Protests resume in France amid anger at Macron's pension age reform

Refinery strikes persisted on Saturday in France and more demonstrations were taking place throughout the country amid anger at the government pushing through a rise in the state pension age without a parliamentary vote. The growing unrest, combined with rubbish piling up on the streets of Paris after refused workers joined in the action, has left President Emmanuel Macron with the gravest challenge to his authority since the so-called "Gilets Jaunes" (Yellow Vests) protests of December 2018. Some 37% of operational staff at TotalEnergies' refineries and depots - at sites including Feyzin in southeast France and Normandy in the north - were on strike on Saturday, a company spokesperson said.