anger in paris — france's highest legal authority says controversial reforms to the country's pension system can go ahead. protesters have gathered outside the capital's city hall — with police expecting thousands to take to the streets. nurses in england vote to reject the uk government's latest pay offer — another health union accepts the deal. at 21—year—old male appears in court charged with leaking secret documents. and a touching moment, joe biden returns to his family's ancestral home on the last day of

his trip to ireland. welcome to bbc news. our top story. our top story. france's top court has approved plans by the government of president emmanuel macron to raise the legal retirement age from 62 to 64. let's just show you some live pictures. already, the changes have brought hundreds of thousands of demonstrators on to the streets again, in cities across france. president macron says retiring at 62 is not affordable, and has warned that people must be ready to work longer. enter treat, the constitutional court judge enter treat, the constitutional courtjudge that both in its form and its content, the reformist constitutional. the text is therefore at the end of its democratic process. tonight, there is no winner or loser. well, the

winner of the main trade union has expressed her discontent and has expressed her discontent and has expressed a message for the french president. translation:. we have one message for the president. we call emmanuel macron to listen to the people and to not pass this bill into law. you need to draw the lessons of what the council has said and the fact that several amendments were rejected. he: needs to rework his bill and presented to the french assembly so the mps can have their say. we call on everyone together in the streets on everyone together in the streets on the 1st of may and block the streets of france to really show the government are discontent. all the trade unions are clear. if mr krohn passes this bill we will not meet him unless it is to say the bill needs to be withdrawn. we do not want to discuss any of the potential social progress movement. this bill

cannot be passed into law. that was a leader of one of _ cannot be passed into law. that was a leader of one of the _ cannot be passed into law. that was a leader of one of the trade - a leader of one of the trade unions in france. while our correspondent, hugh schofield is at the demonstrations in paris. have a look. the demonstrators here have clearly been hoping that the constitutional council would find in their favour. constitutional council would find in theirfavour. in other constitutional council would find in their favour. in other words, declare the pension reform law null and void, because the constitution determines that was a —— yes, the men and women did despite got some minor parts of the reform of financial bill and they struck them down. the heart of the reform, in other words, this raising the pension age from 62 to 64, they had no problem with that, not states. what it means is that president macron is now free to congregate the law what he says he will do in the next 48 hours. he is calculating that he wants to put this episode

quickly behind him and that once the law is the law, there will be no point in people turning out to protest any more. that is not the view of people around here now. for them, they're going to keep protesting. this reform is far too important for them to give up the fight, and basically, the battle is not over. that was our correspondent hugh we can speak now to fabienne keller, member of european parliament from the renaissance group, emmanuel macron�*s party. ourcarspun it was our car spun it was just saying the

battle was not over. you agree? clearly, in the legal aspect, the highest court, the constitutional court decided today to consider most of the text as legal, but he has also dropped several measures concerning senior workers, because they consider it is not part of the retirement reform on a financial aspect. so, this decision is quite balanced. but clearly, it validates the expert saying the retirement age goes up from 62 to 64 years. fiur goes up from 62 to 64 years. our viewers, images of what is happening on the streets of paris. the rubbish has been piling up. there have been hundreds of thousands of people demonstrating over the last few months. people are angry. is it worth ignoring this anger? i think we cannot say — worth ignoring this anger? i think we cannot say that _ worth ignoring this anger? i think we cannot say that the _ worth ignoring this anger? i think. we cannot say that the government and mr macron are ignoring the demonstrations. the vast majority of the people demonstrating wanted to have another tax adaptation, which was done. a great work was done in

the national parliaments, both in the national parliaments, both in the national parliaments, both in the national assembly. parliament was actually _ the national assembly. parliament was actually bypassed _ the national assembly. parliament was actually bypassed using - the national assembly. parliament| was actually bypassed using article 49. ., .,. , was actually bypassed using article

49. ., ,_ _ 49. not exactly. he assembly nationality but _ 49. not exactly. he assembly nationality but not validate i nationality but not validate this article because there was a blockage strategy from the far left members of the national, but more constructive work was done and the french senate. and it was discussed in both assemblies, were included in the final text. so that four out of ten workers will not wait until 64 to be retired, because they are long carriers, because they have hard worked, they can be considered as losing their body for being too difficult, and notjustifies to have an earlier age of retirement. so, the law has been improved in that process. the law has been improved in that rocess. :, �* , :, :, ., process. that's not enough, though, for these people. we _ process. that's not enough, though, for these people. we just heard - for these people. we just heard the leader of the trade union, who called on president macron to be wise, to listen to the people, and rework this bill. she also said that the mps need to have their say. i must say that the largest unions decided to refuse there's a measure of increasing the age of retirement. it's a difficult measure, but it is a realistic one, because people live longer and the issue is quite technical. it's the balance of the system. and they decided from the beginning to refuse there's measure but the picture, and you know when you look at the breakdown of why this is happening versus the retirement age of other european countries, and the justification for

this, i have read extensively about that. but when you look at these images that's been projected to the world about what is happening on the streets of paris and have continued to happen, and yet there doesn't seem to be any resolution to this, or at least an attempt by the political leaders to sort of trouble in their situation down. i can understand _ in their situation down. i can understand the _ in their situation down. i can understand the shock. - in their situation down. i can understand the shock. it - in their situation down. i can understand the shock. it is l in their situation down. i can understand the shock. it is a shock for a large majority of french people to see this violent demonstration, because as i said the large part of the demonstrators are just willing to show that they do not agree. but the readers a minority that is using this opportunity to break shops, to destroy some public equipments, and thatis destroy some public equipments, and that is not acceptable. in a democratic country like france. i must say that the mps from the far

left have given a very bad example in the national assembly south, using words, screaming, things that were never the case before and what should be more respectful assembly where people of course are of different opinion but here to each other, listen to each other, and respect the process. so the wording was very bad, very violent. and a lot of those people from far right, mps, went on the demonstration, encouraging, sometimes even violence. and this is a problem for us. now you are right to try to calm down and to explain to people that thatis down and to explain to people that that is not the end of the debate, and we still have to work on some aspects of working conditions and retirement schemes in specific situations. retirement schemes in specific situations-_ retirement schemes in specific situations. :, , ., situations. fabienne teller, we have to leave it there. _

situations. fabienne teller, we have to leave it there. thank _ situations. fabienne teller, we have to leave it there. thank you - situations. fabienne teller, we have to leave it there. thank you so - to leave it there. thank you so much. but ijust want to leave it there. thank you so much. but i just want to take to leave it there. thank you so much. but ijust want to take our viewers back to paris and show them those images, because we were seeing hundreds of armed riot police on standby near the heavily guarded building of the constitutional council, as well as across paris right now. trying to manage the situation they are. as night falls in the french capital, hundreds of thousands of people have gathered across the country to protest against the raising of the legal retirement age in france from 62 to 64. another major news story developing — a junior member of the us national guard has appeared in court in boston to face espionage charges over a huge leak of secret government documents. jack texeira, who is 21, has been charged with the unauthorised removal and retention of classified documents. the material revealed sensitive intelligence on topics including the war in ukraine.

he was listed, as a member of the intelligence wing of the massachusetts air national guard. in the document filed by the us government they confirmed he has held top security clearance since 2021. according to his service record, which was obtained by our us partner cbs news, texeira joined the force in 2019. his identity was first revealed on thursday — when the visual investigations team at the new york times tracked him down. let's get some more on this now with samuel oakford, who's video forensics reporter at the washington post. we were just referring there to the new york times but of course your friends have been doing its own work trying to piece all this together. that's right. the chargers today that were filed in court in boston culminated an extraordinary week here during which we were able to speak with one of the members of

this discord server chat platform thatis this discord server chat platform that is very popular with gamers around the world. that member and other sources that we spoke with painted a picture for us of how this material first started to trickle out, and that was posted in images, hundreds of images, and many of which we have reviewed show classified documents. we now know that the person they described, that is 0g, is the suspect, jack took sarah. i is 0g, is the suspect, jack took sarah. :, , :, is 0g, is the suspect, jack took sarah. ., , ., ., is 0g, is the suspect, jack took sarah. :, , :, ., ., . sarah. i was reading that article in the washington _ sarah. i was reading that article in the washington post _ sarah. i was reading that article in the washington post from - sarah. i was reading that article in i the washington post from yesterday. and one of the quote you hard and there was someone describing him as very smart and someone who knows what he is doing.— very smart and someone who knows what he is doing. yeah, many of the --eole we what he is doing. yeah, many of the peeple we spoke _ what he is doing. yeah, many of the people we spoke with, _ what he is doing. yeah, many of the people we spoke with, or— what he is doing. yeah, many of the people we spoke with, or many - what he is doing. yeah, many of the people we spoke with, or many of. what he is doing. yeah, many of the | people we spoke with, or many of the people we spoke with, or many of the people on the server were teenagers. so we want to keep that in mind. he isa so we want to keep that in mind. he is a 21—year—old, the suspect. that may seem young, but in the world of these discord servers that can be old or someone that many of them, at least one of them described as a

father figure. least one of them described as a fatherfigure. but he played least one of them described as a father figure. but he played a least one of them described as a fatherfigure. but he played a role in their lives as someone who gave advice. someone he had tasks that he gave them. often he would provide them information in a way that it was something they should know. and in that context, that's when you started to first enter text that we now believe was from classified documents. and then later, enter the documents. and then later, enter the documents themselves. find documents. and then later, enter the documents themselves.— documents. and then later, enter the documents themselves. and if we take a momentjust — documents themselves. and if we take a moment just to _ documents themselves. and if we take a momentjust to step _ documents themselves. and if we take a momentjust to step back— documents themselves. and if we take a momentjust to step back and - a momentjust to step back and process the fact that this, these highly classified sensitive documents have virtually been dumped on this discord side where you say that teenagers frequent.— that teenagers frequent. that's ri . ht. that teenagers frequent. that's right- there — that teenagers frequent. that's right. there are _ that teenagers frequent. that's right. there are many, - that teenagers frequent. that's right. there are many, many i right. there are many, many discouraged servers. this one had about two dozen active users. for all purposes, it was a random server. so the fact that the documents ended up here was a result of, to share as a parent access to

them. but there was nothing really special about the server. in fact, and had a lot of characteristics that would be abhorrent to a lot of people. a lot of recent memes, a lot of material that would be repulsive, i think. but they also had a community of some sorts are developed over the pandemic. in particular the work power dynamics that existed. in these documents were introduced and that very narrow world where, like it existed on a random server. just world where, like it existed on a random server.— world where, like it existed on a random server. just tell us how you iece it random server. just tell us how you piece it all — random server. just tell us how you piece it all together _ random server. just tell us how you piece it all together so _ random server. just tell us how you piece it all together so that - random server. just tell us how you piece it all together so that you - piece it all together so that you were able to trace back some of the characters that existed and that then were able to give you information about jack teixeira, the fact that he was called 0g, for example. i fact that he was called 0g, for examle. .., �* fact that he was called 0g, for examle. :. �* :, , example. i can't get into everything we have done- _ example. i can't get into everything we have done. others _ example. i can't get into everything we have done. others have - example. i can't get into everything we have done. others have done i example. i can't get into everything i we have done. others have done work on this, including the new york times. but there was a trail of digital breadcrumbs that people were able to follow. this broke into the news, as we know, last week. it's hard to believe it's only been a

week. but a month had passed since it seems that some of this material kind of broke out into the open online. at first it was, it appears it was mostly inside of this server for many months. of course, something viewers will be interested in is whether or not anyone else was taking materialfrom in is whether or not anyone else was taking material from the server at that time, and who they were, and whether possibly they were in foreign countries.— foreign countries. yes, and i suppose _ foreign countries. yes, and i suppose if— foreign countries. yes, and i suppose if materials - foreign countries. yes, and i suppose if materials exist i foreign countries. yes, and i. suppose if materials exist there that they haven't been able to track and trace yet. that they haven't been able to track and trace yet-— and trace yet. that's right. the ost has and trace yet. that's right. the post has reviewed _ and trace yet. that's right. the post has reviewed around i and trace yet. that's right. the post has reviewed around 300| and trace yet. that's right. the - post has reviewed around 300 images showing classified documents. but yes, you are right to ask whether there is more. samuel, thank you so much. we appreciate you joining us here on the programme. the us presidentjoe biden is returning to his family's ancestral home in county mayo on the final day of his visit to ireland.

of course, we have been following his visit very closely here on bbc news. closely here on bbc news. thousands of people are expected to turn out in the town of ballina, where mr biden's relative patrick blewitt was born in the 19th century. the highlight will be a public address at the cathedral there. well, let's get more from our correspondent in ballina, county mayo, chris page. chris there are so much tight around this particular trip and of course this particular trip and of course this particular trip and of course this particular cathedral. yes. this particular cathedral. yes, that's right- — this particular cathedral. yes, that's right. this _ this particular cathedral. yes, that's right. this cathedral- this particular cathedral. yes that's right. this cathedral here in ballin are in county mayo is where thousands of people, 20,000 people have turned out to hear the president speak. his only public address of his tour in the irish republic. this is the final day of that visit. so, various people have been involved. and we are near the stage so presently we are just

hearing from members of the men's and women's gaelic football team, the most popular spot in ireland and county football really being the highest level at which that sport is right on the island. so you hear a champ errorfrom right on the island. so you hear a champ error from these sports people here, extremely well known and this local area. sojust on here, extremely well known and this local area. so just on the other side of the river from local area. so just on the other side of the riverfrom me i can see flags six or seven deep, irish flags, and also american flags, more and more people arriving all the time. the president expected to be on that stage there behind me in about a couple of hours from now. he is visited today a heritage centre, a geology centre and county meadow, this being the time that his great, great,

great grandfather was from. he left here, immigrated to the us in the mid—19th century. and it is thought that the president will be visiting his ancestors house and giving of brick from the fireplace. so it's going to be a very emotional trip for the president. he says he feels hers irish roots very, very keenly, and here spoke a lot about those ancestral ties that he says binds the us and ireland together. he has been highlighting the countries economic cooperation. he has been highlighting the peace procession of northern ireland, which america played such a prominent role in under the presidency of bill clinton. in this marks 25 years since the good friday peace agreement, which largely ended that conflict, the work of the irish border. so this will be a very

special night for everybody who has come here. this is a night that the town of ballin has never seen the likes of before. there is a real sense of build—up, real sense of anticipation, and a real sense that the twill be a truly historic moment. chris, thank you so much for all of that, and for all of your reporting over the last few days. we can speak now to rose conway walsh, member of irish parliament for mayo and sinn fein spokesperson on public expenditure. thank you so much forjoining us here on the programme. this very much has felt like, well certainly this leg of the trip, the very end of president biden strip, and sort of president biden strip, and sort of a personal pilgrimage. it is indeed. and _ of a personal pilgrimage. it is indeed. and we _ of a personal pilgrimage. it is indeed. and we are _ of a personal pilgrimage. it 3 indeed. and we are delighted to have president biden here in mayo today. i think he has had three very successful days indeed. he is coming back, as he said, he is coming home, and he is certainly coming home when he comes home to mayo. and you just heard there he is meeting the local football team, and we are just

hoping he would —— football final four over 70 years. it is a great sense of occasion here and there is a huge warm welcome for president biden here and alan this evening. and indeed in mayo today as he was a knock airport and knock basilica early on, and north mayo heritage centre as well, so we really don't think to be getting back to his route here. but i think also his speeches over the last couple of days have very much been looking forward. and the whole sense of possibility and immigration is so much on our minds because mayo is along the eastern seaboard ours. and we have had decades and probably centuries of immigration as well, so there is lots of thought—provoking stuff here today. there is lots of thought-provoking stuff here today.— stuff here today. indeed, i was auoin to stuff here today. indeed, i was going to ask — stuff here today. indeed, i was going to ask about _ stuff here today. indeed, i was going to ask about the - stuff here today. indeed, i was going to ask about the footballj going to ask about the football team. and you mentioned there they

haven't won the sam maguire cup for at least 70 years. and there is this feeling that perhaps there is a curse. so there you are hoping you are hoping president biden will remove that curse because mac rare remove that curse because mac we don't really remove that curse because mac we don't really believe remove that curse because mac we don't really believe in the course but we are hoping that this will be our lucky year. in the eyes of world on mayo and bella now that is a really good thing. and you talk about the economic opportunities as well, and i think in his speech, like his speech yesterday, it was all about the possibilities and the opportunities. indeed, he is here obviously for the anniversary, the 25th anniversary of the good friday agreement. so all of the opportunities that that has brought with us, he has also promised investment from the us and more trade links and everything else. so i think there is a huge economic benefit from it as well, as well as obviously tourist benefits, tourism as well from it. so, yeah, we are

just very happy that president biden took the time to come here, and that he took the time to spend one whole day and mayo as well. imilli day and mayo as well. will rose conley walsh. _ day and mayo as well. will rose conley walsh, member - day and mayo as well. will rose conley walsh, member of i day and mayo as well. will rose conley walsh, member of the l day and mayo as well. will rose i conley walsh, member of the irish parliament for mayo, thank you so much forjoining us.— parliament for mayo, thank you so much forjoining us. much for “oining us. thank you very much. much forjoining us. thank you very much- now — much forjoining us. thank you very much. now nurses _ much forjoining us. thank you very much. now nurses in _ much forjoining us. thank you very much. now nurses in england i much forjoining us. thank you very much. now nurses in england have| much. now nurses in england have voted to reject _ much. now nurses in england have voted to reject the _ much. now nurses in england have voted to reject the governments i voted to reject the governments latest payoff. and they have announced new strike dates. the royal college of nursing says the offer needs to be increased. a second union representing health workers, unison, has accepted the deal. the government had offered a 5% pay rise from april, as well as a one—off payment of at least £1655 to top up the past years pay award. the rcn have voted to reject that offer. joining me now is ceo of nhs employees, the employer's organisation for the nhs in england. thank you very much, forjoining us. can you just give me your reaction to everything that is

unfolded over the last couple of hours? �* , :, unfolded over the last couple of hours? �*, ., ., , unfolded over the last couple of hours? ., , hours? it's a really complicated situation that _ hours? it's a really complicated situation that we _ hours? it's a really complicated situation that we face _ hours? it's a really complicated situation that we face now. i i hours? it's a really complicated i situation that we face now. i think for two reasons. 0ur situation that we face now. i think for two reasons. our biggest trade union, unison, and 73% of their members have agreed to accept the offer made by the government. and our next biggest trade union, the royal college of nursing, have narrowly decided to reject it. we are also waiting for the results and decisions of half a dozen or more trade unions over the course of the next couple of weeks as well. so we don't know what the final position will be in terms of this payoff. and we will probably be waiting until next month. what we will probably be waiting until next month. wha— we will probably be waiting until next month. what where it is a sort of leave things? _ next month. what where it is a sort of leave things? we _ next month. what where it is a sort of leave things? we first _ next month. what where it is a sort of leave things? we first heard i next month. what where it is a sort of leave things? we first heard that unison, something like 34% of members accepted the pay increase. and then later we heard that rcn had rejected it. so as you say, a complicated situation. but where to next? ~ :, _ complicated situation. but where to next? ~ :, ., ~ next? well, what we say, and i think what we would _ next? well, what we say, and i think what we would urge _ next? well, what we say, and i think what we would urge all— next? well, what we say, and i think what we would urge all parties i next? well, what we say, and i think what we would urge all parties to i what we would urge all parties to do, is to wait for the deliberations

of all the trade unions, and to give the trade unions are a chance to come together as they plan to do with the beginning of may. enter then see what it is they want to do and where all their members stand. i do feel, and i think my members will feel, that the rcn should have a way that the outcome of those conversations with other trade unions before they decided to take forward strike action, and that number of trust, about half of trust where they have a mandate for strike action. : , :, where they have a mandate for strike action. : i. _ where they have a mandate for strike action. : , action. and while you say this particular _ action. and while you say this particular situation _ action. and while you say this particular situation is - action. and while you say this i particular situation is propagated, when you do speak to nhs workers, to nurses, they say the situation, for them personally, is not complicated. i mean, while it is tricky, the fact is that for a long time they have talked about the difficulties that they have continued to face. filth. they have continued to face. oh, clearly there _ they have continued to face. oh, clearly there is _ they have continued to face. oh, clearly there is a _ they have continued to face. oh, clearly there is a real _ they have continued to face. oi clearly there is a real strength of feeling and the nhs workforce about where they find themselves in terms of their paid relative to cost of

living. and there is a real strength of feeling, a real strength of concern in the nhs workforce. the pressure that nhs services are under and the compromises that are having to be made in terms of care that patients receive, not least the weights that your viewers are having for treatment. so yes, weights that your viewers are having fortreatment. so yes, i weights that your viewers are having for treatment. so yes, i am absolutely aware of the strength of that concern. what did happen, though, was that in february, the government did come to the table. they did negotiate with all the nonmedical trade unions. and i think working with the trade unions into a small extent to ourselves, we achieved the best possible deal that was through negotiation. in the government did change his position quite considerably for the nhs and for nhs unions in terms of the payoff limit. at the time the rcn believed, that was the best possible deal they can reach with the government, was also the best possible deal most unions believe they could reach. they have to hope that it they could reach. they have to hope thatitis they could reach. they have to hope that it is accepted as we go forward. ~ :, that it is accepted as we go forward. ~ ., :, .,

forward. will have to leave it there. forward. will have to leave it there- we — forward. will have to leave it there. we are _ forward. will have to leave it there. we are coming - forward. will have to leave it there. we are coming to i forward. will have to leave it there. we are coming to the | forward. will have to leave it i there. we are coming to the end of there. we are coming to the end of the programme. thank you so much for joining us. we will be back in the next few minutes. don't go anywhere. hello there. at long last, the weather will be improving over the next few days. we've ended the week, though, on a cold and wet note. lots of showers in northern ireland, in scotland, and a few thunderstorms in the far north of england. further south across england and wales, this blanket of cloud has depressed the temperatures and brought some rain in places, as well. low pressure responsible for that colder, wetter weather will start to push away into continental europe, dragging away most of the rain, as well. but into the night, we'll keep some wet weather going across eastern parts of england and perhaps southeast scotland. the rain becomes lighter and patchy later on in the night, but that cloud will keep temperatures up. other parts of scotland, wales, western england, and also northern ireland will have clearer skies developing and light winds, so it's going to be cold. temperatures will be

close to freezing and, like last night in northern ireland, we could see lows of —4 celsius. over the weekend, things do calm down a bit — we'll get some sunshine from time to time, and those temperatures will be steadily rising, as well. but we start the weekend with some cloud, but not much rain for eastern areas. the cloud will thin and break, and as we get some sunshine, that could trigger some showers — those could be on the sharp side come the afternoon. further west across the uk, probably going to be dry, a good deal of sunshine around — very pleasant at aintree for the grand national. now temperatures are nothing to shout about, but it's an improvement on the last couple of days, typically 12—14 celsius. it will turn cloudy later in northern ireland and, after dark, a little bit of rain here that'll push its way into western scotland, as well, but that weather front is weakening because high pressure is tending to build in. it won't be as cold to start with on sunday. there's more cloud around. not much rain, though, for western scotland and northern ireland. perhaps the best of the sunshine across some eastern parts of england this time, although there could be some early

mist and fog patches. it's a gentle southerly breeze that's picking up, and those temperatures continuing to rise, perhaps up to 15—16 celsius. and into next week, it's going to be high pressure that's dominant — the centre of the high will be across scandinavia, and that'll be significant because it means that we'll have more of an easterly wind picking up during monday, tuesday and into wednesday. so, it'll always be a little bit cooler around some of those north sea coasts, with the highest temperatures perhaps getting up to 18 celsius in western scotland across those western areas. but next week, things are looking much drier and quieter, with some sunshine.

live from london, this is bbc news. anger in paris as france's highest leual anger in paris as france's highest legal authority — anger in paris as france's highest legal authority says _ anger in paris as france's highest legal authority says controversial| legal authority says controversial reforms to the country cosmic pension system can go ahead. a21—year—old member of the us military appears in court charged with leaking secret government documents. and a large scale swap begins between them and's who the rebels and the saudi backed government. welcome back to the bbc news, i'm

yelled to