New Caledonia votes to remain part of France for 3rd, final time

The French territory of New Caledonia voted against independence on Sunday in a third and final referendum on the issue, amid a big drop in turnout due to a call by the independence movement to boycott the vote.The final count showed an overwhelming 96.5 percent of voters in the Pacific island territory supported remaining with France, while only 3.5 percent favored independence.However, only 43.9 percent of eligible voters participated in the final ballot on the issue.The independence movement, made up largely of the indigenous Kanak population, had vowed nonparticipation in Sunday's vote …READ FULL ARTICLE