Author: TMC Palau
source: reuters The U.S. opening of a larger diplomatic hub in Greenland on Thursday was met by demonstrators opposed to President Donald Trump’s ambition for greater influence in the Arctic island, while local government ministers shied away from the event. Moving from a wooden cabin on the outskirts of Nuuk to a much larger downtown office, the new United States consulate has become a focal point for Greenlanders unhappy with Trump’s stated desire to control the island, a semi-autonomous part of Denmark. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and a series of other politicians said that they had declined invitations to…
National flags of China and Nauru Photo: Facebook / The Government of the Republic of Nauru The Taipei Trade Office in Fiji has rejected the Nauru government’s characterisation of Taiwan as a “province” of China. This week, Nauru’s Cabinet issued a wide-ranging directive to all government officials and public bodies in-country and abroad to adhere to the One-China Principle, advising them to “avoid using terminology, symbols, flags, emblems, or representations which are inconsistent with the One China Principle”. “All official communication relating to the Taiwan Province of China must comply with the diplomatic position of the Government of Nauru,” the…
source: AAP A man accused of threatening to shoot worshippers at a mosque with an AK-47 assault rifle is before the courts after Muslim leaders warned against rising hate. A man accused of storming a mosque and threatening to shoot worshippers with an AK-47 assault rifle has had his matter mentioned in court. Louis Francesco Rapisarda, 33, of Mitchelton, did not appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday for the first mention of charges of creating a public nuisance and disturbing a place of worship. Police allege Rapisarda went to the Masjid Taqwa mosque at Bald Hills on May 10…
source: reuters The U.S. and Iran stuck to opposing stances on Thursday over Tehran’s uranium stockpile and controls on the Strait of Hormuz, although U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there had been “some good signs” in talks. U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. will eventually recover Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium – which Washington believes is destined for a nuclear weapon though Tehran says it is intended purely for peaceful purposes. “We will get it. We don’t need it, we don’t want it. We’ll probably destroy it after we get it, but we’re not going to…
source: reuters A case of Ebola has been confirmed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s South Kivu province, hundreds of kilometres from the outbreak’s epicentre, the rebel alliance that controls the area said on Thursday. The case, in a rural area near the provincial capital Bukavu, signals the spread of an outbreak that experts believe circulated undetected for around two months in Ituri province, several hundred kilometres to the north, before being identified last week. The outbreak has resulted in 160 suspected deaths out of 670 suspected cases, and 61 of the cases have been confirmed, according to DRC health…
Photo: Office of the Secretary of Government NIUE Facebook Niue’s returning prime minister Dalton Tagelagi has appointed his three Cabinet members and their portfolios. Tagelagi was re-elected prime minister last week. His cabinet includes Richie Mautama, Rhonda Tiakia and Kahealani Hekau. Mautama’s responsibilities include minister of Police, Corrections and the National Disaster Management Office, as well as home affairs and transport, among others. Tiakia will look after the ministry of justice, lands, survey; the agriculture ministry, the Meteorological Service and the department of environment. Hekau has health, education and tourism, as well as taoga Niue, which covers culture and heritage.…
[Source: Reuters] New York City will offer its residents a chance to snag $50 tickets to World Cup games in New Jersey this summer, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Thursday, with 1,000 affordable tickets up for grabs through a lottery system. The discounted tickets come with free round-trip bus transportation to the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey and will be split across five group-stage and two knockout games, with 150 tickets available per match. “We are making sure that working people will not be priced out of the game that they helped to create,” Mamdani told a press conference…
[Photo: GETTY IMAGES] Fiji-born England Women’s rugby star Lagi Tuima will leave Harlequins Women at the end of the season, bringing an end to a remarkable seven-year stint with the English club. The 27-year-old made 107 appearances and scored 381 points since joining from Bristol Bears Women in 2019, helping Harlequins win the Premier 15s title in 2021. Tuima also captained the side on 11 occasions and recently celebrated her 100th appearance for the club earlier this season. Harlequins head coach Ross Chisholm says Tuima will forever be remembered at the club, describing her as a crucial part of their…
This is the final in a series of three articles examining how the Hormuz closure is reshaping energy, governance and inequality across Asia and the Pacific. At the time of writing, tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is running at about 5% of the pre-war rates — from around 3,000 ships per month to 154 recorded in March. The restoration of that supply is and will likely continue to be the focus of media and policymakers. Yet crisis recovery in Asia and the Pacific is no longer tied solely to that factor, as it has set in motion a…
Swire Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Glen Jackson believes young midfielders Maika Tuitubou and Iosefo Namoce have bright futures ahead after earning another opportunity in this week’s Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific clash. Tuitubou has been named to start in midfield while Namoce is set to provide impact off the bench, with regular centre Tuidraki Samusamuvodre sidelined through a minor calf strain. Jackson praised both youngsters for the way they handled their debut appearances earlier this season. “I thought both of them had amazing debuts.”Article continues after advertisement The Drua coach admitted opportunities in midfield have been limited due…