French President Emmanuel Macron said in a television interview broadcast on Sunday that he would go to Russia "when France reached the quarterfinals".

"I will go to support them," Macron told the Telefoot weekly programme, without allowing for the possibility that France might be knocked out before then.

Macron also envisioned himself alongside manager Didier Deschamps in the French dressing room in Moscow before the final on July 15.

"First I'll let Didier Deschamps talk to them and I'll think very hard about the three words... 'Unity, effort and confidence'," Macron said, repeating the phrase he used when he visited Les Bleus last Tuesday at their training centre in Clairefontaine, near Paris.

"I have confidence in them," he said. "I sensed a team that wanted to succeed and bring back the cup.

"We're not going just to participate, we are going to win," said the president, echoing a sentiment he expressed when he asked the squad to&nbsp "bring back a second star".

In 1998, Jacques Chirac became the first French president to visit the French squad before a World Cup when he went to Clairefontaine. He also joined them in the dressing room after they had won the final.

Macron also envisioned himself alongside manager Didier Deschamps

French President Emmanuel Macron said in a television interview broadcast on Sunday that he would go to Russia "when France reached the quarterfinals". "I will go to support them," Macron told the Telefoot weekly programme, without allowing for the possibility that France might be knocked out before then. Macron also envisioned himself alongside manager Didier Deschamps in the French dressing room in Moscow before the final on July 15. "First I'll let Didier Deschamps talk to them and I'll think very hard about the three words... 'Unity, effort and confidence'," Macron said, repeating the phrase he used when he visited Les Bleus last Tuesday at their training centre in Clairefontaine, near Paris. "I have confidence in them," he said. "I sensed a team that wanted to succeed and bring back the cup. "We're not going just to participate, we are going to win," said the president, echoing a sentiment he expressed when he asked the squad to "bring back a second star". In 1998, Jacques Chirac became the first French president to visit the French squad before a World Cup when he went to Clairefontaine. He also joined them in the dressing room after they had won the final.

Macron says he will go to support France when they reach last eight

France's President Emmanuel Macron may have had le vin rouge on his mind when he thanked Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his "delicious wife" for their warm welcome on his official visit.

But the linguistic misstep, probably caused by a subtle difference in the usage of the French word "delicieux" and its English counterpart "delicious", has certainly done no harm to bilateral relations.

"Lucy was very flattered, she was very flattered," Turnbull told journalists on Thursday.

"She's asked me to say that she found the President's compliment as charming as it was memorable."

The light-hearted brouhaha lit up social media on Wednesday after Macron and Turnbull had navigated several sensitive diplomatic issues at a news conference in Sydney.

Macron thanked the Turnbulls for being good hosts and acknowledged the fine food and wine he had enjoyed, before exclaiming in English: "I want to thank you for your welcome, you and your delicious wife for the warm welcome."

Discussion about the remark immediately overshadowed the leaders' deliberations on more weighty issues, such as China's growing influence in the region.

But what exactly did Macron try to say?

He may have had the word "delicieux" in mind, which, though sounding similar to "delicious," would, in this instance, better translate as "lovely" or "delightful".

While more often used to describe a pastry or a meal, the word "delicieux" can also describe a person, even if it is a somewhat old-fashioned usage.

"In French, it doesn't mean you want to eat that person," said Sydney-based translator Brigitte Carcenac de Torné, who attended the bilateral event.

"He used the word delicious as it is used in French. I've noticed he has a very rich vocabulary and he seems to be particularly fond of 18th-century literature and that usage appears in the writings of that time."

Though Macron, who studied philosophy at university, speaks better English than several of his predecessors and often speaks the language when abroad, his only experience of living in an English-speaking country is six months in the French embassy in Nigeria.

It is not the first time a stray comment - in this case, unintentional - on a high-profile visit has overshadowed more official business.

Last year, US&nbsp;President Donald Trump praised French first lady Brigitte Macron for being in "such good shape" on a state visit to France.

 
&nbsp;

The French president had thanked Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his 'delicious wife' for their warm welcome on his official visit

France's President Emmanuel Macron may have had le vin rouge on his mind when he thanked Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his "delicious wife" for their warm welcome on his official visit. But the linguistic misstep, probably caused by a subtle difference in the usage of the French word "delicieux" and its English counterpart "delicious", has certainly done no harm to bilateral relations. "Lucy was very flattered, she was very flattered," Turnbull told journalists on Thursday. "She's asked me to say that she found the President's compliment as charming as it was memorable." The light-hearted brouhaha lit up social media on Wednesday after Macron and Turnbull had navigated several sensitive diplomatic issues at a news conference in Sydney. Macron thanked the Turnbulls for being good hosts and acknowledged the fine food and wine he had enjoyed, before exclaiming in English: "I want to thank you for your welcome, you and your delicious wife for the warm welcome." Discussion about the remark immediately overshadowed the leaders' deliberations on more weighty issues, such as China's growing influence in the region. But what exactly did Macron try to say? He may have had the word "delicieux" in mind, which, though sounding similar to "delicious," would, in this instance, better translate as "lovely" or "delightful". While more often used to describe a pastry or a meal, the word "delicieux" can also describe a person, even if it is a somewhat old-fashioned usage. "In French, it doesn't mean you want to eat that person," said Sydney-based translator Brigitte Carcenac de Torné, who attended the bilateral event. "He used the word delicious as it is used in French. I've noticed he has a very rich vocabulary and he seems to be particularly fond of 18th-century literature and that usage appears in the writings of that time." Though Macron, who studied philosophy at university, speaks better English than several of his predecessors and often speaks the language when abroad, his only experience of living in an English-speaking country is six months in the French embassy in Nigeria. It is not the first time a stray comment - in this case, unintentional - on a high-profile visit has overshadowed more official business. Last year, US President Donald Trump praised French first lady Brigitte Macron for being in "such good shape" on a state visit to France.

Wife flattered over Macron's 'delicious' remark: Turnbull

Hundreds of thousands of railway workers took to the streets to start a strike across France on Monday evening to voice their discontent with the government reform plan.

Two-thirds of the trains have been cancelled as 323,000 rallied to protest against a series of reforms launched by French President Emmanuel Macron as part of the plan to remove 120,000 positions in the public service by 2023.

The union of the SNCF (Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais), the national rail network, called on its members to take a long-term strike, that is, strike for two days and work for three.

About 48 per cent of the railway workers, 77 per cent being trained drivers, have participated in the strike since Tuesday. The strike significantly affected the operation of domestic trains. Meanwhile, some passengers were caught unaware.

"The train will leave at 15:50 and it is expected to be on time. We didn't know that there would be a strike when we bought the tickets. The SNCF told us that our train will run normally no matter what," said a passenger at the Lyon station in Paris.

The domestic train service has been more seriously affected than the international train services. However, many still hold that the strike has brought much inconveniences to people.

"We cannot work well during the strike. All the people have been affected, vendors or others. People cannot go out or go on a vacation. They have to stay at home. If this continues tomorrow, we will lose much income," said Robert, a taxi driver in Paris.

Two-thirds of the trains have been cancelled as 323,000 rallied to protest against a series of reforms launched by French President Emmanuel Macron

Hundreds of thousands of railway workers took to the streets to start a strike across France on Monday evening to voice their discontent with the government reform plan. Two-thirds of the trains have been cancelled as 323,000 rallied to protest against a series of reforms launched by French President Emmanuel Macron as part of the plan to remove 120,000 positions in the public service by 2023. The union of the SNCF (Societe Nationale des Chemins de fer Francais), the national rail network, called on its members to take a long-term strike, that is, strike for two days and work for three. About 48 per cent of the railway workers, 77 per cent being trained drivers, have participated in the strike since Tuesday. The strike significantly affected the operation of domestic trains. Meanwhile, some passengers were caught unaware. "The train will leave at 15:50 and it is expected to be on time. We didn't know that there would be a strike when we bought the tickets. The SNCF told us that our train will run normally no matter what," said a passenger at the Lyon station in Paris. The domestic train service has been more seriously affected than the international train services. However, many still hold that the strike has brought much inconveniences to people. "We cannot work well during the strike. All the people have been affected, vendors or others. People cannot go out or go on a vacation. They have to stay at home. If this continues tomorrow, we will lose much income," said Robert, a taxi driver in Paris.

French railway workers on strike against government reform

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday inaugurated the 75 MW solar power plant in Mirzapur.&nbsp;

The largest solar power plant in Uttar Pradesh has been built in collaboration with French solar power giant Engie Solar at Dadar Kala, some 25 kms from Mirzapur under the International Solar Alliance (ISA) programme.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi &amp; French President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EmmanuelMacron?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EmmanuelMacron</a> inaugurate the Solar Power Plant in Mirzapur. <a href="https://t.co/DVFy3BoPRa">pic.twitter.com/DVFy3BoPRa</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/973080662218543104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The two leaders will take a boat ride from Assi to Dashaswamedh Ghat.&nbsp;

They will also visit the Deen Dayal Hastkala Sankul in Bada Lalpur, a trade facilitation centre for handicrafts, and hold an interaction with artisans and view a live demonstration of their crafts.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi &amp; French President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EmmanuelMacron?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EmmanuelMacron</a> arrive at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hastkala Sankul in Bada Lalpur, Varanasi. <a href="https://t.co/M5x3onIuem">pic.twitter.com/M5x3onIuem</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/973096220032937985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Following the boat ride, Modi and Macron will flag off a train between Maduadih Railway Station in Varanasi, and Patna.&nbsp;

On Sunday, India and France co-hosted the first summit of the International Solar Alliance.

Macron, who is on a four-day visit to India, arrived in Varanasi on Monday, where he was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, on Saturday, India and France had inked 14 pacts, including in key areas of defence, nuclear energy and protection of classified information besides resolving to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

During a joint press conference, PM Modi asserted that the synergy between the two sides was from land to sky. 
&nbsp;

The two leaders will take a boat ride from Assi to Dashaswamedh Ghat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday inaugurated the 75 MW solar power plant in Mirzapur. The largest solar power plant in Uttar Pradesh has been built in collaboration with French solar power giant Engie Solar at Dadar Kala, some 25 kms from Mirzapur under the International Solar Alliance (ISA) programme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi & French President #EmmanuelMacron inaugurate the Solar Power Plant in Mirzapur. pic.twitter.com/DVFy3BoPRa — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 12, 2018 × The two leaders will take a boat ride from Assi to Dashaswamedh Ghat. They will also visit the Deen Dayal Hastkala Sankul in Bada Lalpur, a trade facilitation centre for handicrafts, and hold an interaction with artisans and view a live demonstration of their crafts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi & French President #EmmanuelMacron arrive at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hastkala Sankul in Bada Lalpur, Varanasi. pic.twitter.com/M5x3onIuem — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 12, 2018 × Following the boat ride, Modi and Macron will flag off a train between Maduadih Railway Station in Varanasi, and Patna. On Sunday, India and France co-hosted the first summit of the International Solar Alliance. Macron, who is on a four-day visit to India, arrived in Varanasi on Monday, where he was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Meanwhile, on Saturday, India and France had inked 14 pacts, including in key areas of defence, nuclear energy and protection of classified information besides resolving to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. During a joint press conference, PM Modi asserted that the synergy between the two sides was from land to sky.

PM Modi, French President Macron inaugurate UP's largest solar power plant in Mirzapur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday at the Founding Conference of the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/we-have-launched-worlds-largest-renewable-energy-expansion-programme-pm-modi-at-solar-summit-35372"> International Solar Alliance </a>(ISA), listed out ten action points to bring about a worldwide solar revolution.

&quot;We all have to think about the way forward. I have ten action points in my mind that I want to share with you. First of all, we have to ensure that better and affordable solar technology is available and accessible to everyone. We need to increase the solar proportion in our energy mix,&quot; the Prime Minister said here.

He added that solar solutions will also encourage innovation.

&quot;We have to encourage innovation so that solar solutions can be provided for various needs. We will have to provide concessional financing and low-risk finance for solar projects,&quot; PM Modi said.

Prime Minister Modi stressed on the development of regulatory aspects and standards.

&quot;Regulatory aspects and standards have to be developed which should adopt solar solutions and speed up their development. Developing countries will have to develop consultancy support for bankable solar projects, to emphasise greater inclusiveness and participation in our efforts,&quot; he added.

&quot;We need to create a comprehensive network of centers of excellence. We should make the ISA Secretariat strong and professional,&quot; he asserted.

The prime minister concluded his address by quoting the Shanthi Mantra from The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, &quot;Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya&quot;, which means &quot;From darkness, lead me to light&quot;.

&quot;If you want to serve the whole humanity then I am confident that after coming out of personal filings, like a family we will be able to bring unity and solidarity in the objectives and efforts,&quot; he added.

Prime Minister Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired the first founding conference of the ISA in New Delhi&#39;s Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The summit was attended by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid, among other dignitaries from over 50 countries.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired the first founding conference of the ISA in New Delhi's Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday at the Founding Conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), listed out ten action points to bring about a worldwide solar revolution. "We all have to think about the way forward. I have ten action points in my mind that I want to share with you. First of all, we have to ensure that better and affordable solar technology is available and accessible to everyone. We need to increase the solar proportion in our energy mix," the Prime Minister said here. He added that solar solutions will also encourage innovation. "We have to encourage innovation so that solar solutions can be provided for various needs. We will have to provide concessional financing and low-risk finance for solar projects," PM Modi said. Prime Minister Modi stressed on the development of regulatory aspects and standards. "Regulatory aspects and standards have to be developed which should adopt solar solutions and speed up their development. Developing countries will have to develop consultancy support for bankable solar projects, to emphasise greater inclusiveness and participation in our efforts," he added. "We need to create a comprehensive network of centers of excellence. We should make the ISA Secretariat strong and professional," he asserted. The prime minister concluded his address by quoting the Shanthi Mantra from The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, "Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya", which means "From darkness, lead me to light". "If you want to serve the whole humanity then I am confident that after coming out of personal filings, like a family we will be able to bring unity and solidarity in the objectives and efforts," he added. Prime Minister Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired the first founding conference of the ISA in New Delhi's Rashtrapati Bhavan. The summit was attended by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid, among other dignitaries from over 50 countries.

PM Modi lists 10 action points for solar revolution at ISA

Taking a swipe at US President Donald Trump for backing out of Paris climate agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron lauded the efforts of India, along with other nations, for making International Solar Alliance (ISA) a reality.

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However, Macron did not name Trump at the founding conference of ISA in the capital today. While hailing the &#39;Solar Mamas&#39;, a group of women solar engineers, he also referred to the countries which decided to leave the climate agreement.

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Addressing the summit in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Macron said, &quot;Mr Prime Minister, You made a dream and we did it. It was about this International Solar Alliance. It was two years ago, it was just an idea at that time and we decided all together to act very quickly and today a big change&quot;.

Expressing his immense happiness and lauding the efforts of Solar Mamas, he said, &quot;Our solar mamas did not wait for us. They started to act and to deliver complete results. They did not wait and stop because some countries (US and others) just decided to leave the floor and leave the Paris agreement. Because they (ISA nations) decided it is good for them their children and grand children. They decided to act and keep acting&quot;.

The oblique reference was towards US President Trump&#39;s decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, which was signed by nearly 200 countries in December 2015 in an effort to curb global greenhouse gas emission and limit global warming to within 2 degrees Celsius.

In November last year, Syria signed the deal, leaving the US as the only country in the world not to support the framework deal to combat greenhouse gas emissions.

Interestingly, France is the co-host for the founding conference of the the ISA which is a treaty based international body with 121 prospective member countries.

As many as 60 nations have signed the agreement to join ISA, while 30 have already ratified the agreement and made it possible to make it a legal entity in December last year.

Macron said the countries at the ISA represent three-fourths of the world population. As much as 20-50 per cent of the population do not have access to power.

The joint goal is to have 1 TW of solar energy by 2020 for which &quot;we need USD 1,000 billion,&quot; he said.

Today, heads of 23 nations and 10 ministerial representatives gathered here for alliance&#39;s first summit.&nbsp;

'Mr Prime Minister (Modi), You made a dream and we did it. It was about this International Solar Alliance. It was two years ago, it was just an idea at that time and we decided all together to act very quickly and today a big change,' said Macron

Taking a swipe at US President Donald Trump for backing out of Paris climate agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron lauded the efforts of India, along with other nations, for making International Solar Alliance (ISA) a reality. × However, Macron did not name Trump at the founding conference of ISA in the capital today. While hailing the 'Solar Mamas', a group of women solar engineers, he also referred to the countries which decided to leave the climate agreement. × Addressing the summit in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Macron said, "Mr Prime Minister, You made a dream and we did it. It was about this International Solar Alliance. It was two years ago, it was just an idea at that time and we decided all together to act very quickly and today a big change". Expressing his immense happiness and lauding the efforts of Solar Mamas, he said, "Our solar mamas did not wait for us. They started to act and to deliver complete results. They did not wait and stop because some countries (US and others) just decided to leave the floor and leave the Paris agreement. Because they (ISA nations) decided it is good for them their children and grand children. They decided to act and keep acting". The oblique reference was towards US President Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement, which was signed by nearly 200 countries in December 2015 in an effort to curb global greenhouse gas emission and limit global warming to within 2 degrees Celsius. In November last year, Syria signed the deal, leaving the US as the only country in the world not to support the framework deal to combat greenhouse gas emissions. Interestingly, France is the co-host for the founding conference of the the ISA which is a treaty based international body with 121 prospective member countries. As many as 60 nations have signed the agreement to join ISA, while 30 have already ratified the agreement and made it possible to make it a legal entity in December last year. Macron said the countries at the ISA represent three-fourths of the world population. As much as 20-50 per cent of the population do not have access to power. The joint goal is to have 1 TW of solar energy by 2020 for which "we need USD 1,000 billion," he said. Today, heads of 23 nations and 10 ministerial representatives gathered here for alliance's first summit.

French President Macron takes dig at Trump, hails India's efforts at making International Solar Alliance a reality

French President Emmanuel Macron today emphasised on the need for more pacts on the environment at the global level that could empower people in having a say in battling climate change.

He also stressed on higher investments by the governments to deal with climate change.

Referring to the Paris Framework Agreement on Climate Change, Macron said despite the US decision to leave the pact, many countries have decided to stick by it.

&quot;We want to step up that (the fight against climate change) with new agreements at the UN by 2020, which will give new rights to people...People can go against a company or a government, saying you are not complying with your own commitment,&quot; Macron said.

The French leader was speaking at an interaction with students at a Town Hall here.

Responding to a question on the French government&#39;s stand on artificial intelligence (AI), Macron said it was necessary to invest heavily in the field to create an alternative as it currently dominated by the US and China.

Elaborating on the issue, he said in the US, the AI fight is led by private players---Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple and others.

&quot;It is totally privately driven and privately held, which according to me is a big mistake because it deals with privacy...In a certain way with the choice of the society because it will impact your day-to-day life, your intimacy and so on. And these guys will decide for you,&quot; Marcon said.

On the other hand, it is fully controlled by the state in China, he said.

&quot;In China, it is 100 per cent state-driven, government-driven. You have the private leaders but all the data is controlled and monitored by the government, which is, for me not a society I decided to live in,&quot; Macron said.

&quot;So, for Europe, it is necessary to create another model and research in this field is a critical element,&quot; he said.

This, he said, will not only create a single digital market but also help build its own regulations in the arena.

Responding to a question on qualities of a good leader, Macron said a leader is one who has an inclusive approach vis-a-vis gender and religion.

&quot;I think one of the main mistakes of a leader would try to create a sort of domination of your side...Of your people and the others because it is never sustainable and because large parts of violence in our current world is due to frustrations of the minorities, frustrations of dominated people&quot;.

In a nearly hour-long interaction, Macron was asked questions ranging from lighter queries like handling mud-slinging in public life to a more serious one related to climate change and security of women.

Dressed in white shirt, black trousers with a black tie, Macron obliged students seeking selfies with him.

The French leader was speaking at an interaction with students at a Town Hall here

French President Emmanuel Macron today emphasised on the need for more pacts on the environment at the global level that could empower people in having a say in battling climate change. He also stressed on higher investments by the governments to deal with climate change. Referring to the Paris Framework Agreement on Climate Change, Macron said despite the US decision to leave the pact, many countries have decided to stick by it. "We want to step up that (the fight against climate change) with new agreements at the UN by 2020, which will give new rights to people...People can go against a company or a government, saying you are not complying with your own commitment," Macron said. The French leader was speaking at an interaction with students at a Town Hall here. Responding to a question on the French government's stand on artificial intelligence (AI), Macron said it was necessary to invest heavily in the field to create an alternative as it currently dominated by the US and China. Elaborating on the issue, he said in the US, the AI fight is led by private players---Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple and others. "It is totally privately driven and privately held, which according to me is a big mistake because it deals with privacy...In a certain way with the choice of the society because it will impact your day-to-day life, your intimacy and so on. And these guys will decide for you," Marcon said. On the other hand, it is fully controlled by the state in China, he said. "In China, it is 100 per cent state-driven, government-driven. You have the private leaders but all the data is controlled and monitored by the government, which is, for me not a society I decided to live in," Macron said. "So, for Europe, it is necessary to create another model and research in this field is a critical element," he said. This, he said, will not only create a single digital market but also help build its own regulations in the arena. Responding to a question on qualities of a good leader, Macron said a leader is one who has an inclusive approach vis-a-vis gender and religion. "I think one of the main mistakes of a leader would try to create a sort of domination of your side...Of your people and the others because it is never sustainable and because large parts of violence in our current world is due to frustrations of the minorities, frustrations of dominated people". In a nearly hour-long interaction, Macron was asked questions ranging from lighter queries like handling mud-slinging in public life to a more serious one related to climate change and security of women. Dressed in white shirt, black trousers with a black tie, Macron obliged students seeking selfies with him.

More pacts needed to fight climate change: Emmanuel Macron

The Congress party on Saturday again targeted the NDA government over the Rafale deal, alleging that it is turning out to be a mother scam, and asked the government to come clean.

The comments came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with French President Emannuel Macron.

The grand-old-party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said the over price India had paid to France for the purchase of the fighter aircraft compared to other countries including Egypt and Qatar was not some charity and the Modi government should answer as to where the money had gone.

&quot;People are asking in whose pockets this money has gone&quot;, he added.&nbsp;

Vadakkan said his party had been raising the issue for the last three days but not a word from the government or the BJP was heard in response. Not even a denial, he said.

The BJP yesterday rejected the Congress&#39; charge, claiming the party was spreading lies and confusion to mislead the nation.&nbsp;

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said it is irresponsible and anti-national to allege corruption in the Euro 7.5 billion deal with France to supply the fighter jets.

&quot;Where is the corruption? It is irresponsible and anti-national to make such allegations,&quot; he said speaking at a media event.

The Congress, however, again raised the issue today and likened the government&#39;s stand to a cat drinking milk with its eyes shut in the belief that nobody will watch it.

&quot;The government, the defence ministry must come clean. What are they trying to hide?. You called the UPA corrupt. If this is not corruption then what is. It is turning out to be a mother scam on which the NDA must come clean,&quot; he said.

"People are asking in whose pockets this money has gone", Congress asked.

The Congress party on Saturday again targeted the NDA government over the Rafale deal, alleging that it is turning out to be a mother scam, and asked the government to come clean. The comments came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with French President Emannuel Macron. The grand-old-party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said the over price India had paid to France for the purchase of the fighter aircraft compared to other countries including Egypt and Qatar was not some charity and the Modi government should answer as to where the money had gone. "People are asking in whose pockets this money has gone", he added. Vadakkan said his party had been raising the issue for the last three days but not a word from the government or the BJP was heard in response. Not even a denial, he said. The BJP yesterday rejected the Congress' charge, claiming the party was spreading lies and confusion to mislead the nation. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said it is irresponsible and anti-national to allege corruption in the Euro 7.5 billion deal with France to supply the fighter jets. "Where is the corruption? It is irresponsible and anti-national to make such allegations," he said speaking at a media event. The Congress, however, again raised the issue today and likened the government's stand to a cat drinking milk with its eyes shut in the belief that nobody will watch it. "The government, the defence ministry must come clean. What are they trying to hide?. You called the UPA corrupt. If this is not corruption then what is. It is turning out to be a mother scam on which the NDA must come clean," he said.

Modi government should come clean on Rafale deal: Congress

French President Emmanuel Macron met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Saturday.

Earlier, he met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

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Delhi: French President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EmmanuelMacron?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EmmanuelMacron</a> and PM Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House <a href="https://t.co/sztCMbslqE">pic.twitter.com/sztCMbslqE</a>
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Accompanied by his wife Brigitte Macron and M.J. Akbar, the Minister of State for External Affairs, &nbsp;Macron visited Rajghat and paid his tribute at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.

President Macron signed the visitor&#39;s book and was presented with a bust of Mahatma&nbsp;

Earlier in the day, President Macron arrived at the Rashtrapati Bhawan and inspected a guard of honour.

He also met with his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind, his wife Savita Kovind.

PM Modi and President Macron will hold delegation level talks later today.

During the talks, both the leaders are expected to review the progress achieved in bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.&nbsp;

Several agreements are expected to be signed in various areas.

Earlier, he met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

French President Emmanuel Macron met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Saturday. Earlier, he met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Delhi: French President #EmmanuelMacron and PM Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House pic.twitter.com/sztCMbslqE — ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2018 × Accompanied by his wife Brigitte Macron and M.J. Akbar, the Minister of State for External Affairs, Macron visited Rajghat and paid his tribute at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi. President Macron signed the visitor's book and was presented with a bust of Mahatma Earlier in the day, President Macron arrived at the Rashtrapati Bhawan and inspected a guard of honour. He also met with his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind, his wife Savita Kovind. PM Modi and President Macron will hold delegation level talks later today. During the talks, both the leaders are expected to review the progress achieved in bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. Several agreements are expected to be signed in various areas.

French President Emmanuel Macron meets PM Modi at Hyderabad House

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-seeks-concrete-actions-from-north-korea-before-planned-talks-35266">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-seeks-concrete-actions-from-north-korea-before-planned-talks-35266"> seeks &#39;concrete actions&#39; from North Korea before planned talks</a>

US President Donald Trump will not meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un unless Pyongyang takes &quot;concrete actions,&quot; the White House said on Friday as it faced criticism for agreeing to talks that would give North Korea international legitimacy.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/french-president-macron-arrives-in-india-on-4-day-visit-35256">French president Macron arrives in India on </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/french-president-macron-arrives-in-india-on-4-day-visit-35256">4-day</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/french-president-macron-arrives-in-india-on-4-day-visit-35256"> visit</a>

French President France Emmanuel Macron arrived in New Delhi on Friday on a four-day state visit. He was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as soon as he touched down at the Delhi airport. The two had a brief interaction before the French president was whisked away in a waiting car.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/deal-with-north-korea-in-the-making-and-will-be-a-good-one-for-the-world-trump-35275">Deal with North Korea in the making and will be a good one for the world: Trump</a>

US President Donald Trump on Saturday a deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the world. Trump took to Twitter and said, &quot;a deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the world.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/loya-may-have-died-due-to-poisoning-ngo-to-supreme-court-35276">Justice Loya may have died due to poisoning: NGO to Supreme court</a>

An NGO, which had sought an independent probe into the alleged mysterious death of special CBI judge B H Loya Saturday claimed in the Supreme Court that he might have died due to poisoning as he had complained of chest congestion.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gunman-holed-up-at-california-veterans-home-with-3-hostages-35269">Gunman</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gunman-holed-up-at-california-veterans-home-with-3-hostages-35269"> holed up at California veterans home with 3 hostages&nbsp;</a>

A gunman who once served in the US military opened fire on Friday inside a California home for disabled and aging war veterans, where he took three hostages and was holding police at bay as negotiators sought to make contact with him for several hours, authorities said.

US seeks 'concrete actions' from North Korea before planned talks US President Donald Trump will not meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un unless Pyongyang takes "concrete actions," the White House said on Friday as it faced criticism for agreeing to talks that would give North Korea international legitimacy. French president Macron arrives in India on 4-day visit French President France Emmanuel Macron arrived in New Delhi on Friday on a four-day state visit. He was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as soon as he touched down at the Delhi airport. The two had a brief interaction before the French president was whisked away in a waiting car. Deal with North Korea in the making and will be a good one for the world: Trump US President Donald Trump on Saturday a deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the world. Trump took to Twitter and said, "a deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the world." Justice Loya may have died due to poisoning: NGO to Supreme court An NGO, which had sought an independent probe into the alleged mysterious death of special CBI judge B H Loya Saturday claimed in the Supreme Court that he might have died due to poisoning as he had complained of chest congestion. Gunman holed up at California veterans home with 3 hostages A gunman who once served in the US military opened fire on Friday inside a California home for disabled and aging war veterans, where he took three hostages and was holding police at bay as negotiators sought to make contact with him for several hours, authorities said.

WION Morning News Brief, March 10, 2018

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Tuesday for a more coordinated European approach to trade with China during an official visit to Beijing.

Macron said that too often in the past, European countries had come to China with widely varying agendas with some seeking more openness and others wary of more granting more access to their markets.

&ldquo;We need a coordinated European approach ... that gives China more visibility about our agenda,&rdquo; Macron said after a commercial contract signing ceremony.

&ldquo;That&rsquo;s why France is in favour of defining strategic sectors where we want to protect investments... It&rsquo;s a question of sovereignty as you yourselves have understood very well,&rdquo; Macron added, seated next to his Chinese counterpart.

Macron said that too often in the past, European countries had come to China with widely varying agendas

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Tuesday for a more coordinated European approach to trade with China during an official visit to Beijing. Macron said that too often in the past, European countries had come to China with widely varying agendas with some seeking more openness and others wary of more granting more access to their markets. “We need a coordinated European approach ... that gives China more visibility about our agenda,” Macron said after a commercial contract signing ceremony. “That’s why France is in favour of defining strategic sectors where we want to protect investments... It’s a question of sovereignty as you yourselves have understood very well,” Macron added, seated next to his Chinese counterpart.

French President Emmanuel Macron says EU needs coordinated stance on Chinese trade

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/vijay-rupani-to-continue-as-gujarat-chief-minister-nitin-bhai-patel-his-deputy-bjp-27467" target="_blank">Vijay Rupani to continue as Gujarat chief minister, Nitin Bhai Patel his deputy: BJP</a>

Vijay Rupani will continue as Chief Minister of Gujarat, Nitin Patel his deputy, the BJP announced on Friday. The announcement was made at a meeting conducted by elected BJP candidates under the steer of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who made the announcement.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sachin-tendulkar-releases-video-takes-his-disrupted-rajya-sabha-speech-online-27462" target="_blank">Sachin Tendulkar releases video; takes his disrupted Rajya Sabha speech online</a>

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was supposed to initiate a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sachin-tendulkars-unable-to-lead-debate-as-rajya-sabha-gets-adjourned-27360">debate&nbsp;</a>in&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sachin-tendulkars-unable-to-lead-debate-as-rajya-sabha-gets-adjourned-27360">Rajya Sabha yesterday</a>. His speech was disrupted as the Upper House of Parliament was adjourned due to Congress leaders&#39; sloganeering over PM Modi&#39;s remark on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/adarsh-scam-bombay-high-court-rejects-governors-sanction-to-prosecute-ashok-chavan-27435" target="_blank">Adarsh scam: Bombay High Court rejects Governor&#39;s sanction to prosecute Ashok Chavan</a>

The Bombay High Court on Friday set aside Governor&#39;s sanction to prosecute senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan in the Adarsh scam.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/lashkar-e-taiba-creates-special-security-team-to-protect-hafiz-saeed-27474" target="_blank">Lashkar-e-Taiba forms &#39;special security team&#39; to protect Hafiz Saeed</a>

Lashkar-e-Taiba is reported to have created a &quot;special security team&quot;&nbsp;to provide security cover to global terrorist and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) Chief Hafiz Saeed. Saeed&#39;s LeT&nbsp;security agents would also be armed with&nbsp;ammunition.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/palestinian-president-calls-us-dishonest-mediator-says-will-not-accept-us-peace-plan-27464" target="_blank">Palestinian President calls US dishonest mediator, says will not accept US peace plan</a>

Mahmud Abbas, the president of Palestine has said that his country will not accept any peace proposal by the United States.&nbsp; He said, &quot;&nbsp;The United States has proven to be a dishonest mediator in the peace process and we will no longer accept any plan from the United States.&quot;

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Here are the top developments this evening

Vijay Rupani to continue as Gujarat chief minister, Nitin Bhai Patel his deputy: BJP Vijay Rupani will continue as Chief Minister of Gujarat, Nitin Patel his deputy, the BJP announced on Friday. The announcement was made at a meeting conducted by elected BJP candidates under the steer of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who made the announcement. Sachin Tendulkar releases video; takes his disrupted Rajya Sabha speech online Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was supposed to initiate a debate in Rajya Sabha yesterday. His speech was disrupted as the Upper House of Parliament was adjourned due to Congress leaders' sloganeering over PM Modi's remark on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Adarsh scam: Bombay High Court rejects Governor's sanction to prosecute Ashok Chavan The Bombay High Court on Friday set aside Governor's sanction to prosecute senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan in the Adarsh scam. Lashkar-e-Taiba forms 'special security team' to protect Hafiz Saeed Lashkar-e-Taiba is reported to have created a "special security team" to provide security cover to global terrorist and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) Chief Hafiz Saeed. Saeed's LeT security agents would also be armed with ammunition. Palestinian President calls US dishonest mediator, says will not accept US peace plan Mahmud Abbas, the president of Palestine has said that his country will not accept any peace proposal by the United States. He said, " The United States has proven to be a dishonest mediator in the peace process and we will no longer accept any plan from the United States."

WION evening news brief, December 22, 2017

French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the new Abu Dhabi Louvre museum on Wednesday, the 8th of November as the UAE capital positions itself as a cultural hub for tourism with a display of hundreds of works that it hopes will draw visitors from around the world.

Macron is on a two-day visit that will see him hold talks on the geopolitical situation with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, before ending his trip in Dubai to attend an economic forum.

Surrounded by water from three sides, the museum houses 600 artworks it has acquired, alongside 300 works on loan from 13 leading French institutions, in its 23 permanent galleries. The artists range from Paul Gauguin and Vincent Van Gogh to Pablo Picasso and Cy Twombly.

Macron, along with his wife Brigitte Macron were among the guests of honour at the opening, along with other heads of state.

The Abu Dhabi museum was set up under a 2007 inter-governmental agreement between Paris and Abu Dhabi. Originally slated to open in 2012, it was delayed by the global financial crisis and then by low oil prices, which led the United Arab Emirates to rein in spending.

French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the new Abu Dhabi Louvre museum on Wednesday

French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the new Abu Dhabi Louvre museum on Wednesday, the 8th of November as the UAE capital positions itself as a cultural hub for tourism with a display of hundreds of works that it hopes will draw visitors from around the world. Macron is on a two-day visit that will see him hold talks on the geopolitical situation with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, before ending his trip in Dubai to attend an economic forum. Surrounded by water from three sides, the museum houses 600 artworks it has acquired, alongside 300 works on loan from 13 leading French institutions, in its 23 permanent galleries. The artists range from Paul Gauguin and Vincent Van Gogh to Pablo Picasso and Cy Twombly. Macron, along with his wife Brigitte Macron were among the guests of honour at the opening, along with other heads of state. The Abu Dhabi museum was set up under a 2007 inter-governmental agreement between Paris and Abu Dhabi. Originally slated to open in 2012, it was delayed by the global financial crisis and then by low oil prices, which led the United Arab Emirates to rein in spending.

Watch: Macron guest of honour at Louvre Abu Dhabi opening

French President Emmanuel Macron came under fire after a remark directed against union activists fuelled accusations from opponents that he shows contempt for disgruntled workers.

The pro-business president made the comment Wednesday while visiting the central town of Egletons, referring to trade unionists who clashed with police during a rally against layoffs at the region&#39;s GM&amp;S auto parts plant.

&quot;Some, instead of stirring up shit, would be better off looking for work&quot; at a foundry in Ussel, Macron said. The foundry, 140 kilometres (85 miles) from the auto plant, is struggling to find workers.

Macron said Thursday that he was &quot;standing by the substance&quot; of his remarks -- which were made in conversation with a regional official -- and would have chosen his words differently in a more formal context.

Government spokesman Christophe Castaner conceded to BFMTV the choice of language used was &quot;surprising coming from the mouth of a president of the republic.&quot;

&quot;The French use these words all the time,&quot; said Castaner, adding that Macron had aimed the comment at a union delegation which had &quot;decided to disrupt the visit.

Macron spokesman Bruno Roger-Petit insisted the president was not aware he was on camera at the time. &nbsp;

Macron&#39;s comment follows several others seen as dismissive of ordinary people or critics, contributing to a steep drop in popularity for the 39-year-old centrist since his election in May.

Last month, days before a union-led protest against his flagship labour reforms, Macron said he would not back down &quot;to slackers, cynics and extremists&quot;.

His words became a rallying cry for protesters who coined slogans such as &quot;Slackers of the world, unite!&quot;

He had previously raised eyebrows by drawing a distinction between &quot;people who succeed and people who are nothing&quot;.

&quot;Macron does it again,&quot; the opposition Socialist Party said in a tweet on Wednesday, calling on the president to &quot;watch his language and respect the French people&quot;.&nbsp;

A lawmaker of the hard-left France Unbowed party, Adrien Quatennens, said Macron &quot;doesn&#39;t know what it means to look for work&quot;.

Mainstream politicians also joined the attack.

Secretary general of the liberal centre-right Republicans Bernard Accoyer said Macron was &quot;president of all the French and the first requirement is respect for all our compatriots whoever they may be -- and in particular those who are in difficulty.&quot;

Accoyer&#39;s party colleague Christian Jacob accused Macron of &quot;arrogance&quot; and of being a leader &quot;who cannot take the least challenge.&quot;

Macron has sought to restore lost prestige to the presidency, hosting events in grandiose settings such as the former royal palace in Versailles and likening his role to that of Jupiter, king of the Roman gods.

The former investment banker&#39;s ambitious agenda includes labour reforms pushed through by decree, with critics seizing on his use of executive orders as an example of an autocratic leadership style.

Macron is also planning major tax cuts for the wealthy, forcing him to fend off accusations that he is a &quot;president of the rich&quot;.

France&#39;s youngest president sees the tax cuts as essential to spurring investment and stemming the exodus of millionaires such as actor Gerard Depardieu and ageing rocker Johnny Hallyday.

Wednesday&#39;s remark &quot;further alienates the president by bolstering the image of heavy-handedness and indifference to the least fortunate,&quot; said Emmanuel Riviere of the Sofres polling institute.

Political scientist Jerome Sainte-Marie told AFP it &quot;was not very good in terms of popularity, but that won&#39;t prevent him from passing reforms -- he has overwhelming power.&quot;

Macron insists he has a mandate for change after his presidential win was followed by a thumping parliamentary victory for his Republic on the Move (LREM) party.

Three demonstrations over his labour reforms failed to mobilise the huge crowds that marched against his Socialist predecessor Francois Hollande&#39;s workplace changes.

"Some, instead of stirring up shit, would be better off looking for work" at a foundry in Ussel, Macron had said.

French President Emmanuel Macron came under fire after a remark directed against union activists fuelled accusations from opponents that he shows contempt for disgruntled workers. The pro-business president made the comment Wednesday while visiting the central town of Egletons, referring to trade unionists who clashed with police during a rally against layoffs at the region's GM&S auto parts plant. "Some, instead of stirring up shit, would be better off looking for work" at a foundry in Ussel, Macron said. The foundry, 140 kilometres (85 miles) from the auto plant, is struggling to find workers. Macron said Thursday that he was "standing by the substance" of his remarks -- which were made in conversation with a regional official -- and would have chosen his words differently in a more formal context. Government spokesman Christophe Castaner conceded to BFMTV the choice of language used was "surprising coming from the mouth of a president of the republic." "The French use these words all the time," said Castaner, adding that Macron had aimed the comment at a union delegation which had "decided to disrupt the visit. Macron spokesman Bruno Roger-Petit insisted the president was not aware he was on camera at the time. Macron's comment follows several others seen as dismissive of ordinary people or critics, contributing to a steep drop in popularity for the 39-year-old centrist since his election in May. Last month, days before a union-led protest against his flagship labour reforms, Macron said he would not back down "to slackers, cynics and extremists". His words became a rallying cry for protesters who coined slogans such as "Slackers of the world, unite!" He had previously raised eyebrows by drawing a distinction between "people who succeed and people who are nothing". "Macron does it again," the opposition Socialist Party said in a tweet on Wednesday, calling on the president to "watch his language and respect the French people". A lawmaker of the hard-left France Unbowed party, Adrien Quatennens, said Macron "doesn't know what it means to look for work". Mainstream politicians also joined the attack. Secretary general of the liberal centre-right Republicans Bernard Accoyer said Macron was "president of all the French and the first requirement is respect for all our compatriots whoever they may be -- and in particular those who are in difficulty." Accoyer's party colleague Christian Jacob accused Macron of "arrogance" and of being a leader "who cannot take the least challenge." Macron has sought to restore lost prestige to the presidency, hosting events in grandiose settings such as the former royal palace in Versailles and likening his role to that of Jupiter, king of the Roman gods. The former investment banker's ambitious agenda includes labour reforms pushed through by decree, with critics seizing on his use of executive orders as an example of an autocratic leadership style. Macron is also planning major tax cuts for the wealthy, forcing him to fend off accusations that he is a "president of the rich". France's youngest president sees the tax cuts as essential to spurring investment and stemming the exodus of millionaires such as actor Gerard Depardieu and ageing rocker Johnny Hallyday. Wednesday's remark "further alienates the president by bolstering the image of heavy-handedness and indifference to the least fortunate," said Emmanuel Riviere of the Sofres polling institute. Political scientist Jerome Sainte-Marie told AFP it "was not very good in terms of popularity, but that won't prevent him from passing reforms -- he has overwhelming power." Macron insists he has a mandate for change after his presidential win was followed by a thumping parliamentary victory for his Republic on the Move (LREM) party. Three demonstrations over his labour reforms failed to mobilise the huge crowds that marched against his Socialist predecessor Francois Hollande's workplace changes.

Macron should watch his language, tweets French Socialist Party

Emmanuel Macron was confronted on Monday with pressing reminders of the challenges facing him as France&#39;s next president, even as allies and some former rivals signalled their willingness to work closely with him.

The 39-year-old centrist&#39;s victory over far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen in Sunday&#39;s election came as a huge relief to European Union allies who had feared another populist upheaval to follow Britain&#39;s vote last year to leave the EU and Donald Trump&#39;s election as US president.

&quot;He carries the hopes of millions of French people, and of many people in Germany and the whole of Europe,&quot; German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference in Berlin.

&quot;He ran a courageous pro-European campaign, stands for openness to the world and is committed decisively to a social market economy,&quot; the EU&#39;s most powerful leader added, congratulating Macron on his &quot;spectacular&quot; election success.

But even while pledging to help France tackle unemployment, Merkel rejected suggestions Germany should do more to support Europe&#39;s economy by importing more from its partners to bring down its big trade surplus.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker put it bluntly: &quot;With France, we have a particular problem ... The French spend too much money and they spend too much in the wrong places. This will not work over time.&quot;

The euro fell from six-month highs against the dollar on confirmation of Macron&#39;s widely expected victory by a margin of 66 per cent to 34 per cent.

Investors took profit on a roughly 3 per cent gain for the currency since he won the first round two on April 23.

France&#39;s economic malaise, especially high unemployment, had undermined the popularity of outgoing Socialist President Francois Hollande to the point where he decided not even to run again as a candidate.

&quot;This year, I wanted Emmanuel Macron to be here with me so that a torch could be passed on,&quot; said Hollande, appearing with Macron at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris to commemorate Victory in Europe Day and the surrender of Nazi forces on May 8, 1945 at the end of World War Two.

Elsewhere in Paris, more than 1,500 people, led by the powerful CGT labour federation, marched in protest against Macron&#39;s planned liberalisation of labour laws.

&quot;If he continues with the idea of executive orders in July, that means he will sweep away consultation and dialogue, so there will be a problem one way or another. We shall see,&quot; Jean-Claude Mailly, secretary general of the hardline leftist Force Ouvriere union told France Info radio.&nbsp;

Parliamentary majority

On assuming office next Sunday as France&#39;s youngest leader since Napoleon, Macron faces the immediate challenge of securing a majority in the June parliamentary election to have a realistic chance of implementing his plans for lower state spending, higher investment and reform of the tax, labour and pension systems.

With the two mainstream parties - the conservative Republicans and the left-wing Socialists - both failing to reach the presidential runoff vote, his chances of winning a majority that supports his election pledges will depend on him widening his centrist base.&nbsp;

The Socialists are torn between the radical left of their defeated candidate Benoit Hamon and the more centrist, pro-business branch led by Manuel Valls, who was prime minister under Hollande.

On Monday, key members of the centrist arm of The Republicans appeared ready to work with Macron despite the party hierarchy calling for unity to oppose the new president and calling those that were wavering &quot;traitors&quot;.

&quot;I can work in a government majority,&quot; said Bruno Le Maire, a senior Republicans official, who had been an aide of presidential candidate Francois Fillon, and is tipped by some to become the new foreign minister.

&quot;The situation is too serious for sectarianism and to be partisan,&quot; he said, later adding that Macron&#39;s victory was positive for France.

However, a senior Republican, Christian Estrosi, who had backed Macron and been rumoured to rally behind him, said on Monday he had turned down a ministerial post in order to focus on his home city of Nice.

&quot;I will say things clearly: my only ambition is to serve my city and my region and not to enter the government,&quot; Estrosi later told reporters.

Macron&#39;s party chief, Richard Ferrand, told a news conference his &quot;En Marche!&quot; movement will now change its name to &quot;En Marche la R&eacute;publique&quot; or &quot;Republic on the Move&quot;, so as to structure itself more like a traditional party.

He also said the names of Macron&#39;s 577 candidates in the legislative elections would be announced this Thursday.

Macron stepped down from the chairmanship of the movement on Thursday and 68-year-old former Socialist government adviser Catherine Barbaroux was named as interim president.&nbsp;

Le Pen, 48, defiantly claimed the mantle of France&#39;s main opposition in calling on &quot;all patriots&quot; to constitute a &quot;new political force&quot;.

Her tally was almost double the score that her father Jean-Marie, the last far-right candidate to make the presidential runoff, achieved in 2002, when he was trounced by the conservative Jacques Chirac.

(Reuters)

More than 1,500 people, led by the powerful CGT labour federation, marched in Paris in protest against Macron's planned liberalisation of labour laws.

Emmanuel Macron was confronted on Monday with pressing reminders of the challenges facing him as France's next president, even as allies and some former rivals signalled their willingness to work closely with him. The 39-year-old centrist's victory over far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen in Sunday's election came as a huge relief to European Union allies who had feared another populist upheaval to follow Britain's vote last year to leave the EU and Donald Trump's election as US president. "He carries the hopes of millions of French people, and of many people in Germany and the whole of Europe," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told a news conference in Berlin. "He ran a courageous pro-European campaign, stands for openness to the world and is committed decisively to a social market economy," the EU's most powerful leader added, congratulating Macron on his "spectacular" election success. But even while pledging to help France tackle unemployment, Merkel rejected suggestions Germany should do more to support Europe's economy by importing more from its partners to bring down its big trade surplus. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker put it bluntly: "With France, we have a particular problem ... The French spend too much money and they spend too much in the wrong places. This will not work over time." The euro fell from six-month highs against the dollar on confirmation of Macron's widely expected victory by a margin of 66 per cent to 34 per cent. Investors took profit on a roughly 3 per cent gain for the currency since he won the first round two on April 23. France's economic malaise, especially high unemployment, had undermined the popularity of outgoing Socialist President Francois Hollande to the point where he decided not even to run again as a candidate. "This year, I wanted Emmanuel Macron to be here with me so that a torch could be passed on," said Hollande, appearing with Macron at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris to commemorate Victory in Europe Day and the surrender of Nazi forces on May 8, 1945 at the end of World War Two. Elsewhere in Paris, more than 1,500 people, led by the powerful CGT labour federation, marched in protest against Macron's planned liberalisation of labour laws. "If he continues with the idea of executive orders in July, that means he will sweep away consultation and dialogue, so there will be a problem one way or another. We shall see," Jean-Claude Mailly, secretary general of the hardline leftist Force Ouvriere union told France Info radio. Parliamentary majority On assuming office next Sunday as France's youngest leader since Napoleon, Macron faces the immediate challenge of securing a majority in the June parliamentary election to have a realistic chance of implementing his plans for lower state spending, higher investment and reform of the tax, labour and pension systems. With the two mainstream parties - the conservative Republicans and the left-wing Socialists - both failing to reach the presidential runoff vote, his chances of winning a majority that supports his election pledges will depend on him widening his centrist base. The Socialists are torn between the radical left of their defeated candidate Benoit Hamon and the more centrist, pro-business branch led by Manuel Valls, who was prime minister under Hollande. On Monday, key members of the centrist arm of The Republicans appeared ready to work with Macron despite the party hierarchy calling for unity to oppose the new president and calling those that were wavering "traitors". "I can work in a government majority," said Bruno Le Maire, a senior Republicans official, who had been an aide of presidential candidate Francois Fillon, and is tipped by some to become the new foreign minister. "The situation is too serious for sectarianism and to be partisan," he said, later adding that Macron's victory was positive for France. However, a senior Republican, Christian Estrosi, who had backed Macron and been rumoured to rally behind him, said on Monday he had turned down a ministerial post in order to focus on his home city of Nice. "I will say things clearly: my only ambition is to serve my city and my region and not to enter the government," Estrosi later told reporters. Macron's party chief, Richard Ferrand, told a news conference his "En Marche!" movement will now change its name to "En Marche la République" or "Republic on the Move", so as to structure itself more like a traditional party. He also said the names of Macron's 577 candidates in the legislative elections would be announced this Thursday. Macron stepped down from the chairmanship of the movement on Thursday and 68-year-old former Socialist government adviser Catherine Barbaroux was named as interim president. Le Pen, 48, defiantly claimed the mantle of France's main opposition in calling on "all patriots" to constitute a "new political force". Her tally was almost double the score that her father Jean-Marie, the last far-right candidate to make the presidential runoff, achieved in 2002, when he was trounced by the conservative Jacques Chirac. (Reuters)

France's Macron reminded of huge challenges ahead

French President Francois Hollande yesterday rejected opposition calls to further harden anti-terrorism legislation after the country&#39;s second jihadist attack in two weeks. 
 
&quot;Restricting our freedoms will not make the fight against terrorism more effective,&quot; he said, adding that changes made to legislation already gave authorities sufficient &quot;capacity to act&quot;. 
 
He was speaking after two jihadists attacked a church in a Normandy town, killing an elderly Catholic priest by slitting his throat, and severely injuring another person. 
 
Hollande&#39;s predecessor and opposition chief Nicolas Sarkozy earlier called for the government to &quot;thoroughly change the strategy of our counterattack.&quot; 
 
&quot;Our enemy has no taboos, no limits, no morals, no borders,&quot; he said, asking the government to adopt proposals made by his right-wing Republicans party. 
 
The opposition wants anyone suspect of being radicalised to be placed in detention and to prevent convicted terrorists from being released from prison after having served time, if they are still considered dangerous. 
 
The Republicans also wants to make it a criminal offence to have spent time in the &quot;field of terrorist operations&quot;, namely Syria and Iraq. 
 
However those returning from jihad are already charges with criminal conspiracy with a terrorist enterprise. 
 
&quot;The government is using all human and material means to fight this threat, with a mobilisation of police, gendarmes and soldiers never before seen in the Fifth Republic,&quot; said Hollande. 
 
The president has urged unity in a country poisoned by bitter political blame-trading over security failings after a Tunisian national mowed down a crowd celebrating Bastille Day on July 14, killing 84. 
 
&quot;What the terrorists want is to divide us, separate us, to tear us apart. We must avoid one-upmanship, arguments, conflation, suspicions,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;This war will be long. Our democracy is the target, and it will be our shield. Let us stand together. We will win this war.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The opposition wants anyone suspect of being radicalised to be placed in detention and to prevent convicted terrorists from being released

French President Francois Hollande yesterday rejected opposition calls to further harden anti-terrorism legislation after the country's second jihadist attack in two weeks. "Restricting our freedoms will not make the fight against terrorism more effective," he said, adding that changes made to legislation already gave authorities sufficient "capacity to act". He was speaking after two jihadists attacked a church in a Normandy town, killing an elderly Catholic priest by slitting his throat, and severely injuring another person. Hollande's predecessor and opposition chief Nicolas Sarkozy earlier called for the government to "thoroughly change the strategy of our counterattack." "Our enemy has no taboos, no limits, no morals, no borders," he said, asking the government to adopt proposals made by his right-wing Republicans party. The opposition wants anyone suspect of being radicalised to be placed in detention and to prevent convicted terrorists from being released from prison after having served time, if they are still considered dangerous. The Republicans also wants to make it a criminal offence to have spent time in the "field of terrorist operations", namely Syria and Iraq. However those returning from jihad are already charges with criminal conspiracy with a terrorist enterprise. "The government is using all human and material means to fight this threat, with a mobilisation of police, gendarmes and soldiers never before seen in the Fifth Republic," said Hollande. The president has urged unity in a country poisoned by bitter political blame-trading over security failings after a Tunisian national mowed down a crowd celebrating Bastille Day on July 14, killing 84. "What the terrorists want is to divide us, separate us, to tear us apart. We must avoid one-upmanship, arguments, conflation, suspicions," he said. "This war will be long. Our democracy is the target, and it will be our shield. Let us stand together. We will win this war." (AFP)

Hollande rejects opposition calls to harden terror laws

Short on the sides and thinning on top, French President Francois Hollande`s hair is kept perfectly groomed at a cost of almost 10,000 Euros a month, the Canard Enchaine weekly reported today. 
 
The unpopular leader`s hair has never been the topic of scrutiny, unlike other high-profile male politicians such as US presidential candidate Donald Trump or former London mayor Boris Johnson. 
 
However the publication of the contract of his hairdresser, identified only as Olivier B., by the investigative newspaper had the French bristling over such extravagant spending by a Socialist president. 
 
&quot;I can understand the questions, I can understand that there are judgements,&quot; said government spokesman Stephane Le Foll, who confirmed the hairdresser`s steep salary of 9,895 Euros ($10,900) a month. 
 
&quot;Everyone has their hair done, don`t they?&quot; said Le Foll, his trademark thick grey mane flopping over his forehead. 
 
A lawmaker with the far-right National Front (FN) referred to Hollande as &quot;his majesty&quot; on Twitter, while other users superimposed Afros, mullets and other hairstyles on pictures of the president, to &quot;help his hairdresser earn his salary&quot;. 
 
The hashtag #Coiffeurgate was trending on Twitter in France. 
 
Some Twitter users also suggested other balding candidates for the presidency in 2017, such as Alain Juppe of the opposition Republicans, could save taxpayers money. 
 
An image of Hollande with a beanie photoshopped onto his head was captioned &quot;budget cuts&quot;. 
 
Hollande himself earns an annual wage of 179,000 Euros a year or 14,900 Euros a month. 
 
The Canard Enchaine reported that in addition to his salary, the hairdresser was entitled to a &quot;housing allowance&quot; and other &quot;family benefits&quot;. 
 
He has been employed since 2012 and travels with the President on most of his foreign trips. 
 
The hairdresser`s contract states that he must &quot;maintain absolute secrecy about his work and any information he may have gathered both during and after his contract&quot;. 
 
Hollande, who was elected in 2012, has always portrayed himself as &quot;Mr Normal&quot;, in stark contrast to his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy whose flashy lifestyle saw him dubbed &quot;President Bling Bling&quot;. 
 
A series of political and personal scandals along with a moribund economy and stubborn unemployment levels have driven Hollande`s popularity rating to the lowest levels ever seen in modern French history. 
 
Critics on the left of his party accuse him of betraying Socialist ideals and cosying up to business with a series of economic and labour reforms, despite stating during campaigning that the world of finance was his &quot;enemy.&quot; 
 
Hollande has said he will decide by the end of the year whether to stand in next year`s presidential election, but he has said a re-election bid would depend on his success in cutting unemployment. 
 
 
(AFP)

Twitter users superimposed Afros, mullets and other hairstyles on pictures of the President, to 'help his hairdresser earn his salary'

Short on the sides and thinning on top, French President Francois Hollande`s hair is kept perfectly groomed at a cost of almost 10,000 Euros a month, the Canard Enchaine weekly reported today. The unpopular leader`s hair has never been the topic of scrutiny, unlike other high-profile male politicians such as US presidential candidate Donald Trump or former London mayor Boris Johnson. However the publication of the contract of his hairdresser, identified only as Olivier B., by the investigative newspaper had the French bristling over such extravagant spending by a Socialist president. "I can understand the questions, I can understand that there are judgements," said government spokesman Stephane Le Foll, who confirmed the hairdresser`s steep salary of 9,895 Euros ($10,900) a month. "Everyone has their hair done, don`t they?" said Le Foll, his trademark thick grey mane flopping over his forehead. A lawmaker with the far-right National Front (FN) referred to Hollande as "his majesty" on Twitter, while other users superimposed Afros, mullets and other hairstyles on pictures of the president, to "help his hairdresser earn his salary". The hashtag #Coiffeurgate was trending on Twitter in France. Some Twitter users also suggested other balding candidates for the presidency in 2017, such as Alain Juppe of the opposition Republicans, could save taxpayers money. An image of Hollande with a beanie photoshopped onto his head was captioned "budget cuts". Hollande himself earns an annual wage of 179,000 Euros a year or 14,900 Euros a month. The Canard Enchaine reported that in addition to his salary, the hairdresser was entitled to a "housing allowance" and other "family benefits". He has been employed since 2012 and travels with the President on most of his foreign trips. The hairdresser`s contract states that he must "maintain absolute secrecy about his work and any information he may have gathered both during and after his contract". Hollande, who was elected in 2012, has always portrayed himself as "Mr Normal", in stark contrast to his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy whose flashy lifestyle saw him dubbed "President Bling Bling". A series of political and personal scandals along with a moribund economy and stubborn unemployment levels have driven Hollande`s popularity rating to the lowest levels ever seen in modern French history. Critics on the left of his party accuse him of betraying Socialist ideals and cosying up to business with a series of economic and labour reforms, despite stating during campaigning that the world of finance was his "enemy." Hollande has said he will decide by the end of the year whether to stand in next year`s presidential election, but he has said a re-election bid would depend on his success in cutting unemployment. (AFP)

Hollande`s hairdresser `paid 10,000 Euros a month`

French President Francois Hollande called on Saturday for international action against an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, warning that the recent losses sustained by the Islamic State group could embolden other jihadist groups. 
 
&quot;Daesh (the Arabic acronym for Islamic State) is in retreat, that is beyond dispute,&quot; Hollande said after a meeting with the leaders of the United States, Germany, Britain, Italy and Ukraine on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Warsaw. 
 
But, Hollande added, &quot;we must also avoid a situation whereby as Daesh becomes weaker, other groups become stronger.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Hollande singled out Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front as particularly standing to benefit from the US-led military campaign against its arch-rival the Islamic State group. 
 
Faced with a barrage of airstrikes and ground offensives by local forces, IS has lost territory in both Syria and Iraq in recent months. 
 
&quot;We must coordinate among ourselves to continue actions against Daesh but also take effective action against Al-Nusra,&quot; Hollande said, directing his appeal at Russia and the US. 
 
On Wednesday, US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed in a telephone call to &quot;intensify&quot; military coordination between their two countries in Syria. 
 
Russia had in May proposed joint air strikes with the US against jihadist targets in Syria - a suggestion that was rebuffed by Washington. 
 
The White House reported that the two leaders, in their call this week, &quot;confirmed their commitment to defeating ISIL (IS) and the Al-Nusra Front&quot;. 
 
The two groups are excluded from a broader truce brokered by Moscow and Washington in February.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

'We must also avoid a situation whereby as IS becomes weaker, other groups become stronger,' says the French President

French President Francois Hollande called on Saturday for international action against an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, warning that the recent losses sustained by the Islamic State group could embolden other jihadist groups. "Daesh (the Arabic acronym for Islamic State) is in retreat, that is beyond dispute," Hollande said after a meeting with the leaders of the United States, Germany, Britain, Italy and Ukraine on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Warsaw. But, Hollande added, "we must also avoid a situation whereby as Daesh becomes weaker, other groups become stronger." Hollande singled out Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front as particularly standing to benefit from the US-led military campaign against its arch-rival the Islamic State group. Faced with a barrage of airstrikes and ground offensives by local forces, IS has lost territory in both Syria and Iraq in recent months. "We must coordinate among ourselves to continue actions against Daesh but also take effective action against Al-Nusra," Hollande said, directing his appeal at Russia and the US. On Wednesday, US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed in a telephone call to "intensify" military coordination between their two countries in Syria. Russia had in May proposed joint air strikes with the US against jihadist targets in Syria - a suggestion that was rebuffed by Washington. The White House reported that the two leaders, in their call this week, "confirmed their commitment to defeating ISIL (IS) and the Al-Nusra Front". The two groups are excluded from a broader truce brokered by Moscow and Washington in February. (AFP)

Hollande calls for military action against Syrian Qaeda affiliate

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