NZ woman drowns in New Caledonia
A New Zealand hiker has drowned in a swollen New Caledonian river.
The woman reportedly slipped trying to cross the river Bleue and was carried away.
Her companion raised the alarm, with police and firefighters from Mont-Dore launching a search.
A helicopter was deployed in the operation, and her body was found.
Trial date set for two Swedish men in French Polynesia.
The criminal court in French Polynesia has set November 17 as the trial date for two Swedish men suspected of drug smuggling.
Last month, their yacht was intercepted in Tahiti and customs officials found 423 kilograms of cocaine on board.
They were reportedly sailing from Panama to Australia.
The prosecution said it needs more time to examine the electronic devices found on board.
One of the men is in detention, while the other is free but subject to controls.
If convicted, they risk jail sentences of up to ten years and fines of nearly $US10 million.
Anthony trial in Fiji vacated
The trial against Fiji Trades Union Congress General Secretary Felix Anthony has been vacated.
FBC News reports the case is in relation to the termination of the Water Authority of Fiji workers in April 2019.
This matter was called before Magistrate Indula Ratnayake in the Suva Magistrates Court.
The prosecutor made an application to vacate the hearing on the grounds that the key witnesses are not present.
Defence counsel Filimoni Vosarogo did not object to this application but has asked the prosecution to confirm the available dates.
He said his client has a busy schedule and will travel abroad next month.
The counsel also asked if Anthony's presence could be excused if the hearing is set on a date when his client is overseas.
The case has been adjourned to December 5th.
Fritch hopes China will relaunch tourism engagement in French Polynesia
The French Polynesian president Edouard Fritch has told the new Chinese consul he hopes China will relaunch its tourism engagement in the territory.
Consul Lixiao Tian, who replaces Qiong Gong, said China wants to strengthen economic and cultural ties.
In 2014, French Polynesia and China signed an aviation agreement, clearing the way for direct flights between Tahiti and China.
But no regular flights were ever launched although Hainan Airlines had expressed hopes to do so.
In January, the Hainan business conglomerate said it was selling its two hotels on Bora Bora and Moorea to a Hong Kong-based company.
Australia to subsidise Nauru Airlines flight
The Australian government is subsidising twice-weekly flights on Nauru Airlines to help connect the North and South Pacific.
The inaugural Australia-North Pacific Connector landed in Pohnpei earlier this month.
The flight originates in Brisbane and travels to Nauru, Tarawa in Kiribati, Majuro in the Marshall Islands and Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia.
Passengers wishing to travel to Fiji, or other South Pacific islands via Fiji, can depart from Nauru to Fiji on a separate flight.
The route has been advocated for on behalf of president Federated States of Micronesia president David Panuelo and the other members of the Micronesian President's Summit.
American Samoa sets up a youth council
American Samoa's governor Lemanu Mauga has established the governor's Youth Council, which he said is to act as a voice for the territory's youth to the American Samoa Government.
The governor created the Youth Council through an executive order, which sets the membership, as well as its duties and responsibilities.
The membership is selected from among private and public high school students as well as from the American Samoa Community College.
The governor said that American Samoa is home to young people who are diligent and passionate about societal issues.
Tahiti court annuls contract with airport company
French Polynesia's administrative court has annulled the contract handing over the running of the international airport in Tahiti to a French company.
The court approved the challenges by unsuccessful bidders for the contract, a month after the French Civil Aviation Authority announced that Vinci Airports would run the airport for 40 years.
Under the cancelled deal, the French Polynesian government had been given 49 percent of the shares.
Vinci Airports, which runs 53 airports globally, is based near Paris.
CCISM, one of the challengers, hopes fresh tenders will be called for the running of the airport.
CNMI tourism arrivals increase
The CNMI posted a 646 percent rise in visitor arrivals to 8,256 visitors in September.
Sunset as viewed from Saipan, the main island of the Northern Marianas. Photo: RNZI / Mark Rabago
The Marianas Visitors Authority said in fiscal year 2022 ending in September, nearly 70,000 visitors had come to the Marianas, compared to 5,265 visitors the year before.
Despite all the positive news, the authority cautioned that September's figure is about one-third the number of average monthly arrivals prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
But it still marks a significant increase in arrivals since the implementation of the Tourism Resumption Investment Plan.
The plan was awarded the 2022 Pacific Asia Travel Association Gold Award for Destination Resilience (Global) on October 7th.
The authority is now looking at further expanding the plan to other markets as more destinations ease travel restrictions and travel demand continues to increase.