Paris, France | AFP | Once his high school drama teacher, now wife of incoming French president Emmanuel Macron, 64-year-old Brigitte Macron stepped into the spotlight long before her husband was elected. The 25-year age difference and the extraordinary way they met — he pursued her when he was her …
Read More »Macron’s party unveils Rwanda-born candidate for French parliamentary polls
Macron’s party unveils new faces for French parliamentary polls, including Rwanda-born candidate Paris, France | AFP | French president-elect Emmanuel Macron’s party on Thursday unveiled more than 400 candidates who will stand in parliamentary elections in June, with half of them newcomers to politics and half of them women. It …
Read More »Climate: China’s Xi talks tough as US hesitation frustrates talks
US, China must ‘lead the way’ on climate: Obama Bonn, Germany | AFP | UN climate negotiators in Bonn were left frustrated Tuesday as the White House postponed a meeting to determine whether America will stay in the 196-nation Paris Agreement to curb planet-harming fossil fuel. As uncertainty mounted over …
Read More »North Korea congratulates France’s Macron for election victory
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea on Tuesday congratulated Emmanuel Macron on his victory in the French presidential election, expressing hopes that the new leader will achieve “development and prosperity”. France has no formal diplomatic relations with the nuclear-armed North. The message was sent by North Korea’s ceremonial …
Read More »‘Bibi’ and ‘Manu’ Macron: the unorthodox new power couple
Paris, France | AFP | It is an image that will long live in French political memory. As incoming president Emmanuel Macron stood in front of his cheering supporters at the Louvre on Sunday night to savour his election victory, his wife Brigitte took his hand and kissed it, tears …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Far right a fixture in France despite Le Pen defeat
Paris, France | AFP | Despite Marine Le Pen’s drubbing in the French presidential election, her far-right National Front party expanded its footprint in the political landscape — and confirmed its move into the mainstream. Her anti-immigrant, anti-Europe stance won a record 34 percent of ballots cast on Sunday, which …
Read More »Thousands hail Macron at Paris victory rally
Paris, France | AFP | Thousands of flag-waving supporters gave Emmanuel Macron a rapturous welcome Sunday as he strode into the courtyard of the Louvre museum to the strains of the European anthem after his decisive election victory. The glass pyramid in the world-famous courtyard glowed golden as 39-year-old Macron …
Read More »French election: what you need to know
Paris, France | AFP | Pro-EU centrist Emmanuel Macron takes on far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the second-round run-off of France’s presidential election on Sunday. – Why is it important? – France is the eurozone’s second-biggest economy as well as a global military and diplomatic heavyweight, with veto power as …
Read More »Macron team blasts ‘massive hacking attack’ after document release
Paris, France | AFP | The campaign team of French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron on Friday blasted a “massive and coordinated hacking attack” after internal documents including emails and accounting papers were released online. “The files circulating were obtained several weeks ago due to the hacking of the personal and professional …
Read More »Security jitters as campaigning for French election ends
Paris, France | AFP | French presidential candidates Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen wrapped up campaigning Friday ahead of this weekend’s election as security concerns emerged again following the arrest of a suspected extremist. Both centrist Macron and far-right Le Pen visited cathedrals and gave interviews as they sought …
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