Greeks walk out on general strikes

The third general strike in six weeks saw airports and schools closed, halted trains, ferries and taxi services.

Hospitals were left with only emergency cover and pharmacies and banks are due to shut down tomorrow.

Power station workers pledged strikes that authorities fear could shut seven of the biggest 10 power plants in the country.

Up to 30,000 supporters of the Communist Party (KKE)-aligned Pame union federation kicked off demonstrations in Athens today morning.

And around 1,000-5,500 later joined a march called by the country's main union federations GSEE and Adedy.

And protesters are getting set to do the whole thing again tomorrow, preparing to rally outside parliament before a vote on the latest €13.5 billion (£10.8bn) cuts package for the next two years.

The government faces open-ended strikes and demonstrations if it pushes through the Bill which would see the retirement age rise to 67 after already going up from 60 to 65 in 2010 and pension payments of more than €1,000 (£800) a month would be slashed by up to 15 per cent.

The law would remove a host of workplace protections, freeze the minimum wage slashed in February and cut benefits.

ButConservative PM Antonis Samaras cannot guarantee he will be able to deliver the Bill demanded by lenders.

His 176-strong coaltion has already been hit as junior partner Democratic Left has pledged its 16 members will vote against the proposals.

It's likely that dissenters in his own New Democracy party and socialist partners Pasok will further erode his majority in the 300-member parliament.

Mr Samaras has said if the EU, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank don't get their way, Greece will lose its bail-out funds and likely run out of money by November 16.

The KKE has warned that the measures would "plunge the Greek people into abject poverty and misery."