European Headlines

FT – EU telecoms deals face tougher scrutiny, warns antitrust chief. Vestager to guard affordable prices. Sector challenged over tie-ups and investment.

WJSE – Five detained in Nemtsov killing. Russian investigators formally charged two men from the restive Caucasus region with the murder of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov and said three more suspects had been arrested in the case.

INYT – Peril widens as African extremists embrace ISIS. An oath of allegiance from Boko Haram, the Nigeria-based militant group, to the Islamist State over the weekend has reinforced Western fears that the terrorist group is growing beyond its base in Iraq and Syria.

France

Le Monde – Parity revolution in French departments. After the elections on 22 and 29 March, the number of elected women in the French departments will go from 13.8% to 50%.

Les Echos – Taxes: what large companies are charged? There are 88 multinational companies alone that pay close to 20% of business taxes, according to the Afep. Those groups prefer lower corporate taxes than the removal of the Social Security and Solidarity Contribution (C3S).

Germany

Frankfurter Algemeiner – Five people arrested and one confession in Nemtsov murder case. Men are said to be from Northern Caucasus; defenders of the victim are skeptical.

SudDEutsche Zeitung – Brussels sees Athens on “thin ice”. Alexis Tsipras’ government is still not meeting the minimum requirement to be granted more money as it refuses a reliable audit by the lenders.

Italy

La Republica – Rai: new plan unveiled. The government will nominate the future CEO. The innovation of the new plan: dividing management and control. The Chamber of deputies and Senate will have a monitoring power, however it is up to the CEO to manage the public Italian television.

Il Sole 24 Hora – Race for insurance: freelancers concerned. New rules in the field of insurance, as well as poor market conditions are increasingly becoming a cause for concern for self-employed workers, lawyers, notaries, architects, engineers and the likes.

Poland

Gazeta – Kadyrov’s triggers. Five men suspected of murdering Boris Nemtsov were arrested in Russia. All the traces lead to Grozny, where Vladimir Putin’s favourite, Ramzan Kadyrov, is ruling.

Spain

El Pais – Political parties are prepared to make deals after the elections. All parties are careful due to uncertainty regarding the results of the election.

Expansion – Telefonica, Iberdola and Repsol create their own investment banks. The companies strengthen their mergers and acquisitions departments in a booming market.

UK

The Times – Tories move to exploit Labour split on Scotland. PM brings forward launch of attack campaign.

The Guardian – Juncker calls for an EU Army to face up to Moscow threat. Combined force vital if Union is to be taken seriously, says Commission chief.

©europeanunion2015