Author: TMC Palau
Wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sipping an iced tea, Ongerung Kambes Kesolei sits at a veranda bar overlooking a hotel pool, under fans that slowly push humid air around on a quiet Sunday afternoon.But the calm of the scene is deceptive, for Kesolei is explaining that his small island home of Palau – a dot on the map in the north-west corner of the Pacific with a population of just over 20,000 people – has attracted the ire of one of the world’s most powerful nations and is now at the centre of a geo-political bunfight.“They [China] want to weaken…
Heather Keats on what to expect from the strong windsStrong winds that have been battering the country and fanning scrub fires are easing – but cold weather is in store.MetService head of weather news Heather Keats told Morning Report the wind was making it difficult to fight the wildfires, but rain was expected to help.Keats said another front was expected to arrive over the South Island on Wednesday bringing a further change in wind direction and strength, but was not expected to be as severe.The country was in for “yo-yo temperatures” as the strong north-west wind turned to a southerly…
Solomon Islands is scheduled to graduate from the UN list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) on 13 December 2027. The prospect has prompted considerable discussion at home, much of it asking whether external assistance and preferential treatment will fall away once the country graduates. A closer look at what graduation actually changes gives a more complicated answer. Graduation from LDC status is not the same thing as losing eligibility for official development assistance. Development partners will not halt aid to Solomon Islands in December 2027, nor will the country be denied concessional development financing because its UN classification has changed.…
Nearly every major party agrees that costs of living and economic pressure are hurting Pacific families the most – but they disagree on how to fix it.Major differences exist on immigration, criminal justice approaches and whether foreign aid should be redirected to domestic services.RNZ Pacific put six key questions to the main political parties so Pasifika voters can compare policies before casting their ballot.Early voting has opened for the general election in Aotearoa New Zealand.New Zealand uses MMP, mixed member proportional representation. Enrolled voters can have their say on the party vote – the party they want to win the…
The Fiji Bati came close to pulling off the win of the tournament after the Kangaroos secured a 36-22 come-from-behind win in an enthralling encounter in front of 41,108 fans in Brisbane on Sunday.The momentum switched multiple times, with four lead changes as the Bati threw everything at the reigning champions, and were the dominant side for much of the opening 60 minutes.Read our live blog to recap all the action for this match-up. Source link
The Pacific nation of Palau has become the first country to ban sun cream that is harmful to corals and sea life.From Wednesday, sun cream that includes common ingredients, including oxybenzone, is not allowed to be worn or sold in the country.Palau’s President Tommy Remengesau said: “We have to live and respect the environment because the environment is the nest of life.”The island nation markets itself as a “pristine paradise” for divers.A lagoon in Palau’s Rock Islands is a Unesco World Heritage site., external The country has a population of around 20,000 dotted across hundreds of islands. Source link
Mahendra Chaudhry, Fiji’s first and only prime minister of Indian descent, has warned that the island nation is “worse off today than we were at independence” and that its political leadership must focus on solving social and economic issues rather than “making multiple constitutions”.Chaudhry made the comments over the weekend while making a submission to a special parliamentary committee – led by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka – on the country’s constitutional reform process in Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second main island.”Are we doing enough to alleviate the problems that we face as a nation that our people face, problems of poverty,…
Sultans of Swing Plays Dire Straits is a project led by Miguel Talavera (vocals and guitar), created in Barcelona, that brings the music of Dire Straits and the creative universe of Mark Knopfler to the stage with rigor, sensitivity, and a unique identity. With over 25 years of experience, Sultans of Swing Band has established itself as a leading group on the Spanish music scene, renowned for the quality of its musicians and the power of its live performances. Under Talavera’s direction, the project faithfully recreates the characteristic sound of Dire Straits, meticulously attending to every nuance and every stage…
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has denied he sought to update its principal bilateral agreement with Samoa, despite his Samoan counterpart reportedly claiming the opposite.The Samoa Observer first reported on Friday that Samoan Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa (La’auli) Leuatea Schmidt had deferred talks with Luxon before New Zealand’s general election, scheduled for 7 November.”Regarding the Treaty of Friendship that was being prepared, Luxon wanted me to go ahead and proceed with it, but I said no,” La’auli reportedly said.However, Luxon told reporters Monday that no such conversation had taken place this year, nor had he sought any discussion with La’auli before the…
Many parts of Papua New Guinea (PNG) are feeling the full force of El Niño, with devastating impacts now reported from the Highlands to the coastal provinces.The prolonged dry spell is now escalating into a national humanitarian concern, affecting water, food, health and livelihoods.PNG’s National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) is reporting that bushfires are also becoming an issue as dry bush, kunai grass and forest floors have become highly flammable.Provincial Disaster Offices across the Highlands have been urged to conduct rapid assessments and provide immediate relief as the country braces for more dry months ahead.”El Niño is already causing disruption and…