Greece to be crippled by strike today

A sweeping strike is set to cripple Greece today in the second such protest in a fortnight against debt-driven austerity measures.

Government offices, public hospitals and schools will close as more than a million people have been urged to shun work and join street protests. Greek tax and garbage collectors have already been on strike for three days.

Air traffic was due to come to a standstill from midnight last night with air traffic controllers joining a strike called by two powerful unions comprising more than one million members.

Ships will remain anchored as an influential sailors' union is joining the protest. Buses and trams will not operate in Athens and the second city of Thessaloniki throughout the day.

The unions are outraged by a wave of state spending cuts and tax hikes intended to cut this year's deficit of 12.7 per cent of output and to get to grips with the country's debt of nearly €300 billion.

The Greek economy, which is mired in a recession, ran into more trouble on Tuesday when the national statistics agency reported the annual inflation rate had jumped to 2.8 per cent in February.

Unemployment currently stands at over 10 per cent.