Fiji

Fiji's Bainimarama pulls out of MSG summit

Instead, he has told the Fiji Sun newspaper that he will be going to the Queen's birthday celebrations in London.

The MSG summit in Port Vila is to revisit the appointment of Fiji's Amena Yauvoli as the new director general of the MSG secretariat.

Mr Yauvoli's selection was announced at the start of the month by Fiji's Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola and later confirmed by the MSG chairman, Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare.

Cyclone Amos not threat to Fiji

NADI: A new tropical cyclone has formed in the South Pacific, north of Fiji.

Fiji Meteorological Service renamed a tropical depression as Cyclone Amos on Thursday.

The storm, currently a category one cyclone, is forecast to track towards Samoa, Wallis and Futuna and northern Tonga.

Wind speeds at the centre are expected to increase to 92kmh by the end of the week and all vessels within 300 nautical miles (555km) have been asked to send reports every three hours to meteorologists in Nadi.

It poses no direct threat to Fiji. 

Fiji's State of Natural Disaster ends tonight

The declaration had been issued in February after the country was hit by Cyclone Winston.

The NDMO's director, Akapusi Tuifagalele, told FBC News that this also signalled that the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces had completed their recovery work - seven weeks after they were deployed.

Mr Tuifagalele said the government was thankful to the forces and will continue from where they left off.

He said the Fijian military had positioned themselves on the severely damaged islands of Vanuabalavu and Koro to continue assistance.

AG presses Fiji's case on climate change

The call was made by the Attorney General and Minister for Finance, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, at the second ministerial dialogue of the V20 Group of Finance Ministers in Washington DC. 

The V20 or Vulnerable 20, founded last year, is made up of the top 20 countries who have been designated by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund as being at most risk to climate change. 

Tropical depression continues to affect Fiji

Fiji Times Online reports the inclement weather, which has brought heavy rainfall and strong winds in some parts of the country, is being caused by Tropical Depression TD17F, which was located about 310 kilometres north-north-west of Nadi at midday yesterday.

It is moving towards the country at 15km per hour.

Fiji Meteorological Service director Ravind Kumar said the concern for Fiji was the associated strong winds, rain and the likelihood of flooding of low-lying areas.

HopRocket to visit Fiji

The team led by the founder and CEO Fred Ninow will visit Nadi, Sigatoka and Suva city next week. The purpose of the visit is to establish links with travel service providers in the country and Pacific. HopRocket spokesman Al Noka said they are looking forward to seeing Fiji and meeting new vendors like local hotels as Fiji is one of the growing Pacific Island countries in tourism.

10 cases of Zika virus confirmed in Fiji

The ministry's permanent secretary, Dr Meciusela Tuicakau, also said there were 25 confirmed cases of typhoid in the cyclone-ravaged Central Division.

There are continued fears about an outbreak of mosquito-borne disease in Fiji after the category five Cyclone Winston devastated a large part of the country in February.

This year, Zika has been recorded in five Pacific countries, with more than 400 cases detected in American Samoa.

25,000 dwellings houses affected by cyclone Winston in Fiji

A massive rehabilitation is expected to be led by government.

National Disaster Management Office Director Akapusi Tuifagalele who was in Koro island last week  said discussions are still underway however the focus for now is the provision of basic needs and shelters.

He said the rehabilitation phase will take a few years.

Queen makes personal donation to Fiji relief effort

Winston caused mass devastation across the islands of Fiji and is the worst natural disaster ever to hit the country.

The cyclone which is the strongest ever recorded in the area has left at least 43 people dead and destroyed thousands of homes leaving 62,000 people homeless.

The Royal Commonwealth Society said it welcomed the generous private donation from the Queen.

RCS Director Michael Lake, says it is important in times of natural disasters such as Cyclone Winston that the Commonwealth comes together to offer support.

Fiji win for Cyclone victims

Having not won since the opening tournament in Dubai, two tries from Kitione Taliga and one from Savenaca Rawaca plus three crucial conversions from Vatemo Ravouvou proved the difference in front of 25,981 on a windy day in Las Vegas with the players dedicating the win to those back home.

"One week after Cyclone Winston struck we went back into camp and all the players said we were going to play here in Vegas," said captain Osea Kolinisau.