Most public services in Greece ground to a halt and transport was disrupted today as unions staged a new general strike in protest at the government's introduction of harsh austerity measures intended to keep the debt-ridden country solvent.

Greece denied that it was discussing a new €60bn (£53bn) bailout with international lenders yesterday after German politicians questioned whether the country had failed to meet conditions to release the next tranche of its €111bn aid package.

A London trader is expected to be questioned by police after being accused by the Greek authorities of sending an email designed to stir up rumours of a plan to restructure debt in the embattled country.

Analysis: The intelligent gossip in the markets is that Greek bond holders might face a "haircut" of 50 per cent

As Thessalonika riots, a town near Athens spins out of control with angry residents setting up massive roadblocks and hurling Molotov cocktails

As explosions boom, the town's loudspeakers blare: "Attention! Attention! We are under attack!" Air raid sirens wail through the streets, mingling with the frantic clanging of church bells. Clouds of tear gas waft between houses as helmeted riot police move in to push back the rebels.

Anti-austerity protests that began a year ago still rage in the Greek capital, amid pleas to modernise the economy and tackle tax evasion. Roxane McMeeken reports from Athens

London mascots lead the way to souvenir sales of up to £1bn

Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou have ignored a summons to appear in court to be questioned in a perjury case.

The thought of running a marathon is daunting enough for most of us. But a marathon every day for a whole year? Beyond comprehension.

Where to go, what to do in 2011

Police in Greece said a powerful bomb has exploded outside a closed night club in Athens, causing no injuries, in an attack linked with criminal extortion groups.

Bomb disposal experts defused a parcel bomb that was delivered to the Greek embassy in Rome yesterday, four days after similar devices exploded at two other embassies, wounding two people.