Friday, 6 May 2016

Germany expects Turkey to stick to EU migrant deal after PM resignation

Germany expects Turkey to uphold its agreement with the European Union on curbing migration to the bloc despite the departure of the Turkish prime minister who struck the deal, a German government spokesman said on Friday.
Ahmet Davutoglu announced on Thursday he was stepping down as leader of Turkey's ruling AK Party and therefore as prime minister, raising questions about the migrant deal with the EU.
"The chancellor (Angela Merkel) has worked very well with Turkish Prime Minister Davutoglu and all Turkish officials, and we expect this good and constructive cooperation to continue with a new Turkish prime minister," deputy German government spokesman Georg Streiter said.
"We will fulfill our commitments and expect that Turkey will also fulfill its commitments. It is not an agreement between the EU and Mr Davutoglu, but rather an agreement between the EU and Turkey," Streiter told a regular government news conference.
(Reporting by Paul Carrel; Editing by Gareth Jones)a

Greeks strike as new tax, pension reforms loom

Greeks started a 48-hour nationwide strike on Friday in anger at tax and pension reforms pursued by the indebted nation to qualify for more of a multi-billion euro bailout it signed up to last year.
Called by the largest private and public sector unions, the strike left ships docked at port, disrupted public transport and kept civil servants and journalists off the job.
Greece's largest labor union, the private sector GSEE, said the reforms, now pending approval in parliament, were the "last nail on the coffin" for workers and pensioners who have sacrificed enough after six years of austerity.
"They are trying to prove to the Eurogroup that they are good students but they are destroying Greece's social security system," a GSEE official said, referring to euro zone finance ministers who are due to meet on Monday.
Athens hopes the measures, due to be voted on in parliament on Sunday, will help persuade creditors to approve the release of bailout cash.
A tranche of about 5 billion euros is overdue, after talks faltered over the pace of reforms. The Eurogroup is expected to discuss the stalemate on May 9.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, elected last year on an initial anti-austerity pledge but who was later forced to sign up to Greece's third international bailout since 2010, has a thin majority with 153 lawmakers in a 300-seat parliament.
Greece needs the bailout funds to pay IMF loans, ECB bonds maturing in July and growing state arrears, subject to lenders signing off on a review in its reform progress that includes changes to its tax and pension laws.
The proposed legislation would raise social security contributions, increase income tax for high earners and introduce a new national pension. It would also gradually phase out a top-up pension for low income earners.
Worn by years of austerity, Greeks fear that the new reforms will push the country further to the brink.
"We don't have food to eat and nobody asks us how we are," said shopkeeper Anna Papadopoulou, 74, who wept as she spoke.
Asked what she wanted to tell the Greek government, she said: "Wake up. We are dying."
(Writing by Michele Kambas; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Philippine presidential candidate Poe not withdrawing from election

Philippine presidential candidate Grace Poe said on Friday she will not withdraw from the election race but she was open to holding dialogue with one of her rivals, former interior minister Manuel Roxas.
Outgoing President Benigno Aquino said he was helping his chosen successor, Roxas, work with rival candidates and team up to stop frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte from winning Monday's election.
"I am not withdrawing from the fight," Poe said in a radio interview.
"We have been through a lot and what we carry here are the dreams and hopes of our countrymen that should not be compromised."
(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Robert Birsel)

Podemos seen losing support ahead of Spanish election repeat: survey

Spain's anti-austerity party Podemos is seen losing support ahead of a general election repeat on June 26, a closely-watched official survey showed on Friday, although the vote will remain highly fragmented and likely result in a new hung parliament.
Podemos would capture 17.7 percent of the votes against 20.6 percent in the December election, while the conservative People's Party of acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy would win the ballot with 27.4 percent, down from 28.7 percent.
The Socialists would place second with 21.6 percent, also down from 22.01 percent, and liberal Ciudadanos would come in fourth place with 15.6 percent, up from 13.93 percent.
(Reporting by Julien Toyer; Editing by Paul Day)

Kazakh agriculture minister Mamytbekov tenders resignation

Kazakhstan's agriculture minister, Asylzhan Mamytbekov, tendered his resignation on Friday, a spokesman for the ministry said, after being reprimanded by President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Nazarbayev on Thursday criticized his government for failing to explain to the public a planned land reform which triggered a wave of protests. Economy minister Yerbolat Dosayev has already resigned over the issue.
(Reporting by Raushan Nurshayeva; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Jack Stubbs)

Trump's taco tweet baffles, riles social media users

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