Briefly

FRANCE

New PM survives 1st no-confidence motion

France's new Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Tuesday survived a motion of no confidence brought by the left, a first test for his government whose support in parliament is fragile. The motion, which would have needed 289 votes to be adopted by a majority of the 577-seat National Assembly, was supported by only 197 lawmakers. The left-wing New Popular Front coalition had put forward the motion with Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure defending it, but he admitted that it was soundly beaten.

UNITED STATES

Boeing halts talks as strike drags on

Talks between Boeing and its key manufacturing union broke down, and no negotiations are currently planned as the financially damaging strike heads into the fourth week. The company said on Tuesday it withdrew its pay offer to about 33,000 US factory workers, adding the union had not considered its proposals seriously after two days of talks. The stalemate shows no signs of resolution, a person briefed on the talks said. S&P analysts estimate the strike will cost Boeing about $1 billion a month. "Unfortunately, the union did not seriously consider our proposals," Boeing Commercial Airplanes head Stephanie Pope said in a note to the employees, calling the union's demands "nonnegotiable". "Further negotiations do not make sense at this point," she said.

Agencies Via Xinhua