News
26th August
Nauru president loses his seat in elections – media reports
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Nauru President Baron Waqa was voted out of office in the tiny South Pacific island nation after six years in power, media reports said on Sunday. Waqa was beaten in his seat...
Naisoro: Only ComPol will comment on assault investigations
POLICE comments on the alleged assault of Opposition Member Pio Tikoduadua by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama will only be made by Commissioner Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho. Fiji Police Force spokeswoman Ana Naisoro said Brig-Gen Qiliho would be the only person authorised to comment on the investigations on the case. Ms Naisoro said Brig-Gen Qiliho was still on an official...
Florida man guilty of manslaughter in test of ‘stand your ground’ law – reports
(Reuters) – A Florida man has been convicted of manslaughter for a fatal shooting during an argument about a parking spot, local media reported on Saturday, in a case that made headlines when police initially declined to arrest the suspect due to the state’s “stand your ground” self-defense law. A jury found Michael Drejka, 49,...
Tikoduadua: I have no hard feelings towards PM Bainimarama
I HAVE no hard feelings towards Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama because carrying a grudge has no value, says opposition member of Parliament and National President Party president Pio TIkoduadua. “But, this incident is bigger than me,” said Mr Tikoduadua, referring to the allegation of assault against Mr Bainimarama. “This all falls at the feet of...
Australia to block internet domains hosting extremist content during terror attacks
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia will block access to internet domains hosting terrorist material during crisis events and will consider legislation to force digital platforms to improve the safety of their services, officials said on Sunday. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who is in France to take part in the G7 leaders’ forum, said the government...
Father of three to appear in court for murder
A FATHER of three children who allegedly murdered his wife last week has been charged with one count of murder. Wainikoro farmer Yogesh Lal will be produced in the Magistrates Court in Labasa today. Police spokeswoman Ana Naisoro confirmed the suspect was charged over the weekend. It is alleged that the suspect, before committing the...
Brazilian states ask for military help as Amazon fires rage
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Six states in Brazil’s Amazon region requested military help on Saturday to combat record fires that are tearing through the rainforest, provoking an international outcry because of the Amazon’s central role in combating global warming. The states of Para, Rondonia, Roraima, Tocantins, Acre and Mato Grosso – out of the region’s nine...
South Korea begins military drills around disputed island amid feud with Japan
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s military will conduct two days of drills around a tiny island also claimed by Japan, Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday, just days after Seoul decided to scrap an intelligence-sharing pact with Tokyo amid worsening relations. Tokyo and Seoul have long been at loggerheads over the sovereignty of the group...
Agriculture ministry launches new pastoral program
A NEW pastoral program has been launched by the Ministry of Agriculture to grow a juncao grass – a type of pasture that could withstand long periods of dry weather. Minister for Agriculture Dr Mahendra Reddy said 50 tonnes of 80kilograms of juncao grass was transported to the Western Division last week. “The first shipment...
FLS refutes A-G’s claim
THE Fiji Law Society has refuted claims by the Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum that some members of the private bar were not willing to provide legal aid services. Responding to the claims made by the AG at the opening of the Pacific Regional Legal Aid Commission Conference in Natadola last week, FLS president Laurel Vaurasi said...
Trade and economy in focus as G7 leaders get down to work
BIARRITZ, France (Reuters) – Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations will discuss global trade woes at their annual summit on Sunday, likely laying bare a yawning divide between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Western allies. The G7 gathering is taking place against a backdrop of growing worries about a global economic downturn...
Purchase of EFL shares a desperate measure, says Prof Biman
FIJI National Provident Fund’s purchase of the 20 per cent shares in Energy Fiji Ltd worth $220million is a desperate measure by Government, says National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad. Prof Prasad’s comments come after a signing ceremony for the partial investment of shares in EFL was facilitated by Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum in...
UK PM Johnson seeks legal advice on five-week parliament closure – The Observer
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked his attorney general whether parliament can be shut down for five weeks from Sept. 9 in what appears to be an attempt to stop lawmakers forcing a further extension to Brexit, The Observer reported. An email from senior government advisers to an adviser in Johnson’s...
25th August
Family stayed in Syrian town during offensive as rebels ouste
KHAN SHEIKHOUN, Syria (Reuters) – Russia-backed Syrian forces found Abu Abdo and family this week in Khan Sheikhoun, a town which almost all other residents had fled during shelling in an offensive to take the area from rebel fighters. “The last month was very bad. We couldn’t stand by the door because of the shelling...
China warns U.S. to stop ‘wrong’ trade actions or face consequences
BEIJING (Reuters) – China said on Saturday it strongly opposes Washington’s decision to levy additional tariffs on $550 billion worth of Chinese goods and warned the United States of consequences if it does not end its “wrong actions”. The comments made by China’s Ministry of Commerce came after the U.S. President Donald Trump announced on...
Hong Kong police arrest 29 after overnight clashes, more protests planned
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong police said on Sunday they arrested 29 people after clashes overnight in which volleys of tear gas were fired to disperse anti-government protesters, as the Asian financial hub braced for more demonstrations later in the day. Activists threw petrol bombs and bricks on Saturday in the gritty industrial area...
Child hygiene promoters attend symposium
SIXTY-three children in the Rakiraki area attended the first-ever symposium on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) at Penang Sangam School last Friday in a bid to encourage children’s participation in this platform. SCF chief executive officer Shairana Ali said getting children together for the symposium provided them a safe space and great platform to discuss issues...
North Korean leader Kim oversaw test of ‘super-large multiple rocket launcher’: KCNA
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test of a “super-large multiple rocket launcher” on Saturday, state news agency KCNA reported on Sunday. North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast, the South Korean military said, the latest in a series...
Faith-based organisations urged to play prominent role
MINISTER for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Mereseini Vuniwaqa has called on faith-based organisations to play a prominent role in advocating for poverty alleviation and the elimination of family and gender-based violence. She made this call while addressing hundreds of members of the church congregation at the New Methodist Christian Fellowship Global Conference 2019 at...
Exclusive: Sudan needs up to $10 billion in aid to rebuild economy, new PM says
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Sudan needs $8 billion (£6.5 billion) in foreign aid over the next two years to cover its import bill and help rebuild its ravaged economy after months of political turmoil, its new prime minister said on Saturday. Abdalla Hamdok, sworn in three days earlier to head a transitional government after the ousting...
Man charged with wife’s murder to appear in court
THE 41‑year‑old man who allegedly murdered his 35‑year‑old wife at Wainikoro in Macuata last Wednesday night will appear in the Labasa Magistrates Court tomorrow. Earlier, a police statement said that the suspect had been charged with one count of murder Police spokeswoman Ana Naisoro said the man was arrested from his home at Navoalevu in Daku,...
Six spectators hurt after lightning strike at Tour Championship
(Reuters) – Six spectators were injured when lightning struck a tree during the third round at the Tour Championship in Atlanta on Saturday, the PGA Tour said in a statement. “At 4.45 p.m., there were two lightning strikes at East Lake Golf Club; a tree near the range/15 green/16 tee was hit, and debris from...
Kumar reflects on Fiji’s strong relationship with China
FIJI’S Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism Premila Kumar reflected on the strong and growing relationship between Fiji and China during the Guangdong 21st maritime silk road international expo that was held last week. She said this relationship included the link Fiji shared with the Guangdong Province. “This cooperation is envisioned to lead to elevated...
Weather watch: Damaging heavy swell warning in force
A DAMAGING heavy swell warning remains in force for southern and western coastal areas. The warming is also in force for waters of Yasawa and Mamanuca Group, Viti Levu from Momi to Navua, Kadavu, Beqa, Vatulele and the Lau group. The national weather forecasting centre in Nadi has forecast a high-pressure system to the Southwest...
Squabbles erupt as G7 leaders arrive for summit in France
BIARRITZ, France (Reuters) – Squabbles erupted among G7 nations on Saturday even before their leaders had gathered for an annual summit, exposing sharp differences on global trade tensions, Britain’s exit from the EU and how to respond to the fires raging in the Amazon rainforest. French President Emmanuel Macron, the summit host, planned the three-day...
Russian spacecraft carrying robot fails to dock with space station
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying a humanoid robot failed to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, Russian news agencies reported, citing a live broadcast. The FEDOR (Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research) robot on its way to the ISS on a planned two-week mission to support the crew and test...
WOWS Kids Fiji host thanksgiving service
WOWS Kids Fiji hosted a thanksgiving service today to the mark the end of Childhood Cancer awareness month. The service was held at the Pacific Tertiary Evangelistic Centre at Grantham Road in Suva. Team leader Viola Lesi said this was an important day as they remembered the children who had lost their lives to this...
Water situation: Navua residents advised to store water
RESIDENTS in certain parts of Navua are advised that they will be experiencing low water pressure to intermittent supply from today until further notice. In an advisory issued today, the Water Authority of Fiji (WAF) stated the interruption was attributed to the limited water flow from the borehole. “The authority is kindly advising its customers...
Measles-stricken New Zealand girl visited Disneyland, other California destinations
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A teenage girl from New Zealand sick with measles visited Disneyland and other popular tourist stops across Southern California earlier this month, possibly infecting others, local government health officials warned. The alert comes amid the worst outbreak of measles in the United States in a quarter century, with more than 1,200...
We are The Fiji Times
THE Fiji Times wishes to inform its readers that it is in no way associated with The Fijian Times page available on the social media platform Facebook. Editor-in-chief of The Fiji Times Fred Wesley clarified this last night. “The Fiji Times newspaper is in no way associated or linked to The Fijian Times site on...
