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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| French trains 'hit by sabotage' | French trains 'hit by sabotage' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| France's high-speed TGV rail network has been damaged by a "concerted campaign of sabotage", the SNCF state rail-owned operator has said. | France's high-speed TGV rail network has been damaged by a "concerted campaign of sabotage", the SNCF state rail-owned operator has said. |
| It said acts of sabotage overnight, including fires, caused huge delays to TGV services already hit by a long transport union strike over reforms. | It said acts of sabotage overnight, including fires, caused huge delays to TGV services already hit by a long transport union strike over reforms. |
| The SNCF blamed union militants for damaging the TGV network, describing the attacks as "acts of vandalism". | The SNCF blamed union militants for damaging the TGV network, describing the attacks as "acts of vandalism". |
| The rail unions and the government are due to hold talks to end the strike. | The rail unions and the government are due to hold talks to end the strike. |
| In a statement, the SNCF said there had been "several acts" occurring "at the same time" on the TGV network. | In a statement, the SNCF said there had been "several acts" occurring "at the same time" on the TGV network. |
| It said these included a "very large" fire on the TGV's Atlantic branch that damaged about 30km (18 miles) of the signal network. | |
| Guillaume Pepy, a senior SNCF official, told RTL radio that the acts of sabotage severely disrupted TGV services. | |
| The open-ended rail strike is over planned changes to the pension system by President Nicolas Sarkozy. | |
| But Mr Sarkozy has vowed to press on with the reforms. |