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)

Comment V : Immigrants Deportation

Le Monde 2008

Immigrants Deportation in 2006.
Blue : Decrease from 2005.
Red : Increase from 2005.

Today's links : 8th of July

The Big Question: Why is tension rising in Turkey, and is the country turning Islamist? Nicholas Birch, The Independent (en)
New era, old problems. Editorial, The Guardian (en)
Steinbrück at odds with French over ECB. Tony Barber, The FT (en)
Brown given short shrift by Medvedev. George Parker, The FT (en)
Europe begins to go green. Sibille Perretière, CafeBabel.com (multilingual)
EU turns up heat on rating agencies. Tony Barber, The FT (en)
Nato seeks better EU-Turkey defence ties. Ben Hall, The FT (en)
German and UK industrial output drops. Ralph Atkins and Norma Cohen, The FT (en)
Serbia will seek quick entry to EU. Neil MacDonald, The FT (en)
Governing Coalition in Austria Collapses; Early Election Expected. Nicholas Kulish, The FT (en)
Europe Debates Perfection It Demands of Its Produce. John Ward Anderson, The Washington Post (en)
Europeans believe that Cheating became common rule. Agnes Leclair, Le Figaro (fr)
European style: nobody loves it. Serge Halimi, Le Monde Diplomatique (en,fr)
France’s changed view of the world. Alain Gresh, Le Monde Diplomatique (en,fr)
Europe’s union of disenchantment. Christopher Bickerton, Le Monde Diplomatique (en,fr)

French EU Presidency : 7th of July

The Economist (2008)

Egypt joins French-led Med group. Ben Hall, The FT (en)
Sarkozy’s EU options seen as limited. Bertrand Benoit and Ben Hall, The FT (en)
Sarkozy turns screw on Irish over EU treaty. Nicola Smith, The Times (en)
President's pledge on Lisbon treaty. The FT (en)
Union of Mediterranean, About to Be Inaugurated, May Be Mostly Show. Steven Erlanger, The NYT (en)
At the G8, Sarkozy is leading the "European Locomotive". Alain Barluet, Le Figaro (en)

Today's Links : 7th of July

Gravy train goes deluxe for MEPs' Strasbourg trips. Vanessa Mock, The Independent (en)
Turkish generals arrested for 'plotting coup' against Ankara government. Selcuk Gokoluk, the Independent (en)
Welsh and Gaelic are official EU tongues. Rory Watson, The Independent (en)
German cheer amid the economic gloom. Bertrand Benoit, The FT (en)
Celtic tiger’s high-tech run tails off. John Murray Brown, The FT (en)
Polish heirs pose fiscal threat. Jan Cienski, The FT (en)
Warsaw brands US missile deal 'unsatisfactory'. Jan Cienski and Daniel Dombey, The FT (en)
Barroso at odds with Sarkozy on ECB. Tony Barber, The FT (en)
Road hauliers face pollution toll. Tony Barber, The FT (en)
Obama’s Message to Europe. Roger Cohen, The NYT (en)
In Italy, the call rises to let Alitalia fall. Bloomberg news, The LA Times (en)

No Babies? Russell Shorto, The NYT (en) ***

Horrible European Surveillance Proposals. Alex Harrowell, A Fistfull of Euros (en)

Comment U : The 4 Key Points of the 2008 French Presidency

Part 4 : The Immigration.

Le Monde.fr 2008

A outside view of the last Brussels decisions on Immigration, few weeks ago :

E.U. Passes Tough Migrant Measure. Caroline Brothers, The NYT (en)
E.U. Moves to Standardize Immigrant Policy. Molly Moore, The Washington Post (en)

Precedent Related Post:
Part 3. Agriculture and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Part 2. The European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).

Part 1 : Environment, Climate Change and Energy.

Comment T : The 4 Key Points of the 2008 French Presidency

Part 3. Agriculture and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Le Monde.fr 2008

For more information about what is the CAP :

Common Agricultural Policy. Wikipedia.org (en).

Precedent Related Posts :

Part 2. The European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).

Part 1 : Environment, Climate Change and Energy.

Comment S : The 4 Key Points of the 2008 French Presidency

Part 2. The European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).
For more information about how works the ESDP :

European Security and Defence Policy. Wikipedia.org (en)

Precedent Related Post:

Part 1 : Environment, Climate Change and Energy.

Weekend's Links : 5th of July

The EU underline the disagreements on the Climate-Energy 'deal'. Laurence Caramel and Philippe Ricard, Le Monde (fr)
L'Inauguration of the first underground CO2 Retention Site in Germany. Marie de Vergès, Le Monde (fr)

Special Comment : Radio Suisse Romande and Ingrid Betancourt

The RSR (Radio Suisse Romande) is suggesting that the liberation of Ingrid Betancourt, the 3 American FBI agents and the 11 Colombian soldiers were not liberated through a successful rescue mission but through negociations and a ransom payment.

Ingrid Betancourt: une libération achetée? La RSR (fr)

French EU Presidency : 4th of July

Courrier International 2008

Reckless Sarkozy is sometimes right. John Thornhill, The FT (en)

French Ideas under the test of the French Presidency. Thomas Ferenczi, Le Monde (fr)

Today's Links : 4th of July

Abramovich quits job in Siberia to spend more time on Western front. Shaun Walker, The Independent (en)
Brussels offers NHS patients Europe-wide treatment. David Charter, The Times (en)
The Betancourt release: Did France help or hinder ? Charles Bremner, The Times (en)
Repsol chief calls for unified energy policy. Carola Hoyos and Mark Mulligan, The FT (en)
Rise takes eurozone rates to seven-year high. Ralph Atkins and Bertrand Benoit, The FT (en)
ECB claims citizens support rate rise. Ralph Atkins, Chris Giles and Bertrand Benoit, The FT (en)
Carmakers negotiate maze of European green taxes. John Thornhill, The FT (en)
The sky is no longer the limit for French utilities. Paul Betts and James Wilson, The FT (en)
A Surprised France Prepares a Welcome. Steven Erlanger, The NYT (en)
The French connection. Charlemagne, The Economist (en)
Georgia, Abkhazia and Russia : Tales from the Black Sea. The Economist (en)
Nordic defence : Pooling resources. The Economist (en)
Corruption in Romania : In denial. The Economist (en)
Spain : ¿Crisis? ¿What crisis? The Economist (en)
The credit crunch : Britain’s sinking economy. The Economist (en)
No Growth, ECB Focuses on Inflation. Liberation (fr)

French EU Presidency : 3rd of July

Lisbon Treaty : Polish president will ratify when Ireland ratifies. Le Monde (fr)
Trade : Brussels answers to Sarkozy. Philippe Ricard, Le Monde (fr)

Comment R : Pic of the Day, Ingrid Betancourt

AP/Ricardo Mazalan, Le Monde 2008

Le Monde 2008, 3rd July

Today's Links : 3rd of July

A YouTube president is what the EU deserves. Anne-Elisabeth Moutet, The Telegraph (en)
Even in tough times, free trade is the answer. 'View', The Telegraph (en)
Why Sarkozy hammers Mandelson, the British villain. Charles Bremner, Blog, The Times (en)
Sarkozy lashes out at TV, armed forces and Europe. Charles Bremner, The Times (en)
Rejoicing in France on news of release of Ingrid Betancourt. Charles Bremner, The Times (en)
Sarko versus Mandy: trading tantrums. The Independent (en)
Sweden lifts rates and signals further rises. David Ibison, The FT (en)
Merkel backing for France over EU treaty. Bertrand Benoit, The FT (en)
Comment: Europe needs sharp interest rate rise. Ciaran O’Hagan, The FT (en)
New phase in Turkey’s secular struggle. Vincent Boland, The FT (en)
Tentative deal for US missile base in Poland. Daniel Dombey and Jan Cienski, The FT (en)
Health tourism plan put forward. Andrew Bounds, The FT (en)
France’s Terrorism Strategy Faulted. Elaine Scolinio, The NYT (en)
European Plan Would Expand Health Care Access Within the Bloc. Stephen Castle, The FT (en)
Brussels worried about Rom discrimations accross the EU. Le Monde (fr)

Comment P : 'Natural' Sarkozy on 'Off time'

Nicolas Sarkozy secretly filmed getting angry at TV staff. Henry Samuel, The Telegraph (en)
Sarkozy gets real off camera. Charles Bremer, Blog, The Times (en)
Extract:

''The video shows Sarko in his usual impatient form. He snaps at a technician who he believes has failed to return his "bonjour" as he clipped on his microphone. "It's a matter of upbringing," he lectures the man. "When you're a guest you have the right to expect a bonjour... Or we're not in the public service here, we are at a demonstration... Incredible... and serious...That's going to change."
Then he addresses Gérard Leclerc, one of the interviewers, using the informal -- and disrespectful -- "tu" and asks him: "How long did you spend in Siberia?". The reference (in the cupboard in French) was apparently to the journalist's recent assignment to off camera duties. "I wasn't in favour," he adds. The exchange shows Sarko's menacing mateyness with journalists.'' Charles Bremer 2008

To Watch the video:

Comment O : 7 min of Sarkozy 'off' on France 3 before his interview. Solferinostreet.com (en, fr) Video

French EU Presidency : 2nd of July

Peter Mandelson and Poland spoil Nicolas Sarkozy's first day at EU helm. Henry Samuel, Bruno Waterfield and Andrew Porter, The Telegraph (en)
Miliband backs strong EU military force. Patrick Wintour, The Guardian (en)
French priorities for EU presidency. The Guardian (en)
Discord marks EU power handover. Tony Barber, The FT (en)
Paris seekeing a parade to Kaczynski's objections. Stephane Kovacs, Le Figaro (fr)
Hubert Vedrine : «The Irich No does not weight down the French presidency». Samuel Poitier, Le Figaro (fr)

Today's Links : 2nd of July

Russian scientists in bid to solve Tunguska Event. Adrian Blomfield, The Telegraph (en) Turkey's ruling AKP party faces ban. David Blair, The Telegraph (en)
The Last Supper light spectacular. The Telegraph (en)
French army boss quits over shooting. Henry Samuel, The Telegraph (en)
Poles apart. The Telegraph (en)
Poland plans to snub Lisbon Treaty. John Lichfield, The Independent (en)
Leading article: How to solve a crisis of democratic legitimacy. The Independent (en) France's toxic flagship to be broken up in UK. Charles Bremner, The Times (en)
'French FBI' replaces legendary 'Renseignements Généraux' snoopers' network. Charles Bremner, The Times (en)
Ian Traynor on political difficulties for Sarkozy on the European treaty. Ian Traynor, The Guardian (en)
Sarkozy is undermining me, says Mandelson. Andrew Sparrow, The Guardian (en)
Britain makes Merkel and Sarko look like the lefties. John Harris, The Guardian (en)
Sarkozy: all or nothing at all? Agnes Poirier, The Guardian (en)
French car tax to spur green upheaval. John Thornhill and John Reed, The Ft (en)
Poland risks isolation over reform, warns Tusk. Jan Cienski, The FT (en)
Eurozone manufacturing slows in June. Gerritt Wiesmann, The FT (en)
Defence options put Romania in the hot seat. Thomas Escritt, The FT (en)
Comment: Europe is failing to restore idealism. Larry Siedentop, The FT (en)
Sarkozy warns on EU trade policy. John Thornhill, The FT (en)
Comment: Iceland pays price for financial excess. Robert Wade, The FT (en)
Brussels seeks more rights for works councils. Andrew Taylor, The FT (en)
Paulson, in Europe, Finds Misery Loves Company. Mark Landler, The NYT (en)
French Army Chief Resigns Over Bullet Debacle. Katrinn Bennhold, The NYT (en)
Air Force Finds Lax Nuclear Security. Walter Pincus, The Washington Post (en)

Comment O : The 4 Key Points of the 2008 French Presidency

Part 1 : Environment, Climate Change and Energy.

Le Monde 2008. Environment Objectives.

The 4 focuses of the French Presidency. P   A, Le Figaro (fr)
Key points of Sarkozy's EU plan. The Telegraph (en)

French EU Presidency : 1st of July

The Telegraph 2008

Nicolas Sarkozy : A European 'Rupture'. Arnaud Leparmentier, Le Monde (fr) ***

The Eiffel Tower illuminated with the European Colors. Le Figaro (fr)

Sarkozy takes EU presidency. Henry Samuel, The Telegraph (en)
Leading article: France's opportunity. The Independent (en)

Sarkozy mission to save EU hobbled by Germany. Charles Bremner and David Charter, The Times (en)

Sarkozy takes over Europe. Charles Bremner, Blog, The Times (en)

Sarkozy warns on EU trade policy. John Thornhill, The FT (en)

Sarkozy's cold leftovers. The Telegraph (en)

Editorial Comment: A European crisis. Edito 29th June, The FT (en)

A 2 Euros coin to celebrate the French EU Presidency. Cy L, Le Figaro (fr)

Sarkozy want a 5,5% VAT for Restaurants. Ophélie Wallaert, Le Figaro (fr)

French Presidency : Mr Sarkozy need Allies. Le Monde (fr) ***

Today's Links : 1st of July

Terror threat to stay for three decades. Christopher Hope and Graham Tibbetts, The Telegraph (en)
UK : House prices fall at fastest in 16 years. John Bingham, The Telegraph (en)
Polish president says signing EU treaty 'pointless'. The Independent (en)
The Reign of Spain: European champions (of nearly everything). Elizabeth Nash, The Independent (en)
Olé, España! (But we're still a divided country ...). Juan Cruz, The Independent (en)
Sir Jock Stirrup: forces too stretched to cope with Iraq and Afghanistan. Francis Elliott and Ben Quinn, The Times (en)
Polish president will not sign Lisbon treaty. Jan Cienski, The FT (en)
Soccer win helps dispel Spanish woes. Mark Mulligan, The FT (en)
Paris calls for military angle to space policy. Andrew Bounds, The FT (en)
EU announces deal for cartelists. Nikki Tait, The FT (en)
The options for a Europe without a script. Wolfgang Münchau, The FT (en)
Hackers Tag Lithuanian Web Sites With Soviet Symbols. Sara Rhodin, The NYT (en)