New Caledonia's President Louis Mapou speaks to local media Photo: NC la Première
WARNING: This story contains images that may be disturbing and distressing for readers.
Delayed French "nickel pact"
The signing of a "nickel pact" to salvage New Caledonia's embattled industry will not be signed by the end of March, as initially announced by French economy minister Bruno Le Maire.
Le Maire had hinted at the date of 25 March, but New Caledonia's government President Louis Mapou now wants to have his Congress's endorsement before he signs anything.
The Congress is scheduled to put the French pact (worth hundreds of millions of Euro) to the debate on 3 April.
The pact is supposed to bail out New Caledonia's nickel industry players from a grave crisis, caused by the current state of the world nickel offer and the predominance of Indonesia which produces much cheaper nickel in large quantities.
The proposed aid agreement, however, has strings attached: in return, New Caledonia's nickel industry must undertake a far-reaching reform plan to increase its attractivity and decrease its production costs.
Nouméa-based French patrol vessel in Operation Rai Balang 24 in Papua New Guinea
Nouméa-based French patrol vessel Auguste Bénébig took part in Operation Rai Balang 24 in Papua New Guinea Photo: French Navy
The Nouméa-based French patrol vessel Auguste Bénébig has earlier this month been part of a regional exercise codenamed "Operation Rai Balang 24" in Papua New Guinea, the French Defence ministry said in a release.
Rai Balang refers to a fishing policing exercise, organised under the authority of the Pacific Island Forum's Fisheries Agency (FFA).
The manoeuvres consist in patrolling regional countries' Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) in search of possible vessels practising illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing.
This year, in PNG, from 4 to 15 March 2024, participating vessels (from the Pacific Quadrilateral defence coordination group, consisting of France, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States) have covered an operational zone of over 13 million square kilometres, the same sources said.
The patrol vessel Auguste Bénébig also served as a base for remote control piloting exercises for its newly embarked aerial surveillance drones.
Cybercrime Pacific police staff training in New Caledonia
Certificates ceremony end cybercrime Pacific police staff training in New Caledonia Photo: French High Commission in New Caledonia
A regional awareness session on cybercrime has been held recently in Nouméa.
The session was particularly aimed at sensitising students and training regional police forces on cybercrime-related investigations.
It comes under a "Cyber Safety Pasifika" programme conducted by the Australian Federal Police, as a member of the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP).
The PICP group includes most of the Pacific Islands police forces.
During this session (18-22 March), the group of some thirty participants included police forces from New Caledonia, Fiji, Vanuatu, Nauru, Kiribati, and olomon Islands, as well as two agents from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Trainers also included nine agents from Australia and one from New Zealand.
Two Australian tourists assaulted in Papeete
Two Australian tourists assaulted in Papeete makes headlines in Tahiti Photo: Screen shot Polynésie la Première
French Polynesia's tourism industry is in damage control mode since two Australian tourists were violently assaulted last weekend in central Papeete.
Circumstances of the alleged assault were discussed earlier this week at the Papeete Court House.
It has since transpired that the two alleged victims were coming out of a nightclub when the alleged assault took place.
The two sustained serious injuries and had to be transported to the local hospital which diagnosed broken ribs, nose, and ribs.
Both plaintiffs, in their fifties, have chosen to bring the matter before a local tribunal and have therefore decided to extend their stay in French Polynesia until 3 April, local media reported.
During preliminary court hearings earlier this week, it was revealed that the aggressors were a group of five young men with no previous criminal convictions.
The main suspect, aged 23, told the judge they had decided to follow the two Australians and rob them.
Hearings are due to resume on 23 April.
Teahupoo new aluminium judges' tower ready ahead of schedule
The new aluminium judges' tower at Teahupoo Photo: Screenshot Instagram - Tim McKenna
The final stages of the new aluminium judges tower at Teahupoo in Tahiti, which will host the surfing events of the Paris 2024 Olympics in late July, are now completed.
The tower had been at the centre of an ongoing controversy, because of the feared environmental damage of such a construction on the coral reef and protests by local associations.
This forced Olympic organising committee and local authorities to revise the initial tower project and submit new plans for a leaner, lighter building that would have a minimal impact on the local environment.
The final touch, the roof, is supposed to be completed by the end of this week.
Then would come connections to the internet via a cable and air-conditioning works for the servers supposed to process the signal for broadcasting purposes.
The tower would be put to its first real-life test in May (22-31), during the World Surfing League annual event in Teahupoo.