12.00 News in brief

A Eurogroup meeting is underway in Helsinki. Finance Minister Christos Staikouras will discuss a request for an early repayment of part of the country’s outstanding loans to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and will discuss Greece’s draft budget.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Staikouras will hold οne-on-one talks with Eurogroup head Mario Centeno and European Stability Mechanism chief, Klaus Reggling.

The International Monetary Fund agrees with the opinion expressed by Christine Lagarde in the European Parliament concerning the need to review the high primary surplus targets for Greece, IMF spokesperson Gerry Rice said on Thursday. This view reflects the IMF’s standing position on this issue in recent years, he added.

European Central Bank head Mario Draghi announced a fresh stimulus package in an attempt to prevent the fragile eurozone economy from grinding to a halt, with an interest rate cut, by 10 percentage points.

The scheme of repaying debts towards Municipalities, in 120 instalments, has been extended until December 31st.

Alexis Tsipras travels to Thessaloniki today for the 84th Thessaloniki International Fair. Tomorrow he will address the public at the Velideio conference center. Dimitris Koutsoubas, the general secretary of the Communist Party, is also in Thessaloniki today, to address the 45th KNE youth festival.

Sea routes to the Cycladic islands are experiencing trouble, due to strong winds blowing at sea. All travelers should contact ports before departing.

The DUP leader has refuted reports in the Times that the party is prepared to abide by some European rules after Brexit.

The newspaper said the DUP had agreed «to shift its red lines» as part of a new deal to replace the backstop.

Cloudy in Attica today with the temperature expected to reach a high of 30 degrees Celsius.

More news in brief at 1 o’clock.