The world in brief

Polls showed the far-right National Rally party in the lead after voting finished in the first round of France’s parliamentary election. Ipsos, a pollster, put Marine Le Pen’s party on 34% of the vote, with the left-wing New Popular Front on 28.1%. The centrist bloc headed by Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, lagged behind with around 20%. Turnout was the highest of any first-round parliamentary election since 1997. Ms Le Pen will hope to capitalise on her party’s strong showing when the final round of voting is held on July 7th.

Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s president, announced the country’s new coalition cabinet. Six of 32 ministerial positions will go to members of the Democratic Alliance, the erstwhile opposition to Mr Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC). The ANC lost its parliamentary majority for the first time after elections in May, forcing it to form a “government of national unity” with other parties.