News roundup

--> World news: Greek police cleared the square in front of parliament today after clashing with black-clad demonstrators during a mass anti-austerity rally called to coincide with a vote on a bitterly resented new round of belt-tightening.

The view of the ancient Acropolis was obscured by smoke from burning piles of rubbish and a bank building was evacuated after being set on fire by molotov cocktails as a strike called by Greece's two main unions degenerated into violence.

Much of the country was shut down by the 48-hour general strike, the largest since the outbreak of the crisis two years ago with government departments, offices and shops closed and at least 100,000 people taking to the streets of Athens.

Prime Minister George Papandreou, trailing badly in opinion polls, has appealed for support from Greeks before parliament votes on the latest measures which include tax hikes, wage cuts and public sector layoffs.

But the mood was furious among demonstrators, fed up after repeated doses of austerity and increasingly hostile to both their own political leaders and international lenders demanding ever tougher measures to cut Greece's towering public debt. More at Reuters.

--> Animal Rights: Exotic animals let loose in Ohio, police are 'shooting to kill'

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--> Election 2012: A long-awaited showdown between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry erupted last night at another Republican presidential debate.

Romney and Perry sparred throughout the two-hour CNN/Western Republican Leadership Conference debate in Las Vegas, mostly overshadowing an early pile-on of Herman Cain and his "9-9-9" economic plan.

Perry called Romney a hypocrite, while the former Massachusetts governor retorted that the Texan was suffering from some recent rough debate outings. The body language of both turned visibly cool as they talked past one another at points.

The fireworks emerged halfway through the first hour of the debate, when Perry accused Romney of having hired illegal immigrants as landscapers at one of his homes. Perry has been looking to reverse a slide in the polls driven in part by poor debate performances.

"The idea that you stand here before us and talk about you're strong on illegal immigration is on its face the height of hypocrisy," a more animated Perry said. [Ed. note: Keep it up, fellas. At this point, you're ensuring Obama's reelection] More at MSNBC.

-->Technology news: Apple will reportedly shut its U.S. retail stores for a few hours today to allow its employees to participate in a staff celebration of the life of co-founder Steve Jobs.

Reuters, citing "a person familiar with the celebration," reports that Apple Store employees will use the closure period to watch a live broadcast of the Jobs' tribute, which takes place on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (US Pacific) at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino.

The event will follow a private memorial service at Stanford University attended by Silicon Valley's elite, as well as politicians and celebrities. More at PC World.