Strikes flare in Belgium, Greece

European workers squeezed by the soaring cost of living went on strike in Belgium and Greece yesterday, with stoppages threatening to paralyse parts of Britain, France and Spain in coming days. Spreading industrial unrest poses a problem for governments which are already spending billions trying to blunt the worst effects of rising prices, at least for the most vulnerable. Europe is acutely affected by the fall-out of the war in Ukraine, which is exacerbating a global energy crisis, inflation and a scarcity of some food products. Belgium and Greece saw general strikes yesterday, disrupting transport in their respective capitals.