Author: TMC Palau

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…

Supplied: FTRC Members Dawasamu chiefs have issued a strong call for Fiji to never experience another coup, saying communities are still suffering from the damage caused by the events of 2000. Appearing before the Fiji Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Turaga na Ratu of Dawasamu, Ratu Alivereti Wesikana, said the political upheaval destroyed the close relationship that once existed between iTaukei villagers and Indo-Fijian farmers. He told the Commission the community continues to live with the consequences of past wrongdoing and warned against repeating the mistakes of the past. “Sa rauta, the coup should never happen again,” he said.Article continues after…

Housing Minister Maciu Nalumisa commissioned the Tavela Settlement Upgrading Project on Saturday. A long-awaited housing upgrade has transformed life for 74 families in Tavela Settlement, Nadi, bringing improved services and greater security to the community. The Ministry of Housing officially commissioned the Tavela Settlement Upgrading Project on Saturday, marking the completion of major infrastructure works aimed at improving living conditions for residents. For many families who have lived in the settlement for generations, the project represents a new chapter after years of limited access to basic infrastructure and essential services. The upgraded settlement now features Fiji Roads Authority-standard roads, footpaths,…

National Federation Party Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker, Lenora Qereqeretabua. [Photo: NATIONAL FEDERATION PARTY/ FACEBOOK] National Federation Party Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker, Lenora Qereqeretabua, says the party must start preparing a new generation of leaders to ensure its future success. Qereqeretabua says leadership renewal is important if the party is to remain strong, relevant and competitive in the years ahead. She made the comments at the NFP Working Committee meeting in Ra over the weekend. “We must ensure that the future direction of the party is not determined by circumstance or by crisis, but by thoughtful planning…

[Photo: FILE] Sugarcane farmers have long been ill-treated, and this cannot continue anymore. This was the strong message from National Farmers Union General Secretary Mahendra Chaudhary at a cane farmers meeting in Ba yesterday. Chaudhary expressed deep concern over what he described as the ongoing poor treatment of farmers at milling sites, saying they are often treated “like animals.” He pointed to last season’s disruptions, including the fire-related breakdown at the Rarawai Sugar Mill and operational issues at the Lautoka Sugar Mill, which left farmers waiting for extended periods without proper support.Article continues after advertisement Chaudhary said that during these…

This article reports on ongoing monitoring of mobile internet prices in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and shows that prices remained stable throughout 2025. This policy-relevant research is taking place amid significant communication infrastructure developments. In December 2025, PNG’s acting communication minister announced an early Christmas gift for the country: three new undersea cables to be delivered not by Santa’s sleigh but as part of the Pukpuk Connectivity Initiative, an undertaking that sits within the broader bilateral context of the Pukpuk Treaty with Australia. PNG already has three cables enabling internet connectivity: the Pipe Pacific Cable 1 from Guam, which landed…