Report: King Charles Visit to France Envisaged for September

Britain's King Charles III salutes people as he exits the fortified evangelical church in in the village of Viscri, central Transylvania, Romania on June 6, 2023. (AFP)
Britain's King Charles III salutes people as he exits the fortified evangelical church in in the village of Viscri, central Transylvania, Romania on June 6, 2023. (AFP)
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Report: King Charles Visit to France Envisaged for September

Britain's King Charles III salutes people as he exits the fortified evangelical church in in the village of Viscri, central Transylvania, Romania on June 6, 2023. (AFP)
Britain's King Charles III salutes people as he exits the fortified evangelical church in in the village of Viscri, central Transylvania, Romania on June 6, 2023. (AFP)

Britain's King Charles may travel to France in September after a planned state visit in March was cancelled because of sometimes-violent protests over reforms to the French pension system, BFM TV reported.

Charles had planned a three-day visit to France in late March in what would have been his first state visit since succeeding his mother Queen Elizabeth as British monarch in September.

But the visit was cancelled after social unrest over President Emmanuel Macron's new pension law erupted into some of the worst street violence seen in years across the country.

Instead, he visited Germany on his first overseas trip as monarch.

Reuters could not immediately confirm BFM's report.



Sydney New Year's Fireworks Threatened with Cancellation

Fireworks light up the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during new year celebrations on Sydney Harbour, Australia, January 1, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo
Fireworks light up the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during new year celebrations on Sydney Harbour, Australia, January 1, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo
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Sydney New Year's Fireworks Threatened with Cancellation

Fireworks light up the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during new year celebrations on Sydney Harbour, Australia, January 1, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo
Fireworks light up the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during new year celebrations on Sydney Harbour, Australia, January 1, 2018. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo

Sydney New Year's fireworks, one of the world's most spectacular celebrations of the calendar change, face being scrapped because of industrial action by train workers, police said Friday.

Up to 250,000 people are expected to come into Sydney to see the show, and they need to return home afterwards, said New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb.

"If trains are not available and people cannot leave the city, I have very large concerns of the risk that will create to the public," she told reporters.

"So I have not ruled out that we will recommend to the government that we cancel the fireworks."

The state's premier, Chris Minns, has rejected unions' "exorbitant" pay rise demands, with a hearing scheduled next week in the country's industrial relations tribunal.

According to AFP, the state rail, tram and bus union's secretary, Toby Warnes, said it had no plan to inconvenience people, accusing the state government of "scaring the people of New South Wales because it wants to pursue a particular industrial strategy.”