In Germany, the finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has completed an outspoken week with a flourish.
Speaking to German daily Handelsblatt, in an interview published this morning, Mr Schaeuble revisited talk of a third bail-out for Greece, following on from his surprise admission about the prospect earlier this week. Today, he added that, while Greece is likely to need another rescue package, that the sums involved will not be as high as the earlier deals, which totaled €240bn. He's also insisted that Greece will not get another debt haircut.
We have held out the prospect of further aid, on condition that the government in Athens meet its agreed commitments and on the expectation the sums involved will be much smaller than before.
I don't want to be accused, after the election, of not having said the truth before the election.
I'm happy that the broad public is aware of what I've been saying for a long time, that we'll have to look next year at further measures for Greece.
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David Cameron's reaction to the defeat
Here is what David Cameron said to Ed Milband. Miliband asked for an assurance that Cameron would not use the royal perogative to launch an attack on Syria (ie, without consulting parliament) and that instead he would only launch an attack following a Commons vote.
I can give that assurance. Let me say, the House has not voted for either motion tonight. I strongly believe in the need for a tough response to the use of chemical weapons, but I also believe in respecting the will of this House of Commons. It is very clear tonight that, while the House has not passed a motion, it is clear to me that the British parliament, reflecting the views of the British people, does not want to see British military action. I get that and the government will act accordingly.
10.35pm BST
Snap summary
To recap - here are the main points.
• MPs have voted down a government attempt to secure provisional authorisation for military intervention in Syria.
• David Cameron has said he will respect the decision, and not order an attack.
David Cameron's reaction to the defeat
Here is what David Cameron said to Ed Milband. Miliband asked for an assurance that Cameron would not use the royal perogative to launch an attack on Syria (ie, without consulting parliament) and that instead he would only launch an attack following a Commons vote.
I can give that assurance. Let me say, the House has not voted for either motion tonight. I strongly believe in the need for a tough response to the use of chemical weapons, but I also believe in respecting the will of this House of Commons. It is very clear tonight that, while the House has not passed a motion, it is clear to me that the British parliament, reflecting the views of the British people, does not want to see British military action. I get that and the government will act accordingly.
10.35pm BST
Snap summary
To recap - here are the main points.
• MPs have voted down a government attempt to secure provisional authorisation for military intervention in Syria.
• David Cameron has said he will respect the decision, and not order an attack.
22.30 BREAKING: The Government has been defeated on the Syria motion, by 285 to 272.
It makes any British action on Syria highly unlikely. Ed Miliband asks will he confirm he will not use the Royal Prerogative to take action.
The PM responds: I can give that assurance. He says the House has not voted for either motion. "I believe in respecting the Will of this House of Commons." He says it is clear Parliament does not want military action in Syria. "I get that and the Government will act accordingly."
LONDON — The British Parliament on Thursday narrowly voted against military action int Syria, forcing the United States to perhaps go it alone if it chooses to strike Syria over a recent chemical attack that killed hundreds of people.
David Cameron said it was clear the Parliament does not want action and "I will act accordingly," according to the BBC.
In an interview on the BBC, British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond said the 285-272 vote ruled out any military intervention by the United Kingdom.
The votes came on a day that the Obama administration postponed disclosure of the intelligence that led it to conclude the regime of Bashar Assad was to blame for the Aug. 21 chemical attack that killed hundreds of people in a region north of Damascus. The British government released its intelligence findings Thursday.
The president would be willing to retaliate against Syria on his own, without an international coalition, a spokesman said following the vote in London.
Portugal's highest court has ruled that the government's plan to make it easier to sack public servants is unconstitutional.
The court said the measures contravened state job safety guarantees.
It is a set-back for Portugal's policy of reducing government spending in the wake of an international bailout.
The government has promised creditors a big reduction in its budget deficit. Other austerity measures have already been rejected by the same court.
The bill was seen as important because of its potential longer-term structural effect on spending cuts, Reuters news agency reports.
However, the proposals would have had a relatively low direct impact on the 2014 budget.
The government of Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho wants to cut 30,000 public jobs from a pool of 500,000, saving 4.7bn euros ($6.2bn) by the end of next year.
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