Journalists at the BBC have begun a 24-hour strike in a row over compulsory redundancies.
Members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) voted in favour of industrial action last month because a number of World Service journalists are facing compulsory redundancy.
The NUJ has warned that the strike will cause "widespread disruption" to radio and TV programmes.
A BBC spokesman said the corporation was "disappointed" by the action.
A number of people working in the World Service and BBC Monitoring are facing compulsory redundancy this summer, the NUJ said.
NUJ General Secretary Michelle Stanistreet said that the union has offered a number of solutions to the dispute, and that an offer from the conciliation service Acas for peace talks had not been taken up by management.
"Jobs are being saved and created at management level, but journalists are losing theirs."
The BBC said it would continue with its efforts to reduce the need for compulsory redundancies.
"Industrial action will not alter the fact that the BBC is faced with a number of potential compulsory redundancies, following significant cuts to the central government grants that support the World Service and BBC Monitoring," the BBC spokesman said.
Another 24-hour strike is planned for 29 July.
(Source : Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union)
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