EUROPEAN HEADLINES

FT – Top economies face prolonged low growth, warns IMF. Debt levels to prove difficult to cut. Stagnation threat to living standards.

WSJE – FedEx lands deal to buy TNT Express. FedEx Corp. on Tuesday said it agreed to buy Dutch package-delivery company TNT Express NV for USD 4.8 billion in an all-cash deal, making an end run around rival United Parcel Service Inc. and positioning itself for a big boost from the booming European e-commerce business.

INYT – Iraq military prepares for its next front against ISIS. Focus shifts to redoubt in Anbar amid concerns over sectarian militias.

FRANCE

Le Monde – Marine Le Pen and her economists caught in the trap of the euro exit. “Le Monde” reports on the atypical career paths of the FN economic advisors: Bernard Monot, Jean-Richard Sulzer, Philippe Murer and Florian Philippot.

Les Echos – Family allowances: those who will lose after the reform. 505,000 families will have their allowances divided by two or four from January 1st. 91% of them are in the bottom income deciles. The trap of the indexation of limits on prices.

GERMANY

Frankfurter Allgemeine – Vice Chancellor Gabriel calls Greek claims “stupid.” Athens wants EUR 278.7 billion in WW2 reparations; Berlin says compensation issue has been legally cleared.

Suddeutsche Zeitung – Berlin remains tough on WW2 reparations. Athens estimates Germany’s war payments to be at least EUR 279 billion – Federal Economy Minister Gabriel rejects this sum and considers the debate to be “stupid.”

ITALY

La Republica – “Torture at the Diaz school during G8 meeting.” Italy condemned by Europe. The European Court of Human Rights condemned Italy over police brutality during a raid in the Diaz school, where anti-globalisation activists were staying during Genoa’s G8 meeting.

Il Sole 24 Ore – Budget: €10 billion cuts and the taxation uncertainty. Renzi’s government adopted the 2015 budget, GDP at 0,7% and balance in public finances in 2017. According to the PM: “There won’t be cuts nor tax increase.”

POLAND

Gazeta – What happened in TU-154 cockpit? The recordings from TU-154 plane’s cockpit indicate that General Andrzej Błasik was in the cockpit instructing pilots until the very end. The recordings show that his behaviour could have been one of the causes of the plane’s crash.

SPAIN

El Pais – Rajoy demands unity, discipline and loyalty to the PP’s leaders. During the administration board, the President praised Cospedal’s work at the helm of the party. His speech did not receive any criticism.

Expansion – Abertis lauches the IPO of its telecom subsidiary. The operation is worth €2 billion with a 60% share offer from Cellnex.

UK

The Times – Miliband raids rich in purge of non-doms. Labour claims plan will raise hundreds of millions.

The Guardian – “We’ll end non-dom tax status” – Miliband. All who live permanently in UK will pay all of their tax here.

©europeanunion2015