Fiji

Tropical Cyclone Winston has begun its assault on Fiji. It is being described as one of the most powerful in recorded history - a Category 5 cyclone with winds approaching 300 kilometres an hour. As a nation, we are facing an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We must stick together as a people and look after each other. Be alert and be prepared.

Right now, Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama is being briefed on the situation and Fiji’s preparedness and shelter for its citizens.

Veteran journalist and PACNEWS Manager, Makareta Komai told LOOP PNG this morning the country is lock down mode as the Government through the National Disaster Management Council urges people to secure their homes as TC Winston enters its waters.

“Flights and shipping services have been suspended. Fiji Airways has cancelled all its flights until the weather clears,’’ Komai said.

This means that it has average winds of up to 205 kilometres per hour to 285 kilometres per hour.

The Nadi Weather Office says the eye of the cyclone was located 130 kilometres North-Northeast of Lakeba in the Lau Group at 7am today.

Fijivillage has received confirmation that Cyclone Winston is currently passing over Vanuabalavu.

Parshin, who heads the ministry’s Main Missile and Artillery Directorate (GRAU), took part in a ceremony in the republic’s capital Suva on Tuesday to hand over a batch of Russian small arms and munitions for Fiji’s peacekeepers.

The official dismissed recent media reports that Russia’s seeks to expand military presence in the Asia-Pacific region and Moscow’s s next step could be searching for a submarine fleet support base in the southern Pacific Ocean.

Reporters from Fijivillage spoke to the Turaga Ni Koro, Filipe Colati, on Ono-i-Lau, who said they experienced strong and devastating winds late last night.

He said the winds were stronger than Cyclone Ula and that five houses have been destroyed in Dakuni village.

Mr Colati said there was also extreme damage to vegetation.

The cyclone was downgraded to a category two on Monday afternoon as it moved towards Fiji's southern Lau group, but Misaeli Funaki, a forecaster at the Fiji Meteorological Service, said the storm still had damaging winds as high as 155 kilometres an hour.

In the first week of January Cyclone Ula crossed the Lau group causing minor damage.

The Director of Meteorology said Cyclone Winston, lying to the south, was expected to turn towards Fiji waters after initially tracking southeast away from Vanuatu.

In the first week of January Cyclone Ula crossed the Lau group causing minor damage.

The Director of Meteorology said Cyclone Winston, lying to the south, was expected to turn towards Fiji waters after initially tracking southeast away from Vanuatu.

A shipment of 20 containers arrived in Suva last month containing weapons worth US$8.8 million, and yesterday, defence minister Timoci Natuva said his government was negotiating for a second.

Both Suva and Moscow insist the weapons, which include small arms, ammunition, and vehicles, are for Fiji's United Nations peacekeepers who operate in volatile areas like the Golan Heights and Sinai.

Last week, the party was suspended by the supervisor of elections, Mohammed Saneem, for 30 days over apparent concerns about the auditing of the party's accounts.

The Speaker of Parliament, Jiko Luveni, then followed that by suspending the party's three MPs from parliament, apparently on advice from the Solicitor General's office.