Stories for March 4th 2010

Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 04:19 UTC
Europe welcomes Greek austerity plan, but Athens demands “solidarity”

Europe has welcomed a 6.6 billion US dollars Greek austerity plan of pension freezes and tax hikes as the country mounts a frantic bid to cut its budget deficit. Hundreds of pensioners hit the streets after Prime Minister George Papandreou revealed the hit to public and private sector retirement plans.
Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 04:13 UTC
Giant waves ram cruise in Mediterranean killing two

Two people have been killed and six injured as giant waves slammed into a cruise ship in the Mediterranean, the ship's owners have said. The 8 metres high rogue waves hit the Cypriot-owned Louis Majesty off the north-east coast of Spain.
Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 04:10 UTC
Spain: no end in sight for the ranks of unemployed

The ranks of Spain’s unemployed increased by 2.03% in February compared with January, bringing the jobless total to more than 4.13 million, the Labour and Immigration Ministry said Tuesday. The figure is the highest since 1996.
Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 03:35 UTC
Argentine opposition has majority control of both Congress houses

Argentina’s opposition senators on Wednesday won majority control of all the chamber’s committees, undermining President Cristina Fernandez’s de Kirchner’s ability to pass legislation more than two years after she took office.
Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 03:34 UTC
Spanish opposition reacts to Ban Ki-moon’s approach to decolonization process

Spanish opposition Popular Party MP José Ignacio Landaluce said this week that the only option for the decolonisation of Gibraltar was its return to Spain. He was reacting to comments made by the United Nations’ Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, who has called for a “pragmatic and realistic” approach to the decolonisation process.
Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 03:28 UTC
China lowers lending target; exporters demand “stable” Yuan

Bank of China will maintain a reasonable pace of lending this year, Li Lihui, the president of the country's fourth-largest lender by assets said on Wednesday.
Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 03:25 UTC
Outbreak of foot and mouth disease in south China pig farms

A total of 8,382 pigs have been culled after a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in south China's Guangdong Province, bordering Hong Kong, local animal husbandry and veterinary officials reported earlier this week.
Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 01:17 UTC
Two men make history as first gay marriage in the city of Buenos Aires

After a long judicial battle two men married on Wednesday in Buenos Aires City in what was Argentina's second gay marriage, a rights group confirmed.
Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 00:52 UTC
Venezuelans reluctant to save power and generation approaching critical situation

The water level of Venezuela’s El Gurí dam which provides 75% of the country’s power is rapidly approaching the “critical zone” having dropped to 254 metres, just 14.45 metres from “collapse point” warned President Hugo Chavez.
Thursday, March 4th 2010 - 00:33 UTC
Cement maker shares soar in Chilean markets on reconstruction expectations

Chilean cement maker Melon led earnings in the IPSA stock market Wednesday operations with shares soaring 68% on expectations that the company would benefit from reconstruction efforts. Nevertheless, the IPSA select index fell 1.36% to 3708.91.