Latest update: 18/10/2010

- France - pensioners - Reform - Retirement - strike

France on strike again

The French Senate will decide today whether to raise the age at which people are entitled to the full state pension from 65 to 67. Unions have been up in arms for several months over changes to retirement laws proposed by the government. Now France faces major disruption on Tuesday with mass protests and strikes for the fourth time in a month, with unions threatening to prolong the strikes beyond Tuesday.

FOCUS

23/05/2012 - CANADA

Students in Quebec march against tuition fee hike

Student protests in the Canadian province Quebec are into their fourth month. Hundreds were arrested at marches to mark 100 days since the protests began. Students are demonstrating against an 80 percent rise in tuition fees in Quebec, the Canadian province that has until now enjoyed the country's lowest rates for higher education.

23/05/2012 - EGYPT

Egyptians head to the polls

Egyptians go to the polls in the country's first truly contested presidential election on Wednesday. With an array of candidates to choose from, voters will decide who's the best man to lead them through the last phase of the country's troubled democratic transition that began with Egypt's revolution in January last year. Cairo correspondents Kathryn Stapley and Sonia Dridi talked to some of the activists whose protests in Tahrir Square changed the course of Egypt's history.

22/05/2012 - EGYPT

A troubling time for Egypt's Coptic Christians

Egyptians go to the polls tomorrow to vote for a new president for the first time since Hosni Mubarak was ousted during the revolution last year. Two of the front-runners in the presidential race with a realistic chance of winning are devout Islamists, which is troubling for Egypt's Coptic Christians. They are Egypt's largest religious minority and many of them don't think any of the candidates are capable of protecting them from the religious violence that has been steadily increasing.

22/05/2012 - WEST BANK

'The Battle of the Empty Stomachs'

Palestinians nicknamed it "the battle of the empty stomachs". For weeks, 1,600 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails refused food and drink in what became the longest ever mass hunger strike. Israel finally capitulated and a deal was reached, allowing those in isolation back onto the general wards, and visas for those family members wishing to visit from Gaza. In exchange, prisoners agreed not to carry out "security activities" such as recruiting for terrorist missions.

21/05/2012 - SERBIA

Serbia's new president - nationalist or not?

Serbia has elected a new president - and it's not the one that most people were expecting. Tomislav Nikolic has unseated Boris Tadic, the man in power since 2004. Observers are worried about the new head of state, who used to be part of the ultra-nationalist Radical Party. He once said he would prefer to be allied with Russia than join the EU, but he has since toned down the rhetoric, saying he will take Serbia to Europe after all.

Comments (4)

i'm french.......and...those

by Anonyme - 26/10/2010 - 10:45

i'm french.......and...those strickes are no sense!!! i totally agree with the governement!!!

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To anonyme 10:39

by Anonyme - 15/10/2010 - 00:48

Is there ever a time when the french government is not fighting against the people ?
The french goverment and the french bosses are the most stockholders too. That's why perheaps the french have to fight harder too.
The more stockholders the bosses, the more fighting the labour unions. It's logical.
In France, they refuse to listen to you, to do compromises, until you are on (hard) strikes. So, the only solution is the strike.
(I would say too, France isn't (far away) the european country with the most strikes.)

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Again?

by Anonyme - 14/10/2010 - 10:39

You could probably leave this headline permanently.
Is there ever a time when the French are not on strike?

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Understandable, but hope it stops

by Anonyme - 13/10/2010 - 17:59

Since I plan to fly to France next week I hope this strike will end, though I totally understand why they protest and I support the protesters. I just hope the vote will be in their favor. Since they also ask to keep things the way they are, and are not asking for retirement sooner.

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