Once again, European politicians are heading for Brussels for a make-or-break decision about Greece. After weeks of uncertainty, all the signs are that the much-debated €130bn (£110bn) bailout fund will be signed off by eurozone finance ministers today. It is difficult to overstate the importance that they do so.

Countries encouraged profligate spending on arms that Athens could not afford, say critics

Special Dispatch: In the birthplace of democracy, self-determination has lost out to economic dictats from abroad. And, as ever, it's the poor who suffer the most

The man who pays his way

The meeting of eurozone finance ministers that was meant to approve the bailout that Greece needs to avoid defaulting on its debts was called off last night.

The meeting of Eurozone finance ministers to settle Greek's bailout deal has been postponed.

We can default now - or wait until the economy is completely shattered

Just how severe is Greece's austerity? The raw statistics are certainly alarming. This is the fifth year of economic contraction. The economy shrank by 5.5 per cent last year. Some forecasters expect a similar decline this year. Almost half of the population under 25 is out of work. But it is the human stories that paint the most vivid picture of suffering. There have been reports of children being put into care because parents cannot afford to feed them and whole families surviving on the pension of an elderly relative.

Firefighters doused smoldering buildings and cleanup crews swept rubble from the streets of central Athens today following a night of rioting during which politicians approved harsh new austerity measures demanded by bailout creditors to save the nation from bankruptcy.

Greece yesterday unveiled a political deal over budget cuts that should unlock a €130bn (£109m) aid package and enable Athens to avoid a potentially catastrophic default next month. After a week of fraught negotiations between the three parties that make up Lucas Papademos' coalition government, the Prime Minister's office yesterday confirmed that agreement on €3.3bn of new spending cuts had been secured.

Government agrees to slash budget by €3.3bn but eurozone demands more before releasing bailout

The eurozone debt crisis began in Greece. And all attempts to resolve that nation's economic woes have failed. Ben Chu explains why the Greek tragedy continues to divide a continent

David Shrigley, 43

An earthquake with preliminary 5.2-magnitude shook Greece's southern Aegean Sea islands today, the second in two days, Greek authorities said.