Pressure from the street against French President Nicolas Sarkozy's program of reforms is intensifying, as hundreds of thousands of state employees go on strike, joining a week-long stoppage by rail workers.

After a week of transport strike that caused chaos on French railways civil servants began a mass walkout throughout France. Authorities state that it will not effect planned reforms.

A new effort to end a damaging week-old strike of New York theatre workers has collapsed after the strikers and theatre owners failed to resolve their dispute in two days of talks, owners announced. Negotiators representing the two sides met here Saturday and Sunday.

French transport workers decided to continue strikes to keep up pressure against Nicolas Sarkozy's reform programme.

About 6,000 train drivers' strike moved into the third day demanding from Deutsche Bahn to raise wages. The short-term strike due to end at 2 a.m. (0100GMT) Saturday hit commuters and industry alike.

Transport workers paralyzed most rail traffic in France for a second full day Thursday, making passengers postpone trips, work or bike to work.

Public transportation ground to a virtual halt across much of France as workers went on strike for the second time in a month to protest proposed government reforms.

French people had to walk and bike to their work as striking transport workers cut train service protesting President Nicolas Sarkozy's bid to curtail labor protections.

Freight train drivers in Germany organized a three-day walkout, passenger train drivers will join the strike 2 hours later to increase pressure on the national railway in a pay controversy.

France is bracing for its second major transportation strike in a month, beginning Tuesday evening. From Paris, Lisa Bryant reports - although most French do not support the strike - it reflects wider discontent against reforms proposed by the country's conservative government.

The Guardian newspaper has been off the streets in Nigeria as the workers stopped work over their demand for 50% pay rise and modernization of their newsroom.