France at a standstill

NATO trash talk continues [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( While world leaders exchange testy words at the NATO summit in London, France is battening down as public sector workers launched a massive strike. China lashes out at the US over a House bill that aims to respond to China’s treatment of Uighurs. And invisible “superbugs” in the Middle East could prove deadlier than bullets. (We’re still beta-testing this newsletter, and we've just updated the design. Let us know your thoughts about this newsletter by replying to this email.) --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today Massive strike threatens to paralyze France [A protester wearing a mask is seen amongst smoke as French Labour unions members demonstrate against French government's pensions reform plans in Marseille as part of a day of national strike and protests in France, December 5, 2019.] Credit: Jean-Paul Pelissier/Reuters Railway workers, teachers and emergency room medics launched one of the [biggest public sector strikes in France for decades]( on Thursday, determined to force French President Emmanuel Macron to abandon plans to overhaul France's generous pension system. Transport networks in Paris and cities across France ground to a near halt as unions dug in for a protest that threatens to paralyze France for days and poses the severest [challenge to Macron's reform agenda]( since "[yellow vest](" protests erupted. Airport workers, truck drivers, teachers, police officers, garbage collectors and others are all expected to join the strike. Macron wants to [simplify France’s pension system](, which some find unwieldy with more than 40 different plans, many with different retirement ages and benefits. Macron says the system is unfair and too costly. Also: [What's at stake in Macron's reform of France's cherished pensions]( --------------------------------------------------------------- NewsMatch Do you value the global journalism you read here every morning? [Make a gift]( to support our work now, and your donation will be matched. [Donate here](. US House vote on Uighur bill draws fierce condemnation from China By a vote of 407 to 1, the US House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a bill that would require the Trump administration to [toughen its response to China's crackdown on Uighur Muslims]( in Xinjiang, a region in China's far west. Beijing wasn’t pleased. Chinese officials [ripped the United States]( and called for harsh reprisals on Thursday. The comments follow warnings from China on Wednesday that the legislation could affect bilateral cooperation, including a near-term deal to end the two countries' trade war. The bill isn’t law yet, of course: It still has to be approved by the Republican-controlled Senate before being sent to Trump to sign into law. The White House has yet to say whether Trump would sign or veto the bill, which contains a provision allowing the president to waive sanctions if he determines that to be in the national interest. Experts and activists say [China has detained one million Uighurs in mass detention camps]( in Xinjiang. China denies any wrongdoing. Also: [H.R.649 — Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019]( And: [House bill gives Uighurs 'at least some hope', Uighur activist says]( Invisible ‘superbug’ could be more deadly than bombs in Middle East war zones [Doctors treat an injured civilian in a field hospital in Damascus, eastern Ghouta, Syria, Nov. 19, 2015.] Credit: Bassam Khabieh/Reuters Over the last eight years, the war in Syria has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. It’s forced more than [13 million people]( from their homes and violence into Iraq. In Yemen, war has killed over 100,000. But the deadliest killer might not be guns and bombs. So-called “superbugs” could increase death tolls exponentially. Antibiotic-resistant diseases are an increasing concern. Their prevalence in the Middle East — as well as the prevalence of mangled limbs, gunshot wounds and other war-related wounds where infections can thrive— creates extra challenges for war-weary civilians and overstretched medics. “With antibiotics becoming less effective, [millions of lives are at risk](. The evidence we have suggests that the problem in some war zones is even greater and much more urgent,” Ernestina Reppetto of nonprofit Médecins Sans Frontières said. Why are these superbugs so common in the Middle East? War has wounded millions, and injured people will often take whatever medicine they can get — which is sometimes the wrong type of antibiotic or in the wrong doses. This increases the chance of developing a drug-resistant infection. It’s hard to blame the wounded, though. Anybody would do the same in a war zone, where “[hospitals have been bombed and doctors have been run out of the country](,” said Richard Murphy, an investigator at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. There are solutions — just no easy ones. Also: [Think antibiotic-resistant 'superbugs' are only a distant threat? Think again.]( In Haiti, protests subside, but life is far from normal Anti-government protests in Haiti are waning, with [schools and businesses trying to re-open]( in the face of political gridlock and heightened violence in the Western Hemisphere's poorest country. Demonstrations began in September against President Jovenel Moïse over [allegations of corruption and mismanagement](, paralyzing the Caribbean island nation. Protesters have barricaded roads and the electrical grid has broken down, plunging much of the island into darkness. [Gangs have profited]( from the chaos to expand their territory. Protesters are frustrated with frequent blackouts, while [inflation has surged to around 20%](, leaving foodstuffs and other goods out of reach for many. Haitians have wearied of disruptions, and crowds at recent protests are [down to the hundreds]( from tens of thousands at the height of the crisis. Also: [Haiti protests summon spirit of the Haitian Revolution]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Morning meme Don't click this if you're hungry. Here they're serving up some [delicious-looking Salvadoran chiles rellenos](. The “breaking news” music theme adds to the excitement. Extra: [War and pissoirs: How the urinals of Paris helped beat the Nazis]( Reuters contributed to this newsletter. --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [Alaska Native kids are making their voices heard]( - [Prestigious art prize given to collective of four artists]( - [Citizenship in the Trump era]( - [World leaders seem to mock US President Donald Trump in video]( - [Turkey and the West]( - [Is Dogor a wolf or a dog?]( - [Russia's growing pipelines]( - [Anglophile angst in Germany]( - [A Uighur son's plea for his mother]( - [Impeachment update]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. 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