Economy, Country Bankruptcy | featured news

Greece's new prime minister, Lucas Papademos, won a crucial confidence vote Wednesday on severe austerity measures to be made in exchange for more bailout funds to help the country step back from the brink of bankruptcy.

Greece will miss a deficit target set just months ago in a massive bailout package, according to government draft budget figures released on Sunday, showing that drastic steps taken to avert bankruptcy may not be enough.

Stocks are tumbling as investors worry that Greece won't qualify for a new installment of emergency funds in time to avoid defaulting on its debt.

France is ready to do whatever it takes to rescue Greece, the government said, and urged the debt-laden euro-zone member to swiftly implement the July 21 plan to prevent bankruptcy.

Icelandic voters appeared Sunday to have rejected a government-approved deal to repay Britain and the Netherlands $5 billion for their citizens' deposits in the failed online bank Icesave.