EUROPEAN HEADLINES
FT Europe – Alarm raised over $800bn of camouflaged sovereign debt. Implicit state backing for EM bonds. Use understates potential liabilities.
WSJE – Moved to tears, Obama takes action on guns. President Barack Obama announced new steps Tuesday aimed at curbing gun violence. Speaking about the Sandy Hook School shooting, he said, “Every time I think about those kids, it gets me mad.”
INYT – Cameron to allow dissent on EU exit. Requiring unity on issue would have risked deeper divisions among Tories.
BBC Europe – Cologne sex attacks: Protest against gang assaults on women. Hundreds of people have protested in the German city of Cologne over sexual assaults and thefts carried out by groups of men on New Year’s Eve. Some held up signs demanding action from Chancellor Angela Merkel. Mrs Merkel has expressed outrage over the “disgusting attacks” and said everything must be done to find those responsible.
BALTIC STATES
Baltic Times – NATO dismisses Kremlin claims of being a security threat to Russia. NATO refuses the Kremlin’s claim that its stationing of troops and deployment of heavy weaponry in Eastern Europe is a threat to the Russian Federation’s security. The claim was made in Russia’s 2016 security doctrine, which was signed by its president, Vladimir Putin, on December 31 2015
FRANCE
Le Monde – Manuel Valls wants to impose emergency measures in the penal code. “Le Monde” has obtained the government’s bill that intends to integrate most of the state of emergency measures in the penal code.
Les Echos – Mobile, bank: Orange’s great offensive. The telecom operator confirmed yesterday that it has started negotiating with Bouygues.
GERMANY
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) – Merkel promises a strong legal answer by the state. Wide outrage after mass sexual assault in Cologne. De Maizière: perpetrators have obviously a migration background.
Sueddeutsche Zeitung – Not published today.
ITALY
La Repubblica – Dispute over migrants, an EU summit to be organised. Night of fear in Cologne. While the migrant tragedy in Europe has caused the deaths of seven babies, a European summit will be organised to save the Schengen area.
Il Sole 24 Ore – Stock Markets try to bounce back. The Chinese central bank has emitted the equivalent of €20 billion of liquidity to support stock markets and its currency, the yuan.
NETHERLANDS
Financieele Dagbled – EU presidency to cost Dutch €46m, but the logo is recycled. The money is being spent on the organisation itself, police and security, meetings and a cultural programme, the paper says. When the Netherlands last held the rotating presidency in 2004, the bill to taxpayers was €97m, the FD says.
POLAND
Gazette Wyborcza – Not published today
SPAIN
El País – Mas, looking for dissidents in CUP to remain in power. The regional President remains confident and believes he can avoid new election.
Expansión – Barcelo, NH and Melia sell buildings in order to grow. Big hotel groups transfer assets amounting to €1 billion in two years.
UK
The Times – Ministers force PM to back down on Europe. Cabinet can support Brexit after N°10 showdown.
The Guardian – PM forced to give ministers free rein on EU. Eurosceptics allowed to campaign for Britain to leave Europe in referendum.
