Argentines strike against spending cuts

A general strike against public spending cuts has affected most of Argentina, where schools, banks and many shops remained closed.

Train and metro services were suspended on Thursday, with a limited bus service running.

One of the main union leaders, Hector Daher, said the 24-hour strike was a wake-up call to President Javier Milei.

Mr Daher urged him to review some of the cuts to subsidies and social programmes.

Mr Milei, a right-wing economist, has begun implementing comprehensive austerity measures since coming into power in December.

He says his measures are necessary to reduce Argentina's public deficit and control the country's inflation rate, which is the highest in the world at nearly 300% a year.

The president criticised the strike, saying his government had already made many concessions to the unions.