The French Pacific territory New Caledonia rejected independence in a referendum, although the winning majority was significantly smaller than predicted.

With voter turnout over 80%, 56.4% opted to remain as part of France.

Polls had actually forecasted a win of up to 75% for the ‘no’ [to independence] campaign.

New Caledonia is of strategic importance to France as a foothold in the Pacific.

However commentators have said the results could reignite tensions between the indigenous Kanak people of the island, who tend to be pro-independence, and the population of white French colonial settlers who have occupied the islands since 1853.

The blockage of aid shipments has threatened famine in Yemen, warned the United Nations, as fighting between the Yemeni government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels, reportedly backed by Iran, continues.

In particular fighting has brokenout in regions surrounding the largest hospital in the port city of Hodeidah, which has made it difficult to access those most in need, including children.  The United Nations estimates that if this continues 14 million people, half of Yemen’s population, could be in a state of famine as a result of the conflict.

During talks between Libya’s rival assemblies an agreement was forged to unify the government under a central authority and reform state institutions. 

The United Nations which had been assisting both sides has welcomed the progress made in these talks which finished on Wednesday. 

There is, however, concern that whilst administrative bodies may agree to these decisions, armed militias may not as they have benefited from the nation’s disunity. 

Boko Haram have attacked two villages in northeastern Nigeria, Bulaburin and Kofa, as well as a camp in Dalori for internally displaced people (IDP), resulting in the deaths of at least 12 civilians, reports Al Jazeera.  

Boko Haram militants arrived in seven trucks on Wednesday. Babakura Kolo, a civilian militia leader, reported to AFP news agency that they had “completely burned Bulaburin and Kofa villages” as well as “half the Dalori 2 IDP camp”.

A military crackdown on the Shi’ite organisation Islamic Movement of Nigera has been reported in the country's capital, Abuja, killing 42 people, Reuters reports. 

Security forces shot and used tear gas on a group of protesters who were marching to demand the release of their leader Ibrahim Zakzaky, who has been in imprisoned since December 2015. He was arrested during violent clashes in the northern city of Zaria and had allegedly called for an Iranian style islamic revolution. The Nigerian government have since then ignored a court mandate that Zakzaky and his wife be released.

A Bangladesh court has doubled the jail time from five years to ten years for former prime minister, Begum Khaleda Zia for her involvement in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. 

The case accused her, along with five others including her son, of embezzling approximately $253,000 from foreign donations intended for an orphanage set up for the former president, Ziaur Rahman, who was Khaleda's former husband. 

The initial conviction for this crime was reached in February but the sentence has now been increased and follows a separate corruption charge in which she was jailed for seven years.

Ethiopia last week elected its first female president, Sahle-Work Zewde, who is currently the only female head of state in Africa. Her appointment follows the resignation of Mulatu Teshome Wirtu on October 25. 

She is the fourth president under EPRDF rule which claimed power in Ethiopia in 1991, following a coup against the military regime.

She has a long service in government having served as ambassador in many countries across Africa and Europe as well working with the UN peace-building efforts in the Central African Republic.

Jair Bolsonaro, a far right candidate and former paratrooper, has won the presidential election in Brazil. His party, the Social Liberal Party (SLP) secured 56 percent of the vote running against the left-wing candidate Fernando Hadad of the Workers Party (PT) who gained 44 percent, according to the electoral authority TSE. 

Bolosonaro’s victory runs in sharp contrast to the previous government which was run by the leftist Workers Party (PT), which had run the country for 13 of the last 15 years and was ousted two years ago due a dire recession and the nation’s largest corruption scandal. The former president, Michel Temer, was also wrapped up in this corruption scandal leaving him deeply unpopular. 

Indian and Japan signed a $75 billion bilateral currency swap agreement during the first day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tokyo.

During the trip Modi also announced that Japan and India had agreed a new programme aimed at deepening ties between both defence ministries  reports Bloomberg News.

“The aim of this is to further work towards world peace & stability,” said Modi