Author: TMC Palau

NSW Waratahs prop Apolosi Ranawai says tomorrow’s clash against the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua in Suva will be a special homecoming moment after several years away from Fiji. The powerful front-rower is set to return to play in Fiji for the first time since 2018, with family and friends expected to be in attendance for the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific encounter at HFC Bank Stadium. Ranawai described the occasion as a “full circle” moment in his rugby journey. “It’s a big full circle for me to come back home… it’s been like eight years now, so I’m really…

Step inside Palau de la Musica Catalana in Barcelona, Spanien, and discover how this glittering Catalan Modernista concert hall became a UNESCO-listed icon of music and light. Walk into the Palau de la Musica Catalana (literally “Palace of Catalan Music”) in central Barcelona and your eyes need a moment to adjust. Light pours through a stained-glass skylight like an inverted sun, balconies blossom with mosaics and sculpture, and the whole hall feels less like a building and more like a piece of music frozen in glass and stone. It’s no wonder the Palau de la Musica Catalana has become one…

[file/photo] Extra Bula FC head coach Stephane Auvray says composure and finishing will be crucial when his side faces Vanuatu United in Sunday’s OFC Pro League playoff clash. With a semi-final spot on the line, Bula FC has returned to preparations following a short recovery break, as the team looks to bounce back from consecutive losses in the Leaders Group. Auvray says the squad has responded well mentally despite the pressure surrounding the knockout encounter. “Preparing well… we took one day off because we had more recovery days and then we got back to work.”Article continues after advertisement The Bula…

For the North American photographer Steve McCurry (Philadelphia, 1950), images have been his “diary” and the “testimony” of everything he has experienced during his travels through countries such as India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Madagascar, Mauritania, Japan, Yemen, Kuwait, and the United States itself. Some of his images have been etched into collective memory, especially the Afghan girl, which was the cover of the magazine National Geographic in 1985. Another of McCurry’s best-known images is that of the oil wells on fire during the first Gulf War, which, moreover, caused an ecological disaster. But he also claims the value of the rest…

[Fiji Government/ Facebook] Fiji today commemorated the 147th National Girmit Day, with leaders, diplomats, and international partners reflecting on the sacrifices of Girmitiyas and calling for greater unity, inclusion, and resilience in the country. Although the commemoration was held virtually, leaders stressed that the importance of remembering the Girmit legacy remained as strong as ever. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka used the occasion to remind Fijians that the story of Girmit is not only about hardship and suffering, but also about perseverance, hope, and national unity. He says the resilience shown by Girmitiyas during one of the most difficult periods in…

Fijian Drua have won both of their Super Rugby Pacific matches against the NSW Waratahs in Fiji. Photo: Supplied/ Super Rugby Pacific Fijian Drua v NSW Waratahs Kickoff: 4:35pm NZT Saturday 16 May HFC Bank Stadium, Suva The Fijian Drua will host the NSW Waratahs in their last home game of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season in Suva on Saturday, as they continue to chase a playoff place. The side is set to miss tough prop Haereiti Hetet due to an injury he sustained during the week, adding to their injury woes this season. Head coach Glen Jackson described…

The United States is quietly working to reassert its control over the compact states, three island states in the central Pacific Ocean.Last month, witnesses at a congressional hearing revealed that the Trump administration is expanding military and intelligence operations in Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia. Witnesses told lawmakers that the three countries occupy an area critical to U.S. power projection and pivotal for geopolitical competition with China.“This is a region that is increasingly central to United States security and global stability,” State Department official Tony Greubel said. “And as geopolitical competition intensifies, the Pacific strategic…

United Nations Resident Coordinator for Fiji, Dirk Wagener, is calling on Fijians to continue strengthening unity, inclusion, and social cohesion as the country marks the 147th National Girmit Commemoration at the Fiji Museum today. Wagener says Girmit Day is not only a time to remember the hardships and sacrifices of indentured laborers, but also a moment to reflect on Fiji’s shared identity and future as a diverse nation. He paid tribute to the Girmitiyas who arrived in Fiji generations ago, highlighting their courage, resilience, and determination despite facing immense hardship and uncertainty under the indenture system. Wagener says this year’s…

[Source: OFC Pro League/ Facebook] Vanuatu United head coach Lars Hopp is expecting another close battle when his side faces Bula FC in Sunday’s OFC Pro League playoff clash. With a place in the semi-finals on the line, both teams head into the knockout fixture knowing there is little margin for error. Vanuatu United enter the contest carrying momentum from their recent performances, while Bula FC will be looking to bounce back after consecutive defeats in the leaders group. Hopp believes the extra recovery time before Sunday’s match will be important for his side’s preparation. “In the end, we’ve got…

Matthew Wale Photo: Supplied / Solomon Islands Office of the Leader of Opposition Matthew Cooper Wale was elected as the Solomon Islands prime minister by secret ballot in Honiara on Friday. His election was publicly announced by the Solomon Islands Governor-General Sir David Tiva Kapu outside the parliament precinct a short while ago. Wale was elected by 26 votes to 22 against Peter Shanel Agovaka. Wale, 57, who is the leader of the Solomon Islands Democratic Party, was first elected to the National Parliament representing the Aoke Langa Langa Constituency in a bye-election in March 2008. He has since been…