Eurozone finance ministers were to confer by telephone on Saturday after 12 hours of talks in Athens failed to produce a breakthrough on a deal to bail out Greece, the Greek finance minister said. Evangelos Venizelos added that a planned meeting by eurozone ministers on Greece originally scheduled for Monday would now be held on Wednesday. "I will participate in a Eurogroup telephone conference at 1230 GMT" to discuss details of a rescue deal for Greece worth 130 billion euros ($171 billion) which officials have been trying to seal since October, the minister said in a statement. "Critical issues pertaining to the country's ...
Australia's flood crisis deepened Saturday as authorities braced for waters to peak in Queensland where one woman is missing after being swept away while elsewhere thousands remain stranded by the surge. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said eight military helicopters would help in search, evacuation and resupply missions in the eastern state, where days of heavy rainfall have prompted hundreds of evacuations and dozens of rescues. "The helicopters will be available to assist in rescue operations as required until the immediate crisis has passed," Gillard said in a statement. In the inland Queensland town of Charleville authorities are on alert amid fears a temporary ...
Tens of thousands people are braving the bitter cold at two major rallies in downtown Moscow on Saturday as a power play between champions of political liberalization and supporters of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin continues to unfold. The first demonstration demands fair elections at the March 4 presidential polls, at which Putin is expected to secure a third term in the Kremlin. It also calls on Russians “not to give a single vote” to Putin. The opposition rally is widely seen by analysts as a litmus test of protesters’ ability to maintain momentum after two earlier protests against alleged vote fraud in favor of ...
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday wrapped up a visit to China where she tried to reassure her hosts on the strength of the euro and Europe's ability to overcome its debt crisis. During her three-day trip to the world's second largest economy, Merkel praised the advantages of the single currency and urged China to put pressure on Iran and to condemn Syria at the United Nations. Merkel, who was prevented from meeting journalists and a human rights lawyers, ended her official visit in the southern city of Guangzhou, Xinhua news agency reported. Merkel, who held talks with Premier Wen Jiabao and President ...
Norway’s government has said it wants non-European immigrants to carry residency cards equipped with data chips bearing their fingerprints. In a proposal presented on Friday, the justice ministry said the new identity cards would help tackle illegal immigration. “The residency card system will increase security surrounding residency permit documentation, thereby contributing to the prevention of illegal immigration and illegal residency,” said Justice Minister Grete Faremo (Labour Party) in a statement. The move follows pressure from the European Union to ensure that immigrants from outside the European Economic Area, of which Norway is a member, are provided with residency cards that include fingerprint details. Faremo ...
Greece expects its 2011 budget deficit will be smaller than expected at between 9.1 and 9.4 percent of GDP, thanks to an emergency property tax, a finance ministry official said on Friday, a development that could help Athens in its bailout talks with the EU and IMF. Greece, which is racing to complete talks with the EU and the IMF on a second bailout worth 130 billion euros, had previously estimated that the deficit would be above 9.5 percent of GDP. "The numbers aren't final yet but we believe the deficit will come in at between 9.1 and 9.4 percent (of GDP)," ...
China has rejected Japanese protests over alleged improper exploration of gas deposits in the East China Sea. The Foreign Ministry said Friday the recent activity had taken place within Chinese-controlled waters and was completely normal. A ministry statement said China was strongly dissatisfied with recent comments from Japanese officials. Japan's chief Cabinet secretary on Wednesday said Japan protested to China after a flare was seen a day earlier at a Chinese structure at an undersea gas deposit. The deposit, known as Kashi in Japan and Tianwaitian in China, sits near a median line in the countries' overlapping exclusive economic zones. Japan and China agreed ...
The leader of Russia's Islamist rebels ordered a halt to attacks on civilians, saying mass opposition protests showed the public no longer supported Vladimir Putin, according to a video posted Friday. Doku Umarov, whose Caucasus Emirate group claimed atrocities including a deadly Moscow airport bombing in 2011 and a metro attack in 2010, said from now only security objects and officials would be targeted. "I order all special groups that are carrying out or plan to carry out special operations in Russia to put a halt to these operations that could hurt the peaceful population," Doku Umarov said in a video address ...
China's Premier Wen Jiabao said Friday the Asian giant had neither the ability nor the intention to "buy Europe", amid concerns over growing Chinese investment in debt-stricken eurozone economies. China is "willing to cooperate with Europe to fight the current crisis. Some people say this means China wants to buy Europe", Wen told a German-China business forum in the southern city of Guangzhou. "This a concern and doesn't fit reality. China doesn't have this intention and doesn't have this ability." German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in China for a three-day visit to boost her host's confidence in Europe, also attended the forum along with ...
Energy Secretary Chris Huhne is to resign from the Government after it emerged he is to face prosecution over allegations that he asked his ex-wife to take a speeding penalty for him. The Liberal Democrat MP has been charged with perverting the course of justice after an investigation into the 2003 incident by Essex Police. His former wife, the economist Vicky Pryce is also facing charges of perverting the course of justice. They are due to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court on February 16. The maximum sentence for perverting the course of justice is life in prison, the CPS and the Sentencing ...
Sweden’s finance minister Anders Borg was on Sunday unwilling to rule out that Sweden would assist in underwriting a bailout fund for troubled euro economies. “I would not rule out anything,” Anders Borg told reporters as he arrived for crunch talks in Brussels. “I would be willing to consider any option,” he said when asked if Sweden could help to guarantee borrowings in the EU’s name despite not... [more]
Europe has agreed a 500bn euro (£433bn) emergency package to stabilise the eurozone and stop the panic from the Greece crisis spreading further. It is made up of 440bn euro (£381bn) from eurozone members, and a 60bn euro (£52bn) top up of an existing EU budget fund for helping struggling economies. An additional 250bn euro package has also been offered by the International Monetary Fund. The monster bail-out came after 11 hours of talks... [more]
Today is Monday, May 10, the 130th day of 2010. There are 235 days left in the year. Today’s Highlights in History: On May 10, 1940, during World War II, German forces began invading the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgiumand France. The same day, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain resigned, and Winston Churchillformed a new government. On this date: In 1760, Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, who wrote the French national... [more]
A Dutch report published ahead of a global conference on child labour in The Hague calls for a more comprehensive approach to eradicate the scourge. The report – compiled by the FNV Dutch union federation – is based on research in seven countries. According to the study, the current approach focuses on eradicating the worst excesses of child labour, such as child prostitution, child soldiers and other dangerous work. The FNV... [more]
Hundreds of protesters rallied in Athens on Sunday as the government sought to rein in social tensions while pressing ahead with drastic austerity measures aimed at avoiding a debt default. “I feel angry that my right to dream has been denied and it’s mainly the government’s fault,” said Penny, a 19-year-old student demonstrating on a square in front of the parliament building — the scene of riots last week. Greece... [more]
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said on Sunday that the Pakistani Taliban was behind the attempted Times Square car bombing in New York. “We’ve now developed evidence that show the Pakistani Taliban was behind the attack,” Holder said in an interview on ABC television’s “This Week.” Holder said there was nothing to suggest that the government of Pakistan was aware that Faisal Shahzad, 30, a naturalized... [more]
Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday took part in Moscow ceremonies tomark the end of World War II in Europe. Her invitation by President Dmitry Medvedev is seen as a sign of improving relations between Germany and Russia. Merkel attended the victory parade on Red Square to mark the 65th anniversary of VE Day. The German government described her invitation as a sign of “how important reconciliation is for the Russian hosts.” Russian Prime... [more]
The Palestinians say indirect talks with Israel have officially begun – the first Middle East peace negotiations in 18 months. The discussions are being mediated by the US, and White House envoy George Mitchell will spend the next four months shuttling between the two sides. He will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and will try to narrow their vast differences over the terms... [more]
The block on flights began at 0600 GMT (0800 local time) and was expected to last until at least 1200 GMT. The closure would not affect the airspace in the eastern part of northern Italy and the airports of Venice, Trieste and Rimini would remain open, ENAC said. A bulletin issued on Sunday by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre said the ash was expected to stay over Italy until Sunday evening. Several Spanish airports in northern Spain including... [more]
The quake struck at a depth of 18 miles, southwest of Meulaboh district at just before 6am (GMT). “A destructive widespread tsunami threat does not exist based on historical earthquake and tsunami data,” a spokesman for the United States Geological Survey said. “However there is the possibility of a local tsunami that could affect coasts located usually no more than a hundred kilometers from the earthquake epicentre.” It... [more]
