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2nd June
Australia says tougher laws needed on artificial intelligence
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia said on Thursday it planned to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) including a potential ban on deep fakes and realistic-looking but false content, amid concerns the technology could be misused. The move...
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 A trough of low pressure lies just north of Fiji while another weak trough remains to the west of the group. Meanwhile, the moist easterlies that are prevalent...
1st June
From streets to farm
After spending most of his life on the streets, Naqelesi Tikolevu decided to call it quits. He realised he needed to change a few things in life if he was ever going to be successful. With a change of heart, he turned his life around. Today, more than anything else, the 62-year-old does not want...
Gonerogo shares musical journey
Like many local artists, Anarieta Sabua Leduaivosaki’s interest in music began in church. But once she caught the secular music bug, there was no stopping her. Today she has hit songs out and a growing legion of fans. Many may know her because of her hit song 2 Bags Waca La recorded and released under...
Back in history | In search of piano
The Dingles left their expensive piano at home in Queensland, Australia when they travelled to Fiji and were in search of a secondhand one for their promising musical daughter to practice at their new home in Suva. Desperate mother Nan Dingle Airs, in an article in The Fiji Times on February 17, 1983, said she...
New gender strategy | Are all gender strategies created equal? Examining the new German, US and UK approaches (Part 1)
Earlier this year, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced that the Albanese government would be developing a new international gender equality strategy. The current gender equality and women’s empowerment strategy, developed two years after the merger of AusAID and DFAT in 2013, was ground breaking for Australia in that it covered all areas of foreign...
‘Be fair if bringing back stamp duty’
Nadi lawyer Ashnil Narayan is urging Government to implement a stamp duty that would be fair for all. While making submissions at a National Budget consultation this week, the AK Lawyers legal counsel said the removal of stamp duties by the previous government proved to be a disaster. “We had stamp duties at reasonable and...
Investment on hold | Labour shortage affects $20m worth projects
About $20 million worth of investment has been put on hold by McDonalds Fiji because of a shortage of labour. While making submissions at the public consultation on the National Budget, McDonalds Fiji managing director Marc McElrath said the labour shortage was affecting every sector in the country. “We are very worried,” he said. “With...
New fuel and LPG prices come into effect
The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) yesterday announced the new regulated fuel and LPG products that will come into effect from today. As per the announcement by the FCCC the new regulated retail fuel prices are: Motor Spirit from $2.74 to $2.80 Premix from $2.58 to $2.62 Kerosene from $1.92 to $1.91 Diesel from...
Argentina eases access to ‘morning after pill’, broadening reproductive rights
By Anna-Catherine Brigida BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentina will no longer require a prescription to obtain emergency contraception, commonly known as the ‘morning after pill’, the government said on Wednesday, broadening reproductive rights in the traditionally conservative South American country. The Catholic country and homeland of Pope Francis approved a law allowing abortion up to...
Access to services
Sugar cane farmers now have an online portal to access services offered by the Sugar Cane Growers Fund. While launching the new mysugarcanegrowers app in Lautoka, Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad said the fund had been an integral partner of the industry for many years. “It is fitting to say that we need this...
FJFW welcomes global fashion show producer
Vodafone Fiji Fashion Week welcomes Jarrad Clark — the biggest global fashion show producer on the international scene — who arrived in Fiji yesterday. This being his first visit back since he was a toddler, it was indeed an emotional return for the True Blue-Aussie Creative Producer and Fashion Event Guru. Jarrad — thanks to...
Tarau does her bit to fight cancer | 16-year-old spreads awareness on childhood cancer
While most 16-year-olds’ interests are centred around socialising or social media, Tarau Savou is focusing on spreading awareness on childhood cancer. And not only that, the Year 10 International School Suva student also wants to raise funds for children diagnosed and living with cancer in Fiji. Tarau said on her own initiative, she decided to...
ISMC’s India chip plan stalls after Tower-Intel deal in setback to Modi
By Munsif Vengattil, Aditya Kalra and Jane Lanhee Lee NEW DELHI/OAKLAND, California (Reuters) – A planned $3 billion semiconductor facility in India by chip consortium ISMC that counted Israeli chipmaker Tower as a tech partner has been stalled due to the company’s ongoing takeover by Intel, three sources said, dashing India’s chip making plans. A...
Chinese agent or private eye? Ex-NY cop’s ‘Fox Hunt’ trial kicks off
By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) – A former New York City police sergeant charged with acting as an illegal Chinese agent for allegedly intimidating a U.S.-based fugitive from China went on trial on Wednesday and argued he did not know that country’s government was behind a private surveillance job he took. Federal prosecutors in...
Walmart is raising wages for pharmacists, opticians in healthcare push
By Siddharth Cavale BENTONVILLE, Ark. (Reuters) – Walmart is raising wages for thousands of U.S. pharmacists and opticians, the retailer said on Wednesday, part of its broader plan to expand primary care services across the country. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based chain said about 3,700 pharmacists would get a bump in pay starting on Wednesday, bringing their...
Murder accused to stand trial in 2024
Alleged high seas murder accused Tevita Qaqa Kapawale will stand trial starting May 20, 2024. The matter was called before High Court judge Justice Daniel Goundar in the High Court at Suva yesterday. State prosecutor Eoghn Samisoni asked the court if two weeks could be set aside for the trial. Justice Goundar said the court...
TISI Sangam books meet date
After a hiatus of seven years, the Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam (TISI Sangam Fiji) will hold its annual general meeting on June 11 in Nadi. Police had to intervene and cancel the last AGM on August 28, 2016, after violence broke out amongst members. The aftermath led to a lengthy court battle with the...
Motion to visit victim | Magistrate rejects trio’s request
The Labasa Magistrate’s Court heard that three people, who allegedly assaulted a woman which led to her death, had filed a motion to visit the deceased while she was being kept in the mortuary. The three, Sairusi Maqosa, 39, a fisherman and the victim’s husband, Akuila Matawaqa, 38, also a fisherman and his wife Emaly...
Senegal president promises fair election as tensions simmer
DAKAR (Reuters) – Senegal’s President Macky Sall on Wednesday said his government would ensure peaceful, free and transparent elections next year following weeks of fresh opposition unrest over fears he might run for a third term and sideline a key rival. Sporadic violent protests have broken out across Senegal since opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was...
White House announces new military aid package for Ukraine
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House on Wednesday announced the latest in a series of aid packages for Ukraine that includes up to $300 million worth of air defense systems, ammunition and other defense equipment. The security assistance package represents the 39th drawdown of equipment from the Department of Defense inventories, the Pentagon said. The...
European Film Festival launched
Residents of Lautoka will have a unique opportunity next weekend to experience European art, film and culture following the launch of the second European Film Festival this morning. European films will be screened at Damodar City cinemas, Village 6 in Suva, and Village 4 in Lautoka. More on this story in tomorrow’s The Fiji Times.
North Korea satellite plunges in sea in ‘rushed’ failure, more launches expected
By Hyonhee Shin and Chang-Ran Kim SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) – A North Korean satellite launch on Wednesday ended in failure, sending the booster and payload plunging into the sea, North Korean state media said, and the South’s military said it had recovered parts of the launch vehicle. The new “Chollima-1” satellite launch rocket failed because of...
High Court to rule on A-G’s application
The High Court is expected to rule on an application by the Attorney-General to strike out an application for leave to apply for judicial review by a dropped provisional candidate from the 2022 General Election. Seremaia Tuiteci filed the application for leave for judicial review after his hopes for candidacy was dashed by the Electoral...
Scientists expand search for signs of intelligent alien life
By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Scientists have expanded the search for technologically advanced extraterrestrial civilizations by monitoring a star-dense region toward the core of our galaxy for a type of signal that could be produced by potential intelligent aliens that until now has been ignored. Efforts to detect alien technological signatures previously have focused...
11 PS appointments made
Public Service Commission (PSC) chair Luke Rokovada yesterday announced 11 permanent secretary appointments. He said the appointments were done with the agreement of Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. “With these announcements, all permanent secretaries are Fijian nationals which is a testament to Fiji’s expanding talent pool and the civil service’s success in attracting outstanding applicants,” Mr...
$400k to fix CWMH theatres
Only six of the eight operating theatres at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) are operational and the Health Ministry needs $400,000 to fix the two that are not working. Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr James Fong said this at a media conference during World No Tobacco Day celebrations in Suva yesterday. He said a...
Look at issue in context, says A-G
Attorney-General Siromi Turaga says people bemoaning the appointment of women to institutions like the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) need to look at the issue in context. He also said criticism about the lack of women in the judiciary were not reflected in the number of females in the various offices. “First and foremost, GCC...
Ditoka queries $30m facility
IS this the best bank for the buck? Rural and Maritime Development Minister Sakiasi Ditoka asked this of the $30 million Navosa Sub-divisional Hospital in Keyasi built by the FijiFirst government. In an interview on The Fiji Times online news portal The Lens @ 177, he questioned the need for spending taxpayer dollars on the...
Indonesia, Malaysia freeze trade talks with EU over palm oil
(Reuters) – Indonesia and Malaysia will delay trade talks with the European Union (EU) while they seek fairer treatment for small palm oil producers, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said the EU’s recently adopted law banning the import of products that come from land cleared of forests was...
