Ireland to Be 1st in Eurozone to Exit Bailout

In "a much-needed success story" for the EU, Ireland looks on course to become the first eurozone country to exit its bailout program—a $114 billion aid deal to be complete by the end of 2013, Reuters reports. The European Union and International Monetary Fund said the country had passed its latest test, successfully executing all of its obligations under the three-year deal. "This is a significant day that many thought, and some feared, would never be reached," Ireland's finance minister said, adding that Dublin will decide next month whether to take out a special line of credit to protect against renewed turmoil, the Irish Times reports. (More Ireland stories.)