Hacking arrest, fake news in tense French presidential race
None
Allegations of fake news and hacking attempts dominated France's tense presidential campaign Thursday, with just two days left for independent Emmanuel Macron and his far-right rival Marine Le Pen to win over voters before Sunday's high-stakes runoff.
Paris prosecutors launched a preliminary investigation Thursday into whether fake news is being used to influence the voting, as front-runner Macron and populist Le Pen rallied thousands at their last big campaign events -- in opposite parts of the divided country.
There has been intense anxiety in France over the possibility that viral misinformation or hackers could influence the presidential vote, as in the US election last year. Those fears have largely failed to materialize.
Then Thursday, Macron's campaign filed suit against an unknown source "X'' after Le Pen suggested during their only one-on-one debate Wednesday night that the former banker could have an offshore account.
"I hope we won't find out you have an offshore account in the Bahamas," Le Pen said.
