Greece's PM wins confidence vote as thousands protest

Greece's Prime Minister George Papandreou has won a confidence vote in parliament in what is considered a critical step to passing the unpopular austerity measures needed to secure a 12bn euro loan to pay off the country's debts.

MPs will now be asked to approve 28bn (£25bn) euros of cuts, fiscal reforms and privatisation plans next Tuesday.

The BBC's Tim Wilcox described the scene outside the parliament building in Athens, where thousands of protesters had gathered.