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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Greece’s Tsipras fends off party’s bailout resistance

From Wire Reports

ATHENS, Greece – Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has defeated a bid by dissenters in his left-wing Syriza Party to push for an end to bailout talks and an exit from the euro currency.

Syriza’s governing central committee early today backed a proposal by Tsipras to hold an emergency party conference in September, after the talks have been concluded.

Dissenters had sought a conference earlier, pressing the government to abandon ongoing negotiations with rescue lenders.

The decision followed a dramatic 12-hour meeting by the 200-member central committee, during which party rebels appealed for Greece to return to its national currency, the drachma.

Tsipras effectively lost his majority in parliament in a vote three weeks ago, when nearly one-fourth of Syriza’s lawmakers refused to back new austerity measures. Pro-European Union opposition parties were left to save the bill and have continued to prop up Tsipras’ government.

27 dead after truck rams into religious procession

MEXICO CITY – The death toll was 27 Thursday and authorities listed 149 others as injured after a truck lost control and slammed into a religious procession in a central Mexico town.

A Public Safety Department official for the state of Zacatecas confirmed the figures and said some of those hurt had grave injuries.

Authorities were investigating the company that owns the truck and were searching for the driver, who apparently fled the scene of the crash.

The truck, which officials said was loaded with building materials, apparently lost its brakes and ran into the crowd Wednesday on a main street in the town of Mazapil.

The town was celebrating the festival of its patron, Jesus Nazareno, with a procession to the church of San Gregorio Magno.

Surfer seriously injured in Australia shark attack

SYDNEY – A surfer was seriously injured as he repeatedly punched a shark that mauled him off the Australian east coast today, less than a week after a fatal attack, police and a witness said.

Craig Ison, 52, sustained significant wounds to his left leg and hand in the dawn attack at Evans Head, 340 miles north of Sydney, Detective Inspector Cameron Lindsay said.

Ison was taken by ambulance to Lismore Base Hospital in serious but stable condition, police said.

The attack comes after a similar one Saturday off the island state of Tasmania when recreational diver Damian Johnson, 46, became the second victim of a fatal shark attack in Australia this year when he was mauled by a suspected great white.

In the latest attack, Ison saw the shark and raised the alarm while surfing with friend Geoff Hill, Lindsay said.

“He actually fought off the shark, we’re told, and has made it to shore with the help of that other surfer and passers-by,” Lindsay said.