Nationwide Greek strike disrupts transport, shuts down services

Transport was disrupted across Greece and services were shut down as unions held a 24-hour nationwide strike Wednesday to protest further austerity cuts in exchange for bailout loans, according to dpa. The strike, called by the country's largest private and public sector unions, crippled air, sea and land transport. It also shut down state-run schools and forced hospitals and ambulance service to function with emergency staff. Dozens of flights were cancelled or rescheduled as air traffic controllers were set to walk off the job for three hours beginning at noon. Ferries remained docked at ports across the country. Unions are protesting tax increases and salary and pension cuts demanded by the foreign lenders.