In Greece, hundreds of rioters looted stores in central Athens and clashed with police
during a massive anti-government rally against painful new austerity measures that
won initial parliamentary approval in a vote.
More than 100,000 people took
to the streets of the Greek capital to demonstrate against the austerity bill, which
includes new tax hikes, further pension and salary cuts, the suspension on reduced
pay of 30,000 public servants and the suspension of collective labour contracts.
The
bill won initial approval in the 300-member Parliament late Wednesday, and a second
vote is due Thursday.