On March 23, 2023, France experienced widespread labor strikes and protests in response to President Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms, causing major disruptions in transportation and 400 high schools being blockaded by students. Videos of un-emptied dumpsters set alight and police firing tear gas were seen on social media. The pension reforms have been met with public anger, and the government is yet to comment on the protests, leaving the future of the reforms uncertain.
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Thousands of people took to the streets of France on Saturday night to protest President Emmanuel Macron's plan to raise the state pension age without a parliamentary vote. The largely non-violent protests included clashes with police and the throwing of an effigy of Macron into a fountain. Municipal authorities have banned rallies on Paris’s central Place de la Concorde and nearby Champ-Elysees, but it is unclear how long the protests will continue.
Protests have erupted in France in response to the government's decision to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a vote. Opposition parties are now calling for a no-confidence vote on the government, while labor unions have argued that the move will hurt workers and retirees. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin reported that 310 people were detained across the country in response to the protests.
On Thursday, the French National Assembly descended into chaos as Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne attempted to be heard over chants from lawmakers protesting President Emmanuel Macron's decision to invoke a special constitutional power to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. Macron argued the reform is necessary to prevent the pension system from falling into deficit, but the government does not have enough support to pass the bill in the lower house. This has sparked major strikes and protests across the country, and the National Assembly was due to vote on the bill Thursday afternoon to determine the future of the pension system in France.
King Charles III of the United Kingdom is set to embark on his first state visits to France and Germany since becoming monarch, with the intention of strengthening the U.K.'s relationship with its European neighbors. The visits, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, will include meetings with the public and other members of the royal family, and are expected to be a significant milestone in the U.K.'s relationship with its European neighbors. It is hoped that the visits will help to foster a stronger relationship between the two countries and serve as a reminder of the importance of the U.K.'s relationship with the European Union.
Wayne Shorter, an influential jazz innovator and tenor saxophonist, died Thursday at the age of 85. He was a foundational member of two seminal jazz groups, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and the Miles Davis Quintet, and released more than 25 albums over eight decades. He won 11 Grammy Awards, was inducted into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame, and was a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award and the Polar Music Prize.
Wang Yi, China's top diplomat, has arrived in Moscow for a high-profile visit that includes a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The visit comes as tensions between Washington and Beijing continue to rise, with the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations warning China against providing lethal aid to Russia in its war against Ukraine. Wang's visit is the final stop in an eight-day international tour and it is unclear what topics will be discussed, but it is likely to include the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and U.S.-China relations.
Richard Belzer, actor, comedian and author, has died at 78. He was best known for his role as Detective John Munch on NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," and had a long career in television and stand-up comedy. His death was confirmed in a joint statement from Universal Television and NBC, which praised his "professionalism, talents and dedication to the craft." Belzer's last words were "Fuck you, motherfucker," according to a friend, and he was remembered fondly by fellow actors and comedians.