Fiji

Islands Business Magazine reported the majority of the country's air traffic controllers at both of Fiji's international airports have not been reporting to work since Monday this week.

A statement sent to the magazine from the protesting workers claimed around 80 percent of traffic control officers have taken various forms of leave in protest over pay and working conditions.

It said only five officers have remained at their posts and are working around the clock at the Nadi and Nausori airport towers. It said normally there are 17 officers on duty.

The office will serve as a regional hub for the development institution’s work across the region.

The new regional hub will be integral to the World Bank Group’s delivery of more than one billion Fiji dollars’ worth of projects across six countries (Fiji, Nauru, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu) in a wide range of sectors including transport, aviation, information and communications technology, education, disaster resilience, fisheries, health and education, among others.

He and wife Yvette were arrested after Fijian authorities discovered more than $US14 million dollars’ worth of drugs, along with two guns, on their vessel, Shenanigans, as it arrived in Port Denarau in June.

While Ms Nikolic was acquitted on all charges, Mr Nikolic was last week found guilty of drug importation, possession, and failure to declare arms and ammunitions to a customs officer following a trial at the High Court in Suva.

Fiji Village reports that Justice Daniel Goundar on Friday handed down a sentence of 23 years' jail with no parole for 18 years.

New Zealand will play Mate Ma'a Tonga on 22 June at Mt Smart Stadium in the first match of the new Oceania Cup.

The Kiwi Ferns will also play against an unnamed opponent in the double header - they'll play a second match against Australia in October.

The Oceania Cup will be played in June and November during the international Test windows.

Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Fiji and Australia make up the six-nation competition.

Digicel is the major sponsor of Special Olympics Team Fiji.

Digicel Fiji CEO, Mike Greig while signing the official sponsorship agreement said, “This is an on-going partnership which stretches years back to support Special Olympics Fiji in major events and now we are stepping up to support the team to attend the World meet.”

Special Olympics Team Fiji will send its largest contingent to the world meet with 21 athletes in five sports, supported by 14 strong volunteer team of managers and support staff.

The series resumes on Saturday after an extended seven week break over the Christmas and New Year period.

Fiji are not taking recent form for granted as they attempt to defend their Hamilton title.

They defeated reigning series champions South Africa and current leaders the United States en-route to the Cape Town title last year, to climb to third in the overall standings.

Despite winning the inaugural Hamilton event last year, coach Gareth Baber says Fiji have no right to be complacent.

Digicel Founder, Chairman and Interim CEO, Mr. Denis O’Brien, signed the MOU with Walesi Chairman, Mr. Sharvada Sharma, at the Digicel headquarters in Nabua, Suva Tuesday morning.

Mr. O’Brien said Sky Pacific will start preparatory work for channel delivery and billing integration soon to enable the rollout of Sky Pacific subscriptions via Walesi later this year.

Digicel staff got together and contributed general school stationary items while Star Printery gave all the exercise books to the children.

Digicel Fiji CEO, Mike Greig made the presentation and met the children and encouraged them to do their best in school this year.

“This is an excellent gesture at the start of the year, I want to thank Digicel Fiji staff who took pride and made an effort to buy stationary and help some needy children in our community,” said Greig.

The storm is weakening but alerts are still in place for people in the eastern Lau group of islands.

Mona is cutting an arch around the most populous islands of Viti and Vanua Levu and the smaller islands which dot the eastern part of the country.

It's now a category one storm, the lowest on the scale, but has still caused floods and disrupted transport.

About 2000 people took shelter in 40 evacuation centres over the weekend and thirty roads were closed, mostly due to floods and some landslips.

The cyclone has pulling a circuit in the ocean to the country's northwest for a day, and is now not expected to reach the second-biggest island, Vanua Levu, until late tomorrow.

Mona has winds as high as 100 km/hr at its centre, although the authorities are concerned about the volume of rain it will bring.

This afternoon, it was about 380km north-northwest of Yasa-i-Rara, or about 460km northwest of Labasa, the main town on Vanua Levu.