Thousands of public sector workers strike over pensions

Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers are taking part in a 24-hour UK-wide strike in a dispute with the government over pension changes.

The government says current pension schemes are unfair - and unaffordable because people are living longer.
But the unions say members are being "robbed" and will have to pay more and work longer for lower pensions.
Meanwhile, the government has said that walkouts by prison service staff in England and Wales are unlawful.
Among the public sector workers taking part in the 24-hour strike are civil servants, NHS workers - including paramedics - border force staff and lecturers.
And 20,000 off-duty police officers are expected at a rally in London to protest against cuts.
Union leaders say up to 400,000 workers will strike while the government says it is more likely to be half that number.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS union - which estimates that an "overwhelming majority" of its 250,000 public sector members are on strike - told BBC Radio 5 live the cost of pensions was falling as a proportion of GDP.

"We pay more and not a penny goes into anybody's pension fund," he said.

"In every major public sector scheme - health, education and the civil service - the majority of trade unions have refused to accept these cuts in their pensions."
He added: "We're going to have the highest pension age of any western European country."
The government plans to raise the retirement age in line with the state pension age - eventually to rise to 68.
But Conservative Party chairman Lady Warsi told BBC News that workers were being asked to "to work a little bit longer and to pay a bit more but they will be guaranteed a pension which is index-linked and inflation proof".
"I'm disappointed that a handful of unions are striving to carry on with union action which is going to benefit no-one and is going to inconvenience the public."