As Macron Departs, Both Sides in New Caledonia Unrest Dig In

French President Emmanuel Macron has backed down from a demand that protesters in New Caledonia dismantle all their barricades before he would lift a state of emergency on the island. The president’s office said in a statement that it will not be extended “for the moment” and therefore end on May 27 at 8 p.m. in Paris, which is 5 a.m. on May 28 in Noméa. That is the second concession he has made in an attempt to quell ongoing violence which has now claimed seven lives. During his visit late last week, he promised to hit pause on contentious voting reforms, which had led to almost two weeks of unrest....