>> welcome to lula -- to "live in paris." these are the headlines. france brought to a standstill by the biggest strike against patient -- pension reform. raising the retirement age from 60 to 264 brought 3 million on the streets to protest. all the public sector including schools. as a call for another mass demonstration on saturday. ukrainian soldier shot dead on camera, the uss russia should be ashamed.

the don basket fighting intensifies in bakhmut. president zelenskyy vows more troops as casualties mount. there is a claim that the september sabotage of the pipeline was carried out by a pro-ukraine group, standing by in washington for more on this. the uk's as the plan to deport asylum-seekers who land illegally in england's speeches is within international law. the measures outlined by the interior minister this tuesday have been condemned by the united nations as an asylum ban. this is "live from paris." ♪ mark: thank you for being with us. france has faced widespread

protests in the latest day of action over retirement reform. the union says there was some 3 million demonstrators on the streets across france, the largest protest has always been in the capital. the french government wants to raise the retirement age from 60 to 264=== -- to 64. the rail network was impacted. french ports including the channel varies, there was a blockade, triggering panic among those. there is a call from the unions for another mass demonstration on saturday. reporter: for the sixth time this year, tens of thousands march in paris. unions say more than 300 demonstrations are being held across france to say no to the

government's plan to raise the retirement age. >> i can say that today's mobilization is a historic one, in the past 40 to 50 years in terms of turnout. >> there are strikes and mobilizations in all sectors, responded well to our call to bring france to a standstill. reporter: in parallel to street protests, large chunks of france's workforce have stopped working. with some unions calling for open ended strikes in a strategic sectors. many schools are shut as teachers walked out. all shipments of oil in the country have been halted amid strikes at refineries. drivers have blocked or slow down traffic on major roads. most long-distance trains and many flights have been canceled. protesters blame the government for the disruptions, accusing them of ignoring the voices of the public. >> the government is blocking the country.

the people want to do everything they can to unblock the country, by having that reform plan withdrawn. >> currently, the senate is debating the reform bill, which will go back to the lower house of parliament. we think the pressure of the street can make a change. >> we will keep going until the end, until the government accepts the decision of the street. reporter: public opinion remains largely in favor of the strikes. the government insists the reform is necessary to prevent the pension system from going bankrupt. mark: the sixth day of action against the plan to raise the retirement age from 60 to to 64. more protests called for this coming saturday. we are watching all the develop and spear the latest on ukraine/ukrainian shoulder -- a ukrainian show -- soldier shot dead. the fighting is still intense, battled in the east of ukraine. volodymyr zelenskyy was called for forces to be found, to halt

this, after military leaders that they want to stop russians from taking bakhmut. the battle has been in a destructive steelman since july with loss of life on the russian side. nurseries are running out of prisoner recruits. they have been killed as cannon fodder in face-to-face attacks on positions held by ukraine troops. observers say the front line in the south is as dangerous as that in the east. shelling by russian forces on the city of hair psalm is -- over 350 shells landed on ukrainian held part of the city. >> these images released by ukraine state border service depict the game of cat and mouse that has gripped bakhmut. they reportedly showcase troops firing missiles at mercenaries, a force fighting along the russian army. days before ukrainian forces looked likely to withdraw from the city, following claims from

fighters that bakhmut was completely surrounded. soldiers refused to back down. >> russia tried to blurt -- to blow two bridges but really -- but we received everything we needed. the city stands because bakhmut was, is, and will be ukraine. reporter: kyiv looks on boosting its position with volodymyr zelenskyy vowing to send reinforcements into bakhmut. the army suffering heavy losses. it is a similartory on the russian side. on tuesday, the ukrainian military set a record 1600 russian soldiers were killed over the previous 24 hours. that figure remains unconfirmed. to krugman's defense minister -- the kremlin's defense minister is determined to seize the city. >> the deliberation of bakhmut continues. the city is an important defense hub for ukraine. taking control will allow for their offensive actions to be carried out into the ukrainian

arms forces defenses. reporter: as the fighting intensifies, residents continue to pour out of the city. some living in the heart -- been the hottest spots in the war refused to leave, despite having no access to electricity or water. >> we sat in the basement all day yesterday. reporter: before russia's invasion, 70,000 people lived in bakhmut. only around 5000 are left. mark: the situation on the ground in ukraine. . we are watching for developments. it has been another issue regarding ukraine, new intelligence reviewed by the u.s. indicates a pro-ukrainian group sabotaged the nord stream pipelines that carried natural gas from russia into europe. there was no evidence, apparently, at the kyiv government being involved in the september 2022 attack. moscow is calling for its questions to be answered by the west. let's bring in our correspondent in washington for more. what more are we learng from this report? >> this is an exclusive report

by the new york times, citing several u.s. officials who reviewed that intelligence. according to that intelligence, the use are pro-ukrainian group, probably ukrainian nationals or russian nationals, or a combination of the two that are opposed to the russian president, the vladimir putin. these officials cited in their report said that there were no firm conclusions. but their belief, they are reviewing that intelligence, is that this is mos likely the case. these ukrainians and russians banding together to sabotage that pipeline. there is no indication that president zelenskyy himself, or any member of his gernment, s involved in that attack. there islso no rea indication

that there was really a state, a government behind that attack. though there are -- there is no information on who directed or paid for this attack. still a lot of things that we don't know. those officials acknowledging the facts, saying that there were still quite a few pieces of the puzzle that they did not know. they didn't know -- they didn't share at least how the intelligence was obtained. they didn't share the nature of the intelligence, oeven the confidence level in that intelligence, which could determine quite a bit as to how much they take stock of what is in that intelligence. we don't even know what type of intelligence it is and where it comes from. that is why they are being extremely careful about this. but john kirby from the national security council, as well as the

press secretary, where both asked by reporters about these reports. neither one confirming or denying these reports. they are pointing to the investigations that are being done now by three countries, germany,weden, and denrk, saying they would refer us to those governments who are currently handling the investigations. john kirby saying until these investigations are done, t u.s.s not gointo go ahea and speculate on these. and he said only then, when those investigations are done and theris a conclusion, should we be looking at what follow-on actions might be appropriate or not be appropriate. you are seeing the u.s. ing extremely careful as to how they handle that intelligence. because of course, there could be a big implication with the involvement of ukrainians, whether directly or indirectly linked to the ukrainian

government when it comes to the support for the uainians, in suort of e alliance. but also popular support for helping ukraine in those -- and those countries directly and placated in this attack on the nord stream pipeline. and that could be tricky for the u.s. and for the alliance if it turns out that this intelligence is true. and that they are going further and finding out what exact links there are to the ukrainian government, or to ukrainian nationals. mark: terry dev -- very delicate situation. kethevane gorjestani, our correspondent in washington, thank you. the united nations is condemning the u.k.'s new laws on asylum as basically an asylum band. the interior minister unveiled measures that take away the right to claim asylum on landing in the u.k., a series of steps taken to stop people trafficking across the english channel from beaches in northern france and deporting asylum-seekers to

third-party countries. there was a phone call last night between london and the u.k. prime minister, consulting with rwanda's president. in spite of outrage among humanitarians, the u.k. government says it is confident its new plans are within international law. >> week after week, dozens of people put their lives at risk, crossing the channel in makeshift boats to reach the u.k. but their treatment once they get there is on the verge of changing. rishi sunak's government has unveiled a new law that would remove migrants that -- that have reached britain illegally and capture the number of refugees entering the country. >> they will not stop coming here until the world knows that if you enter britain illegally, you will be detained and swiftly removed. removed, back to your country, if it is safe, or to a safe country, a safe third country, like rwanda. reporter: the controversial

rwanda deal involved paying the rwandan government to receive asylum-seekers from the u.k. but the deal was never implemented due to legal challenges. 2022 saw a record 45,000 people arriving in the u.k. by boat. and 31 dying in the attempt. the government says the new bill would stop the business of people smugglers, but activists argue the plan is unethical, and it will not deter people from crossing the channel. >> u.k. could easily take in more refees. there is no question about that. you ok a countes around the world where they are dealing with millions of refugees every year. the u.k. had 40,000 peop crossing last year in small boats. that is a small number of people. and the government could find ways to welcome them and to allow them to make the u.k. their home, having fled persecution and -- in their home country. reporter: britain receives fewer asylum-seekers than other european nations like italy, germany, or france.

as part of its party's brexit plan to take back control of britain's borders, rishi sunak has made curbing small boat crossings a top priority. the issue is likely to be on the agenda when he meets with his french counterpart, emmanuel macron, at a summit in paris on friday. mark: two of four americans killed when they drove into mexico have been found dead. the two strivers have returned to the u.s., this coming from local officials. the kidnappings have put a spotlight on u.s. concerns over gang violence in mexico. . republicans are pushing for the u.s. government to take a tougher line on mexican organized crime, and rising drug-related deaths. tourists in nepal donned themselves with colors, while widows are restricted from those, broke away from tradition for a holiday. our correspondent has this.

reporter: pink, purple, red, the streets are brimming with revelers doused in hues to celebrate a festival of colors. tourists have gathered in the square, smearing each other with paint and dancing in the streets to mark the return of spring with pen ash. >> i'm feeling absolutely blessed to be here. it is just wonderful. the children, the people, everything. reporter: meanwhile in some parts of india, flowers have replaced the powders in a special celebration. according to ancient indian traditions, widows are pert -- are forbidden from participating as their presence is considered bad luck. however in this city, some widows have abandoned tradition and joined in on the celebrations. covering each other in petals, they danced and sang with tourists. >> i feel great today. there are no powders here this year but we are celebrating with

flower petals. . this place is packed and everyone has come here to experience happiness. reporter: if all of us both young and old are celebrating it here, why not the widows? we should not treat them any differently. they have the right to celebrate. reporter: it heralds the beginning of spring in india and nepal, and celebrates the triumph of good over evil. it is the most awaited festival amongst hindus around the world, especially among the youth, and allows people of all ages to forget their differences. mark: lovely colors. we welcome kate to the studio. great to see you. workers across france are on strike, there are worries it could lead to nationwide shortages. kate: unions say every single refinery across the country has been affected by those walkouts this tuesday. that means little to no fuel is being delivered to petrol stations. if workers continue those strikes on a rolling basis,

pumps could run dry. motorists are queuing up to try and stock up. last year, there were weeks of fuel shortages as refinery work went on strike -- refinery workers went on strike. . it is the government's pension reform that sparked anger. our correspondent has more. reporter: france's oil refineries brought to a near standstill, amid rising anger about the french government's plans to reform the retirement system. unions at this refinery agreed to stop shipping and receiving oil products until friday. >> the real fight starts now. we have shown them our discontent with massive strikes across the country. we were not heard or listened to. so we are using the only means we have left, hard strike. this is the first day, we are going to continue. we are not going to relinquish anything. people are extremely determined right now. they are to have to take this into consideration. reporter: there were similar scenes across the country, including in normandy, which is

home to france's largest oil refinery. the strikes have sparked this -- sparked fears about motor shortages. >> i'm planning ahead, even though i will be cycling anyway. i've got a family member who is sick and lives far away. i need to be ready for anything. >> yes, it is a nuisance. i'm a craftsman. if they really strike as long as they say they will, i will not be getting delivers of raw materials. reporter: according to trade unions, production has taken a hit. but french oil and gas company tou thao has set reserves are high and there is no lack of fuel at gas stations. it said 64% of operators added sites were on strike on tuesday morning. kate: electricity shortages in south africa are weighing on economic activity more than forecast. new figures show the economy contracted 1.3% in the last three months of 2022. that is a period which sought

power outages nearly every day. the downward trend is largely expected to continue in the first quarter of this year. that would mean south africa's economy is officially in recession. the president has declared a national state of disaster, and on monday, he appointed a minister of electricity to deal with the crisis. industry groups have warned giving the government officials more power may lead to what they described as turf wars without helping households and businesses who are left repeatedly in the dark. let's check in on the day's trading accident -- action. mayor indices close lower. a bit less in london. the pound sterling down 1.4% against the u.s. dollar. a selloff on wall street gained steam, losses of over one percentage point across the board. . the dow jones losing over 550 points by the closing bell. that is on the first of two days of capitol hill testimony by u.s. federal chief jerome powell.

he warned despite the pace of inflation moderating slightly, u.s. central bank would likely have to keep interest rates higher for longer than previously expected. >> as i mentioned, the latest economic data have come in stronger-than-expected, which suggests the alternate level of interest rates is likely to be higher than previously anticipated. if the totality of the data were to indicate faster tightening is warranted, we would be prepared to increase the pace of rate hikes. kate: the united nations has drastically increased its estimate for the damage caused by last month's devastating earthquake in syria and turkiye. u.n. development program says the damage in turkiye alone will exceed $100 billion. that is about three times the recent estimate by the world bank. a provisional figure will be used as the basis for a donors conference due to be held in brussels next week. >>hile we are anticipating an

enthusiastic response from t donors, at the stoner conference in the middle of march, undp is concerned with getting started at the early recovery efforts. . this needs to come from day one, in order to put back together the basic elements of a noal life in every community. it is very difficult to image that now i some of the communities where every single building will need to be demolished if it has not collapsed already. kate: the human toll of those disasters, really incalculable. these kind of figures to underscore how much money is going to be needed to help the survivors. mark: thank you very much. we will continue our coverage of what is happening in turkey and northern syria in our news bulletins. thank you has ever very much indeed. let's turn to true or fake. good evening. we are looking at videos circulating online, purporting to show ukrainian troops using

chemical weapons, but what do they really show? >> claims from russians that ukrainians are using chemical weapons have come up again and again. we are going to look at the suppose it proof that they offer. france 24's observers have identified and debunked five videos which were shared by pro-russian accounts in english which seem to show ukrainian soldiers making or using chemical weapons. let's look at a couple of them now. this one was shared on twitter and viewed more than 150,000 times. with the caption "ukrainians are so proud of their chemical weapons or anyone from nato saying no to them." we see red and black canisters on the table, we see some grounds, and we see, if we scroll forward, we see more canisters being kept in a fridge with plastic bottles that seem to contain colored objects. you hear a man's voice commenting on the scene. the second video shared by an english-language account --

sorry, twitter account, this has been shared a video which has been viewed more than 400,000 times. in it, we see this assembly workshop with the caption claims that they are making chemical weapons. we see the soldiers faces, including this man whose voice is recognizable from the first video. he seems to be the person in charge of the workshop. mark: how can we know what this actually is? that is question. emerald: as proof, to get i just showed you, has proof that they say, they point to the fact that some of the weapons are being kept in the fridge and a homemade looking container, canisters, or plastic bottles. also points to the writing on the ammunition where we see acronyms next to a weight in grams. evidence that says that these contain chemicals. we decided to track down the soldiers speaking in the video. we found reference to him as

robert on versions of these videos shared on telegram. we also see as him referring to himself as that. we found his facebook account, contacted him, and he agreed to answer us in a public video on his telegram channel, which is subtitled in english. in the video, he attempts to clarify what these weapons actually are. he says the accurate acronyms on the ammunition are markers for different types of conventional weapons. which we have here. this acronym here, for instance, he says it means high explosive fragmentation. it does hold up. he also says the fridge is broken, and they are only using it for storage, as they don't have a lot of storage space. he says plastic bottles in the fridge are used as protective packaging for the ammunitions ready to be dropped by drone. we spoke to independent experts and they deemed the soldiers

explanations credible. they said these chemical weapons don't need to be kept in a fridge. they also said the weights written on the packaging is normal because the weapons are an dropped by a drone which requires precise knowledge of their weight. the national research council of italy also told us how unlikely it was that if they contain dangerous chemicals, because we can see the soldiers handling them without protective equipment, such as gloves or masks. in conclusion, there is no evidence these videos show chemical weapons. that does not mean you can't rule out that the ukrainian troops are not using them. the russians claims on february 6 that they had verified the use by ukrainians in bakhmut, without any evidence to back up its claim. and the only way to definitively prove that would be to collect samples from the ground.

. the international body in charge in carrying out that investigation, the opcw, says it has not been called upon to do so. mark: thank you very much. wondering how many of those views actually come from people or so-called bots. so many questions, but some answers there thank you very much. truth or fake, you decide. thanks to emerald and kate for the business. thank you for watching. stay with us. more to come, lula -- more to come, "live from paris." ♪ >> welcome to leon, located in east central france. leon is a thriving metropolis with a rich historical and cultural history. >> forests have a lot to see but also to taste, as they are as famous for its food. >> has the reputation of being

the capital of gastronomy, which means the capital ogastronomy in the world. >> join us for this french connection where we take a bite out of the culture to unlock the secrets of the city. ♪ >> french connections plus, presented by jeannie gardella on france 24 and france24.com. ♪ >> want to know? nd out here. >> with france 24 here to tell what is true from what is fake. >> identify the false streamers in european news stories. >> get reliable information about migration. >> truth or fake. we bring you information that is verified and put into context. >> france 24 is news you can rely on, every day across all platforms. ♪

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03/07/23 03/07/23 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] amy: from new york, this is democracy now! >> it seems the cost crisis grows most difficult by the day with the war in ukraine accelerating the prices of energy and food. the impact of conflict, hunger and extreme poverty, as result is a perfect storm for perpetuating poverty and injustice. amy: as the u.n. secretary