ALBI, France: Allegations of fake news and hacking attempts dominated France’s tense presidential campaign Thursday, with just two days left for independent Emmanuel Macron and his far-right rival Marine Le Pen to win over voters before Sunday’s high-stakes runoff.
Paris prosecutors launched a preliminary investigation Thursday into whether fake news is being used to influence the voting, as front-runner Macron and populist Le Pen rallied thousands at their last big campaign events — in opposite parts of the divided country.
There has been intense anxiety in France over the possibility that viral misinformation or hackers could influence the presidential vote, as in the US election last year. Those fears have largely failed to materialize.
Then Thursday, Macron’s campaign filed suit against an unknown source “X” after Le Pen suggested during their only one-on-one debate Wednesday night that the former banker could have an offshore account.
“I hope we won’t find out you have an offshore account in the Bahamas,” Le Pen said.
She appeared to be referring to two sets of apparent forgeries, published just hours before the televised showdown, that purported to show Macron was somehow involved with a Caribbean bank and a firm based on the island of Nevis.
Macron’s camp said the former investment banker was victim of a “cyber-misinformation campaign.” Speaking on France Inter radio, Macron blamed Le Pen for spreading “fake news” and said he never held a bank account “in any tax haven whatsoever.”
“All this is factually inaccurate,” Macron said.
In a subsequent twist, Le Pen’s campaign said a far-left hacker was arrested this week and confessed to repeatedly targeting its website. In a statement Thursday, the campaign gave few details about the seriousness of the interference, which could range from attempts at defacing the website to flooding it with bogus traffic.
Police referred questions to prosecutors, who wouldn’t comment.
Le Pen herself gave a fiery speech in a field in northern France Thursday, with an emotional appeal to desperate farmers, the jobless and the disillusioned.
Painting herself as the “voice of the people,” she said her rival would continue the painful status quo.
Thousands of supporters from far and wide climbed on hay bales and packed onto a field in the northern village of Ennemain to hear her speak, chanting “We love you Marine” and “Marine President!“
Le Pen said she represents “the widow of the farmer who killed himself because he couldn’t stand it anymore ... the company chief” who sees a public bid go to a foreign competitor, and the taxi driver who lost his job to “uberization.”
In each instance she targeted the suffering she wants to heal.
“Don’t let them steal the election,” she warned, summoning voters to join Sunday’s “rendez-vous with history.” The crowd went wild.
Gaelle Vincent, 35, wore a French flag in her hair to hear Le Pen speak.
“People think little villages like us vote National Front because we don’t like Arabs and are racist,” Vincent told The Associated Press. “We’re not racist. We have to preserve our land and our values.”
Macron, meanwhile, was on France’s southern edge in the Pyrenees town of Albi, visiting disgruntled workers Thursday at a glass factory before holding his last campaign rally in which he called on voters from the left and the right to choose his reformist, pro-European platform.
Macron arrived to booing and slogan-shouting from dozens of protesting workers. But after 15 minutes of talking, the 39-year-old front-runner managed to calm some of their anger.
Union leader Michel Parraud called Macron “very kind and very polite,” although he said he didn’t think the pro-business centrist would do much for factory workers.
Macron pledged to “give strength back to the country” and “build a more efficient and fair society,” speaking from an open-air stage in Albi’s central square.
Le Pen’s suggestion that Macron might have an offshore account cuts to the heart of her portrayal of him as an elitist former banker far removed from the people’s worries. She later backed away from the suggestion of an offshore account, but prosecutors launched a probe into suspicions of forgery and the spreading of false news in order to divert votes.
In the alleged documents spread online, the “M” in Macron’s purported signature didn’t match his genuine sign-off, and whoever wrote the documents appeared confused as to whether the firm was a limited company or a limited liability corporation.
Metadata embedded in the document suggest it was created just before being posted online — undermining the anonymous poster’s claim to have circulated the documents to “hundreds of French journalists” who had “all sat on this.”
There are hints tying the faked documents to far-right circles in California. One document purports to have been drawn up under the laws of Nevis but actually draws some of its language from a guide to forming limited liability companies in California. The documents first appeared on Mixtape, a relatively new northern California-based file sharing service.
The Macron campaign identified the first tweet referring to the documents as coming from the Twitter account of Nathan Damigo, a far-right activist and convicted felon based in northern California. Damigo is known on social media for punching a female anti-fascist in the face at a Berkeley protest.
In an exchange on Twitter, Damigo said he had nothing to do with the apparent forgery, saying he “just stumbled upon it and figured it would be interesting to share.”
He added: “I am glad it is now being talked about.”
Macron, meanwhile, got support from across the ocean.
In a message posted Thursday on Macron’s Twitter account, former US President Barack Obama said he was endorsing the centrist candidate “because of how important this election is.”
“I have admired the campaign that Emmanuel Macron has run. He has stood up for liberal values. He put forward the vision for the important role that France plays in Europe and around the world. And he has committed to a better future for French people.”
Obama ended his message with the words “En Marche” — which is the name of Macron’s political movement — and “Vive La France.”
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Ganley reported from Ennemain, France. Raphael Satter, Samuel Petrequin and Thomas Adamson in Paris contributed.
Hacking arrest, fake news in tense French presidential race
Hacking arrest, fake news in tense French presidential race
Tens of thousands protest Germany’s far right as Musk backs AfD
- The protests passed off peacefully, with banners saying “Nazis out” or “AfD is not an alternative,” a reference to the far-right party’s full name “Alternative for Germany”
HALLE (Saale), Germany: Tens of thousands of Germans rallied Saturday against the far right ahead of next month’s legislative elections, as US tech billionaire Elon Musk again endorsed the anti-immigrant AfD party.
Musk, speaking by video link, told thousands of AfD supporters gathered in the eastern city of Halle that their party was “the best hope for the future of Germany.”
AfD supporters at the rally shouted their approval as party co-leader Alice Weidel looked on smiling.
Meanwhile, protesters against the AfD turned out in cities across Germany.
The largest gatherings took place in Berlin and Cologne, with some 35,000 and 20,000 demonstrators, respectively, said police. Organizers in Berlin claimed that 100,000 people attended the protests in the capital.
The protesters there used their mobile phones to form “a sea of light for democracy” in front of the Brandenburg Gate, brandishing letters forming the word “Resistance.”
AfD is polling at around 20 percent ahead of Germany’s February 23 elections, a record for a party that has already shattered a decades-old taboo in post-war Germany against supporting the far right.
The mainstream conservative CDU/CSU alliance leads on about 30 percent, with CDU leader Friedrich Merz the favorite to become chancellor after the elections.
Musk, a close associate of US President Donald Trump, told the AfD rally: “I think this election coming up in Germany is incredibly important.
“I think it could decide the entire fate of Europe, maybe the fate of the world.”
Musk has rattled European politicians in recent weeks with comments on his social platform X supporting AfD and far-right politicians in other countries, including Britain.
He also drew attention this week for making a public gesture some observers interpreted as a straight-armed Nazi salute, a claim he himself dismissed as a smear.
Like Trump, the AfD opposes immigration, denies climate change, rails against gender politics and has declared war on a political establishment and mainstream media it claims limit free speech.
The anti-AfD rallies took place in some 60 towns following calls from a variety of organizations, attracting more people than the police had initially expected.
The protests passed off peacefully, with banners saying “Nazis out” or “AfD is not an alternative,” a reference to the far-right party’s full name “Alternative for Germany.”
The CDU’s Merz also came in for criticism. Many protesters fear he is tempted to break his party’s policy of refusing to enter into coalition talks with the AfD.
There was also a protest in the southern city of Aschaffenbourg, where a deadly knife attack this week by an Afghan migrant further inflamed the debate over immigration.
A few thousand also turned out in the eastern city of Halle, where the AfD rally was addressed by Musk.
“The German people are really an ancient nation which goes back thousands of years,” Musk told them.
“I even read Julius Caesar was very impressed by the German tribes,” he said, urging the supporters to “fight, fight, fight” for their country’s future.
He said the AfD wanted “more self-determination for Germany and for the countries in Europe and less from Brussels,” a reference to his criticism of what he sees as heavy handedness from the European Union authorities.
Weidel told her rally that migrants in Germany had to be sent home.
“We need re-migration to live safely in Germany,” she said.
Congo severs ties with Rwanda as rebels close in on Goma
- M23 is one of about 100 armed groups vying for a foothold in the mineral-rich region
GOMA: Congo has severed diplomatic ties with Rwanda as fighting between Rwanda-backed rebels and government forces rages around the key eastern city of Goma, leaving at least 13 peacekeepers and foreign soldiers dead and displacing thousands of civilians.
The M23 rebel group has made significant territorial gains along the border with Rwanda in recent weeks, closing in on Goma, the provincial capital that has a population of around 2 million and is a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts.
Congo, the US and UN experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23, which is mainly made up of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army more than a decade ago. It’s one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in the mineral-rich region, where a long-running conflict has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
Rwanda’s government denies backing the rebels, but last year acknowledged that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo to safeguard its security, pointing to a buildup of Congolese forces near the border. UN experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo.
The Congolese Foreign Ministry said late Saturday it was severing diplomatic ties with Rwanda and pulling out all diplomatic staff from the country “with immediate effect.”
Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said on Sunday the decision to sever diplomatic ties was a unilateral move by Congo “that was even published on social media before being sent to our embassy.”
“For us, we took appropriate measures to evacuate our remaining diplomat in Kinshasa, who was under permanent threat by Congolese officials. And this was achieved on Friday, one day before the publication of this so-called note verbale on social media,” he said.
The UN Security Council moved up an emergency meeting on the escalating violence in eastern Congo to Sunday. Congo requested the meeting, which had originally been scheduled for Monday.
On Sunday morning, heavy gunfire resonated across Goma, just a few kilometers from the front line, while scores of displaced children and adults fled the Kanyaruchinya camp, one of the largest in eastern Congo, right near the Rwandan border, and headed south to Goma.
“We are fleeing because we saw soldiers on the border with Rwanda throwing bombs and shooting,” said Safi Shangwe, who was heading to Goma.
“We are tired and we are afraid, our children are at risk of starving,” she added.
Some of the displaced worried they will not be safe in Goma either.
“We are going to Goma, but I heard that there are bombs in Goma, too, so now we don’t know where to go,” said Adèle Shimiye.
Hundreds of people attempted to flee to Rwanda through the “Great Barrier” border crossing east of Goma on Sunday. Migration officers carefully checked travel documents.
“I am crossing to the other side to see if we will have a place of refuge because for the moment, security in the city is not guaranteed,” Muahadi Amani, a resident of Goma, said.
Earlier in the week, the rebels seized Sake, 27 kilometers from Goma, as concerns mounted that the city could soon fall.
Two children die in Mediterranean shipwreck, 17 rescued, NGO says
- The rescue took place in the early hours of Sunday morning in the Maltese Search and Rescue area
- Survivors told rescuers that the boat set off with 21 people, while two passengers were still missing
MILAN: Seventeen migrants were rescued after a shipwreck in the Mediterranean, while two children died, the German NGO Sea Punks said on Sunday.
The rescue took place in the early hours of Sunday morning in the Maltese Search and Rescue (SAR) area, Sea Punks said in a statement.
One child was recovered deceased, while the Sea Punks crew medical team performed a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on two other children, saving one’s life.
A Maltese rescue helicopter evacuated a pregnant woman and a seriously injured man, while an Italian coast guard vessel picked up the other 15 survivors and the bodies of the two children.
Survivors told rescuers that the boat set off with 21 people, Sea Punks added, leaving two missing.
Earlier, Italian news agency ANSA reported that 15 migrants had been rescued and three were found dead, with three others still missing.
Indonesian president is India’s Republic Day chief guest as Asian giants forge new partnerships
- Indonesia’s first president Sukarno was the chief guest in India’s first Republic Day celebration in 1950
- A 350-member contingent from Indonesian military also joined the Republic Day parade on Sunday
NEW DELHI: India celebrated its 76th Republic Day on Sunday with a colorful parade in New Delhi displaying its military might and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto as the guest of honor.
Thousands of people gathered in the capital to watch the long parade commemorating the official adoption of India’s Constitution on Jan. 26, 1950, after gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1947.
Indian troops and their bands were marching on the Kartavya Path, or the Boulevard of Duty, as the 90-minute parade showcased motorbike stunts and a number of cultural performances involving thousands of artists in colorful costumes.
A contingent comprising about 350 members from the Indonesian military also participated in the parade, marking the first time that troops from Southeast Asia’s biggest economy have joined any foreign parade.
Prabowo attended the event as the chief guest and was flanked by India’s premier and president, joining a list of foreign leaders who were invited to witness the spectacle, as per the country’s tradition.
In 1950 — India’s first Republic Day celebration — Indonesia’s first president Sukarno was the chief guest. French President Emmanuel Macron was the guest of honor last year, while former US President Barack Obama had attended in 2015.
The celebrations come a day after Modi and Prabowo agreed to expand ties, signing a series of cooperation agreements on health, defense, digital technology and maritime affairs.
“We discussed ways to deepen India-Indonesia relations in areas such as security, defense manufacturing, trade, fintech, AI and more. Sectors like food security, energy and disaster management are also areas where we look forward to working closely (together),” Modi said following their meeting on Saturday.
Prabowo’s visit to India was his first since becoming Indonesia’s president in October.
“I want to reiterate my commitment, my determination to further develop our cooperation and friendship,” Prabowo said.
“Our (strategic) partnership will be a strong foundation for the two countries to continue moving forward (and) strengthen the friendship that we have had for 75 years.”
Gautam Kumar Jha, an assistant professor at the Center for Chinese and Southeast Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said the two countries have signaled strong interest in increasing cooperation.
“As a former military commander, President Prabowo brings a deep understanding of security and strategic partnerships, enhancing the collaboration between India and Indonesia. His role as the chief guest on India’s Republic Day is particularly significant compared to previous Indonesian presidents who have visited India,” Jha told Arab News.
“President Prabowo’s (priorities in) strengthening Indonesia’s maritime security, trade and social welfare schemes — such as the mid-day meal scheme currently run in India — are crucial for both nations.”
Indonesia is one of India’s largest trading partners among countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with bilateral trade reaching a record high of $38.8 billion in April 2022-March 2023, Indian government data showed.
India has also agreed to support Indonesia’s ongoing defense modernization program through experience and expertise sharing, according to a joint statement.
“The meeting on Saturday has established a trusted platform, enabling both countries to collaborate for mutual benefit,” Jha said. “This timing is ideal, as both Indian and Indonesian stakeholders are eager to elevate bilateral ties to a new level.”
South Korean president indicted as ‘ringleader of an insurrection’
- Yoon Suk Yeol plunged the country into political chaos with his December 3 bid to suspend civilian rule
- If the court rules against Yoon, he will lose the presidency and an election will be called within 60 days
SEOUL: South Korean prosecutors indicted impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol Sunday for being the “ringleader of an insurrection” after his abortive declaration of martial law, ordering the suspended leader to remain in detention.
Yoon plunged the country into political chaos with his December 3 bid to suspend civilian rule, a move which lasted just six hours before lawmakers defied armed soliders in parliament to vote it down.
He was impeached soon after, and earlier this month became the first sitting South Korean head of state to be arrested.
That came after a weeks-long hold out at his residence where his elite personal security detail resisted attempts to detain him.
In a statement, prosecutors said they had “indicted Yoon Suk Yeol with detention today on charges of being the ringleader of an insurrection.”
He has been held at the Seoul Detention Center since his arrest, and the formal indictment with detention means he will now be kept behind bars until his trial, which must happen within six months.
The indictment was widely expected after a court twice rejected requests by prosecutors to extend his arrest warrant while their investigation proceeded.
“After a comprehensive review of evidence obtained during investigations (prosecutors) concluded that it was only appropriate to indict the defendant,” they said in a statement.
The need to keep Yoon behind bars was justified by a “continued risk of evidence destruction,” they said.
The specific charge — being the ringleader of an insurrection — is not covered by presidential immunity, they added.
The opposition hailed the indictment.
“We need to hold not only those who schemed to carry out an illegal insurrection, but also those who instigated it by spreading misinformation,” said lawmaker Han Min-soo.
Without providing evidence, Yoon and his legal team have pointed to purported election fraud and legislative gridlock at the opposition-controlled parliament as justification for his declaration of martial law.
Yoon has vowed to “fight to the end,” earning the support of supporters who have adopted the “stop the steal” rhetoric associated with US President Donald Trump.
“This indictment will provide a sense of relief, reaffirming that the constitutional order is functioning as it should,” said Bae Kang-hoon, co-founder of political think tank Valid.
Yoon also faces a series of Constitutional Court hearings, to decide whether to uphold his impeachment and strip him formally of the presidency.
If the court rules against Yoon, he will lose the presidency and an election will be called within 60 days.
