World News from the BBC
Tunisian police have used tear gas and batons to disperse hundreds of demonstrators in the capital Tunis. The demonstrators were calling for the resignation of the government and protesting against what they saw as the heavy-handed response of the police to other demonstrations in recent days. An
overnight
curfew has been declared in and around the capital. Meanwhile, a Tunisian court has sentenced Imed Trabelsi, a nephew of the wife of ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, to two years in jail for drug use.
The BBC has learnt that the European Commission is willing to cut the interest rate on the emergency loans made to the Irish Republic last year. If agreed by fellow EU member states, the reduction could save $570m a year. Here's our business correspondent Joe Lynam.
Last November, Ireland agreed emergency funding from EU buddies and the IMF worth $100bn at an average rate of 5.8%.
That was widely felt to be
excessive
by Irish voters, who elected a new government in February with a strong mandate to re-negotiate the terms. What Ireland must give up
in return
, though, is unclear.
The new coalition in Dublin has consistently said that its 12.5% corporation tax rate would not be raised, despite French and German demands to do so.
The governing party in Singapore has won
all but
six seats in Saturday's elections for parliament, but the opposition has described its advances as a political landmark. The People's Action Party, which have been in power for more than 40 years, won 81 out of 87 seats. Among those who lost their seats is Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo.