Presidential: Macron and Le Pen, looking left

The two opponents in the presidential election, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, are looking to the left on Tuesday, eyeing in particular the voters of Jean-Luc Mélenchon who could, according to analysts, make the difference in the second round. Sure a priori to fill up the votes on their right, the two contenders clash on the ground of purchasing power, the number one concern of the French. Asked all day about his plan for a retirement age of 65, he ended up sending a strong signal to the popular electorate by saying he was ready to "move" on this totem of his program and opened the door to a departure age of 64. An unexpected concession thirteen days before the second round.

In Mulhouse, he goes to meet caregivers, then goes to Strasbourg in the evening, two cities having carried Sunday Mr. Mélenchon in the lead with 35-36% of the vote. For her part, Marine Le Pen, who says she has learned for five years, must speak in the media on Tuesday first in the morning on France Inter and then in the evening at the 20H of TF1. She is also due to shoot her campaign clip and hold a press conference on the theme of "democracy" in Vernon, in the Eure. Ms Le Pen, who defends the maintenance of retirement at 62, wants to undertake a profound reform of the institutions, if she is elected president on 24 April, in particular by resorting to the referendum and by including the "national priority" in the Fundamental Law. This principle will allow "only the French" to access certain social benefits, as detailed in its program.

Ukraine: Mariupol and the Donbass in the sights of russian forces

Russian forces on Tuesday maintain pressure on the strategic port city of Mariupol, which Ukrainian soldiers are desperately trying to defend, and in eastern Ukraine where Kiev is expecting a major offensive soon. The situation in Mariupol, besieged for more than 40 days by the Russian army and largely destroyed, was the subject of contradictory information. "Today will probably be the last battle ... because our ammunition is running out," the 36th Brigade of the National Navy of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which is fighting in the southeastern city, wrote on Facebook on Monday.

"For more than a month, we fought without ammunition replenishment, without food, without water", doing "the possible and the impossible", added this unit, specifying that "half" of its members are wounded. The city's deputy mayor Sergei Orlov, however, told the BBC that "the fighting for Mariupol continues." The Russians have been besieging Mariupol for weeks, the capture of which would allow them to consolidate their territorial gains on the coastal strip along the Sea of Azov by connecting the Donbass regions to the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Moscow in 2014.

L1: Sergio Ramos would like to play a total of 3 years at PSG

Spanish defender Sergio Ramos, under contract until June 2023 with Paris Saint-Germain, said Monday on Prime Video hope to play an additional season at the capital club, where his debut has been undermined by injuries. more at the top level and then have another experience," said the 36-year-old former Real Madrid captain.

"Here, I have two years in Paris, we will try to do three, one more, and then we will see. But as long as the physique holds, I think I can keep the mind focused," he added. Arriving free last summer in Paris, Ramos, who has suffered from recurring physical problems since last season, has played only seven games with PSG, the last Saturday in Clermont (6-1 victory), but not a single one in the Champions League.

IN BRIEF

Country will reopen its maritime connections for passengers with Spain on Tuesday, following the normalization of relations between the two countries, the Ministry of Transport said Monday evening.

Bébé once again, as his song says ("... Baby One More Time"): American pop superstar Britney Spears, five months after being released by the courts from the guardianship exercised by her father because of her psychological disorders, announced Monday at 40 that she was pregnant with her third child.