French police stand off with protesters blocking exams

Police have fired tear gas on students blocking an exam site south of Paris, amid ongoing protests over changes to France's public university system.

The protest Friday in the Paris suburb of Arcueil is part of weeks of protests and strikes over reforms by President Emmanuel Macron's government. Student unions are angry at a move that they fear will make universities more selective.

Scores of protesters converged on Friday's exam site and formed a human chain to prevent students from entering. Riot police moved in, but university authorities delayed the exams because of the tensions.

Meanwhile French trains were disrupted Friday as part of rolling strikes over the end to some worker benefits at rail authority SNCF. The indebted company offered discounts to users to try to save its reputation.