Athens:
Greece's new state television channel has begun airing news programs, more than two months after the government's abrupt closure of state broadcaster ERT drew international condemnation and led to a severe political crisis.
The move Wednesday came as Europe's public broadcaster said it was halting its relay of programs by ERT's sacked workers, who have been occupying the company's building and producing 24-hour programing in defiance of the closure.
Greece's conservative-led government abruptly shuttered ERT in June and fired all 2,700 staff, citing the need to cut costs amid the country's debt crisis. But the sacked workers continued to produce programs, and the European Broadcasting Union sought to help them by streaming their broadcasts by satellite and on its website.