German-Greek phone call row

A GREEK-German row broke out after Greece's spokesman said Angela Merkel raised the idea of Athens holding a referendum about its eurozone membership, which Berlin denied.

The confusion arose after a telephone call between Chancellor Merkel and Greek President Karolos Papoulias.

Greece's spokesman Dimitris Tsiodras said after the call that Merkel raised the idea of a referendum. A German spokesman rejected this.

Addict mugged pregnant lady

A DRUG addict who mugged a pregnant woman, took a car and robbed three other people has been jailed for three years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Kenneth O'Callaghan (37) of Cherrywood Grove, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to a handbag robbery at Price's Lane, Dublin on November 9, 2009. He also pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a car on April 16, 2011 at Neilstown Road, Clondalkin, and to robbery of an MP3 player and two handbags in Clondalkin on June 16, 2010.

Five dead in market bombs

THREE bombs struck at a busy bird market in Baghdad, killing five people and wounding dozens.

Two police officials said the bird market in the Shiite neighbourhood of Sadr City was crowded with shoppers when the bombs exploded at around 7am. At least 37 people were hurt, officials said.

New York flat goes for $90m

A PENTHOUSE at a new tower in Manhattan sold for more than $90m (¤70m), setting a record for a single residence in the borough.

The 11,000-sqft unit at the building known as One57, sold at more than $8,000 (¤6,200) a square foot.