Briefly

FRANCE

Transport chaos on strike's second day

France endured a second day of travel chaos, shuttered schools and understaffed hospitals on Friday as unions said there would be no letup in a strike against Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms until the president backed down. Much of France grounded to a halt on Thursday as transport workers went on strike－joined by teachers, doctors, police, firefighters and civil servants－while smoke and tear gas swirled through the streets of Paris as some protests turned violent, leading to dozens of arrests. Yves Veyrier, head of the hardline FO union, warned the strike could last at least until Monday if the government did not take the right action.

UNITED STATES

Thousands of Uber assault cases revealed

Nearly 6,000 sexual assaults, including more than 450 cases of rape, were reported to Uber in the country in 2017 and 2018, the ride-sharing company said on Thursday. The disclosure came as the company faces increasing pressure over its response to abuse complaints. The safety report, which details claims of attacks on both passengers and drivers, marks the first time Uber has publicly disclosed the figures. It also revealed 19 fatal assaults related to the company over the two-year period.

IRAN

Gas pipe explosion kills 11 at wedding

An explosion of a heating gas pipe killed at least 11 people and injured 42 others during a wedding ceremony in western Iran, state TV reported on Friday. The report said five children and five women were among those killed in the blast, which took place late on Thursday night in Saqqez, about 450 kilometers west of Teheran. Three of the injured were reported to be in a serious condition. The TV report said the incident happened following a leak from the pipe feeding the heater inside the wedding hall.