Pacific leaders demand fresh New Caledonia independence referendum

A bloc of Pacific island leaders on July 17 condemned France’s “illegitimate” handling of the UN-mandated decolonization of its Pacific territory New Caledonia and called for a further referendum on independence. In a statement, the five member Melanesian Spearhead Group – Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the pro-independence FLNKS of New Caledonia...