Meeting Thursday: Front Porch and Security Meeting

meeting thursday: The new French government, which was appointed Wednesday, is a carefully calibrated balance of 22 prominent and unknown figures from the left and the right, half of them women, according to Toronto Star. They arrived for their first meeting Thursday with smiles, posing for photographs on the front porch of the presidential Elys e Palace in Paris. PHILIPPE WOJAZER / AFP/Getty Images By Sylvie Corbet The Associated Press Thu., May 18, 2017 PARIS French President Emmanuel Macron held a special security meeting, spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and convened his Cabinet for the first time Thursday all under a growing cloud of concern that his office is trying to control the press. After the meeting, Macron talked by phone with Putin about possible co-operation on international issues, including the fight against terrorism. Macron has previously taken a firm stance against Russia's actions in Ukraine and Syria. The Kremlin said the two voiced readiness to develop their nations' traditionally friendly economic, political and cultural ties. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.