Hello, I’m Neil Nunes with the BBC News.
The European Central Bank has increased its financial lifeline to Greek banks by 900 million euros as the Greek Parliament prepares to debate further economic reforms. The Parliament needs to approve major changes to the banking and judicial sectors before talks with Greece’s creditors can begin on a new 86 billion euro deal. Andrew Walker reports.
As customers have drained their accounts, the Greek banks have become increasingly dependent on emergency lending. It’s provided by the National Central Bank up to a limit set by the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. The additional 900 million euros will help the banks meet customers’ continued demand for cash which they can withdraw subject to a weekly limit. The country’s financial system is still far from back to normal with restrictions on transfers of funds abroad, a particular problem for businesses with foreign suppliers.
A Kurdish militant movement, the PKK, says it carried out the murder of 2 Turkish policemen in a town on the border with Syria in revenge for a suicide bomb attack on Monday that killed 32 young activists. The PKK accused the officers of working with the Islamic State Jihadists, who have been blamed for the bombing. Jim Muir reports from Turkey.
The PKK attack is an ominous development. It threatens to aggravate further already rising tensions between the Turkish government and the country’s large Kurdish minority. Since the bomb attack in Suruc on Monday, there have been angry demonstrations by Kurdish or pro-Kurdish protesters. They accused President Erdogan and his party of collaborating with the self-styled Islamic State against the Kurds in northern Syria, something the Turkish authorities strongly deny. More demonstrations are planned with the potential for further clashes.
US police investigating the death of a black woman in Texas have denied editing video footage of her arrest. The case of Sandra Bland is the latest to put a strain on relations between police and the black community. A dashboard recording shows a white officer stopping her for a minor driving offence. There’s a heated argument. The dispute escalates. She’s taken into custody where she died 3 days later. The coroner said she hanged herself. Her family has demanded an independent investigation. Our correspondent Gary O’Donoghue says the police insist they did not tamper with the dashboard video.
In the video, there are several points when the picture appears to have been edited. A truck driver gets out off his cab and walks away, then reappears in the same position shortly afterwards. There are also questions about a white car, which appears to jump in the frame. In response to criticisms about the recording, the Texas Department for Public Safety said the video was not edited or manipulated, but admitted glitches arose when it was uploaded for public viewing. The authorities say they will reassure the footage. Gary O’Donoghue.
World News from the BBC.
Research has indicated that an experimental drug can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s, a disease that affects tens of millions of people worldwide. Data from the pharmaceutical company Eli Lily suggests its Solanezumab drug can cut the rate of dementia’s progression by about a third if given to patients early enough. Our health correspondent James Gallagher explains why the test is so significant.
The reason is important is because at the moment there are no drugs whatsoever which can slow the pace of brain decline in Alzheimer’s disease. There are certain medications out there that patients will take and what they do is they temporarily boost cognitive functions, so they help the brain cope with this decline but they don’t halt the decline. This is the first hint of a drug that could do that.
A Frenchman who was subjected to racist chants and pushed off a train on the Paris metro has called for the Chelsea football fans who abused him to be extradited to France to stand a trial. Souleymane Sylla was speaking after 4 fans including a human rights activist and former policeman were banned from attending football matches for up to 5 years by a court and for life by Chelsea. The judge in London said they had damaged the reputation of English football in Europe. In a BBC interview, Mr. Sylla described how the incident had affected him.
My life has been shaken up. I’m on medication. I’m traumatized. Not only me, but my children are traumatized too. Because of them, I no longer work. Because of them insulting me in the train, my life has been turned upside down.
The United Arab Emirates has announced that it’s abolishing fuel subsidies. Citizens of the oil rich nation will no longer be able to enjoy fuel prices well below market value. The government said it wanted to reduce fuel consumption and to protect the environment.