Creditor officials and Greek authorities have begun talks intended to unlock bailout funds, as some euro-area central bankers were said to raise opposition to the prospect of additional emergency cash for the country's banks.

ECB staff have presented policymakers with models for buying as much as €500bn of investment-grade assets.

The market research people would struggle to find the demographic that Keith Farnan is aiming for with his latest comedy show, but that’s kind of how he likes it. The show is an exploration of feminism entitled ‘How much is that woman in the window?’.

The IMF and EU appear to have ironed out their differences over Greece’s bailout and releasing the long-delayed latest instalment to Athens.

Irish finance officials have been told to come up with a contingency plan in case Greece exits the eurozone, according to diplomats.

Greece's Central Bank has said economic decline in the country this year will be even steeper than the 5% contraction predicted at the start of 2012.

The Greek Parliament today approved a massive bond swap that will wipe €107bn off the country’s privately held debt.

A deal between Greece and the rest of the eurozone to secure a second massive bailout for the debt-laden country was finally delivered today – but analysts warned the “crisis marathon is not over”.

Eurozone governments finally came to the rescue of Greece today, approving a second massive bailout after months of wrangling and a last round of more than 12 hours of talks in Brussels.

Greek MPs have begun debating legislation introducing severe austerity measures necessary for the country to secure a €130bn bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund and stave off bankruptcy.

GREECE sent senior officials to Washington yesterday for meetings with the International Monetary Fund as it raced against the clock to break a deadlock in debt swap talks that has raised fears of an unruly default.

The new Greek government is to present a fresh austerity budget for approval in parliament this morning.

GREEK party leaders laboured yesterday to agree on a new prime minister, with the nation and the EU clamouring for a deal on a unity coalition to save the country’s finances and end the chaos threatening the euro.

Greek’s parliament has passed a deeply resented austerity Bill that has led to violent protests on the streets of Athens, despite some dissent from one Socialist politician.

MORTGAGE arrears at KBC bank’s Irish operations are continuing to accelerate, as it warns of tough times ahead in Ireland.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy’s office said today he and German chancellor Angela Merkel had overcome differences and agreed on a common position before the emergency European debt crisis summit.

THE Greek parliament approved an austerity deal yesterday but the country was wracked with violent protests. It was reported that 38 police and 51 protesters had been injured.

FRANCE yesterday offered a radical solution for banks to roll over holdings of Greek debt for 30 years as the Greek government fought to get backbench rebels to support a crucial austerity plan to avert bankruptcy.

Chinese prime minister Wen Jiabao has offered his country’s support for Europe and its common currency amid the eurozone’s debt crisis.

THE Government will seek to impose significant losses on the senior unguaranteed bondholders in Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society, Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said.

IRELAND will almost certainly have to wait at least another month before getting a cut in the interest rate it pays on its EU/IMF loan, according to EU and government sources.

ONE German, two Portuguese and a number of Spanish banks are expected to fail the EU’s stress test, with Allied Irish Bank being given a conditional pass according to official hints.

US stocks tumbled yesterday and the dollar and Treasuries rose as credit-rating downgrades of Greece and Portugal fuelled concern that debt-laden nations are moving closer to default.

Greece was urged today to do more to restore its crisis-hit economy if it wants to qualify for a bail-out from other EU countries.

EU leaders including Taoiseach Brian Cowen will consider bailing out Greece today in a move to restore global confidence in the single currency.

Cyprus’ insistence that the EU pressure on Turkey towards establishing relations with the divided island’s government today threatened to derail Ankara’s first detailed negotiations to join the EU before they could begin.

A murder suspect who escaped from a police van after allegedly killing two officers was found dead in northern Greece today after a massive manhunt, authorities said.

IT is with deep regret that the peaceful reunification of Cyprus does not proceed in accordance with the UN proposals for a final settlement.

A Co Roscommon man who has been in a Greek jail for the past five months was today acquitted and is due for release this afternoon.

Twelve Britons are expected to appear in a Greek court tomorrow on spying charges.

The pope arrived in Greece today for a personal pilgrimage with much wider implications: trying to heal nearly 1,000 years of discord between the Vatican and Orthodox churches.