21.   The walkout has curtailed phone services, canceled school for millions of students, shut down courts, limited hospitals to emergency services.

22.   Amtrak service was curtailed between Chicago and Washington, with riders forced to take buses to Pittsburgh.

23.   Power cuts are ever more frequent in town and tramway services have been curtailed to two hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon to save electricity.

24.   Rail services were severely curtailed, but a spokesman for Trenitalia railways was upbeat.

25.   The authorities have closed down schools and colleges in the entire area, suspended all road traffic since late Tuesday and curtailed train services.

26.   The authorities have closed schools and colleges in all areas, suspended road transport and curtailed train services.