France

France’s far right takes the lead in 1st round of snap elections. Here’s what comes next

By Sylvie Corbet, Associated Press

Projections by polling agencies suggest the far-right National Rally stands a good chance of winning a majority in the lower house of parliament for the first time, but the outcome remains uncertain amid the complex voting system.

French voters flock to polls in high-stakes snap elections as support for the far right grows

By Barbara Surk, Helena Alves, Associated Press

Turnout stood at an unusually high 59 percent with three hours to go before polls close. The two-round elections that wrap up July 7 could impact European financial markets, Western support for Ukraine and the management of France’s nuclear arsenal and global military…

Olympic games are a billion-dollar business and proxy for geopolitical influence

By Stephen Wade, Associated Press

The Olympics are a giant business generating billions and a proxy for geopolitical influence.

French actress Anouk Aimée dies at 92

By Associated Press

Born in Paris to parents who both worked as actors, Aimée worked with an array of acclaimed directors, including Federico Fellini, Bernardo Bertolucci and Robert Altman.

Unsafe levels of E. coli found in Seine River less than 2 months before Paris Olympics

By Tom Nouvian, Associated Press

Contamination levels in the first eight days of June, after persistent heavy rain in Paris, showed bacteria such as E. coli and enterococci beyond limits judged safe for athletes.

France’s Macron defends snap election decision, urges voters to defeat far-right at the polls

By Sylvie Corbet, Associated Press

French President Emmanuel Macron defended his decision to call snap parliamentary elections after his party’s crushing defeat in the European parliamentary vote, insisting on Wednesday that voters will ultimately choose the “progressive bloc" over the far-right.

French music icon Françoise Hardy dies at 80

By Thomas Adamson, Associated Press

Hardy's lyrics often captured the angst and longing of adolescence, resonating deeply with young audiences. Her melancholic and introspective tone set her apart from the more exuberant pop music of her peers.

Here are the main takeaways after the far right’s surprising EU election wins

By Lorne Cook, Associated Press

The party of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which has neo-fascist roots, won more than 28 percent of the national vote for the EU assembly, which would make it a key player in forming future alliances.

Macron dissolves France’s National Assembly, calls snap election after defeat in EU vote

By Sylvie Corbet, Associated Press

President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the lower house of France's parliament in a surprise announcement sending voters back to the polls in the coming weeks to choose lawmakers, after his party was handed a humbling defeat by the far-right in the…

WATCH: Biden honors U.S. soldiers killed in World War I at military cemetery in France

By Chris Megerian, Associated Press

President Joe Biden closed out his trip to France by paying his respects to U.S. soldiers who fought in World War I at an American military cemetery that Donald Trump notably skipped when he was president.