BBC News with Jonathan Izard
The British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced the biggest cuts in British defence spending since the end of the Cold War. He said manpower cuts of 17,000 would be made across the army, navy and air force over the next five years. Mr Cameron said operations in Afghanistan would not be affected. Rob Watson reports.
David Cameron announced the loss of 25,000 civilian jobs at the Ministry of Defence and a 7,000 cut in the size of the British army. He also spelled out substantial cuts in aircraft and ships for the air force and navy. Mr Cameron insisted the changes to Britain's armed forces were being driven by security concerns not cost cutting, but he blamed the previous Labour government for having left such a mess and a defence budget overspent by more than $60 billion.
The opposition Labour Party leader Ed Miliband dismissed the plans as a shambles that would not meet Britain's future defence needs.
The biggest trade union in France has said 3.5 million people have taken part in today's protests against government plans to raise the age of retirement. The government put the figure at just over a million. Many flights have been cancelled, train services disrupted and schools closed. The demonstrations were the latest in a series of mass protests against pension reforms. From Paris, here is Christian Fraser.
Today there were protests in 250 towns and provincial cities around the country, in Paris, in Lyon, Toulouse and in Marseille where the streets are now piled high with rubbish. Throughout the country, there is burning frustration that the government refuses to bend. Nowhere is that determination more evident than outside the oil refineries where the blockades are still in place. There are long queues on petrol forecourts. Demand has increased 50% in recent days, and tonight, 2,500 petrol stations, some 20% of the total, will be running low.