- Failed Springbok 'gamble' sets up rugby championship decider
- Lebanon strikes send Israelis to shelters as UN warns of 'catastrophe'
- Far-right AfD eyes new win in east German state vote
- Tony Popovic set to become new Socceroos coach - reports
- All-round Ashwin powers India to big Test win over Bangladesh
- NZ chase 275 to win first Sri Lanka Test after Patel bags six
- Ashwin bags six wickets as India hammer Bangladesh in first Test
- Nascent French government under pressure on multiple fronts
- Angry French cognac makers see red over Chinese tariffs threat
- Protect the prosciutto: Italy battles swine fever
- UN holds 'Summit of the Future' to tackle global crises
- Marxist leader set to become Sri Lanka's next president
- From blades to pull-up bars: UK charity tackles knife crime
- Swiss vote on pensions and environment protections
- No pain, no gain: Chinese pro wrestlers fight for recognition
- UAE leader seeks to deepen 'strategic' ties in US visit during Mideast crisis
- Hezbollah takes heavy hits but still fighting Israel
- Floods, landslides hit central Japan months after major quake
- All Blacks coach Robertson demands better finishing
- Argentina edge South Africa to keep title hopes alive
- Biden says China 'testing us,' in hot mic remarks to Quad allies
- Dubois destroys Joshua to retain IBF world heavyweight crown
- Guardiola says critics want Man City wiped 'from face of the Earth'
- Biden says 'Quad' is 'here to stay' despite challenges
- Dubois knocks out Joshua to retain IBF world heavyweight crown
- Vinicius helps 'faster' Madrid overturn stubborn Espanyol
- Zelensky to press US on long-range missile strikes inside Russia
- PSG drop first points in draw at Reims
- Vinicius, Mbappe on target as Madrid crush plucky Espanyol
- Jeeno leads Ko by two at LPGA Queen City Championship
- Bottega Veneta goes for 'E.T.' chic as Madonna pops into D&G
- Messi, Miami frustrated by New York late leveler
- Musk's X platform takes first step toward lifting Brazil ban
- 'Business as usual' for Australia match-winner Carey amid boos
- Israeli jets pound Lebanon after deadly Beirut strike
- Ten Hag bemoans Man Utd's lack of killer instinct in Palace stalemate
- France's Macron appoints new government in shift to right
- Cheika proud of Leicester grit after winning start as boss
- Profligate Man Utd pay price in 0-0 draw at Palace
- Kane, Olise run riot as Bayern thump Bremen
- Diaz fires Liverpool top of Premier League, Man Utd held at Palace
- LIV champion Rahm out of LIV Team semis with severe flu
- Slot surprised by tearful Nunez's moment of magic
- Title rivals Norris, Verstappen on 'cool' front row for Singapore GP
- Biden talks China with 'Quad' leaders in hometown summit
- Juve and Napoli play out goalless draw in early Serie A title tussle
- Alcaraz fears tennis tour grind will 'kill us'
- Carey sparks recovery as Australia thrash England in 2nd ODI
- Leclerc, Sainz lament 'disappointing' Saturday in Singapore
- Bottega Veneta holds investors' aces as Madonna pops into D&G
Nascent French government under pressure on multiple fronts
French Prime Minister Michel Barnier's hard-won new government faced pressure from day one on Sunday, as it came under fire from opponents on both the left and far right -- which are now the largest blocs in parliament.
Eleven weeks of negotiations after President Emmanuel Macron called spot National Assembly elections finally ended Saturday with his announcement by a cabinet that marked a significant shift to the right.
The new cabinet's first meeting is scheduled for Monday afternoon.
But opposition politicians from the left have already said they will challenge Barnier's government with a confidence motion, with far-right politicians also slamming its composition.
In the July election, a left-wing alliance called the New Popular Front (NFP) won the most parliamentary seats of any political bloc, but not enough for an overall majority.
Veteran far-right leader Marine Le Pen meanwhile saw her National Rally emerge as the single largest party in the Assembly.
Macron had argued that the left would be unable to muster enough support to form a government that would not immediately be brought down in parliament, and rejected a National Rally candidate over the party's extremist legacy.
He turned instead to Barnier to lead a government drawing mostly on parliamentary support from Macron's allies, as well as from the conservative Republicans (LR) and the centrists groups -- even though the LR came in fourth in the June snap election.
- 'No future' -
Talks on the distribution of the 39 cabinet posts continued right up to Saturday's official announcement, insiders said, with moments of sharp tension between the president and his prime minister.
Far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon has called the new lineup "a government of the general election losers".
France, he said, should "get rid" of the government "as soon as possible", while his France Unbowed party threatened to "increase popular pressure" on the government.
Even before the announcement, thousands of people took to the streets of Paris and other French cities Saturday in a left-wing protest to denounce what they said was a denial of July's election results.
Socialist party chairman Oliver Faure dismissed Barnier's cabinet as "a reactionary government that gives democracy the finger".
"An unnatural government against nature," was the verdict of Marine Tondelier, leader of the Greens party.
Macron had been counting on a neutral stance from the far right, but National Rally leader Jordan Bardella was quick to condemn the composition of the new government.
It marked "a return to Macronism" and so had "no future whatsoever", he said on Saturday.
The first major task for Barnier, best known internationally for leading the European Union's Brexit negotiations with Britain, will be to submit a 2025 budget plan addressing France's financial situation, which the prime minister this week called "very serious".
France was placed on a formal procedure for violating European Union budgetary rules before Barnier was picked as head of government.
The difficult job of submitting a budget plan to parliament next month falls to 33-year-old Antoine Armand, the new finance minister. He has previously served as head of parliament's economic affairs commission.
Armand told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper that "exceptional and targeted" tax cuts could not be ruled out while also pledging to cut public spending.
Among the other new faces in key cabinet posts are Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, while Bruno Retailleau of the Republicans takes over at the interior ministry. His portfolio covers immigration and his right-wing credentials have created unease even in Macron's own camp.
Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, a close Macron ally, has kept his job.
The only left-of-centre politician is Didier Migaud, a little-known former Socialist named justice minister.
Barnier is to address parliament with a key policy speech on October 1.
P.Silva--AMWN