France braces for nationwide protests as unions and Yellow Vests plan Saturday rallies

France faces another day of nationwide protests Saturday, with unions and student groups marching while Yellow Vests plan a banned rally in central Paris, prompting a massive security deployment. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 70,000 police and security forces would be deployed, warning rioters and looters they would be met with readiness. The protests follow Thursday's large-scale strike that drew between 575,000 and 1.6 million people, with mostly orderly demonstrations but some clashes in several cities. The unrest began with student protests over school conditions and teacher shortages, expanding into broader discontent over the rising cost of living and struggling public services. Student and teacher unions have also called for a strike Tuesday to press for more education spending.