Bougainville votes for independence from Papua New Guinea December 11, 2019 at 02:27PM

Voters backing Bougainville's independence from Papua New Guinea have won a landslide referendum victory, according to results released — a major step toward the troubled isles becoming the world's newest nation. Chairman of the Bougainville Referendum Commission Bertie Ahern declared 176,928 people — around 98% of voters — had backed independence.