Afternoon. The rise of the far right in France has been stalled in a snap election that saw a left-green alliance come out on top.
The New Popular Front, a left alliance dominated by the Unbowed France, emerged as the shock winner with 182 MPs in the 577-seat assembly. President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance won 163 seats, while Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (and its allies) fell into third place with 143 seats.
The left victory still falls short of the 289 seats required to form government, meaning political paralysis could await France as its various blocs will have to negotiate a path to an absolute majority.
Read this explainer on what happens next.
Top news
Three-night curfew in Alice Springs | The NT police commissioner, Michael Murphy, announced another curfew in Alice Springs for the next three nights. “From 10pm tonight until 6am, the confines between Anzac Hill, Shorts Crescent down to the hospital from the Stuart Highway, across to Leichhardt and Stock Terrace will be in the declared area. Anyone coming into the zone can be engaged by police and asked to leave, or alternatively they can be asked to stay if there is another disturbance and they need to be contained for their own safety,” he said.
Melbourne airport rail still delayed, premier says | The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has hosed down hopes the government’s promised airport rail will be completed by 2030, as suggested by Melbourne airport. The airport’s chief executive, Lorie Argus, said it would adopt the state government’s preferred above-ground station, removing a major stumbling block that has stalled the project. While Allan welcomed the airport’s change of heart, she said it would not be possible to meet the 2030 timeline.
Labor government buys drones without disclosing costs | The Albanese government has acquired the loitering munition Switchblade 300, for an amount which it said cannot be disclosed for strategic reasons. The drones will be delivered later this year – the government wouldn’t say how many.
Police release video in hope of finding missing Ballarat woman | CCTV shows Renee King with her cat on 30 May, and then ringing the doorbell of another home on 2 June. Renee was last seen on 16 June, police said.
WA government gave $8m to Live Nation | The Western Australian government has paid millions of dollars to Live Nation Entertainment and its subsidiaries over the past four years, including $8m to subsidise two live concerts by Coldplay. The company has faced controversy in the US, where it is the target of a civil antitrust lawsuit.
Australia’s ‘group of death’ confirmed for Olympic men’s basketball | The boomers are set to play the world No 2, Spain, as well as Canada and Greece after the latest results in the Olympic qualifying tournaments.
UK trial of four-day week sees huge benefits | A multi-year study by South Cambridgeshire district council – the largest public sector trial of the four-day work week in the UK – saw staff turnover fall by 39% and approximately 15% more major planning application decisions completed within the correct timescale, among other benefits.
China-Belarus military exercises | Chinese troops will begin joint “anti-terrorist training” with Belarus close to the Polish border today, as the Netherlands says it will send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine “without delay”.
Lindsey Graham calls for physical and cognitive tests for Biden and Trump | The South Carolina senator says evaluations should be part of the presidential nominee process to ensure they’re “capable”. The issue of presidential cognitive testing comes as Joe Biden, 81, the oldest US president in history, struggles to free himself from claims that his admittedly bad debate performance against Donald Trump 10 days ago was not symptomatic of a broader mental decline.
In video
Far right and progressives react at the same time to French election results
What they said …
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“It’s no longer just the Muslim community or the pro-Palestinian community that’s hurting. It’s [Gaza] been impacting each and every person with a conscience and a heart out there.” – Senator Fatima Payman
In numbers
Temperatures between July 2023 and June 2024 were the highest on record, scientists found, creating a year-long stretch in which the Earth was 1.64C hotter than in preindustrial times.
Before bed read
It has been called the morning miracle – getting up before everyone else and winning the day. But does it actually make you more productive and focused? Read on.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: CLAM. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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