Japanese police were Wednesday investigating suspected `terror` attacks on former top pension bureaucrats after three people were stabbed on their doorsteps, two of them fatally, officials said.

Japanese police were Wednesday investigating suspected `terror` attacks on former top pension bureaucrats after three people were stabbed on their doorsteps, two of them fatally, officials said.

ROME, Oct 20, 2007 (AFP) - Tens of thousands of Italians Saturday marched through central Rome to pressure Prime Minister Romano Prodi's government into adopting more left-leaning policies to improve the lot of part-time workers.

Some 200,000 protestors responded to the demonstration called by the left-wing parties in Prodi's ruling centre-left coalition to demand measures to ensure better contracts for part-time workers and to stop illegal employment at low wages.

Some four million people in Italy do not hold full-scale jobs.

ATHENS, Oct 18, 2007 (AFP) - The Greek government on Thursday launched a debate on reform of the costly pension system -- a move which unions strongly oppose.

The economy and labour ministers began the debate in parliament with the six main unions. 'We can all agree on the fact that our system is ailing,' Labour Minister Vassilis Manginas said.

'Unless we intervene, the system will mathematically be unable to meet its obligations in a few years,' he said.

ATHENS, Oct 18, 2007 (AFP) - Greece began the process of overhauling its 'ailing' pensions system Thursday with the government launching talks with leading unions.

The ministers of economy and labour began the debate in parliament with the country's six main unions, including the General Confederation of Workers (GSEE), the civil servants union (ADEDY) and the Federation of Greek Industries (SEV).

'We can all agree on the fact that our system is ailing,' Labour Minister Vassilis Manginas told the meeting.

ROME, Oct 12, 2007 (AFP) - The Italian government on Friday approved controversial pension reforms that would raise the retirement age to 60.

The reforms were agreed after more than 82 percent of workers earlier this week approved the plan by Prime Minister Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition government in a three-day non-binding union-organised referendum.

The plan had been agreed with three trade union confederations in July.

ROME, Oct 10, 2007 (AFP) - Italian workers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of controversial pension reforms that would involve raising the retirement age to 60, union leaders projected Wednesday.

Preliminary results show that more than 82 percent approved a plan by Prime Minister Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition government that was agreed with three trades union confederations in July, the unions said in a joint statement.

ROME, Oct 8, 2007 (AFP) - Hundreds of thousands of Italians began voting Monday in a union-organised referendum on controversial government proposals for pension reform that would involve raising the retirement age.

The non-binding consultation concerns a plan by Prime Minister Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition government agreed with three trades union confederations in July.

It is opposed by far-left communists and Greens, and by the powerful metalworkers' union FIOM, which is part of the CGIL confederation.

BEIJING, Sept 25, 2007 (AFP) - Nine out of 10 Chinese are concerned about how to finance their retirement, state media said Tuesday, highlighting challenges facing a rapidly ageing society.

A survey jointly conducted by Chinese portal Sina.com and the China Youth Daily newspaper found that almost 50 percent of the respondents said they planned to rely solely on themselves, the China Daily reported.

PARIS, Sept 19, 2007 (AFP) - France's most powerful trade union warned Wednesday of a national rail strike over President Nicolas Sarkozy's decision to slash the pension perks enjoyed by state rail workers.

Didier Le Reste, head of the CGT union at the state-owned SNCF rail company, told I-Tele television he would submit plans to other unions for 'a united national mobilisation, including a national strike'.

PARIS, Sept 18, 2007 (AFP) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday announced an overhaul of pensions perks for half a million mainly public sector workers, seen as a key test of his government's reform drive.

He promised that the so-called 'special regimes' -- which allow state rail and power employees and some other categories of worker to retire early and on higher pensions -- will be reformed in the next 'few months'.

'It is a question of fairness,' Sarkozy said in a policy speech before journalists.

PARIS, Sept 18, 2007 (AFP) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy was Tuesday to outline plans to overhaul the pensions perks of half a million mainly public sector workers, seen as a key test of the right-wing leader's reform drive.

Following through on a central election pledge, Sarkozy's government has said it is ready to launch a reform of the so-called 'special' pension regimes enjoyed by railway and electricity workers and thousands of others -- from MPs to the staff of the Paris Opera.

MOSCOW, Sept 10, 2007 (AFP) - Delegates at a major international forum in Moscow on Monday called for new policies in pensions and healthcare systems to cope with the world's ageing population.

Kicking off the six-day forum, the president of the International Social Security Association (ISSA), Corazon de la Paz, underlined 'the need to redesign schemes to minimise the impact of an ageing population.'

PARIS, Sept 10, 2007 (AFP) - French trade unions warned Monday of a 'major social conflict' after President Nicolas Sarkozy's government vowed to move fast on reforms to cut pension perks for thousands of public sector workers.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Sunday that plans are ready to overhaul the so-called 'special' pensions regime enjoyed by 500,000 railway, electricity and other workers, as promised in Sarkozy's election manifesto in May.

OSLO, Aug 21, 2007 (AFP) - Norway's state pension fund, which contains nearly all of the state's revenues from the booming oil industry, grew by 3.37 percent in the second quarter of 2007, the central bank announced on Tuesday.

The fund, which now amounts to 1,939.4 billion kroner (242.3 billion euros, 326.3 billion dollars), is destined to finance future pension requirements. It is invested in international stock and bond markets and is managed by the central bank.