financial year by directing funds to areas where they are needed most. Coordinator Shamima Ali says the Fiji Police Force requires more resources and training to improve professionalism and effectively respond to crime. Ali says well-trained and well-equipped officers are essential in protecting vulnerable citizens and maintaining law and order. She adds that the government should prioritize funding for policing and social services, particularly those supporting women, children, and other vulnerable groups.Article continues after advertisement “I don’t believe that our military needs the kind…
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) has reached a recovery milestone following Super Typhoon Sinlaku, with the last emergency generators deployed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) now removed from Saipan and Tinian.Mission commander Captain Zach Bailey said the move reflected progress in restoring permanent electrical service across the Commonwealth.”Temporary power demobilizing is a good thing because that means that the CUC [Commonwealth Utilites Corporation] here on Saipan and Tinian have been able to hook up critical infrastructure back to the permanent grid,” Bailey said.The temporary power mission installed 128 generators across the two islands after deploying…
[Photo: File] The Sugar Cane Growers Fund is hoping the 2026/2027 National Budget will provide solutions to long-standing agricultural lease renewal issues. Chief Executive Raj Sharma says while government support for growers remains important, securing land tenure is crucial for the future of the sugar industry. He says farmers need certainty over their land to continue investing in sugarcane production and maintaining their operations. Sharma says the industry expects existing assistance programmes, including the guaranteed cane price, fertilizer subsidies and cane planting grants, to continue in the new budget.Article continues after advertisement However, he stresses that lease renewal remains a…
Australian actor Jacob Elordi is among the names rumoured to be in the running for the next 007. (AP PHOTO) James Bond bosses have reportedly narrowed down its shortlist of actors for the next round of auditions. Director Denis Villeneuve and producers at Amazon MGM Studios are on the hunt for the next 007 to take over from Daniel Craig, with plenty of speculation that Harris Dickinson, Callum Turner and Jacob Elordi, among others, would be among those in the running. According to Deadline, Villeneuve and the producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman have started informing talent if they have…
[Source: Reuters] Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160 km (100 miles) west of the capital Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Interim leader Rodriguez says at least 32 people have been killed and and 700 injured when buildings collapsed. The USGS, using predictive modeling to estimate the death toll, said it would most likely run into the thousands, with a substantial probability of exceeding 10,000.Article continues after advertisement Rodriguez said initial figures do not include casualties from La Guaira state, near…
Feature – More than 100,000 sight restoring surgeries have been delivered across the Pacific by The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ and partners in their efforts to end avoidable blindness and vision impairment in the region.This work, according to the Foundation’s, “changes lives” and the charity’s CEO Dr Audrey Aumua said being able to restore the gift of sight is powerful work.She said watching community elders open their eyes and see clearly for the first time in years is deeply moving.”I’ve watched bandages come off folks’ eyes, and hear this incredible gasp, where they often will turn and say, ‘I’m looking…