News
Bryson family completes four-day family reunion
MORE than 160 members of the Bryson family converged at Uprising Beach Resort in Pacific Harbour for four days for a family reunion. The reunion started on Tuesday and concluded last night with family performances...
2018 General Elections: Voters advised to use instruction booklet
VOTERS who have received their postal ballot packages must use the Voter Instruction Booklet to identify the three-digit number of the candidate they wish to vote for. This was stressed by Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem yesterday, when he briefed the mdia on postal voting packages for the 2018 General Election. Mr Saneem said the...
Lotto fever grips U.S. as Mega Millions jackpot hits $1 billion
(Reuters) – The drawing for the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. history, a cool $1 billion, was held on Friday as lotto fever gripped the U.S. The lucky numbers 15, 23, 53, 65, 70 and the Mega Ball 7 were drawn on Friday night. The winner can opt for an immediate cash payment of $565.6...
2018 General Elections: Security of a nation cannot be based on power, says Balawa
THE security of a nation cannot be based on power, force or the barrel of a gun, says National Federation Party (NFP) candidate Sila Balawa. Mr Balawa highlighted this during the party’s campaign meeting with Nasinu residents at the Rishikul Primary School in Valelevu on Friday night. The former senior military officer said he believes...
British royals give gift of dignity to Australia’s war dead
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, brought the gift of dignity to Australia’s war veterans on Saturday, laying a wreath for those who died at an Anzac war memorial. The Prince, in military uniform, and his wife, respectfully clothed in a high-necked black dress by New Zealand designer Emilia Wickstead, silently...
Rotary club joins mosquito program
REDUCING the risks of dengue, chikugunya and zika virus is a big challenge and will take time, says World Mosquito Program (WMP) Fiji project coordinator Aminiasi Tavui. He highlighted this yesterday as members of the Rotary Club of Suva joined the WMP on the fight to help protect communities from mosquito-borne diseases. The club would...
Estonia and Malaysia diplomats present their credentials
NEW non-resident ambassador of Estonia Andres Unga and the resident high commissioner-designate of Malaysia Ilham Tuah Bin Illias presented their credentials to the President, Jioji Konrote, at the Borron House in Suva. Mr Unga served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia prior to his appointment. And Mr Tuah Bin...
Over 118,000 homes without power in Florida, Georgia after Hurricane Michael
(Reuters) – More than 118,000 homes and businesses in Florida and Georgia were still without power on Friday in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, power companies said. In total, more than 3.3 million customers lost power from Florida to New York after Michael struck the Florida Panhandle on Oct. 10 as a Category 4 storm...
FNU appoints two pro-vice chancellors
THE Fiji National University has appointed two new pro-vice chancellors in different faculties in the last two months. Professor James Pounder who is originally from England has been appointed as the Pro-Vice Chancellor Learning and Teaching, while Professor Mohini Singh has been appointed as the Pro-Vice Chancellor Research. FNU Vice-Chancellor Professor Nigel Healey said Professor...
Comoros authorities sign pact to end standoff on island
MORONI (Reuters) – Five days of clashes between protesters and police in Comoros’ Anjouan island have subsided after the national government, local authorities and the Anjouan capital Mutsamudu signed an accord aimed at ending the violence, officials said on Friday. Anjouan has been shaken by clashes pitting security forces against young men angry at President...
Rice development program to boost revitalisation
THE recent launching of the Rice Development Program is expected to strongly boost the revitalisation of the local rice industry. The Rice Development Program was modelled to ensure the continued progress of the rice industry, through the concerted efforts between the Ministry of Agriculture and Fiji Rice Limited. While launching the program in Dreketi, Macuata...
Sagrada Familia cathedral gets building licence 130 years after work began
BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) – More than 130 years after construction first began, Barcelona’s towering Sagrada Familia cathedral is finally to get a building permit, the city council and the monument’s official blog said. Cranes and scaffolding still flank the ornate spires of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi’s most famous monument, which draws some 20 million visitors...
Vuniwaqa to address regional consultation on domestic violence
WOMEN, Children and Poverty Alleviation Minister Mereseini Vuniwaqa will address participants at the Regional Consultation on the Implementation of Domestic Violence Legislation from Law to Practice at the Novotel Nadi next week. The three-day forum which will be held from 23-25 October is being organised by the Pacific Community’s Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) in...
Australia’s NAB cuts 300 staff over wrongdoing
SYDNEY (Reuters) – About 300 staff of National Australia Bank have been fired or left the company as a result of internal investigations into wrongdoing, Chief Executive Andrew Thorburn said on Friday, following public revelations of misconduct across the sector. Thorburn said he was ashamed of the bank’s behavior and admitted he had been wrong...
Osifelo wins best outstanding journalism award
STAYING away from family for three years was the sacrifice I had to make. This was the sentiment of Elizabeth Osifelo who won the best outstanding student award at the USP’s 18th Journalism awards event held at the Laucala campus last night. Osifelo, originally from the Solomon Islands, shared how she missed her family and...
2018 General Elections: Vote for the party to look after you, says FijiFirst candidates
VOTE for the party who will continue to look after you. This was the key message from politicians contesting the 2018 general elections under the FijiFirst banner. Party general secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum spoke about how much Fiji had grown as a country since the party took office. He lauded the efforts of party leader Voreqe...
Briton, Canadian arrested in Thailand for graffiti on wall
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Two tourists charged with vandalism for spray painting graffiti on a wall in northern Thailand face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty, police said on Friday. Briton Furlong Lee and Canadian Brittney Schneider, both 23, were arrested at a guest house in Chiang Mai on Thursday and are being...
Fiji Drua secures historic NRC home final with brave comeback
THE Fiji Airways Drua side made a brave comeback and stole the win away from Canberra Vikings to secure a historic NRC home final next weekend. Downed 23-7 early in the second spell, the Fijians gave the visitors a good taste of their own medicine countering their big forward with huge hits and waves of...
Russia and Uzbekistan launch work on nuclear power plant
TASHKENT (Reuters) – Russia and Uzbekistan began preliminary work on Friday on the first Uzbek nuclear power plant, a project Moscow estimates will cost $11 billion. The plant, to be largely financed by a soft loan from Russia, will allow Uzbekistan to use more of its natural gas for other purposes such as chemicals production...
Koro student misses FJC exam because of poor road conditions
A YEAR 10 student of Koro High School had had to miss sitting for a Fiji Junior Certificate paper because of poor road conditions on the island. Nacamaki Village headman Salesitino Naqarase said as a result of the heavy rain, road conditions on the island had worsened with the stretch from Muanivanua to Nasau (about...
