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Breakthrough in Greek political deadlock
The Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and the opposition leader Antonis Samaras have agreed on a new coalition government in principle.?�Who will lead it will be decided on Monday but it will not be Papandreou according to a statement issued following crisis talks on Sunday evening.?�Those were prompted by a 24-hour deadline issued by the European Union to Greece to put together a national unity government in order to qualify for the next instalment of a bailout fund.?�Papandreou’s position?�had looked untenable from the moment he said he would call a referendum on that deal.?�It was also decided there would not be early elections until the rescue package was in place.?�?�The EU had told Greece it needed to reach a deal by Monday afternoon when the next tranche of aid will be discussed at a meeting of EU finance ministers.?�International Monetary Fund chief, Christine Lagarde, also said this weekend political stability was needed in Greece before lenders would provide more loans.?�Unless it can secure more funding, the Greek government is set to run out of cash by the middle of December.?�?�?�?�

Rome Film Festival: Rampling and Scott Thomas
Kristin Scott Thomas was at the Rome Film Festival for the premiere of her latest film, The Woman in the Fifth. It is about an American writer, played by Ethan Hawkes, who goes to Paris to try to win back his wife and daughter but ends up meeting a beautiful but mysterious stranger.

Sarkozy reportedly cannot bear ‘liar’ Netanyahu
French President Nicolas Sarkozy called the Israeli Prime Minister ‘a liar’ during the G20 summit in Cannes. The remark about Benjamin Netanyahu was made in private to US President Barack Obama, but overheard by journalists as the leaders did not realise that microphones were switched on. Sarkozy said he ‘could not bear’ Netanyahu, and Obama replied that even though Sarkozy was fed up, he himself still had to deal with Netanyahu more often. The remarks were not reported at the time because they were considered to be off-the-record, but they have since made it to media around the world. It is not clear exactly why Sarkozy criticised Netanyahu. However, European diplomats have expressed anger at Israel’s plans for large-scale settlements and largely blamed the country for the deterioration in peace talks.

Greek PM seeks coalition but faces calls to resign
The Greek Prime Minister has begun his attempt to form a broad coalition government after winning a crucial confidence vote in parliament.?�George Papandreou has had talks with the country??�s president, afterwards telling reporters that negotiations will “begin soon”.?�But he did not say if he would remain in his job, after hinting that he was prepared to step down as Greece struggles to deal with its worsening debt crisis.?�However, the country’s main opposition leader has repeated his demand that George Papandreou resign and snap elections be called.?�Antonis Samaras?�says he would then accept a coalition that can deal with the debt crisis until elections can be called. ?�But what do people think about the idea of a grand coalition??�?�One Athens resident said: ???Why cooperate? The Socialists have sunk to the bottom. Should Samaras (the main opposition leader) sink to the bottom with the rest of them? Would you ever work with someone who hates you. That is stupid.????�A man said: ???The finance minister went in and negotiated and now the country will go bankrupt. How can I be optimistic? They have no idea what they??�re doing. They should all be hung.????�Papandreou says a lack of consensus on Greece??�s financial bailout will ???worry the country??�s European partners about Greek membership of the euro zone???.?�?�?�

Success as China passes its first space docking test
China has successfully carried out its first docking exercise between two unmanned spacecraft.The Shenzhou-8 joined the Tiangong-1space lab module 350 kilometres above Earth. The manoeuvre was carried live on Chinese television.

UN intervenes to stop violence before Liberia election
Up to four people have been killed in clashes with police ahead of Tuesday’s presidential election in Liberia. Supporters of the main rival to the incumbent, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, claim security forces attacked them, leaving four people dead – though this figure cannot be confirmed. UN peacekeepers did drive back police, who fired tear gas and live ammunition before storming the challenger’s party headquarters. This marks another day of violence in the capital Monrovia, before the November 8 run-off. However, CDC candidate Winston Tubman says he will boycott Tuesday’s vote, due to allegations of electoral fraud in the first round. The October ballot has been internationally recognised as free and fair. Incumbent president Johnson-Sirleaf remains the favourite. The Nobel prize winner won the first round with nearly 44 per cent of the vote and has since persuaded the third place candidate to support her.

Thorpe fails to shine
Five-times Olympic champion Ian Thorpe made a low-key return to competitive swimming with a disappointing seventh place finish in the 100m individual medley final in Singapore on Friday. The 29 year old, bidding to reach a third Olympics next year, was unable to keep pace and finished more than three seconds adrift of winner Chad le Clos. Thorpe, who walked away from the sport at the age of 24, will also swim the 100m butterfly on the second and final day of competition on Saturday.

Obama and Sarkozy seek common ground at G20
Solving Europe’s financial crisis is the most important task facing G20 leaders meeting in Cannes, according to Barack Obama. Like his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy, the US leader is facing a presidential election next year. Both are keen to work together, with Sarkozy indicating, for example, progress in his push for a financial transaction tax. “I would like to pay tribute to President Obama’s understanding of issues, including a financial transaction tax, where we compared our points of view,” Sarkozy told a joint press conference at the French Riviera resort. “I think we have a common analysis on how to get the world of finance to contribute to resolving today’s crisis.” Our correspondent in Cannes, Stefan Grobe, says: “Obama arrived with a smile and the demand that Europe and Greece do their homework, since the impact of the crisis is hitting the US economy more and more. Apart from that, Obama has not much to offer. He has massive problems at home and a Congress that is anything but cooperative now that the election campain is about to start. Nevertheless, Europeans and Americans have no choice but to succeed – otherwise the debt crisis will turn increasingly into a global economic crisis.” Also read: Debt crisis ‘worst since WWII’ says Trichet Papandreou punt turns drama into crisis Europe’s trillion euro debt plan

Berlusconi to resign, says elections “only solution”
Tuesday was one of the longest days in Silvio Berlusconi’s 17 years in power. He went into it locked in a struggle with rebels in his own party who he tried to force to vote for a vital state finance bill, but when the vote came they ignored his threats and promises of rewards, and abstained. The opposition also failed to vote, leaving Berlusconi with a 308 votes to none victory, but eight votes short of an absolute majority. He will resign once the financial laws are adopted. “If you still have any sense of responsability faced with the Italian people, resign right now. We’ll do our job for the Country,” said opposition leader Pierluigi Bersani. Berlusconi said tonight he would resign once the austerity measures Italy needs to make to satisfy the EU have been passed in parliament, and he will submit the financial package to a vote of confidence by mid-November. A photographer snapped his debate notes – they read “8 traitors”, followed by the word “resign”, and then the cryptic “one solution”. It is an ignominious end to a political era that has seen Italy dazzled and repulsed in equal measure by Berlusconi’s larger-than-life personality. At 75 there is surely no way back for him now, and judges up and down the land may be relishing the chance to at last nail him on one of the many corruption cases he has to face, but has avoided while in office.

Papademos “named” as new Greek PM
There is no word officially but multiple sources are saying Lucas Papademos – former deputy head of the European Central Bank and the man who oversaw the switch from drachma to euro – has been chosen as new Greek prime minister. The decision is believed to have been taken following an emergency cabinet session this morning. The other name that was being touted was Evangelos Venizelos, but many want him to continue in his current role as finance minister. Judging by newspaper headlines on Tuesday morning, the country is losing patience with the drawn-out demise of George Paparndreou’s government. Despite pressure from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, there has been little progress since Sunday night, when Papandreou and the opposition leader agreed a coalition should be formed.