France braces for day of strikes and protests over budget cuts and living costs
Unions, students and rights groups protest over budget cuts, schools and policing
Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators are expected to take part in protests across France on Thursday, as trade unions call for a nationwide strike over rising living costs, while the four main rail unions say the government's proposed budget cuts would worsen poverty; strike action is expected to extend to hospital workers, air traffic control, the post office, teachers and rail staff.