Rebecca Rossman
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Independent bakeries and florists across France are allowed to open today under a compromise between labor unions and the French government.
May 1st is France's most protected public holiday.
Most employers are barred from making staff work, and those who do work must be paid double.
A broader proposal introduced earlier this year by French President Emmanuel Macron's government would have let more businesses open, but after union pushback, the exception was narrowed to independent bakers and florists only.
and staff must be given the option to opt out.
France's hard-left CGT labor union says it will be watching closely to make sure Labor Day doesn't become a normal work day.
For NPR News, I'm Rebecca Rossman.
French President Emmanuel Macron says France wants to help Lebanon prepare for upcoming negotiations with Israel, set for Thursday in Washington, over the truce tied to fighting with the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Macron's offer came as he welcomed Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Tuesday at the Elysee Palace.
France and Lebanon have historic ties, but both Israel and the United States have been reluctant to include France in the talks.
The offer also came days after Macron condemned the killing of a French UN peacekeeper in Lebanon and blamed Hezbollah for the soldier's death.
Hezbollah denied responsibility.
For NPR News, I'm Rebecca Rossman in London.
Emmanuel Gregoire's victory on Sunday means the centre-left socialists will remain in control of the French capital.
The party has governed Paris for 25 years.
Gregoire, a former deputy mayor under Hidalgo, faced the conservative candidate Rashida Dati, who was backed by the far-right National Rally Party.
Gregoire was seen biking to City Hall last night, where he delivered his victory speech.
Paris is not and never will be a city of the extreme right, he said.
The Paris mayor's race was one of some 1,500 local contests decided in the final round of Sunday's municipal elections.
Despite some predictions of big gains for the far right,