Photo: 123RF
New Caledonia - nickel debt
New Caledonia's nickel industry has accumulated debt of about $1.5 billion Euro.
This was disclosed during French economy minister Bruno Lemaire's recent visit to New Caledonia.
In the face of what he termed a "critical" situation, Lemaire hoped an agreement could be signed by the end of January.
This would involve drastic reforms in terms of profitability, market adaptation and productivity from all nickel mining companies.
Major shareholders of Société Le Nickel and Koniambo Nickel S-A-S have already indicated they will stop financing those subsidiaries by early 2024.
AUKUS - Australia meets with US and UK
Australia's defence minister has met with his US and UK counterparts in California to review progress on AUKUS, and announce their intentions to accelerate and expand cooperation.
The US Studies Centre said the three defence ministers also announced that Australian sailors will be posted to Guam in early 2024 to begin training on submarine maintenance.
This is in preparation for Submarine Rotational Force-West, set to be established in Australia as early as 2027.
Meanwhile, an MP on the opposition benches in New Zealand, Teanau Tuiono, said Canberra could be making much better use of its money.
"It seems like a PR exercise," he said.
"We've got this whole thing with AUKUS, which is about the 8 nuclear [powered] submarines, which I have to note that the Australian public are going to have to pay for, to the tune of $360 billion; when actually they could be using that money in terms of climate mitigation and climate solidarity in the Pacific."
Tuiono urged the New Zealand government not to sign up to the security deal.
Solomon Islands - TV broadcasting
Solomon Islands' national broadcaster is aiming to have its own TV transmitters up before the country's elections next year.
Last month, the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation ventured into television for the first time in its 70-year history.
The soft launch coincided with the country's hosting of the 17th Pacific Games which made up most of the content on the station during its first two weeks of broadcasting.
This was carried via the free-to-air channel 'TTV-2' which is operated commercially by Telekom TV.
Now with the spectacle of the Games over and national elections coming up in the New Year, the station's chief executive Johnson Honimae is keen to get their own transmitters up as soon as possible.
"Phase three of the TV project is the transmitter," he said.
"SIBC, with assistance from government, we've paid US$1 million already to the company, MMC Communications Ltd of New Zealand.
"And they are now starting to work on phase three which is the transmission."
Samoa - award-winning bank note
Samoa's $60 tālā banknote commemorating the nation's 60th anniversary of independence has won an international award.
The award was announced at an event held at High Security Printing in Sri Lanka.
Samoa's Minister of Finance, Lautimuia Uelese Vaai, acknowledged the award and its importance in marketing Samoa in the most positive way.
He said the $60 tālā banknote not only features the current prime minister's portrait, but it also has the signature of the first female Governor and the then-first Minister of Finance.
He told the Samoa Observer the award is significant for Samoa in recognition of women in politics and gender equality.
Tonga - expiry date warning
The people of Tonga have been advised to check for expiry dates on items as Christmas holiday shopping starts in the Kingdom.
Retailers have been taken to task in the past in Tonga for continuing to sell expired items.
Tonga Consumer Affairs have sent out advisories telling people to make sure they buy goods that have not expired for their own safety.
People have been advised to report retailers selling expired items to Tonga Consumer Affairs.
