Presidential: Macron-Le Pen match festers

After the institutions on Tuesday, place to foreign policy: Marine Le Pen tackles Wednesday a delicate ground against Emmanuel Macron, with the objective of establishing his presidential stature. The campaign for the second round got off to a flying start and is getting worse, with the two finalists competing remotely over pensions, purchasing power, Europe and the regal. Everyone is also eyeing the voters of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who came third on Sunday night with 21.95% of the vote. Clearly on the offensive, the candidate-president multiplies crowd baths and long exchanges with citizens, as in the north of France Monday in Lepenist lands, then in Mulhouse and Strasbourg on Tuesday, two cities in which Mr. Mélenchon had come out on top.

He who entered the campaign late seems to want to make up for lost time, aware that his duel with the far-right candidate on April 24 promises to be close. And he does not miss an opportunity to tackle his opponent, accusing him of saying "carabistouilles" about Europe and of having a project that induces "nationalism" and "the return of war". He also accused the far right of being "a permanent Potemkin village: they never move, they never go to see their opponents," he added. Marine Le Pen is not to be outdone, accusing Emmanuel Macron of "being afraid of the people" and saying he has "no confidence" in the outgoing president who said he was ready, for example, to "move" on his pension reform. She slammed Tuesday night on TF1 her policy "extremely harsh towards the most modest", assuring to have "the most protective project" of the social protection system.

Ukraine: Biden accuses Putin of "genocide", 20,000 dead in Mariupol

US President Joe Biden for the first time accused his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of carrying out a "genocide" in Ukraine on Tuesday, a day when regional authorities in the southeast of the country estimated at least 20,000 dead the number of victims in Mariupol since the end February. The word was previously used by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but never by the US administration: "Yes, I called it genocide," Joe Biden told reporters during a trip to Iowa. a few hours after having evoked this term during a speech devoted to the fight against inflation.

Concerning Mariupol, "we can say that between 20 and 22,000 people died" in this city, Pavlo Kirilenko, the Ukrainian governor of the Donetsk region, said Tuesday in an interview with the American television channel CNN. The governor previously reported 10,000 killed in the besieged city, cut off from the world and bombed for more than 40 days. He admitted that it was in fact "difficult to talk about a number of victims", the city being blockaded.

Ukraine: €23.7 billion of Russian assets tied up by the France

The France has so far tied up 23.7 billion euros of Russian assets on its territory, including real estate with an acquisition value of 573.6 million, following the war in Ukraine, it was learned Tuesday from the French Ministry of Economy and Finance. This updated list includes in the first place 22.8 billion euros that have been blocked on the French accounts of the Central Bank of Russia, confirming an article in the newspaper Le Parisien. In addition, there are 178 million euros of various bank assets, details the ministry. The France also detained four cargo ships, four yachts, including the last Tuesday in Marseille, for a value of more than 125.2 million euros; six helicopters with a value of more than €60 million; and for €7 million of works of art. The French authorities have seized 33 properties, including 19 SCI (Société civile immobilière). A dozen additional properties should soon be added to the list, for a total valuation that will flirt with 24 billion euros.

IN BRIEF

Sukorsian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed Tuesday night in Moscow to "exchange" Ukrainian MP and businessman Viktor Medvedchuk, close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and recently arrested, for Ukrainians in captivity in Russia.

Findia publishes on Wednesday a key report on its strategic situation after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a prelude to a debate on a now likely historic NATO candidacy by the summer.

Prontial scorer in extra time, Karim Benzema dispatched Real Madrid to the semi-final of the Champions League after a dishevelled match on Tuesday against the holder Chelsea (5-4 in aggregate score), while another Spanish club, Villarreal, surprised the ogre Bayern Munich (1-0, 1-1).

Dynamo Kiev, the flagship club of Ukrainian football, inaugurated Tuesday night in Warsaw a series of friendly matches against major European clubs, intended to raise funds for his war-torn country.