Road block burns in French pension protests

STORY: French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday (March 22) said the legislation - which his government pushed through parliament without a vote last week - would come into force by year-end despite escalating anger across the country.

Protests against the policy changes, which lift the retirement age by two years to 64 and accelerate an increase in the number of years one must work to draw a full pension, have drawn huge crowds in rallies organized by unions since January.