GREEK NATIONAL STRIKE HITS FLIGHTS

Public services closed down and transport was disrupted across the country as thousands of workers joined the action.

The strike, called by the country's two largest unions, shut all government offices and state schools, while state hospitals ran with emergency staff.

Air traffic controllers stopped work between noon and 3pm, halting all flights to and from Greek airports.

The country's largest airline, Olympic Airways, said it was cancelling 140 flights.

Most ferry and railway schedules were cancelled, while public transport in Athens was disrupted.

Journalists also joined the strike, keeping news programmes off the air and preventing Friday's newspapers from being published.

Unions are planning a central Athens rally and protest march.

The conservative government this month announced a salary freeze for many civil servants and a one-off tax rise on higher-income earners.

The move angered unions, which said high-earning businesses should shoulder the burden, and they also oppose a government decision to let struggling businesses relax employment rules.