Violence in New Caledonia: Trouble in France's 'treasure island' exposes colonial fault-line

Overseas France is a remnant of the French empire, which in its heydays ranked next only to the British in extent and influence read more An 'insurrection' in the far south-east end of the world has left France jittery in the midst of the Cannes Film Festival. Six people, including two police officers, have been killed in addition to hundreds of people wounded in riots, pillages, and acts of arson that recently affected New Caledonia. Grand Terre, the main cigarette-shaped island, is left smouldering. The archipelago, lying between Australia and Fiji, is currently under a state of emergency with a…