Events from the year 2014 in France. Incumbents President – François Hollande (Socialist) Prime Minister – Jean-Marc Ayrault (Socialist) (until March 31), Manuel Valls (Socialist) (starting April 1) Events January 6 January – Workers at a Goodyear tyre factory in Amiens hold two executives hostage after it was announced that Goodyear was to close the plant with a loss of more than 1,000 jobs. The executives are released the following afternoon. 10 January – Closer magazine runs a story alleging that François Hollande is having an affair with actress Julie Gayet. In a statement, Hollande says he "deeply deplores the attacks on the principle of respect for privacy, to which he, like every citizen, has a right". The story is later removed from the magazine's website. François Hollande's partner, Valérie Trierweiler, is admitted to hospital for "rest and a few tests" following the affair allegations. She remains hospitalised until 18 January. 16 January – A protester calling for a political upheaval unloads a large mound of manure outside the Palais Bourbon from a lorry before being detained by police. 19 January – High levels of rainfall cause flooding in Var, killing two people and leaving 4,000 homes without power. 25 January – François Hollande confirms he has separated from his partner Valérie Trierweiler. February 2 February – Over 500,000 people in Paris protest against same-sex marriages. 7 February – A severe windstorm hits the north-west of France, causing floods in Brittany and power losses to homes and businesses in Brittany, Pays de la Loire, Normandy and Île-de-France. 8 February – A train derails in the French Alps after being struck by a falling boulder, killing two and injuring nine. 10 February – Taxi drivers stage a one-day strike against the proliferation of unlicensed and unregulated cabs in the country. Their efforts in blocking motorways paralyses rush hour traffic in Paris and Marseilles. 12 February – French President François Hollande is hosted by US President Barack Obama at a White House state dinner, during a visit by Hollande to the US aimed at renewing the partnership between the two countries. 14 February – France announces it will increase the number of its soldiers deployed in the Central African Republic as sectarian violence worsens. 14 February – Figures released by INSEE show the economy grew by 0.0% and 0.3% in the third and fourth quarters of 2013 respectively. 18 February – French