Politics: Emmanuel Macron in search of a new prime minister

The French head of state, who said he was looking for an “arc of government”, tried Thursday evening to regain control during a televised speech, where he promised the appointment of a new prime minister “in the coming days”.

Emmanuel Macron receives on Friday several political leaders ranging from PS to LR through those of his own camp in order to form “a government of general interest” after the censure of Michel Barnier on Wednesday.

He will receive early morning the leaders of the Macronist camp (Renaissance, MoDem, Horizons, Radicals, UDI), then at noon the leader of the socialist deputies Boris Vallaud and his Senate counterpart Patrick Kanner, as well as the leader of the party Olivier Faure. At the beginning of the afternoon, it will be the turn of the LR managers.

Martial law: the departure of the South Korean leader eagerly awaited

Believing that his stay in power represents a “great danger” for the country after his failed coup at the beginning of the week, the party of President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday called for the “rapid” departure of the South Korean leader.

Mr. Yoon surprisingly proclaimed martial law late Tuesday and deployed the army to Seoul targeting the opposition, before being forced to pedal back six hours later under pressure from Parliament and the streets.

"In view of new evidence, I believe that a rapid suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol is necessary in order to safeguard the Republic of Korea (South Korea's official name, editor's note) and its people,” said the leader of the People's Power Party (PPP), Han Dong-hoon, and its people,” said the leader of the People's Power Party (PPP), Han Dong-hoon, on Friday.

Latin American Bloc Summit: EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement at the heart of the 65th edition

The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen intends on Friday in Montevideo to advance the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement alongside the presidents of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, alongside the presidents of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, meeting for the 65th summit of the Latin American bloc, meeting for the 65th summit of the Latin American bloc where a new stage in the discussions started in 1999.

Under the influence of Brazil on the South American side, Germany and Spain on the European side, the two blocks want to finalize the discussions before Donald Trump arrives at the White House in January and his threats of increasing tariffs in all directions.

If signed, the agreement still needs to be ratified. France, Italy and Poland intend to form a front of refusal and could constitute a blocking minority.

Washington: Russia ready to defend itself by “any means”

Russia, which says it hopes to be “taken seriously” after the launch of the new heavy Orechnik missile into Ukraine at the end of November, stresses that it is ready to use “all the means” at its disposal to defend itself, according to remarks broadcast on Thursday by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“We are sending signals and we hope that the last one, two weeks ago (the Orechnik missile launch) was taken seriously,” he told American columnist and TV presenter Tucker Carlson.

The United States and its allies must “understand that we would be ready to use any means not to allow them to succeed in what they call the strategic defeat of Russia,” he said.

IN A NUTSHELL

An agreement to end the conflict was signed on Thursday between EDF Island Electricity Production (EDF-PEI) and the CGT-Guadeloupe Energy Federation (FE-CGTG), after 80 days of strike at the Jarry power plant, near Pointe-à-Pitre, we learned from both parties.

The leader of the movement against the high cost of living in Martinique, Rodrigue Petitot, was placed in pre-trial detention on Thursday after a hearing at the Fort-de-France Court of Appeal, after breaking into the home of the island's prefect on November 11.

Two individuals are wanted in Australia for starting a fire in a Melbourne synagogue before dawn on Friday, police announced, an act condemned by the Prime Minister of the Oceanian country and which did not cause any injuries.

A powerful magnitude 7 earthquake has occurred near the coast of Northern California, the American Institute of Geophysics (USGS) announced, triggering a brief tsunami alert.

Ex-world number 1 in alpine skiing Lindsey Vonn, who announced her return to competition almost six years after her retirement, will participate in secondary circuit races this weekend, a source close to the American woman confirmed to AFP.