Author: TMC Palau

[Source:World Rugby] The HSBC SVNS World Championship returns for one last dramatic tournament with three days of wall-to-wall action in the western French city of Bordeaux, bringing the curtain down on an entertaining season of sevens rugby – with World Championship glory and a place among next season’s HSBC SVNS elite on the line. The 24 captains in the presence of Mayor of Bordeaux Thomas Cazenave and French Rugby Federation CEO Christophe Pierrel gathered at the historic and beautiful Opera national de Bordeaux for the final captains’ photocall of the season, less than a week after reigning men’s and women’s…

Super Typhoon Sinlaku left a trail of destruction in the North Pacific US territory. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Mark Rabago Large-scale US military generators have been connected to the power grid on Tinian in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), after Super Typhoon Sinlaku badly damaged the island’s power plant. The US Army Corps of Engineers and the Army’s 249th Engineer Battalion delivered temporary grid power on 28 May at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), giving the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) time to repair permanent infrastructure. Unlike standard emergency generators used for individual buildings,…

[Photo: Fiji Corrections Service/FACEBOOK PAGE] The Fiji Corrections Service has refuted claims that three inmates suffered injuries during a snap search operation and were confined in segregation without clothing. In a statement, the FCS clarified that the planned operation was conducted in C Wing of the Maximum Correctional Centre on Monday and Tuesday as part of ongoing efforts to maintain security and prevent contraband possession. During the operation, inmate MX Vilikesa Delana was found with a mobile phone, batteries, and a charger, while inmate MX Isaia Bobo possessed suspected contraband concealed inside a bar of washing soap. These matters are…

Madigibuli outside the Suva High Court after being found guilty of murder. A man accused of murdering his 25-year-old pregnant wife at the Waimanu Apartments in Suva in 2024 has been found guilty by the Suva High Court. Apisai Madigibuli appeared before Justice Dane Tuiqereqere this morning as the court delivered its verdict. In his ruling, Justice Tuiqereqere said the State had presented sufficient and overwhelming evidence that proved the charge beyond reasonable doubt. Madigibuli was convicted of the murder of his wife following the court’s assessment of the evidence presented during the trial.Article continues after advertisement He will return…

Lorenzo Lemalu, who was shot dead in Vietnam last week. (Supplied) Photo: ABC / Supplied Samoa The bank acounts of three more people in Samoa have been frozen as police investigate a gang-related murder in Vietnam. The Samoa Observer reports that the Central Bank immobilised accounts belonging to a New Zealander, an Australian and an American citizen. Samoan national Joseph Vaa has confessed to gunning down suspected “Coconut Cartel” leader Lorenzo Lemalu Tovia in Ho Chi Minh City two weeks ago. Another Samoan, Steve Tofa, has admitted being his accomplice. Police froze accounts belonging to the accused and four others…

[Photo: PECELI NAVITICOKO] Fijians are being warned to expect a tough national budget later this month as the government grapples with rising global fuel prices and ongoing economic pressures. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says the 2026-2027 National Budget will focus on economic realities rather than popular spending measures, as the country navigates an increasingly challenging financial environment. He says the government is preparing a responsible budget aimed at ensuring long-term economic stability, even if it means making difficult decisions. “We are not going to make any pleasant promises because you cannot make pleasant promises at times like this. It’s going…

US authorities alleged that the ship was involved in transporting Iranian petrochemical products in July 2024. TBS Report 03 June, 2026, 09:20 pm Last modified: 03 June, 2026, 09:25 pm Chattogram Port. Photo: Mohammad Minhaj Uddin/TBS”> Chattogram Port. Photo: Mohammad Minhaj Uddin/TBS A Palau-flagged chemical tanker imported for recycling in Bangladesh has become stranded at Chattogram Port’s outer anchorage after the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel as part of its latest measures targeting Iran’s petrochemical trade. The vessel, MAYMEI, a 44,800-tonne-capacity chemical tanker with a light displacement tonnage (LDT) of 9,877.1 tonnes, arrived at Chattogram’s outer anchorage on…

Departing Swire Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Glen Jackson. [Photo: FILE] Departing Swire Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Glen Jackson believes the club remains in a strong position for the future despite the departure of eight players at the end of the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific season. Speaking at the Drua Awards Night, Jackson reflected on his four years with the club and acknowledged the contributions of departing players Elia Canakaivata, Isoa Nasilasila, Etonia Waqa, Joseva Tamani, Inia Tabuavou, Ponipate Loganimasi, Simione Kuruvoli and Ilaisa Droasese. Jackson said while the team had created many special memories during his…

Jose Ramos-Horta, the president of Timor-Leste, for his own political purposes, last week again criticised the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme. He has directed harsh words at the Australian government but has not acknowledged how his own country’s government might be at fault as well. In my research into the seasonal worker program over more than a decade, I have become only too aware of its complexity. The starting point for any analysis is to recognise that the PALM scheme is not an aid program, where the donor through a managing contractor micromanages the program’s inputs and outputs. In contrast,…

A conference this week in Tokyo on ocean planning and management is drawing leaders from more than two-dozen island countries. It’s being led by the head of a Pacific Island nation. Palau’s President is co-chairing the gathering, which will focus on climate resilience and the management of marine resources. The inaugural Island States Ocean Summit is expected to draw about 300 people.This includes heads of state, ministers, senior officials, and representatives from the United Nations.The UN is one of the sponsors, along with the Japanese government and a private non-profit, the Nippon Foundation. Specific topics will include a review of…