Greeks go on strike before austerity budget vote

Pedestrians cross a main street jammed by traffic during a public transport strike in Athens December 20, 2010. Greek public transport, with the exception of city buses, held a 24-hour strike on Monday against reforms in the sector

Greek unions called a general strike today and Athens was paralysed by a 24-hour public transport stoppage in protest against the government’s 2011 budget, set to pass later as part of an EU/IMF bailout.

The budget, meant to help stem a debt crisis that has shaken the euro zone, includes further tax hikes and wage cuts in state-run enterprises, especially in public transport.

Fitch said yesterday it may cut Greece’s credit rating next month to junk as both other major rating agencies have done.

Greek police suspect far-left in Greek journalist's killing

A police officer stands in front of the house of Greek journalist Socratis Guiolas in Athens

Assailants gunned down an investigative journalist on Monday in front of his Athens home in an attack Greek police blamed on a far-left extremist group.

The authorities said 37-year-old Socratis Guiolias was killed by at least three people firing a pair of nine-millimetre handguns which the Revolutionary Sect group had used to kill an anti-terrorist officer last year.

Burning issue for Britain: With our deficit about to become worse than Greece's, anarchy and murder erupt on the streets of Athens

Tensions explode: A riot policeman is engulfed by flames after being hit by a Molotov cocktail in Athens

Onslaught: Missiles litter the street as crowds of rioters, many of them masked, surge up a hill to confront police in the centre of Athens yesterday. At least 18 people were hurt

Running from the mob: A policeman flees protesters in the northern city of Thessaloniki

Under attack: Riot police react to a Molotov cocktail as it explodes on a bridge during the demonstrations

Britain was given an election wake-up call today after Greece's battle with massive debt erupted in blood and anarchy.

Three bank workers died yesterday after a mob protesting against spending cuts set their building ablaze.

As polling stations around Britain opened at 7am today, latest UK opinion polls suggest David Cameron is within touching distance of achieving a working majority.

But while polls still pointed to a hung Parliament, economists warned that Britain could ill-afford a period of political uncertainty.
The need for decisive leadership was underlined by official figures showing the UK's budget shortfall will be the biggest in the EU this year - even overtaking Greece.

With 'contagion' from Athens threatening to spread through other debt-laden economies, David Cameron made a last-ditch plea to voters to back a strong Tory government.
He told the Daily Mail that unless Britain 'rolled up its sleeves' and got on with paying off its deficit, it risked an economic crisis.

Greece braced for more violence as finance leaders ready to sign multi-million euro bailout with EU

As a petrol bomb explodes at their feet, policemen leap out of the way at a May Day rally in Athens

Part of his uniform on fire, an officer sprints to safety

Police walk in front of a burning broadcast van belonging to state TV. It was set on fire by a petrol bomb

Demonstrators and police fight outside the Greek Parliament during a Mayday demonstration to protest against impending austerity measures

Cash-strapped Greece is braced for more violence today as country leaders get ready to announce a deal with the EU for a controversial multi-million euro financial bailout.

The European Union and the International Monetary Fund are expected to confirm the aid, which will come in return for tough austerity measures, at a meeting this afternoon.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou is hoping the three-year deal – expected to reach up to 120 billion euros (£104.5billion) - will help stem a crisis that has hit the euro and shaken markets worldwide.However, thousands of angry protesters took to the streets of Athens yesterday over proposed conditions to the bailout, including draconian budget cuts which demonstrators believe will only affect the poor and will drag the country further into recession.

Clashes broke out between anarchists throwing petrol bombs and rocks towards riot police, who used tear gas to control the crowds at the May Day rallies.

Protesters could be heard chanting, ‘No to the IMF's junta!’, referring to the military dictatorship which ruled Greece from 1967 to 1974, and: ‘Hands off our rights! IMF and EU Commission out!’

Somali pirates hijack two ships off East African coast-Somali pirates seize two more vessels

The St James Park issued a distress call on Monday night saying it had been attacked by pirates

Somali pirates have captured two ships with 45 crew off the East African coast, officials say.

A UK-flagged chemical tanker, the St James Park, was reportedly captured in the Gulf of Aden on Monday while on its way to Thailand from Spain.

Its 26 crew hail from Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Georgia, India, Turkey and the Philippines.

The Navios Apollon, a Panamanian-flagged Greek cargo ship with 19 crew, was hijacked north of the Seychelles.

The 50,000-tonne carrier - which had been sailing from the US state of Florida to India - was boarded on Monday by 10 men in speedboats, according to the Greek coastguard.

Pirate attacks have been common off the Somali coast and international navies have been deployed to counter them.

'No contact'

The St James Park issued a distress call on Monday night saying it had been attacked by pirates, said the International Maritime Bureau

The tanker, which was carrying a cargo of chemicals used to make plastics, had changed course and was now heading towards the northern coast of Somalia, said Andrew Mwangura of the Seafarers Assistance Programme.

"It is expected to arrive there later this evening," Mr Mwangura told AFP news agency.

The ship's owner-operators told the BBC they were working for "the early and safe release of our crew members on board".

A spokesman for Zodiac Maritime Agencies said the company had had no contact with the St James Park or the pirates but was in contact with the European naval force in the area.

The waters around Somalia are among the most dangerous in the world.

Correspondents say the upsurge in piracy in the region is a consequence of the failure to find a solution to Somalia's continuing political disarray.

-----

-----
RELATED POSTS:-

• Iran warns tough actions against British sailors
• British yacht couple captured by Somali gunmen make desperate plea.Rachel Chandler Paul Chandler captured by somali pirates to be killed within days
• Bloomberg wins 3rd term as NYC mayor-Win by thin margin-Overspent $80million more than rival in campaign
• Fanfare greets USS New York's arrival at Pier 88
• Ship built with World Trade Center steel arrives in namesake city
• Calif. searchers seek survivors after air crash-Midair crash betw CoastGuard aircraft and Marine Helicopter
• Search underway for survivors of military aircraft collision off Southern California coast- Coast Guard: Navy chopper crashes off Calif. coast
• Brazil says negotiating for French fighter jets
• Dozens missing from sunken ferry - Latests now only 3 dead and 80 missings.
• Russian subs patrol off U.S. East Coast: officials
• Somali suicide bomber detonate bom inside doc graduation ceremony.Murder 23 people.
• Miss World: Gibraltar's Kaiane Aldorino crowned
• Is Caster Semenya female or male ?
• Somali pirates hijack two ships off East African coast-Somali pirates seize two more vessels
• Mexico jet hijacking suspect held
• Chancellor Angela Merkel defends German mission in Afghanistan
• NATO airstrike in Afghanistan kills up to 90
• Somali pirates say British couple taken to land-Somali pirates: Western boats 'loot' Somali fish
• Search dogs detect something on Garrido property- May found bodies in the house property.
• Suspects in Dugard case investigated in two more disappearances-9 and 13 year old girl.