Transport union strike paralyses Argentina

Buenos Aires

ARGENTINA'S largest cities ground to a halt on Tuesday as transport unions went on strike, demanding tax cuts for low-income workers and putting the government on the defensive seven months away from general elections.

An eerie quiet reigned over Buenos Aires as buses, trains and subways began a 24-hour shutdown at midnight, emptying the streets in this city of three million people and forcing many businesses to remain closed.

The strike caused chaos at airports, with flights cancelled, rerouted or delayed. Several major regional airlines cancelled all flights to and from Argen…