tv BBC News BBC News April 6, 2023 3:00pm-3:31pm BST
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live from london. this is bbc news big protests on the streets again in france — over the change to the pension age. this is the scene — as disruption continues to rock the capital emmanuel macron urges china's president to help stop the war in ukraine — asking china to �*bring russia to its senses�*. buckingham palace says it's co—operating with an independent study into the british monarchy�*s links to the slave trade.
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welcome to the programme. we start in france — big numbers have taken to the streets again — the 11th day of mass protests against the change in pension age in france. let me show you some live pictures, already some debris and lines of riot police stacked up. i have been watching pictures of small charges by those police to push some of the protesters back. this is right in the centre of paris, the 11th day of these mass protests that have spoiled over the last two and a half months as so many people protest against the change in pension age, making it up to 64 from 62. large numbers on the streets again. a meeting between the prime minister and labour unions failed to break the deadlock yesterday. our paris correspondent
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hugh schofield is on the streets of paris and joins me now. there is deadlock, you have protesters continuing to voice their concern about the change and the government insistent there will be no step down in terms of what they are laying out. no step down in terms of what they are laying out-— are laying out. indeed, you 'oin us at a particularly * are laying out. indeed, you 'oin us at a particularly tense h are laying out. indeed, youjoin us at a particularly tense moment - are laying out. indeed, youjoin us at a particularly tense moment on| at a particularly tense moment on the right of the march, you can probably see the smoke billowing behind me on the other side of the ranks of the french police. there has been a certain kind of rush of people and a big hullabaloo, people shouting and booing the police. i tell you what is happening, there is a restaurant across the road which is a symbolic restaurant for president macron, it is when he went on the night of his first election underfire has been set on the night of his first election under fire has been set outside the restaurant. we were there closer about 20 minutes ago and it has been
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pelted with bottles and stones and bits of bitumen ripped from the pavements so the black blocks, these revolutionary types who often jot themselves onto the head of the demonstrations have been active and a moment of tension, you hear a bang every now and again, often they are grenades, grenades launched by the police to get people to move away and tear gas as well. a classic moment here, nothing terribly dangerous but it is certainly tense. we were just looking at the restaurant and they were putting out the fire they were describing. the issue here, the constitutional courts on looking at that move to run this through parliament, that is likely to come next week, isn't it? yes, it has passed through parliament, the constitutional procedure which got everyone so angry, there was a vote of
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confidence in the government but no vote on the text and the constitutional council, the last step, this body of wise men and women who decide whether a law conforms with the constitution. it is possible council will take to bits of the law and may void it of some of its substance but it's only a possibility and it seems unlikely they would remove the core element of the law which is the question of raising the pension age to 64 from 62 but that is next week, the 14th of april, next friday. and if it passes that her go very quickly it could become law at which point you know, i think a lot of people ask themselves what will happen to the protest, what is the point of continuing to protest when something becomes law? it will not stop people feeling angry but i think people could say it is long now, let's change tactics to bring the government down. the
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change tactics to bring the covernment down. ., , government down. the government is insistinu government down. the government is insisting that — government down. the government is insisting that france _ government down. the government is insisting that france cannot _ government down. the government is insisting that france cannot afford - insisting that france cannot afford not to make this move from 62 up to the age of 64 but in terms of the protests and the way they have gone on for two and a half months, what other issues, general unhappiness, is woven into everything we are seeing on the streets? i is woven into everything we are seeing on the streets?- is woven into everything we are seeing on the streets? i think an awful lot. these _ seeing on the streets? i think an awful lot. these are _ seeing on the streets? i think an awful lot. these are left-wing i awful lot. these are left—wing demonstrators, people on the left on them the far left, and the fringes of the far left, the people carrying out these acts of vandalism and so on. 0bviously they also enjoyed the support in their opposition to the law of a good majority of the population but if you can gauge people, very quickly you get onto other subjects, things that are not the pension law, you get onto the whole issue of capitalism and on ecology, all of these issues come up much bigger issues about the future
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of the planet and society. and to that extent, they are on a bit of a hiding to nothing because clearly, theseissues hiding to nothing because clearly, these issues are far greater issues than the issues of the pension and the pension is a minor one that is going through and these are the big issues are still there! life going through and these are the big issues are still there!— issues are still there! we are 'ust lookin: at issues are still there! we are 'ust looking at a fi issues are still there! we are 'ust looking at a variety i issues are still there! we are 'ust looking at a variety offl issues are still there! we are just looking at a variety of different . looking at a variety of different pictures that we are getting from across paris and of course these protests are going on in many different cities as well. that is worth remembering. we were talking about emmanuel macron, he has invested so much personal capital and his own reputation in this change to the pension age. is it possible even at this late stage that there could be concessions or is that unlikely? i that there could be concessions or is that unlikely?— is that unlikely? i think it is most unlikel . is that unlikely? i think it is most unlikely- l _ is that unlikely? i think it is most unlikely. i think— is that unlikely? i think it is most unlikely. i think he _ is that unlikely? i think it is most unlikely. i think he sought - is that unlikely? i think it is most unlikely. i think he sought for - unlikely. i think he sought for steeped into it that he cannot possibly go back, it is like macbeth so far in that returning is worse
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than going so the board says. he is very unpopular and has taken the punishment so what is to gain from turning round where as if he keeps going, he will not get more unpopular and eventually, he might say i might win respect in a year or two from people who said at least he was a president prepared to take on the crowd so i cannot see any possibility of him turning on this issue of raising the age to 64, apart from that it is not up for election, his next step, we do not know about four years from now, in french politics he will not be there so he can afford to to make the grand gesture and do something for the sake of the country rather than his own popularity. that is certainly his estimation and to be fair to him, certainly his estimation and to be fairto him, there certainly his estimation and to be fair to him, there is a good chunk of the country may be a quarter or third to agree with him but the two thirds who do not. indie third to agree with him but the two thirds who do not.— thirds who do not. we won't leave ou for thirds who do not. we won't leave you for the _
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thirds who do not. we won't leave you for the next _ thirds who do not. we won't leave you for the next little _ thirds who do not. we won't leave you for the next little while, - thirds who do not. we won't leave you for the next little while, you | you for the next little while, you will continue to be there for the next few hours. let's rejoin the life picture is full on screen to show you the latest from paris. the police you saw behind our correspondence, nor in the streets around the restaurant that was on fire a short time ago so we will return through the course of the programme and keep you right up—to—date with what is happening in paris. in bejing — president macron has told xijinping — that he's counting on the chinese leader, to reason with russia — and help bring an end to the war in ukraine. president xi focussed his attention on economic issues — saying china's development will not be stopped by decoupling and breaking chains. more on that in a moment but the french leader made his comments — at the start of a today's meeting — when he also asked china's leader to press russia to comply with international rules protecting against the use
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of nuclear weapons. translation: the russian aggression in ukraine has ended decades of peace in europe. i know i can count on you to bring russia to its senses and everyone to the negotiating table. but we need to find a lasting peace. that is to say, a peace that respects internationally recognised borders and avoids any form of escalation. the president of the european commission — is also in bejing with emmanuel macron — in what's being framed as good cop — bad cop. with ursula von der leyen taking the tough stance. we also count on china not to provide any military equipment directly or indirectly to russia, because we all know arming the aggressor would be against international law and it would significantly harm our relationship. let's talk to moritz korner —
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a german member of the european parliament — part of the parliament's delegation for relations with china. welcome to the programme. the west wants china to use its influence with president putin to end the war in ukraine but have you seen anything today to suggest that is a realistic prospect? at}! anything today to suggest that is a realistic prospect?— anything today to suggest that is a realistic prospect? of course there was ho -e realistic prospect? of course there was none from _ realistic prospect? of course there was hope from this _ realistic prospect? of course there was hope from this visit _ realistic prospect? of course there was hope from this visit by - was hope from this visit by president macron and ursula von der leyen to convince fishing to really play it more constructive role and bring russia to end this brutal war but unfortunately, i think this hope did not really come through today. we see at the press conference xi jinping was not open to that and was annoyed that president macron was talking so long so i think people will not see a big change in the policy of china towards russia and
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the war in ukraine. i policy of china towards russia and the war in ukraine.— the war in ukraine. i mentioned xi jin-lin the war in ukraine. i mentioned xi jinping concentrating _ the war in ukraine. i mentioned xi jinping concentrating his - the war in ukraine. i mentioned xi jinping concentrating his thoughts| jinping concentrating his thoughts on economic issues, warning against the west weapon icing and politicising economic issues. emmanuel macron has taken a large delegation of business leaders, ursula von der leyen is talk about de—risking with china but can you keep developing trade and de—risk at the same time? i keep developing trade and de-risk at the same time?— the same time? i think that is a little bit difficult. _ the same time? i think that is a little bit difficult. i _ the same time? i think that is a little bit difficult. i see - the same time? i think that is a little bit difficult. i see that - the same time? i think that is a little bit difficult. i see that of. little bit difficult. i see that of course, people are talking about the good cop bad cop so emmanuel macron going with an economic delegation and ursula von der leyen giving a strong speech on china. so i think we have two rethink in the european union about our policy on china. i think we have to de—risk, we have to make sure we are not dependent on
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china in specialfields but make sure we are not dependent on china in special fields but of course, we cannot completely stop investing and trading with china. so what we have to do is rebalance our relationship, to have more trade agreements with other parts of the world and liberal democracies to strengthen our relationship but also trade more with other partners to make sure we are not so dependent on china. fit, make sure we are not so dependent on china. �* ., make sure we are not so dependent on china. . ., ., , , china. a final thought because i will -ut china. a final thought because i will put onto — china. a final thought because i will put onto the _ china. a final thought because i will put onto the screen - china. a final thought because i | will put onto the screen pictures china. a final thought because i i will put onto the screen pictures at the meetings between saudi arabian officials and iranian officials, that meeting brokered by china which is a significant development as china tries to increase its global geopolitical footprint. china tries to increase its global geopoliticalfootprint. some observers have warned about concerns that they shane is trying to woo parts of europe away from the us, do you share that concern?—
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you share that concern? there is this concern. _ you share that concern? there is this concern. i _ you share that concern? there is this concern. i do _ you share that concern? there is this concern. i do not _ you share that concern? there is this concern. i do not really - you share that concern? there is this concern. i do not really see| you share that concern? there is| this concern. i do not really see it happening. i think the war in ukraine brought the european union closer together and closer to the us. but you mentioned the meeting between iran and saudi arabia but we have to see that china is everywhere in the world and is trying to find new alliances around the west. we also in the west, the european union, the uk and the us, we have to be more ambitious to break more alliances and i think we will see an even stronger geopolitical century now and we have to be able to act. we must leave it there but thank you so much forjoining us live from dusseldorf. let me take you back to paris. we promise you we would
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continue to show you the scenes on the streets, the picture isjust slightly break up. we are watching another push by the riot police into some of the crowd. you can hear the occasional blast. this is pretty routine, typically, in these demonstrations at different stages, riot police trying to move crowds from one area to another and you see these sorts of tangles but you see these sorts of tangles but you see the tear gas as well and the canisters that already have been let off. i have said already the 11th day of these mass protests organised together with strikes, again, people in so many different cities of france demonstrating ostensibly about the change of pension age up to the age of 64 from 62 but as schofield said, weaving in so many other things that are troubling people in france. those are some of
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the latest pictures coming into us all the time so we continue to monitor that and we will return there in the next little while. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. he may be 100, butjohn bell's memory is as bright as his medals. 0bviously, getting to 100 is pretty good for... in my line of business. people don't last that long. john was responsible for targeting a bomb on a bunker in calais, which housed rockets and super guns, which hitler planned to use for a huge attack on london. it was just john's skill as a bomb aimer that his 22,000lb bomb landed pretty much about five metres from the edge of the bunker. william and john both live
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at the royal air force's association retirement complex at storrington, where william organised a birthday flypast — a symbolic tribute to the man believed to be the last surviving wartime aircrew member of the dambusters squadron. you're live with bbc news. buckingham palace says — it will cooperate with an independent study — into the links between the british monarchy and the slave trade in the 17th and 18th centuries. the research is being carried out by the university of manchester with historic royal palaces. the palace said king charles takes the issues "profoundly seriously" and the royal household will grant access to its archives, with the study due to be completed in 2026. arley gill is chairman of grenada's national reparations commission and a former ambassador. he described the study into the monarchy�*s links to slavery as �*momentous' and explained what action he wanted from the palace.
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the king and the prince of wales, speaking of being profoundly sorrowful for the involvement with regards to the slave trade and slavery. we would want and demand that that profound sorrow be converted into an apology for acceptance that what they have done is a crime against humanity and they should make some repair with regards to the harm that was caused by the actions and the involvement in the slave trade and slavery. so we're hoping that this research will trigger the discussion of reparative justice in the castle of the british monarchy and indeed, in the parliament of the british government in the soonest possible time. 0ur royal correspondent sarah campbelljoins me now. he described it as momentous but how
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significant do you think it is? let me cive significant do you think it is? let me give you some details about the project which the palace revealed today, it is partner in a research project, historic royal palaces partnering with the research with the university of manchester, she is exploring among other things the links between the british monarchy and the transatlantic slave trade during the 17th and 18th century and the royal household is supporting research by allowing full access to the royal archives and the royal collection and the project started in october 2022, just after the king acceded to the throne and is set to be completed in september 2026. what be completed in september 2026. what do we know about the historic connections? it do we know about the historic connections?— do we know about the historic connections? it is interesting, buckingham — connections? it is interesting, buckingham palace _ connections? it is interesting, buckingham palace release i connections? it is interesting, l buckingham palace release this information about they were asked about an article in the palace, links between the royalfamily about an article in the palace, links between the royal family and slavery and what they have done is they have broken down links over the
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years going right back to 1564, the paper reports elizabeth the first gave a large royal ship to sirjohn hawkins in exchange for profits and flagged a previously unseen documents, a transfer of 100,000 spurs worth of shares in the royal african company to king william iii african company to king william ii! from edward coulston, a name you remember associated with the slave trade. lots of historical links and this is clearly an issue that the king felt needed to be explored. very interesting when you look at the language the royal family has used over the last 12 months, they have talked repeatedly on several occasions about regret, about sorrow but have been pushed and still no explicit apology?— but have been pushed and still no explicit apology? absolutely and you heard there that _ explicit apology? absolutely and you heard there that is _ explicit apology? absolutely and you heard there that is what _ explicit apology? absolutely and you heard there that is what is _ explicit apology? absolutely and you heard there that is what is wanted i heard there that is what is wanted but we have heard as you say profound sorrow, king charles when he was prince charles spoke in
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barbados when the country became a republic, he referenced slavery and said it was apparent and should never have happened, prince william used the phrase of profound regret and talked about the appalling atrocities of slavery when he was on atrocities of slavery when he was on a tour of the caribbean but what many people want is an actual apology. many people want is an actual a luolo . , , apology. very interesting developments _ apology. very interesting developments around i apology. very interesting| developments around the apology. very interesting i developments around the royal apology. very interesting _ developments around the royal family and the royal household because questions have been asked a political parties here in the uk. thank you for taking us through all of that. london's metropolitan police says it has moved officers from tackling serious crime and terrorism — to boost efforts to clean up its own workforce. last month, a major review branded the force institutionally sexist, racist and homophobic. speaking to bbc radio 4 this morning, the head of the met says hundreds of officers and civilian
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staff will be removed over the next few years. isaid i said when i started policing six months ago that we were going to have to do a doubling down on policing and this is part of that. the progress we are making, we are close to doubling, we have more cases in the pipeline. this is all part of that mission to clear out those who are leading us down, the hundreds who are letting us down and the tens of thousands of good officers are supportive and determined to help us. you have discovered _ determined to help us. you have discovered so _ determined to help us. you have discovered so far _ determined to help us. you have discovered so far you _ determined to help us. you have discovered so far you have i determined to help us. you have discovered so far you have 161 i discovered so far you have 161 officers with criminal convictions, are you prepared to have anyone in the ranks who has a criminal conviction? i the ranks who has a criminal conviction?— the ranks who has a criminal conviction? ., , ., ., conviction? i had you debating that earlier. i think— conviction? i had you debating that earlier. i think the _ conviction? i had you debating that earlier. i think the current - conviction? i had you debating that earlier. i think the current policy i earlier. i think the current policy is much too permissive and leaves grounds for interpretation and when i looked at the last i thought there were some people, crikey, that is not right. just explain that. sex offence cases, serious violence
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cases... dishonesty? exactly. if someone at the age of 1518 got a caution for possessing cannabis and a 28 has a good employment record and there are no other convictions... it and there are no other convictions. . .- and there are no other convictions... it is all about convictions. _ convictions... it is all about convictions. numbers i convictions... it is all about convictions. numbers in i convictions... it is all about i convictions. numbers in those convictions... it is all about - convictions. numbers in those cases as well. live now to shabnam chaudhri, a former detective superintendent in the metropolitan police. thank you forjoining us. i suppose it tells us the death of this crisis that the met is dragging people away from serious crime and terrorist cases to look at their own workforce. cases to look at their own workforce-— workforce. yes, it's very interesting. _ workforce. yes, it's very interesting. i— workforce. yes, it's very interesting. i think i workforce. yes, it's very interesting. i think what | workforce. yes, it's very l interesting. i think what is important from my perspective as an experienced former detective is that he is bringing in people who are skilled officers and have got the investigative ability to hit the ground running and understand surveillance, covert work and all
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that sort of stuff but this will not help public confidence because the public will say the police are policing the police, who is policing the public? they are moving resources away to investigate corrupt officers within the metropolitan police which obviously has a detrimental impact on public and the crimes that they want investigated so it's got to be a balance. i investigated so it's got to be a balance. . ., investigated so it's got to be a balance. _, . ,, ., ., balance. i will come back to that loint but balance. i will come back to that point but he _ balance. i will come back to that point but he was _ balance. i will come back to that point but he was also _ balance. i will come back to that point but he was also saying i balance. i will come back to that point but he was also saying in l balance. i will come back to that point but he was also saying in a series of interviews today that he did not have the final say when it came to sacking officers, when people hear that, they will find it incredible as he himself does? this has been within _ incredible as he himself does? in 3 has been within my entire service, they do not have the power to sack anybody so that makes it really difficult. the legislation and this is part of the reform and policing must change in order to allow senior leaders within notjust this organisation but across the uk to be
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allowed to sack officers that are corrupt, that corrupt the integrity of the service and those who have criminal convictions or for example those who are being vetted, they should have an automatic policy in place that allows them to get them sacked and out of the service. briefly picking up on your first point, can you restore trust when it has been breached so seriously? you are talkin: has been breached so seriously? m. are talking about trust amongst women, amongst the black community, amongst the entire public, it is going to be really difficult. i have said this before and i will say it again, he missed his watershed moment when he had the opportunity to admit the institutional racism, misogyny and homophobic label but he chose not to. he started to argue and dither about it but the fact is, in any organisation that would have drawn a line under public trust and it would not have restored it
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immediately but people will breathe a sigh of relief that finally they had a commissioner that admitted to this and we can start knitting together with him and with the force and start moving forward. i gilli; and start moving forward. i only have 30 seconds _ and start moving forward. i only have 30 seconds left, _ and start moving forward. i only have 30 seconds left, how i and start moving forward. i only have 30 seconds left, how long| and start moving forward. i only have 30 seconds left, how long would someone like you who was in the met give the commissioner in terms of some of the fundamental policies, writing out officers that he says he wants to? he writing out officers that he says he wants to? ., , ., writing out officers that he says he wants to? . , ., ., ., ., , wants to? he has a mountain as high as everest decline _ wants to? he has a mountain as high as everest decline and _ wants to? he has a mountain as high as everest decline and this _ wants to? he has a mountain as high as everest decline and this will i as everest decline and this will take a very long time. probably after his tenure is finished. he has after his tenure is finished. he has a long way to go. after his tenure is finished. he has a long way to go-— after his tenure is finished. he has a long way to go. thank you so much for our a long way to go. thank you so much foryourtime- _ a long way to go. thank you so much for your time. before _ a long way to go. thank you so much for your time. before we _ a long way to go. thank you so much for your time. before we pose, i a long way to go. thank you so much for your time. before we pose, let'sl for your time. before we pose, let's return to the streets of paris and show you the pictures there. so much of the capital, in fact, so many different cities across france, this is the scene. large protests and a large security presence. more demonstrations are organised to protest against the change of the
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pension age from 60 to —— 62 to 64. we will be back with more in a moment. do not go away. it may be hard to believe that there will be a first across many parts of the country overnight. it follows the cloud and rain we have had over the past couple of days. the ring from yesterday just clearing from past couple of days. the ring from yesterdayjust clearing from the east of england, followed by showers but this ridge of high pressure builds killing the showers and giving us clearer skies and dropping temperatures. these are the temperatures. these are the temperatures as we head towards the early part of the evening, nothing to write home about, shower surround especially in the east of the uk and a lot of those will fade but we will keep some cloud pushing down some of the eastern coasts into east anglia. keeping the temperature is higher but elsewhere, clear skies and light
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win so further west especially in northern ireland we will have a slight frost, temperature is —2 or perhaps —3. a chilly store to good friday, starting sunny and most places but lightly as the temperatures rise it will generate some cloud especially across eastern parts of england with cloud coming from the north sea. 0ne parts of england with cloud coming from the north sea. one or two spots of rain in the far north—east of england and temperatures typically around 11—13 , near normalfor england and temperatures typically around 11—13 , near normal for the time of year. into the weekend, the high keeping these weather fronts at bay for the time being, the second post will be more significant as we head towards easter monday before saturday, i think we start chilly, there will be some sunshine, probably more club developing through the day. and probably more of a southerly breeze especially in the west of the uk. the temperatures are not changing a great deal, could make 14 in glasgow and a top of 15
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in london. easter sunday we start dry with a good deal of sunshine, again we see some cloud developing through the day and may be some rain coming towards northern ireland by the end of the afternoon. it could be easter sunday is the warmest of the next few days with temperatures around 15—70 . easter monday, the rain we have been northern ireland pushes eastwards, it may hang on across east anglia and the south—east of england for a time but otherwise, it's followed by sunshine but also some showers, a breezy day and temperatures likely to be a little bit lower.
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live from london, this is bbc news. big protests on the streets again in france — over the change to the pension age. this is the scene live in paris as disruption continues to rock the capital. an inquiry fails to determine whether or not a british mp told a minister that her muslim faith was a factor in her sacking, but finds mark spencer did not break ministerial rules. almost a week since a prominent afghan girls' education activist was arrested by the taliban, i talk to his brother.
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