logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2024
11m 53s

Why are there protests in New Caledonia?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

There’s been a lot of unrest in New Caledonia this year and it’s down to a proposed voting reform bill. Buildings have been set on fire, nine people have been killed and seven pro-independence activists have been detained and taken to France.

New Caledonia is a French territory, even though it’s really far away from France. Many local people there want independence. The BBC’s Malu Cursino gives us some background on New Caledonia and explains why there have been protests.

And Shawn Yuan from the BBC’s Global China Unit explains why China has interest in New Caledonia.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk Presenter: William Lee Adams Producer: Emily Horler and Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

Up next
Today
COP30 made some progress, but not on fossil fuels
<p>COP30, the big meeting where countries discuss climate change annually, has finished. This year it was hosted in the city of Belem in Brazil, in the Amazon forest, which is directly affected by it. The role of the two biggest emitters has also made headlines. The United States ... Show More
14m 27s
Nov 21
The ancient origins of kissing
<p>Scientists at Oxford University in the UK now think that kissing evolved more than 21 million years ago, and it wasn’t humans that started it.</p><p>As a behaviour, it has no obvious survival or reproductive benefits but it’s seen across the world, in humans and animals alike. ... Show More
11m 34s
Nov 20
The drama at this year’s Miss Universe
<p>Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch has been crowned Miss Universe at a ceremony in Bangkok, marking the end of an exceptionally scandal-filled pageant season. It's the 74th Miss Universe pageant and there was a lot of drama before a single contestant took to the stage.</p><p>Early in No ... Show More
12m 55s
Recommended Episodes
May 2024
Do we need to fight for the right to protest?
In February, the prime minister warned that “mob rule is replacing democratic rule” in the UK. He encouraged police to take action on pro-Palestine protests which, he said, had descended into “intimidation, threats, and planned acts of violence”. Over 50 organisations responded b ... Show More
39m 55s
Oct 2024
Why Lidia Thorpe’s royal protest continues to hit a nerve
Independent senator for Victoria, Lidia Thorpe’s protest before King Charles in the Great Hall of Parliament House last week caught news attention around the globe. While it prompted a few reactions, it also started a conversation about the British monarchy’s role in the lasting ... Show More
20m 24s
Oct 2010
BBC Radio 4
Why some pro-democracy candidates in Burma won't be contesting the forthcoming elections; Pascale Harter's in Spain examining worries about the economy and the changes which a wave of immigration has brought to Spanish culture; In Srinagar, Kashmir, Chris Morris finds that local ... Show More
28m 14s
Dec 2024
Why are Mozambique’s youth protesting?
Protests have erupted across Mozambique, where a disputed election has sparked a powerful movement for change. Thousands are defying a violent government crackdown, demanding an end to decades of dominance by the governing party. But this isn’t just about politics—it’s about a ge ... Show More
22m 6s
Sep 8
Why is France in chaos again?
As French Prime Minister François Bayrou faces a motion of no confidence in the National Assembly, a grassroots protest movement is gathering steam with its rallying cry to "Block everything" on September 10. Organisers hope to bring the country to a standstill to protest against ... Show More
23m 35s
Apr 2025
How have Trump's tariffs already affected China?
China's economy is already struggling. Growth has slowed dramatically in recent years and there is high youth employment. Since the beginning of March, there's also been a tax of 20% on any goods sold to the US.      Ahead of President Donald Trump’s "liberation day", what effect ... Show More
16m 12s
May 2024
French president Emmanuel Macron heads to New Caledonia
French President Emmanuel Macron is making a surprise trip to New Caledonia to resume talks with local leaders and find a "political solution" to the ongoing crisis. Islands Business Magazine correspondent Nic Maclellan spoke to Charlotte Cook. 
2m 37s
Apr 2025
What the World is Ignoring About Sudan's Civil War
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">The crisis in Sudan is taking another devastating turn.</p> <p>Over the past several days, a <a href= "https://www.globaldispatches.org/p/a-genocidal-army-is-about-to-win" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">genocidal paramilitary group kn ... Show More
29m 59s