President Hassan Rouhani said Iran will announce a new step in scaling back its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-warns-of-further-retreat-from-nuclear-deal-if-no-european-action-by-thursday-247504">nuclear commitments</a> by Thursday despite a diplomatic push for relief from US sanctions.

Iran and three European countries- Britain, France and Germany, have been engaged in talks to save a 2015 nuclear deal that has been unravelling since the US withdrew from it May last year.

The efforts have been led by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been trying to convince the US to offer Iran some sort of relief from crippling sanctions it has reimposed on the Islamic republic since its pullout.

"I don't think that we will reach a deal so we'll take the third step and we will announce the details today or tomorrow," Rouhani was quoted as saying Wednesday by the presidency website.

The Iranian president said the two sides were getting closer to an agreement on a way to resolve burning issues.

"If we had 20 issues of disagreement with the Europeans in the past, today there are three issues," he said.

"Most of them have been resolved but we haven't reached a final agreement."

Iran has hit back with countermeasures in response to the US withdrawal from the 2015 deal, which gave it relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

In July, it said it had increased its stockpile of enriched uranium to beyond the maximum set by the deal. It later announced it had exceeded a cap on the level of enrichment of its stocks.

Iran has long been threatening to carry out the third step by Friday unless other parties to the deal offset the effect of US sanctions in return for its continued compliance.

A deputy foreign minister said Iran would resume full compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) if it is allowed to sell its oil or get a $15-billion credit line guaranteed by future crude sales.

Abbas Araghchi expressed doubt, however, that such a plan could be agreed by the deadline set by Iran for sanctions relief.

"Iran&nbsp;will return to full implementation of the JCPOA only if it is able to sell its oil and to fully benefit from the income from these sales," said Araghchi.

"The French proposal goes in that direction," the deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

Araghchi, speaking days after leading an economic delegation to France, ruled out any renegotiation of the JCPOA but said Iran was open to talks on how to implement it better.

"Returning to full implementation of the JCPOA is subject to receiving $15 billion over a period of four months, otherwise the process of Iran reducing its commitments will continue," he said.

The 2015 nuclear deal was agreed between Iran and the so-called 5+1 -- UN Security Council permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany. 
&nbsp;

President Hassan Rouhani said Iran will announce a new step in scaling back its nuclear commitments by Thursday despite a diplomatic push for relief from US sanctions.

President Hassan Rouhani said Iran will announce a new step in scaling back its nuclear commitments by Thursday despite a diplomatic push for relief from US sanctions. Iran and three European countries- Britain, France and Germany, have been engaged in talks to save a 2015 nuclear deal that has been unravelling since the US withdrew from it May last year. The efforts have been led by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been trying to convince the US to offer Iran some sort of relief from crippling sanctions it has reimposed on the Islamic republic since its pullout. "I don't think that we will reach a deal so we'll take the third step and we will announce the details today or tomorrow," Rouhani was quoted as saying Wednesday by the presidency website. The Iranian president said the two sides were getting closer to an agreement on a way to resolve burning issues. "If we had 20 issues of disagreement with the Europeans in the past, today there are three issues," he said. "Most of them have been resolved but we haven't reached a final agreement." Iran has hit back with countermeasures in response to the US withdrawal from the 2015 deal, which gave it relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme. In July, it said it had increased its stockpile of enriched uranium to beyond the maximum set by the deal. It later announced it had exceeded a cap on the level of enrichment of its stocks. Iran has long been threatening to carry out the third step by Friday unless other parties to the deal offset the effect of US sanctions in return for its continued compliance. A deputy foreign minister said Iran would resume full compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) if it is allowed to sell its oil or get a $15-billion credit line guaranteed by future crude sales. Abbas Araghchi expressed doubt, however, that such a plan could be agreed by the deadline set by Iran for sanctions relief. "Iran will return to full implementation of the JCPOA only if it is able to sell its oil and to fully benefit from the income from these sales," said Araghchi. "The French proposal goes in that direction," the deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA. Araghchi, speaking days after leading an economic delegation to France, ruled out any renegotiation of the JCPOA but said Iran was open to talks on how to implement it better. "Returning to full implementation of the JCPOA is subject to receiving $15 billion over a period of four months, otherwise the process of Iran reducing its commitments will continue," he said. The 2015 nuclear deal was agreed between Iran and the so-called 5+1 -- UN Security Council permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany.

Iran President Hassan Rouhani set to make new cut in nuclear commitments

Are defence deals the bedrock o Indo-French relationship? India and France signed a strategic partnership in 1998. but defence co-operation between India and France goes back to 1950s. Watch to know more.

WION Gravitas: Indo-French ties since 1947; An analysis

Is France India's new best friend? India and France have shared strong ties historically.

WION Gravitas: India-France ties; Where things stand today

PM Modi kicks off his third state visit to France. This is a major diplomatic engagement. Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will hold a bilateral meeting later today.

WION Gravitas: PM Modi arrives in France

Macron, who was hosting Putin at his summer residence in southern France, said he hoped the two leaders would make progress towards a peaceful resolution of the crisis in Ukraine after its new president offered an olive branch to Putin. Watch this video to know more.

WION Dispatch: Putin, Macron agree on Ukraine talks

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday (June 7), that he hoped a final ratification of the Canada-European Union Free Trade Agreement (CETA) can be adopted by French lawmakers in the coming weeks.

Macron wants to ratify EU-Canada trade agreement in coming weeks

The president of France and prime minister of Britain on Thursday said "thank you" to D-Day veterans and those who died in the landmark invasion exactly 75 years ago.

Macron and May attend D-Day memorial inauguration

A lone piper playing atop the remnants of an artificial harbour on the Normandy coast on Thursday marked the hour the first British soldier landed in France 75 years ago on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bravery-and-sacrifice-queen-elizabeth-and-world-leaders-applaud-d-day-veterans-224602">D-Day</a>, the allied invasion that would turn the tide of World War Two.

Western leaders and ageing veterans from Britain, the United States and Canada will gather at events along the 80-km (50 miles) stretch of coastline in northern France, where more than 150,000 troops landed on June 6, 1944, under a hail of German artillery and machine-gun fire.

Thousands died on each side during D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion in history that paved the way for western Europe's liberation from Hitler's forces.

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed British Prime Minister Theresa May at Ver-sur-Mer to inaugurate a British memorial on a site that overlooks Gold Beach. US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will also attend ceremonies paying tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the Allied troops.

On the eve of the anniversary, Macron evoked the spirit of D-Day to speak of the modern need for multilateralism and international cooperation, an area where the United States and its European allies have been increasingly at odds during Trump's administration.

"These allied forces that together freed us from the German yoke, and from tyranny, are the same ones that were able to build the existing multilateral structures after World War Two," Macron told reporters after an event in Normandy to honour the French Resistance.

"We must not repeat history, and remind ourselves what was built on the basis of the war."

Under blue skies, the piper played Highland Laddie on a giant concrete slab that formed part of the Mulberry harbour in the waters off Arromanches, constructed to enable the resupplying of allied troops as the pushed the Germans back.

Restored wartime jeeps and amphibious vehicles lined the beach as British and American flags fluttered in the breeze.

The Normandy landings were months in the planning and kept secret from Nazi Germany despite a huge trans-Atlantic mobilisation of industry and manpower.

Under the cover of dark, thousands of Allied paratroopers jumped behind Germany's coastal defences. Then, as day broke, warships pounded German positions before hundreds of landing craft disgorged the infantry troops.

Tens of thousands perished on the beaches - codenamed Gold, Juno, Sword, Utah and Omaha by the Allies - and the months-long battle that followed in Normandy.

Lines of white marble crosses on the clifftop above Omaha Beach today mark the resting place of more than 9,380 U.S. soldiers who died during the fighting.

Here, Trump will watch Macron award the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest award for merit, to five US veterans before the two presidents leave for a working lunch in nearby Caen.

Khaki parachutes filled the skies above Sannerville on Wednesday afternoon as two British veterans in the mid-nineties joined several hundred paratroopers re-enacting the jumps behind enemy lines. Hundreds of British veterans crossed the English Channel on a specially chartered ferry.

Earlier, on the south coast of England, Britain's Queen Elizabeth led presidents and prime ministers on Wednesday in paying tribute to survive D-Day veterans and their fallen comrades.

"The heroism, courage and sacrifice of those who lost their lives will never be forgotten," the 93-year-old monarch said. "It is with humility and pleasure, on behalf of the entire country – indeed the whole free world – that I say to you all: thank you."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel praised the sacrifice of tens of thousands of soldiers. "That I, as German chancellor, can be here today, that today we stand together for peace and freedom, is a gift from history that must be cared for and protected," she said.

Trump read a prayer spoken by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944, capping a three-day state visit to Britain where he had lavished praise on the US&nbsp;ally and said wartime bonds forged the "greatest alliance the world has ever known".

Trump's forthright diplomacy and "America First" policy have, however, shaken the NATO alliance and tested relations with erstwhile allies including Britain and France.

Amid the D-Day ceremonies, Russia told the West that the Allied war effort should not be exaggerated and that Allied victory would not have come without the Soviet Union's "titanic effort".

A lone piper playing atop the remnants of an artificial harbour on the Normandy coast on Thursday marked the hour the first British soldier landed in France 75 years ago on D-Day, the allied invasion that would turn the tide of World War Two.

A lone piper playing atop the remnants of an artificial harbour on the Normandy coast on Thursday marked the hour the first British soldier landed in France 75 years ago on D-Day, the allied invasion that would turn the tide of World War Two. Western leaders and ageing veterans from Britain, the United States and Canada will gather at events along the 80-km (50 miles) stretch of coastline in northern France, where more than 150,000 troops landed on June 6, 1944, under a hail of German artillery and machine-gun fire. Thousands died on each side during D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion in history that paved the way for western Europe's liberation from Hitler's forces. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed British Prime Minister Theresa May at Ver-sur-Mer to inaugurate a British memorial on a site that overlooks Gold Beach. US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will also attend ceremonies paying tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the Allied troops. On the eve of the anniversary, Macron evoked the spirit of D-Day to speak of the modern need for multilateralism and international cooperation, an area where the United States and its European allies have been increasingly at odds during Trump's administration. "These allied forces that together freed us from the German yoke, and from tyranny, are the same ones that were able to build the existing multilateral structures after World War Two," Macron told reporters after an event in Normandy to honour the French Resistance. "We must not repeat history, and remind ourselves what was built on the basis of the war." Under blue skies, the piper played Highland Laddie on a giant concrete slab that formed part of the Mulberry harbour in the waters off Arromanches, constructed to enable the resupplying of allied troops as the pushed the Germans back. Restored wartime jeeps and amphibious vehicles lined the beach as British and American flags fluttered in the breeze. The Normandy landings were months in the planning and kept secret from Nazi Germany despite a huge trans-Atlantic mobilisation of industry and manpower. Under the cover of dark, thousands of Allied paratroopers jumped behind Germany's coastal defences. Then, as day broke, warships pounded German positions before hundreds of landing craft disgorged the infantry troops. Tens of thousands perished on the beaches - codenamed Gold, Juno, Sword, Utah and Omaha by the Allies - and the months-long battle that followed in Normandy. Lines of white marble crosses on the clifftop above Omaha Beach today mark the resting place of more than 9,380 U.S. soldiers who died during the fighting. Here, Trump will watch Macron award the Legion d'Honneur, France's highest award for merit, to five US veterans before the two presidents leave for a working lunch in nearby Caen. Khaki parachutes filled the skies above Sannerville on Wednesday afternoon as two British veterans in the mid-nineties joined several hundred paratroopers re-enacting the jumps behind enemy lines. Hundreds of British veterans crossed the English Channel on a specially chartered ferry. Earlier, on the south coast of England, Britain's Queen Elizabeth led presidents and prime ministers on Wednesday in paying tribute to survive D-Day veterans and their fallen comrades. "The heroism, courage and sacrifice of those who lost their lives will never be forgotten," the 93-year-old monarch said. "It is with humility and pleasure, on behalf of the entire country – indeed the whole free world – that I say to you all: thank you." German Chancellor Angela Merkel praised the sacrifice of tens of thousands of soldiers. "That I, as German chancellor, can be here today, that today we stand together for peace and freedom, is a gift from history that must be cared for and protected," she said. Trump read a prayer spoken by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944, capping a three-day state visit to Britain where he had lavished praise on the US ally and said wartime bonds forged the "greatest alliance the world has ever known". Trump's forthright diplomacy and "America First" policy have, however, shaken the NATO alliance and tested relations with erstwhile allies including Britain and France. Amid the D-Day ceremonies, Russia told the West that the Allied war effort should not be exaggerated and that Allied victory would not have come without the Soviet Union's "titanic effort".

Leaders and veterans recall D-Day sacrifice on Normandy beaches

French lawmakers on Friday approved a controversial law for restoring <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-popularity-still-weak-after-notre-dame-fire-poll-212330">Notre-Dame</a> within five years after the famous Paris cathedral sustained major fire damage last month.&nbsp;

Renovating the 850-year-old Gothic cathedral, whose wooden roof was largely destroyed in the April 15 blaze, will be an unprecedented challenge for the government, which drafted a special bill for managing the huge project. &nbsp;

Images of the ancient cathedral going up in flames sparked shock and dismay across the globe as well as in France, where it is considered one of the nation's most beloved landmarks.&nbsp;

Days after the fire, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-special-forces-rescue-four-hostages-from-burkina-faso-217512">French President Emmanuel Macron</a> set a target for the restoration to be finished within five years, meaning it should be ready by the time Paris hosts the Olympics in 2024.&nbsp;

But the legislation, aimed at speeding up the construction process, sparked controversy because it would involve removing some of the red tape protecting the ancient structure.

After thirteen hours of debate, the bill was adopted by 32 votes in favour, five against and 10 abstentions. It will now be forwarded to the Senate for further scrutiny scheduled for May 27.

As the session opened, Culture Minister Franck Riester told MPs that although five years was "an ambitious timeframe" for renovating Notre-Dame, which took 200 years to build, the project would "not be done in haste".

"Yes, we want to move quickly. Some have accused us of wanting to move too quickly but the outpouring of generosity was very fast so we can and must respond, which is what we are doing," he said.

So far, nearly one billion euros ($1.1 billion) has been donated or pledged for Notre-Dame, with Riester pledging that the funds will go "entirely and exclusively" to its restoration.&nbsp;

Experts believe the total bill will come to between 600-700 million euros, with some raising questions over what will be done with any leftover money, suggesting it could be channelled to other crumbling churches and cathedrals.&nbsp;

France's Observatory for Religious Heritage (OPR) says there are between 40,000 and 60,000 churches and chapels in France, 5,000 of which are in a state of dilapidation.&nbsp;

&nbsp;'Precise rules'&nbsp;

The law also outlines the creation of a public body to oversee and carry out the work within a rapid time frame, but more controversially grants the government power to override regulations on planning, environmental and heritage protection and public tenders.

But Riester said the provision would not be used to cut corners.

"There are very precise rules which apply to the restoration of heritage buildings and property which are formalised in the code on cultural heritage and which correspond to France's excellence in this field," he said.&nbsp;

"It goes without saying that these rules will be applied, I will guarantee it."

The law does not mention the architectural aspects of the project, with some MPs keen to push through legislation stating that the work will ensure the cathedral is rebuilt exactly as it was without any creative additions.&nbsp;

Notre-Dame has figured as a central character through the ups and downs of French history since construction began in the mid-12th century.

It was vandalised and plundered during the French Revolution in the 18th century but went on to feature as a central character in a Victor Hugo's 1831 novel "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" which is credited with helping save it.&nbsp;

It survived the devastation of two global conflicts in the 20th century and famously rang its bells on August 24, 1944, the day of the Liberation of Paris from German occupation at the end of the World War II.

French lawmakers on Friday approved a controversial law for restoring Notre-Dame within five years after the famous Paris cathedral sustained major fire damage last month.

French lawmakers on Friday approved a controversial law for restoring Notre-Dame within five years after the famous Paris cathedral sustained major fire damage last month. Renovating the 850-year-old Gothic cathedral, whose wooden roof was largely destroyed in the April 15 blaze, will be an unprecedented challenge for the government, which drafted a special bill for managing the huge project. Images of the ancient cathedral going up in flames sparked shock and dismay across the globe as well as in France, where it is considered one of the nation's most beloved landmarks. Days after the fire, French President Emmanuel Macron set a target for the restoration to be finished within five years, meaning it should be ready by the time Paris hosts the Olympics in 2024. But the legislation, aimed at speeding up the construction process, sparked controversy because it would involve removing some of the red tape protecting the ancient structure. After thirteen hours of debate, the bill was adopted by 32 votes in favour, five against and 10 abstentions. It will now be forwarded to the Senate for further scrutiny scheduled for May 27. As the session opened, Culture Minister Franck Riester told MPs that although five years was "an ambitious timeframe" for renovating Notre-Dame, which took 200 years to build, the project would "not be done in haste". "Yes, we want to move quickly. Some have accused us of wanting to move too quickly but the outpouring of generosity was very fast so we can and must respond, which is what we are doing," he said. So far, nearly one billion euros ($1.1 billion) has been donated or pledged for Notre-Dame, with Riester pledging that the funds will go "entirely and exclusively" to its restoration. Experts believe the total bill will come to between 600-700 million euros, with some raising questions over what will be done with any leftover money, suggesting it could be channelled to other crumbling churches and cathedrals. France's Observatory for Religious Heritage (OPR) says there are between 40,000 and 60,000 churches and chapels in France, 5,000 of which are in a state of dilapidation. 'Precise rules' The law also outlines the creation of a public body to oversee and carry out the work within a rapid time frame, but more controversially grants the government power to override regulations on planning, environmental and heritage protection and public tenders. But Riester said the provision would not be used to cut corners. "There are very precise rules which apply to the restoration of heritage buildings and property which are formalised in the code on cultural heritage and which correspond to France's excellence in this field," he said. "It goes without saying that these rules will be applied, I will guarantee it." The law does not mention the architectural aspects of the project, with some MPs keen to push through legislation stating that the work will ensure the cathedral is rebuilt exactly as it was without any creative additions. Notre-Dame has figured as a central character through the ups and downs of French history since construction began in the mid-12th century. It was vandalised and plundered during the French Revolution in the 18th century but went on to feature as a central character in a Victor Hugo's 1831 novel "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" which is credited with helping save it. It survived the devastation of two global conflicts in the 20th century and famously rang its bells on August 24, 1944, the day of the Liberation of Paris from German occupation at the end of the World War II.

French MPs approve law on speedy Notre-Dame restoration

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg met French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday to discuss the French government's plans to take a more active role in policing harmful content posted on Facebook. Watch full video to know more.

Facebook under pressure to censor hate speech

Macron offers tax cut to French workers to quell anger and protests. Watch full video to know more.

French President Emmanuel Macron offers tax cuts to workers

Watch Gravitas full segment and know what has been the most trending and important stories of the day. Watch this video to know more.

Watch: WION Gravitas, 16th April, 2019

A raging fire that tore through Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris was under control early Tuesday after the blaze brought its towering spire and roof crashing to the ground, wiping out centuries of priceless heritage central to French culture and history. Watch more to know more.

WION Gravitas: Notre-Dame fire under control, Macron vows to rebuild

Clown-faced politicians and cinema mix at Nice Carnival

French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed support for "strong multilateralism" in Ottawa Wednesday before the G7 summit, where US President Donald Trump's aggressive trade policies are sure to raise hackles.

Displaying a united front, the two leaders in their 40s said in a statement they "support a strong, responsible, transparent multilateralism to face the global challenges."

The pair were scheduled to hold formal talks and a private dinner on Wednesday, followed by a joint news conference early Thursday.

Those discussions are likely to focus on Trump's decision last week to impose punishing tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum from Washington's closest allies, including Canada, the European Union and Japan.

In retaliation, all of them have either hit back with their own tariffs on US goods or threatened to do so, as well as challenging the US trade measure at the World Trade Organization.

Both Trudeau and Macron had tried to persuade Trump not to impose the tariffs.

"There will be frank and sometimes difficult discussions around the G7 table, particularly with the US president on tariffs," Trudeau told reporters.

His private meeting with Macron, he said, "will be an opportunity to talk about the relations between Canada and France that are going very well, but also to highlight the challenges that we are going to have around the G7 table, and to make sure we are aligned."

Economic order 'under attack'

The EU and Canada were originally shielded from the aluminum and steel tariffs, but Trump ended that exemption last week.

Since then, Trudeau, Macron and other European leaders have toughened their tone, lamenting what they see as rising US protectionism.

"The world economic order is... under attack," Canada's Trade Minister Francois Philippe Champagne commented.

Trump economic advisor Larry Kudlow, however, framed the trade spat as a "family quarrel" which he said would be "worked out," while adding that his administration "will do what is necessary to protect the United States, its businesses and its workforce." 
Macron -- who had formed an unlikely bond with Trump -- declined to characterize his last conversation with the US leader, but unnamed White House insiders told US media it was "terrible."

Still, the French leader pledged to have a "productive and frank discussion with President Trump at the G7," the Group of Seven industrialized democracies.&nbsp

"It does not detract from the friendship we have for each other and the friendship between our two countries," he said.

Trudeau, who has been cordial with Trump, said in March he had received assurances that Canada would be spared as they worked toward a revamp of a 1994 continental trade pact with the United States.

But that all changed with the announcement of the US levies, and Trudeau retaliated with Can$16.6 billion (US$12.9 billion) in tariffs on US goods.

The two sides are also deadlocked on negotiations over the future of their North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico. Ottawa refuses to grant US demands for a clause that would end the trade deal after five years unless it is renewed by the parties.&nbsp

Canada has also rejected "for now" a proposal floated by the White House for new separate US trade deals with Canada and Mexico.

The left-leaning Trudeau and Macron see each other as natural allies in a world increasingly shaped by right-wing nationalism. That bond should only grow deeper ahead of the G7 in Quebec.

According to a statement, they settled on the creation of an international working group to advance research and best practices in artificial intelligence, as well as a new defense alliance.

The French-Canadian Council for Defense Cooperation will meet by year's end and look at boosting cooperation between their respective armed forces, including conducting joint military operations and partnering on UN missions.

Focus on trade&nbsp

The GSeven summit on Friday and Saturday in La Malbaie, a small town 140 kilometers (87 miles) from Quebec City, will bring together the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

Trudeau hoped to put the focus on jobs, security concerns, cleaning up the world's oceans and empowering women. But officials concede the agenda is likely to be overtaken by trade disputes.&nbsp

"I think it's fair to expect that any discussions on the global economy... in the current environment will quickly turn into a discussion about trade," a senior Canadian official said.

The other six members of the G7 are holding out hope they can find common ground with Trump, but are prepared to stand up to US protectionism.

"The challenge is to try to preserve a form of unity within the G7, but not hesitate to express firmly and strongly the interests of France and of Europe," Macron's office said.

Displaying a united front, the two leaders in their 40s said in a statement they 'support a strong, responsible, transparent multilateralism to face the global challenges'

French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed support for "strong multilateralism" in Ottawa Wednesday before the G7 summit, where US President Donald Trump's aggressive trade policies are sure to raise hackles. Displaying a united front, the two leaders in their 40s said in a statement they "support a strong, responsible, transparent multilateralism to face the global challenges." The pair were scheduled to hold formal talks and a private dinner on Wednesday, followed by a joint news conference early Thursday. Those discussions are likely to focus on Trump's decision last week to impose punishing tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum from Washington's closest allies, including Canada, the European Union and Japan. In retaliation, all of them have either hit back with their own tariffs on US goods or threatened to do so, as well as challenging the US trade measure at the World Trade Organization. Both Trudeau and Macron had tried to persuade Trump not to impose the tariffs. "There will be frank and sometimes difficult discussions around the G7 table, particularly with the US president on tariffs," Trudeau told reporters. His private meeting with Macron, he said, "will be an opportunity to talk about the relations between Canada and France that are going very well, but also to highlight the challenges that we are going to have around the G7 table, and to make sure we are aligned." Economic order 'under attack' The EU and Canada were originally shielded from the aluminum and steel tariffs, but Trump ended that exemption last week. Since then, Trudeau, Macron and other European leaders have toughened their tone, lamenting what they see as rising US protectionism. "The world economic order is... under attack," Canada's Trade Minister Francois Philippe Champagne commented. Trump economic advisor Larry Kudlow, however, framed the trade spat as a "family quarrel" which he said would be "worked out," while adding that his administration "will do what is necessary to protect the United States, its businesses and its workforce." Macron -- who had formed an unlikely bond with Trump -- declined to characterize his last conversation with the US leader, but unnamed White House insiders told US media it was "terrible." Still, the French leader pledged to have a "productive and frank discussion with President Trump at the G7," the Group of Seven industrialized democracies. "It does not detract from the friendship we have for each other and the friendship between our two countries," he said. Trudeau, who has been cordial with Trump, said in March he had received assurances that Canada would be spared as they worked toward a revamp of a 1994 continental trade pact with the United States. But that all changed with the announcement of the US levies, and Trudeau retaliated with Can$16.6 billion (US$12.9 billion) in tariffs on US goods. The two sides are also deadlocked on negotiations over the future of their North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico. Ottawa refuses to grant US demands for a clause that would end the trade deal after five years unless it is renewed by the parties. Canada has also rejected "for now" a proposal floated by the White House for new separate US trade deals with Canada and Mexico. The left-leaning Trudeau and Macron see each other as natural allies in a world increasingly shaped by right-wing nationalism. That bond should only grow deeper ahead of the G7 in Quebec. According to a statement, they settled on the creation of an international working group to advance research and best practices in artificial intelligence, as well as a new defense alliance. The French-Canadian Council for Defense Cooperation will meet by year's end and look at boosting cooperation between their respective armed forces, including conducting joint military operations and partnering on UN missions. Focus on trade The GSeven summit on Friday and Saturday in La Malbaie, a small town 140 kilometers (87 miles) from Quebec City, will bring together the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. Trudeau hoped to put the focus on jobs, security concerns, cleaning up the world's oceans and empowering women. But officials concede the agenda is likely to be overtaken by trade disputes. "I think it's fair to expect that any discussions on the global economy... in the current environment will quickly turn into a discussion about trade," a senior Canadian official said. The other six members of the G7 are holding out hope they can find common ground with Trump, but are prepared to stand up to US protectionism. "The challenge is to try to preserve a form of unity within the G7, but not hesitate to express firmly and strongly the interests of France and of Europe," Macron's office said.

Macron, Trudeau support 'strong multilateralism' ahead of G7 summit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought on Tuesday to convince European states to abandon a nuclear deal with Iran, saying that Tehran's threats to increase uranium enrichment capacity showed it still planned to destroy Israel.

He arrived in Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron as part of a tour to persuade the European signatories - Britain, France and Germany - to follow Washington's lead in scrapping the accord that they signed with Tehran in 2015.

The three European states are currently scrambling to save the deal - under which Iran promised to curb its nuclear programme in return for lifted sanctions - seeing it as the best chance to stop Tehran developing a nuclear bomb.

But Israel argues that Iran has duped the West and plans to use the break from sanctions to build up its financial reserves before returning to its nuclear plans.

"The day before yesterday Ayatollah Khamenei, the ruler of Iran, declared his intention to destroy the State of Israel. Yesterday he explained how he would do this – with the unrestricted enrichment of uranium in order to produce an arsenal of nuclear bombs," Netanyahu said in a video statement on Twitter.

"We are not surprised. We will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons," he said.

On Sunday, Khamenei's office tweeted what appeared to be an old quote from Iran's top leader that referred to Israel as a "malignant cancerous tumor" that needed to be removed.

A day later, Khamenei said he had ordered preparations to increase uranium enrichment capacity if the nuclear agreement fell apart after the U.S. withdrawal. He did not mention any plans for "unrestricted" enrichment or refer to an arsenal.

The European states have been trying to come up with a package to ring-fence trade with Iran against renewed U.S. financial sanctions to dissuade Tehran from quitting the accord.

But they are struggling to convince firms to remain in Iran or create the financial instruments that could even enable them to do so.

"If Iran does not get the financial guarantees in oil and access to the financial system, then I don't see Iran sticking to the deal because the pressure from hardliners is only increasing," said a Western official.

"It is quite possible they will resume enrichment capacity and research and development of advanced centrifuges to show the Europeans and the world that they are serious."

French officials said Macron would tell Netanyahu that the threat to increase enrichment merely highlighted the need to keep the accord to stop Iran getting an atomic weapon.

Israel is presumed to have its own sizable nuclear arsenal but neither confirms nor denies it.

He arrived in Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron as part of a tour to persuade the European signatories - Britain, France and Germany - to follow Washington's lead in scrapping the accord that they signed with Tehran in 2015

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought on Tuesday to convince European states to abandon a nuclear deal with Iran, saying that Tehran's threats to increase uranium enrichment capacity showed it still planned to destroy Israel. He arrived in Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron as part of a tour to persuade the European signatories - Britain, France and Germany - to follow Washington's lead in scrapping the accord that they signed with Tehran in 2015. The three European states are currently scrambling to save the deal - under which Iran promised to curb its nuclear programme in return for lifted sanctions - seeing it as the best chance to stop Tehran developing a nuclear bomb. But Israel argues that Iran has duped the West and plans to use the break from sanctions to build up its financial reserves before returning to its nuclear plans. "The day before yesterday Ayatollah Khamenei, the ruler of Iran, declared his intention to destroy the State of Israel. Yesterday he explained how he would do this – with the unrestricted enrichment of uranium in order to produce an arsenal of nuclear bombs," Netanyahu said in a video statement on Twitter. "We are not surprised. We will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons," he said. On Sunday, Khamenei's office tweeted what appeared to be an old quote from Iran's top leader that referred to Israel as a "malignant cancerous tumor" that needed to be removed. A day later, Khamenei said he had ordered preparations to increase uranium enrichment capacity if the nuclear agreement fell apart after the U.S. withdrawal. He did not mention any plans for "unrestricted" enrichment or refer to an arsenal. The European states have been trying to come up with a package to ring-fence trade with Iran against renewed U.S. financial sanctions to dissuade Tehran from quitting the accord. But they are struggling to convince firms to remain in Iran or create the financial instruments that could even enable them to do so. "If Iran does not get the financial guarantees in oil and access to the financial system, then I don't see Iran sticking to the deal because the pressure from hardliners is only increasing," said a Western official. "It is quite possible they will resume enrichment capacity and research and development of advanced centrifuges to show the Europeans and the world that they are serious." French officials said Macron would tell Netanyahu that the threat to increase enrichment merely highlighted the need to keep the accord to stop Iran getting an atomic weapon. Israel is presumed to have its own sizable nuclear arsenal but neither confirms nor denies it.

Seeking French support, Netanyahu raises alarm over Iran enrichment plan

French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that &quot;no progress is possible&quot; in Turkey&#39;s bid to join the European Union after a huge post-coup crackdown and other human rights concerns.

&quot;For relations with the European Union, it is clear that recent developments and choices allow no progress in the process,&quot; Macron said at a joint press conference in Paris with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that "no progress is possible" in Turkey's bid to join the European Union after a huge post-coup crackdown and other human rights concerns

French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that "no progress is possible" in Turkey's bid to join the European Union after a huge post-coup crackdown and other human rights concerns. "For relations with the European Union, it is clear that recent developments and choices allow no progress in the process," Macron said at a joint press conference in Paris with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

No progress possible on Turkey's EU bid: Macron

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he would not take any lectures from President Tayyip Erdogan after the Turkish leader criticised Israel over the weekend.

&quot;Mr Erdogan has attacked Israel. I&#39;m not used to receiving lectures about morality from a leader who bombs Kurdish villages in his native Turkey, who jails journalists, helps Iran go around international sanctions and who helps terrorists, including in Gaza, kill innocent people,&quot; Netanyahu told reporters at a news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron.

'I'm not used to receiving lectures about morality from a leader who bombs Kurdish villages in his native Turkey,' Netanyahu told reporters at a news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he would not take any lectures from President Tayyip Erdogan after the Turkish leader criticised Israel over the weekend. "Mr Erdogan has attacked Israel. I'm not used to receiving lectures about morality from a leader who bombs Kurdish villages in his native Turkey, who jails journalists, helps Iran go around international sanctions and who helps terrorists, including in Gaza, kill innocent people," Netanyahu told reporters at a news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Israel's Netanyahu says won't take lectures from Turkey's Erdogan

Facing dark warnings of a historic misstep and widespread unrest, US President Donald Trump on Monday delayed a decision on whether to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and move the US embassy there.

The White House said Trump would miss a deadline to decide on shifting the embassy from Tel Aviv, after a frantic 48 hours of public warnings from allies and private phone calls between world leaders.

The mercurial president has yet to make his final decision, officials said but is expected to stop short of moving the embassy to Jerusalem outright, a central campaign pledge which has been postponed once already by the new administration.

&quot;The president has been clear on this issue from the get-go: It&#39;s not a matter of if, it&#39;s a matter of when,&quot; said White House spokesman Hogan Gidley, who said a declaration on the move would be made &quot;in the coming days.&quot;

Domestic politics may, however, push Trump toward recognizing Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital instead, in a gesture towards conservative voters and donors.

The status of Jerusalem is a key issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both Israelis and Palestinians claiming the city as their capital.

With Trump&#39;s decision looming, leaders from across the Middle East and elsewhere ramped up public warnings against any shift in decades-old US policy.

French President Emmanuel Macron was among those who warned Trump that Jerusalem&#39;s status must be decided &quot;within the framework of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.&quot;

Amid internal White House disagreements, several US administration officials were unable or unwilling to say with certainty what Trump would decide.

&quot;The president&#39;s going to make his decision,&quot; his Middle East peace envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner said.&nbsp;

Israeli&#39;s defense minister Avigdor Lieberman urged Trump to grasp a &quot;historic opportunity.&quot;

But from elsewhere in the region the message was clear: don&#39;t do it.

&quot;If the status of Jerusalem is changed and another step is taken... that would be a major catastrophe,&quot; Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said.

&quot;It would completely destroy the fragile peace process in the region, and lead to new conflicts, new disputes and new unrest.&quot;

&#39;Threat&#39; to stability&nbsp;

All foreign embassies are located in Tel Aviv with consular representation in Jerusalem, and Trump was theoretically due Monday to decide whether to sign a legal waiver delaying by six months plans to move the US embassy from the Holy City -- as successive administrations have done at regular intervals for more than two decades.

&quot;The president is still considering options,&quot; a State Department official said when asked about a possible move.

Trump is expected to begrudgingly sign the waiver for a second time at some point this week.

According to diplomats and observers, however, he may also make a speech on Wednesday announcing his support for Israel&#39;s claim on Jerusalem as its capital.

The Arab League said it was closely following the matter, with leader Abul Gheit warning any such move would pose a threat &quot;to the stability of the Middle East and the whole world.&quot;

&quot;It will not serve peace or stability, instead it will nourish fanaticism and violence,&quot; he said on Sunday, noting that the League was closely following the issue and would coordinate a joint position with Palestinian and Arab leaders if Trump took the step.&nbsp;

Jordan&#39;s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also warned that any change to the status of Jerusalem would have &quot;grave consequences&quot;, in a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday.&nbsp;

It was crucial, he said, &quot;to preserve the historical and legal status of Jerusalem and refrain from any decision that aims to change that status,&quot; the official Petra news agency reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;A move in waiting&nbsp;

In 1995, the US Congress passed the so-called Jerusalem Embassy Act recognizing Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and stating that the US embassy should be moved there.

But an inbuilt waiver, which allows the president to temporarily postpone the move on grounds of &quot;national security&quot;, has been repeatedly invoked by successive US presidents, from Bill Clinton to George W. Bush and Barack Obama, meaning the law has never taken effect.

Israel seized the largely-Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, claims both halves of the city to be its &quot;eternal and undivided capital.&quot;&nbsp;

But the Palestinians want the eastern sector as capital of their promised state and fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there.&nbsp;

Several peace plans have come unstuck over debates on whether, and how, to divide sovereignty or oversee the sites holy to Christians, Jews and Muslims.

&nbsp;&#39;Disqualifying&#39;&nbsp;

Palestinian leaders have been lobbying regional leaders to oppose any shift in US policy and the armed Islamist movement Hamas has threatened to launch a new &quot;intifada.&quot;

Saeb Erakat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, warned that a change in the US stance on Jerusalem would spell disaster, and would amount to an own goal for US peace efforts in the region.

He said in a statement that Washington would &quot;be disqualifying itself to play any role in any initiative towards achieving a just and lasting peace.&quot;

Trump has said he wants to relaunch frozen peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians in search of the &quot;ultimate deal&quot;.&nbsp;

The moving of the US embassy was a central campaign pledge which has been postponed once already by the new administration

Facing dark warnings of a historic misstep and widespread unrest, US President Donald Trump on Monday delayed a decision on whether to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and move the US embassy there. The White House said Trump would miss a deadline to decide on shifting the embassy from Tel Aviv, after a frantic 48 hours of public warnings from allies and private phone calls between world leaders. The mercurial president has yet to make his final decision, officials said but is expected to stop short of moving the embassy to Jerusalem outright, a central campaign pledge which has been postponed once already by the new administration. "The president has been clear on this issue from the get-go: It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when," said White House spokesman Hogan Gidley, who said a declaration on the move would be made "in the coming days." Domestic politics may, however, push Trump toward recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital instead, in a gesture towards conservative voters and donors. The status of Jerusalem is a key issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both Israelis and Palestinians claiming the city as their capital. With Trump's decision looming, leaders from across the Middle East and elsewhere ramped up public warnings against any shift in decades-old US policy. French President Emmanuel Macron was among those who warned Trump that Jerusalem's status must be decided "within the framework of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians." Amid internal White House disagreements, several US administration officials were unable or unwilling to say with certainty what Trump would decide. "The president's going to make his decision," his Middle East peace envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner said. Israeli's defense minister Avigdor Lieberman urged Trump to grasp a "historic opportunity." But from elsewhere in the region the message was clear: don't do it. "If the status of Jerusalem is changed and another step is taken... that would be a major catastrophe," Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said. "It would completely destroy the fragile peace process in the region, and lead to new conflicts, new disputes and new unrest." 'Threat' to stability All foreign embassies are located in Tel Aviv with consular representation in Jerusalem, and Trump was theoretically due Monday to decide whether to sign a legal waiver delaying by six months plans to move the US embassy from the Holy City -- as successive administrations have done at regular intervals for more than two decades. "The president is still considering options," a State Department official said when asked about a possible move. Trump is expected to begrudgingly sign the waiver for a second time at some point this week. According to diplomats and observers, however, he may also make a speech on Wednesday announcing his support for Israel's claim on Jerusalem as its capital. The Arab League said it was closely following the matter, with leader Abul Gheit warning any such move would pose a threat "to the stability of the Middle East and the whole world." "It will not serve peace or stability, instead it will nourish fanaticism and violence," he said on Sunday, noting that the League was closely following the issue and would coordinate a joint position with Palestinian and Arab leaders if Trump took the step. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also warned that any change to the status of Jerusalem would have "grave consequences", in a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday. It was crucial, he said, "to preserve the historical and legal status of Jerusalem and refrain from any decision that aims to change that status," the official Petra news agency reported. A move in waiting In 1995, the US Congress passed the so-called Jerusalem Embassy Act recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and stating that the US embassy should be moved there. But an inbuilt waiver, which allows the president to temporarily postpone the move on grounds of "national security", has been repeatedly invoked by successive US presidents, from Bill Clinton to George W. Bush and Barack Obama, meaning the law has never taken effect. Israel seized the largely-Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, claims both halves of the city to be its "eternal and undivided capital." But the Palestinians want the eastern sector as capital of their promised state and fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there. Several peace plans have come unstuck over debates on whether, and how, to divide sovereignty or oversee the sites holy to Christians, Jews and Muslims. 'Disqualifying' Palestinian leaders have been lobbying regional leaders to oppose any shift in US policy and the armed Islamist movement Hamas has threatened to launch a new "intifada." Saeb Erakat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, warned that a change in the US stance on Jerusalem would spell disaster, and would amount to an own goal for US peace efforts in the region. He said in a statement that Washington would "be disqualifying itself to play any role in any initiative towards achieving a just and lasting peace." Trump has said he wants to relaunch frozen peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians in search of the "ultimate deal".

Trump delays decision to move US embassy to Jerusalem

Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he will return to Lebanon for Wednesday&#39;s Independence Day celebrations and explain his situation, after his shock resignation announcement in Saudi Arabia sparked political turmoil.

Speaking after talks in Paris on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is seeking to broker a way out of the crisis, Hariri said he would &quot;make known my position&quot; once back in Beirut.

&quot;As you know I have resigned, and we will discuss that in Lebanon,&quot; he said told reporters, saying he needed to meet with President Michel Aoun before taking further steps.

Hariri&#39;s announcement follows two weeks of deep uncertainty after his surprise decision to step down on November 4.

His failure to return to Lebanon since then sparked rumours that he was being held in Riyadh against his will, which both he and Saudi officials denied.

&quot;To say that I am held up in Saudi Arabia and not allowed to leave the country is a lie,&quot; he said in a Twitter post just before flying to Paris overnight.

Hariri&#39;s wife and eldest son Houssam joined him for lunch with Macron at the Elysee Palace, but their two younger children, who live in Saudi Arabia, have remained there &quot;for their school exams&quot;, a source close to the premier said.

&quot;Hariri does not want to mix his children up in this affair,&quot; the source said.

His mysterious decision to step down -- which Aoun has refused to accept while Hariri remains abroad -- has raised fears over Lebanon&#39;s fragile democracy.

Hariri&#39;s camp has sought to allay the concerns, with a source saying the premier had a &quot;fruitful and constructive&quot; meeting with the powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman before leaving.

Hariri, a dual Saudi citizen who has previously enjoyed Riyadh&#39;s backing, resigned saying he feared for his life.

He accused Saudi Arabia&#39;s arch-rival Iran and its powerful Lebanese ally Hezbollah of destabilising his country.

- Battle for influence - 
Hariri&#39;s resignation was widely seen as an escalation of the battle for influence between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, which back opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

His attempt to step down also coincides with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers and businessmen.

Hariri met French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Riyadh on Thursday as Paris, which held mandate power over Lebanon for the first half of the 20th century, seeks to ease the crisis.

In another development, Riyadh on Saturday recalled its ambassador to Berlin in protest at comments by Germany&#39;s Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel which were interpreted as a suggestion that Hariri acted under Saudi orders.

Without mentioning Saudi Arabia directly, Gabriel had said Thursday that he shared concerns about the threat of instability and bloodshed in Lebanon and warned against &quot;adventurism&quot;.

&quot;Lebanon has earned the right to decide on its fate by itself and not become a pinball of Syria or Saudi Arabia or other national interests,&quot; he had said earlier in the week.

Germany&#39;s foreign ministry had yet to comment on the row, but in a statement it welcomed Hariri&#39;s &quot;imminent return to Lebanon&quot;.

- &#39;Start of a solution&#39; - 
Ahead of Hariri&#39;s departure, Aoun -- an ally of Hezbollah -- welcomed the trip to Paris, expressing hope that it was the &quot;start of a solution&quot;.

&quot;If Mr. Hariri speaks from France, I would consider that he speaks freely,&quot; Aoun said.

&quot;But his resignation must be presented in Lebanon, and he will have to remain there until the formation of the new government.&quot;&nbsp;

France&#39;s intervention was the latest in a string of European efforts to defuse tensions over Lebanon, where divisions between Hariri&#39;s Sunni bloc and Shiite Hezbollah have long been a focal point in a broader struggle between Riyadh and Tehran.

Hariri -- whose father, ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri, was killed in a 2005 car bombing blamed on Hezbollah -- took over last year as head of a shaky national unity government which includes the powerful Shiite movement.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia&#39;s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir insisted from Madrid that &quot;unless Hezbollah disarms and becomes a political party, Lebanon will be held hostage by Hezbollah and, by extension, Iran&quot;.

Hariri&#39;s resignation comes as the long-standing rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran intensifies and as Riyadh undergoes a major shake-up under the ambitious crown prince. 
&nbsp;

Speaking after talks in Paris on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is seeking to broker a way out of the crisis, Saad Hariri said he would 'make known my position' once back in Beirut

Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he will return to Lebanon for Wednesday's Independence Day celebrations and explain his situation, after his shock resignation announcement in Saudi Arabia sparked political turmoil. Speaking after talks in Paris on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is seeking to broker a way out of the crisis, Hariri said he would "make known my position" once back in Beirut. "As you know I have resigned, and we will discuss that in Lebanon," he said told reporters, saying he needed to meet with President Michel Aoun before taking further steps. Hariri's announcement follows two weeks of deep uncertainty after his surprise decision to step down on November 4. His failure to return to Lebanon since then sparked rumours that he was being held in Riyadh against his will, which both he and Saudi officials denied. "To say that I am held up in Saudi Arabia and not allowed to leave the country is a lie," he said in a Twitter post just before flying to Paris overnight. Hariri's wife and eldest son Houssam joined him for lunch with Macron at the Elysee Palace, but their two younger children, who live in Saudi Arabia, have remained there "for their school exams", a source close to the premier said. "Hariri does not want to mix his children up in this affair," the source said. His mysterious decision to step down -- which Aoun has refused to accept while Hariri remains abroad -- has raised fears over Lebanon's fragile democracy. Hariri's camp has sought to allay the concerns, with a source saying the premier had a "fruitful and constructive" meeting with the powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman before leaving. Hariri, a dual Saudi citizen who has previously enjoyed Riyadh's backing, resigned saying he feared for his life. He accused Saudi Arabia's arch-rival Iran and its powerful Lebanese ally Hezbollah of destabilising his country. - Battle for influence - Hariri's resignation was widely seen as an escalation of the battle for influence between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, which back opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen. His attempt to step down also coincides with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers and businessmen. Hariri met French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Riyadh on Thursday as Paris, which held mandate power over Lebanon for the first half of the 20th century, seeks to ease the crisis. In another development, Riyadh on Saturday recalled its ambassador to Berlin in protest at comments by Germany's Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel which were interpreted as a suggestion that Hariri acted under Saudi orders. Without mentioning Saudi Arabia directly, Gabriel had said Thursday that he shared concerns about the threat of instability and bloodshed in Lebanon and warned against "adventurism". "Lebanon has earned the right to decide on its fate by itself and not become a pinball of Syria or Saudi Arabia or other national interests," he had said earlier in the week. Germany's foreign ministry had yet to comment on the row, but in a statement it welcomed Hariri's "imminent return to Lebanon". - 'Start of a solution' - Ahead of Hariri's departure, Aoun -- an ally of Hezbollah -- welcomed the trip to Paris, expressing hope that it was the "start of a solution". "If Mr. Hariri speaks from France, I would consider that he speaks freely," Aoun said. "But his resignation must be presented in Lebanon, and he will have to remain there until the formation of the new government." France's intervention was the latest in a string of European efforts to defuse tensions over Lebanon, where divisions between Hariri's Sunni bloc and Shiite Hezbollah have long been a focal point in a broader struggle between Riyadh and Tehran. Hariri -- whose father, ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri, was killed in a 2005 car bombing blamed on Hezbollah -- took over last year as head of a shaky national unity government which includes the powerful Shiite movement. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir insisted from Madrid that "unless Hezbollah disarms and becomes a political party, Lebanon will be held hostage by Hezbollah and, by extension, Iran". Hariri's resignation comes as the long-standing rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran intensifies and as Riyadh undergoes a major shake-up under the ambitious crown prince.

Lebanon PM confirms he will return to Beirut for Independence Day celebrations

French President Emmanuel Macron&#39;s centrist party won a massive majority in parliamentary elections on Sunday, early projections showed, dominating the country&#39;s traditional forces in a dramatic re-drawing of the political map.

Macron&#39;s year-old Republic on the Move (REM) and their allies were set to win between 355 and 425 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly, according to partial results after the second round of an election in which many high-profile figures were thrown out.

The result, if confirmed, would give 39-year-old Macron one of France&#39;s biggest post-war majorities, strengthening his hand in implementing his business-friendly, pro-EU programme.

But turnout was estimated to be extremely low, at around 44 percent, giving his critics grounds to claim he has no groundswell of support.

The assembly is set to be transformed with a new generation of lawmakers -- younger, more ethnically diverse and with far more women than the outgoing parliament.

The scale of the change is forecast to be so large that some observers have compared the overhaul to 1958, the start of the present presidential system, or even the post-war rebirth of French democracy in 1945.

Desire for change

Just months ago, Macron was given little chance of becoming president, never mind dominating parliament, but he and the movement he founded 16 months ago have tapped into widespread desire for wholesale change.

His party dominated France&#39;s traditional parties, the rightwing Republicans and Socialists, but also the far-right National Front (FN) of defeated presidential candidate Marine Le Pen which fell far short of its target.

The Socialists were the biggest losers of the night, punished by association with years of high unemployment, social unrest and lost national confidence.

The party lost around 200 seats after five years in power under former president Francois Hollande, leaving them with only around 27 to 49 seats.

The Republicans hung on to between 97 and 130 seats, down from over 200 in the last parliament, and remain the main opposition party.

Le Pen&#39;s FN were only expected to win four to eight seats but she was elected an MP.

But despite the zest for political renewal, the vote failed to generate much excitement.

Official statistics showed turnout at a near 60-year low, revealing a high degree of election fatigue after four votes in under two months.

&quot;People are tired of always seeing the same faces,&quot; said Natacha Dumay, a 59-year-old teacher voting in the northeastern Paris suburb of Pantin where Socialist former justice minister Elisabeth Guigou was voted out a week ago.

&quot;Even if we don&#39;t know the new faces it&#39;s not important. We&#39;re not voting for individuals but for a programme,&quot; Dumay added.

Virtual unknowns

Turnout will be closely watched after it hit a near 60-year low in the June 11 first round of voting, leading some to warn Macron that his mandate is not as strong as he thinks.

REM won 32 percent of the votes cast in the first round, but this represented only about 15 percent of registered voters.

&quot;Go and vote!&quot; Prime Minister Edouard Philippe urged on Thursday, calling it both &quot;a right and a responsibility&quot;.

Around half of REM&#39;s candidates are virtual unknowns drawn from diverse fields of academia, business or local activism. They include a mathematician, a female bullfighter and a former Rwandan orphan.&nbsp;

The other half are a mix of centrists and moderate left- and right-wing politicians drawn from established parties including ally MoDem.

Le Pen aims for seat

Le Pen&#39;s victory was a rare bright spot for Le Pen&#39;s nationalist and anti-EU party which was once hoping to emerge as the principal opposition to Macron but is now expected to have only a handful of lawmakers.

The hard-left France Unbowed is also struggling to maintain the momentum it had during the presidential election.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the firebrand leader of the movement, is running for election in the southern city of Marseille on a promise to lead resistance to Macron&#39;s radical labour market reforms.

Apart from loosening labour laws to try to boost employment, Macron also plans measures to deepen European integration and an overhaul of the social security system.

He has vowed to take on French unions by creating a system of &quot;flexi-security&quot; inspired by Scandinavian countries which combines a solid state-funded safety net with company-friendly legislation.&nbsp;

His confident start at home, where he has concentrated on trying to restore the lost prestige of the president, and his decisive action on the international stage has led to a host of positive headlines.

Macron's year-old Republic on the Move and their allies were set to win between 355 and 425 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly, according to partial results after the second round of elections

French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party won a massive majority in parliamentary elections on Sunday, early projections showed, dominating the country's traditional forces in a dramatic re-drawing of the political map. Macron's year-old Republic on the Move (REM) and their allies were set to win between 355 and 425 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly, according to partial results after the second round of an election in which many high-profile figures were thrown out. The result, if confirmed, would give 39-year-old Macron one of France's biggest post-war majorities, strengthening his hand in implementing his business-friendly, pro-EU programme. But turnout was estimated to be extremely low, at around 44 percent, giving his critics grounds to claim he has no groundswell of support. The assembly is set to be transformed with a new generation of lawmakers -- younger, more ethnically diverse and with far more women than the outgoing parliament. The scale of the change is forecast to be so large that some observers have compared the overhaul to 1958, the start of the present presidential system, or even the post-war rebirth of French democracy in 1945. Desire for change Just months ago, Macron was given little chance of becoming president, never mind dominating parliament, but he and the movement he founded 16 months ago have tapped into widespread desire for wholesale change. His party dominated France's traditional parties, the rightwing Republicans and Socialists, but also the far-right National Front (FN) of defeated presidential candidate Marine Le Pen which fell far short of its target. The Socialists were the biggest losers of the night, punished by association with years of high unemployment, social unrest and lost national confidence. The party lost around 200 seats after five years in power under former president Francois Hollande, leaving them with only around 27 to 49 seats. The Republicans hung on to between 97 and 130 seats, down from over 200 in the last parliament, and remain the main opposition party. Le Pen's FN were only expected to win four to eight seats but she was elected an MP. But despite the zest for political renewal, the vote failed to generate much excitement. Official statistics showed turnout at a near 60-year low, revealing a high degree of election fatigue after four votes in under two months. "People are tired of always seeing the same faces," said Natacha Dumay, a 59-year-old teacher voting in the northeastern Paris suburb of Pantin where Socialist former justice minister Elisabeth Guigou was voted out a week ago. "Even if we don't know the new faces it's not important. We're not voting for individuals but for a programme," Dumay added. Virtual unknowns Turnout will be closely watched after it hit a near 60-year low in the June 11 first round of voting, leading some to warn Macron that his mandate is not as strong as he thinks. REM won 32 percent of the votes cast in the first round, but this represented only about 15 percent of registered voters. "Go and vote!" Prime Minister Edouard Philippe urged on Thursday, calling it both "a right and a responsibility". Around half of REM's candidates are virtual unknowns drawn from diverse fields of academia, business or local activism. They include a mathematician, a female bullfighter and a former Rwandan orphan. The other half are a mix of centrists and moderate left- and right-wing politicians drawn from established parties including ally MoDem. Le Pen aims for seat Le Pen's victory was a rare bright spot for Le Pen's nationalist and anti-EU party which was once hoping to emerge as the principal opposition to Macron but is now expected to have only a handful of lawmakers. The hard-left France Unbowed is also struggling to maintain the momentum it had during the presidential election. Jean-Luc Melenchon, the firebrand leader of the movement, is running for election in the southern city of Marseille on a promise to lead resistance to Macron's radical labour market reforms. Apart from loosening labour laws to try to boost employment, Macron also plans measures to deepen European integration and an overhaul of the social security system. He has vowed to take on French unions by creating a system of "flexi-security" inspired by Scandinavian countries which combines a solid state-funded safety net with company-friendly legislation. His confident start at home, where he has concentrated on trying to restore the lost prestige of the president, and his decisive action on the international stage has led to a host of positive headlines.

Macron party wins massive majority in French parliament

French President Emmanuel Macron&#39;s centrist party and its allies were headed for victory after Sunday&#39;s first round parliamentary elections with 32.32 per cent of the vote, according to final results.

His Republique en Marche (Republic on the Move, REM) party and its ally MoDem outstripped the right on 21.56 per cent and the far-right National Front of Marine Le Pen on 13.20 per cent, according to results released by the interior ministry at 1:30 am Monday.

&quot;France is back,&quot; Prime Minister Edouard Philippe declared triumphantly.

&quot;For the past month, the president has shown confidence, willingness and daring in France and on the international stage,&quot; Philippe said, calling the result a vindication of Macron&#39;s &quot;winning strategy&quot;.

The vote was marked by record low turnout of 49 per cent, reflecting the fatalism among Macron&#39;s opponents in the face of his seemingly unstoppable advance, experts said.

The right-wing Republicans -- who had hoped to rebound from their defeat in the presidential vote -- were shown trailing in second with a predicted 80-132 seats while Marine Le Pen&#39;s far-right National Front (FN) was forecast to garner between one and 10 seats.

The FN&#39;s result showed the party struggling to rebound from Le Pen&#39;s bruising defeat by Macron in the presidential run-off.

FN vice-president Florian Philippot admitted to &quot;disappointment&quot; and called on voters to &quot;mobilise massively&quot; for the June 18 second round.

The worst losses, however, were for the Socialists of Macron&#39;s predecessor Francois Hollande, who were shown dropping a staggering 200 seats.

Conceding the party was facing &quot;unprecedented&quot; losses, PS chief Jean-Christophe Cambadelis appealed to voters to rally behind Macron&#39;s rivals to avoid the president monopolising power.

Parliament risked having &quot;no real oversight powers and no democratic debate worth speaking of,&quot; he warned.

Republicans leader Francois Baroin also cautioned against all the power being &quot;concentrated in one party&quot;.

The estimates based on partial results showed Macron&#39;s year-old REM and MoDem winning 32.2-32.9 per cent in the first round, ahead of the Republicans on 20.9-21.5 per cent and the FN on 13.1-14 per cent.

Few MPs are expected to be elected outright on Sunday.

If no candidate wins over 50 per cent, the two top-placed contenders go into the second round -- along with any other candidate who garners at least 12.5 per cent of registered voters.

France&#39;s youngest-ever president has been credited with restoring a lost sense of national pride since winning the top office last month at 39.

He has&nbsp;won praise for appointing a balanced cabinet that straddles France&#39;s long-entrenched left-right divide and taking a leading role in Europe&#39;s fight-back against US President Donald Trump on climate change.

If the seat projections are confirmed next week, he will have a strong mandate to push through the ambitious labour, economic and social reforms he promised on the campaign trail.

More than 50,000 police were on patrol during the vote, with France still jittery after a wave of jihadist attacks at home and across the Channel in Britain.

Political novices&nbsp;

Macron, who had never held elected office before becoming president, fielded political novices in around 200 constituencies -- part of his bid to rejuvenate the assembly.

They include Marie Sara, a retired bullfighter, who is taking on FN stalwart Gilbert Collard in southern France and 33-year-old junior digital economy minister Mounir Mahjoubi who went up against PS boss Cambadelis in northeast Paris.

Macron is also trying to usher in an era of cleaner politics. His government&#39;s first bill proposes to ban lawmakers from employing family members or performing consultancy work while in office.

The measures follow the scandal that destroyed the presidential bid of Republicans candidate Francois Fillon, who has been charged over payments to his wife and two of his children for suspected fake jobs as parliamentary assistants. Fillon denies the charges.

Macron&#39;s party has largely avoided controversy but one of his ministers who is running for re-election in Brittany, Richard Ferrand, is being probed over a&nbsp;property deal involving his girlfriend.

FN falls short&nbsp;

Forecasts show Le Pen&#39;s party will struggle to win the 15 seats it would need to form a parliamentary group and help shape the assembly&#39;s agenda.

The radical-left France Insoumise (France Unbowed) party of Jean-Luc Melenchon who finished fourth in the presidential race also fell short of expectations.

His camp was tipped to only take 10-23 seats.&nbsp;

Macron has urged voters to back his reform proposals including an overhaul of the rigid rules governing the job market, blamed by many economists for holding back growth.

The president was economy minister in the Socialist government that began loosening the labour laws last year, sparking mass demonstrations that lasted for months.

His Republique en Marche (REM) party and its ally MoDem outstripped the right on 21.56 per cent and the far-right National Front of Marine Le Pen on 13.20 per cent

French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party and its allies were headed for victory after Sunday's first round parliamentary elections with 32.32 per cent of the vote, according to final results. His Republique en Marche (Republic on the Move, REM) party and its ally MoDem outstripped the right on 21.56 per cent and the far-right National Front of Marine Le Pen on 13.20 per cent, according to results released by the interior ministry at 1:30 am Monday. "France is back," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe declared triumphantly. "For the past month, the president has shown confidence, willingness and daring in France and on the international stage," Philippe said, calling the result a vindication of Macron's "winning strategy". The vote was marked by record low turnout of 49 per cent, reflecting the fatalism among Macron's opponents in the face of his seemingly unstoppable advance, experts said. The right-wing Republicans -- who had hoped to rebound from their defeat in the presidential vote -- were shown trailing in second with a predicted 80-132 seats while Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front (FN) was forecast to garner between one and 10 seats. The FN's result showed the party struggling to rebound from Le Pen's bruising defeat by Macron in the presidential run-off. FN vice-president Florian Philippot admitted to "disappointment" and called on voters to "mobilise massively" for the June 18 second round. The worst losses, however, were for the Socialists of Macron's predecessor Francois Hollande, who were shown dropping a staggering 200 seats. Conceding the party was facing "unprecedented" losses, PS chief Jean-Christophe Cambadelis appealed to voters to rally behind Macron's rivals to avoid the president monopolising power. Parliament risked having "no real oversight powers and no democratic debate worth speaking of," he warned. Republicans leader Francois Baroin also cautioned against all the power being "concentrated in one party". The estimates based on partial results showed Macron's year-old REM and MoDem winning 32.2-32.9 per cent in the first round, ahead of the Republicans on 20.9-21.5 per cent and the FN on 13.1-14 per cent. Few MPs are expected to be elected outright on Sunday. If no candidate wins over 50 per cent, the two top-placed contenders go into the second round -- along with any other candidate who garners at least 12.5 per cent of registered voters. France's youngest-ever president has been credited with restoring a lost sense of national pride since winning the top office last month at 39. He has won praise for appointing a balanced cabinet that straddles France's long-entrenched left-right divide and taking a leading role in Europe's fight-back against US President Donald Trump on climate change. If the seat projections are confirmed next week, he will have a strong mandate to push through the ambitious labour, economic and social reforms he promised on the campaign trail. More than 50,000 police were on patrol during the vote, with France still jittery after a wave of jihadist attacks at home and across the Channel in Britain. Political novices Macron, who had never held elected office before becoming president, fielded political novices in around 200 constituencies -- part of his bid to rejuvenate the assembly. They include Marie Sara, a retired bullfighter, who is taking on FN stalwart Gilbert Collard in southern France and 33-year-old junior digital economy minister Mounir Mahjoubi who went up against PS boss Cambadelis in northeast Paris. Macron is also trying to usher in an era of cleaner politics. His government's first bill proposes to ban lawmakers from employing family members or performing consultancy work while in office. The measures follow the scandal that destroyed the presidential bid of Republicans candidate Francois Fillon, who has been charged over payments to his wife and two of his children for suspected fake jobs as parliamentary assistants. Fillon denies the charges. Macron's party has largely avoided controversy but one of his ministers who is running for re-election in Brittany, Richard Ferrand, is being probed over a property deal involving his girlfriend. FN falls short Forecasts show Le Pen's party will struggle to win the 15 seats it would need to form a parliamentary group and help shape the assembly's agenda. The radical-left France Insoumise (France Unbowed) party of Jean-Luc Melenchon who finished fourth in the presidential race also fell short of expectations. His camp was tipped to only take 10-23 seats. Macron has urged voters to back his reform proposals including an overhaul of the rigid rules governing the job market, blamed by many economists for holding back growth. The president was economy minister in the Socialist government that began loosening the labour laws last year, sparking mass demonstrations that lasted for months.

French President Emmanuel Macron headed for overwhelming parliamentary majority

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