The Philippines is protesting a plan by China to establish a nature reserve at one of the most hotly disputed shoals in the South China Sea and demanding that Beijing withdraw it immediately.

A day of anti-government action across France on Wednesday saw streets choked with smoke, barricades in flames and volleys of tear gas as protesters denounced budget cuts and political turmoil. The nationwide “Block Everything” campaign presented a challenge to President Emmanuel Macron and turned Sébastien Lecornu ’s first day as prime minister into a baptism of fire.