OpinionEurozone inflation surge: fact or fiction?
"Give us this day our daily diesel"
Financial markets are on red alert over euro zone inflation and a possible increase in ECB interest rates, but there is reason for asking if they are exaggerating. Running a car may cost more because of sky-high oil prices, but there is no sign so far that Europe and the wider world is about to relive double-digit inflation of the kind that went hand-in-hand with the big oil crises of the 1970s.
Comment by Brian Love, European Economics Correspondent, for
Reuters- Cartoon Idígoras y Pachi for El Mundo (Madrid)
Bird flu makes Germans lose appetite for poultry
"Bird flu"
The German poultry industry is feeling the pinch as consumers react to bird flu by buying fewer chicken, turkey and other poultry products. Restaurants are following suit, removing poultry from their menus.
More:
Deutsche WelleFeeding birds, not fears: Time Europe- Cartoon Ricardo for El Mundo (Madrid)
Spanish royal birth opens constitutional debateSpain's future queen, Princess Letizia, gave birth on Monday to her first child, a girl, lending urgency to a debate on changing the constitution to give women the same right as men to inherit the throne. The baby, named Leonor, is second in line to the Spanish throne after her father, Crown Prince Felipe of Borbon.
More:
CNN
Letizia Ortiz da a luz una niña: El Mundo
Tony Blair: "Get real on climate change"
- Look, the thing about climate change must be certain. The weather is crazy!
- I warned you.
- We'll have to get something very expensive to fix it.
This week is a potentially crucial week in the fight against climate change. On Tuesday, the UK hosts the first meeting under the new Gleneagles dialogue between the G8 and China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa. I want to explain why this is important and why I believe the difficulties with the current climate change debate is the trouble with so much international politics: a reluctance to face up to reality and the practical action needed to tackle problems.
Comment by the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in
The Observer- Cartoon by El Romeu for El País (Madrid)
British scientists aim to beat flu with genetically modified chickens
"The Chicken Fever"
The long-term threat of an avian flu pandemic could be greatly reduced by a project to produce genetically modified chickens that can resist lethal strains of the virus. British scientists are genetically engineering chickens to protect them against the H5N1 virus that has devastated poultry farms in the Far East, with a view to replacing stocks with birds that are not susceptible to influenza.
More:
The Times- Cartoon by El Roto for El País (Madrid)
Turkey mars German consensus
With two weeks left before Germany's conservatives and Social Democrats complete coalition negotiations to form a new government, the parties Friday reached crucial consensus on foreign policy, though one that leaves the thorny issue of Turkey aside for now.
More:
International Herald Tribune- Cartoon by Burki for 24 Heures (Lausanne)
Portuguese abortion vote denied Portugal's constitutional court has thwarted the government's plan to hold a referendum next month on relaxing the country's strict abortion laws. The government wants voters to decide whether abortions in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy should become legal.
More:
BBC
Sócrates insiste em referendo no final de 2006: Diário de Notícias
When growth and social protections clash
Tony Blair wants Europe’s leaders to back reforms that would make the region’s economies more dynamic. But there is still deep disagreement over how best to balance growth and social cohesion.
More:
The Economist- Cartoon by Dave Brown for The Independent (London)
Fresh case of lethal bird flu in Romania
The Bird flu. Chicken: "It wasn't me. I've been here my whole life."
A heron found dead in Romania a week ago has tested positive for the lethal strain of avian flu. A laboratory in Britain confirmed the news. The bird was discovered in the Vaslui region in eastern Romania not far from the delta of the river Danube, where the deadly H5N1 form of the virus was first detected in Europe.
More:
CNNVideo:
Euronews- Cartoon by Bandeira for Diário de Notícias (Lisbon)
Smoke ban bill details released in England
Details of how England's smoking ban will be introduced have been published in the government's Health Bill. All workplaces, including restaurants and pubs selling food, will have to have a ban in place by summer 2007.
More:
BBC- Cartoon by Peter Brookes for The Times (London)
EU heads gather for global talks
Hampton Court Summit
Chirac: I arrive!
European Union heads of government are holding talks in the UK on economic challenges posed by globalisation. Tony Blair called the informal summit at Hampton Court, near London, as the UK is the current EU presidency holder.
More:
BBC- Cartoon by Pancho for Le Monde (Paris)
Bird flu ruled out in tourist's illness
A 43-year-old man at first thought to have possibly been infected with the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus is in fact suffering from another type of flu, French authorities said Thursday.
More:
CNN- Cartoon by Burki for 24 Heures (Lausanne)
Britain to ban bird imports after avian flu hits Germany
A ban on the import of all captive birds from around the world plus a ban on all bird fairs, exhibitions and shows to protect Britain and Europe from the deadly avian flu virus is to be in place within 24 hours.
More:
The Times- Cartoon by Cam for Ottawa Citizen (Ottawa)
Generation JihadIn Europe, alienation, the Internet and anger about the war in Iraq are pushing some young Muslims toward extremism.
More:
Time Europe
EU-wide ban on exotic bird imports set to be approved
European Union veterinary experts were expected Tuesday to approve an EU-wide ban on the import of exotic birds and stricter rules on the private ownership of such pet birds.
More:
International Herald Tribune- Cartoon by Pancho for Le Monde (Paris)
Dead parrot did have killer strain of bird flu
The first case of the H5N1 strain of bird flu, which has already killed 61 people in the Far East, has been identified in Britain. Scientists confirmed last night that a parrot, imported from Surinam in South America, contracted and died from the disease while in a quarantine unit in southern England.
More:
The Independent- Cartoon by Martin Rowson for The Guardian (London)
Europe planning bird flu measures
A further outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed in Russia as European experts consider new measures to stop the spread of the disease. Reports say tests have confirmed the presence of the deadly H5N1 flu strain in samples taken from birds in the central Russian region of Tambov. There is also pressure for an EU-wide ban on importing live wild birds. An increasing number of EU countries have also ordered farmers to ensure poultry is kept indoors.
More:
BBC- Cartoon by Mike Lester for Rome News - Tribune (Rome, USA)
Genuine or counterfeit? Check your Euro banknotes online
The Euro banknotes incorporate state-of-the-art security features. This makes them very difficult to forge. The European Central Bank has new print materials and online animations that help to spot counterfeits. Available in all official EU languages.
Security features in HTML and Flash animationsPrint materials
Duck in Sweden found with flu
A duck found dead east of Stockholm has tested positive for avian flu, Sweden's National Veterinary Institute said, but it was too early to determine which strain of virus the bird had.
More:
Reuters- Cartoon by Morland for The Times (London)
CommentEurope is hanging by a threadThe European Union today is a bit like a Tom and Jerry cartoon. Tom has run over the cliff edge chasing Jerry and his legs are still pumping furiously in thin air; he's yet to plummet to earth to meet some grizzly end. The EU has gone over the cliff edge, its legs are still pumping, but there's no realisation among its leaders or the wider public that a vertiginous plummet is imminent.
Comment by Will Hutton in
The Observer
Parrot that died in UK quarantine diagnosed with avian flu
The arrival of a highly pathogenic form of avian flu in Britain was confirmed last night as veterinary officials revealed that a parrot that died in quarantine had the disease.
More:
The Independent- Cartoon by Horsch for Der Standard (Vienna)
EU considers emergency flu fund
The bird flu
THE MEDIATIC VIRUS MUTATES
"... panic is transmitted from duck to man!"
The European Commission is considering setting aside "solidarity fund" of a billion euros, to be used in the event of a flu pandemic. The money would be used to buy anti-viral drugs and develop vaccines to combat the disease.
More:
BBC- Cartoon: Mix & Remix in L'Hebdo (Lausanne)
European probe set for launch to Venus
A dense curtain of mysteries surrounding Venus, the hot and hazy sister planet to Earth, awaits to be opened after the launch of Venus Express, the next planetary probe of the European Space Agency.
More:
ESA
Bird flu outbreak near Moscow
- Red Bull?
- No, bird flu.
Russia told the EU it had found the deadly strain of avian flu in birds in a region south of Moscow, marking the steady westwards march of a virus scientists fear could trigger a pandemic.
More:Video:
ReutersText:
CNN- Cartoon by Jean Veenenbos for Der Standard (Vienna)
Europeans declare bird flu 'a global threat'
European foreign ministers on Tuesday declared the bird flu outbreak a "global threat" and warned that the European Union was not sufficiently prepared for a pandemic if the virus changed in a way that would allow it to spread readily among humans.
More:
International Herald Tribune- Cartoon by Burki for 24 Heures (Lausanne)
France fails to curb Mandelson on tradeEurope's trade commissioner, Peter Mandelson, has seen off a formal effort to shackle him in world trade negotiations, but only after a fierce clash with France over moves to slash farm subsidies.
More:
The Independent
Greece confirms bird flu
- The main problem with the bird flu is that Bush is decided to fight it.
- Jesus!
Greece yesterday confirmed its first case of bird flu, as the disease that has plagued south-east Asia continued its rapid spread westward. It is the first country in the European Union to report apparent infection, although cases are being tackled in Turkey and Romania.
More:
The Guardian- Cartoon by Romeu for El País (Madrid)
Morocco 'did not dump migrants'
Europe: "We just ignore it"
Moroccan Foreign Minister Mohammad Benaissa has denied accusations that his country has dumped sub-Saharan African migrants in the Sahara desert. A group fighting for Western Saharan independence said it had taken in more than 90 Africans wandering in the desert after Morocco expelled them. But Mr Benaissa said the allegations were propaganda orchestrated by the Polisario Front and its ally, Algeria.
More:
BBC España y Francia presentarán a la UE una iniciativa conjunta sobre inmigración (ABC)
- Cartoon by Horsch for Der Standard (Vienna)
Croatia testing for bird flu
A team of British experts in infectious diseases are to visit South-East Asia to investigate first-hand how best to tackle a deadly bird flu pandemic. The fact-finding mission was announced after it was confirmed that bird flu has entered Europe. Tests have linked a strain found in Romanian poultry to the virus which has killed 60 people in Asia. Officials in Croatia said today that the country had started testing dead birds found by citizens for possible avian flu.
More:
The Times- Cartoon by Chris Duggan for The Times (London)
Italy's primaries crowned Prodi
Italian opposition leader Romano Prodi won overwhelming support in a nationwide primary that confirmed him as the center-left candidate for Italy's general elections next year, results showed Monday. With 92.4 percent of 10,000 polling stations reporting, results early Monday showed Prodi won 74.6 percent of the vote. Prodi's widely expected victory set the stage for a clash with Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who is likely to remain at the helm of the conservatives, in the mid-2006 vote.
More:
CNNThe Independent
Primarie, 4 milioni e 300mila votanti (Corriere della Sera)
- Cartoon by Serguei for Le Monde (Paris)
Britain prepares for 14 million flu victims
The bird flu at our door
Boy: I found a dead chicken, I found a dead chicken!!
Mother: Where?!
Boy: In the fridge!!
The bird flu crisis moved a step closer to Britain's shores yesterday as the country's most senior medical adviser demanded that all doctors draw up emergency plans to distribute 14 million doses of drugs to combat the disease.
More:
The Guardian- Cartoon by Herrmann for Tribune de Genève (Geneva)
Deadly bird flu strain confirmed in Europe
Movie director: "Next!"
Hopes that the deadly strain of avian flu had not yet reached Europe were dashed Saturday after tests from Turkey and Romania proved positive. Europe bolstered its defenses against bird flu Friday after the lethal Asian strain of the virus was confirmed in Turkey, and then later Romania, raising further fears of a potential pandemic throughout the European mainland.
More:
Deutsche Welle- Cartoon by Plantu for Le Monde (Paris)
World Cup 2006 QualifyingSpain plays against Slovakia
Spain will have to overcome Slovakia over two legs to secure their place at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Here's the World Cup play-off draw:
Spain v
SlovakiaSwitzerland v
TurkeyNorway v
Czech Republic(Matches to be played 12 and 16 November)More:
BBC España se la jugará en la repesca contra Eslovaquia (Marca)
Deadly strain of Asian bird flu arrives on Europe's doorstep
Border officcer: "You can't pass till we do some bird flu tests"
Stork: "But I have a very important pack to Spain. If you don't believe, call [the Spanish Foreign minister, Miguel Ángel] Moratinos. No, no, you better call the king"
A lethal strain of bird flu that has killed 60 people in south-east Asia has appeared on the doorstep of Europe. British scientists confirmed yesterday that an outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm in Turkey was caused by the deadly H5N1 strain of influenza.
More:
The Independent
La fièvre monte sur la grippe aviaire (Libération)
- Cartoon by Ricardo for El Mundo (Madrid)
World Cup 2006 QualifyingFrance, Sweden, England and Serbia in final-day joy
Eleven European teams already know they will compete in Germany. Serbia and Montenegro, France, England and Sweden claimed the last automatic qualifying berths from Europe for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, as Turkey, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland and Spain joined Norway in the play-offs.
More:
UEFAEngland regain their pride (The Times)
La France qualifiée sans joie pour le Mondial 2006 (Le Monde)
España: Una goleada inútil (El País)
Can Germany's New Chief Remake the Country?
Incoming Chancellor Angela Merkel faces a divided government and serious questions about Germany's future. Merkel, 51, will be the first woman ever nominated for the post, but will not be officially sworn in until late November. Talks continue between her conservative Christian Democrat party (CDU) and Gerhard Schroeder's center-left Social Democrats (SPD) on how to form a coalition government.
More:
Time Europe - Cartoon by Chappatte for Le Temps (Genève)
Italy awards €4.4bn contract for Sicily's controversial bridgeA giant bridge linking the Italian peninsula with Sicily, discussed for decades, came a step closer to realisation yesterday when the Italian government announced the winner of the contract to build it. The €4.4bn (£3bn) deal was awarded to the national construction giant Impregilo, bidding in tandem with firms from Japan and Spain and smaller Italian firms.
More:
The Independent
Bird Flu could be closer to EuropeBulgarian authorities are testing three birds found dead in the north of the country for avian flu. So far there are no indications that the deadly virus has crossed its borders. The tests were a result of stricter controls. Romania and Turkey, which border Bulgaria, reported new cases of the virus on Saturday. They will continue culling poultry to prevent the disease from spreading.
More:
Euronews
Merkel to lead Germany in coalition
Conservative Angela Merkel will become Germany's first woman chancellor under a deal agreed on Monday that forces Gerhard Schroeder out of power but gives his party great influence over the pace of economic reform.
More:
Reuters - Cartoon by Steve Bell for The Guardian (London)
World Cup 2006 QualifyingFrance relying on luck of Irish
Frustrated France are relying on Ireland to do them a favour when the teams play their respective final World Cup qualifiers in the extraordinarily close European Group Four on Wednesday. The French, held to a disappointing 1-1 draw in Bern on Saturday, now need to beat Cyprus in their last outing in Paris but will top the group only if the Swiss do not win in Dublin.
More:
Eurosport - Cartoon by Burki for 24 Heures (Lausanne)
Europe Gets Tough on Immigrant Crisis
The storming of Spain's border by African immigrants this week has turned the spotlight on the EU's response to a familiar crisis. Brussels is indeed moving to deal with the problem, but there's still a long way to go.
More:
Deutsche Welle - Cartoon by Glez in Courrier International (Paris)
Europe and Turkey shake on it, at last
The European Union and Turkey have finally agreed on a negotiating framework that will allow formal talks on Turkish membership of the EU to begin. Within Turkey and outside it, there are questions about the predominantly Muslim country’s readiness for Europe.
More:
The Economist - Cartoon by Burki for 24 Heures (Lausanne)
Asset raids on 'IRA properties'
About 250 properties in Manchester believed to be linked to the IRA are searched by an asset recovery team. The inquiry is thought to involve Dermot Craven and Thomas Murphy Properties worth £30m and thought to be linked to the IRA are being targeted in raids in Greater Manchester.
More:
BBC- Cartoon by Chapatte for International Herald Tribune (Paris)
Live webcast of the ECB press conference on Thursday
Next Thursday (Oct. 6), at 2.30 p.m. (C.E.T.), the President and Vice-President will explain this month's monetary policy decision taken by the Governing Council and will answer journalists' questions.
Follow online and in real time the ECB's press conference from Athens, Greece.
Live webcast: press conference
