EUROPEAN HEADLINES
Financial Times Europe – Bayer ready for tough scrutiny over $66 billion deal for Monsanto. All-cash agreement ends four months of talks. $2 billion break-fee reflects markets doubts.
Wall Street Journal Europe – A divided Europe faces uncertain future. At his State of the EU address, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker bemoaned the lack of common ground among members in the wake of the UK’s Brexit vote
FRANCE
Le Monde – Europe facing existential crisis. The 27 EU heads of state will meet in Bratislava on Friday. This will mark the first summit without the UK since the Brexit vote.
Les Echos – The merger that shakes global agriculture. The German Bayer group has acquired Monsanto, the pioneer of GMOs, for $ 66 billion. A handful of industrialists will control two thirds of the seed market.
GERMANY
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung – Security agencies praised for arrest of IS-terror suspect. Bavarian minister Herrmann (CSU) speaks of strong performance. North Rhine-Westphalian minister Jäger (SPD) says “we are not defenceless”.
Süddeutsche Zeitung – IS lures terrorists on the Internet. New “offender type” is alarming German security authorities: Islamists are looking for sympathisers via social media in order to prepare them for attacks.
ITALY
La Repubblica – Health under attack, €1.5 billion of budget cuts, anti-tobacco law. Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan is calling for budget cuts but the Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin is opposed.
Il Sole 24 Ore – MPS, Tononi resigns, Morelli appointed CEO. Treasury says they stick to current recovery plan.
POLAND
Gazeta Wyborcza – Putting a tap on justice. Officers of Police and Military Police will be vested with more rights to put taps, control e-mails and use provocative actions against witnesses, expert witnesses, lawyers and maybe even judges and prosecutors in the case of so-called crime against judiciary.
SPAIN
El Pais – Rita Barbera challenges Rajoy and clings to her parliamentary seat. The former Mayor of Valencia has been revoked from the PP, but keeps her seat in the Senate amid a money laundering scandal.
Expansion – Telxius will allocate 65% of its profits to dividends. Telefonica’s subsidiary is valued between €4,500 and €5,100 million.
UNITED KINGDOM
The Times – Inquiry into police over 1980s clash with miners. Rudd bows to demands on Battle of Orgreave.
The Guardian – BBC forced to reveal salaries of star names. PM orders more transparency as part of corporation’s royal charter renewal.
UNITED STATES
International New York Times (UK edition) – Russia influence also winds through faith. Orthodox Church helps to spread Putin’s gospel of illiberal democracy.
©europeanunion2016
