The Fiji Times

Eight dead crossing river in attempt to enter US from Canada -police

AKWESASNE, Quebec (Reuters) -Police in Canada recovered two more bodies, including that of a missing infant, near the U.S.-Canada border on Friday, bringing the total to eight victims from two families who died this week trying to enter the U.S. from Canada by boat across the St. Lawrence River. “Two additional bodies have been recovered,...

Fiji’s Home Affairs Minister apologises to Opposition MPs

Fiji’s Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration Pio Tikoduadua has apologised to members of Opposition who were “harassed” at the airport before travelling. Leader of the Opposition Inia Seruiratu yesterday posed a question to Mr Tikoduadua and sought assistance from him in this regard. Mr Seruiratu said another member, Semi Koroilavesau, had raised a similar...

Arrests made in deadly fire at Mexico detention center

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Five people have been arrested for alleged roles in the deaths of 39 people at a Mexican migrant detention center this week after a fire broke out, authorities said Thursday. Six warrants were issued against three immigration institute officers, two private security officers and the person who allegedly started the fire,...

Tackling life with faith

When it comes to understanding the unique and distinct needs and issues faced by people struggling to eke out a living, women seem to have a deeper insight into the challenges grassroots people face. Whether it’s their empathy or the natural tendency, they have to always find out what is wrong and address it, they...

Inquiry into Canada’s worst mass shooting criticises police, urges reform

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Officials tasked with reviewing Canada’s worst mass shooting called for sweeping police reforms, stricter gun safety regulations and better public communication on Thursday after an investigation found many shortcomings in authorities’ response to the 2020 incident. In April 2020, 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman, disguised in a police uniform and driving a fake police...

Sweat, tears pay off

Laisani Saumaisue was a single mother and stay-home mum for many years, but she kept her hopes up throughout that challenging period. She has never let her situation stop her from achieving her dreams. Years of sweat and tears later, Ms Saumaisue is one of many successful female Fijian business owners in the country. Hailing...

Prince Harry back in UK court for battle with Daily Mail publisher

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain’s Prince Harry returned to the High Court in London on Thursday where his lawyer fought an attempt by a newspaper publisher to throw out his and other high-profile figures’ lawsuit that alleged widespread unlawful acts by journalists. Harry, the singer Elton John and five other high-profile people are suing publisher Associated Newspapers,...

Women reminded of their key role in society

Women play a critical role in utilising digital technologies to contribute to more sustainable and inclusive economic growth. This was the message delivered by Fiji National University (FNU), Assistant Professor in Education, Head of Department Primary and ECE Dr Sofia Ali during an event to celebrate women’s achievements at Natabua Campus in Lautoka. The University...

Australia’s biggest pension funds cut China exposure, buy fossil fuels

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Two of Australia’s largest pension funds pulled money out of Chinese stocks and boosted positions in the country’s fossil fuel sector in the final six months of 2022, according to filings published on Thursday. The value of China and Hong Kong listed equities at AustralianSuper and Aware Super, which collectively manage about A$400...

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, interior Serua-Namosi, Naitasiri, interior Nadroga/Navosa, Lau & Lomaiviti group and Cakaudrove. Elsewhere, fine apart from afternoon or evening showers. Isolated...

King Charles lauds unity on Ukraine war in bilingual Bundestag speech

BERLIN (Reuters) -King Charles hailed the historic ties between Britain and Germany while lauding their current unity in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in an address to the Bundestag on Thursday on his first state trip overseas as monarch. The king, on the second day of a three-day trip to Germany, alternated between...

Jury sides with Gwyneth Paltrow in Utah ski crash trial

(Reuters) -A jury in Utah ruled on Thursday that Oscar-winning actor Gwyneth Paltrow was not responsible for injuries sustained by a man during a ski slope collision at an upscale Park City resort in 2016. Terry Sanderson, a retired optometrist, suffered a concussion and four broken ribs in the incident. He said the injuries led...

Britain agrees to join trans-Pacific trade pact

LONDON/TOKYO (Reuters) – Britain on Friday said it had struck a deal to join an 11-country trans-Pacific trade pact which includes Japan and Australia as it looks to deepen ties in the region and build its global trade links after leaving the European Union. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Britain had agreed to join the...

Russia arrests US reporter on spy charges, White House says allegations ‘ridiculous’

KYIV (Reuters) – Russia on Thursday charged an American correspondent for the Wall Street Journal with spying, in a case certain to worsen Moscow’s diplomatic feud with Washington over the war in Ukraine and likely to further isolate Russia. The newspaper denied the allegations and demanded the immediate release of “trusted and dedicated reporter” Evan...

Florida aquarium to release orca after more than 50 years in captivity

(Reuters) – A Florida aquarium has reached a deal with animal welfare advocates to release Lolita, a 5,000-pound (2,268 kg) killer whale held in captivity for more than half a century, officials said on Thursday. The Miami Seaquarium said it had reached a “binding agreement” with nonprofit Friends of Lolita to return the whale, who...

Nine killed in crash of two US Army helicopters in Kentucky

(Reuters) -Nine soldiers were killed in a crash of two medical evacuation Black Hawk helicopters during a routine nighttime training mission over Kentucky, the U.S. Army said on Thursday, in one of the military’s deadliest training accidents in recent years. Crew members using night-vision goggles were flying two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, operated by the...

‘Loss and damage’ climate fund should be in place this year -Egyptian negotiator

CAIRO (Reuters) – A fund to deliver financing to places affected by climate-fuelled disasters should be created by the annual U.N. climate summit that opens at the end of November, the lead host negotiator at last year’s summit said on Thursday. Agreement to establish a “loss and damage” fund was secured at COP27 in Egypt...

COVID-19 vaccination for health workers no longer mandatory, but favoured, France’s health body says

PARIS (Reuters) – France’s public health authority Haute Autorite de Sante (HAS)on Thursday eased its vaccination guidance for professionals in the health sector, saying the shot was no longer mandatory, but still strongly recommended, in light of recent epidemiological data. “This recommendation to lift the obligation to vaccinate against Covid-19 does not in any way...

Hard work pays – Parents’ struggle inspires son

Honest hard work pays off in life. The son of a garment factory worker and a caretaker, Amitesh Sen is of the view that learning from parents’ hard work should inspire children to strive for a better life. As a young man growing up in a blue collar household, he noticed how working for the...

Death toll from Ecuador landslide deaths rises to 17, over 70 remain missing

QUITO (Reuters) – At least 17 people have died from a landslide triggered by heavy rains in Ecuador’s Andean region, sweeping down over parts of the city of Alausi, authorities said on Thursday, as the death toll increased and 72 people remained missing. The landslide struck Sunday night, and on Tuesday, the official death toll...

Back in history: New sources sought – Unions try to ‘rule’ Fiji

Businessmen in Fiji were looking for new sources of supplies, outside of New Zealand and Australia, an article in The Fiji Times on July 15, 1977 read. The Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Fiji said importers in Fiji were looking to Japan, Germany and the United States and other countries where labour unions did...

Last students graduate: School closures spread in ageing Japan

TEN-EI, Japan (Reuters) – – As Eita Sato and Aoi Hoshi walked towards their junior high school graduation ceremony, their footsteps echoed in polished halls once crowded and noisy with students. The two were the only graduates of Yumoto Junior High in a mountainous part of northern Japan – and the last. The 76-year-old school...

ICJ on climate change – Vanuatu says court’s opinion will be a ‘massive win’

The United Nations has adopted a landmark resolution asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to deliver an opinion on climate change and the legal consequences countries face for harming the environment. It is the culmination of a four-year push led by Vanuatu and other Pacific nations to get climate change in front of the...

Carbon footprint

The Sugar Industry’s product carbon footprint revealed in a study by Fairtrade International found that emissions were associated with sugarcane cultivation and transport to the mill. While speaking at a two day Fairtrade workshop for sugar cane farmers in Lautoka this week, permanent secretary for Sugar Yogesh Karan said this was a concern for the...

$1.6b investments within tourism sector

A total of 262 projects were implemented from 2007 to 2020 with a value around $F1.6 billion worth of investments within the tourism sector. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica shared this at the official opening of the inaugural Fiji Tourism Investment Summit 2023 on Denarau yesterday. “However, there are numerous opportunities...

Bid to streamline bottlenecks

Trade and Investment Minister Manoa Kamikamica says government policies, inflation and interest rates together with investment climate and economic conditions are some factors that affect overall investment decisions. He highlighted this when officiating at the inaugural Fiji Tourism Investment Summit 2023 in Nadi yesterday. “We all know the importance of investments and its centrality to...

U.N. weather agency retires Fiona, Ian as hurricane names after 2022 devastation

(Reuters) – Fiona and Ian have been retired as hurricane names by the World Meteorological Organization after devastating storms with those names killed dozens of people and inflicted billions of dollars in damage in 2022. Hurricanes have been named in alphabetical order since 1953 in a move meant simplify warnings and media coverage. The names...

$3b industry

The tourism sector is projected to grow to a $3 billion industry this year as markets in Asia open up and new markets, including Canada, come on stream. This exciting development was shared by Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica with stakeholders from the public and private sector who are part of the inaugural Fiji Tourism...

White House: Russian spying charges against U.S. reporter “ridiculous”

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House dismissed espionage charges against a Wall Street Journal reporter detained by Russia as ridiculous and said there was no reason to believe the charges are accurate. “These espionage charges are ridiculous. The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said...

News

1st April

14,000 to 16,000 Fijian tourism workers overseas – Minister Gavoka