Subscribe
News
4th October
New Zealand starts new tourism campaign as post-COVID visits lag
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand is launching a new tourism campaign with Kiwi director and actor Taika Waititi to attract visitors after the sector was hammered by COVID-19 and border closures. Tourism New Zealand on...
Fire engulfs police facility in Egypt’s Ismailia, 25 hurt
CAIRO (Reuters) -A huge fire erupted at a police facility in the Egyptian Suez Canal city of Ismailia early on Monday, injuring at least 25 people before firefighters contained the blaze after several hours, emergency services and media reported. Videos posted on social media showed the city’s security directorate engulfed in flames. The cause of...
Ro Teimumu: Ratu David’s passing a tragic loss to family; great loss to Fiji
The head of the Burebasaga confederacy, Marama na Roko Tui Dreketi Ro Teimumu Kepa, has lamented the passing of acting Director of Public Prosecutions Ratu David-George Toganivalu. In a condolence message to Ratu David’s mother Adi Davila Toganivalu – posted on her social media Facebook account from Jerusalem, Ro Teimumu said his passing was a...
IMF says private sector needs to shoulder most of climate investment burden
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Most of the $2 trillion in annual climate investments in developing countries needed by 2030 will have to come from the private sector, the IMF said, warning that governments risk high debts if they try to reach net-zero goals with public funds. THE TAKE Climate finance will be one of the dominant...
South Pacific a region in recovery; challenges not ‘insurmountable’
The South Pacific region is one in recovery in the wake of a global pandemic. It continues to grapple with the impact of the Ukraine-Russia war – a conflict with no visible end in sight – and with repercussions across the world, including through higher food and energy prices. At present, the region continues to...
Spanish city ordered closure of fire-ravaged nightclubs a year ago
MURCIA, Spain (Reuters) -Two nightclubs destroyed by a deadly fire in the southeastern Spanish city of Murcia over the weekend had been found a year ago to be operating without a valid permit and were ordered to shut at the time, local authorities said on Monday. It wasn’t clear why the club was allowed to...
Sir William sworn in as Fiji’s Supreme Court judge
New Zealand Supreme Court judge Sir William Young was yesterday sworn in as a Supreme High Court judge in Fiji’s judiciary. Sir William took his oath of office at the State House in Suva in the presence of President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, Acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo, Chief Registrar Tomasi Bainivalu and Solicitor-General Ropate Green....
Greece shuts landmark Olympic stadium over roof safety concerns
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek authorities have shut the country’s biggest sports stadium amid concerns over the stability of its steel dome, an architectural landmark built for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. The 70,000-seat Olympic Stadium hosts major sporting events throughout the year, including the UEFA Champions league as well as sold-out concerts, most recently Guns...
FHL Group records notable increase in profits post-pandemic
Publicly-listed investment company Fijian Holdings Ltd (FHL) Group recorded a consolidated profit before tax of $63.2million for the financial year ending June 30, 2023. That represents a notable increase from $18.6m recorded in the 2022 financial year. The company’s annual report also highlighted the holding company’s $13.0m net profit before tax, surpassing the previous year’s...
$2.4 billion liquidity in the banking system
Liquidity levels in the banking system remained adequate at $2.4 billion as at September, keeping interest rates low. The Reserve Bank of Fiji noted that the sufficient banking system liquidity and persistently low-interest-rate environment are expected to support growth in private-sector credit and drive economic activity in the months ahead. Foreign reserves also remain comfortable...
Bangladesh dengue deaths top 1,000 in worst outbreak
DHAKA (Reuters) – The death toll from Bangladesh’s worst dengue outbreak on record has topped 1,000 this year, official data showed, with hospitals struggling to make space for patients as the disease spreads rapidly in the densely-populated country. At least 1,017 people have died so far in 2023 and nearly 209,000 infected, the data showed,...
What’s happening today!
Bula vinaka everyone. Here is another edition of some basic information you may need to know for today. First, here is your weather forecast for today: Weather Cloudy periods with brief showers over greater Suva-Nausori/Tailevu areas, Serua-Namosi, Kadavu and nearby smaller islands, Lau and Lomaiviti groups, southern Bua and Cakaudrove Provinces. Elsewhere, fine apart from...
France kicks off bird flu vaccination despite trade backlash risk
PARIS (Reuters) -France began vaccinating ducks against bird flu on Monday to try and stem the virus that killed millions of birds worldwide, a move that prompted the United States to impose trade restrictions on French poultry imports. France has been among the countries worst affected by an unprecedented global spread of highly pathogenic avian...
Dutch climate minister calls for strong coalition to phase out fossil fuel subsidies
MADRID (Reuters) – Dutch Climate Minister Rob Jetten said on Monday he would work in coming weeks to set up a strong international coalition to phase out subsidies and tax breaks tied to the use of fossil fuels blamed for global warming. “An immediate phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies is complex, but we really have...
South Africa gives go-ahead for TotalEnergies to drill offshore
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) -South Africa’s environment ministry has given the go-ahead for TotalEnergies to drill offshore for gas and oil, after rejecting an appeal from more than a dozen individuals and lobby groups who intend challenging the decision. The appeal to stop TotalEnergies from drilling in Block 5/6/7 off the Cape coast was the latest...
France races to stamp out bedbug ‘scourge’ before Olympics
PARIS (Reuters) – With the Paris Olympics less than a year away, French authorities want to make sure the bedbugs don’t bite during the games and have started a drive to exterminate the pests. Social media users have been publishing footage of the insects crawling around in high-speed trains and the Paris metro, alongside a...
WHO recommends malaria vaccine that will be rolled out next year
GENEVA (Reuters) -The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended on Monday the use of a second malaria vaccine to curb the life-threatening disease spread to humans by some mosquitoes. “Almost exactly two years ago, WHO recommended the broad use of the world’s first malaria vaccine called RTS,S,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a briefing in...
Pope Francis hints at slight opening to blessings of same-sex couples
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis has appeared to leave open the possibility of priests blessing same-sex couples, if they are limited, decided on a case-by-case basis and not confused with wedding ceremonies of heterosexuals. Francis made his opinion known in one answer to five questions from five conservative cardinals from Asia, Europe, Africa, the...
3rd October
Zimbabwe searches for mine survivors as relatives lose hope
CHEGUTU, Zimbabwe (Reuters) – Zimbabwean authorities were still searching on Monday for survivors trapped underground when a disused gold mine collapsed last week, as some relatives started to lose hope their loved ones could be saved. Accidents in disused mines are common in Zimbabwe, where artisanal or small-scale miners defy authorities by mining in old...
Trump reaped over $100 million through fraud, New York says as trial starts
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A defiant Donald Trump attacked New York’s attorney general and the judge overseeing his civil fraud trial as it began on Monday, with a state lawyer accusing the former president of generating more than $100 million by lying about his real estate empire. Attorney General Letitia James is seeking at least...
Death toll rises to 11 in Sunday Mexico church collapse
MONTERREY, Mexico (Reuters) -The death toll from the collapse of a church roof during a Sunday Mass in northern Mexico has risen to 11, with around 60 others injured, officials said on Monday, as local authorities began wrapping up search and rescue efforts. Five women, two men and three children were among those killed at...
Josese finds his passion
Some believe confidence can take one far in life. That is, when we’re confident, we’d more likely to move forward with dreams and opportunities — not back away from them. That is what Josese Rokotakala Volavola, 21, believes in. Making music is the young lad’s dream and with confidence he is ready to make it...
Support for Australia Indigenous referendum gaining slightly, poll shows
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Support for an Australian constitutional referendum on Indigenous rights and recognition has edged higher, according to a poll published on Tuesday, although a majority of voters still intend to vote no when polls close in less than two weeks. The latest Guardian Essential poll shows the yes vote rose two points to...
Youths urged to participate in consultations
Youth advocate Avenai Serutabua has urged youths around the country to actively participate in the ongoing local government electoral process public consultations. Mr Serutabua said these consultations served as vital opportunity for dialogue, and enabled individuals from all walks of life to contribute to the formulation of policies and strategies that would impact their local...
Back in history | Parents are first teachers
On January 18, 1990, The Fiji Times published an article by Hari Ram who was the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports permanent secretary then. In the article “Parents are first teachers”, he explains that in order to answer the question of why parents have such an important role to play, one will have to...
Bushfires in parts of southeast Australia amid spring heatwave
SYDNEY (Reuters) – A bushfire in Australia’s Victoria state more than trebled overnight and authorities urged residents in a remote part of Tasmania state to evacuate as a spring heatwave fanned fires across the country’s southeast. Around 17,000 hectares (66 square miles) were ablaze on Tuesday in the eastern part of Victoria state’s Gippsland region...
A day for our seniors
Each year on October 1, people across the world mark UN International Day of Older Persons (IDOP) to raise awareness of opportunities and challenges faced by ageing populations, and to mobilise the wider community to address difficulties faced by older people. This year’s IDOP theme is ‘Fulfilling the promises of the universal declaration of human...
$2.1b trade deficit
Fiji’s trade deficit increased by 3.4 per cent to $2.1 billion in June as imports outpaced exports, reported the Reserve Bank of Fiji’s September Economic Review. During the review period imports grew by 8.4 per cent to $3.1b led mainly by the mineral fuels, machinery and transport equipment and miscellaneous manufactured goods categories. Exports grew...
Improved labour market conditions
The Reserve Bank of Fiji recorded improvements in labour market conditions with wages paid surpassing 2019 levels – possibly because of wage bargaining amid labour migration. According to the RBF the strong growth in Job advertisements in the year to August suggests strong demand for labour. In its September Economic Review released last week the...
Various sectors contribute to group’s profits
The tourism sector of the Fijian Holdings Ltd (FHL) accounted for 29 per cent of the total group profit attributable to the substantial influx of tourists following the reopening of our borders in 2022. FHL Group chief executive officer Jaoji Koroi said the retail sector of the group also continued its growth trajectory, posting an...
