Today's front pages

In a spectacular U-turn Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy has announced further cuts of €65 billion over two years to address the "dramatic situation in Spain". Among the measures: an increase in VAT (from 18 to 21%), a reduction in unemployment benefit, and the removal of thirteenth month pay for civil servants.

Sacrifice – La Razón

Ireland's domestic economy grew for the first time in two years in the first three months of 2012, according to figures published accidentally yesterday on the website of the Irish Central Statistics Office. "This comes as the troika of international organisations overseeing the Republic’s EU-IMF-ECB bailout is expected today to praise the Government’s progress in adhering to the conditions of its rescue”, the Dublin daily notes.

Domestic economy expands for first time in two years – The Irish Times

France's largest car manufacturer PSA (Peugeot Citroën) has announced the suppression of 8,000 jobs in France and the closure of its factory in Aulnay-sous-Bois in the Parisian region, which employs 3,000 people. It cites the decline in car sales in Europe.

Does the French car still have a future? – La Croix

The Brussels daily reveals that over the past ten years contaminated water has been escaping from the spent fuel pool of reactor 1 at the nuclear power station of Tihange, in Wallonia. In 2011, two litres of slightly radioactive liquid were collected each day for treatment. The government has recently confirmed the closure of two out the country's seven reactors in 2015, while Tihange 1 will continue to operate until 2025.

Tihange, disturbing radioactive leak – La Libre Belgique

54 refugees who had sailed from the Libyan coast in an inflatable raft died of thirst trying to make their way to Europe. There was only one survivor. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has called on all ships in the Mediterranean to keep an eye out for boats carrying refugees.

Death in the Mediterranean – Neues Deutschland

The Belgian senate is to decide on the breakup of the Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde judicial district, commonly known as BHV. The lower house will then vote tomorrow on splitting the BHV electoral district. The predominantly French-speaking area with a Flemish minority that is seeking to break from it, BHV is one of the main causes of Belgium's long running political crisis that began in 2007.

BHV split, final stretch – De Standaard

Almost a year after the Utøya massacre, Norwegian justice minister Grete Faremo is seeking to criminalize the act of planning a terrorist act alone and of undergoing terrorist training. She is also to harden the law on mafias, simplifying the definition of membership in an organized criminal gang.

Penalties - Tougher – Aftenposten