Thousands join protests, strikes over train disaster

Tens of thousands of people took part in protests and strikes in Greece on Thursday amid lingering anger over last month’s train collision near Tempe, the deadliest in the country’s history. A group of protesters hurled petrol bombs at a police cordon near Parliament in central Athens, prompting MAT riot officers to respond with tear gas and sound grenades, disrupting a largely peaceful rally. Flights to and from the country were grounded, ferries remained docked in ports, school classes were halted, and public hospitals ran on emergency staff as workers joined the 24-hour strike called by the civil servants’ union ADEDY and private sector union GSEE. [Reuters]