News
16th October
Realignment of staff at FSC head office
FIJI Sugar Corporation CEO Graham Clark has informed his staff of a “realignment” at the head-office. The announcement in an email correspondence formalizes the redundancy of the General Manager Corporate Services, Head of Strategic Communications,...
Trump ex-Russia adviser Fiona Hill testifies in impeachment inquiry
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Donald Trump’s former Russia adviser testified for more than nine hours on Monday behind closed doors, the latest witness summoned in the impeachment inquiry against the U.S. president over his request that Ukraine investigate a political rival. The Democrats’ rapidly progressing inquiry could prompt the House of Representatives to approve articles of...
Saudi visit signals Putin’s growing Middle East influence
RIYADH (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin signalled Moscow’s growing Middle East clout on Monday on his first visit to Saudi Arabia in over a decade, buoyed by Russian military gains in Syria, strong ties with Riyadh’s regional rivals and energy cooperation. Moscow accrued power in the Middle East in 2015 by sending troops to Syria,...
Vaniqi: Sugarcane belt at risk as a result of climate change
FIJI’s sugarcane belt is at risk as a result of climate change, says University of the South Pacific student Apenisa Vaniqi. He is pursuing a postgraduate diploma in development studies. Mr Vaniqi has been selected to be part of a team that will be travelling to Santiago, Chile, in December to be part of COP...
Ecuador’s Moreno scraps fuel subsidy cuts in big win for indigenous groups
QUITO (Reuters) – Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno on Monday officially scrapped his own law to cut expensive fuel subsidies after days of violent protests against the IMF-backed measure, returning fuel prices to prior levels until a new measure can be found. The signing of the decree is a blow to Moreno, and leaves big questions...
Wet weather causes delay in sports complex completion
INCLEMENT weather has caused delay in the completion of phase three of the Sawaieke sports complex in Sawaieke Village, Gau. Republic of Fiji Military Forces Engineering Unit warrant officer Luke Soro said they had managed to complete phase one and two of the project. “By next month, we are expected to hand over phase four...
Mozambique to vote in tense, high-stakes election
MAPUTO (Reuters) – Mozambicans head to the polls on Tuesday in an election widely expected to result in the ruling Frelimo party extending its decades-long rule over a nation that is set to become one of the world’s leading gas exporters. The election in the Southern African nation could test a fragile peace deal signed...
Sawaieke district in Gau invests in horses
INVESTING in horses from the highlands of Nadroga/Navosa has made work easier for yaqona farmers in Nawaikama and Sawaieke villages, Gau, in the Lomaiviti Group. Sawaieke district representative Kelepi Mataitoga said yaqona farms in Gau were located deep in rugged terrain and sometimes farmers would spend days on their farms because of the distance. “Last...
Ronaldo scores 700th career goal in Euro qualifier with Ukraine
(Reuters) – Cristiano Ronaldo netted his 700th career goal when he converted a 72nd minute penalty in Portugal’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Ukraine on Monday. The 34-year-old has scored 95 for his country, 450 for Real Madrid, 118 for Manchester United, 32 for Juventus and five for Sporting. Portugal were beaten 2-1 by Ukraine in...
15th October
Shameen-Khan appointed as chair of UNDCO working group
NAZHAT Shameem Khan Fiji’s permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva has been appointed as the Chair of the Working Group on Trafficking in Persons at the United Nations Organisations for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna, Austria. She said it was a great honour for Fiji to be nominated as Chair of this...
Federer confirms Tokyo Olympics participation
(Reuters) – Roger Federer confirmed his participation in next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo and said on Monday that he had listened to his heart before making the decision. The Swiss 38-year-old competed in the first of four Olympic Games at Sydney in 2000 and won the doubles gold partnering Stan Wawrinka in 2008 and...
Fijians safe in Japan; embassy to monitor wellbeing of Fijian nationals
ALL FIJIANS residing in Japan are safe. The officials from the Fiji Embassy in Tokyo with the assistance of Fiji’s Honorary Consulate Offices throughout Japan have received this confirmation. The Fiji Embassy in Tokyo will continue to closely monitor the situation and ensure the wellbeing of all Fijian nationals throughout Japan. Typhoon Hagibbis made landfall...
England thrash Bulgaria after game halted over racist abuse
SOFIA (Reuters) – England bounced back from their first tournament qualifying defeat for 10 years with a 6-0 thrashing of toothless Bulgaria on Monday in a Euro 2020 Group A clash marred by racist incidents in the first half that stopped the game. The match at the Vasil Levski stadium was temporarily halted by the...
Ireland’s Aki to miss rest of World Cup as red card is upheld
(Reuters) – Ireland centre Bundee Aki will miss the remainder of the Rugby World Cup after an independent judicial committee on Monday upheld the red card he picked up in their 47-5 victory over Samoa on Saturday. Aki was sent off in the 29th minute following a high tackle on Samoa flyhalf Ulupano Seuteni at...
MoU to help in solving waste disposal
PROGRAMS and technologies are needed to remediate waste including municipal solid waste, human sewage, animal manure and used tires etc. This was highlighted by the Minister of Waterways and Environment, Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Dr Mahendra Reddy during a press conference to announce the signing of the MoU between Infinite Power Company and the Ministry...
High tackle directive demands cultural change
OITA, Japan (Reuters) – A brief exchange in Samoa’s game against Ireland on Friday perfectly encapsulated the internal struggle rugby is undergoing as officials seek to make the game safer in the face of some confusion and some blank refusal by those playing it. Samoa’s Seilala Lam had just been yellow carded for smashing his...
Usamate: Disaster is everybody’s business
DISASTER is everybody’s business. Minister for National Disaster Management Jone Usamate made the comment during the launch of the 2019 National Disaster awareness in Taveuni today. He said this week’s celebrations also aimed to advance the universal goal of sustainable development, disaster risk reduction and climate change and safeguard the environment. “I would like to...
Weather watch: Heavy rain alert for some parts of the group
HEAVY rain alert remains in force for Yasawa and Mamanuca Group, Western half of Viti Levu, Kadavu and nearby smaller islands. The weather bulletin issued from the National Weather Forecasting Centre in Nadi this afternoon says a trough of low pressure lies slow moving over Fiji. Meanwhile, another trough of low pressure just to the...
New Zealand’s Hansen glad Japan is on the other side of the draw
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s progress to the World Cup quarter-finals has not only enthralled the host nation but it has also made the heavyweights of the rugby world, including defending champions New Zealand, sit up and take notice. Impressed by Sunday’s 28-21 victory over Scotland at a raucous Yokohama Stadium, which propelled Japan to their...
Rose Were is New Caledonia’s special envoy to Fiji
FRENCH Ambassador to Fiji Jean-Francois Fitou has announced the arrival of Rose Were, New Caledonia’s special envoy to Fiji. He made the introduction during a press conference held in Ratu Sukuna Rd, Suva today. “Rose and I will work together to make New Caledonia a force for good in Fiji,” he said. “This is a...
Scotland in the slow lane as World Cup hopes dashed by Japan
TOKYO (Reuters) – Gregor Townsend had hoped Scotland’s up-tempo brand of rugby would carry them into the knockout stage of the World Cup but their campaign was undone by one side who slowed them to walking pace and another who actually played even faster. Scotland’s 28-21 loss to Japan at a heaving Yokohama Stadium on...
USP observes a minute of silence for Typhoon Hagibis victims in Japan
PARTICIPANTS at the University of the South Pacific Pre-Cop training in Statham campus in Vatuwaqa, Suva today observed a minute of silence to commemorate lives lost in the recent Typhoon Hagibis that hammered Japan two days ago. USP’s Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development communications officer Moira Raduva said the region has also witnessed...
More rural women to train as solar engineers
WITH the construction of the Barefoot College, more rural women will be given opportunities to train as solar engineers. Minister of Women Children and Poverty Alleviation Mereseini Vuniwaqa highlighted this at Rural Women’s Day celebrations in Tavua today. “Apart from looking at climate change and disaster risk resilient projects, my ministry has women empowerment programs...
‘A lot has been done’ in the North
THE President Jioji Konrote believes stakeholders including government officials have contributed to the development of Vanua Levu under the Look North Policy initiative. In addressing heads of government departments in Labasa this morning, President Konrote said the North had great potentials and it was encouraging to see developments happen over past years. “For those of...
USP students to be part of COP25 in Chile
FIVE students from the University of the South Pacific will be part of the COP25 in Santiago, Chile in December. They are currently part of a Pre-Cop training at the university’s Statham campus, funded by the Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change and Resilience Building (PACRES). European Union Ambassador for the Pacific, Surijo Seam said Fiji’s...
Japan typhoon death toll rises to 58 as hopes for missing fade
TOKYO (Reuters) – The death toll in the worst typhoon to hit Japan for decades climbed to 58 on Tuesday as rescuers slogged through mud and debris in an increasingly grim search for the missing and as thousands of homes remained without power or water. The storm hit a wide swathe of central and eastern...
Trio wins economics Nobel for science-based poverty fight
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – U.S.-based economists Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer won the 2019 Nobel Economics Prize on Monday for work fighting poverty that has helped millions of children by favoring practical steps over theory. French-American Duflo becomes only the second woman to win the economics prize in its 50-year history, as well as...
Police seek information to find remand prisoner
THE Fiji Police Force is on the hunt for escapee Timoci Belo. Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said remand prisoner Timoci Belo escaped from the Suva Court house this morning and police are currently searching for his whereabouts. “Belo escaped from the custody of a police officer while being escorted to court,” Ms Naisoro said. “Please call...
Rule-breaking Booker judges honour Atwood, Evaristo with rare double prize
LONDON (Reuters) – Margaret Atwood’s “The Testaments” and Bernardine Evaristo’s “Girl, Woman, Other” jointly won the Booker Prize on Monday in a surprise double award in which the literary prize recognised its oldest and first black woman winners. The authors will split the 50,000 pounds ($62,800) annual prize, the judging panel said. The award honours...
Scrambling to limit damage, Trump tells Turkey to stop its Syria invasion
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday demanded Turkey stop its military incursion in Syria and imposed new sanctions on the NATO ally as Trump scrambled to limit the damage from his much-criticized decision to clear U.S. troops from Turkey’s path. Vice President Mike Pence said Trump had told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan...
