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 ...
Kelly Osbourne’s stint in vaudeville has proved a hit in Hollywood – the reality TV star has been promoted to creative director of Beacher’s Madhouse. Earlier this year, Ozzy Osbourne’s daughter was brought in to replace David Arquette as the celebrity adviser behind showman Jeff Beacher’s wacky new show at the Roosevelt Hotel, after the Scream actor stepped down to focus on his sobriety battle. And Osbourne... [more]
Amy Winehouse’s ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil is to become a first-time father, according to his mum Georgette. Fielder-Civil, who was married to the singer for two years before they divorced in 2009, is said to be expecting a baby with his girlfriend Sarah Aspin at the end of the month. But the 28 year old’s mother is convinced her son is not prepared for fatherhood because he is living on welfare payments and allegedly struggling... [more]
When Britain’s Prince William weds Kate Middleton on Friday, a dozen dedicated royal watchers in Denver, Colorado, will be woken up at 3:45 am to watch the nuptials on television in a hotel room. For this, they will have paid $329 (225 euros). At the Ritz Carlton in Washington, 15 royal wedding overnight packages have been booked so far at $429 a room, and more than 200 guests have reserved seats at the $40 royal wedding-watch breakfast... [more]
Robin Gibb has been given a boost following his recent health scare after raising £5.6 million to build a war memorial in London. The Bee Gees legend has been recovering at home since he was hospitalised with abdominal pains earlier this month. But he had extra reason to celebrate on Easter Sunday after learning the funds needed to construct a memorial for bomber plane crews have been obtained. He says, “I’m over the moon after... [more]
TV star Katie Price has told of her terror after she narrowly escaped serious injury when her car crashed into two horses on Sunday. Price was riding in a 4×4 vehicle with her boyfriend Leandro Penna when a pair of stallions jumped a fence and galloped into their path on a remote country road in Argentina. The horses were killed while Price and Penna, who was behind the wheel, both suffered severe whiplash and cuts. The former glamour... [more]
Keira Knightley walked down the aisle on Sunday as a bridesmaid at her brother’s wedding. The Pirates of the Caribbean star got into the celebration spirit less than a week before the Royal Wedding on Friday to watch her older brother Caleb marry his designer fiancee Kerry Nixon. The actress donned a purple bridesmaid dress and held a pink and white bouquet for the ceremony at Pollokshields Burgh Hall in Glasgow, Scotland. The groomsmen... [more]
Campaigners will deliver an early wedding card to Prince William and Kate Middleton calling on them to back a change in the law allowing marriage for same-sex couples. The giant card, containing their request and a message of best wishes, will be presented outside the gates of Buckingham Palace by supporters of the Equal Love campaign. The wording of the card will read: “Congratulations William and Kate on your Wedding Day. We wish... [more]
Over one thousand protesters in Hong Kong took to the streets to demand the release of detained Chinese artist and human rights activist Ai Weiwei on Saturday, scuffling briefly with police. The rally — the largest in a string of protests across the city in recent weeks — has underscored Hong Kong’s growing role as a hotbed of support for Ai with local pro-democracy activists and artists ratcheting up pressure on Beijing... [more]
Lindsay Lohan has been released on bail just hours after being jailed for violating her probation on a drunk driving conviction dating back four years. The actress was sentenced to 120 days in prison and 480 hours community service at the end of a preliminary hearing on a jewellery theft charge. However, according to the sheriff department’s website she was freed from custody on $75,000 bail on Friday night. A judge in Los Angeles... [more]
Lindsay Lohan was back in jail on Friday after a rollercoaster day in which a judge downgraded her jewellery theft charge, but sentenced the actress to four months behind bars for violating her probation. Looking confused and distressed, Lohan — who was locked up for two weeks last summer — was taken immediately to jail from court after a day-long preliminary hearing on charges that she stole a $2,500 (1,500 pound) gold necklace... [more]
