FRANCE DEPLOYS MORE TROOPS TO NEW CALEDONIA

France is scrambling to quell unrest in New Caledonia, which has been rocked by riots over constitutional reforms approved in Paris. These will expand the electoral roll in the overseas territory to include newcomers - diminishing the political representation of the indigenous Kanak people, who largely want independence. (Newcomers tend to come from mainland France and favour union.) Six people have already died in the upheavals.

Paris has now sent out an extra 600 gendarmes and police - adding to the more than 2,000 troops already there. The new deployment comes as video emerges of French gendarmes in the capital Nouméa quashing pro-independence protests. In this clip, you can see one of their armoured cars ramming burnt-out vehicles.

President Emmanuel Macron is on his way to New Caledonia to try resolve the crisis with local leaders. It’s a clear sign of how serious the situation is on the island, which is 17,000 km from France.

France annexed New Caledonia in 1853 and gave the colony the status of overseas territory in 1946. It boasts huge nickel reserves, which France is very keen to keep making money off. Pro-independence movements have been active, but the ongoing riots are the worst in 40 years.

Matai Seremaiah, the foreign minister of the neighbouring island of Vanuatu, has urged France to "do the right thing, to resolve all outstanding decolonisation issues" and seriously engage with Kanak leaders.

How do you see this playing out? Will France ride this one out or is it time to say ‘adieu’?