New Caledonia

That figure has been given by the Civil Security organisation, which has gradually extended its extreme fire risk warning to now nearly all of New Caledonia, including the islands of Ouvea and Belep.

With winds still strong, there is no immediate relief in sight.

The authorities say at the same time last year just under five square kilometres had been burnt.

A territory-wide fire ban will remain in force until 15 December.

The ban exempts the use of fire for cooking in domestic situations.

From now on, single-use plastic bags are banned.

In a month, the ban will be extended to plastic plates and straws, and starting next May, plastic food packaging will be prohibited.

Per capita New Caledonians have reportedly used more than 200 plastic bags each year.

When the law was adopted by congress last year, some parties abstained from voting, suggesting the change was too sudden.

In the women’s lightweight category, New Caledonia's Jaycee Brival took gold, her team mate Rosa Delots silver, and the two bronze went to NCL’s Cloe Omo-Perraut and Fiji’s Veniana Ravesi.

For the women’s heavyweight open, there was a surprise victory in gold for Shanice Takayawa of Fiji. Poerava Temakeu of Tahiti settled for silver and the bronze was shared by Tahiti’s Rauhiti Vernaudon and Teraimatuatini Bopp.

The French Territory has won 42 gold medals after the first six days of competition and more than 50 silver and bronze, with host nation Samoa the nearest challenger with 26 gold medals while Tahiti have 21.

Another six first place finishes on the final night of swimming action brought New Caledonia's total haul in the pool to 25 gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze medals.

Swimming Team Manager Cyril Huet said it's an even bigger haul than they managed in Port Moresby four years ago.

Charlotte Robin defended her title after winning the Open Water Swimming competition today.  
New Caledonia took the silver medal after Miana Flament came in second.
Fiji’s Matelita Buadromo settled for a bronze, which is Fiji’s first medal at the Games.

Today is the first day of competition following a spectacular opening ceremony in Apia, Sunday evening.

Ning Shisheng, who has lived in Australia since 2010, was arrested on an Interpol warrant in April when the cruise he was on stopped on the Isle of Pines.

Judicial authorities in Noumea, who examined Beijing's extradition request, are in favour of complying with it.

However, the lawyer acting for the 64-year-old suspect says China's prison system doesn't comply with France's international obligations.

The lawyer noted that New Zealand recently rejected a Chinese extradition request, citing human rights risks.

Mr Ning says he is no fraud.

Politics in New Caledonia continue to be defined as an overarching contest between those for and those against independence and not as a battle between the left and right.

While previous elections always resulted in a Congress, and then a government, dominated by the pro-French camp, this year may see the balance tilt.

For this to happen, the anti-independence camp would have to lose three or more seats in the 54-strong Congress.

The anti-independence side fears this could happen, the pro-independence side hopes it will.

Two of them have been charged, with one of them admitting to setting two fires to the conveyor belt which feeds ore to the coast for shipping to the SLN smelter in Noumea

The third suspect has been transferred to prison after he had been given a jail term of 18 months in June.

The arrests came only days after 15 trucks were destroyed in Kouaoua.

Earlier police had removed a blockade of the mining site which has been the scene of protracted disputes this year with a group opposed to expanded mining.

More than 174,000 voters were eligible to vote in the first such referendum in more than 30 years.

The result has defied predictions as the anti-independence camp hoped for an overwhelming victory to bury the Kanaks' aspirations for a new country once and for all.

The pro-independence side has taken heart from making inroads in the mainly European Noumea area and is determined to invoke the Noumea Accord which allows for another referendum in two years.

Interest has been unprecedented, with turnout at 80 percent and in some electorates soaring to 95 percent.

According to the public broadcaster, the three squads will be deployed in Kone, Poindimie and Tontouta, which is near Noumea's international airport.

They have just three weeks to familiarise themselves with the new environment to be ready for November 4th.

The one-day referendum will determine whether New Caledonia will assume full sovereignty.