Cyclone Ruby weakens as it passes New Caledonia, a Fiji court rules against a worker's compensation claim, and more.
Trees and objects were knocked down Tuesday evening in New Caledonia's capital Noumea during Tropical Cyclone Ruby. All of New Caledonia has been under a cyclone alert since Monday. Photo: AFP/ Delphine Mayeur, Hans Lucas
Cyclone Ruby weakening
Tropical cyclone Ruby is weakening as it moves past New Caledonia in an east southeast direction.
Winds associated with the cyclone are now about 70km an hour, and forecast to drop further by this evening.
Strong winds and large waves are expected along eastern parts of New Caledonia throughout this morning.
The cyclone formed on Sunday, and people in New Caledonia are advised to stay updated of its progress.
New Zealand's MetService expects the weather system will continue weakening and travelling southeast tomorrow, passing the upper North Island offshore during Thursday afternoon and evening.
Cancer expert warns of risk to Polynesian smokers
A French cancer expert says smoking is a bigger risk factor in French Polynesia than in France.
National Cancer Institute president Norbert Ifrah made the assessment after he visited clinics across the territory as part of a delegation suggested by the French president.
Professor Ifrah called on all Polynesians to seek a medical consultation early if they had any suspicions of illness.
The delegation's assessments were focused on health conditions linked to smoking, and it clarified that it was not covering conditions linked to nuclear weapons tests.
Fiji court rules against worker's claim
Fiji's Employment Relations Court has ruled a former flight attendant cannot claim for compensation after suffering a stroke because her application is time barred.
The woman suffered a stroke while at home on annual leave from Fiji Airways on 17 February 2020. But she did not lodge her claim for compensation until later this year.
The former employee sought to use a rule in the Workmen's Compensation Act allowing up to six years for a claim to be made where an employer has failed to act.
In her ruling on 22 October, Justice Anjala Wati said the airline could only have known the staff member was treating the stroke as arising out of and in the course of employment if they had received proper notice under section 13 of the Act - within the required 12 month period.
If the airline was aware, Justice Wati said it would have had to act under section 14, and the permanent secretary then would have had to bring the claim within 12 months of the accident.
"The employee cannot rely on section 14 in this instance as she did not fulfil her obligations for [section 14] obligation on the employer to kick in.
Justice Wati chose not to award costs against the worker, "given her health constraints and also given the fact that she is now unemployed."