EUROPEAN HEADLINES
FT – Billionaire banker held in Petrobras investigation. Esteves arrested at his home in Rio. Brazil corruption probe widens.
WSJE – In Paris, a solemn moment of remembrance. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President François Hollande and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo paid respects to victims of the November 13 attacks on Wednesday. Signs have emerged that France and Belgium haven’t fully cooperated with each other in the probe.
INYT – Regulating refugee flow gains urgency. EU screening efforts lag, even as Paris attacks underscore a new threat.
BBC – Turkey releases audio of ‘warning’ to downed Russia jet. “Change your heading south immediately,” a voice apparently says in English. Turkey said it had tried to rescue the SU-24 bomber’s two pilots. One of them was killed by gunfire as he parachuted from the burning plane.
BALTIC STATES
Baltic Times – Lithuanian defence and National Security chairman blames Russia for Turkey incident.Following the shooting down of a Russian Air Force Sukhoi SU-24 bomber over Turkish airspace, Arturas Paulauskas, the chairman of the Lithuanian parliamentary National Security and Defense Committee, said “there would be certain tensions,” and noted that Turkey had repeatedly warned Russia against flying above its territory.
FRANCE
Le Monde – The great coalition against ISIS at an impasse. The downing of a Russian jet has complicated the formation of a single coalition against the Islamic State. After meeting with Barack Obama, François Hollande will try to convince Vladimir Putin to join the initiative tomorrow.
Les Echos – Auditing of the new regions. Strengths and weaknesses of the seven “super-regions.” The mergers which are going to make it and those that will break. Regional Chair: a new political springboard. Tense climate boosts FN’s poll chances. Major projects presented by the candidates.
GERMANY
Frankfurter Allgemeine – Merkel: We stand in solidary on France’s side. The German Chancellor and Foreign Affairs Minister do not rule out military support against ISIS.
Suedeutsche Zeitung – Merkel questions travel without a passport. For the Chancellor, the Schengen regime can be “permanently maintained” only if EU partner countries agree to a solidarity-based distribution of refugees.
IRELAND
Irish Independent – Collapse of ‘comatose’ Schengen will spell the end of the euro, warns EC president Juncker. The single currency cannot survive if the free movement of people granted by the passport-free travel zone ends, the president of the European Commission (EC) said, in the starkest warning yet.
ITALY
La Repubblica – Hollande-Merkel: coalition against ISIS, ten Jihadists wanted in Europe. “We have to fight together against ISIS, we can’t win with words, we will have to use military actions” declared Angela Merkel during her visit in Paris, where she met with François Hollande.
Il Sole 24 Ore – Russia-Turkey: $44 billion of trade at risk. Moscow and Ankara have been urged by their international partners to de-escalate tensions. However, some economic consequences have already began to affect the countries; namely in terms of travel and border customs checks.
POLAND
Gazeta Wyborcza – PiS shoot at Patriots. Minister of National Defence Antoni Macierewicz turns upside-down two of the Polish Army’s most important decisions concerning acquisition of Caracal helicopters and Patriot missiles. Minister Macierewicz cites secret documents, he has reportedly found in the Ministry, to say that terms of the two contracts have changed ever since they were presented to public opinion for the first time.
SPAIN
El País – Germany’s military support to France undermines Rajoy’s position. Merkel sends 650 soldiers to relieve French troops in Mali. “We are considering getting even more involved,” the Chancellor stated.
Expansión – Abengoa: USA and Santander, main creditors. The company launches the biggest bankruptcy proceeding in Spanish history.
UK
The Times – Osborne’s happy hour. £27 billion bonus from fiscal watchdog digs chancellor out of hole. Surprise U-turn on tax credits ends backbench panic over cuts.
The Guardian – Chancellor’s £27bn U-turn. Surprise reverse on cuts to tax credits. Councils to bear brunt of Osborne axe.
©europeanunion2015 (part)
