Page 10 - ARUBS TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 11 OctOber 2017
French public strike disrupt schools, hospitals EU’s Tusk sees

said about 25 percent of next Brexit step
domestic flights were can- for December,
celled due to a walkout by not this month
some traffic controllers. The
airline maintained long-
haul flights to and from By RAF CASERT
Paris airports. JILL LAWLESS
The education ministry said Associated Press
in a statement about 17 BRUSSELS (AP) — European
percent of teachers across Union Council President
the country were on strike Donald Tusk said Tuesday
Tuesday. Some school that Brexit negotiations will
canteens and nurseries not move to the next stage
were closed, and several focused on trade rela-
high schools in Paris were tions before December at
closed because students the earliest — not later this
were blocking the en- month, as Britain was hop-
trances in solidarity with ing.
the union action. Tusk bemoaned the slow
“They unravel all the social pace of divorce negotia-
protections supposed to tions with London and said
protect the weakest and it was still far too early to
the workers,” said Sandrine move to the next phase of
Amoud, a teacher on strike planning a new trade rela-
A police officer chases a hooded protester, center, during clashes following a protest against in Paris to protest against tionship because the initial
President Emmanuel Macron’s economic policies, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017. A na- Macron’s policies. breakup talks have yet to
tionwide strike by French public sector workers on Tuesday was affecting schools, hospitals and Jean-Claude Mailly, sec- reach “sufficient progress.”
public services and causing disruptions in domestic air traffic. retary general of the FO “We are negotiating in
(AP Photo/Thibault Camus) union, called on Macron good faith, and we still
By PHILIPPE SOTTO capital alone and hun- who works at the Saint- to stop “austerity” policies hope that the so-called
SYLVIE CORBET dreds of thousands across Louis Hospital in Paris, told toward public servants ‘sufficient progress’ will be
Associated Press the country. The Interior The Associated Press she during a protest in the city possible by December,”
PARIS (AP) — A nationwide ministry said 209,000 took already feels squeezed of Lyon.While demonstra- Tusk said.
strike Tuesday disrupted part in protests nationwide. by increasing cutbacks — tions were largely peace- He added that “if it turns
schools, hospitals and air It was the first time in ten “wages are frozen, hospi- ful across the country, a out that the talks continue
traffic across France, and years that all public service tal conditions are deterio- small group of protesters at a slow pace, then to-
nearly a quarter million civil unions had called for strike rated, staff is depleted by skirmished with police at gether with our U.K. friends
servants took to the streets action. Philippe Martinez, reorganizing services.” the end of a march to the we will have to think about
around the country to pro- the CGT leader, told report- Amado Lebaube, a Place de la Nation in east- where we are heading.”
test President Emmanuel ers in the Paris demonstra- 20-year-old philosophy ern Paris.Tuesday’s industri- He did not elaborate.
Macron’s economic poli- tion that the participation student in the Sorbonne al action comes after sev- Negotiators are holding
cies. in this strike day was “very university, said degraded eral other street protests in a fifth round of talks this
They’re expressing anger significant” and praised working conditions are al- recent weeks against Ma- week on divorce proceed-
at wage freezes, the ax- the union unity.Among ready hurting consumers of cron’s proposed changes ings, centered on the rights
ing of 120,000 jobs in public the protesters marching public services, and could to labor laws, which ap- of citizens in each other’s
services over the next five in Paris, Beatrice Vieval, a threaten his ability to stay ply to employees of the nations once the breakup
years and a succession of 49-year-old nurse, says her in school. He expressed private sector. Unions is complete, the border
spending cuts and labor re- Paris public hospital has thanks for state-paid fear Macron’s economic between Ireland and the
forms that Macron argues seen three recent suicides teachers, student hous- policies would weaken U.K. and the financial com-
will boost the economy. among staff, and she fears ing aid and government France’s hard-won worker mitments Britain will have
In Paris, the police said they that Macron’s plans “will scholarships, adding, “I can protections.The hard-left to pay.
counted 26,000 demon- make the situation worse.” study today because there CGT union called for new As a compromise on those
strators, while the CGT, the Alongside teachers, hospi- are public services in this protests and strikes against issues remains elusive, both
main trade union, counted tal workers made up many country.” Macron’s labor reforms on sides have said the onus is
twice that number in the of the protesters. Vieval, Flagship carrier Air France Oct. 19. q on the other to take the ini-
tiative.
Erdogan holds talks in Serbia, hikes Balkan clout On Monday, British Prime
Minister Theresa May in-
By JOVANA GEC religious links with Turkey links would “solve the prob- year when the Ottoman sisted “the ball is in their
Associated Press from centuries of Ottoman lems in the Balkans.” occupation of Serbia start- court.”
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — rule.Erdogan said that the Relations between Serbia ed. “Today, Serbia consid- When asked about it fol-
Turkish President Recep current trade exchange and Turkey have improved ers Turkey as its friend.” lowing his lunch with his
Tayyip Erdogan held talks between the two countries recent years, after de- Serbian and Turkish officials British counterpart David
with Serbia’s president on of $800 million (682 million cades of mistrust between signed several agreements Davis, EU chief negotia-
Tuesday as Ankara stepped euros) “is not enough” and the two nations. Serbia was on Tuesday, including an tor Michel Barnier chided
up efforts to increase its that it should rapidly grow ruled for almost 500 years amended free trade ac- journalists chasing him and
clout in the Balkans. in the near future. by the Ottoman Empire. cord that will open the said: “Brexit is not a game.
Erdogan’s talks with Ser- He promised more Turkish Turkey backed Bosnian Turkish market to several Don’t forget it.”
bian President Aleksandar investments, including into Muslims in the 1990s war Serb products.Erdogan More than a year has
Vucic focused on trade a highway linking the Ser- that pitted them against will travel with Vucic to passed since Britain voted
and investment, but also bian and Bosnian capitals. the Christian Orthodox the predominantly Muslim- to leave the EU, and six
covered political relations Erdogan said at a joint press Serbs and Catholic Croats. populated southern San- months since Britain trig-
in the region, where many conference with Vucic that “This is not 1389, but 2017,” dzak region of Serbia on gered the two-year count-
countries have historic and more investments and road Vucic said, referring to the Wednesday. q down to its EU exit.q