The Fiji Times

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...

Acting DPP Ratu David Toganivalu passes away aged 49

Fiji’s Acting Director of Public Prosecution and Acting Commissioner of the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption (FICAC) Ratu David-George Leonard Toganivalu has died. Born December 27, 1973, Ratu David-George passed away peacefully at age 49 on the afternoon of Monday, October 2, 2023, at his residence in Taro, Bau, Tailevu, surrounded by his family. A...

Kenya panel urges shutdown of Worldcoin’s crypto project within country

By Duncan Miriri NAIROBI (Reuters) – A Kenyan parliamentary panel called on the country’s information technology regulator on Monday to shut down the operations of cryptocurrency project Worldcoin within the country until more stringent regulations are put in place. The government suspended the project in early August following privacy objections over its scanning of users’...

37 per cent revenue growth

Fijian Holdings Ltd (FHL) Group recorded a growth of 37 per cent in revenue and a substantial 239 per cent surge in net profit tax this financial year, attributed to the first full year of operation following the COVID19 pandemic. According to the group chief executive officer Jaoji Koroi the Group reported a consolidated profit...

‘Crucial role’

Shipping plays a crucial role in the day-to-day operations of the country. This was highlighted by Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Sakiasi Ditoka at the World Maritime Day celebration in Suva last Friday. “Over 80 per cent of global trade is transported by international shipping in Fiji, this percentage is even...

Irreplaceable bond

It was an emotional day at the Fiji Detector Dog Unit (FDDU) as officers farewelled four of their four-legged comrades who retired after years of loyal service last Friday. Emotions were high as the handlers for K9 Ziggy, K9 Blake, K9 Kaleb, and K9 Quip relayed the journey they’ve shared together in the Fiji Police...

DOMO VOU TALEI | VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE ARTIST NOW!

Vote for Fiji’s next amazing new voice and get into the draw to win Domo Vou Talei tee-shirts and double passes to the Woodstock Uprising Music Festival this Saturday October 7 at the Uprising Beach Resort in Pacific Harbour. Voting closes at midnight Friday October 6 with the People’s Choice Award winner announced this Saturday...

Elon Musk’s X hit with trademark lawsuit from marketing agency

By Blake Brittain (Reuters) – X Corp, formerly known as Twitter, was sued in federal court in Florida on Monday by a legal-marketing company that claims the social media giant’s new name infringes its trademark incorporating the letter “X.” The lawsuit by X Social Media claims that X Corp, which owner Elon Musk began rebranding...

President emphasises unity

We can and should always try to solve our own problems, said President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere while speaking at the national Milad-un-Nabi Jalsa at Prince Charles Park, Nadi, yesterday. He was the chief guest at Prophet Mohammed’s birthday national celebrations that was organised by the Fiji Muslim League. “I strongly believe that religion remains a...

Muslims celebrate Prophet’s birthday

Members of the Muslim community living along the Suva-Nausori corridor gathered at the Rishikul Sanatan College hall in Valelevu, Nasinu to celebrate Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday yesterday. Celebrated annually on October 2, it is commemorated by Muslims in Fiji on 12 Rabi’ al-awwal of the Islamic calendar. Over 100 people attended the function which was organised...

Vosarogo promotes religious freedom

The faithfulness of Muslim believers in upholding the teachings of Prophet Mohammed certainly comes with a lot of discipline, perseverance and generosity, says Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo. In opening the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday celebrations at the Vanua Levu Muslim League South Pacific Sunni headquarters in Labasa yesterday, Mr Vosarogo said these...

More than 100 Amazon dolphins found dead, heat and drought blamed

By Bruno Kelly MANAUS (Reuters) – The carcasses of 120 river dolphins have been found floating on a tributary of the Amazon River since last week in circumstances that experts suspect were caused by severe drought and heat. Low river levels during a severe drought have heated water in stretches to temperatures that are intolerable...

Police await forensic evidence

Police have yet to receive forensic evidence in the murder of a secondary school student in Labasa three years ago. The case, which has not found any perpetrator, is part of the undetected list of cases that police are still investigating. Chief planning, research and doctrines Assistant Commissioner of Police Aporosa Lutunauga said out of...

Drugmakers sign on to negotiate Medicare prices under protest

By Michael Erman and Patrick Wingrove (Reuters) – All the drugmakers that make the 10 prescription medicines subject to the first-ever price negotiations for the U.S. Medicare health program, including Amgen and Novartis, said they signed on to participate in the talks by the Oct. 1 deadline. The penalties for not doing so would have...

Drowning shocks residents

An early morning drowning incident yesterday has shocked residents of a close-knit farming community in Votua, Ba. It is believed that a 15-year-old accompanied their farm labourer for an early morning cattle herd change when the tragedy happened. Police discovered the body of the iTaukei labourer a little after the tragedy happened while the teenager’s...

Kiosk break in

A kiosk operator near the Suva bus stand says there is a need for closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to be installed in the area. Shanil Deo, 29, had his kiosk broken into on Sunday night and about $1000 worth of cash and groceries were stolen including a music speaker worth $600. Mr Deo said the...

Probe starts

An investigation has begun to determine the circumstances surrounding the death of a 60-year-old farmer of Tamavua Village on Saturday. In a media statement, the Fiji Police Force said the victim was found lying motionless at the village cemetery ground with visible injuries. “Investigators have gathered statements of family and relatives and continue with their...

Man, 73, dies in fire

Tragedy struck a family in Semo, Sigatoka on Saturday after an elderly man was killed in a house fire. The tin and wooden house was owned by Rajendra Singh who perished in the fire that started around 11am on Saturday. Police have confirmed the victim was 73 years old. “The victim is alleged to have...

White House has been in touch with allies over potential delays in new Ukraine funding

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House has been in touch with allies and partners about continued funding for Ukraine and those conversations will continue, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said on Monday. Congress passed a stopgap bill on Saturday that extended government funding for more than a month and avoided a government shutdown but didn’t...

River diversion project

A task force has been established to work on the Nadi River diversion project. The announcement was made after Minister for Agriculture and Waterways Vatimi Rayalu visited the turaga ni yavusa and the villagers of Yavusania in Nadi to discuss the riverbank erosion, proposed river diversion and the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) project. The task...

Highest revenue in past decade

The forestry sector generated close to $100 million during the pandemic, says Minister for Forestry Kalaveti Ravu. And revenue has mainly been generated through products such as timber and wood chips. Speaking at the Forest Products, Trade and Training Division in Nasinu last Friday, Mr Ravu said this was during the height of COVID-19 and...

Pacific nations combine to uplift cyber security

The Government is working with stakeholders to find the most suitable technology to digitally connect the remaining five per cent of Fijians from diverse communities. Trade Minister Manoa Kamikamica made this known to delegates who are part of the inaugural Pacific Cyber Capacity Building and Coordination Conference in Nadi yesterday. “With new and emerging technologies,...

Lal calls for review of 30-year-old policy

The Sugar Industry Master Award no longer aligns with the contemporary direction of the Fiji Sugar Corporation, says FSC board chairman Pradeep Lal. Mr Lal said there was a need to review the policy which has been around for 30 years. “Although the Master Award has effectively served its purpose for three decades, it is...

UK had joint-warmest September on record, says Met Office

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain last month experienced its joint-warmest September on record, facing temperatures that would have been “practically impossible” without human-induced climate change, its national weather forecaster said on Monday. The Met Office, citing provisional statistics, said September’s mean temperature of 15.2 degrees Celsius matched a record figure from 2006, making it the joint-highest...

Cybercrimes threat

Cybercrimes are an increasing threat to our administrations; one only has to look around the region to see examples of this. This sentiment was shared by the Pacific Islands Forum secretary general Henry Puna in his official remarks at the inaugural Pacific Cyber Capacity Building and Coordination Conference in Nadi yesterday. “The Vanuatu government’s IT...

FCCC starts review

The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) has started a review of both passenger fares and freight charges on selected established shipping routes. FCCC states since the last review of pricing in this market, there has been a vast change to the structure of the market that are potentially of interest to a competition authority,...

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