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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| New nationwide strike hits France | New nationwide strike hits France |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Hundreds of thousands of French workers are expected to join the country's second nationwide strike in two months. | Hundreds of thousands of French workers are expected to join the country's second nationwide strike in two months. |
| Unions are protesting against President Nicolas Sarkozy's economic policies. Unemployment has reached two million and is expected to rise further. | Unions are protesting against President Nicolas Sarkozy's economic policies. Unemployment has reached two million and is expected to rise further. |
| Demonstrations are planned in about 200 towns and cities. Schools are to close and public transport faces disruption. | Demonstrations are planned in about 200 towns and cities. Schools are to close and public transport faces disruption. |
| Organisers hope the protest may be bigger than one in January, when about a million people joined protests. | Organisers hope the protest may be bigger than one in January, when about a million people joined protests. |
| The unions are urging the government to do more to protect jobs and wages. | The unions are urging the government to do more to protect jobs and wages. |
| Beleaguered industries | Beleaguered industries |
| Three-quarters of French people support the strike, claiming the 2.4bn euros ($3.2bn; £2.3bn) offered by the government earlier this year is not enough. | Three-quarters of French people support the strike, claiming the 2.4bn euros ($3.2bn; £2.3bn) offered by the government earlier this year is not enough. |
| Protesters are also calling on the president to scrap his plans to cut public-sector jobs and to reverse tax cuts. | Protesters are also calling on the president to scrap his plans to cut public-sector jobs and to reverse tax cuts. |
| President Sarkozy says he understands the plight of the workers but there is little more his government can do. | President Sarkozy says he understands the plight of the workers but there is little more his government can do. |
| Unemployment is likely to shoot up to 10% in the next 12 months with a further 350,000 lay offs expected by the end of this year. | Unemployment is likely to shoot up to 10% in the next 12 months with a further 350,000 lay offs expected by the end of this year. |
| Private-sector workers from the beleaguered car industry, oil and retail sectors will also be on the streets. | Private-sector workers from the beleaguered car industry, oil and retail sectors will also be on the streets. |
| The BBC's Emma Jane Kirby in Paris says many people are angry that big companies like the oil giant Total is making staff redundant while simultaneously announcing record profits. | The BBC's Emma Jane Kirby in Paris says many people are angry that big companies like the oil giant Total is making staff redundant while simultaneously announcing record profits. |
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| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |