France was brought to a standstill on Thursday as workers staged a nationwide strike to protest against President Emmanuel Macron’s flagship pension reforms.
Schools were closed, railway stations deserted and power plants affected as France’s biggest unions showed a rare united front.
Under the government’s plans, the pension age will rise to 63 in 2027 and then to 64 in 2030.
France's trade unions called for a mass mobilisation against the reforms. The last time they showed a united front was 12 years ago, when the retirement age was raised from 60 to 62.
Police fired tear gas on the fringes of a street protest in Paris, as people in hoodies and face masks hurled projectiles at their lines.
The unions are hoping for more than a million people to demonstrate in more than 200 cities across France.
But French media have reported that police had prepared for 550,000 to 750,000 protesters, including 50,000 to 80,000 in the capital.
Their goal is that “the strength and the number of demonstrators can make the government step back”, said Yvan Ricordeau, the national secretary of the CFDT union.
“There is a feeling of anger, of injustice, at the way in which the reform has been constructed and presented,” he added.
Mr Macron says the move is necessary to fund the welfare state for an ageing population.
He has offered sweeteners such as a higher minimum pension and exemptions for people who were unusually young when they joined the workforce.
One Macron ally in parliament, Jean-Rene Cazeneuve, said on Thursday that the government was “obliged to act to save our system”.
He criticised the strikers for disrupting the lives of French people already struggling with the difficult economic situation.
“Nobody contests the right to strike but there is a red line — that is blockading the country,” he told French television.
Workers at energy company EDF said they had lowered electricity output by 7,000 megawatts — enough to power two cities the size of Paris. Their union said the reduction would have no impact on consumers.
Oil shipments were blocked at refineries belonging to TotalEnergies, which said there would be no major disruption unless the strike drags on longer than Thursday.
Rail operator SNCF advised people not to travel while Paris Metro lines were heavily disrupted. Ferries across the English Channel to Britain were also affected.
High inflation and other economic problems have caused strikes in many European countries, including the UK.
Thursday’s strike in France is expected to be followed by a demonstration on Saturday against Mr Macron’s plans.
The President promised to increase the pension age during his re-election campaign last year, while his far-right rival Marine Le Pen opposed the move.
After winning a second term, Mr Macron lost his parliamentary majority in separate elections and is relying on help from opposition parties to push the reform through the National Assembly.
The leader of the centre-right Republicans has said he could back the reform under certain conditions, while lambasting Mr Macron for pushing it through “at a time of extreme tension”.
If Mr Macron cannot secure a majority, there are powers in the constitution that allow the government to overrule MPs in certain cases — although this would be sure to aggravate opponents.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
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A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry
Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Azerbaijan 0
Wales 2 (Moore 10', Wilson 34')
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Left Bank: Art, Passion and Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950
Agnes Poirer, Bloomsbury
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Wolves 0
Aston Villa 1 (El Ghazi 90 4' pen)
Red cards: Joao Moutinho (Wolves); Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa)
Man of the match: Emi Martinez (Aston Villa)
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