Tuinuku also highlighted that the mattresses were a key need, revealing that students had been using the same bedding for the past 15 years.<\/p>\n
He said the condition of the mattresses had gradually deteriorated over time, and the new donation will help provide students with more comfortable and healthier living conditions.<\/p>\n
The school management has expressed its appreciation to the Ministry for responding to their request and supporting the welfare of students in remote communities.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 17:45:28","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":"
Students boarding at Nalotawa District School have received a boost to their living conditions following the donation of forty new mattresses and two water tanks.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771712,"headline":"Shandil says that consumers are becoming more vigilant","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/shandil-says-that-consumers-are-becoming-more-vigilant\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Nikhil Aiyush Kumar","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"nikhil.kumar@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"NikhilFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/nikhil-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 12:56 pm","unix_time":1773665760,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T12:56:18+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Seema-Shandil.png","content":"
Fijian consumers are becoming more aware of their rights and are increasingly reporting marketplace issues.<\/p>\n
Consumer Council of Fiji Chief Executive Seema Shandil said they have noticed a shift in consumer behaviour, with more people contacting the organisation to raise complaints, share concerns and provide tip-offs.<\/p>\n
Shandil states that the increase in calls and reports indicates that consumers are becoming more proactive about protecting themselves and others.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that shows that there is a slight shift in consumer behavior, they’re becoming more vigilant, and that’s why they come into the Consumer Council and say, hey, this is the issue that we have seen in the marketplace.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n She said that this growing vigilance reflects the impact of ongoing consumer education and awareness campaigns conducted by the council.<\/p>\n According to the council, informed consumers are better equipped to make responsible purchasing decisions and identify products that may pose risks to their health or safety.<\/p>\n The Consumer Council is encouraging the public to continue reporting concerns and working with the council to help improve marketplace standards.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 13:06:53","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Fijian consumers are becoming more aware of their rights and are increasingly reporting marketplace issues.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771713,"headline":"Fiji Airports boosts safety skills","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/fiji-airports-boosts-safety-skills\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Bose Vavataga","title":"Multimedia Journalist West","email":"bose.vavataga@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Bose-1-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 12:54 pm","unix_time":1773665640,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T12:54:18+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Fiji-airports.png","content":" Fiji Airports is working to improve aviation safety in the Pacific by hosting the first ACI\u2013ICAO Annex 14 Regional Workshop in Fiji.<\/p>\n The week-long training in Nadi has brought together 30 aviation professionals from Fiji and the region.<\/p>\n Fiji Airports Chief Executive Mesake Nawari says the training will help participants better understand Annex 14 standards, which guide the safe design, operation and maintenance of airports around the world.<\/p>\n Nawari states the program is particularly valuable for Pacific nations, where aviation plays a vital role in connecting island communities and supporting tourism, trade and emergency response.<\/p>\n \u201cWe thank the ICAO for agreeing to this program being offered here. And with 30 participants being able to undertake this program. Otherwise, we’ll only be able to send two or three at the most every time it’s offered because of the cost.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n International Civil Aviation Organization, Pacific Island Developing States liaison officer Kyal Barter says aerodrome safety is essential for overall aviation safety.<\/p>\n He adds that every take-off and landing depends on careful adherence to safety procedures and international standards.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, as you would expect for a course on implementing Annex 14, advanced aerodrome design and operations, there are specific elements unique to aviation. Lighting, markings, signs, aviation rescue firefighting, wildlife hazard management, declared distances, movement maneuvering areas and the like.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The workshop highlights Fiji Airport’s role in improving aviation safety across the Pacific, supporting more efficient air travel and developing skills for the future.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 13:09:03","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Fiji Airports is working to improve aviation safety in the Pacific by hosting the first ACI\u2013ICAO Annex 14 Regional Workshop in Fiji.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771695,"headline":"Proposed FijiansFirst Party submits registration application","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/proposed-fijiansfirst-party-submits-registration-application\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Nikhil Aiyush Kumar","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"nikhil.kumar@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"NikhilFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/nikhil-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 11:32 am","unix_time":1773660720,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T11:32:23+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/FijiansFirst.png","content":" The Registrar of Political Parties has confirmed that the proposed FijiansFirst Party submitted its application for registration as a Political Party.<\/p>\n Ana Mataiciwa says the application was submitted by Ravindran Kumaran, Founding Member and General Secretary of the proposed party, and Ketan Lal MP, Party Member.<\/p>\n Mataiciwa confirms that preparations are underway to publish the party\u2019s application in a newspaper and in the Fiji Government Gazette, as required under the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013 (Act).<\/p>\n Once the publication is made, the statutory objections period will officially commence.<\/p>\n She says during the objections period, any person may submit a written objection to the Registrar regarding the party\u2019s application for registration.<\/p>\n The Registrar will assess and determine all objections within seven days of receipt, after allowing the proposed party to respond.<\/p>\n Mataiciwa adds that both the objectors and the applicant party will be informed of the outcome once the assessment process is completed.<\/p>\n Upon completion of this process, the Registrar will determine whether the application by the Proposed FijiansFirst Party meets the requirements set out under the Act, and whether the party will be registered.<\/p>\n The Registrar reiterates the importance of transparency and public participation in the Political Party registration process, ensuring that all proposed parties meet the legal requirements while providing members of the public with the opportunity to raise objections as provided under the law.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 11:35:34","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" The Registrar of Political Parties has confirmed that the proposed FijiansFirst Party submitted its application for registration as a Political Party.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771684,"headline":"NFA struggles with aging fleet","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/nfa-struggles-with-aging-fleet\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Litia Cava ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"lcava@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"lcava@fbcnews ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/litia.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 10:50 am","unix_time":1773658200,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T10:50:38+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/NFA-2.jpg","content":" Limited funding and aging equipment remain key challenges for the National Fire Authority.<\/p>\n Standing Committee on Social Affairs Member Iliesa Vanawalu highlighted this in Parliament while presenting the committee\u2019s review of the authority\u2019s 2017 annual report.<\/p>\n Vanawalu says the NFA faces pressure from the high cost of maintaining old trucks and purchasing specialized equipment from overseas.<\/p>\n These challenges persist despite the agency expanding services nationwide.<\/p>\n Vanawalu noted several new fire stations were commissioned during the review period in Korolevu, Korovou, Seaqaqa, Savusavu, and Taveuni to extend emergency services to rural communities.<\/p>\n The authority also secured land for future stations in Keiyasi, Pacific Harbour, Navakai, Korovisilou, Levuka, and Tavua.<\/p>\n Vanawalu says these developments show efforts to strengthen fire response outside major towns. As of July 31, 2017, the NFA operated 18 stations with 78 vehicles and 394 staff.<\/p>\n He acknowledged firefighters who protect lives and property despite operating within a tight budget.<\/p>\n Vanawalu also noted the NFA\u2019s efforts to expand services beyond its core responsibilities as part of broader reforms.<\/p>\n He thanked NFA officials for their cooperation and acknowledged committee members for compiling the report, which has been tabled in Parliament for consideration.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 10:54:50","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Limited funding and aging equipment remain key challenges for the National Fire Authority.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771686,"headline":"Audit finds major gaps in provincial finances","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/audit-finds-major-gaps-in-provincial-finances\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Litia Cava ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"lcava@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"lcava@fbcnews ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/litia.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 10:49 am","unix_time":1773658140,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T10:49:24+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/manoa-kamikamica.jpg","content":" Weak financial records and missing documentation remain major problems across several provincial councils.<\/p>\n Standing Committee on Public Accounts Chair Manoa Kamikamica noted this in Parliament while presenting the review of provincial council audits.<\/p>\n The report, based on Office of the Auditor-General findings under iTaukei Affairs regulations, reveals delays in financial statements and ongoing non-compliance with international reporting standards.<\/p>\n Kamikamica said many councils could not support financial balances due to missing or incomplete records.<\/p>\n Controls over staff advances and investment records were also weak. Many advances were poorly documented or unmonitored, leading to significant audit adjustments.<\/p>\n Records of investments in provincial holding companies were often outdated or unavailable, making it difficult to confirm their reported value.<\/p>\n The report covers the 2017 to 2022 financial years.<\/p>\n Kamikamica said the Auditor-General received 275 draft financial statements; 259 were previously audited and reported. Volume 7 includes 32 statements covering four councils for 2017\u20132018 and six councils for 2019\u20132022. However, 56 statements from seven councils remain outstanding.<\/p>\n Kamikamica acknowledged the iTaukei Affairs Board and the Auditor-General\u2019s Office for reducing the backlog, noting that several councils are improving financial management. During the review, the committee visited councils in Ba, Bua, Ra, Naitasiri, Lau, and Rewa.<\/p>\n While some councils insisted their records were current, audit findings showed otherwise. The committee now recommends conducting future audits directly at provincial offices to verify records and strengthen controls.<\/p>\n Some councils have adopted the SAGE accounting system and a new human resource information system for payroll and leave, though poor internet connectivity hinders their effectiveness.<\/p>\n The committee also recommended an inter-agency task force to coordinate reforms and improve reporting.<\/p>\n Kamikamica emphasized that stronger governance is needed to protect the credibility of provincial operations, warning that poor record-keeping reflects poorly on the reputation of the iTaukei community.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 11:48:00","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Weak financial records and missing documentation remain major problems across several provincial councils.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771648,"headline":"Parliament moves to tighten oversight on executive pay","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/parliament-moves-to-tighten-oversight-on-executive-pay\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Ritika Pratap","title":"Manager News ","email":"rpratap@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"RitikaFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Riti-Pratap-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 6:50 am","unix_time":1773643800,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T06:50:23+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Money-Laundering.png","content":" Parliament has moved to tighten oversight on executive pay by expanding the reach of the Higher Salaries Commission.<\/p>\n Eight additional government bodies will fall under the Commission\u2019s authority after the 2023 Act is amended, bringing the total number of monitored entities to thirty-five.<\/p>\n Public Enterprises Minister Charan Jeath Singh says these strategic organizations are considered vital to the national economy and the delivery of essential services.<\/p>\n Singh says the inclusion of 35 entities under the Commission will ensure that executive remunerations are assessed under the same framework that currently applies to other government-controlled bodies.<\/p>\n \u201cThis will promote greater transparency, fairness, and consistency in the remuneration package. It is also important to recognise that a number of these organisations operate with financial support from the Government or rely on public resources to carry out their statutory functions.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Singh says the Commission provides an independent, impartial framework for determining the pay of CEOs and senior executives within government entities.<\/p>\n This oversight ensures that executive remuneration remains transparent, structured, and strictly regulated across the public sector.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 05:43:58","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Parliament has moved to tighten oversight on executive pay by expanding the reach of the Higher Salaries Commission.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771650,"headline":"Diabetes driving rise in kidney failure cases","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/diabetes-driving-rise-in-kidney-failure-cases\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Josefa Sigavolavola ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"josefa.sigavolavola@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/josefa-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 6:45 am","unix_time":1773643500,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T06:45:37+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/NCD.jpg","content":" Health specialists are warning that the rise in non-communicable diseases is contributing to an increase in kidney disease cases across Fiji.<\/p>\n Current trends show that diabetes is one of the leading causes of kidney failure in the country and doctors say many patients only discover they have kidney disease when their kidney function drops below 15 percent, a stage known as end-stage kidney disease.<\/p>\n Kidney specialist Dr Abhitesh Raj says Fiji continues to record high rates of diabetes, which is a major contributor to kidney failure.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have very high rates of diabetes in Fiji and that’s one of the common causes of Kidney Failure in Fiji.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Raj is urging people, particularly those living with diabetes, high blood pressure, or those with a family history of kidney disease, to get screened regularly.<\/p>\n He says kidney disease is often difficult to detect in its early stages because the symptoms are not always obvious.<\/p>\n Raj explains that people may experience signs such as fatigue, leg swelling, nausea, and vomiting, which are often mistaken for other illnesses.<\/p>\n Australian Nephrologist Dr Anis Ta\u2019eed says globally many people living with kidney disease are unaware they have the condition.<\/p>\n He says statistics show that a large number of patients only learn about the disease when it has already progressed to an advanced stage.<\/p>\n “Well, what we know globally, it’s not just a problem in Fiji, but most people with kidney disease don’t know they have it. Most statistics say that people who have kidney disease are unaware that they have that problem.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Health professionals are encouraging greater public awareness and early screening to help reduce the number of people progressing to kidney failure in Fiji.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 05:45:52","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Health specialists are warning that the rise in non-communicable diseases is contributing to an increase in kidney disease cases across Fiji.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771652,"headline":"Chiefs urged to lead Fiji's fight against drugs","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/chiefs-urged-to-lead-fijis-fight-against-drugs\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Sainiani Boila","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"Sainiani.Boila@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"SainianiFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Sainiani-Boila-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 6:40 am","unix_time":1773643200,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T06:40:03+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/gcc-3.jpg","content":" iTaukei Affairs Minister Ifereimi Vasu has called on all i-Taukei traditional leaders to spearhead responses to the escalating drug crisis and other modern challenges, positioning chiefs as frontline defenders of community structure in a rapidly changing Fiji.<\/p>\n Vasu directly linked traditional leaders to addressing Fiji’s drug epidemic, which chiefs and officials warn threatens iTaukei society itself.<\/p>\n He also highlighted the enduring role of traditional institutions like the Great Council of Chiefs that can play a role in supporting the chiefs with the battle against drugs in rural communities and maritime islands.<\/p>\n “Strong traditional leadership is not merely a reflection of the past. It continues to serve as front-line governance and the foundations of community protection.”<\/em><\/p>\n Ongoing reforms include parliamentary scrutiny of the Rights of Indigenous People Bill 2025 and amendments to iTaukei Affairs Tikina and Village Council Regulations 1996 to combat drugs and social pressures.<\/p>\n The Ministry of iTaukei Affairs remains committed to advancing the well-being of the iTaukei people reinforcing outcomes over rhetoric as the true measure of leadership.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 05:49:17","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" iTaukei Affairs Minister Ifereimi Vasu has called on all i-Taukei traditional leaders to spearhead responses to the escalating drug crisis and other modern challenges, positioning chiefs as frontline defenders of community structure in a rapidly changing Fiji.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771655,"headline":"Huge progress in electricity access","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/huge-progress-in-electricity-access\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Sainiani Boila","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"Sainiani.Boila@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"SainianiFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Sainiani-Boila-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 6:35 am","unix_time":1773642900,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T06:35:33+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/EFL-1.jpg","content":" <\/p>\n The Ministry of Public Works utilized $12.7 million investment for the 2024-25 period, which saw the extension of 50 grid schemes.<\/p>\n Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau says this initiative is expected to benefit approximately 1,200 households nationwide.<\/p>\n In addition, a major investment of $14 million was allocated to the installation of 1,000 solar home systems, providing clean and renewable energy to nearly 5,000 people across various regions.<\/p>\n \u201cProgress continues to be made in this area, and the Rural Electrification Fund is now a key initiative to attract private investment in renewable energy solutions, and this is backed by UNDP-supported funding agreement of $91 million.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Looking ahead to the 2025-26 period, the Minister announced a continued commitment to expanding electricity access.<\/p>\n Around $10 million has been earmarked for 29 new grid extension schemes, which will benefit approximately 951 households.<\/p>\n Additionally, $2.5 million will be invested in solar home systems to further promote clean energy solutions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 05:51:28","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" <\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771658,"headline":"Youth urged to engage in local government elections","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/youth-urged-to-engage-in-local-government-elections\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Josefa Sigavolavola ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"josefa.sigavolavola@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/josefa-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 6:30 am","unix_time":1773642600,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T06:30:00+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rotuma-youths.png","content":" Young people in Fiji are being urged to learn more about municipal governance and engage in the upcoming Local Government Elections scheduled for September.<\/p>\n Local Government Elections Chair Seema Sharma say many youths, particularly first-time voters, may not be familiar with the role of municipal councils or the services they provide to communities.<\/p>\n \u201cThe youth obviously is something very new for them, especially the first-time voters this year around who’ve never voted in a local government election. They have to understand what their councils are, what kind of service they provide, and how they can also become part of those councils because you need to understand how development takes place in those councils.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n She highlights that local government elections differ from national elections, as councillors are elected to represent specific wards within municipal boundaries, allowing residents to raise concerns that directly affect their neighbourhoods.<\/p>\n Additionally, Sharma explains that with a 21-year gap since the last municipal elections, about 141 councillors are expected to be elected across municipalities nationwide.<\/p>\n \u201cSo the youth need to be able to come up and say yes I want to contribute either by voting or being part of that council.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Officials are encouraging eligible voters to register and participate in the election process, noting that youth involvement is crucial in strengthening community representation and local decision-making.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 05:54:01","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Young people in Fiji are being urged to learn more about municipal governance and engage in the upcoming Local Government Elections scheduled for September.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771645,"headline":"Rabuka address teacher remuneration concerns","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/rabuka-address-teacher-remuneration-concerns\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Sainiani Boila","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"Sainiani.Boila@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"SainianiFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Sainiani-Boila-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 6:00 am","unix_time":1773640800,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T06:00:45+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/teachers.jpg","content":" Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has addressed concerns about teacher remuneration.<\/p>\n While speaking in parliament, Rabuka says the Government is progressing a phased review of teachers\u2019 salary structures and career progression pathways.<\/p>\n He says this initiative forms part of broader public service reforms intended to ensure educators are fairly compensated.<\/p>\n This also ensures that the profession remains attractive to future teachers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 06:45:27","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has addressed concerns about teacher remuneration.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"}],"sports":[{"id":771743,"headline":"Hong Kong next for Fiji 7s","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/sports\/sevens\/hong-kong-next-for-fiji-7s\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Akuila Cama","title":"Deputy News Manager","email":"akuila@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"AkuilaFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Akuila-Cama-1-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 4:45 pm","unix_time":1773679500,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T16:45:36+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/team-fiji-7s-vancouver-1280x720.jpg","content":" After falling short in New York today, the Fiji Airways Fijian 7s turns their attention to the Championship in Hong Kong next month.<\/p>\n South Africa men\u2019s team beat Fiji 10-7 to seal the gold medal in New York and clinch the overall HSBC SVNS Series title, while New Zealand\u2019s all-conquering women lifted another title with a hugely dramatic final win over Australia.<\/p>\n World Rugby chief executive, ]Alan Gilpin, hailed the success of the weekend in the Big Apple as New York staged its first-ever Sevens tournament.<\/p>\n Gilpin says it\u2019s been amazing and what\u2019s not to love with sevens rugby in one of the best cities in the world.<\/p>\n He also says that it’s been brilliant and just shows what\u2019s possible for rugby in the US.<\/p>\n The World Rugby boss adds the players have been excited to be in New York because it\u2019s an iconic city.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Fijiana 7s finished fourth in New York after going down to hosts USA in the third place playoff.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 15:32:46","section":"Sevens","section_id":69,"excerpt":" After falling short in New York today, the Fiji Airways Fijian 7s turns their attention to the Championship in Hong Kong next month.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771745,"headline":"Wallabies legends inspires Naceva Blues ahead of Marist 7s","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/sports\/rugby\/wallabies-legends-inspires-naceva-blues-ahead-of-marist-7s\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Meli Laddpeter","title":"Multimedia Sports Journalist","email":"meli.laddpeter@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Meli-Laddpeter-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 4:30 pm","unix_time":1773678600,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T16:30:50+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Radike-in-Beqa.png","content":" Having two of the greatest players to ever wear the Wallabies jersey share their knowledge with the Naceva Blues ahead of the Marist 7s has provided a major boost for the side.<\/p>\n Head coach Epeneri Nakauso says the visit from Wallabies legends Lote Tuqiri and Radike Samo during a rugby clinic at their village this afternoon, as part of Rugby Australia\u2019s Vuvale Week, delivered valuable insight to the players.<\/p>\n Nakauso adds that the two stars have long been idols for many in the team, making the opportunity to learn from them in their own village a dream come true.<\/p>\n Tuqiri and Samo were part of the Rugby Australia delegation that visited Naceva Village in Beqa alongside the Fiji Rugby Union and the Fijian Drua for the Vuvale Week programme.<\/p>\n “It’s a blessing to have this two legends here with us, the boys are excited and we’re eager to learn from them today. Even the children were so happy to have then here. We are preparing for the Marist 7s, and their advice is really going to help the boys.”<\/em><\/p>\n Players and children from the village also received sporting equipment and took part in rugby clinics led by the two former Wallabies.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 15:35:54","section":"Rugby","section_id":57,"excerpt":" Having two of the greatest players to ever wear the Wallabies jersey share their knowledge with the Naceva Blues ahead of the Marist 7s has provided a major boost for the side.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771748,"headline":"Babasiga Lions roar to the top of EPL table","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/sports\/football\/babasiga-lions-roar-to-the-top-of-epl-table\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Taina Basiyalo ","title":"Multimedia Journalist ","email":"taina@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Taina-Byline-200x200-1-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 4:25 pm","unix_time":1773678300,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T16:25:58+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/LAbasa-fc-1.png","content":" Extra Supermarket Labasa FC continues to set the pace in the Extra Premier League after Round Four, following a convincing 3\u20131 victory over Tagimoucia Nadi FC at Subrail Park.<\/p>\n The Babasiga Lions sit at the top of the standings with seven points from three matches, level with Dayal\u2019s Sawmillers Ba FC but ahead on a superior goal difference of +7.<\/p>\n Labasa has also been the most solid side defensively so far, conceding just one goal while scoring eight.<\/p>\n Ba moved into second place after edging Suva FC 2\u20131 at Govind Park, maintaining pressure on the league leaders with the same number of points but a slightly lower goal difference.<\/p>\n Defending champions Stratum Construction Rewa FC climbed to third place with six points following a hard-fought 2\u20131 win over Nasinu FC, while Lautoka FC sit fourth on five points after their 1\u20131 draw with Navua FC.<\/p>\n The middle of the table remains tightly contested, with Suva FC, Nasinu FC and Nadi FC all locked on four points, separated only by goal difference.<\/p>\n Navua FC also have four points but from four matches, while Tailevu Naitasiri FC collected their first point of the season after a thrilling 3\u20133 draw with Nadroga FC.<\/p>\n At the bottom of the standings, Coastal Rental Cars Nadroga FC remain on one point from four matches and have conceded the most goals in the competition so far.<\/p>\n With only a few points separating most teams, the Extra Premier League title race is shaping up to be a fiercely contested battle heading into the next round.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 15:40:33","section":"Football","section_id":58,"excerpt":" Extra Supermarket Labasa FC continues to set the pace in the Extra Premier League after Round Four, following a convincing 3\u20131 victory over Tagimoucia Nadi FC at Subrail Park.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771704,"headline":"Super Rugby CEO explains heat protocol decision on Drua\u2019s 'iBole'","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/sports\/super-rugby\/super-rugby-ceo-explains-heat-protocol-decision-on-druas-ibole\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Taina Basiyalo ","title":"Multimedia Journalist ","email":"taina@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Taina-Byline-200x200-1-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 12:50 pm","unix_time":1773665400,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T12:50:23+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Super-Rugby-CEO-on-ibole.png","content":" Questions have been raised by many Fijians over why the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua were unable to perform their traditional ‘iBole’ cultural challenge before kickoff in their historic Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific clash in Ba, where they hosted and defeated the Brumbies for the first time.<\/p>\n Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley responded to FBC Sports, clarifying that the Fijian Drua were approved pre-season to perform the ‘iBole’ cultural challenge at home games.<\/p>\n However, the approval came with the directive that if the Heat Stress Index (HSI) reached the Very High category or above on match day, limiting player exposure to heat would be critical.<\/p>\n Mesley says the organisation recognises the ‘iBole’ is an important cultural tradition for the team and their fans, and it is something they want to support as much as possible.<\/p>\n However, he says when heat protocols are triggered under World Rugby player welfare guidelines, the priority must be the health and safety of players and match officials.<\/p>\n Mesley adds that while players will still compete for 80 minutes, the Super Rugby Pacific heat policy is designed to minimise additional time spent in extreme heat before kick-off and ensure the match can proceed safely with appropriate cooling measures in place.<\/p>\n In a social media post yesterday, the Drua said because they could not present the Vanua of Ba with their iBole, the players performed it in the changing room before running out to a sold-out crowd.<\/p>\n They also did not perform the ‘iBole’ in Round 1 of the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific when they hosted Moana Pasifika in Lautoka.<\/p>\n Questions surrounding this have also been sent to the Drua, but the club has yet to comment.<\/p>\n The Drua return to Lautoka this Saturday to face the Reds at 3.30pm.<\/p>\n You can watch the LIVE action of this match on FBC Sports.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 13:17:33","section":"Super Rugby Pacific","section_id":633,"excerpt":" Questions have been raised by many Fijians over why the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua were unable to perform their traditional ‘iBole’ cultural challenge before kickoff in their historic Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific clash in Ba, where they hosted and defeated the Brumbies for the first time.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771707,"headline":"Fiji Taekwondo Team ready to kick for glory at Oceania Games","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/sports\/fiji-taekwondo-team-ready-to-kick-for-glory-at-oceania-games\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Taina Basiyalo ","title":"Multimedia Journalist ","email":"taina@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Taina-Byline-200x200-1-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 12:47 pm","unix_time":1773665220,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T12:47:46+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Taekwondo.png","content":" Team Fiji is gearing up for an exciting challenge as they prepare to compete at the 2026 Oceania Taekwondo Games in Australia later this month.<\/p>\n The two-day tournament will be held on March 28 and 29 at the Whitlam Leisure Centre, where Fiji\u2019s fighters will test their skills against some of the best athletes from across the Oceania region.<\/p>\n Leading the charge for Fiji are experienced campaigners Olympian Lolohea Naitasi, Nipesh Prakash, and Aanvi Kumar, who bring valuable international experience and leadership into the squad as they aim to guide the team to strong performances.<\/p>\n Adding excitement to the lineup are five young athletes set to make their debut at a World Ranking event – Nirav Prakash, Aarush Kumar, Immanuel Krishna, Vivaan Singh, and Bhavish Nand<\/span>.<\/p>\n For the rising talents, the competition represents a major step in their careers as they step onto the international stage for the first time.<\/p>\n Preparations are already underway, with Team One, made up of the junior athletes and national coach Neelu Nand, departing Fiji early to attend the Oceania World Taekwondo Olympic Solidarity Camp in New South Wales from March 17 to 26.<\/p>\n The training camp is expected to sharpen their skills and provide valuable exposure ahead of the Games.<\/p>\n The rest of the squad will join the team in Australia on March 26, while New Zealand-based fighter Nipesh Prakash will link up with the group a day later as the team completes its build-up to the regional showdown.<\/p>\n The Oceania Taekwondo Games is a key event on the World Taekwondo ranking calendar, giving athletes the opportunity to earn crucial international ranking points while battling the region\u2019s finest competitors.<\/p>\n With a powerful blend of experience and youthful determination, Team Fiji will be looking to make their presence felt and proudly raise the nation\u2019s flag on the Oceania stage.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 14:25:14","section":"Sports","section_id":2,"excerpt":" Team Fiji is gearing up for an exciting challenge as they prepare to compete at the 2026 Oceania Taekwondo Games in Australia later this month.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771701,"headline":"First FIFA Arena Mini Pitch in Oceania opens in Ba","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/sports\/soccer\/first-fifa-arena-mini-pitch-in-oceania-opens-in-ba\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Akuila Cama","title":"Deputy News Manager","email":"akuila@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"AkuilaFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Akuila-Cama-1-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 12:34 pm","unix_time":1773664440,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T12:34:41+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Untitled-design2-1.png","content":" The FIFA Arena Mini Football Pitch at AD Patel College in Ba has been opened.<\/p>\n It also marks a historic milestone as the first FIFA Arena facility in the Oceania region.<\/p>\n FIFA Regional Director for Asia and Oceania Sanjeevan Balasingam congratulated all stakeholders who contributed towards delivering the project.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a great privilege to be here with you to inaugurate this FIFA Arena mini pitch, the first of its kind in Oceania. Congratulations to everyone who has contributed their time, effort, resources and commitment in making this possible. Projects like this do not happen without the dedication of many people. Like on the pitch, it is a team sport and a team effort.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n He also acknowledges that Suva Muslim College has completed its own FIFA Arena pitch, making the two facilities the first in the Oceania region.<\/p>\n Balasingam highlighted the strong strategic direction of the Fiji FA, noting that the federation\u2019s \u2018Totolo Futupolo\u2019<\/em> framework has established a clear football development pathway for the country.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 12:34:41","section":"Soccer","section_id":668,"excerpt":" The FIFA Arena Mini Football Pitch at AD Patel College in Ba has been opened.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771671,"headline":"Fiji 7s falls in New York, World Series drought continues","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/sports\/sevens\/fiji-7s-falls-in-new-york-world-series-drought-continues\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Akuila Cama","title":"Deputy News Manager","email":"akuila@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"AkuilaFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Akuila-Cama-1-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 9:15 am","unix_time":1773652500,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T09:15:12+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Douglas-Daveta.png","content":" The Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team’s World Series and USA 7s title drought continues after going down 10-7 in the final in New York.<\/p>\n Fiji last won the Series title seven years ago under Gareth Baber.<\/p>\n South Africa’s win meant they claimed the World Series title with 106 points, while Fiji finished second on 104.<\/p>\n Fiji had the possession but failed to break the solid South African defense. The South Africans started strongly and outmuscled the Fijians in the contact area and scored first to lead <\/span><\/span>5-nil at halftime.<\/p>\n They returned after the break and shocked Fiji with another try in the corner, which was unconverted.<\/p>\n The national side threw everything at the Blitzboks 7s before Terio Tamani struck with a team try with three minutes left.<\/p>\n Trailing 10-7, the Osea Kolinisau coached team had the ball and was building on something special. Still, unfortunately, Kavekini Tanivanuakula, lost the ball forward five meters out from the tryline with only five seconds to play.<\/p>\n Fiji earlier beat Australia 28-7 in the semifinal this morning.<\/p>\n Australia scored first in the match, but Fiji came back to score four converted tries.<\/p>\n Joseva Talacolo and George Bose managed to cross for Fiji in the first half.<\/p>\n Second-half tries were scored by Viwa Naduvalo and Kavekini Tanivanuakula.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 11:01:52","section":"Sevens","section_id":69,"excerpt":" The Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team’s World Series and USA 7s title drought continues after going down 10-7 in the final in New York.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771660,"headline":"Winner takes all in New York 7s final","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/sports\/fiji-7s-makes-new-york-final\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Akuila Cama","title":"Deputy News Manager","email":"akuila@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"AkuilaFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Akuila-Cama-1-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 6:34 am","unix_time":1773642840,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T06:34:47+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Untitled-design2.png","content":" The Fiji Airways Fijian 7s side defeated Australia 28-7 in the semifinal of the HSBS SVBS New York 7s and has the chance to win the Series title.<\/p>\n Fiji will play in the final at 8:41 this morning against South Africa, and you can watch it live on FBC TV.<\/p>\n Whoever wins the final will also take home the World Series title.<\/p>\n Australia scored first in the match, but Fiji came back to score four converted tries.<\/p>\n Joseva Talacolo and George Bose managed to cross for Fiji in the first half.<\/p>\n Second-half tries were scored by Viwa Naduvalo and Kavekini Tanivanuakula.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 08:05:00","section":"Sports","section_id":2,"excerpt":" The Fiji Airways Fijian 7s side defeated Australia 28-7 in the semifinal of the HSBS SVBS New York 7s and has the chance to win the Series title.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771662,"headline":"Still much room for improvement","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/sports\/still-much-room-for-improvement\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Meli Laddpeter","title":"Multimedia Sports Journalist","email":"meli.laddpeter@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Meli-Laddpeter-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 6:30 am","unix_time":1773642600,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T06:30:14+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Drua-9.png","content":" While Swire Shipping Fijian Drua Head Coach Glen Jackson is happy with their historic wwin over the Brumbies, he admits that there are still areas they need to work on.<\/p>\n He highlighted discpline as one of this main areas, which cost the side two yellow cards during Saturday’s 42-22 win over the Brumbies at Four R Govind Stadium in Ba.<\/p>\n While they celebrate this win, they shift their focus to this weekend, where they face the Reds at Churchill Park in Lautoka.<\/p>\n He is reminding his players to remain focus, and he is also calling out to their fans to come out in numbers and show their support for the side.<\/p>\n “While we are happy with this achievement, there were still areas that we could’ve done better, and we will need to work on this before our next game next weekend.”<\/em><\/p>\n They will play the Reds at 4.30pm, and you can catch all the action Live on FBC Sports.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 06:36:34","section":"Sports","section_id":2,"excerpt":" While Swire Shipping Fijian Drua Head Coach Glen Jackson is happy with their historic wwin over the Brumbies, he admits that there are still areas they need to work on.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771664,"headline":"Rewa defeats Nasinu in round four EPL clash","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/sports\/rewa-defeats-nasinu-in-round-four-epl-clash\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Meli Laddpeter","title":"Multimedia Sports Journalist","email":"meli.laddpeter@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Meli-Laddpeter-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 6:00 am","unix_time":1773640800,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T06:00:59+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/rewa-fc.png","content":" Rewa FC scored a dramatic late winner to defeat Nasinu FC 2\u20131 in their Round 4 clash of the Fiji Premier League at Ratu Cakobau Park this yesterday.<\/p>\n Nasinu were reduced to 10 men in the first half after Ratu Nalewadonu was shown a red card for dangerous play.<\/p>\n Despite the setback, Nasinu took the lead when Bruce Hughes converted from the penalty spot to put his side ahead against the defending champions.<\/p>\n Rewa responded through substitute Epeli Valevou, who scored the equaliser to bring the Delta Tigers back into the contest.<\/p>\n The drama continued deep into injury time when Rewa were awarded a penalty, and Patrick Joseph calmly converted from the spot to seal a 2\u20131 victory.<\/p>\n Nasinu put up a brave fight with ten men, but Rewa\u2019s late penalty ensured the defending champions walked away with all three points.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 06:38:13","section":"Sports","section_id":2,"excerpt":" Rewa FC scored a dramatic late winner to defeat Nasinu FC 2\u20131 in their Round 4 clash of the Fiji Premier League at Ratu Cakobau Park this yesterday.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771630,"headline":"Brumbies coach praises Drua over historic win","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/sports\/brumbies-coach-praises-drua-over-historic-win\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Meli Laddpeter","title":"Multimedia Sports Journalist","email":"meli.laddpeter@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Meli-Laddpeter-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 15, 2026 4:55 pm","unix_time":1773593700,"iso_time":"2026-03-15T16:55:26+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/valetini-14.png","content":" While the ACT Brumbies are sour over their 42-22 loss against the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua in their Shop N Save Super Rugby clash at the Four R Govind Stadium in Ba yesterday, head coach Stephen Larkham gave credit to the Drua for giving them a battle to remember.<\/p>\n He says his side had almost every opportunity to add points and get them into the lead especially when the Drua was penalized with two yellow cards the in first half, but they didnt make use of that opportunity.<\/p>\n He adds that while the weather wasn\u2019t favorable and affected their performance, the Drua were the better team yesterday.<\/p>\n He also mentioned that the crowd was something they haven\u2019t seen before, from the loud energetic cheers from the stands to fans hanging from tree branches outside the stadium to catch a glimpse of the match, the atmosphere was phenomenal.<\/p>\n “Congratulations to the Drua, they gave their all and were earned the win. I think we didn\u2019t make use of all our opportunities, and Drua did the opposite.”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n He congratulated the Drua on the win, and says they will head back home and have a look at their drawing board and rectify their mistakes.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-15 16:55:26","section":"Sports","section_id":2,"excerpt":" While the ACT Brumbies are sour over their 42-22 loss against the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua in their Shop N Save Super Rugby clash at the Four R Govind Stadium in Ba yesterday, head coach Stephen Larkham gave credit to the Drua for giving them a battle to remember.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771627,"headline":"Touch rugby club games underway","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/sports\/touch-rugby-club-games-underway\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Meli Laddpeter","title":"Multimedia Sports Journalist","email":"meli.laddpeter@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Meli-Laddpeter-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 15, 2026 4:52 pm","unix_time":1773593520,"iso_time":"2026-03-15T16:52:42+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/valetini-13.png","content":" Suva’s Bidesi Park was buzzing with activity yesterday as families, supporters, and touch rugby fans gathered in numbers for the third round of the Suva Touch Rugby Association club games.<\/p>\n While touch rugby may be considered a minor sport in Fiji, Association treasurer Ligieta Young says the sport has been growing steadily over the years.<\/p>\n She adds that touch rugby is for everyone and calls on those interested to join the sport.<\/p>\n “It’s a family orientated sport, anyone can play. Its for women, men and children of all ages, and there is almost no risk of getting injured as it is non-contact. So for everyone interested in trying out touch rugby, come on down and join one of our teams.”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n She also thanked all the families, fans and supporters who have been turning up in numbers to show support over the past few weeks.<\/p>\n The association will be hosting their club games every weekend at Bidesi Park in Suva.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-15 16:52:42","section":"Sports","section_id":2,"excerpt":" Suva’s Bidesi Park was buzzing with activity yesterday as families, supporters, and touch rugby fans gathered in numbers for the third round of the Suva Touch Rugby Association club games.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"}],"business":[{"id":771681,"headline":"Aging mills, debt weigh on Fiji Rice","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/aging-mills-debt-weigh-on-fiji-rice\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Litia Cava ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"lcava@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"lcava@fbcnews ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/litia.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 10:51 am","unix_time":1773658260,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T10:51:16+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/fiji-rice-1280x720-2.jpg","content":" Fiji Rice Limited is insolvent and continues to rely heavily on government grants and subsidies to stay operational.<\/p>\n Standing Committee on Economic Affairs chair Sakiusa Tubuna raised the concern in Parliament while presenting the committee\u2019s consolidated review of the company\u2019s 2018 to 2023 annual reports.<\/p>\n Tubuna says the committee\u2019s visit to the Northern Division confirmed the company is operating under serious financial pressure.<\/p>\n He says ageing milling and drying facilities also require urgent upgrades to improve rice quality and reduce operational losses.<\/p>\n Committee members met officials from Fiji Rice, the Ministry of Agriculture and rice farmers in Bua, Macuata and Cakaudrove.<\/p>\n Tubuna says the visit provided insight into wider challenges affecting the rice sector.<\/p>\n He says gaps remain in data collection and information sharing between Fiji Rice and the ministry.<\/p>\n Tubuna suggests that better coordination will help improve production forecasts and policy decisions.<\/p>\n Fiji imports about 52,000 metric tonnes of rice each year at a cost of around $63 million.<\/p>\n Local production remains limited. Fiji produced about 10,000 tonnes in 2022, meeting only about 20 percent of national demand.<\/p>\n Tubuna highlights that expanding domestic production is critical to reducing reliance on imports and strengthening food security. The committee also found large areas of arable land remain underutilised.<\/p>\n Tubuna said many farmers face difficulties securing formal leases through the iTaukei Land Trust Board. As a result, many rely on informal land arrangements.<\/p>\n He says improvements in land access and more farmer training will help increase production.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 10:51:38","section":"Business","section_id":48,"excerpt":" Fiji Rice Limited is insolvent and continues to rely heavily on government grants and subsidies to stay operational.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771690,"headline":"Westpac Fiji launches 2026 education grants","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/westpac-fiji-launches-2026-education-grants\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Josefa Sigavolavola ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"josefa.sigavolavola@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/josefa-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 10:48 am","unix_time":1773658080,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T10:48:54+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Westpac-CE-Shane-Smith-with-WGEG-winners-from-2025-1280x732.jpg","content":" Westpac Fiji has launched its flagship community program, the Westpac Women and Girls Education Grants, for this year.<\/p>\n Established in 2002 to empower Fijian women and girls through education and opportunity, the program reflects Westpac\u2019s long-standing commitment to Fiji beyond banking.<\/p>\n The program has successfully supported over 400 women and girls and invested more than $300,000 to support recipients pursue their academic and professional ambitions.<\/p>\n The annual program offers 30 individuals an education grant.<\/p>\n For primary school, the grant is $500, for secondary school, it is $1,000 and for Tertiary\/Adult Learners, the grant is $2,500.<\/p>\n The 2026 program theme is \u201cBalance the Scales: Empowering Fijian Women and Girls through Education\u201d.<\/p>\n Westpac Fiji Chief Executive, Shane Smith, says the grants reflect the bank\u2019s deep belief that investing in women and girls creates lasting benefits for Fiji and our local communities.<\/p>\n Smith says that through this grant, they are proud to support women and girls who are determined to pursue their goals, strengthen their communities and inspire others along the way.<\/p>\n Avisha Narayan, one of the 30 WGEG 2025 grant recipients, is a Sabeto resident who currently pursues a Bachelor of Science.<\/p>\n Avisha shared how the grant has helped pay her tuition fees while giving her an avenue to speak her mind.<\/p>\n The 2026 application topics are as follows:<\/p>\n Primary School (Poster plus 200-word description) Secondary School (Essay, poster, or video 500 words max) Tertiary Adult Learners (Essay 1,500 words max) Westpac Fiji has launched its flagship community program, the Westpac Women and Girls Education Grants, for this year.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771554,"headline":"Tool designed for iTaukei Entrepreneurs","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/tool-designed-for-itaukei-entrepreneurs\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Sainiani Boila","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"Sainiani.Boila@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"SainianiFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Sainiani-Boila-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 15, 2026 8:41 am","unix_time":1773564060,"iso_time":"2026-03-15T08:41:13+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/esrom-1.png","content":" The newly launched iTaukei Business Tool focuses on improving access to business development services for indigenous Fijian entrepreneurs living in villages and urban communities.<\/p>\n By offering language-specific diagnostic tools, the platform allows business owners to assess their needs, identify growth opportunities, and connect with the right advisors in a culturally relevant and practical way.<\/p>\n Minister Esrom Emmanuel described the tool as an important step toward economic inclusion.<\/p>\n \u201cIt ensures every entrepreneur can access quality services in ways that are both practical and culturally appropriate,\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n According to programme director Steve Knapp, the initiative is the result of nearly a decade of development across the Pacific.<\/p>\n The programme now includes a network of more than 200 advisors across 10 Pacific nations, helping small businesses gain access to mentorship, training, and finance.<\/p>\n Through this network, over 3,000 SMEs have been supported, with approximately $10 million in finance facilitated to help businesses expand and strengthen their operations.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-15 09:11:41","section":"Business","section_id":48,"excerpt":" The newly launched iTaukei Business Tool focuses on improving access to business development services for indigenous Fijian entrepreneurs living in villages and urban communities.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771535,"headline":"Fiji holds up to 45 days of fuel as government monitors conflict","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/fiji-holds-up-to-45-days-of-fuel-as-government-monitors-conflict\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Ritika Pratap","title":"Manager News ","email":"rpratap@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"RitikaFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Riti-Pratap-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 14, 2026 6:02 pm","unix_time":1773511320,"iso_time":"2026-03-14T18:02:38+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Fule-1280x720.jpg","content":" Fuel companies have confirmed that fuel stocks currently held in Fiji range between approximately 20 and 45 days, depending on the product, with additional shipments already scheduled.<\/p>\n In a statement, the government says Fiji\u2019s primary fuel supply hubs remain Singapore, Korea, and Malaysia, which are not currently affected by the Middle East conflict.<\/p>\n However, the government is liaising regularly with fuel suppliers regarding anticipated situations.<\/p>\n Existing policies also require minimum stockholding levels for major fuel products, which are currently being maintained.<\/p>\n The government is advising the public that local fuel prices typically adjust with about a one-month lag from international markets, meaning global price changes are not immediately reflected domestically.<\/p>\n At this time, there is no indication of an immediate disruption to fuel availability in Fiji.<\/p>\n The public is urged to continue purchasing fuel as they normally would and to avoid unnecessary stockpiling.<\/p>\n The government also reminds the public that fuel hoarding is illegal and poses serious fire and safety risks.<\/p>\n Unnecessary panic buying could place avoidable pressure on the national fuel distribution system and may lead to temporary shortages at service stations, affecting access for essential services and the general public.<\/p>\n The government is closely monitoring international developments, including potential impacts on global oil supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit point for a significant share of the world\u2019s petroleum exports.<\/p>\n Contingency planning processes are in place through the Fuel and Power Emergency Act 1974 to safeguard critical services should global conditions deteriorate over a prolonged period.<\/p>\n Protecting essential services and maintaining economic stability remain government priorities.<\/p>\n The public will be kept informed of any significant developments affecting fuel supply or pricing in a timely manner.<\/p>\n The government may consider appropriate measures as necessary, depending on assessments of the situation.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-14 18:04:34","section":"Business","section_id":48,"excerpt":" Fuel companies have confirmed that fuel stocks currently held in Fiji range between approximately 20 and 45 days, depending on the product, with additional shipments already scheduled.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771375,"headline":"Experts urge calm as global oil prices shift","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/experts-urge-calm-as-global-oil-prices-shift\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Litia Cava ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"lcava@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"lcava@fbcnews ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/litia.jpg"},"dateline":"March 13, 2026 7:00 am","unix_time":1773385200,"iso_time":"2026-03-13T07:00:08+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Fossil-Fuel.jpg","content":" Fijians are being urged to remain calm but plan ahead as global markets monitor rising tensions in the Middle East.<\/p>\n ANZ Pacific Economist Kishti Sen says the conflict could push up global oil prices, which may eventually affect fuel costs and the overall cost of living in Fiji.<\/p>\n Sen explains the most immediate impact will likely be higher fuel and gas prices, although the full effect may not be seen right away.<\/p>\n He says fuel prices in Fiji are adjusted monthly based on the cost of fuel imported the previous month, meaning some fuel currently in the country may have been purchased before the recent spike in global oil markets.<\/p>\n “So it is possible that some of the fuel that was brought into this country this month was probably contracted at a cheaper price. But by 1st of May 2026, you will see the full impact of the recent increases of price release we’ve seen in the oil market. So my estimate is Fiji’s motorists are probably looking at paying $0.25 more at the petrol bazaar over the next two months.<\/em><\/p>\n Sen estimates motorists could see petrol prices rise by about 25 cents per litre over the next two months, potentially pushing prices in urban areas to around $2.70 per litre by May, up from the current $2.44.<\/p>\n He adds that even if the conflict ends quickly, prices may remain elevated as oil shipments through key routes such as the Strait of Hormuz may take time to return to normal.<\/p>\n Sen warns that if the conflict escalates, Fiji could face wider inflation pressures similar to 2022 when the Russian invasion of Ukraine pushed global oil prices above US$100 per barrel.<\/p>\n During that period, petrol prices in Fiji reached $3.68 per litre, while food prices rose 6.4 percent, transport costs increased around 20 percent, and overall inflation climbed above 6 percent.<\/p>\n Higher fuel costs could also affect travel and tourism, with rising aviation fuel prices likely pushing up airfares, particularly for travellers from key markets such as Australia.<\/p>\n Sen says the situation highlights the vulnerability of Pacific countries that rely heavily on imported fossil fuels and stresses the need to accelerate the shift toward renewable energy.<\/p>\n For now, he advises households to remain calm, manage their budgets carefully and rely on support systems such as remittances while the situation continues to unfold.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-13 09:43:55","section":"Business","section_id":48,"excerpt":" Fijians are being urged to remain calm but plan ahead as global markets monitor rising tensions in the Middle East.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771363,"headline":"New company to boost landowner participation in development","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/new-company-to-boost-landowner-participation-in-development\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Sainimili Magimagi","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sainimili-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 13, 2026 6:54 am","unix_time":1773384840,"iso_time":"2026-03-13T06:54:17+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/tltb-landowners.jpg","content":" A new company aimed at strengthening landowner involvement in major development projects will begin operations next month.<\/p>\n Minister for iTaukei Affairs Ifereimi Vasu confirmed in Parliament that Qele Maroroi Holdings Pte Limited will become operational on April 1.<\/p>\n The company will provide a platform for indigenous landowners to partner directly in development projects carried out on their land. The initiative is being implemented through the iTaukei Land Trust Board.<\/p>\n Minister Vasu says the company will ensure landowners benefit more directly from the economic value generated through their land resources.<\/p>\n \u201cThis company will serve as a strategic vehicle allowing landowners to participate directly as UQT partners in development projects on their own resources, ensuring that landowners benefit from the value created through their land.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The government believes the move will help transform landowners from passive lease recipients into active development partners.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-13 09:44:21","section":"Business","section_id":48,"excerpt":" A new company aimed at strengthening landowner involvement in major development projects will begin operations next month.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771336,"headline":"Experts advise strategy as fuel market tightens","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/experts-advise-strategy-as-fuel-market-tightens\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Litia Cava ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"lcava@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"lcava@fbcnews ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/litia.jpg"},"dateline":"March 12, 2026 5:13 pm","unix_time":1773335580,"iso_time":"2026-03-12T17:13:12+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/saudi-rabia-fosil-fuel.jpg","content":" Global tensions are shaking the oil market, raising the possibility of higher fuel prices. Regulators and households are being urged to prepare for potential increases.<\/p>\n Senior Advisor at the Asia-Pacific Regulatory Centre Joel Abraham pointed out the role that local regulators and informed consumers play in protecting the economy from global shocks.<\/p>\n Abraham said agencies such as the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Consumer Council of Fiji have a critical role during periods of global uncertainty.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, Fiji will face more of a price shock rather than a supply shock. I’ve seen the press release from the regulator, the FCCC stating that, you know, supply supply chains will be open, the ships coming, but that is not the risk that Fiji is facing. At this point in time, the risk that we are facing is the increases in prices.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Monitoring fuel prices, collecting baseline data and ensuring transparency, according to Abraham help prevent unjustified price increases.<\/p>\n This, he states is especially important for goods that are not covered by formal price controls.<\/p>\n He also stressed the need for consumers to rely on credible information sources.<\/p>\n Abraham said false reports on social media, including fake fuel shortages or price spikes, could trigger panic buying and disrupt the market.<\/p>\n Accurate data and verified reporting are essential to maintaining stability.<\/p>\n Abraham advised households and businesses not to make drastic changes to spending patterns. While fuel costs may rise, sudden reductions in consumption could harm local businesses already managing higher operating expenses.<\/p>\n He encouraged Fijians to continue supporting local enterprises. This includes small and medium-sized businesses, women-led ventures and indigenous-owned companies.<\/p>\n He said Fiji\u2019s ability to manage global shocks depends on strong policies and economic preparedness. The COVID-19 pandemic showed how quickly unexpected crises can disrupt economies.<\/p>\n As geopolitical tensions and global uncertainty grow,Abraham reiterated that governments and businesses must strengthen contingency plans. These plans should cover risks such as conflicts, trade disruptions, natural disasters and supply chain challenges.<\/p>\n The APRC, he states is monitoring global oil markets and analysing different pricing scenarios.<\/p>\n Abraham adds that organisation stands ready to provide the government with research and policy guidance.<\/p>\n This support, he adds aims to reduce the economic effects of fuel price volatility and ensure households and businesses are prepared for global uncertainties.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-13 09:44:45","section":"Business","section_id":48,"excerpt":" Global tensions are shaking the oil market, raising the possibility of higher fuel prices. Regulators and households are being urged to prepare for potential increases.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771244,"headline":"Women farmers recognised at national awards","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/women-farmers-recognised-at-national-awards\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Mollyn Nakabea","title":"News Journalist","email":"fbcnews@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 12, 2026 6:30 am","unix_time":1773297000,"iso_time":"2026-03-12T06:30:43+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/agriculture-awards.jpg","content":" Twenty women in the agriculture sector were recognised for their achievements at the 2026 National Women in Agriculture Awards.<\/p>\n The event marked the first time the awards were held at a national level.<\/p>\n Minister for Women Sashi Kiran says the initiative reflects the government\u2019s commitment to closing gender gaps in agriculture.<\/p>\n \u201cBy recognizing farmers tonight, we are reinforcing the national commitment to close gender gaps in agriculture, not as a charity, but as an economic strategy. Because empowering women farmers is not only a social issue, it is a productivity issue.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Katarina Baleisuva, who won Tilapia Farmer and Overall Woman Farmer of the Year, says the recognition reflects the hard work she has put into farming.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Beekeeping Farmer of the Year Jasnita Ali says balancing farming with family and studies can be challenging but rewarding.<\/p>\n The awards night was part of a three-day symposium focused on improving market access for women in agriculture.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-12 07:19:11","section":"Business","section_id":48,"excerpt":" Twenty women in the agriculture sector were recognised for their achievements at the 2026 National Women in Agriculture Awards.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771112,"headline":"SPX launches publication recognising women","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/business\/spx-launches-publication-recognising-women\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Nikhil Aiyush Kumar","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"nikhil.kumar@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"NikhilFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/nikhil-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 11, 2026 6:35 am","unix_time":1773210900,"iso_time":"2026-03-11T06:35:28+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/SPX-1.jpg","content":" The South Pacific Stock Exchange launched Women on Boards of SPX Listed Companies, the first publication of its kind in Fiji that recognises women serving as directors on boards of companies listed on the exchange.<\/p>\n The inaugural publication highlights women who served on the boards of SPX-listed companies during 2025.<\/p>\n In addition to recognising their contributions, the publication aims to increase the visibility of experienced women directors and serve as a practical reference for companies and stakeholders when considering future board appointments.<\/p>\n The initiative was officially launched during the Ring the Bell for Gender Equality 2026 event, held as part of activities marking International Women\u2019s Day 2026.<\/p>\n SPX Chief Executive Sheraj Obeyesekere said the publication reflects the exchange\u2019s commitment to strengthening female representation on the boards of listed companies while acknowledging the women who dedicate their expertise and time to corporate governance.<\/p>\n \u201cBy bringing their experience and leadership into one publication, we hope to both acknowledge the contribution of these female leaders and inspire more women to step forward into positions of leadership\u201d<\/p>\n He added that the profiles showcase the depth of capability and multi-industry expertise among female business leaders operating at the highest levels of Fiji\u2019s corporate sector.<\/p>\n Obeyesekere said SPX intends to update the publication annually to continue highlighting female leadership across listed companies and support stronger governance outcomes in the market.<\/p>\n The Women on Boards of SPX Listed Companies \u2013 Inaugural Publication is available on the SPX website.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-11 05:57:41","section":"Business","section_id":48,"excerpt":" The South Pacific Stock Exchange launched Women on Boards of SPX Listed Companies, the first publication of its kind in Fiji that recognises women serving as directors on boards of companies listed on the exchange.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771057,"headline":"$840m in development projects approved","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/840m-in-development-projects-approved\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Litia Cava ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"lcava@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"lcava@fbcnews ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/litia.jpg"},"dateline":"March 10, 2026 3:33 pm","unix_time":1773156780,"iso_time":"2026-03-10T15:33:36+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/fhl-building.jpg","content":" Development activity across Fiji has reached significant levels over the past year.<\/p>\n Minister for Housing and Local Government Maciu Nalumisa says $840 million worth of development projects were approved in 2025 alone.<\/p>\n He says a total of $2.26 billion in projects has been approved over the past three years.<\/p>\n Nalumisa says the figures reflect strong investor confidence and growing economic activity.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-10 15:55:32","section":"Business","section_id":48,"excerpt":" Development activity across Fiji has reached significant levels over the past year.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":770861,"headline":"Airlines filling more seats on Fiji routes","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/airlines-filling-more-seats-on-fiji-routes\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Litia Cava ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"lcava@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"lcava@fbcnews ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/litia.jpg"},"dateline":"March 9, 2026 10:40 am","unix_time":1773052800,"iso_time":"2026-03-09T10:40:36+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/fiji-airways-450.jpg","content":" Airlines operating to and from Fiji are filling more seats as travel demand continues to grow.<\/p>\n New figures released by the Fiji Bureau of Statistics show the international passenger load factor reached 76.3 percent last year, a 0.4 percentage point increase from 2024.<\/p>\n The data shows airlines offered more than 11.2 billion seat kilometres, while passenger traffic reached 8.57 billion passenger kilometres.<\/p>\n Cargo movement also improved, with international freight recording a 55.6 percent load factor, up 4.4 percentage points from the previous year.<\/p>\n Acting Chief Executive Apisalome Tamani says the statistics measure airline production and capacity, including passenger use, cargo movement and available seating.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, domestic air travel across Fiji remained busy throughout 2025.<\/p>\n The bureau reports the domestic passenger load factor stood at 71.8 percent, slightly lower than in 2024.<\/p>\n Airlines provided 94.3 million seat kilometres on domestic routes, while passenger traffic reached 67.7 million passenger kilometres.<\/p>\n Cargo movement on domestic flights also increased, with freight recording a 68.8 percent load factor.<\/p>\n Passenger numbers on domestic routes reached 390,923 last year, compared to 374,306 passengers in 2024.<\/p>\n The Fiji Bureau of Statistics says its next aircraft statistics report, covering the March quarter of 2026, will be released in June.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-09 10:40:36","section":"Business","section_id":48,"excerpt":" Airlines operating to and from Fiji are filling more seats as travel demand continues to grow.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":770739,"headline":"Substandard products continue in the market","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/substandard-products-continue-in-the-market\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Nikhil Aiyush Kumar","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"nikhil.kumar@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"NikhilFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/nikhil-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 8, 2026 8:04 am","unix_time":1772957040,"iso_time":"2026-03-08T08:04:28+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Shandil_960x540.jpg","content":" Shoppers are losing millions due to defective and faulty products and reports losses from complaints have reached about $1.3 million.<\/p>\n Consumer Council CEO Seema Shandil has highlighted this and revealed that the council received 1,596 complaints involving household appliances, electrical items, and other goods.<\/p>\n She adds this likely represents only a fraction of actual cases in the market.<\/p>\n Market surveillance shows many unsafe and substandard products continue to enter the market.<\/p>\n \u201cthe monetary value is worth $1.3 million. the Consumer Council always says, this is just the tip of the iceberg because these are the only complaints that we receive as an organization\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Shandil adds that some consumers do not lodge complaints, leaving issues unreported.<\/p>\n \u201cwe\u00a0 know through our market surveillances that there are a lot of, you know, unsafe, low quality or substandard quality that has made into our market and that sort of poses a threat to the human life.”<\/em><\/p>\n The Consumer Council and government agencies are taking steps to monitor products and ensure only safe goods are sold.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-08 08:22:33","section":"Business","section_id":48,"excerpt":" Shoppers are losing millions due to defective and faulty products and reports losses from complaints have reached about $1.3 million.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"}],"world":[{"id":771614,"headline":"US identifies six airmen killed in Iraq plane crash","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/world\/us-identifies-six-airmen-killed-in-iraq-plane-crash\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Reuters ","title":"","email":"","twitter":"Reuters ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Reuters.jpg"},"dateline":"March 15, 2026 5:00 pm","unix_time":1773594000,"iso_time":"2026-03-15T17:00:35+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/world-news1.png","content":" The U.S. Department of Defense on Saturday \u200bidentified the six U.S. airmen who \u200cwere killed in a plane crash over Iraq.<\/p>\n The airmen were on a KC-135 aerial refueling \u200btanker supporting U.S. attacks on Iran. \u200bThe crash involved another aircraft but \u2060was not the result of hostile \u200bor friendly fire and is under investigation, \u200bthe military has said.<\/p>\n The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.<\/p>\n Three airmen were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing, stationed at \u200bMacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, \u200bFlorida:<\/p>\n Major John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama. The other three airmen were in \u200bthe 121st \u200bAir Refueling \u2060Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, \u200bOhio:<\/p>\n Captain Seth R. Koval, 38, of \u200bMooresville, \u2060Indiana. The U.S. Department of Defense on Saturday \u200bidentified the six U.S. airmen who \u200cwere killed in a plane crash over Iraq.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771611,"headline":"Trump warns of more strikes on Iran's Kharg Island oil hub","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/world\/trump-warns-of-more-strikes-on-irans-kharg-island-oil-hub\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Reuters ","title":"","email":"","twitter":"Reuters ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Reuters.jpg"},"dateline":"March 15, 2026 3:36 pm","unix_time":1773588960,"iso_time":"2026-03-15T15:36:10+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/world-news.png","content":" U.S. President Donald Trump threatened further strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub and urged allies to send warships to secure the Strait of \u200bHormuz, as Tehran vowed to step up its response and the war showed no sign on Sunday of coming to an end.<\/p>\n Trump said the U.S. strikes had “totally demolished” most of \u200cKharg Island and warned that more could follow, telling NBC News, “We may hit it a few more times just for fun.” While he said Tehran appeared ready to make a deal to end the conflict, he added that “the terms aren’t good enough yet.”<\/p>\n The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.<\/p>\n The comments marked an escalation in rhetoric from the president, who had previously said the U.S. targeted only military sites on Kharg. They also undercut diplomatic efforts, with three sources familiar with the situation telling Reuters that Trump’s administration had already rebuffed efforts by Middle Eastern allies to start \u200bnegotiations aimed at ending the war.<\/p>\n Tehran’s ability to stop shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a major channel for oil and gas, poses a difficult problem for the U.S. and its allies. Energy prices are soaring as \u200bthe war causes the biggest-ever disruption in oil supply.<\/p>\n “The Countries of the World that receive Oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage, and we \u2060will help \u2014 A LOT!” Trump wrote in a social media post on Saturday. “The U.S. will also coordinate with those Countries so that everything goes quickly, smoothly, and well.”<\/p>\n As the conflict stretched into its third week, both sides appeared to \u200bbe digging in for an extended fight.<\/p>\n Iran projected defiance, rejecting the possibility of any ceasefire until U.S. and Israeli airstrikes end.<\/p>\n Iranian forces have kept up their strikes. A drone attack disrupted a major United Arab Emirates energy hub on Saturday and \u200bthe U.S. warned U.S. citizens on Saturday to leave Iraq after a missile attack on the embassy in Baghdad overnight Friday.<\/p>\n Since Israel and the United States began air attacks on Iran on February 28, the war has killed more than 2,000 people, mostly in Iran, according to reports from governments and state media. At least 15 were killed when an airstrike hit a refrigerator and heater factory in the central Iranian city of Isfahan, the semi-official Fars news agency said on Saturday.<\/p>\n Iran threatened on Saturday to escalate the war raging in the Middle East by targeting any facility in the region with U.S. ties, after Washington bombed<\/p>\n Iran called on civilians in the UAE to \u200bevacuate ports, docks and “American hideouts,” saying U.S. forces had targeted Iran from those areas. The UAE denied that strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island overnight Friday had come from its territory.<\/p>\n Calling any facility associated with the United States a “legitimate target,” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary \u200bGuard Corps urged all U.S. industries to move out of the region.<\/p>\n Oil market disruptions looked unlikely to end soon. Some oil-loading operations were suspended in the UAE’s Fujairah emirate, a global ship-refueling hub, after a drone attack, industry and trade sources said on \u200cSaturday.<\/p>\n The emirate’s media \u2060office said a drone was intercepted, but civil defence forces as of late Saturday were still trying to put out a fire caused by falling debris.<\/p>\n ‘BOMBING THE HELL OUT OF THE SHORELINE’<\/p>\n Trump was spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where he kept a relatively low public profile on Saturday, aside from his NBC interview and several posts on his Truth Social account.<\/p>\n In one post, the Republican president wrote that he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others would send warships to the Strait of Hormuz. None of those countries gave any immediate indication they would do so.<\/p>\n French officials said on Friday their government was pushing on with efforts to assemble a coalition to secure the Strait \u200bof Hormuz once the security situation stabilizes.<\/p>\n A British Ministry \u200bof Defence spokesperson said on Saturday: “As we\u2019ve said previously, \u2060we are currently discussing with our allies and partners a range of options to ensure the security of shipping in the region.”<\/p>\n Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who replaced his slain father, has said the Strait of Hormuz should remain closed.<\/p>\n Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi dismissed speculation from U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Khamenei was wounded and likely \u200bdisfigured. “There is no problem with the new supreme leader. He sent his message yesterday, and he will perform his duties,” Araqchi told MS Now.<\/p>\n Khamenei has not appeared in \u200bpublic, instead issuing a statement \u2060on Thursday read by a television presenter.<\/p>\n KHARG ISLAND DAMAGE<\/p>\n Iran played down the extent of the damage on Kharg Island. The U.S. said it had targeted military, not energy industry, targets on the island, which is about 15 miles (24 km) off Iran’s coastline in the Gulf.<\/p>\n U.S. Central Command said it hit more than 90 sites on Kharg, including naval mine storage facilities, missile storage bunkers and other military targets.<\/p>\n Araqchi said Iran would respond to any attack on its energy facilities. Iran’s Ministry of Defense said on \u2060Saturday that nine \u200bballistic missiles and 33 drones were launched from Iran towards the UAE.<\/p>\n Iran warned residents to leave areas near Jebel Ali port in \u200bDubai, Khalifa port in Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s Fujairah port and said it was targeting branches of U.S. banks in the Gulf.<\/p>\n Fujairah, outside the Strait of Hormuz, is the outlet for about 1 million barrels per day of the UAE’s Murban crude oil \u2014 a volume equal to \u200babout 1% of world demand.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-15 15:36:10","section":"World","section_id":3,"excerpt":" U.S. President Donald Trump threatened further strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub and urged allies to send warships to secure the Strait of \u200bHormuz, as Tehran vowed to step up its response and the war showed no sign on Sunday of coming to an end.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771617,"headline":"Zelenskiy says Russia supplies Shahed drones to Iran","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/world\/zelenskiy-says-russia-supplies-shahed-drones-to-iran\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Reuters ","title":"","email":"","twitter":"Reuters ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Reuters.jpg"},"dateline":"March 15, 2026 1:00 pm","unix_time":1773579600,"iso_time":"2026-03-15T13:00:04+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/world-news2.png","content":" Russia is supplying Iran with Shahed drones to use against the U.S. \u200band Israel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr \u200cZelenskiy told CNN in an interview excerpt aired on Saturday.<\/p>\n Zelenskiy told CNN’s Fareed \u200bZakaria that it is “100% facts” \u200bthat Iran has used Russian-made Shaheds \u2060to attack U.S. bases.<\/p>\n Shahed drones have \u200bbeen linked to other attacks on countries \u200bin the region, although their manufacturers are not always clear.<\/p>\n Iran pioneered the Shahed drone, \u200ba much cheaper alternative to expensive \u200bmissiles. They first saw mass use in Russia’s \u200cinvasion \u2060of Ukraine, where thousands of them have been launched by Russian forces since fall 2022, according to the Ukrainians.<\/p>\n Although \u200bIran initially \u200bprovided the \u2060drones, Russia now manufactures its own Shaheds. The armed \u200bforces of other countries have \u200bsince \u2060adopted Shahed-type drones, including the U.S. military, which has said they are \u2060part \u200bof the current \u200bcampaign against Iran.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-15 16:03:37","section":"World","section_id":3,"excerpt":" Russia is supplying Iran with Shahed drones to use against the U.S. \u200band Israel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr \u200cZelenskiy told CNN in an interview excerpt aired on Saturday.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771620,"headline":"French voters elect mayors in test for far-right RN","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/world\/french-voters-elect-mayors-in-test-for-far-right-rn\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Reuters ","title":"","email":"","twitter":"Reuters ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Reuters.jpg"},"dateline":"March 15, 2026 8:00 am","unix_time":1773561600,"iso_time":"2026-03-15T08:00:43+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/world-news3.png","content":" French voters head to the polls on Sunday to elect their mayors in a closely watched ballot seen as a test of the strength of the far-right and the resilience of mainstream parties \u200bahead of next year’s presidential election.<\/p>\n Heading nearly 35,000 municipalities – from major cities to villages with only a \u200cfew dozen residents – mayors are France’s most trusted elected officials.<\/p>\n The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.<\/p>\n Voting starts at 8 a.m. (0700 GMT) and ends at 8 p.m. In many medium to large cities, there will be a second round on March 22.<\/p>\n Local results can shape national momentum, especially when they take place so close to \u200bthe presidential election, which opinion polls show the far-right National Rally (RN) could potentially win.<\/p>\n A TEST FOR THE RN<\/p>\n The anti-immigration, \u200beurosceptic RN has so far struggled to make meaningful gains in municipal elections.<\/p>\n With candidates in several \u2060hundred municipalities, it does not expect a landslide, but it hopes to showcase growing popularity and clinch a few big \u200bwins that would further boost its presidential campaign.<\/p>\n “If the people of Marseille make a brave choice … it will embolden and enlighten \u200bthe French on the choice they will make next year,” Franck Allisio, the RN candidate in France’s second-biggest city, told Reuters.<\/p>\n Allisio is tied in first-round polls with incumbent Socialist Mayor Benoit Payan, providing the RN with a once-unthinkable shot at power in a major French city.<\/p>\n FOCUS ON SECURITY<\/strong><\/p>\n For \u200bsure, the thousands of separate municipal ballots are often focused on very local issues.<\/p>\n But opinion polls show security is voters’ main \u200bpriority in that vote, very much in line with the RN’s law-and-order focus.<\/p>\n Among the bigger cities the RN is targeting is the southern Toulon, \u200cwith \u2060a population of 180,000. It could also win in Menton, a Riviera town where former President Nicolas Sarkozy’s son Louis is a candidate backed by centrist parties.<\/p>\n ALLIANCES<\/strong><\/p>\n One key question is what alliances the RN will strike with other parties between the two rounds. Will it be the election where decades of tradition of shunning the far right breaks? Some, especially in mainstream parties on \u200bthe right, are tempted to \u200bdo so.<\/p>\n Berlin crowds rush for free tulips, a gift to welcome the spring<\/p>\n The video player is currently playing an ad.<\/p>\n The left did \u2060well across France in the last municipal elections in 2020. It is now weakened nationally. Whether it can keep Paris, as well as some of the cities it won last time, such \u200bas Nantes for the Socialists or Lyon and Strasbourg for the Greens, will be closely \u200bwatched.<\/p>\n Whether mainstream left-wing \u2060parties will strike alliances between the two rounds with the hard-left France Unbowed will also be key.<\/p>\n TWO ROUNDS<\/strong><\/p>\n A second round will be held on March 22 in all cities where no single list wins more than 50% of the vote.<\/p>\n While there may be \u2060more scope \u200bto draw lessons from the second round than the first, all of \u200bthe election carries high stakes for parties with the April 2027 presidential ballot approaching. French voters head to the polls on Sunday to elect their mayors in a closely watched ballot seen as a test of the strength of the far-right and the resilience of mainstream parties \u200bahead of next year’s presidential election.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771437,"headline":"Both sides trade strikes and threats as the Iran war approaches the two-week mark","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/world\/both-sides-trade-strikes-and-threats-as-the-iran-war-approaches-the-two-week-mark\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Reuters ","title":"","email":"","twitter":"Reuters ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Reuters.jpg"},"dateline":"March 13, 2026 4:18 pm","unix_time":1773418680,"iso_time":"2026-03-13T16:18:36+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Iran-US-conflict.png","content":" The leaders of Iran, Israel and the United \u200bStates all voiced defiance and vowed to fight on as the Middle East war approached the two-week mark on Friday, killing thousands of people, disrupting the lives of millions of others and \u200cshaking financial markets.<\/p>\n New Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued his first comments, read out by a television presenter on Thursday, vowing to keep the Strait of Hormuz shut and calling on neighboring countries to close U.S. bases on their territory or risk Iran targeting them.<\/p>\n “I assure everyone that we will not neglect avenging the blood of your martyrs,” said the hardline cleric, who is close to Iran’s top military force.<\/p>\n It was not clear why he did not appear in person.<\/p>\n Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held his first news conference since the \u200bU.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran started on February 28, taking questions via video-link and issuing a veiled threat to kill Khamenei and defending the military assault.<\/p>\n “I will not detail the actions we are taking. We \u200bare creating the optimal conditions for toppling the regime but I won’t deny that I can’t tell you with all certainty that the people of Iran will topple \u2060the regime – a regime is toppled from the inside,” Netanyahu said.<\/p>\n “But we can definitely help and we are helping.”<\/p>\n The prospect that one of the most severe disruptions ever to global energy supplies could endure sent oil prices up about 9% to $100 \u200ba barrel on Thursday, helping drive down U.S. stocks.<\/p>\n The S&P 500 notched up its biggest three-day percentage drop in a month, and shares in Asia were also under pressure on Friday.<\/p>\n In an effort to stabilize global energy markets, the U.S. on \u200bThursday issued a 30-day license for countries to buy Russian oil and petroleum products currently stranded at sea.<\/p>\n “The temporary increase in oil prices is a short-term and temporary disruption that will result in a massive benefit to our nation and economy in the long-term,” Bessent said in the statement, echoing earlier comments from President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n U.S. POLITICAL FALLOUT<\/strong><\/p>\n Trump, who has already declared that the U.S. and Israel won the war, said the United States stood to make significant money from oil prices driven higher because of supply issues tied to \u200bthe closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil normally passes.<\/p>\n Drones have been reported flying into Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Oman, undermining U.S. and Israeli claims to have knocked out much of Iran’s stock \u200bof long-range weapons.<\/p>\n In Iraq, U.S. Central Command said it \u200bwas carrying out rescue efforts after one of its refueling \u2060aircraft went down in an incident that involved another aircraft but was not the result of hostile or friendly fire. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, claimed responsibility for downing the aircraft.<\/p>\n France’s President Emmanuel Macron said one soldier had died and several were wounded during an attack in northern Iraq, hours after an Italian \u200bbase was also targeted in the area.<\/p>\n Two tankers were set ablaze in the Iraqi port of Basra earlier this week after being hit by suspected Iranian explosive-laden boats and \u200bother ships have been struck in \u2060the Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-13 16:18:36","section":"World","section_id":3,"excerpt":" The leaders of Iran, Israel and the United \u200bStates all voiced defiance and vowed to fight on as the Middle East war approached the two-week mark on Friday, killing thousands of people, disrupting the lives of millions of others and \u200cshaking financial markets.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771364,"headline":"UN says 3.2 million displaced by Iran conflict escalation","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/world\/un-says-3-2-million-displaced-by-iran-conflict-escalation\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":null,"title":null,"email":null,"twitter":null,"thumbnail":null},"dateline":"March 13, 2026 6:06 am","unix_time":1773381960,"iso_time":"2026-03-13T06:06:00+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Iran-school-bombed.png","content":" Millions of civilians are being displaced as fighting between Iran, Israel and the United States intensifies.<\/p>\n The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that about 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran in just two weeks of conflict.<\/p>\n Large numbers are fleeing the capital Tehran and other major cities, seeking safety in rural areas.<\/p>\n Many of those displaced include Afghanistan refugees who have been living in Iran for decades, often under already difficult conditions.<\/p>\n The United States and Israel say their strikes target military and security facilities, but many of these are located in densely populated areas.<\/p>\n As the operation continues, civilians remain caught in the middle, with many focusing on survival rather than calls to challenge the government made by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-13 06:06:00","section":"World","section_id":3,"excerpt":" Millions of civilians are being displaced as fighting between Iran, Israel and the United States intensifies.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771042,"headline":"Trump threatens to escalate Iran war, but says it could end soon","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/world\/trump-threatens-to-escalate-iran-war-but-says-it-could-end-soon\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Reuters ","title":"","email":"","twitter":"Reuters ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Reuters.jpg"},"dateline":"March 10, 2026 1:48 pm","unix_time":1773150480,"iso_time":"2026-03-10T13:48:33+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Iran-War.png","content":" U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to escalate the war with Iran if it blocked oil shipments from the Middle East, even as he predicted \u200ba quick end to the conflict.<\/p>\n Trump’s warning came at the end of a day that saw global financial markets seesawing on concerns that Iran’s security establishment was rallying behind new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and \u200cwas not prepared to back down any time soon.<\/p>\n Trump said the United States had inflicted serious damage on Iran’s air force and navy and predicted the conflict would end well before the initial four-week time frame he had laid out, though he has not defined what victory would look like.<\/p>\n He warned that U.S. attacks could rise sharply if Iran sought to block tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will hit them so hard that it will not be possible for them or anybody else helping them to ever \u200brecover that section of the world,” Trump said at a news conference.<\/p>\n IRAN SAYS IT WILL DETERMINE END OF WAR<\/strong><\/p>\n In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said it would not allow “one liter of oil” to leave the region if attacks \u200bfrom the United States and Israel continue.<\/p>\n “We are the ones who will determine the end of the war,” a spokesperson said, according to state media.<\/p>\n The conflicting signals sent markets on \u2060a rollercoaster, with oil prices surging and stock markets nosediving before swinging in the other direction after Trump’s prediction of a quick end to the war and reports of a possible ease in sanctions on Russian energy.<\/p>\n Khamenei, 56, a Shi’ite cleric with a power \u200bbase among the security forces and their vast business empire, has been declared unacceptable by Trump, who has demanded Iran’s unconditional surrender.<\/p>\n Iranian state media showed large crowds in several cities rallying behind the new leader, waving Iranian flags and holding portraits of his \u200bfather Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader killed by an Israeli strike on the war’s first day.<\/p>\n In Isfahan, state TV reported the sound of nearby explosions from apparent airstrikes as loyalists gathered in the historic Imam Square, chanting “God is the Greatest” below a stage with portraits of Ali and Mojtaba Khamenei.<\/p>\n Iranians reached by telephone were divided, with supporters of the authorities hailing the choice and opponents fearful it would dash their hopes for change.<\/p>\n “It was a slap in the face to our enemies that thought the system will collapse with the killing of his father. Our late leader’s \u200bpath will continue,” said university student Zahra Mirbagheri, 21, from Tehran.<\/p>\n Many Iranians had initially celebrated the elder Khamenei’s death, weeks after his security forces killed thousands of anti-government protesters in the worst domestic unrest since the era of Iran’s 1979 revolution. \u200b<\/p>\n But there has since been little sign of anti-government activity.<\/p>\n “The (elite Revolutionary) Guards and the system are still powerful. They have tens of thousands of forces ready to fight to keep this regime in place. We, the people, have nothing,” said Babak, 34, a businessman in \u200cthe central city \u2060of Arak who asked to keep his family name confidential.<\/p>\n Israel says its war aim is to overthrow Iran’s system of clerical rule. U.S. officials mainly say Washington’s aim is to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities and nuclear programme, but Trump has said the war can end only with a compliant Iranian government.<\/p>\n Israel had said it would kill whoever succeeded the elder Khamenei unless Iran ended its hostile policies.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-10 13:48:33","section":"World","section_id":3,"excerpt":" U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to escalate the war with Iran if it blocked oil shipments from the Middle East, even as he predicted \u200ba quick end to the conflict.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"}],"headlines":[{"id":771770,"headline":"Cabinet to discuss national fuel supply risks","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/cabinet-to-discuss-national-fuel-supply-risks\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Josefa Sigavolavola ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"josefa.sigavolavola@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/josefa-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 6:32 pm","unix_time":1773685920,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T18:32:48+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Tougher-U.S.-sanctions-to-curb-Russian-oil-supply-to-China-and-India.jpg","content":" The cabinet will meet tomorrow to firm up on the plan of action for the long term, if there is no resolution to the conflict in the Middle East in the near future.<\/p>\n In a statement this afternoon, the government says it is closely monitoring the developments emanating from the US-Israel conflict with Iran, and meeting with local suppliers who have already secured fuel supply.<\/p>\n It stresses that fuel supply in the country is sufficient to meet the energy needs for the next few months and there is no need to indulge in \u2018panic buying\u2019 at the service station.<\/p>\n The public is once again advised to only access information from verified sources and the Government has assured that it will provide regular updates as and when needed.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 18:32:48","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" The cabinet will meet tomorrow to firm up on the plan of action for the long term, if there is no resolution to the conflict in the Middle East in the near future.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771757,"headline":"Immigration probes alleged foreign worker abuse","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/immigration-probes-alleged-foreign-worker-abuse\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Mollyn Nakabea","title":"News Journalist","email":"fbcnews@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 5:10 pm","unix_time":1773681000,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T17:10:26+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Viliame-Naupoto.png","content":" Immigration Minister Viliame Naupoto has confirmed that a team is investigating a viral video allegedly showing an immigration agent abusing a foreign worker.<\/p>\n The video, which surfaced on a Facebook forum, has sparked widespread public concern regarding the illegal recruitment of foreign nationals in Fiji.<\/p>\n The Immigration Minister warns such incidents will be thoroughly investigated.<\/p>\n “We have a team from the West and a team from Suva that is currently investigating and also the two companies that are involved. But you are not allowed to work when you are on a tourist visa.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Naupoto reiterated that it is illegal for companies to employ foreign nationals who do not have the required permit.<\/p>\n “It is not allowed. So you cannot employ people who are on a tourist visa. People who are employed should have a necessary work permit issued by us.”<\/em><\/p>\n Naupoto has urged private sector companies to refrain from hiring illegal workers and to ensure that foreign workers are treated fairly and not subjected to exploitation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 18:15:09","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Immigration Minister Viliame Naupoto has confirmed that a team is investigating a viral video allegedly showing an immigration agent abusing a foreign worker.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771751,"headline":"No service stations closed: FFRA clarifies temporary outages","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/no-service-stations-closed-ffra-clarifies-temporary-outages\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Litia Cava ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"lcava@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"lcava@fbcnews ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/litia.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 5:07 pm","unix_time":1773680820,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T17:07:08+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Fuel.jpg","content":" No service stations have closed; some outlets are merely experiencing temporary outages while awaiting their next delivery.<\/p>\n According to Fiji Fuel Retailers Association Representative Sumeet Singh, the situation is being worsened by speculative buying.<\/p>\n Motorists are urged to remain calm and purchase only what they normally require.<\/p>\n Singh warns that stockpiling can create an artificial crisis, as sudden spikes in demand overwhelm the logistics system and cause localized shortages.<\/p>\n Furthermore, panic buying threatens essential services that rely on consistent fuel supplies for critical operations.<\/p>\n The FFRA also cautions that storing fuel at home is extremely dangerous, increasing the risk of fires or explosions.<\/p>\n Customers are asked to maintain normal purchasing habits to help keep the supply steady and allow distributors to manage deliveries effectively.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 17:45:58","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" No service stations have closed; some outlets are merely experiencing temporary outages while awaiting their next delivery.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771758,"headline":"St Giles Hospital struggles with family rejections","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/st-giles-hospital-struggles-with-family-rejections\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Shania Shayal Prasad","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"sprasad@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"ShaniaFBCNews ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/shaniya-1-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 5:05 pm","unix_time":1773680700,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T17:05:03+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/St-Giles-Hospital.jpg","content":" Some patients at the St Giles Hospital in Suva have been left behind not because they are untreatable, but because their families no longer want them.<\/p>\n Acting Medical Superintendent Dr Sheetal Singh says their goal is always to treat patients in the least restrictive environment and return them to their families when possible.<\/p>\n Dr Singh reveals that some patients have remained at the hospital for more than 20 years because their families refuse to take them back.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are many times we try to put them back into the community. We try to send them back to the family. But if the family is not supportive, he’s going to have relapse after relapse.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n She explains that without family support, recovery becomes fragile.<\/p>\n Assistant Health Minister Penioni Ravunawa says that successful recovery depends on whether communities are willing to accept them back.<\/p>\n \u201cSo it is important that when the medical professionals try to do their bit in calming the patient down to be able to go back home, the community as a whole must accept them because they are part of them and there’s no other place for them to go to.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Ravunawa says families, villages and communities must understand their responsibility to support and reintegrate patients, as they have nowhere else to go.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 17:11:48","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Some patients at the St Giles Hospital in Suva have been left behind not because they are untreatable, but because their families no longer want them.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771759,"headline":"Judge hands down 13-year sentence in incest case","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/judge-hands-down-13-year-sentence-in-incest-case\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Nikhil Aiyush Kumar","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"nikhil.kumar@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"NikhilFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/nikhil-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 5:03 pm","unix_time":1773680580,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T17:03:04+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Rape.jpg","content":" A man has been sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment for raping his 13-year-old niece in May 2024.<\/p>\n The court heard that while the victim was assisting her uncle with farm work, he led her to a secluded area under a tree.<\/p>\n Armed with a cane knife, the 58-year-old man forced the girl to the ground and sexually assaulted her despite her pleas for him to stop.<\/p>\n He then threatened her with consequences if she revealed what had happened.<\/p>\n The matter came to light in July 2024 when the victim, a Class 8 student, confided in a classmate.<\/p>\n The information was relayed to a teacher and the head of the school, who subsequently reported the incident to the Nakasi Police Station.<\/p>\n High Court Judge Justice Pita Bulamainaivalu, while sentencing the man, stated that it was an incestuous and heinous rape of a vulnerable teenager.<\/p>\n Justice Bulamainaivalu said the man had acted opportunistically and atrociously by raping his niece at her most vulnerable moment while she was alone and assisting him on the farm.<\/p>\n The Judge added that the act has undoubtedly caused the victim emotional and psychological trauma.<\/p>\n The man will serve 13 years behind bars with a non-parole period of 12 years.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 17:12:50","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" A man has been sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment for raping his 13-year-old niece in May 2024.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771763,"headline":"Hundreds benefit from business support program","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/hundreds-benefit-from-business-support-program\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Riya Bhagwan","title":"Multimedia Journalist West","email":"riya.bhagwan@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"rbhagwan@fbcnews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Riya-Bhagwan-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 5:00 pm","unix_time":1773680400,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T17:00:13+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sashi-kiran22.jpg","content":" Close to 160 people have already benefited from the Ministry of Women and Children\u2019s income generation assistance pilot program, with over 100 additional individuals anticipated to be assisted in the near future.<\/p>\n Minister Sashi Kiran says the program is designed to empower vulnerable Fijians, including people with disabilities, single mothers, and caregivers of children with disabilities.<\/p>\n Kiran says before receiving their business packages, all participants undergo training to equip them with the skills needed to successfully start or grow their small businesses.<\/p>\n \u201cThese people have gone through business training, they have been monitored for six months in the way they have been operating, their way of life, before they are given the tools and they will continue to be monitored regularly with the officer for another six months.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The minister adds that the pilot program also connects participants with other government departments to strengthen support networks and provide guidance on business management and growth.<\/p>\n Since its launch last year, the program has not only helped individuals start or expand their businesses but also encouraged community development and economic resilience.<\/p>\n Kiran says the ministry plans to expand the program further and analyse its effectiveness.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 17:49:50","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Close to 160 people have already benefited from the Ministry of Women and Children\u2019s income generation assistance pilot program, with over 100 additional individuals anticipated to be assisted in the near future.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771753,"headline":"Ten Solomon Islands Cabinet Ministers resign","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/ten-solomon-islands-cabinet-ministers-resign\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Apenisa Waqairadovu","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"awaqairadovu@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"ApenisaFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Apenisa-1-1-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 4:00 pm","unix_time":1773676800,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T16:00:29+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PM-Manele-in-Cabinet-room.jpg","content":" Ten Cabinet Ministers in the Solomon Islands have tendered their resignations.<\/p>\n This has been confirmed by Solomon Islands Prime Minister\u00a0Jeremiah Manele.<\/p>\n The Prime Minister says he has received formal advice from the Governor-General confirming the resignations, including that of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Aviation and Communications\u00a0Fredrick Kologeto.<\/p>\n Also resigning are Minister for Health and Medical Services\u00a0Paul Bosawai, Minister for Justice and Legal Affairs\u00a0Clezy Rore, Minister for Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration\u00a0Harry Kuma, Minister for Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification\u00a0Derick Manuari, Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology\u00a0Wayne Ghemu, Minister for Public Service\u00a0Francis Sade, Minister for Rural Development\u00a0Daniel Waneoroa, Minister for Traditional Governance, Peace and Ecclesiastical Affairs\u00a0Stephen Kumi, and Minister for Agriculture and Livestock\u00a0Franklyn Wasi.<\/p>\n Prime Minister Manele has called on public servants across government ministries and agencies to remain focused on their responsibilities and continue delivering essential services to the people of the\u00a0Solomon Islands.<\/p>\n He has also urged the public to remain calm while political leaders work through the current developments.<\/p>\n \u201cFor now, the priority is for the public service to continue its important work while political leaders engage to resolve the issues before us. It is too early to speculate on any outcome, and we will continue to keep the public informed as developments unfold,\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n Manele says the Solomon Islands Constitution provides clear democratic processes for dealing with political situations, and these processes will be respected as Members of Parliament continue discussions.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Manele has not elaborated further on what caused this mass resignation.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Manele has not elaborated on what led to the mass resignation.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 16:58:40","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Ten Cabinet Ministers in the Solomon Islands have tendered their resignations.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771732,"headline":"Police probe Kinoya Church sacrilege","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/police-probe-kinoya-church-sacrilege\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Nikhil Aiyush Kumar","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"nikhil.kumar@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"NikhilFBCNews","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/nikhil-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 2:56 pm","unix_time":1773672960,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T14:56:56+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Police.gif","content":" Officers are conducting house-to-house enquiries in relation to an alleged sacrilege at an Assemblies of God Church in Kinoya.<\/p>\n A report of the alleged incident was received at the Valelevu Police Station after nine this morning, after the break-in was discovered by a senior church official.<\/p>\n Officers from the K9 and Crime Scene Investigations unit were deployed to the scene, with officers also looking at CCTV capabilities in the area.<\/p>\n The investigation continues.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 14:56:56","section":"Crime","section_id":49,"excerpt":" Officers are conducting house-to-house enquiries in relation to an alleged sacrilege at an Assemblies of God Church in Kinoya.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771733,"headline":"Fijian man pleads guilty to brutal Sydney murder","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/fijian-man-pleads-guilty-to-brutal-sydney-murder\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Josefa Sigavolavola ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"josefa.sigavolavola@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/josefa-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 2:53 pm","unix_time":1773672780,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T14:53:44+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Jeremaia-Tuwai.png","content":" Fiji citizen Jeremaia Tuwai, has pleaded guilty to the brutal murder of his partner, Nunia Kurualeba, in Sydney’s west following a pattern of domestic violence and chilling death threats.<\/p>\n The court heard that in the weeks leading up to the July 2024 killing, Tuwai repeatedly told the 21-year-old victim, \u201cOne day, I will kill you.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The day before the murder, he sent her a text message telling her to \u201cstart saying goodbye to your family.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The fatal incident occurred when Kurualeba returned to their Kingswood unit to collect her belongings to return to Fiji.<\/p>\n Despite her attempts to flee, Tuwai dragged her into a bedroom and stabbed her with a knife he had hidden under a pillow.<\/p>\n Prosecutors described the relationship as volatile and marked by Tuwai’s “anger and jealousy.”<\/em><\/p>\n The 22-year-old man told police he “wanted to end her life” because he was unwilling to accept her future without him.<\/p>\n Kurualeba\u2019s family shared their profound grief during the sentencing hearing, describing the “sleepless nights” and “nightmares”<\/em> that have haunted them since her violent death.<\/p>\n Tuwai is scheduled to be sentenced in an Australian court on March 20.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 15:06:12","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Fiji citizen Jeremaia Tuwai, has pleaded guilty to the brutal murder of his partner, Nunia Kurualeba, in Sydney’s west following a pattern of domestic violence and chilling death threats.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771734,"headline":"Stolen vehicle with government plates used in robberies","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/stolen-vehicle-with-government-plates-used-in-robberies\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Mollyn Nakabea","title":"News Journalist","email":"fbcnews@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 2:50 pm","unix_time":1773672600,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T14:50:45+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/police-1-1.png","content":" Investigations are underway into two aggravated robberies in Suva and Samabula involving a getaway vehicle fitted with government number plates.<\/p>\n The vehicle was reported stolen from Delainavesi this morning and subsequently used in both crimes.<\/p>\n The first robbery occurred at a hotel on Waimanu Road, where cash and liquor were taken.<\/p>\n The second targeted a private contracting company in Samabula, though officials are still determining what was stolen.<\/p>\n Joint teams are working to locate the vehicle and the suspects.<\/p>\n A separate investigation is also looking into how the perpetrators obtained the government number plates.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 15:04:39","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Investigations are underway into two aggravated robberies in Suva and Samabula involving a getaway vehicle fitted with government number plates.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771710,"headline":"PM links recycling to jobs and a cleaner Fiji","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/pm-links-recycling-to-jobs-and-a-cleaner-fiji\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Litia Cava ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"lcava@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"lcava@fbcnews ","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/litia.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 1:00 pm","unix_time":1773666000,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T13:00:16+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PM-VAKA.png","content":" Fiji must change how it handles waste, says Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.<\/p>\n He warned that poor waste management threatens public health, the environment and key industries like tourism.<\/p>\n Speaking at the VAKA Forum hosted by the Pacific Recycling Foundation in Suva, Rabuka said waste should be treated as recyclable material, not rubbish.<\/p>\n \u201cWe must address waste management in collaboration right across our society with other sectors. The government must provide a policy framework and leadership. Businesses must recognize that every product placed in the local market carries an environmental responsibility.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The government is developing a national waste management strategy that aims to reduce waste, increase recycling and improve disposal systems.<\/p>\n He said the Amendments to the Litter Act of Fiji are being prepared by the Ministry of Environment and will be tabled in Parliament to improve enforcement and accountability.<\/p>\n Rabuka said container-deposit regulations was also planned.<\/p>\n Beverage containers will carry a refundable deposit and consumers can reclaim it when bottles are returned to collection points.<\/p>\n The Prime Minister also acknowledged the work of grassroots recyclers and community groups.<\/p>\n Rabuka said the VAKA Forum, which stands for Voices, Alliances, Knowledge and Action, connects policymakers with grassroots recyclers.<\/p>\n Pacific Recycling Foundation Founder Amitesh Deo said the forum allows grassroots voices to share solutions that combine environmental justice, social equity and economic opportunities.<\/p>\n \u201cOur discussions today are not just going to be around the journey that we have taken; it\u2019s not a reflection only, but what we want to present today here to the group is a solution based on lived experiences.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Deo said that the solution model being presented was based on research. It can be tested as a sustainable business model and help communities address Fiji\u2019s waste challenges.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 14:06:21","section":"News","section_id":1,"excerpt":" Fiji must change how it handles waste, says Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"},{"id":771711,"headline":"345 new nursing interns inducted into Health Ministry","url":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/news\/345-new-nursing-interns-inducted-into-health-ministry\/","alternative_byline":null,"featured_byline":{"scalar":"","name":"Josefa Sigavolavola ","title":"Multimedia Journalist","email":"josefa.sigavolavola@fbc.com.fj","twitter":"","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/josefa-200x200.jpg"},"dateline":"March 16, 2026 12:58 pm","unix_time":1773665880,"iso_time":"2026-03-16T12:58:03+12:00","image":"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Fiji-Nurses.jpg","content":" Three hundred and forty-five new nurses joined the health workforce today following the 2026 Nursing Intern Induction Programme in Lami.<\/p>\n The induction ceremony welcomed graduates from across all nursing schools, including the Fiji National University, Sangam College of Nursing and the University of Fiji.<\/p>\n Acting Permanent Secretary for Health Dr Luisa Rauto congratulated the graduates and welcomed them as the newest members of the country\u2019s health system.<\/p>\n “To our 345 new nurses, the Ministry looks to you with great hope. You are the next generation. You are the strength of our healthcare workforce, and you represent hope for the people we serve. Your dedication will be critical as we work to build a stronger, healthier Fiji for all.”<\/em><\/p>\n She reminded the new nurses that they now carry the responsibility of serving communities, including hospitals, health centres and remote nursing stations.<\/p>\n Dr Rauto also encouraged the interns to approach their first postings with a spirit of service, especially when deployed to rural and maritime communities where nurses are often the first point of contact for healthcare.<\/p>\n “Our Ministry has a simple yet powerful vision. A healthy population. Our mission is to deliver high-quality healthcare to every Fijian. And you, the nurses who will work in our hospitals, health centres and remote nursing stations, are the heart of that mission. You are the ones who will bring this vision to life.”<\/em><\/p>\n Following today’s induction, the interns will now begin their placements across various health facilities around the country as part of their transition into the national health workforce.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 13:10:03","section":"Health","section_id":51,"excerpt":" Three hundred and forty-five new nurses joined the health workforce today following the 2026 Nursing Intern Induction Programme in Lami.<\/p>","video_loop":"","video_story":"","api_version":"1.0.1","content_type":"story"}]}
\nCreate a poster from your own experiences showing us what a safe and equal world for girls looks like.<\/p>\n
\nWhat does “Balance the Scales” mean in your Fiji community, and what one action can young people take based on local challenges to make girls safer and stronger?<\/p>\n
\nBased on real barriers you have seen in Fiji schools and society, how can learning programmes break discrimination, build rights awareness, and ensure justice access for women to balance the scales?<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.fbcnews.com.fj\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Westpac-Fiji-Senior-Relationship-Manager-for-CCB-Priti-Archana-hands-Avisha-Narayan-her-certificate-of-recognition-last-year-at-the-Lautoka-branch.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-16 11:14:17","section":"Business","section_id":48,"excerpt":"
\nCaptain \u200cAriana \u2060G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington.
\nTechnical Sergeant Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky.<\/p>\n
\nCaptain Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio.
\nTechnical Sergeant Tyler H. Simmons, 28, \u2060of \u200bColumbus, Ohio.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-15 17:28:21","section":"World","section_id":3,"excerpt":"
\n“People want to turn the page and they want to turn it with \u200bus,” Perpignan’s RN mayor Louis Aliot told Reuters.<\/p>\n","mobile_options":{"card_style":"default-1","bar":"foo"},"topics":{"Coronavirus":91,"Something Else":43},"modified":"2026-03-15 16:07:13","section":"World","section_id":3,"excerpt":"