Author: TMC Palau
Auckland FC celebrate their OFC Pro League victory over South Melbourne. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport Auckland FC made it a triple celebration, as the OFC Pro League – the Oceania Football Confederation’s first-ever professional league – wrapped up at Eden Park on Sunday. The home team defeated South Melbourne 2-1 in the final. A Daniel Normann smacker, floated over South Melbourne goalkeeper Javier Diaz Lopez put them up 1-0 in the first half, before substitute Matt Ellis slotted one home in the second. Normann was subsequently named Player of the Match, saying the players had worked hard over the last six…
The Consumer Council of Fiji says the Alternative Dispute Resolution process should be fully managed under its mandate, as it is better placed to handle smaller consumer complaints more efficiently. While presenting its submission to the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission 2023–2024 Annual Report, Chief Executive Seema Shandil says the current system could be improved through a clearer division of responsibilities between agencies. She says the Council’s complaint process is simple, involving receiving complaints, contacting retailers, and mediating to resolve issues before escalation. “As I said, we could put a ceiling or threshold,…
[Source: Fijian Drua/Facebook] The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua fell 19–15 to the Western Force in a tight contest in Perth last night, a result head coach Glen Jackson says came down to one crucial moment in a match his side could have won. Jackson says it was always a difficult assignment away from home, but he was proud of the effort shown by his players despite the season already being effectively decided after results elsewhere ended their finals hopes. He also pointed to a key decision late in the match that denied his side what could have been a decisive…
Force wing Zac Lomax is tackled against Fijian Drua. Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images Robbed. That was how former ‘Flying Fijian’ and world sevens star Waisale Serevi described the Fijian Drua’s 19-15 Super Rugby Pacific loss to Western Force in Perth on Saturday night. Serevi asserted Mac Grealy’s final pass for Zac Lomax’s try in the corner was way forward, and should have been reviewed by referee Paul Williams and video official Aaron Paterson. TV commentators even said they could not believe how the late Force try was allowed, when they reviewed on screen. Grealy was on the five-metre mark when…
[Source: Reuters] At least 86 children have died from confirmed measles infections in Bangladesh this year, and another 426 with symptoms consistent with the disease, health officials said on Saturday, as the country battles one of its worst outbreaks in decades. Cases have spread rapidly in recent months, overwhelming hospitals and placing severe strain on already fragile healthcare services, particularly in rural districts and densely populated low-income urban areas. Health authorities have identified 62,507 suspected measles cases nationwide as well as 8,494 laboratory-confirmed infections between March 15 and May 23, data from the Directorate General of Health Services showed. Children…
[Source: Reuters] Indian state-owned fuel retailers raised petrol and diesel prices for the third time this month, dealers said on Saturday, as the companies look to recoup losses caused by elevated crude oil prices amid the Iran war. Petrol in New Delhi will cost 0.87 rupees (just under 1 U.S. cent) more at 99.51 rupees a litre, while diesel prices will be raised 0.91 rupees to 92.49 rupees per litre, dealers said. India, the world’s third-largest importer and consumer of oil, was one of the last major economies to raise retail fuel prices after the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran triggered…
[Source: Fijian Drua/Facebook] Swire Shipping Fijian Drua coach Glenn Jackson admits there was frustration over a controversial forward pass during their clash against the Western Force last night, but insisted his side also had opportunities they failed to capitalize on. The Drua fell short 19-15. Jackson was asked about the passage of play after the match, with television replays appearing to show a clear forward pass in the lead-up to a crucial moment for the Force. “I don’t know. TMO, I was very, very with the officials around having a look and you just think it’s common sense at some…
A new community learning center aimed at tackling student dropout rates and improving academic support for rural youth has officially opened in Cuvu, Nadroga. Supported by the Bilo Bar Club, Shangri-La Yanuca Island, Fiji, and community partners, the facility provides a safe learning space for students from Voua and seven villages in the Cuvu district. The initiative directly responds to growing concerns over a lack of after-school academic support for local youth. Operating weekdays from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, the center will serve students in Years 4–8, Years 12–13, and tertiary levels.Article continues after advertisement Services include homework assistance,…
[Source: Reuters] Foreigners seeking to adjust their immigration status in the United States to secure green cards will have to do so from outside the country via the State Department, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said on Friday, in a move criticized by aid groups. USCIS announced the move in a policy memo, which directed officers to consider relevant factors and information on a case-by-case basis when determining whether extraordinary relief is warranted. “An alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply,” said the U.S. Department of…
Britney Spears pleaded guilty to reckless driving involving alcohol and drugs after her March arrest (AP PHOTO) Britney Spears refused to get out of her BMW for about 10 minutes before her driving under the influence arrest in March. When she did, the singing superstar smelled of booze and appeared drunk in field sobriety tests, according to a police report and dashcam video obtained by The Associated Press. “Her speech was rapid and slurred, her gait was unsteady, and she was fidgeting with her fingers,” the report from the California Highway Patrol said. “Her mood changed from confrontational and agitated…