Three dead as Greece protest turns violent
At least three people have been killed in the Greek capital as protesters set fire to a bank during a general strike over planned austerity measures.
The fire brigade said three bodies were found inside the Marfin bank in Athens. Two other buildings are also on fire.
Petrol bombs were thrown at police who responded with pepper spray, tear gas and stun grenades.
Protesters are angered by spending cuts and tax rises planned in return for a 110bn euro (£95bn) bail-out for Greece.
Parliament is to vote on the measures by the end of the week.
Measures include wage freezes, pension cuts and tax rises. They aim to achieve fresh budget cuts of 30bn euros over three years, with the goal of cutting Greece's public deficit to less than 3% of GDP by 2014. It currently stands at 13.6%.
Outside parliament, a group of protesters rushed up a flight of steps, taunting MPs to come out and calling them "thieves".
Riot police forced them back, but right next to parliament, others groups set buildings on fire - including a tax office.
The Greek protesters' ire is aimed against symbols of capitalism, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens.
Our correspondent says the deaths will change the equation, increasing pressure Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou who has spoken of "great sacrifices" needed.
But it may also create a backlash against violent protesters, our correspondent says.
The general strike is the third to hit Greece in as many months.
Meanwhile, the German parliament has begun considering the bail-out plan for Greece.
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.
The EU has agreed to provide 80bn euros (£69bn) in funding - of which around 22bn euros would come from Germany - while the rest will come from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Flights in and out of Greece stopped at midnight, and trains and ferries were not running. Schools, hospitals, and many offices are shut.
The government has appealed to demoralised staff in the military, police, schools and hospitals not to retire, fearing the surge in demand for benefits could further drain treasury resources.
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