IN BRIEF (Page 13)

Greek PM says situation grave

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said the nation's survival was at stake in talks to win a potential $159 billion European Union-led bailout that included budget cuts denounced by unions as "savage".

"Now, today, immediately, what is at stake is the survival of the nation," Papandreou told parliament. He said that talks with the EU and International Monetary Fund were "tough".