Food for Thought : 31st of July

"Only Those with Narrow minds fail to see that the Definition of Impossible is 'Lack of Imagination and Incentive'."
-Serena Butler

Picture of the Day : 31st july

AP

New X-ray technique reveals hidden van Gogh. Stephen Adams, The Telegraph

Blogs : 31st July

The message. About David Miliband Tribune on The Guardian, Charlie Whitaker, A Fistful of Euros (en)
Has Miliband gone too far? Economist.com, Certain Ideas of Europe (en)
Why do some Belgians want to become French? The Economist-Brussels, Certain Ideas of Europe (en)
Should Ukraine join the EU and/or NATO ? Julien Frisch, Watching Europe (en)
Corruption is not enough to bring down Bulgarian government. Vitaliy, The 8th Circle (en)
Blogosphere debate: what role should Ukraine play in the EU and NATO? Vitaliy, The 8th Circle (en)

Today's Links : 31st July (fr)

Commission européenne: Barroso forever? Jean Quatremer, Les Coulisses de Bruxelles (fr)
L'inflation bat un nouveau record dans la zone euro. Le Monde (fr)
L'est de l'Allemagne rassuré sept mois après l'ouverture de l'espace Schengen. Cécile Calla, Le Monde (fr)
Les Suédois se mobilisent contre la surveillance électronique. Olivier Truc, Le Monde (fr)

Quote of the Day : 31st July David Miliband

Cartoon from The Time, 31st July

the Labour party "must stop feeling sorry for ourselves, enjoy a break and then find the confidence to make the case afresh."
"Now we need more imagination to distribute more power and control to citizens over the education, healthcare and social services that they receive."

David Miliband, Foreign Secretary, 29th July The Guardian

Against all odds we can still win, on a platform for change.

Miliband may well have sealed Brown's fate. Steve Richards, The Independent (en)

How Miliband started the race for No 10. Andy McSmith, James Macintyre and Nigel Morris, The Independent (en)

Miliband refuses to step back from the brink. Francis Elliott, The Times (en)

Gossip : 31st July

Giscard d'Estaing a victim of chateau slump. John Lichfield, The Independent (en)
I am like Jackie Kennedy says Carla Bruni. The Times (en)

Today's Links : 31st July (en)

German court overturns smoking ban. Harry de Quetteville, The Telegraph (en)
Berlusconi declares war on YouTube. Michael Day, The Telegraph (en)
Karadzic to face court. Bruno Waterfield, The Telegraph (en)
Spain cuts speed limit and turns out lights. John Lichfield, The Independent (en)
Turkey steps back from brink as court rules against ruling party ban. Nicholas Birch, The Independent (en)
Turkey steps back from the brink of chaos. Suna Erdem, The Times (en)
Comment: Reforms to help euro punch its weight. Benjamin Cohen and Paola Subacch, The FT (en)
Putin attacked over market fall. Catherine Belton, The FT (en)
Polish PM fails to deliver promised reforms. Jan Cienski, The FT (en)
Italy’s Enel opens new coal-fired power plant. Guy Dinmore, The FT (en)
Eurozone inflation surges to 4.1%. The FT (en)
Eurozone economy suffers fall in confidence. Gerrit Wiesmann, The FT (en)

Food for Thought : 30th July

"Any man who asks for greater authority does not deserve to have it."
-Tercero Xavier Harkonnen.

Blogs : 30th July

Belgique : les Francophones en faveur d’un rattachement à la France. Jean Quatremer, Les Coulisses de Bruxelles (fr)
Trade and climate. P O Neill, A Fistful of Euros (en)
The Baltics, Lithuania, and Eastern Europe ... redux. Alpha sources (en)
Will the Euro become the leading global currency? Julien Frisch, Watching Europe (en)
Bent Banana Boat Song. Afew, European Tribune (en)
UK : Disloyal Courtiers. Eurosoc Two, EuroSoc (en)
The UK: Cool American Politics. A Miller, The Brussels Journal (en)
Analyzing corruption in Estonia. Vitaliy, The 8th Circle (en)

Today's links : 30th July (fr)

Media will taste a 'light web' with Chinese recipe. Laurent Suply, Le Figaro (fr)
Wallons tempted to join France. Jean-Jacques Mével, Le Figaro (fr)
For the first time ever, the CDU overtakes the SPD. Pierre Bocev, Le Figaro (fr)
For a stronger Transatlantic Relationship. Dora Bakoyannis and Radosław Sikorski, Greek and Polish Foreign Affairs Ministers, Le Figaro (fr)
"Disappointment" after the WTO negociation failure. Le Monde (fr)
Pascal Lamy : "this meeting is a failure". Le Monde (fr)
WTO : the winners and the losers. Le Soir (fr)
WTO : nine EU members set up a meeting last monday against the current offer. Le Soir (fr)

Today's Links : 30th July (en)

Karadzic arrives at The Hague to face war crimes tribunal. Jenny Booth and Anne Barrowclough, The Times (en)
Gloom sets in for French consumers and industry. The FT (en)
Italian Court Permits U.S. to Expand Military Base. The NYT (en)

Gossip : 30th July

Call me Jackie... OK Carla - but does that make Sarko the new JFK? John Lichfield, The Independent (en)

SR : Labour Leadership Crisis in UK, 30th july

David Miliband positioning himself to be next Prime Minister. Rosa Prince and Robert Winnett, The Telegraph (en)
David Miliband lines up to challenge Gordon Brown for leadership. Rosa Prince, The Telegraph (en)
UK : Disloyal Courtiers. Eurosoc Two, EuroSoc (en)
The UK: Cool American Politics. A Miller, The Brussels Journal (en)

Food for Thought A : 29th July

"The mind commands the body, and immediately it obeys.
The mind orders itself, and meets resistance."
-Saint Augustine, Ancient Philosopher

Today's Links : 29th July (fr)

Arrests in France and in Spain surround the ETA military structure. Isabelle Mandraud, Le Monde (fr)
Crisis at Downing Street. Editorial, Le Monde (fr) ***
WTC : Sarkozy intrigues his European partners. Philippe Ricard and Alain Faujas, Le Monde (fr)
Sarkozy "en porte-à-faux" (Sarkozy in an Awkward situation). Editorial, Le Monde (fr)

Trailer : 29th July, W. Bush, an Oliver Stone Film

Blogs : 29th July

In Memoriam Lord Russell Johnston. Julien Frisch, Watching Europe (en)
Wolfgang Munchau Proposes The EU Organise An IMF-type Rescue For Spain. Edward Hugh, a Fistful of Euros (en)
The Danish model pt. 2 - Labour market structure. JakeS, European Tribune (en)
Eurozone in Trouble ? Nosemonkey, EUtopia (en)
Bosnian president Silajdzic avoiding questions. Julien Frisch, Watching Europe (en)
Corruption affects Poland’s “Ekstraklasa”. Vitality, The 8th Circle (en)
The Eurozone - That Sinking Feeling? CV, Alpha Sources (en)
Sarkozy drapes France in the EU flag. Helena, Blogging From Brussels (en)
New website of Euobserver launched. Brussels Blogger, Brussels Media (en)
German Consumer Confidence Slides Raising Eurozone Recession Fears. Edward Hugh, Euro Watch (en)
Web 2.0: The Future of Collaborative Government. Europa EU Audience (en, fr)
Europhobia and the return of Napoleon. ESL the ESLaPorte, Yellow Star Blog (en)
Dutch EU project fund remains controversial. Raymond Frenken, White Bull (en, nl)
It's a mad, mad world. Richard, EU Referendum (en)
Ireland : Human Sacrifice, EU-Style. Eursoc Two, Eursoc (en)
Brussels - St Pancras - Gatwick - Montréal and onwa. Jon Worth, Euroblog (en)

Today's Links : 29th July (en)

Viva Espana: Democracy's influence on a sporting nation. Pete Jenson, The Independent (en)
Istanbul shopping centre blasts toll rises to 17. The Independent (en)
Economics: Eurozone may beat Britain to recession. Ashley Seager, The Guardian (en)
New Lisbon vote would be suicide for Cowen. Henry McDonald, The Guardian (en)
The EU can strengthen Turkish secularism. Hakan Altinay and Kalypso Nicolaidis, The FT (en)
Editorial Comment: Nuclear options. The FT (en)
Italy sees chance to revive university system. Guy Dinmore, The FT (en)
Milan Expo attracts Gulf investors. The FT (en)
European defence: How to take ‘no’ for an answer. Nick Witney, The FT (en)
After Bike-Sharing Success, Paris Considers Electric Cars. The NYT (en)

Gossip : 29th July

Bruni gives album away. The Telegraph (en)
Monsieur Sarko’s holiday. Matthew Campbell, The Times (en)
Picture kept in a drawer ‘is £100m da Vinci’. John Follain , The Times (en)
Non, Monsieur le Président. Dominique Moisi, The Guardian (en)
Debating freedom along a border beach. The Economist (en)

28th July : Economics Does Not Lie. Guy Sorman, The City Journal (en)

24th July : Why did France fall in love with McDonald's? Andrew Shanahan, The Guardian (en)

19th July : The Olympic Games, the Chinese Height. Alexandre Adler, Le figaro (fr)

Video of the Day : 28th July, CNN

The Video was found in an article from the ReEuropa Blog dated of the 18th July.
This is an interesting view of what is the EU. It has been successful in warming me up in less than 20 seconds and the rest od the video is not worse ....

"Lou Dobbs Tonight," CNN, June 18, 2007. Hopefully, this video is from a year ago. The journalist might have had opportunities to read more about the EU and the Europeans since then....

EU 2009 : 28th July

Tracking EP Elections 2009 IV. Julien Frisch , Watching Europe (en)
Tracking EP Elections 2009 III. Julien Frisch , Watching Europe (en)
Tracking EP Elections 2009 II. Julien Frisch , Watching Europe (en)
Tracking EP Elections 2009 I. Julien Frisch , Watching Europe (en)

Today's Links : 28th July (fr)

Minitraité : les Irlandais refusentun second vote. Stéphane Kovacs, Le Figaro (fr)
Dix-sept morts dans un double attentat à Istanbul. Le Monde (fr)

Today's Links : 28th July (en)

Silvio Berlusconi: The padrone is back and he means business. The Independent (en)
French attitudes serve the powerful, but not the people. Matthew Campbell, The Times (en)
Visa offer adds to Doha momentum. Alan Beattie, The FT (en)
Belgrade prepares for Karadzic backlash. Neil MacDonald, The FT (en)
UN diplomat prepares for Cyprus talks. Kerin Hope and Vincent Boland, The FT (en)
Germany stays top of solar power league. Hugh Williamson, The FT (en)
Bargain hunting becomes new French passion. Scheherazade Daneshkhu, The FT (en)
Eurozone mortgage lending at record low . Ralph Atkins, The FT (en)
Russian Proposal Calls for Broader Security Pact. Judy Dempsey, The NYT (en)

Gossip : 28th July

Juan Carlos and Chávez smile and make up. Mark Mulligan, The FT (en)

SR : Labour Leadership Crisis in UK, 28th july

Rebel Labour MPs plot to topple Gordon Brown. Andrew Porter, Robert Winnett and Jon Swaine, The Telegraph (en)
Labour Party leaders fight to prop up Gordon Brown. Robert Winnett, The Telegraph (en)
Gordon Brown's demise may be a nightmare for the Tories. Janet Delay, The Telegraph (en)
David Cameron lightweight but likeable, finds YouGov poll. The Telegraph (en)
Ministers should govern, not plot. The Telegraph (en)
Tories ready to rule, say voters. Andrew Grice, The Independent (en)
Labour in crisis: What happens next? The Independent (en)
Labour in crisis: Is it really all over for Brown? Jane Merrick and Brian Brady, The Independent (en)
It is almost impossible for Mr Brown to cling on. And it is almost impossible to replace him. Bruce Anderson, The Independent (en)
What Glasgow East really means . Daniel Finkelstein, The Times (en)
Weakened Brown gives in to union demands . Christine Buckley and Francis Elliott, The Times (en)
The how, when, who and whether of finding new leader . Peter Riddell, The Times (en)
'Back or sack' Brown, says union leader . Sam Coates, The Times (en)
Unions call for Hutton's head after 'fall-out' . Sam Coates, The Times (en)
Trade union chiefs ready to dump Brown . Jonathan Oliver, The Times (en)

Quote of the Day : 26th July, Bernard Kouchner

"I didn't vote for Nicolas Sarkozy. But I get on well with him. It's not a relationship of subservience... I believed, like him, that French foreign policy needed to be changed,"

Bernard Kouchner. Interview with Charles Bremner, 26th July 2008.

Charles Bremner Blog.

Weekend's Links : 26th July (fr)

Prostests in Bosnia supporting Karadzic. LS, Le Figaro (fr)
Divorce : a reinforced coopération ? Jean Quatermer, Les Coulisses de Bruxelles (fr)
In Spain, housing and finance crashes raise unemployment. Le Monde (fr)
"Toute l'Afrique n'a pas rejeté le discours de Dakar". Henri Guaino, French President's Special Advisor, Le Monde.
Accords et désaccords entre socialistes français. Thomas Ferenczi, Le Monde (fr)

Weekend's Link : 26th July (en)

France : The reformist president. The Economist (en)
Lisbon Treaty : Vote early, vote often. The Economist (en)
Serbia and Radovan Karadzic : Arrest of a bearded man. The Economist (en)
Bulgaria, Romania and the EU : Balkan blushes. The Economist (en)
Smoking in Germany : Bans up. The Economist (en)
Defensive gestures. Charlemagne, The Economist (en)
Sarkozy catches Obama fever. Henry Samuel in Paris and Alex Spillius, The Telegraph (en)
Ryanair sparks row with Italy. Adrian Michaels, The Telegraph (en)
Cyprus summit may set talks timetable. The Telegraph (en)
UK : The election that could rock the nation. Alan Cochrane, The Telegraph (en)
Leading article: Europe today. Tomorrow, America. The Independent (en)
Peace in our time – or more Euro-squabbling? Chris Patten, The Guardian (en) ***
3 Hours in Paris, and Smiles All Around. Jeff Zeleny and Steven Erlanger, The NYT (en)
Turkey and Greece to Make New Attempt at United Cyprus. Sebnem Arsu. The NYT (en)

Best of Blogs : Weekend 26th July

Why Belgium ? Nosemonkey, Nosemonkey's EUtopia (en)
Heaven saves us from half-time MEPs. Julien Frisch, Julien Frisch's Blog (en)
Du journalisme sur le net. Jean Quatremer, Les Coulisses de Bruxelles (fr)
At home with Bernard Kouchner, Sarkozy's musketeer. Charles Bremner Blog (en)

Comment AB : The Economist's Big Mac Index 2008

The Economist, 24th July 2008

It will be a surprise for No one : European Currencies are overvalued compared to the Dollar. However, an American can still put on weight (if he can) in Asia, where the big Mac is much cheaper.
The Big Mac Index on The Economist.com

Today's Links : 25th July (en)

Libya suspends Swiss oil sales. Tom Peterkin, The Telegraph (en)
French nuclear leak sparks fears. Henry Samuel, The Telegraph (en)
UK : Cameron challenges Brown to call general election. Simon Johnson and Jon Swain, The Telegraph (en)
A Renewed Atlanticism. The Times (en)
Obama arrives in Paris to meet Sarkozy. Elana Schor, The Guardian (en)
Comment: Sarkozy is right to call for an end to secrecy. Francesco Giavazzi and Charles Wyplosz
writeDate, The FT (en)
Driven dynasties : family companies profit from long view. Richard Milne and Daniel Schäfer,
Eurozone growth prospects crumble. Ralph Atkins,
Investment group alleges $230m Russia fraud. Stefan Wagstyl and Catherine Belton, The FT (en)
France to hasten economic reforms. John Thornhill, The FT (en)
Serbia seeks boost from Karadzic arrest. Neil MacDonald, The FT (en)
Obama calls for action from Europe . Hugh Williamson, The FT (en)

Wary backing for clone food safety. Nikki Tait, The FT (en)

Obama, Vague on Issues, Pleases Crowds in Europe. Steven Erlanger, The NYT (en)

Today's Links : 25th July (fr)

Obama visits Sarkozy as a Friend. Renaud Girard, Le Figaro (fr)
First EU-South Africa summit ever. François Hauter, Le Figaro (fr)
In Bejing, France is still seing as an evil. Stéphane Kovacs, Le Figaro (fr)
Sarkozy : «Obama ? C'est mon copain !». Bruno Jeudy, Le Figaro (fr)
Visas : The EU Commission upped the tone vis a vis of Washington. Jean Quatremer, Les Coulisses de Bruxelles (fr)
Nine UE countries ready to compromise on cross-border divorces. Philippe Ricard, Le Monde (fr)
Thousands of Crepes to sell after having thrown away an egg on Sarkozy. Nouvelobs.com (fr)

Today's Links : 24th July (en)

EU suspends £400m in aid to Bulgaria over its failure to fight organised crime. Vanessa Mock
Merkel hails Obama's strength. The Telegraph (en)
Firm with licence to print Mugabe's money. Daniel Howden and Tom Armitage, The Independent (en)
Italy calls up troops for urban crackdown on migrants. Peter Popham, The Independent (en)
World Focus: Lessons that a larger Europe must learn. Adrian Hamilton, The Independent (en) ***
Arctic has 90bn barrels of crude. Carola Hoyos, The FT (en)

Immune systems. Editorial, The FT (en)

Visa threat for US diplomats visiting Europe. Sarah Laitner, The FT (en)

EU attacks Bulgaria and Romania on graft. Tony Barber, The FT (en)

Brussels plans to ban seal trading. Nikki Tait, The FT (en)

Merkel warns of fall in economic growth. Hugh Williamson, The FT (en)

France eases law on 35-hour working week. The FT (en)

Today's Link : 24th of July (fr)

Serbia making a breakthrough towards the EU. Jean-Jacques Mével, Le Figaro (fr)
Obama discovering an already conquered Europe. Arielle Thedrel, Le Figaro (fr)
LThe EU must reward Belgrade. Pierre Rousselin, Le Figaro (fr)
Embarassed, Brussels punishs the Bulgarian corruption. Jean Quatremer, Liberation (fr)
Turkey will not escape a French referendum. Jean Quatremer, Les Coulisses de Bruxelles (fr)
Netherlands : justice ill at ease towards the immigration policy. Jean-Pierre Stroobants, Le Monde (fr)
Brussels freezes subsidies to stag Bulgarian criminality. Philippe Ricard, Le Monde (fr) The British Banks crunch leading to the renunciation of the 'Golden Rule'. Marc Roche, Le Monde (fr)

SR : Radovan Karadzic

At left, Bosnian Serb Leader Radovan Karadzic in an April 1996 file photo during the Bosnian Serb assembly session in Pale; at right, Karadzic in an undated photo released by Belgrade's Healthy Life magazine on July 22, 2008. (Associated Press/Healthy Life Magazine)

Karadzic will defend himself in Hague trial. Harry de Quetteville, The Telegraph (en)
Radovan Karadzic's secret life on the run. Alex Todorovic in Belgrade and Harry de Quetteville, The Telegraph (en)
Radovan Karadzic was 'sold' by Ratko Mladic. Harry de Quetteville, The Telegraph (en)
The war criminal, his wife and the new girlfriend. Vesna Peric Zimonjic, The Independent (en)

Karadzic to mount his own defence. Neil MacDonald, The FT (en)

War criminals still at large... The Independent (en)

Wealth of EU dims appetite for old Serbia . David Charter, The Times (en)

French EU Presidency : Trip to Ireland and the UM

Sarkozy gets the message. The Independent.ie (en)
Sarkozy visit constructive. Editorial, The Irish Times (en)
Sarkozy's European Quest is not Impossible. Philippe Randrianarimanana, Courrier International (fr)

Before the Trip : Attention Nicolas s'il vous plait. Editorial, The Independent.ie (en)

Wade and the Union for Mediterranean : Support for Kadafi. Morin Yamongbe, Le Faso (fr)

Comment AA : Map of the Balkans

The Independent 2008

Today's Links : 23th July

After Karadzic, hunt switches to Mladic. Anne Penketh and Vesna Peric Zimonjic, The Independent (en)
A triumph for all of Europe. The Independent (en)
Word on the street: 'I cried with happiness. Today, for the first time, I feel like the war has ended'. Nikolina Sajn, The Independent (en)
Europe to use solar power from Sahara. Foreign Staff, The Times (en) **
EU hits Zimbabwe with new sanctions package. Rory Watson, The Times (en)
Venezuela and Russia forge links. Benedict Mander, The FT (en)
Brussels warns Bulgaria on corruption. Kerin Hope and Theodor Troev, The FT (en)
Judges to decide fate of Turkey’s ruling party. Vincent Boland,
Comment: How to restore European resilience. Holger Schmieding, The FT (en) **
Berlusconi wins immunity from prosecution. The FT (en)
Italian shock that realised Mestrallet’s dream. Paul Betts, The FT (en)
£37bn plan to power EU with the Saharan sun. Alok Jha, The Guardian (en)
A new thaw in EU-Russia relations? Edward McMillan-Scott, The Guardian (en)
Protocol be damned: how Juan Carlos became the cuddly king. Lucy Mangan, The Guardian (en)

Today's Links : 22nd July

Karadzic arrest 'like capturing bin Laden'. Harry de Quetteville, Alex Todorovic and Stephen Adams, The Telegraph (en)
Sarkozy faces anti-EU protests in Ireland. Bruno Waterfield, The Telegraph (en)
Poet, psychiatrist and architect of a massacre. Bruno Waterfield, The Telegraph (en)
Karadzic arrest hailed by world leaders. Harry de Quetteville, Alex Todorovic and Stephen Adams, The Telegraph (en)
Radovan Karadzic: the charges. The Telegraph (en)
Sarkozy wins constitution battle by single vote. Henry Samuel, The Telegraph (en)
Fugitive Karadzic is arrested after 13-year hunt. Vesna Peric Zimonjic, The Independent (en)
Sarkozy puts on the charm in attempt to sway Irish. David McKittrick, The Independent (en)
The picture that shames Italy. Peter Popham, The Independent (en)
'Kermit the Frog' leads protests against Sarkozy. David Sharrock, The Times (en)
Timeline: the life of Radovan Karadzic. The Times (en)
Brussels, stay off our little patch of land. Alice Thomson, The Times (en)

A Trojan Horse : Independence, then accountability, for ECB. Editorial, The FT (en)

Pillar of German society backs Obama . Bertrand Benoit, The FT (en)

Russia and China settle border spat. Charles Clover, The FT (en)

Austria’s hard right scents election success. Eric Frey and Haig Simonian, The FT (en)

Sarkozy all discretion on Dublin visit. Ben Hall, The FT (en)

How the EU let Romania off. Tom Gallagher, The FT (en)

Today's Links : 21st of July

European Union abolishes the acre. Andrew Porter, The Telegraph (en)
Sarkozy interfering on Irish EU vote. Bruno Waterfield, The Telegraph (en)
EU rediscovers taste for bendy cucumbers. Marie Woolf, The Times (en)

Today's Links : 19th July, The Economist

Turkey’s future : Flags, veils and sharia. The Economist (en)
Plots and counterplots : Coup de grâce. The Economist (en)
Italy’s government : Berlusconi fiddles, Italy burns. The Economist (en)
Bosnia’s future : Balkan end-games. The Economist (en)
The Mediterranean Union : Sarko’s southern dream. The Economist (en)
France and Islam : burqa barrier. The Economist (en)
Poland’s history : Solid no more. The Economist (en)
Belgium’s government : Leterme’s limits. The Economist (en)
Flying lessons . Charlemagne, The Economist (en)

Quote of the Day : Victor Davis Hanson and America

"Americans, in short, should be tired of hearing that we are a post-industrial, postmodern, post-anything society. Instead, we want to be known again as a can-do producer nation that sweats as much as it thinks. And the confident presidential candidate who can best assure us of that will surely win this election."
Victor Davis Hanson, 2008.
America Is Not a Post-Anything. Victor Davis Hanson, RealClearPolitics (en) ***
More about the Author :
Victor Davis Hanson.
Victor Davis Hanson on Wikipedia (en).
Victor Davis Hanson on Wikipedia (fr).

Comment Y : An American Break from Europe

America, Too Big to Fail... Probably. Nicole Gelinas, City Journal (en) ***

Today's Links : 18th of July

EU is funding the Bulgarian mafia. Bruno Waterfield, The Telegraph (en)
Watch MEPs explain why they are discriminating against sceptics. Daniel Hannan, The Telegraph (en)
UK formally ratifies EU's Lisbon Treaty. James Kirkup, The Telegraph (en)
Mandelson-Sarkozy row rumbles on. Bruno Waterfield, The Telegraph (en)
The Big Question: How has Angela Merkel become the key player on Europe's political stage? Tony Patterson, The Independent (en)
EU Lisbon treaty officially ratified by UK. PA, The Independent (en)
The next big project for the EU is energy. Michaele Schreyer and Ralf Fuecks, The FT (en) Belgian king rejects PM’s resignation. The FT (en)
New EBRD chief warns on inflation threat. Stefan Wagstyl, The FT (en)
Mandelson warns on trade talks failure. Tony Barber, The FT (en)
Slovakia rejects euro inflation fear. Jan Cienski, The FT (en)
Spain breached EU rules on energy deals. Nikki Tait and Mark Mulligan, The FT (en)
French energy merger crowns baron’s matchmaking. Paul Betts, The FT (en) ***

Today's Links : 17th of July

Day of jackals as Paris marks the overthrow of a monarch. Robert Frisk, The Independent (en)
Clouds darken Europe’s growth prospects. Ralph Atkins, The FT (en)
Europe learns to live with high prices. The FT (en)
Copyright ruling chimes with broadcasters. Nikki Tait, The FT (en)
Poland wins extra time for shipyards. Nikki Tait, The FT (en)
European smokers face higher tobacco prices. Nikki Tait, The FT (en)
Cliff pins hopes on EU law. David Charter, The Times (en)
Trade: Banana drama imperils Doha deal. David Gow, The Guardian (en)
New political crisis threatens Belgian break-up. David Gow, The Guardian (en)
Is this the end of Belgium? Sarah Morris, The Guardian (en) **

Today's Links : 17th of July

Italy generalise fingerprints. Richard Heuze, Le Figaro (fr)
Wallons and Flamishs tempted by a divorce. Jean-Jacques Mevel, Le Figaro (fr)

Special Report : China

Welcome to China's backwater - population five million. Jason Burke, The Guardian (en)

French EU Presidency : 16th of July

Sarkozy: Irish must vote again on treaty. Henry Samuel, The Telepgraph (en)
Sarkozy demands new Irish vote on EU treaty. David Charter, Philip Webster and Charles Bremner, The Times (en)
For Sarkozy, « les Irlandais doivent revoter ». Le Soir (fr)

Union for Mediterranean : a Risky Engagement. Ghassan Charbel, Al Hayat (ar)

Union for Mediterranean : a Slim First Outcome. As Safir (ar)

Today's Link : 16th of July

USA Special : US faces global funding crisis, warns Merrill Lynch. The Telegraph (en) ***
Robert Fisk: 'Europe has a duty to educate the US about Middle East' . The Independent (en)
TB panic leads to new ban on British cattle. Valerie Elliott, The Times (en)
Belgian PM quits after four months. David Charter, The Times (en)
Europe told to expect doubled gas price. Ed Crooks,The FT (en)
Economic outlook clouds Sarkozy success. Ben Hall,The FT (en)
Stand up to Russia over Georgia. Editorial,The FT (en)
Sarkozy bounces back. Tony Barber, The FT, Brussels Blog (en)
Poland ‘optimistic’ on shipyard deal. Adam Easton and Nikki Tait, The FT (en)
Old world model keeps Michelin on road. Paul Betts, The FT (en)
NATO Hires a Coke Executive to Retool Its Brand. Stephen Castle, The NYT (en)

Today's Link : 16th of July (fr)

Mesic : «Croatia ready to adhere to the EU». Thierry porte, Le Figaro (fr)

Quote of The Day : Bronislaw Geremek

"After creating Europe, we must now create Europeans."

Bronislaw Geremek (2004)

This remarkable Central European intellectual, Member of the European Parliament, died in a car accident the 13th July 2008.

Bronislaw Geremek: Polish historian and politician. The Independent (en)

Bronislaw Geremek on Wikipedia

Obituary: Bronislaw Geremek. Stefan Wagstyl, The FT (en)

Bronislaw Geremek, Who Helped End Communist Control of Poland, Is Dead at 76. Nicolas Kulish, The NYT (en)

Today's Links : 15th of July

Poland 'will not block EU treaty'. Henry Samuel, The Telegraph (en)
Polish Solidarity veteran Geremek dies in car crash. The Independent (en)
UK : The full extent of the crisis is only just emerging. The Independent (en)
Cost of EU texts to come down by 50 per cent. Jonathan Richard, The Times (en)
Brown turns to EU after failed Zimbabwe vote. Charles Bremner, Philip Webster and Jonathan Clayton, The Times (en)
Europe faces Russian nuclear missile threat. Mark Franchetti, The Times (en)
Sharp fall in German investor confidence. Ralph Atkins in Frankfurt, The FT (en)
Belgian prime minister offers to resign. Tony Barber, The FT (en)
Roaming charges set to drop in Europe. Andrew Parker, The FT (en)
Berlin to claw back tax from wealthy. Bertrand Benoit, The FT (en)
TNK-BP told to provide files on foreign staff. Catherine Belton, The FT (en)
Europe Moves to Cut Charges for Text Messages. Kevin J. O’Brien, The NYT (en)

The French EU Presidency : The Union for the Mediterranean

Among the foreign dignitaries who attended the Bastille Day military parade on Monday in Paris were, from left, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Qatar’s emir; Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general (partly obscured); President Bashar al-Assad of Syria; President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt; President Tarja Halonen of Finland; and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel. (Photo and Comment from The New York Times, 15th July)

Battle to host France's Club Med. Nick Meo and Susan Bell, The Telegraph (en)
Sarkozy urges peace at 'Club Med'. Henry Samuel, The Telegraph (en)
France gathers world leaders for Bastille Day parade. The Independent (en)
Sarkozy revels in Club Med 'bringer of peace' role. John Lichfield, The Independent (en)
President Sarkozy hosts ‘Club Med’ summit. The Independent (en)
Breakthrough for Syria and Lebanon in Paris. Tony Barber, The FT (en)
Roula Khalaf: The Mediterranean’s new union. Roula Khalaf, The FT (en)
In France, Syrian Stirs Tensions. Katrin Bennhold, The NYT (en)

Sarkozy Helps to Bring Syria Out of Isolation. Stephen Erlanger and Katrin Bennhold, The NYT (en)

The view from Club Med. The Economist (en)

The Mediterranean economy : Club Med. The Economist (en) **

L'Union pour la Méditerranée sous le signe de la paix. Samuel Potier, Le Figaro (fr)

Today's Links : 14th of July

Eurozone industrial production falls . Ralph Atkins, The FT (en)
Turkey indicts 86 over alleged coup plot. Vincent Boland, The FT (en)
Philip Stephens: European defence strategy. Philip Stephens, The FT (en) ***
Analysis: Germany’s skills shortage. Bertrand Benoit, The FT (en)

Today's Links : 13th of July

Merkel backs Siemens over job cuts. Bertrand Benoit, The FT (en)
US allies to press Obama over Iran. Daniel Dombey and Andrew Ward, The FT (en)
Ireland weighs up options over EU crisis. John Murray Brown, The FT (en)

Today's Links : 11th of July

The Economist (2008)
EU to push on music copyright. Nikki Tait and Sarah Laitner and Ben Hall, The FT (en)
Latest twist to Sony-BMG legal saga. Nikki Tait, The FT (en)
Airbus’s giant phoenix could soar over others’ ashes. Paul Betts, The FT (en) **

Russia Presidency : The odd couple. The Economist (en)
Missiles Defence : Getting to first base. The Economist (en)
Germany : Working mothers, unite! The Economist (en)
Austria : A grand unravelling. The Economist (en)
Europe’s Tory nightmare. Charlemagne, The Economist (en)

Quote of the Day : 10th of July. Nicolas Sarkozy

"Je ne laisserai personne derrière. L'Europe à plusieurs vitesses ne peut être qu'un dernier recours".
"I will leave No one behind. The several-tier Europe can only be in the last ressort".
Nicolas Sarkozy, 10th July 2008
European Parliament, Strasbourg

Scorbut.be 2008

French EU Presidency : Sarkozy at the European Parliament, 10th July

Le Monde, Reuters 2008

At Strasbourg, Nicolas Sarkozy tries to overcome the Europe's Breakdown. Arnaud Leparmentier, Henri de Bresson et Philippe Ricard, Le Monde (fr)

Wrong notes in the Franch priorities. Thomas Ferenczi, Le Monde (fr)
When Sarkozy overplay 'Politics'. Françoise Fressoz, Le Monde (fr)

WTO negociations: "Le compte n'y est pas", warns Nicolas Sarkozy. Claire Ané, Le Monde (fr)

Excerpt of Sarkozy's Speech to the MEPs. NouvelObs.com (fr)

Irish "No" : Sarkozy promises a solution. NouvelObs.com (fr)

Sarkozy warns on ‘multi-speed’ Europe. Tony Barber, The FT (en)

Today's Links : 10th of July

Europe's armies waste taxes, says report. Richard Norton-Taylor, The Guardian (en) ***
Gaddafi attacks Sarkozy plan for Med Union. Bruno Waterfield, The Telegraph (en)
MEPs vote to raise cost of European flights. Paul Eccleston, The Telegraph (en)
A lost heritage: Nazi pictures reveal full devastation wreaked by allied bombers. Kate Connolly, The Guardian (en) *
Welcome to club world. Editorial, The Guardian (en) *
Airlines banned from hiding flight costs. David Charter, The Times (en)
Little things can mean a lot in the machinations of great nations. Bronwen Maddox, The Times (en)
Trichet steps up inflation warnings. Ralph Atkins, The FT (en)
Gazprom offers to buy all Libya’s gas. Ed Crooks and Catherine Belton, The FT (en) ***
Comment: Appreciating Mandelson. Geoffrey Wheatcroft, The FT (en)
Court boosts patent protection hopes. Megan Murphy, The FT (en)
EU backs weekly release of oil data. Tony Barber, The FT (en) ***
Sarkozy Backing Barroso for a new Mandate. Nouvelobs.com (fr)

Quote of the Day : 9th of July. The White House

-"One of the most controversial leaders in the history of a country known for governmental corruption and vice."

Excerpt from a biography of Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, distributed by the White House to journalists en route to the G8 summit in Toyako, Japan.

To know more :

Silvio Berlusconi on Wikipedia

Today's Links : 9th of July

Russian threat over US missile shield. The Independent (en)
Prague signs US 'star wars' pact. Ian Traynor, The Guardian (en)
From boom to doom and gloom. Editorial, The Guardian (en)
Obama heads to London to launch European tour. Tom Baldwin and Roger Boyes, The Times (en)
Obama Berlin visit sparks diplomatic row. Roger Boyes, The Times (en)
Euro-blindness. Editorial, Le Monde (fr)
Europe lacking politics. Pierre Lequiller, Le Monde (fr)
"If there was no Poland..." (Ubu roi). Daniel Vernet, Le Monde (fr)
Ireland stamps its Eurosceptic foot. Stella Willborn, CafeBabel.com (en)
Berlin, The missing children and the intergovernmental cooperation. Jean Quatremer, Les Coulisses de Bruxelles (fr)
Bouteflika will participate et the UPM summit in Paris : a lot of suspense for nothing.... Mohand Aziri, El Watan (fr)
El pacto de Sarkozy. Editorial, El Pais (es)
Paris introduce an ambitious agenda for the EU defence policy. Laurent Zecchini, Le Monde (fr)