Greeks launch nationwide strike over austerity, bailout

Greeks walked off the job in a nationwide strike on Thursday to protest austerity measures and reforms the leftist-led government has agreed with international creditors in exchange for bailout loans. Domestic flights and Athens transport were disrupted, ships remained docked for 24 hours and some public services shut, Reuters reports. The strike was organized by Greece’s largest labor unions, private sector union GSEE and its public sector counterpart ADEDY. A march to parliament is expected on Thursday, where lawmakers are debating the 2018 budget. The government has agreed to cut spending further, to reduce pensions benefits, tighten the rules for unions to call a strike, and sell coal-fired power stations.