G20 summit in greece
World leaders met at the G20 summit on Monday to discuss Europe’s debt crisis.
A victory for pro-bailout parties in a Greek vote reduced the chances of a euro breakup but failed to calm financial markets, Reuters said.
In a draft prepared for the summit in Mexico City, Europe would take “all necessary policy measures” to resolve its crisis and the group of 20 leaders looked forward to the euro zone working with a new Greek government to keep it on a reform path and in the currency bloc.
Talks centered on the financial crisis in Greece, Spain, Italy and other European economies, The Associated Press said.
Financing the Spanish government would likely be too expensive for the eurozone bailout funds to handle. Spain’s $1.39 trillion economy is larger than those of Greece, Ireland and Portugal combined, the AP said.
“What happened in Greece is good news,” Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said. “The Greek citizens have done the right thing. The European Union is going to help Greece, because the European Union is and must be a joint project that seeks the well-being and the material improvement of all European citizens.”
Ishaq Siddiqi, market strategist with ETX Capital, said the trouble continues because no comprehensive solution for the crisis in Europe has been found yet. A lot of work has to be done for investors’ confidence to return, he said.
President Barack Obama requested a meeting with European leaders after the Greek vote, underscoring the concern in Washington that the euro crisis could deepen, Reuters said.
Obama also planned to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Mekel, whose country plays a key role in brokering a solution to the crisis.
Norwood Teague in his first day as AD
The Gophers football team is getting a lot of love from new Athletic Director Norwood Teague.
Teague has made it clear he wants to focus on football. Monday marks his first official day as AD because he wants to move into his new office earlier than the original July 1 date to give him more time before football practice begins, the Pioneer Press said.
“If football is successful, it can drive the engine to help everybody else,” Teague said. “It’s got to be a tremendous priority.”
The former AD at Virginia Commonwealth said the team has assets in coach Jerry Kill and TCF Bank Stadium.
Focusing on football would put some other needs on the backburner, the Press said. Tubby Smith’s contract extension may be one of those issues, and Teague said he is confident a deal will be finished soon.
Teague said he doesn’t want to rush into decisions before thoroughly evaluating everything, the Star Tribune said.
“I can’t assume too much right now,” he said. “I think when you make decisions too early – big decisions – you make mistakes. We’re all impatient, we all want to get there yesterday, but really my two initiatives right away are to evaluate and listen.”
Smith said he understands Teague’s decision to build the football program instead of raising funds for a new basketball practice facility.
“I’m sure Kill has a list of things that he feels that they have to overcome and things they have to get done to compete in the Big Ten and get to bowl games,” Smith said. “All his needs and his resources need to be addressed.”
Zimmerman trial
The former neighborhood watch volunteer who killed Trayvon Martin told his wife to buy bulletproof vests for them and for his attorney, according to jailhouse calls Monday.
“As uncomfortable as it is, I want you wearing one,” George Zimmerman said to his wife. Zimmerman wore a bulletproof vest when he left jail after posting bond, The Associated Press said. His attorney, Mark O’Mara, reported getting death threats.
Also included in the calls released by prosecutors is Zimmerman telling his wife to transfer money from bank accounts, which could play a role in his second bond hearing next week, the AP said.
Zimmerman was released on $150,000 bond in April, soon after the calls took place, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said. At his bond hearing, his wife, Shellie, testified she did not know how much money had been raised from a website created for his legal defense.
Prosecutors say the calls show George and Shellie Zimmerman knew that roughly $135,000 had been raised by the site. Shellie Zimmerman was arrested last week on a charge of making a false statement.
Prosecutors wanted to release 151 of Zimmerman’s jailhouse calls, but O’Mara objected. A hearing over their release is set at the same time as Zimmerman’s bond hearing next week.