Pacific leaders’ troika begins New Caledonia fact-finding mission

Pacific Islands Forum troika delegation visits New Caledonia’s Congress President Veylma Falaéo as part of fact-finding mission. Photo: RRB The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders' troika, along with the Fiji's prime minister, touched down in New...

New Caledonia: Pragmatism 3, Nationalism 0

This gives rise to much performative outrage in post-colonial countries that need grievances to bring pressure on the world’s richest countries. That’s only fair: the post-colonial countries are mostly poor, whereas the old imperial powers are...

Cruise ships are set to arrive in New Caledonia in 17 days – while SmartTraveller warns ” tensions and unrest may increase at short notice”

Ovation of the Seas is set to arrive in New Caledonia in just 17 days, with Carnival Splendor close behind, however, SmartTraveller is still strongly advising against travel to the region. Cruise ship traffic to the country has actually already...

Freight logistics companies consolidate operations

NEPTUNE Pacific Direct Line (NPDL) has announced the consolidation of its Transam and Williams & Gosling’s businesses under the one entity Transam Fiji PTE (formerly known as Williams & Gosling PTE Limited). The two businesses have been rebranded...

Uninhabited Ocean Speck Fuels Debate on Shipping’s False Flags

The issue of false flags continues to grow and promises to take center stage in an upcoming meeting of the IMO Legal Committee scheduled for the last week of April. Citing the dangers and the required steps, France and the Netherlands submitted...

Buffet's announcements receive mixed reactions in New Caledonia

French minister for overseas François-Noël Buffet addresses New Caledonia’s salvage, recovery and refoundation colloquium on 17 October 2024 at the Tjibaou Cultural Centre in Nouméa. Photo: RRB Announcements from France's Minister for Overseas...

World Cup Power Rankings: USMNT outside top 20

With the Gold Cup done and dusted, the 2024-25 international cycle is done and dusted. A year from now we will be in the teeth of the 2026 World Cup knockout stages, so what better time to assess who figures to be in the mix in 365 days time? Ten...

“We are all Pacific islanders, even if New Caledonia is French”

Saipan Tribune will write “30”—or cease operations—on 31 December 2024, according to a statement from the company. “For more than 30 years, the Saipan Tribune has been a proud and reliable source of news for our island community and the Pacific...

New Caledonia: Clashes and one dead in hotbed of independence struggle

It came as the culmination of weeks of heightened tensions. On the morning of Thursday, August 15, a man was killed during clashes with mobile gendarmes in Thio, the cradle of mining activity in New Caledonia, but also a hotbed of the independence...

New Caledonia unrest death toll rises to 11 following clash with gendarmes

French Gendarmerie in Noumea Photo: AFP / Theo Rouby In New Caledonia, violent unrest and clashes between the rioters and law enforcement units have killed one more person. The clashes took place in the small mining town of Thio, generally...

French PM abandons New Caledonia’s contentious voting reform

New Caledonia’s contentious constitutional reform, which triggered violent unrest after a vote in the French National Assembly in May, will not now go ahead according to French Prime Minister Michel Barnier. French Prime Minister Michel Barnier...

New Caledonia: Telecommunication disruptions due to accident-related damage affecting parts of North Province, as of Aug. 22

Forecast models indicate that high temperatures will persist across parts of southern, central, and eastern Brazil through at least Aug. 27. As of late Aug. 21, the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) has issued red heatwave warnings (the...

New Caledonia requests Australian aid for riot rebuild

Smaller atoll islands were heavily impacted by the effects of climate change and assistance was needed for larger islands where there was agricultural land and a population concentrated along the coast, he said.

Overseas Minister buffeted by New Caledonia crisis

The Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) reported improved financial results for the year ending May 31, 2024, with higher revenue and profitability despite challenges, including a decline in cane production. The FSC says there was a 15% decline in cane...

Rolex Fastnet Race // IRC Two Preview: Charge of the JPKs

Could two new JPK 1050s upset the apple cart in IRC Two? Jean-Pierre Kelbert (whose initials constitute the brand name of his successful line of boats) has a habit of breaking the mould in IRC racing, and his new 34-footer may well be a game...

The new face of stand-in forces

DARWIN, NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA 07.10.2025 Since December 2024, the Marines and Sailors of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) 25.3 have charted a historic path, validating what it means to be a stand-in force in the Pacific under the...

New Caledonia unrest claims hit global (re)insurers

New Caledonia's ENERCAL gets financial buoy from France to avoid bankruptcy

Enercal worker on power line maintenance job. Photo: ENERCAL New Caledonia's electricity provider, ENERCAL, has received emergency financial assistance from France to avoid bankruptcy. The emergency assistance comes in the form of a "refundable...

France’s new overseas minister to visit New Caledonia next week

French overseas minister François-Noël Buffet (centre) with a bipartisan New Caledonia Congress delegation in Paris, 30 September. Photo: Supplied French Overseas minister François-Noël Buffet will travel to New Caledonia next week, from 16 to 18...

New Caledonia’s mothballed nickel plant starts mass sackings process

New Caledonia's Koniambo (KNS) mining site aerial view. Photo: KNS New Caledonia's mothballed nickel plant in Koniambo (North of the main island) has announced it has engaged in the mass sackings of some 1200 staff, despite efforts to identify a...