Europe

What world leaders say about Macron’s victory

PARIS, France (AFP) – Pro-EU centrist Emmanuel Macron stormed to victory in the French presidential election on Sunday, roundly defeating his far-right rival Marine Le Pen in a run-off vote. Here is a selection of comments from world leaders and other political heavyweights on Macron’s election victory. – United States – “Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on his big win today as the next President of France. I look very much forward to working with him!” President […]

Trump congratulates Macron for ‘big win’ in French election

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump congratulated Emmanuel Macron on his victory in France’s presidential election on Sunday. Trump had backed neither Macron nor his far-right rival Marine Le Pen ahead of the vote’s second round. “Congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on his big win today as the next President of France,” he tweeted. “I look very much forward to working with him!” However, Trump had earlier hinted that Le Pen should benefit […]

50,000 evacuated in Germany over unexploded WWII bombs

BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — German police on Sunday evacuated 50,000 people from the northern city of Hanover in one of the country’s largest post-war operations to defuse World War II era bombs. Residents in a densely populated part of the city were ordered to leave their homes for the operation, planned since mid-April, to remove several recently discovered unexploded bombs. Authorities had expected to remove as many as five bombs but as the day developed […]

Le Pen’s supporters disappointed with loss but pleased with score

PARIS, France (Reuters) — Marine Le Pen supporters were divided on Sunday (May 7) after the far-right candidate lost the French presidential election to centrist Emanuel Macron. While some were soundly disappointed by the defeat, others saw the historic result for the far right party as a reason to celebrate. The president of the National Front youth division, Gaetan Dussausaye compared the election campaign to David facing Goliath given all the opposition that he said […]

Young leaders around the world

PARIS, France (AFP) — Emmanuel Macron, 39, who won the second round of the French presidential election on Sunday, according to estimates, will be one of the world’s youngest leaders. Here is a look at those who were still a little wet behind the ears when they attained high executive office: Young leaders Hungary: Viktor Orban became prime minister in 1998 at the age of 35. He left office in 2002 but took over again […]

Macron marches to French presidency

by Adam PLOWRIGHT / Clare BYRNE Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — Pro-European centrist Emmanuel Macron promised Sunday to heal France’s divisions after crushing far-right leader Marine Le Pen in a pivotal presidential election that has given him a large but fragile mandate for change. At 39, the pro-EU former investment banker will become France’s youngest-ever leader but faces a huge challenge to enact his programme while trying to unite a fractured and demoralised […]

Britain’s Prince Philip to retire from public engagements

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) —  Britain’s Prince Philip, the 95-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II, will retire from public engagements later this year, Buckingham Palace said Thursday. The decision was taken with the full support of the monarch, the palace said in a statement. The Duke of Edinburgh, who turns 96 on June 10, is the longest-serving consort in British history, and conducted 219 royal engagements last year. A meeting of Buckingham Palace staff was […]

‘No cause for alarm’ after rumours over Queen Elizabeth II

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — There is “no cause for alarm” over the health of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband after a meeting of all royal staff sparked frenzied speculation, a source told AFP Thursday. Television crews descended on Buckingham Palace at dawn after a newspaper report of a “highly unusual” staff meeting prompted speculation of an imminent royal announcement. The palace officially declined to comment. A well-placed source confirmed to AFP that staff […]

Le Pen, Macron clash in fiery final French debate

PARIS, France (AFP) – French centrist Emmanuel Macron and his far-right presidential rival Marine Le Pen clashed over terrorism, the economy and Europe Wednesday in a TV debate that laid bare their profoundly different visions for the country. The duel ahead of this Sunday’s election was billed as a confrontation between Macron’s call for openness and pro-market reforms and Le Pen’s France-first nationalism. The tone was set in the opening minutes, with Le Pen branding the […]

Violence scars France’s pre-election May Day marches

by Guy Jackson / Clare Byrne Agence France Presse Traditional May 1 union marches turned violent in France on Monday and presidential election frontrunner Emmanuel Macron attacked far-right rival Marine Le Pen, highlighting the divisions six days before the runoff. Six police officers were hurt in clashes in Paris between masked youths throwing molotov cocktails and riot police who responded with tear gas, as tens of thousands of union activists took to the streets for May Day […]

Ukraine orders confiscation of $1.5 bn in Yanukovych regime assets

KIEV, Ukraine (AFP) — Ukraine on Friday launched a process to return some $1.5 billion in assets allegedly stolen from the budget by the deposed Russian-backed leader Viktor Yanukovych and his team. The National Security and Defense Council said the state savings bank had begun confiscating the old regime’s holdings in line with an earlier court ruling. Council chief Oleksandr Turchynov said the $1.5 billion (1.4 billion euros) would be returned to the state budget. Ukrainian […]

Dozen arrests over 2015 terror attack on Paris Jewish store

by Nathalie ALONSO / Gregory DANEL Agence France-Presse PARIS, France  – A dozen people have been arrested in France and Belgium in connection with the weapons used in the deadly 2015 terror attack on a Jewish supermarket in Paris, a source close to the probe said Wednesday. Claude Hermant, a suspected arms dealer and former mercenary in the 1990s Balkan wars, was taken into custody along with the other suspects in raids that began Monday, […]