The Pacific is no longer just a transit point for illicit drugs and organised crime.

A three-party Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB), the iTaukei Trust Fund Board (TTFB), and Tokatoka Sawaieke of Viseisei, Vuda, to explore a major mixed-use commercial development in Lautoka.

Close to 220 tourists from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Singapore are in Fiji this week for the Ocean Swim Fiji recreational open-water swimming event, contributing to both tourism revenue and community support initiatives.

A staggering 17 tonnes of illicit drugs, mostly cocaine, have already been seized across the Pacific in just the first five months of this year, raising alarm among regional law enforcement agencies over the rapidly escalating drug trade in Pacific waters.

Transnational organised crime and illicit drug trafficking are escalating across the Pacific, with law enforcement leaders warning that the region is facing a coordinated and growing security threat.

Fiji Teachers Union says Fiji is “exporting teachers” to Australia and New Zealand as low salaries and rising living costs continue to push educators overseas.

The Consumer Council of Fiji has raised concerns that certain supply patterns in the retail market may be influencing the availability of essential goods, leaving consumers with fewer affordable options.

The outsourcing industry is shifting beyond urban centres as companies decentralise operations across the Western Division and other regions to mitigate risk and unlock new growth.

President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu has formally received the diplomatic credentials of the new Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Fiji, His Excellency Kwon Young-Seup, at the State House in Suva.

Fiji’s fuel supply remains stable, with current stock levels and scheduled shipments expected to sustain normal operations through May and June, according to authorities.

Three people have been charged in connection with the alleged murder of a 38-year-old man in Wairabetia, Lautoka, bringing the total number of accused to four.

The Fiji Development Bank has strengthened its investment portfolio with the acquisition of Tanoa Apartments, in a strategic move aimed at boosting long-term income generation and supporting national development priorities.