Strike shuts down Greek services
Public and private services have shut down across Greece as unions hold a 24-hour general strike to protest against further austerity cuts in the recession-plagued country.
The stoppage disrupted public transport, halted ferry and train services, shut down state-run schools and left state hospitals and the ambulance service functioning with emergency staff.
Dozens of flights were cancelled or rescheduled as air traffic controllers planned to walk off the job for three hours from noon in support of the labour action.
The strike comes during tough negotiations between the government and debt inspectors from the International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank and European Commission, known collectively as the troika, over what measures are needed to plug a budget gap next year.
