The satellite service was still operating at a cap of 161km/hr, crippling key air defences
I’m going to track away from the French protests just slightly – although one of the demands of Parisian high schoolers is for air-conditioning and other basics in their classrooms – and highlight some shocking new numbers on just how many people died from the extreme heatwaves across Europe this summer.
Researchers from Imperial and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine say the heat killed a record 50,000 people.
There are already overnight curfews in place in Paris and many other cities.
In Marseille and Lyon, the second and third-largest cities, all demonstrations have been banned for the weekend.
The Marseille city government also initially said it would stop public transport running on Saturday; they’ve hastily reversed that severely unpopular decision this morning.
In Paris, protesters have been told they can only march a designated route between the Bastille and Nation squares.
Le Monde has this handy map on their site with all the curbs and restrictions and local curfew times
Many shops and businesses, tourist sites and events are boarding up and closing for the weekend. Marseille’s business council advised shops to do so.
In Paris, the Louvre Museum will be shut while the Art Basel Paris art fair is also finishing up early.
On top of the protest bans and restrictions in place, the government says they’ll deploy 20% more police onto the streets this weekend
Macron held a Security Council meeting on Thursday with senior ministers; he’s chairing a Defence Council meeting this morning discussing other measures with law enforcement
This afternoon the French president is also due to host student protest leaders for the first time for negotiations at the Elysee.
