France faces its worst unrest in years

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More than half a million people reportedly joined demonstrations in cities across France as a student-led movement merged with broader social anger over rising living costs and deteriorating public services. Looting, arson and clashes with police have produced the country’s most serious unrest in years, with reports ranging from roughly 1,800 to nearly 2,400 arrests and hundreds of police officers injured. The unrest is now a major domestic-security and political crisis for Macron’s government, which is facing pressure to restore order while addressing the grievances driving the demonstrations.

Sources: Reuters, The Straits Times, SBS News, Agence France-Presse