Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
POLICE IN ATHENS have fired tear gas in attempts to disperse protesters, as violence scenes broke out amid a national day of strike action in protest at government spending cuts.
More than 30,000 workers convened near the Greek parliament to voice their opposition to the socialist government’s ongoing financial programme, which has come as part of the country’s EU bailout, the BBC reports.
Police estimated that the crowd numbered about 18,000, but the trade unions that organised the protests said the capacity was closer to 60,000.
The demonstrations came on a day of nationwide general strikes, when public servants joined private workers in walking out of work.
Three police officers were injured in clashes – one after he was set alight by a petrol bomb, pictured – with protesters, though police chiefs said they were relieved the demonstrations hadn’t resulted in more injuries.
One man arrested by police had been carrying an archer’s bow and arrows, as well as an axe, a spokesman told the Wall Street Journal.
Transport in the country went into lockdown too, with around 100 international flights cancelled while public transport between the country’s main cities was virtually non-existent.
Prime Minister George Papandreou said he understood the feelings of protesters, but indicated that protesting itself wasn’t enough to stop the government’s policies.
“Sometimes I would like to be out there protesting myself because I am not happy about what is happening, but it isn’t enough to protest,” he said.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Ah, the Saudis….a great bunch o lads.
Really?! I am shocked…NOT!
@Optimus Prime: I am shocked that it took them 1yr to crack the phone encryption. I thought they bragged about a company which sold decryption software for iPhone.
Maybe US is just choosing right time to out the news.
@Optimus Prime: Time to call in the decepticons Optimus!
How do you know someone has an iPhone? They tell you.
@Oretani Wildlife: How do you know someone has no value to contribute to a discussion but craves attention like a little child, irrelevant jokes.
@Oretani Wildlife: what a contribution!
@Oretani Wildlife: that joke is about 9 years old. Well done.
@Oretani Wildlife: Some would argue that the only people who talk about iPhones are the ones that don’t own one!
Touchy touchy, boys. You should call round and brighten up my day.
Okay so it was Saudi nationals that carried out the 911 attack and this one but they are big big customers of the arms exporters and bomb industry, and allies in the fight against whoever is the current bogey man.
When you train Saudi Army pilots in the USA and U.K. what can go wrong ?
Saudi kingdom is an abomination in the 21century, one family controlling trillions of dollars of the country’s wealth for their personal benefit. I’m a small capitalist but for such a regime to exist, and bizarrely supported by the USA, while US pretend to preach democracy, US foreign policy has always displayed a total hypocrisy to its espoused values, if there was any benefit to themselves. America first, yes that sums it up, f.u,,. the rest of the world. this cosy relationship with Saudi, us forces based there, is why Osama bin laden was motivated to start his war with the USA.
Get Carrie and Saul on the case!
@John Quill: Carrie’s watching Russian opera these days…(spoiler alert).
@Declan McArdle: saw it
It’s amazing that the terrorist have a 5 year old iPhone with all that info on it.
So the group behind it claimed it was them but the US gov is arguing that all iPhone users should have their privacy undermined, definitely by US government more than likely by others and also possibly non state actors because they weren’t 100% sure when the terrorist organisation said “that’s our guy!”, about a guy from a nation that produced 9/11 and many other attackers, that they were telling the truth?
I mean, if this stopped an incoming attack or something I could see the logic in having a debate but there’s no way this is worth even considering undermining everyone’s privacy, it’s law enforcement being either pedantic or too lazy (to trace his contact to the group through traditional means) or more than likely not trusting their Saudi counterparts which is a crack in the wall that should not be wall papered over yet again, especially at such a great cost to privacy.
Time to invade Iraq again so.
have your say