Author: TMC Palau

[Photo: File] The Water Authority of Fiji has warned that shutting down water supplies without consultation could leave communities without access to safe water. Appearing before the Standing Committee on Social Affairs on the Public Health Amendment Bill (Bill No.4 of 2026), WAF raised concerns over provisions in the Public Health Amendment Bill that would allow authorities to close contaminated water sources. Chief Executive Seru Soderberg said any decision to restrict or shut down a water supply should involve consultation with WAF and the Ministry of Public Works. He said closing a water source can affect hundreds or even thousands…

Palau President Surangel S Whipps Jr expressed strong support for Taiwan during Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim’s (蕭美琴) visit to the Pacific ally, saying yesterday that failure to recognize Taiwan’s sovereignty would call into question the sovereignty of small countries.”If Taiwan’s sovereignty is not recognized, then who are we to say that we’re sovereign? Might as well eliminate all small countries,” Whipps said at a welcome dinner for Hsiao in Koror, Palau’s largest city. Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office “We have to stand up for freedom. We have to stand up for democracy and we have to stand up for…

[Source: Reuters] Peru’s ​conservative presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori had an early narrow lead over her leftist rival in a runoff election. According to ‌an exit poll, as voting drew to a close after a campaign focused on crime and the country’s socio-economic divide. Peruvians are choosing between Fujimori, the daughter of hardline former President Alberto Fujimori, and leftist congressman Roberto Sanchez, who often campaigns wearing a cowboy hat and, like imprisoned former President Pedro Castillo, has strong support in rural ​areas. An Ipsos exit poll showed Fujimori with 50.7% of the vote compared to 49.3% for Sanchez. Polls leading up…

Micronesian Games 2024. (file image) Photo: Hilary Hosia Kiribati will host the 2030 Micronesian Games, the first time the country will do that since the Games began in 1969. This followed the Micronesian Games Council’s (MCG) decision to accept Kiribati’s bid, ahead of those from Chuuk, Kiribati, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Palau. The Kiribati National Olympic Committee said the MGC Executive Board conducted a comprehensive evaluation of each bid, including Games concepts, facilities, accommodations, transportation plans, financial capacity, and alignment with long-term development goals. “Kiribati’s proposal earned the Council’s confidence and was endorsed by majority vote during the General…

Photo: USGS / Screenshot The US Tsunami Warning Centre has issued advisories for parts of the Pacific following a massive earthquake off Mindanao in the Philippines. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck at a depth of 63km at Mindanao. The warning centre has tsunami waves forecast to be less than 0.3 meters above the tide level for the coasts of: American Samoa Chuuk FSM Fiji French Polynesia Guam Hawai’i Kiribati Kosrae (FSM) Marshall islands Nauru New Caledonia CNMI Palau Papua New Guinea Pohnpei (FSM) Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu Wallis Futuna Yap The US Tsunami Warning Centre says government agencies…

Supplied A tsunami watch has been issued for all coastal low-lying areas of Fiji following a major earthquake recorded in the Phillipines. The Mineral Resources Department Seismology section is advising residents, particularly those living in low-lying coastal communities, to remain alert and take necessary precautions while monitoring official updates. The department warns that low-lying coastal areas may experience strong and unusual ocean currents, as well as unpredictable surges along the shoreline. The earthquake, which was recorded at 11.37am today, measured 8.2 on the moment magnitude scale and occurred at a depth of 46 kilometers.Article continues after advertisement While no tsunami…

Staff writer, with Reuters A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mindanao in the Philippines at 7:38am today, prompting the US Tsunami Warning System to issue an alert for neighboring countries, including Taiwan.The system issued a purple alert indicating a “tsunami threat.”The potential threat zone includes Taiwan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Yap and Palau. Photo courtesy of the US Geological Survey There ​were no immediate reports of major damage in the Philippines or Indonesia.The quake struck at a depth of 10km, said the German Research Centre for Geosciences, which had earlier pegged the earthquake at magnitude…

[Source: Fiji Football Association/Facebook] Former national defender, Peniame Drova, was among the crowd when Navua first won the BiC Fiji FACT title in 2003. He was a 13-year-old boy then but more than two decades later, the veteran defender finds himself preparing for another chapter in the tournament’s rich history — this time wearing the colors of the district he grew up supporting. Drova says it was a special moment for the whole town seeing Navua win Fiji FACT and it made him dream about playing at that level one day. In 2010, he joined Rewa FC and became one…

[File Photo] An 81-year-old man is among 14 accused persons charged in serious sexual offence cases filed in the High Court in May, according to official data released by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The ODPP says a total of 14 indictments were filed during the month, involving 43 counts of sexual offences, including 28 counts of rape, two attempted rape and 13 sexual assault charges. The statistics show nine of the 14 victims were under the age of 18, with cases continuing to highlight allegations of abuse within domestic and trusted environments. In one case, an…

Photo: USGS / Screenshot The threat of a tsunami risk to New Zealand is being assessed after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the Philippines. The National Emergency Management Agency is assessing the danger. NEMA and and GNS Science are assessing whether the earthquake has created a tsunami that could affect New Zealand. The quake struck at a depth of 63km at Mindanao, NEMA says. The USGNS is reported the quake at a magnitude 7.8. It had earlier been reported as 8.2. RNZ is New Zealand’s statutory civil defence lifeline radio broadcaster, providing vital information and updates as they come to…