Author: TMC Palau
By Anton Rose, ABC Dozens of people have gathered to farewell Lorenzo Lemalu at a funeral held at Sydney’s Lakemba Mosque. (ABC News) Photo: ABC News In short: Dozens of mourners have turned out to farewell Sydney crime boss Lorenzo Lemalu at a funeral held at Lakemba Mosque, in Sydney’s western suburbs. The procession was held just 24 hours after police responded to reports of a gunman firing shots into another venue that was advertised as the location of Lemalu’s funeral. Lemalu’s death has heightened gangland tensions in Sydney, with police sources saying they are braced for reprisal attacks. Dozens…
The 2026 Prime Minister’s International Business Awards is one of the premier events on Fiji’s business calendar. [Photo: Josefa Sigavolavola] Organisers of the 2026 Prime Minister’s International Business Awards are anticipating another strong turnout, following a record-breaking attendance at last year’s event. The annual awards programme attracted 760 guests in 2025, making it the highest attendance in the event’s history and highlighting growing interest from the business community. Investment Fiji Chief Executive Kamal Chetty says they are confident the momentum will continue this year, with expectations that more than 700 people will attend the 2026 awards ceremony. “The 2025 award,…
The High Court has refused an application by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to temporarily halt a previous ruling relating to the removal of former FICAC Commissioner Barbara Malimali, while his appeal continues. In a decision delivered by Justice Dane Tuiqerqere, the court ruled that it had no legal power to grant a stay of a declaratory order, which formed the basis of the earlier judgment. The Prime Minister had sought the stay as part of his appeal against Justice Tuiqerqere’s earlier finding that the Judicial Services Commission, and not the Prime Minister, holds the authority to advise the President on…
National Federation Party MP Pio Tikoduadua. [Photo: National Federation Party/FACEBOOK PAGE] National Federation Party MP and Minister for Defence Pio Tikoduadua says the party must evolve and remain relevant if it wants to grow ahead of the next general election. Speaking at the NFP Working Committee meeting in Rakiraki, Tikoduadua said knowing the party’s history and values is important, but it is not enough to win the support of voters. He challenged members to focus on how the public sees the party and whether people feel represented by it. “So, this is the challenge for us here today. In this…
Ardie Savea played a leading role in Moana Pasifika’s historic 2025 Super Rugby campaign. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Former Moana Pasifika captain Ardie Savea has told Japan Rugby media he is hopeful that the franchise will still be around next season. The club has wrapped up its operation, going into liquidation two weeks ago, after owners Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) revealed they do not have funds to continue. Savea, who helped Japanese club Kobe Steelers win the Japan Rugby League One championship by defeating the Kubota Spears 22-13 in the final at Tokyo’s National Stadium on Sunday, said Moana Pasifika was still…
[Source: Reuters] On the stone steps leading up Mount Tai, one of China’s best-known peaks, hikers can book and pay for “climbing buddies” to walk with them, carry bags and take photos for a few hundred yuan. The increasingly popular service is part of a broader “companionship economy” emerging in China, which includes paid partners for running, sightseeing and even eating out at hotpot restaurants – a meal traditionally shared with friends. Providers, often students or young gig workers, advertise on social media with promises of “emotional value”, conversation and practical help, turning what was once an experience or favour…
Another 26 parcels suspected to contain illicit drugs have been discovered on Ogea Island in Lau, leaving residents shocked and concerned. According to Ogea villager Finau Ledua, the parcels were first spotted last Friday afternoon by men searching for fishing bait along the shores of Ogea Driki. Ledua says additional parcels were discovered the following day, bringing the total number recovered to 26. Article continues after advertisement The villagers immediately alerted the Lakeba Police Station, and officers later travelled to the island to collect the parcels and transport them to Lakeba for further investigation. The packages are wrapped in brown,…
The government will receive an additional $24 million in grant funding from Australia to support the continued development of schools and health facilities across Fiji. Cabinet has endorsed Amendment No. 3 to the Direct Funding Arrangement between Fiji and Australia, allowing the new funding to be channelled through the Fiji Social Infrastructure Programme. The funding will support the construction and upgrading of education and healthcare facilities, with a focus on ensuring they are safe, inclusive and resilient to climate change impacts. It will also help advance priority infrastructure projects already underway in communities around the country.Article continues after advertisement As…
The south coastline of Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island has been buffeted by huge rafts of pumice created by an erupting undersea volcano in the Bismarck Sea. Located around 125 kilometres southeast of Manus, the volcano has emitted a large steam plume since early May, while built-up lava has produced masses of pumice floating to the surface. The rafts are being pushed by tides and currents into south coastal parts of Manus, complicating boat access and impacting the shoreline. A former Manus MP and crocodile hunter, Ron Knight, said there was one large raft up to 3 kilometres wide and…
The offshore quake hit at a depth of 35km off the island of Mindanao. (MetMalaysia pic) MANILA: A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of the Philippines on Monday, the US Geological Survey said, prompting a regional warning centre to issue a tsunami alert. The offshore quake hit at a depth of 35km about 24km west of Mindanao’s Sarangani province, USGS said. Videos posted to Facebook showed a shopping centre with a Jollibee fast food restaurant collapsing into rubble in the province’s General Santos City, while a building on a local school campus crumpled in another. The Pacific Tsunami…