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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaEmmanuel Macron flexes political muscle with boxing photosPublished51 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Soazig de La Moissonniere/ the President Image caption, Social media users have questioned if the French president used PhotoshopBy Andre Rhoden-PaulBBC NewsFirst he flexed his muscles on Ukraine. Now Emmanuel Macron has gone one further, releasing photos of him hitting a punchbag with bulging biceps in a show of his strength in action.The French president’s photographer posted two images on Instagram, days after he began to take a far more hawkish public line against Russia.It was not long before “Rocky” began to trend on social media.Perhaps inevitably, others questioned whether the photos had been “enhanced”. Doubters pointed to the size of his biceps, and re-posted the boxing picture alongside an image of Mr Macron, 46, with a skinnier arm. Others joked and tweeted the pictures, taken by Soazing de la Moissonnière, saying that they showed Mr Macron, a keen boxer, getting ready to take on Russia and its 71-year-old president, Vladimir Putin. They were published less than a week after the French president suggested sending Western troops to Ukraine could not be ruled out. Speaking on French TV last Thursday, he warned that Russia was seeking to extend its power and would not stop now.”If we leave Ukraine alone, if we let Ukraine lose this war, then for sure Russia will threaten Moldova, Romania and Poland,” he said.Why Macron went from dove to hawk on RussiaThe imagery will not be lost on his adversary in the Kremlin, who has been repeatedly photographed bare-chested to show his own personal fitness.Gaspard Gantzer, a well-known public relations expert, told newspaper Nice-Matin that the president wanted the images to show “he is a Frenchman like any other … that he is in great physical shape … that he wants to fight.”Image source, Soazig de La Moissonniere/ the President Image caption, Social media users have questioned if the French president used PhotoshopBroadcaster CNews said of the pictures: “In the two photos, we see the head of state ready to fight, his gaze fixed on the punching bag.”As if he was determined to beat his opponents. The drawn features, the bulging muscles, the clenched teeth, the president looks like a true warrior.”French weekly women’s magazine Femme Actuelle painted a more flattering view, saying the photos “hit hard” and also pointed to bulging biceps.However, the photos did not go down well with all in France. Sandrine Rousseau, an opposition Greens MP, reposted the photo on Twitter with the comment: “What misery of politics!””The pose seems advantageous,” the French daily newspaper Le Figaro said, but added that the photos had “aroused much mockery”.Mr Macron is among a long list of politicians who have been keen to show off their sporting prowess. President Putin famously paraded bare-chested on a horse and is no stranger to an ice hockey match or releasing a judo DVD. Mr Macron previously made headlines with a very relaxed photo of him in an unbuttoned shirt and chest hair on full display. His wife, Brigitte Macron, said in November that the president did boxing training twice a week.Related TopicsFranceRussiaEmmanuel MacronVladimir PutinMore on this storyWhy Macron went from dove to hawk on RussiaPublished4 days agoWhy Macron hopes abortion rights are a political winnerPublished3 MarchNato allies reject Macron idea of troops to UkrainePublished27 FebruaryTop StoriesThis will be year economy bounces back, Sunak says, after inflation fallsPublished4 hours agoFresh string of defeats in the Lords over government’s Rwanda billPublished1 hour agoUK rent prices up 9% in record yearly rise, says ONSPublished32 minutes agoFeaturesFamine looms in Sudan as civil war survivors tell of killings and rapesThe GP who became Ireland’s youngest taoiseachEmma Barnett: ‘Why I wanted a baby loss certificate’Bafta TV Awards: The list of nominationsWatch: An emotional farewell to the Hairy Bikers. 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[ad_1] French president is snapped working the punch bag, days after getting tough on Russia,
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaBola Tinubu’s U-turn on Niger sanctions received with relief in northern NigeriaPublished26 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, AFPBy Mansur AbubakarBBC News, KanoAfter the army seized power in Niger last year, the president of its giant neighbour Nigeria was at the forefront of demands that the junta step down, even warning that the West African bloc could use military force to oust the generals, while imposing tough sanctions and closing the border.However just eight months later, Bola Tinubu has lifted all those restrictions.In many ways, it is a huge climbdown for the regional bloc, Ecowas, but it is also personally embarrassing for Mr Tinubu, analysts say.The warm welcome for the lifting of sanctions in both Niger and across the border in northern Nigeria also shows the unpopularity of his original, hard-line position.The about-turn was partly because Niger, along with its fellow juntas in Burkina Faso and Mali, hugely increased the stakes by saying they would pull out of Ecowas altogether, raising serious questions about the bloc’s future.The three countries had been suspended from Ecowas, which has been urging them to return to democratic rule.It seems Ecowas realised its waning influence after the trio went ahead to form an alliance, sever ties with France and forge closer relations with Russia.Nigerian political commentator Sani Bala thinks Mr Tinubu was too hasty eight months ago in trying to prove himself, and act like the “strong man”.He had only been in office two months when Niger’s coup took place and had just taken over as chairman of Ecowas.”It was a huge mistake from President Tinubu to impose those sanctions without fully appreciating the special relationship we have with Niger,” the Kano-based analyst told the BBC.Mr Tinubu’s own background – being forced into exile by a military regime in the 1990s – may have influenced his tough stance. Yet Mr Bala feels he should not have been so quick to act: “He should have consulted widely from the start.”Mahmud Bawa, a political analyst in the city of Kaduna, agrees.”Bola [Tinubu] is too impulsive. He will act and think later – just like in his inaugural speech,” he told the BBC.This is a reference to how the president announced that Nigeria’s long-standing fuel subsidy would be ending – a seemingly off-hand remark during his inauguration ceremony at the end of May last year. It caused chaos at the time and the subsequent huge jump in the price of petrol has had huge knock-on costs for consumers. “He is facing the consequences now,” said Mr Bawa, adding that the president has just had to suspend his student loan scheme, due to start this month, as the legislation was put together too hastily. “So I think this is embarrassing.”Image source, AFPImage caption, Communities along the long Nigeria-Niger border have been worst affected by the sanctionsThe fact that the 71-year-old president had initially threatened military action against Niger was what really raised hackles.Nigeria and Niger share strong ethnic, economic and cultural ties, with families living either side of the border.Closing the border and cutting off the electricity, which caused blackouts in cities across Niger, also angered many.Trade suffered – and essentials such as cement could no longer be imported. The landlocked country depends on imports brought in by road.Hamidou Kalalabuwa, a small-time trader in Diffa, a city in south-eastern Niger on the border with Nigeria, said poor mainly Muslim communities on both sides had suffered most.”This is amazing news and even more special coming in the Ramadan month of fasting,” he told the BBC.”In Hausa we have a saying ‘bayan wuya sai dadi’, which translates as ‘after suffering comes relief’. This is a relief,” he said.In Nigeria, business in the northern city of Kano – an economic hub for the region – was greatly affected because of the sanctions.The absence of businessmen from Niger, often in town to buy products to export, was keenly felt.Kano property developer Auwalu Yakasai is over the moon about Mr Tinubu’s U-turn – given that the economy is suffering on multiple fronts.”It is good news and my hope is that the economy benefits and gets better,” he told the BBC.This joyous response from both sides may give Nigeria’s president some reprieve, Mr Bala says.”Niger has always been Nigeria’s friend and this move will go a long way to repair the damaged relationship.”You may also be interested in:West Africa’s united front lies in tattersWhy Nigeria’s economy is in such a messNiger says goodbye to France but not the USRelated TopicsNigeriaNigerAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastsTop StoriesWales’ next first minister set to be announcedPublished6 hours agoSecret Ukrainian school in Russian-occupied territoryPublished5 hours agoGridlock fears as M25 closures come into forcePublished8 hours agoFeaturesSecret Ukrainian school in Russian-occupied territoryThe Papers: ‘Tory PM ousting plot’ and ‘Gran’s death row wait’Should adult Harry Potter fans ‘grow up and get over it’?Born on 7 October: Gaza mum’s fight to feed her babyWhat we know about Meghan’s regal lifestyle brandWorkaholics Anonymous: ‘I couldn’t step away from the computer’How to get Glastonbury tickets if you missed outThe ‘insane’ plan to save the Arctic’s sea-iceSri Lanka parents spending hundreds on child leukaemia medsElsewhere on the BBCThe ultimate bromanceWatch the masters of satire Peter Cook and Dudley Moore with a look back through the archivesAttributioniPlayerThe mystery of a devastating helicopter crash…A weekend away for those leading the intelligence war in Northern Ireland turns to disasterAttributioniPlayer’A few people laughed, a few cried, most were silent’The extraordinary story of the rise and fall of the inventor of the atomic bomb, J Robert OppenheimerAttributioniPlayerFancy a film tonight?There’s something for everyone on BBC iPlayerAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Should adult Harry Potter fans ‘grow up and get over it’?2’Tory PM ousting plot’ and ‘Gran’s death row wait’3M25 closures in force amid gridlock fears4Billie Piper opens up about Laurence Fox comments5Boeing tells pilots to check seats after plane drops6The ‘insane’ plan to save the Arctic’s sea-ice7GP surgeries overpaid after NHS ‘admin blunder’8Cara Delevingne’s LA home destroyed by fire9All 35 bodies in funeral inquiry identified10Wales’ next first minister set to be announced](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/11C81/production/_132933827_gettyimages-1837939248_afpinde.jpg)
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaA jailed Imran Khan leaves Pakistan divided ahead of electionPublished7 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Once seen as the Pakistan army’s golden boy, Imran Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote widely seen as orchestrated by the armed forcesBy Kelly Ng, Tarhub Asghar & Farhat Javedin Singapore, Lahore and IslamabadIn the Zeshaan household there is a ground rule – conversations about politics are not allowed when the family gets together. It was a rule laid down shortly after Imran Khan was elected Pakistan’s prime minister in July 2018.”I remember my father didn’t vote for Imran Khan in the 2018 elections. My sister and I didn’t talk to him for three months. We couldn’t sit together at meals or anything,” said Nida Zeshaan, who calls herself a “diehard Khan supporter”.While political differences among families and friends are nothing unusual, no other politician has caused as many rifts in relationships in Pakistan as the former cricket star who rose to be PM before being ousted. Khan was elected after he vowed to to fight corruption and fix the ailing economy, but he has been fighting a series of cases since he fell out of power in 2022. Several criminal convictions have now barred him from standing in general elections on Thursday. The 71-year-old claims these are politically motivated to boot him off the ballot.And yet he still dominates conversation ahead of the 8 February vote.’We couldn’t sit together at meals'”I can say it out loud that I love Imran Khan but my father thinks he is not a good politician,” Ms Zeshaan says. The 32-year-old homemaker says she was especially drawn to the ideal of an Islamic welfare state (or Riyasat-e-Madin) championed by Khan “where equality and equity can be for everyone”. What led to Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s downfallFriend to foe: How Imran Khan took on Pakistan’s armyBut her father disapproves of the populist politician because of his perceived close ties to the military at the start of his political career. The military is widely regarded as Pakistan’s most powerful institution and has deep influence on its politics. It has ruled the country directly for more than three decades since its formation in 1947, and has continued to play a big role thereafter. No prime minister in Pakistan has ever finished a five-year term, but three out of four military dictators were able to rule for more than nine years each. “I believe my father was judging Khan for his past life. Whatever it is, political differences are hard to resolve, so we’ve agreed not to discuss politics when we are together,” said Ms Zeshaan, who lives in Pakistan’s second largest city Lahore.It is widely believed that Khan first rose to political prominence with support from Pakistan’s military establishment, but tensions between both sides emerged once he was in office. He allegedly fell out with then-military leaders over the appointment of the head of the country’s intelligence agency. Then, four years into his premiership, Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote that he alleges was backed by the US in a “foreign conspiracy” that also involved Pakistan’s military. Both the US and the military have rubbished these allegations. This galvanised his supporters, who like Ms Zeshaan, have jumped to his defence.”Unfortunately he did not get enough time and chances to implement all of these things. Also, the circumstances and other powers of the country didn’t let him perform,” she said.Many Pakistanis are frustrated that his economic and anti-corruption pledges have rung hollow, but his popularity has not waned even from behind bars. A Gallup opinion poll in December showed his approval ratings stand at 57%, putting him narrowly ahead of rival Nawaz Sharif with 52% of the votes. A Bloomberg survey last month showed Khan to be the top pick among some Pakistani finance professionals to run the country’s failing economy.Image caption, Muhammad Hafeez, a farmer, says Imran Khan sparked a political awakening by portraying himself as a “change candidate”Some citizens say Khan sparked a political awakening by portraying himself as a “change candidate” who promised to end dynastic politics. “It was Imran Khan and his party who explained to a villager like me how two parties plundered the wealth of the nation. He taught us how to vote for change,” said farmer Muhammad Hafeez, who lives in Nabipura, a village in Punjab.Mr Hafeez was referring to the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) – led by two political families that have dominated Pakistani politics for decades. Once bitter rivals, they united to topple Khan and his PTI in 2022. The PML-N candidate, Nawaz Sharif is widely expected to win the election and become prime minister for a record fourth term. This is being seen as a dramatic turnaround in his political fortunes. He was ousted from his second term in a 1999 military coup and sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of hijacking and terrorism, and also convicted of corruption.He returned to Pakistan from exile in Saudi Arabia in 2007, and was elected prime minister for a third time in 2013. He was removed from power in 2017 following a corruption investigation related to the Panama Papers, and was sentenced to seven years’ jail in a separate graft case a year later. This paved the way for Khan to become prime minister.Now it is Khan who is behind bars and the path for Sharif to become PM is clear. Many believe that he is the military’s preferred candidate this time around. “Khan created awareness. Previously, people were not politically aware enough to speak up for their rights,” Mr Hafeez said.Is Imran Khan’s political future over now he is in jail?Pakistan’s king of comebacks looks set to win againBut other observers allege that Khan’s politics are nothing more than rabble-rousing and populism. “We are supposedly expected to believe this was a wronged man, almost a martyr, who ostensibly had a clean record prior to entering this murky fray,” said Burzine Waghmar from the University of London’s SOAS South Asia Institute.”[But] Khan’s style of governance comprised avoidable squabbles with the military top brass and irresponsible demagoguery.”‘Divided loyalties’Some believe Khan’s biggest offence was challenging the military, which has long been the ultimate arbiter of politics in the country – and is widely referred to as the “establishment”.Other former prime ministers have fallen out with the army in the past but few have come as close to Khan in dividing loyalties there. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Supporters of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, or PML-N, whose candidate Nawaz Sharif is making a comeback after serving time for corruptionSome retired military officers – typically expected to toe the line – have spoken against the army’s political interference.They allege that this has sparked a crackdown by military leaders against them. One retired senior officer said he was instructed to “stop talking in favour of Imran Khan”.”I said I am not speaking in favour of him, nor am I speaking against the military. I am against the policies and interventions of a few individuals who are causing harm to the country,” he claims.Some retired military officers told the BBC they were implicated after Khan fell out of power for not supporting the no-confidence vote against him. Others claim they had their pensions and government benefits suspended, while others received threats that further action could be taken against them.Many have since gone quiet. The BBC reached out to the military regarding these allegations but did not receive a response. A spokesman of the military said last year that retired army officers are “assets of the army but they are not above the law”, warning also that they should not get involved in organisations that “wear the garb of politics”.But with Khan now out of the running and the PTI too dealt a big blow after Pakistan’s election commission banned its iconic cricket bat symbol from ballot papers in January, it may look like Khan has been effectively neutralised. But instead, political divisions across the country look set to deepen. Back in Lahore, Imran Khan supporter Ms Zeshaan said: “Even my friends know my political lines. Whenever any of them tries to cross them I stop meeting them or we usually end up fighting with each other.”Additional reporting by Nicholas Yong in SingaporeRelated TopicsPakistanImran KhanNawaz SharifAsiaBilawal Bhutto ZardariMore on this storyHow Imran Khan plans to win an election from jailPublished2 days ago’My mother doesn’t know if she’s married or a widow’Published3 days agoA jailed star and former convict: Pakistan’s election, explainedPublished5 days agoIs Imran Khan’s political future over now he is in jail?Published6 August 2023Top StoriesLive. 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