Regional
New Zealand PM Ardern steps up fight against extremist online content
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced more funding and support on Monday to target violent extremist content online, just months after an alleged white supremacist livestreamed a massacre at two mosques...
11th October
Fossils of ‘shark-toothed’ carnivorous dinosaur found in Thailand
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Fossils of a large carnivorous dinosaur that was a top predator about 115 million years ago have been unearthed in Thailand — a brute that was among the early members of an impressive group of flesh-ripping dinosaurs known for their shark-like teeth. Scientists on Wednesday said the dinosaur, named Siamraptor suwati, was...
10th October
Shell urges collaboration with other industries to tackle emissions
LONDON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell’s chief executive took aim beyond the energy sector to call on leaders of other industries including aviation, shipping and steel to jointly draw up plans to tackle greenhouse gas emissions. Ben van Beurden also warned on Wednesday that energy companies that do not collaborate in the fight against climate...
Different views over NFP’s permit rejection
THE Fiji Police Force and the National Federation Party are at loggerheads over the circumstances that led to the rejection of the party’s application for a permit to march today. The police are insisting the application was rejected because the party failed to provide them with the required documents. Police spokeswoman Ana Naisoro said police...
Bure attacks Times; Says school fundraising was never banned
EDUCATION Ministry deputy secretary Timoci Bure has accused The Fiji Times of misquoting Education Minister Rosy Akbar. He said an article that appeared under the headline “Ban lifted” was wrong. Mr Bure said fundraising activities had never been banned. “You could fundraise but you needed permission to do so,” he said while addressing school heads...
Thousands rush to climb Australia’s Uluru ahead of ban
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Thousands of people are rushing to climb Australia’s Uluru, ignoring the calls of indigenous people to stay off what they consider a sacred monolith, before the ascent is permanently banned at the end of the month. Visitors will no longer be able to scale the Australian landmark, formerly known as Ayers Rock,...
Akbar: Initiatives against plastic use will culminate in total ban
GOVERNMENT policies including single use of plastic bags and the plastic bag levy will culminate with the total ban on the use of plastics next year, says Education Minister Rosy Akbar. Speaking at the closing of the Green Action Fund (GAF) 2019 project at the Fiji Museum in Suva this week, she said while it...
Storied Malaysian newspaper abruptly shuts after 80 years
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s oldest Malay-language newspaper, Utusan Malaysia, on Wednesday abruptly ceased publication and placed more than 800 employees on leave, citing declining readership and advertising revenue. Utusan was founded during British colonial rule in 1939 by Yusof Ishak, who later became Singapore’s first president. The paper played an important role in the...
Incoming top EU climate official pledges to tax polluting imports
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The EU will start work immediately on a tax on polluting foreign firms to shelter EU businesses striving to meet a goal to be climate neutral by 2050, the senior official set to take responsibility for climate in the new European Commission said on Tuesday. Frans Timmermans, who was speaking at a...
9th October
Vodafone to close more than 1,000 European stores
DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) – Vodafone <VOD.L> will shut 15% of its 7,700 stores in Europe and upgrade some of the remaining outlets as customers buy more online and change their expectations of in-store shopping, chief executive Nick Read said on Tuesday. The group will overhaul its European store estate using data to give insight into...
Fiji to finalise first Displacement Guidelines
FIJI is working towards finalising its first Displacement Guidelines after the successful launching of its Planned Relocation Guideline last year. Ministry for Economy permanent secretary Makereta Konrote said the National Displacement Guidelines would also align to other key national documents, including Fiji’s Five-Year and 20-Year National Development Plan, Fiji’s Green Growth Framework, the National Climate...
Fiji Police reject NFP application to march; Party “disgusted by the decision”
THE National Federation Party says the conflicting messages received in relation to an application for a march through Suva on Thursday was confusing. Party general secretary Seni Nabou said the Fiji Roads Authority had given the application a green light provided that the permit was approved by police. Police, on the other hand, said the...
8th October
Fiji’s Health Minister acknowledges WHO support in Fiji and the Pacific
FIJI’S Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete has acknowledged the support from the World Health Organization (WHO) for contributing immensely towards addressing the health issues in Fiji and the Pacific. Responding to the Regional Director’s report and white paper on WPRO plan of action for the next 4 years, Dr Waqainabete thanked...
