While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, April 25
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Supporters cheer the victory of French President Emmanuel Macron in the presidential election, in Paris, on April 24, 2022.
PHOTO: AFP
France's Macron pledges change after beating Le Pen to win second presidential term
Emmanuel Macron comfortably defeated his far-right rival Marine Le Pen on Sunday, heading off a political earthquake for Europe but acknowledging dissatisfaction with his first term and saying he would seek to make amends.
His supporters erupted with joy as the results appeared on a giant screen at the Champ de Mars park by the Eiffel tower.
Leaders in Berlin, Brussels, London and beyond welcomed his defeat of the nationalist, eurosceptic Le Pen.
But even as exit polls showed a solid 58.5 per cent of the vote, Macron in his victory speech acknowledged many had only voted for him only to keep Le Pen out and he promised to address the sense of many French that their living standards are slipping.
Le Pen calls French election loss a 'brilliant victory'
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen hailed her score in presidential elections on Sunday as a "brilliant victory", despite her projected defeat to Emmanuel Macron.
Promising to "carry on" her political career, the 53-year-old vowed that she would "never abandon" the French after losing with around 42 per cent of the vote to Macron's roughly 58.
"The ideas we represent have reached new heights... this result itself represents a brilliant victory," she told a crowd of supporters at an election-night party.
European leaders congratulate France’s Macron on election victory in EU sigh of relief
European Union leaders were quick to congratulate French President Emmanuel Macron for his election victory over his far-right rival on Sunday, reflecting relief at avoiding a political shock in one of the bloc's most pivotal countries.
European Council President Charles Michel, as well as the prime ministers of Belgium and Luxembourg, were among the first to congratulate Macron, followed by almost all of the bloc's 27 leaders, after his win over Marine Le Pen by a comfortable margin.
"Bravo Emmanuel," Michel wrote on Twitter. "In this turbulent period, we need a solid Europe and a France totally committed to a more sovereign and more strategic European Union."
Biden to visit Israel in coming months after Bennett invitation
US President Joe Biden will visit Israel in the coming months following an invitation from Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Bennett's office and the White House said on Sunday.
The two leaders spoke on Sunday and Bennett briefed Biden on efforts "to stop the violence and incitement in Jerusalem," Bennett's office said in a statement, in reference to Israeli-Palestinian clashes at the holy city's Al-Aqsa mosque.
At least 57 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police within the mosque compound on Friday, raising concern of a repeat of last year's war between Israel and the Hamas Islamists ruling Gaza.
Crew of first private flight to International Space Station prepare for Earth return
The crew of the first fully private mission to the International Space Station was set on Sunday to leave the orbiting laboratory and head back to Earth.
The three businessmen and a former Nasa astronaut had spent more than two weeks on the station on a history-making mission organised by startup company Axiom Space.
A SpaceX capsule was scheduled to undock from the ISS at 8.55pm (0055 GMT Monday) for the return trip, before landing in the ocean off the coast of Florida on Monday around 1pm (1700 GMT).
