News - Middle East: France has been hit by yet another wave of mass strikes and protests. The row is about President Emmanuel Macron's controversial pension reforms.

An estimated 1.28 million people have participated in the nationwide strike. The demonstrations were some of the biggest in decades. The nationwide strike have disrupted train services, shut schools, and, halted fuel deliveries.

Unions have stepped up their campaign to force a U turn on a deeply unpopular policy. Workers from different sectors have walked out of their jobs and held demonstrations in Paris and other cities.

Refineries have stopped fuel deliveries, most trains have come to a halt and power production has decreased during the industrial action. Some scuffles have broken out on the sidelines, with some people throwing projectiles at the police, who responded with tear gas.

Unions have threatened to freeze the economy with work stoppages. Some unions have called for open ended strikes in sectors from refineries and oil depots to electricity and gas facilities. 

This is the sixth time since the start of the year that Union's have called a nationwide day of strikes and demonstrations.

The disruption is expected to be greater and last longer as the rail unions call for rolling open ended strikes. This could affect all national trains, as well as international routes.

Trains to Germany and Spain came to a halt, and those to and from the United Kingdom and Belgium were reduced by a third.

Some students have also blockaded faculties and some schools have closed as teachers staged a one day strike.