21/10/2011 11:20
One man dead in Greek riots
Clouds of tear gas choked central Athens as rival demonstrators fought with stones and firebombs outside parliament Thursday, leaving one man dead and dozens injured. Inside, the Socialist government grappled with dissent over the deeply unpopular new cutbacks demanded by creditors to keep the country afloat, the ABC News describes.
Greece has been kept solvent only by international bailout loans from the International Monetary Fund and other eurozone nations since May of last year. Creditors have demanded that Greece pass the extra austerity measures before they give the country more funds from that euro110 billion ($152 billion) bailout loan. Greece says it will run out of money in mid-November without the next euro8 billion ($11 billion) installment.
Reports said a 53-year-old construction worker was hospitalised after suffering head injuries, and later died from heart failure. His death was confirmed by Greek authorities in parliament during a debate on the new austerity bill ahead of a final vote later Thursday, monstersandcritics.com reports.