Tsipras briefs Obama on bid for euro zone loan: Greece

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras spoke to U.S. President Barack Obama by telephone on Tuesday shortly before an emergency euro zone summit and briefed him on Greece's request for a rescue loan, a Greek government official said. The official said Obama had voiced strong U.S. hopes for a successful outcome to the negotiations. The United States has said it wants an early solution to Greece's debt crisis that keeps Athens in the European currency area. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou; Writing by Paul Taylor)