WATCHING TODAY:

1. France will not vacate the Indo-Pacific anytime soon: Philippe Le Corre writes Emmanuel Macron keen to use EU presidency to move past AUKUS quarrel.

2. How Telegram became the anti-Facebook: Darren Loucaides writes hundreds of millions of users. No algorithm. No ads. Courage in the face of autocracy. Sound like a dream? Careful what you wish for.

3. Innovate or die: Korea Inc. faces harsh choice as election looms: Nikkei reports the nation's next president tasked with reshaping the export-oriented economy.

4. Why did we stop building beautiful neighborhoods? FT reports governments lack the incentive, businesses usually lack the power and almost everyone seems to lack the skill.

5. In an Arctic outpost, Friday nights are for curling: NYT reports in a town with one stoplight, 120 miles above the Arctic Circle, curling provides women with a reason to leave their houses. And that is no small thing.