World News from the BBC
The Portuguese government says it does not agree with Friday’s ruling by the country’s highest court that some cuts in public sector pay proposed in its austerity
budget
are unconstitutional. However, it’s said it would respect the court’s decision. Allison Roberts reports
After an
extraordinary
cabinet meeting on Saturday, Portugal’s government said Friday’s court ruling created serious difficulties from meeting budget targets agreed with international lenders. The ruling struck down more than a billion Euros in spending cuts as unfair to public sector workers and pensioners. The government said it respected the judges but they’d failed to take into accounts steps taken by the government to make its austerity measures fair to all citizens.
Following an emergency meeting of the cabinet, the Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho met the President Anibal Cavaco Silva to discuss the next steps forward.
Gunmen in central Mozambique have killed at least two people during an attack on a bus and a truck near the town of Muxungue. The ambush came two days after militiamen loyal to the opposition party Renamo killed four policemen in Muxungue in an attempt to free several people who had been arrested. A Renamo spokesman denied his group was involved in the attack on the two vehicles.
The rebel leader who seized power in the Central African Republic two weeks ago Michel Djotodia has created the new body to select an interim president. In a decree, Mr. Djotodia who says he himself will remain eligible for selection said the interim president would run the country until elections are held within 18 months.