A day of significant global developments is underway, as a political crisis in France reaches its breaking point, a powerful typhoon barrels across the Philippines, and the world’s largest shipping lines push back against a new Arctic trade route being pioneered by China.
Here’s your one-stop stand to catch up on all the headlines you may have missed.
French Prime Minister holds crunch talks in a high-stakes hunt for budget allies
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is engaged in pivotal, last-chance talks with lawmakers on Friday as he desperately struggles to pass a budget and keep his government from collapsing.
As France’s fifth premier in just two years, Lecornu is seeking the tacit support of opposition groups to avoid being ousted by a fractious parliament.
Failure to find a compromise would heighten the risk of a third government collapse in less than a year, plunging France back into a deep political impasse over how to tackle the largest budget deficit in the euro area.
Top shipping lines shun the Arctic shortcut despite China’s push
Even as China continues its foray into the Northern Sea Route—a potential shortcut between Asia and Europe—the world’s largest container carriers are publicly reaffirming that the passage is not a viable option.
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co., the world’s biggest carrier, issued a client advisory this week to reconfirm its commitment to avoiding the Arctic, citing safety, environmental, and commercial concerns.
The stance is a significant setback for the route, which can halve the 40-day journey time but is seen by major industry players as too risky.
Typhoon Matmo hits the Philippines with 130 km/h winds, now on track for China
Typhoon Matmo has intensified as it made landfall in the northern Philippines on Friday, packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers (81 miles) per hour.
The powerful storm is forecast to dump heavy rain on a nation still reeling from the impact of two deadly typhoons in the past two weeks.
Government work and schools have been suspended in northern provinces, and more than a dozen domestic flights have been canceled.
The national weather agency is warning of widespread severe flooding and landslides before the typhoon continues on its path toward China.
Thousands protest at the US embassy in Malaysia over Israel ahead of a Trump visit
Thousands of Malaysian protesters rallied outside the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to demand that the country take action over Israel, a demonstration that comes amid growing criticism of President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to the nation.
The protesters called on the US to pressure Israel to allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza. The anger, fueled by the detention of Malaysian activists by Israel, is complicating Trump’s planned visit to attend Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings.
The country’s biggest opposition party is now planning a mass rally if the visit goes ahead.
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