Thousands of people gathered in central Athens Wednesday for protest marches against the harsh new spending cuts aimed at saving the country from bankruptcy. Flights to and from Greece are grounded, trains and ferries have suspended their routes and public services are paralyzed. The 24-hour general strike shut down schools and customs offices and left hospitals working with emergency medical staff. The Acropolis and all other ancient sites were closed, while journalists also walked off the job, suspending television and radio news broadcasts. More than 1,500 police have been deployed.