As the Greek government tried to save its country from bankruptcy, tens of thousands of outraged Greeks took to the streets demonstrating against the proposed austerity measures and protesters tried to storm parliament; some hurled paving stones at police who responded with tear gas. Three people died after a firebomb was thrown into a bank. The government is demanding painful 'sacrifices' after the country secured a 110 billion euro (145 billion dollar) debt bailout; Labour Minister Andreas Loverdos said: 'We have only one aim, to save Greece, and we are not going to budge.'
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged MPs to back the emergency loan package agreed by European finance ministers at the weekend. It requires Germany to pay the largest proportion of the loans. "Quite simply, Europe's future is at stake," she said.
