News in the world

FRANCE

The wave of populism sweeping the world crashed against French shores with the election of Emmanuel Macron. The 39-year-old investment banker was elected after far-right candidate Marine Le Pen conceded in the second round of voting. Macron’s election marks a stand against the populist move that flushed Britain out of the European Union and carried Donald Trump to the presidency in the U.S.

Promising reform of the French political system, Macron campaigned for a “democratic revolution” and supports numerous leftist reforms. However, Macron and his party have encountered difficulties trying to find candidates to fill positions for Parliamentary elections next month.

CHINA/KOREA

The six-decade-long relationship between China and North Korea is “at a crossroads,” according to Jia Qingguo, dean of the Department of Diplomacy at China’s Peking University.

Through a broadcast on the state-run Korean Central News Agency, the North Korean government accused China of violating its strategic interests and accused it of “insincerity and betrayal.” Chinese newspaper Global Times responded by implying that were such comments to continue, China  could end its sale of oil to North Korea, effectively paralyzing the country. China has traditionally used North Korea as a buffer against American troops in South Korea, though North Korea is much more reliant on its communist neighbor.

UNITED STATES

In the midst of an investigation into alleged ties between the Russian government and the presidential election, FBI director James Comey was fired over concerns over his handling of Hillary Clinton’s lost emails investigation.

With Comey’s dismissal came a torrent of Democratic and even some Republican calls for a private investigation into potential Russian links.

Comey had led the FBI since September 2013 and reportedly first heard about his firing from the television, initially believing the message to be a joke. Andrew McCabe, deputy director of the FBI, will be leading the FBI until a replacement is selected and confirmed.