BBC News
European Union leaders have begun a summit in Brussels that will be
dominate
d by the Greek debt crisis. Ahead of the meeting, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany said the Greek opposition must get behind the government's austerity measures, a precondition for releasing blocked loans to Greece. The Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, who heads the eurozone finance ministers, said there was no alternative to Greece cutting spending and raising taxes.
"All conditions must be met. When you want all conditions to be met, you can't let anyone believe there is a plan B. There isn't a plan B. If Greece does what it has to do, we will do what we have to do. This is not a threat. It's just a confirmation that we are continuing our efforts."
President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal has completely withdrawn proposals for constitutional reform in the face of widespread protests. President Wade first gave up plans to reduce to 25% the minimum percentage score needed to win the first round of next year's presidential election. As riot police battled protesters outside parliament in Dakar, he then agreed to abandon plans to create a new post of vice president.
A report containing leaked US embassy cables suggests that both the king of Thailand and the country's crown prince are suffering from health problems. The documents quote American diplomats as saying Thailand will face a moment of truth when King Bhumibol dies and that a succession crisis is inevitable. The documents have been leaked just 10 days before a general election in Thailand.