By Sharon Bernstein and Omar Younis LOS ANGELES California baseball legend Steve Garvey launched a campaign on Tuesday

French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to make key economic, immigration and education reforms despite France's divisions and political challenges that have included months of protests against pension changes and recent rioting over a teen killed by police. Macron said in a wide-ranging interview with Le Point magazine published Thursday that he will meet next week with the country’s “main political leaders” for talks about issues confronting France. The talks would be aimed at proposing new bills and possibly referendums, he said. Macron last year lost his majority in the lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, forcing him to use political maneuvering to pass any new legislation. That was “no big deal,” he said in the interview, noting that his centrist government managed to pass some new laws since then with support from members of the center-left and the traditional right. Macron wants to avoid a repetition of the major political crisis prompted by the parliamentary deadlock earlier this year over a reform to cut costs by raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. His government used a special constitutional power to force the legislation through without a vote at the National Assembly, infuriating opponents who staged a months-long firestorm of protest. Macron promised to address the roots of several days of unrest around France sparked at the end of June by the police killing of a 17-year-old boy. He told Le Point that those who participated in the riots, including many aged under 18, acted out of a “will for revenge” against police and the state institutions. “There was no political message, nor a social or religious message,” he said. The 45-year-old president vowed to implement a major education reform that would including reducing students’ vacation days, and would allow students with learning difficulties to return to school sooner after holidays than others. “There are too many vacations,” Macron said. He also said that an immigration bill that has been postponed several times this year due to the lack of a parliamentary majority would be debated in the coming months. He said his government would hold talks with opposition parties to build a proposal. “We must significantly reduce immigration, starting with illegal immigration,” he said. The external borders of the European Union must be better protected, he argued. The comments come as a number of boats have capsized or otherwise been in distress in recent days off the North African coast and near Italian shores. Tens of thousands of migrants have tried to cross the Mediterranean Sea this year hoping to reach Europe. Macron vowed to bring the unemployment rate down to 5%. France unemployment rate reached 7.2% this year, its lowest rate since 2008. He said his policies since 2017 have boosted France's growth and improved its economic “attractiveness” to foreign. “We must do more to reduce unemployment by all means,” he said. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide French general put in charge of Notre Dame rebuild found dead on mountain Rishi Sunak defends Bibby Stockholm plan after series of setbacks Migrants could return to Bibby Stockholm in next few days, says minister

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'GMA' host Robin Roberts was seen breaking into an impromptu karaoke session while driving back to New York City alongside partner Amber Laign

Donald Trump is said to be preparing for the federal grand jury to potentially vote to indict him on charges over the January 6 Capitol riot and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election today. Sources told NBC News that the former president’s legal and political teams are getting ready for the possibility that the vote will take place on Thursday – and that Mr Trump will be hit with his third criminal indictment. Last week, Mr Trump said he had received a letter from special counsel Jack Smith’s office saying he is the target of a grand jury investigation. Former New York City Police Department commissioner Bernie Kerik, a Rudy Giuliani ally, has since agreed to turn over hundreds of documents to the DOJ as part of its probe, court documents reveal. Ahead of the potential looming indictment, Mr Trump has gone on the attack against his political rivals and Mr Smith, and also posted a video begging Congress to help save him from his escalating legal troubles. This comes as Melania Trump is reportedly distancing herself from her husband’s 2024 campaign, rejecting multiple requests to join him at campaign stops. Read More What Donald Trump’s trial date means for the 2024 election Trump demands cameras in courtroom for potential election fraud case Trump legal team tries again to block Georgia election interference grand jury probe Is Donald Trump a legal unicorn?

Katie Taylor’s success has been paving the way for young Irish fighters as women’s boxing gains popularity around the world

Hurricane Hilary is rapidly intensifying in the Pacific Ocean southwest of Mexico on Thursday and is on track to deliver potentially significant rain and flooding to parts of the Southwest as a weaker system starting this weekend.

Prosecutors say a French bishop has been handed a preliminary charge of attempting to rape an adult man a decade ago

President Joe Biden on Friday for the first time publicly acknowledged his seventh grandchild, a four-year-old girl fathered by his son Hunter with an Arkansas woman, Lunden Roberts, in 2018

In a move that may soon be replicated elsewhere, the Gila River Indian Community recently signed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to put solar panels over a stretch of irrigation canal on their land south of Phoenix