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French PM Set To Resign Amid Political Turmoil

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French Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal is expected to resign soon, continuing to lead a caretaker government amidst ongoing political uncertainty and internal strife.

President Emmanuel Macron is likely to accept Attal’s resignation following a crucial cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

This decision comes in the wake of a significant defeat suffered by Macron’s allies in a recent snap National Assembly election aimed at clarifying the country’s political landscape.

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Attal had previously signaled his intention to resign on July 8, 2024, but initially faced resistance from President Macron.

Attal and his team are expected to maintain their roles with reduced authority until after the Paris Olympics, slated to commence on July 26.

This extension is intended to provide political parties additional time to form a governing coalition following the inconclusive July 7 election runoff, which left the parliament without a clear majority.

The New Popular Front (NFP), comprising Socialists, Communists, Greens, and the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI), secured the largest share of seats with 193 out of 577. Macron’s allies garnered 164 seats, while the far-right National Rally (RN) secured 143 seats.

The NFP alliance has faced challenges in agreeing on a consensus candidate for prime minister, primarily due to internal disputes, especially between the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) and the more moderate Socialists.

Over the weekend, the Socialists opposed Huguette Bello’s candidacy, despite support from other left-wing factions.

Bello, a former communist MP and regional council president in La Reunion, was seen as a potential unifying figure.

Meanwhile, Laurence Tubiana, an economist and climate specialist endorsed by the Socialists, Communists, and Greens, was rejected by the LFI.

Internal discord within the alliance has drawn criticism, with leftist deputy François Ruffin condemning the situation as “shameful,” and Green deputy Sandrine Rousseau expressing strong frustration with the disagreements.

Attal, recently elected leader of his party’s National Assembly contingent, has expressed his intention to influence the formation of a new majority around specific projects and principles.

Observers note that both Macron and Attal are striving to establish a center-right majority in parliament, excluding the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) and the far-right National Rally (RN) from potential coalitions.

Following Attal’s anticipated resignation, he and other cabinet members are expected to return to parliament to participate in efforts to build a coalition.

Parliament is scheduled to reconvene on Thursday to elect the National Assembly speaker and other key positions.

Tensions have surfaced between Attal and Macron, with Attal seemingly attributing the electoral setback to Macron.

Attal’s defeat follows his historic appointment as France’s youngest-ever head of government at the age of 34, just six months ago.

Looking ahead, Macron, who has nearly three years remaining in his presidential term, anticipates a potential challenge from Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader expected to contest the 2027 elections.

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International News

Ferrari’s First Electric Car Makes History With Record $40m Auction Sale

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Ferrari’s first fully electric car, the Luce, has made automotive history after a bespoke version of the vehicle sold for a record $40 million at a charity auction in California.

The tailor-made Ferrari Luce “Chassis 0” was sold during Monterey Car Week on Saturday, becoming the most expensive new car ever sold at auction, according to collector car auction company RM Sotheby’s.

The winning bid was 36 times the car’s original estimate of $1.1 million.

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Ferrari USA celebrated the landmark sale in an Instagram post, saying, “The bids kept climbing. Then, history was made,” while describing the transaction as a new record for the highest-priced new car ever sold at auction.

The sale comes months after Ferrari unveiled the Luce in May. The electric model features a distinctive bubble-like design that differs significantly from the Italian automaker’s traditional angular styling and has received mixed reactions from some Ferrari enthusiasts.

Ferrari previously described the Luce as “a different sort of Ferrari for a different sort of Ferrari client.”
The Luce is powered by four electric motors, with one motor driving each of its four wheels.

The exclusive “Chassis 0” features a pearl-like semi-gloss finish with a personalised pigment that produces changing reflections ranging from green to violet when struck by light.

Its interior is equally distinctive, featuring Perla Le Mans metallic leather and black design elements against a predominantly white background.

Ferrari said proceeds from the record-breaking auction will go to The Ferrari Foundation to support educational initiatives.

Following the auction, the vehicle will return to Maranello, northern Italy, where it was built, before being delivered to the unnamed winning bidder in the first quarter of 2027.

Meanwhile, deliveries of the regular Ferrari Luce, priced at about €550,000 ($640,000), are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

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Trump Threatens to Bomb Oman Over Iran Deal

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US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman if the country obstructs efforts to reach a deal with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump made the threat on Monday during an interview with Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, amid ongoing discussions between Oman and Iran concerning control and navigation through the strategic waterway.

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“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Yingst, referring to the talks between Oman and Iran while the United States pursues its own discussions with Tehran.

Iranian and Omani officials have been negotiating for weeks over future maritime navigation arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that both sides were working towards a joint declaration.

The Strait of Hormuz has become a major flashpoint amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Iran effectively restricted traffic through the waterway at the beginning of the war on February 28, while Trump has repeatedly insisted that the strategic route should be under US control.

On Friday, Trump said he could even declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory. Iran rejected the position, insisting that the crucial waterway would “remain Iranian.”

Before the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran, the Strait of Hormuz was regarded as an open international waterway. The route is critical to global energy supplies and carries significant volumes of oil and other commodities.

Iran has used its control over the strait as leverage against US-led efforts to weaken its military capabilities and force Tehran to abandon its controversial nuclear programme.

Trump also called on Iran to surrender, saying Tehran should “put up the white flag of surrender.”

Despite the growing tensions and the political pressure surrounding the conflict ahead of the November midterm elections in the United States, Trump said he was not in a hurry to reach a deal.

He further disclosed that his administration maintains a direct back-channel with officials of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

“They’re good poker players, but they’re dying,” Trump was quoted as saying.

 

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Petro Warns Colombia Is Heading Toward Civil War After Alleged Election Fraud

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Colombia’s outgoing President, Gustavo Petro, has warned that the country could descend into civil war following what he described as widespread fraud in the recent presidential election.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Petro claimed that the June presidential runoff was tainted by “algorithmic, systemic electoral fraud” involving a massive number of votes, insisting the results were manipulated against his political ally, Ivan Cepeda.

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“We are facing fraud and an undoubtedly profound institutional problem, namely the inauguration of an illegitimate president,” Petro said.

The outgoing leader alleged that “foreign money and foreign companies with the capacity to manipulate algorithms” interfered in Colombia’s electoral process, accusing external actors of influencing the outcome of the election.

Petro’s remarks come just days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella is due to be sworn into office on Friday in the southwestern city of Cali, a departure from the longstanding tradition of holding presidential inaugurations before Congress in the capital, Bogota.

The Colombian leader also claimed that De la Espriella, who received the endorsement of United States President Donald Trump before the election, plans to extradite him to the United States on what he described as false charges.

Warning of the potential consequences, Petro said, “It’s crystal clear what a civil war in Colombia could look like,” arguing that public resistance to the incoming administration’s actions could trigger widespread unrest.

The political crisis has deepened further after the left-wing bloc in Congress, led by Cepeda, announced it would boycott De la Espriella’s inauguration and called for nationwide mobilization against the president-elect.

Observers have also raised concerns that Colombia could witness a return to violent street protests similar to those experienced between 2019 and 2021, which left dozens dead.

Despite having no prior political experience, De la Espriella has pledged to boost private investment, shrink the size of government by 40 percent, and intensify military operations against guerrilla groups and drug cartels as the country battles its worst surge in violence in a decade.

His inauguration is scheduled for Friday amid heightened political tensions and growing uncertainty over Colombia’s future.

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