20/10 – Today’s headlines from across the EU

EU headlines

FT – Big companies sign Obama climate pledge. US President Barack Obama talks to the press as he meets leaders of some of the 68 companies that have joined the original 13 signatories to an agreement to take more aggressive action against climate change.

WSJE – China GDP stirs sceptics. Economists question better-than-expected data, pointing to an underlying disconnect.

INYT – Desperation lured 71 migrants into tragedy. Deaths in a meat truck reveal a hard choice amid exploitation by smugglers.

BALTIC STATES

Baltic Times – Latvia to build 90 kilometre fence along Russian border. According to Latvia’s Interior Minister, Richards Kozlovskis, the fence is part of a 270 kilometre upgrade project of eastern border, and not political in light of potential Kremlin aggression in the Baltic region.

FRANCE

Le Monde – Chinese growth slowing down, world’s economy suffers. Beijing confirmed the slowdown on Monday 19 October. The country’s growth is at its lowest since 2009 and the financial crisis.

Les Echos – Orange challenges banks on their own ground. The telecom operator launches its own mobile payment service in France. Its centrepiece, mobile banking, is due to be introduced in a little more than a year.

GERMANY

Frankfurter Allgemeine – Warnings against radicalisation in Germany. Sharp criticism of the Pegida movement. Justice Minister Maas: who runs along lowers inhibitions for the society.

Sueddeutsche Zeitung – Sigmar Gabriel: Pegida questions democracy. The SPD leader called the protest movement “in parts openly right-wing,” their representatives using slogans like the Nazis during the Weimar Republic. Supporters and opponents demonstrate in Dresden.

ITALY

La Repubblica – EU approves the package of measures, but the battle is harsh. The Stability law will not be rejected by the EU, but Renzi has to cope with the hostility of his own minority within the Democratic Party. German hardliners will not make things easier for Italy; Paris keeps supporting the Italian government.

Il Sole 24 Ore – Tax burden drops to 42.4%. Now, concerns are about low inflation. Pier Carlo Padoan, the Italian Economy Minister attended a forum to discuss the Stability law. According to him, spending cuts are a political choice and the economic war will be won on the employment front.

POLAND

Gazeta Wyborcza – A tie, with no indication to winner. A long-awaited debate between Ewa Kopacz and Beata Szydło, PO and PiS parties’ candidates to the Prime Minister office, brought no surprise. Neither of the candidates strayed away of election slogans and promises.

SPAIN

El Pais – The PSOE will ask parties to organise primary elections. The socialist programme imposes electoral debates and allows polls until the very last moment.

Expansion – Linde rejects mergers between small banks. The Bank of Spain wants these entities to merge with larger banks.

The Times – Tax credit rebellion threatens Osborne. Chancellor under pressure to soften welfare cuts.

The Guardian – Anti-radicalism drive puts UK values at risk. Extremism crackdown could backfire by limiting free speech – police chief.