Thousands of dock workers poured into a public square in the French port city of Le Havre, setting off smoke bombs as part of escalating nationwide protests against a labour bill that undermines worker protection.

The death toll in a powerful killer storm with hurricane-force winds in northern France tonight has risen to four tonight.

A powerful storm packing hurricane-force winds lashed northern France today, killing two people and forcing officials to close down the Eiffel Tower and the famed Paris parks.