This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Andrew Peach and in the early hours of Monday the 8th of July these are our main stories.

A big surprise in France's parliamentary elections.

Projections indicate the far right national rally has been beaten into third place

after a pact between the left and center parties.

The prominent US Congressman Adam Schiff says Vice President Kamala Harris could beat Donald

Trump as concerns continue over Joe Biden's recent public performance.

Also in this podcast, the Ukrainian amputee soldiers treated at a US medical center and after a year

living in a sealed room in Texas.

Just ready come out? room in Texas. These people can tell us what it might be like to live on Mars.

The French President Emmanuel Macron took a big gamble when he called a snap parliamentary

election after the far-right national rally success in last month European elections.

Last Sunday's first round of voting saw the National Rally, the former National Front of

Jean-Marie Le Pen renamed and rebranded by his daughter-marine, come top again. But candidates from a hastily

formed left-wing coalition, the new Popular Front, struck deals with those from

the President's Centrist alliance in a bit to stop the National Rally from winning

again in the second round.

As soon as the polls had closed, early projections confirm the tactic had worked even better

than expected. He was going to see the new assembly and

that was not the terrace that was

to add a suit that was issued to the first tour

sedaboard the new front popular popular carrivantet with

...