Author: TMC Palau
Fiji Police have launched an investigation after several blocks of cocaine that were being held at the Suva High Court as exhibits in a high-profile drug case went missing.In a statement, police said the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) was investigating how seven cocaine bars, which were among 39 exhibits stored at the Suva High Court Exhibit Room, disappeared.Police assistant commissioner (crime) Loraini Seru said a physical check of the exhibits was conducted on Tuesday.The check was carried out in front of senior judiciary officials, a senior official from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, police and an officer…
The Palau de la Música is preparing a memorable evening to close the season in which it turns 40. With so much experience behind it and under the title «València i Veneçuela: unides per la música» (València and Venezuela: united by music), the Sala Iturbi will host this extraordinary symphonic concert on July 2, 2027 at 7:30 PM. The event will be conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, one of the great international benchmarks of classical music, leading the Orquesta de València. On stage he will be joined by virtuoso trumpeter Pacho Flores as soloist and maestro Christian Vásquez as assistant conductor. A dream team matched…
A New Zealand traveller planning to visit Fiji on a promotional trip in November says she is waiting for more information after the country declared a national HIV emergency on Tuesday.The New Zealand government website SafeTravel has warned people travelling to Fiji to avoid activities that could increase their risk of infection.The traveller, who RNZ Pacific has agreed not to name, said she contacted the organisers of the trip but had yet to receive a response.She said she is not considering cancelling her trip but wants more information so she can make an informed decision.”I hope this trip goes ahead…
Three years seems like a long time ago in today’s world — pre-Trump 2.0, pre-Gaza conflict and pre-Iran War. So, the August 2023 launch of the Albanese Labor government’s International Development Policy already seems like an age away. The policy was described by the government as “the foundation on which we will build a program fit for our times”. Where do we stand three years on? In 2023, I assessed the policy against the three “Ps”: purpose, priorities and plumbing. I’ll persist with that framework here and add a fourth “P”: perspective. The policy’s purpose subsumes the aid program’s longstanding,…
Fire safety and emergency response capabilities in the State of Koror, the commercial centre and home to about 64 per cent of Palau’s population, are being strengthened with the upgrading and installation of fire hydrants across the state. The work, funded by the European Union (EU) through the Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific Phase II (BSRP II) project, implemented by the Pacific Community (SPC), involves the replacement of seven defective fire hydrant units, the installation of seven new ones in underserved areas, and upgrading of water lines and fittings to ensure full operational capability and compliance with international…
The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSPIF) say 13 houses were burnt down in East Makira over the weekend.The incident happened on Sunday at Naharahau village in the Wainoni area of the Makira-Ulawa Province.Police say the buildings burnt down included a fuel depot and kitchens, while food gardens were also destoyed.Makira-Ulawa Provinc provincial police commander Gordon Horomae said officers have engaged with both parties involved in the incident.Horomae said it is alleged the incident may have been carried out in retaliation for the death of a relative, which some members of the arson group believed was caused by sorcery allegedly…
China has donated about VU$11 million (approximately NZ$155,000) to help Vanuatu’s recovery efforts following the Ambae volcanic emergency and the weekend ferry disaster, the Vanuatu government says.In a statement on Wednesday night, the Vanuatu Prime Minister’s Office said the “generous donation” was handed over to Prime Minister Jotham Napat in Port Vila by Li Minggang, Beijing’s top diplomat in the country.”[China’s] support at such a critical time demonstrates true friendship”, Napat was quoted as saying in the statement.A major ferry disaster last Friday, which resulted in two deaths so far and left dozens of people still missing, has forced Napat…
BarcelonaIs the cult of the musical idol sidelining the music? Does a concert-goer get excited by the music and the way it is being performed on stage, or simply by being in front of their favorite artist or band? Do the stage elements hinder or amplify the songs? If the music is the most important thing, is it legitimate to put tickets on sale without visibility? Is live music better experienced individually or as a collective experience? Does it make any sense to follow a performance 30 meters from the stage while only looking at screens? Is it necessary to…
US plans to rebuild the main port in the Pacific island nation of Palau have stirred memories of World War II and raised concerns among residents about the country being drawn into a potential conflict between major powers. Palau is set to become the US military’s largest overseas construction site in 2027, with a $500 million project to expand a deteriorating wharf built by Japan during World War II. The project includes deepening the harbor to accommodate US Navy vessels, while other plans involve a military radar station, an expanded airfield for heavy aircraft and a crisis-ready supply stockpile for…
Wildlife spectacles that dominate both streaming platforms and column inches inevitably tend to come from the ‘fur and feather brigades’. However, some biological phenomena from the ‘less sexy’ taxonomic groups can be just as enthralling, with Palau’s golden jellyfish the supreme example. Where is Palau? Consisting of more than 250 islands in the Micronesian subregion of the Pacific Ocean, Palau is the 16th-smallest country in the world. A significant proportion of its economy relies on tourism, especially diving, with its barrier reefs, coral walls, World War II wrecks and celebrated Jellyfish Lake the most important attractions. Where is Jellyfish Lake?…