News

Research grant focuses on oceans health, management

Participants at the One Ocean Hub inception phase regional workshop in Suva this week. Picture: SUPPLIED/USP MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS By WANSOLWARA STAFF The University of the South Pacific has joined the global fight to keep our oceans healthy and sustainable after receiving an initial grant of GBP1.6million ($F4.42m) to lead key areas of research that would address the urgent challenges of oceans law, science and governance. USP was recently awarded the grant under the One Ocean Hub programme, an ambitious GBP22m ($F60.83m) five-year  project funded by the UK Research and Innovation’s Global Challenges Research (UKRI) Fund. This week, the University…

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Pacific climate expert warns of detrimental impact to ecosystems, resources

From left: Dr Helene Jacot Des Combe, Dr Morgan Wairiu, Professor Elisabeth Holland and Ms Diana Salili are authors in the current IPCC reporting cycle. Picture: SUPPLIED/USP By JOPE TARAI The threat of rising global temperatures on Pacific ecosystems is not only a scientific analysis but a reality for many people in the region, with a Pacific climate change expert warning that the current aggregate emissions reductions by countries are inadequate. Dr Morgan Wairiu, the deputy director at USP’s Pacific Centre for Environment & Sustainable Development, said the Pacific would effectively lose its ecosystems and resources at current emission levels,…

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USP head sets focus, promotes ‘vuvale’ concept

By WANSOLWARA STAFF The University of the South Pacific will continue to build on its success over the past 50 years as the region’s top institution for higher learning takes on a new direction under the leadership of newly-appointed vice-chancellor and president, Professor Pal Ahluwalia. Prof Ahluwalia made the commitment during his first meeting with members of the media recently at USP’s Laucala campus in Suva, in which he shared his vision and plans for the university. “When I was offered this job, I felt it was the job for me because I strongly believe the Pacific is where the…

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Radio Pasifik launches online livestream

By WANSOLWARA STAFF The University of the South Pacific’s community broadcast radio station, Radio Pasifik, reached a milestone this week after launching its online live stream at Laucala campus in Suva. Radio Pasifik manager Allan Stevens, who took over reigns in December 2017 after spending more than nine years as the program director of FBC’s 2dayFM, told Wansolwara one of the biggest long-term plans was improving their reach and quality of broadcasts. “We wanted to strengthen our signal to reach across Fiji as well as reach out to the region via live streaming on the internet,” he said. “Our short-term…

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Australia commits $A84m to tertiary education needs

By GERALDINE PANAPASA, Wansolwara The Australian Government has committed $A84 million ($F126.7m) to the new Australia-University of the South Pacific Partnership, aimed at supporting efforts to meet the tertiary education needs of the Pacific over six years. The announcement was made by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who arrived in the country yesterday for a two-day official visit. Mr Morrison said the partnership would also support the Pacific to implement its new Regional Education Framework, with a focus on improving the quality of teacher education in the region. During a visit to The University of the South Pacific in Suva…

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Fellowship programme honours veteran journalist

By WANSOLWARA/VANUATU DAILY POST Aspiring ni-Vanuatu journalists now have the chance to upskill their practical professional training after Trading Post Limited launched the first annual Jonas Cullwick Memorial Fellowship programme. Trading Post Ltd, a company which publishes the Vanuatu Daily Post and produces the Vanuatu Nightly News Broadcast throughout Melanesia, said the annual cadetship programme would provide career-track employment for young ni-Vanuatu people who aspire to a career in journalism. The fellowship for recent graduates beginning their journalism career was designed to preserve the journalistic legacy of Jonas Cullwick, an established journalist with more than 40 years’ experience in the…

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Bainimarama maintains strong lead in provisional tally, 618 stations yet to be counted

The National Results Centre has been releasing provisional results from votes cast at 2170 polling venues. Picture: web.facebook.com/FijianGovernment/photos/   Provisional results by candidates released by the Fijian Elections Office after 1552 out of 2170 stations were counted at the National Results Centre in Suva as of 5.50am on November 15, 2018. Picture: WANSOLWARA   By WANSOLWARA STAFF Voreqe Bainimarama has maintained a very strong lead ahead, polling 140,631 votes from 1552 of 2170 stations being counted at the National Results Centre in Suva as of 5.50am today. Sitiveni Rabuka has so far raked in 65,650 votes followed by Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum…

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23 polling venues close, 7852 voters affected

Voters turned up to cast their votes at Nabitu District School in Tailevu today. A number of polling venues have been closed as a result of adverse weather. Picture: MEREONI MILI/WANSOLWARA   By WANSOLWARA STAFF A TOTAL of 7852 voters at more than 20 polling stations will cast their votes at a later date after the Electoral Commission in consultation with the Fijian Elections Office closed 23 polling venues effective immediately as a result of adverse weather. In a statement after 3pm today, Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem said the Fijian Elections Office received information from presiding officers on the…

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Heavy rain expected on polling day, public transport for voters

Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem, left, and Media Industry Development Authority chairman Ashwin Raj (middle) during a press conference at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva yesterday. Picture: MEREONI MILI   By MEREONI MILI and LAISEANA NASIGA Get your umbrellas out on polling day as a heavy rain warning remains in force for the Southern and Eastern parts of Viti Levu. And according to the weather office, localised heavy falls may lead to flash flooding in low-lying areas. During a press conference yesterday, Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem also encouraged voters to prepare for the bad weather predicted on polling day.…

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Court clears Rabuka for election, FICAC appeal dismissed

A media scrum at the Fiji High Court 2 yesterday for FICAC's unsuccessful appeal against the acquittal of political leader Sitiveni Rabuka on a false declaration of assets charge. Picture: Sri Krishnamurthi/PMC/WANSOLWARA   By SRI KRISHNAMURTHI  (Pacific Media Centre/Wansolwara) - In a dramatic afternoon, more than 1000 people sang Fijian songs of jubilation as Chief-Justice Anthony Gates dismissed the appeal by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) against former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. In a jam-packed High Court 2, Chief Justice Gates said Magistrate Jioji Boseiwaqa was correct to have dismissed the original charges against Rabuka of providing a…

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