Greece hit by new 24-hour general strike over austerity

Regular protests on the streets of Athens are leading to clashes with police

A 24-hour general strike has begun in Greece in protest at the country's austerity measures.

Schools will be closed, ferry services and flights cancelled and hospitals will be working with reduced staff.
It is the first general strike since the government announced an emergency property tax and the suspension of 30,000 public sector staff last month.
The BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens says it is a severe test of the influence of Greece's biggest unions.
The unions, representing civil servants and private sector workers, need a huge turn-out to prove that resistance against austerity reforms is still strong, he says.
Some militant civil servants are promising to sabotage government reforms.
The strike comes as eurozone finance ministers have delayed a decision on giving Greece its next instalment of bailout cash.
They announced the delay on Monday, after Greece said it would not meet this year's deficit cutting plan.
Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said on Tuesday that the government had enough cash to pay pensions, salaries and bondholders until mid-November.
Greece had previously said it needed more money by mid-October to avoid a default.
The government's austerity measures are hugely unpopular and have led to a wave of strikes and protests.
On Tuesday, protesters again blocked the entrance to several government departments including the finance and transport ministries.
Many Greeks believe the austerity measures are strangling any chance of growth.