Hundreds of thousands of Greeks began a crippling 48-hour strike on Tuesday to protest against a new round of wage and pension cuts that parliament is expected to approve narrowly a day later. Wednesday's vote is the biggest test yet for the government of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, which needs victory to secure aid from foreign lenders but has failed to convince its smallest coalition partner and the public to back the reforms. The strike, called by Greece's two biggest labor unions representing half the four million-strong workforce, brought public transport to a virtual standstill and shuttered schools, banks ... (full story)