Presidential election: Macron and Le Pen look to the left

The two presidential opponents, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, are looking to the left on Tuesday, particularly at Jean-Luc Mélenchon's voters, who analysts believe could 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, subject of concern number one of the French. Questioned all day about his plan to raise the retirement age to 65, he finally sent 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 retirement age of 64. An unexpected concession thirteen days before the second round.

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

Ukraine: Mariupol and Donbass in the sights of Russian forces

The Russian forces maintain Tuesday their pressure on the strategic port city of Mariupol, which Ukrainian soldiers are desperately trying to defend, and in eastern Ukraine where Kiev expects soon a major offensive. The situation in Mariupol, which has been under siege for more than 40 days by the Russian army and largely destroyed, was the subject of conflicting reports. "Today will probably be the final battle (...) as 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 have been fighting without ammunition resupply, without food, without water," doing "the possible and the impossible," the unit added, saying that "half" of its members are wounded. The deputy mayor of the city Sergei Orlov 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 linking 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 that he hopes to play another season in the capital club, where his debut was nevertheless undermined by injuries. "I would like to play between four to five more years 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'll see. But as long as the physical holds, I think I manage to keep my mind focused," he added. Ramos, who arrived in Paris as a free agent last summer and has been suffering from recurring physical problems since last season, has played only seven matches for PSG, the last one on Saturday at Clermont (6-1 victory), but not one in the Champions League.

IN BRIEF

Morocco will reopen its maritime passenger links with Spain on Tuesday, following the normalization of relations between the two countries, the Ministry of Transport said Monday evening.

Baby One More Time, as his song goes ("...Baby One More Time"): American pop superstar Britney Spears, five months after being released by the courts from the guardianship of her father due to his psychological problems, announced Monday at 40 years old that she was pregnant with her third child.