Author: TMC Palau
National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad says he has formally requested an increase in the cane delivery payment from $42 to $45 per tonne to provide greater support to sugarcane farmers facing rising costs. Speaking at the NFP Working Committee meeting in Ra, Prasad revealed that he wrote to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and the Minister for Sugar on June 1 seeking an additional top-up of $10.56 per tonne for cane delivery payments. Prasad says the government had already increased the delivery payment by $7.56 per tonne to bring it to $42 per tonne, but further assistance is needed…
Twelve police officers are under investigation following the death of Sakiasi Osea Radravu. The Fiji Police Force says an internal investigation will continue into the conduct of the officers involved in a raid linked to an alleged burglary case, citing failures to adhere to established processes and procedures. Police confirmed that a post-mortem examination conducted on Saturday found Mr Radravu’s death was linked to a pre-existing medical condition. Immediate family members were present for the formal identification process and were briefed on the findings following the examination.Article continues after advertisement Investigations have confirmed that Mr Radravu was taken to Valelevu…
[Source: AP] Taylor Swift’s new song for the Disney and Pixar’s forthcoming “Toy Story 5” film is here. On Saturday, Swift released “I Knew It, I Knew You,” a bit of a return to country music for the performer who first made a name for herself in the Nashville music scene before taking over the world. Here’s everything you need to know about “I Knew It, I Knew You.” Swift doesn’t sing with a familiar twang on “I Knew It, I Knew You,” but no matter — the song features some elements inextricable from the country genre: Live instrumentation, plucky…
A Nadi businessman has been charged by Police over the alleged importation of more than 2.6 tonnes of cocaine into Fiji. The Fiji Police Force confirms the charges were laid following consultations with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the major cocaine seizure at Vatia earlier this year. The accused faces one count of Unlawful Importation of Illicit Drugs, one count of Unlawful Possession of Illicit Drugs and one count of Possession of Properties Suspected of Being Proceeds of Crime. Police allege that between November 1, 2025 and January 15, 2026, the businessman and others…
[Source: Reuters] Soaring jet fuel prices driven by conflict in the Middle East are likely to push more airlines into bankruptcy and spur more sector consolidation this year and next, the head of the global airline body said on Saturday. Global airlines are grappling with higher fuel costs driven by the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran, which has choked jet fuel supplies and disrupted key air corridors, forcing costly detours. Budget carriers have been among the hardest hit, lacking higher margin revenue streams such as premium cabins, high-paying travelers and credit card loyalty programs. The strain is already showing:…
[Photo: FILE] Sugarcane farmers in Ba say they will not harvest cane this season if their demand to revise the forecast cane price is not met. The issue was raised during a National Farmers Union meeting held in Ba today, with the $57.40 per tonne forecast price at the forefront of their concerns. Farmers say current returns are not enough to cover rising harvesting and transport costs, making cane farming financially unsustainable. They say the existing delivery payment forces growers to pay production costs from their own pockets.Article continues after advertisement Pushpram Sharma, a farmer who attended the meeting, said…
[Source: Reuters] In April, Travis Arcamone was named flight attendant of the year at Spirit Airlines’ Orlando, Florida, base. A month later, he was out of a job, after the company failed to find a way out of a second bankruptcy and collapsed in early May. Spirit’s demise has left thousands of employees scrambling for work in an industry where getting rehired can take months. Many airlines have a set number of pilots and flight attendants they intend to hire each year and have already recruited for the peak summer travel season.Article continues after advertisement More broadly, the industry is…
On the afternoon of June 6 (afternoon of the same day Taipei time), Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao and her delegation arrived at Palau International Airport after a flight of approximately four hours. Upon their arrival, Vice President Raynold Oilouch of the Republic of Palau and Ambassador to Palau Andy Kang-I Chen (陳剛毅) boarded the plane to welcome Vice President Hsiao. An airport welcome ceremony followed, beginning with Palauan youth sounding conch shells in greeting. Vice President Hsiao was presented with a flower garland by a Palauan representative and saluted by a police honor guard. Accompanied by Vice President Oilouch, she…
[Source: Reuters] Global airline chiefs open their annual summit in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday facing a sharper test of the industry’s post-pandemic recovery, as the Iran war drives up fuel costs and disrupts airspace while carriers try to cushion the blow with higher fares and tighter capacity. The June 6-8 annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) comes as that fuel shock collides with another problem airlines cannot quickly fix: a shortage of new aircraft. Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab and Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab delivery delays have forced many carriers to keep older, less fuel-efficient…
[Source: Reuters] A Los Angeles jury on Saturday sided with Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N), opens new tab in a lawsuit by the families of three women who alleged that the company’s talc products caused ovarian cancer, finding that J&J was not negligent when selling cosmetic talc products. The lawsuit was filed by the families of Mary Owens, Bonnie Tienken and Geneva Williams, who each died of ovarian cancer after using talc-based baby powder. More than 67,000 plaintiffs have sued J&J, alleging that its baby powder and other talc products cause ovarian cancer. J&J has won some cases outright, including an…