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Emmanuel Macron accuses Elon Musk of supporting “a reactionary international” in a world in “disorder”

French President Emmanuel Macron accused Elon Musk on Monday of “supporting a new reactionary international” and interfering in the elections of other countries, such as Germany.

“Ten years ago, if we had been told that the owner of one of the largest social networks in the world would support a new reactionary international and intervene directly in elections, including Germany, who would have imagined it?” he asked during a speech before the annual conference of French ambassadors.

Macron warned of the “uncertainty” that lives a world increasingly in “disorder”, marked by the return of imperial impulses, the questioning of information and knowledge and the “very violent” questioning of humanism.

He warned that there is “an international of reactionaries” that represents “great private financial interests”, which takes advantage of the fact that “our liberal democracies have not been sufficiently effective” in protecting the middle class.

“We must achieve an agenda for the defense of democracy”

“We must achieve an agenda for the defense of democracy,” with counter-powers, and he also warned that large technology companies, while offering new possibilities, are also making States feel threatened by their growing power.

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Faced with this situation, he reached out to the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, assuring that the future tenant of the White House “kinds that he has a solid ally” in France.

He added that Trump, who will take office in two weeks, has “a lucid ambition about the transatlantic relationship” between the US and Europe, and recalled that France “knew how to work” with Trump during his first term in 2016-2020.

Macron also acknowledged that “if you are weak and defeatist, there is little chance of being respected by President Trump’s United States.”

The French head of state extended his criticism of Russia and Iran. Regarding Russia, he said that it “has changed” in the way it exerts its “aggressiveness towards Europeans,” and recalled its political and electoral interference last year in Romania, Moldova, Georgia and Armenia.

Macron on Ukraine: “There is no quick and easy solution”

He also accused Moscow of “de facto globalizing” the war in Ukraine, which in his opinion is one of the great strategic challenges for Europe.

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Macron acknowledged that “there is no quick and easy solution to that conflict,” but also recalled that there will be no solution without the Ukrainians, something that Europe would not accept either.

And about Iran, he said that his ballistic program “threatens European territory” and that he has been involved in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as in the conflicts in the Middle East.

“The Iranian issue is one of the main ones that we will deal with with the new US Administration,” he summarized.

Macron also warned about the “very important” risk of “regression” in the international fight against climate change, for which he said he is responsible for the recent disasters in Spain and in the French department of Mayotte.

“There is no justification for the continuation of Israel’s military operations”

On Gaza, he said that “there is no justification for the continuation of Israel’s military operations” in that territory and said that this year must mark the progress for the materialization of Palestinian aspirations.

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The French president also focused on international trade, which in his opinion must be “rethought”, because Europeans “have been too naive”, and gave as an example the dispute with China over electric cars.

“If there is no loyalty in trade, it is not possible to produce competitively in Europe,” he said, so he asked to “defend European production capacity at every step of the value chain.”

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International

Rush for Air Conditioners Sparks Tensions at French Supermarkets Ahead of New Heatwave

Scenes of long lines, overcrowded stores and customer disputes unfolded across France on Thursday as shoppers rushed to buy air conditioners and fans ahead of another expected heatwave.

The buying frenzy comes as the country continues to recover from last week’s extreme temperatures, which exceeded 40°C (104°F) in several areas and produced the warmest night on record, with an average temperature of 22°C (71.6°F). Authorities have linked the heatwave to at least 1,000 excess deaths.

Demand for cooling appliances has surged in recent days, prompting heavy traffic at appliance retailers. The situation intensified on Thursday when German discount supermarket chain Lidl launched a promotion on portable air conditioners and electric fans.

Videos shared on social media showed large crowds gathering outside stores, with customers pushing and rushing to secure the discounted products.

“Lidl France regrets the incidents that occurred in its stores,” the company told AFP, adding that employees were forced to manage tense situations in what it described as a challenging environment.

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Outside a Lidl store in northwestern Paris, dozens of customers began lining up as early as 7:00 a.m., two hours before opening, while police monitored the crowd, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.

Although many shoppers remained in good spirits, tensions escalated as some people attempted to cut in line. “I will not open the store until they leave,” a store manager reportedly shouted as frustrated customers protested.

The situation worsened after customers discovered that the store, located in a working-class district of Paris, had only two air conditioning units available for sale.

One of the successful buyers, Lassana, who declined to provide his last name, said he had queued since 4:00 a.m. to secure one of the units.

Another customer, 69-year-old Fatou, was only able to purchase a small fan after what he described as a struggle. He criticized Lidl’s advertising as “misleading,” claiming police had temporarily closed access to the store because of the crowds.

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Lidl France attributed the shortages to its fixed annual purchasing cycle, explaining that the promotional products had been ordered a year in advance and were offered at predetermined prices, limiting the available stock.

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International

Peru Expands Emergency Measures Ahead of Heavy El Niño Rains

Peru has declared a state of emergency in 796 districts across 22 regions due to the imminent threat of heavy rainfall linked to the El Niño weather phenomenon, the government announced on Thursday.

El Niño, which causes unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, disrupts global wind and rainfall patterns, often triggering extreme weather events. In Peru, the phenomenon has already driven temperatures up to 26 degrees Celsius, around five degrees above the seasonal average.

According to Peru’s National Center for Disaster Risk Estimation, Prevention and Reduction (Cenepred), more than 9.3 million people are at very high risk of flooding and landslides associated with El Niño.

Interim President José María Balcázar signed a decree extending an emergency measure that has been in effect since January, allowing authorities to implement immediate response and recovery actions in affected areas.

Under the decree, regional and local governments, working alongside Civil Defense and supported by national ministries, are authorized to take extraordinary measures to protect communities and critical infrastructure from the expected impacts of heavy rainfall.

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“We have declared a state of emergency in 796 districts across 22 regions due to intense rainfall associated with the El Niño phenomenon for a period of 60 days,” the Presidency of the Council of Ministers said in a statement.

Peru is divided into approximately 1,800 municipalities.

The country’s agency responsible for monitoring El Niño recently upgraded its forecast for the phenomenon from moderate to strong for the period between June and September, with conditions expected to persist through the first quarter of 2027.

Scientists at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimate there is a 63% probability of a very strong El Niño developing between November and January, potentially making it one of the most intense events recorded since 1950.

Peru last experienced El Niño in 2023, when flooding and landslides claimed 99 lives.

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The country’s most devastating El Niño events occurred in 1997-1998, leaving around 500 people dead and reducing gross domestic product (GDP) by 6%, and in 1982-1983, when approximately 9,000 people died and the economy contracted by 11.6%.

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International

Three Die During World Cup Celebrations in Mexico City After Mexico’s Victory

Three people died in Mexico City while celebrating Mexico’s 2-0 victory over Ecuador at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, local authorities confirmed on Wednesday.

According to the city’s Health Secretariat, the victims—a 44-year-old man, a 48-year-old woman, and a 19-year-old woman—died from asphyxiation following the post-match celebrations.

Emergency services were dispatched to the Juárez district after reports that three people had lost consciousness shortly after Tuesday night’s match.

Paramedics, firefighters, and police officers responded to the scene, where the victims received first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before being transported to a hospital for specialized medical care. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, all three were later pronounced dead.

“We are in contact with their families to provide all the support they need,” Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada Molinasaid in a statement posted on social media.

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“With my hand on my heart, I extend my deepest condolences to their loved ones. We once again call on everyone to celebrate with responsibility, care, and empathy,” she added.

Mexico’s victory over Ecuador sparked massive celebrations at the Estadio Azteca and across the capital. Goals from Raúl Jiménez and Julián Quiñones secured the hosts’ place in the Round of 16, where they are set to face either England or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who meet on Wednesday in Atlanta.

Should Mexico advance to the quarterfinals, the team would face either Brazil, coached by Carlo Ancelotti, or Norway.

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