euro|topics - MAIN FOCUS

France's guilt? | 07/08/2008

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:00:00 +0100

Rwanda's government has levelled grave accusations against France: according to an investigation by the Rwandan Justice Ministry, French soldiers actively participated in the genocide of 1994 in which an estimated 800,000 people were killed during confrontations between Tutsis and Hutus. At the time the French army had set up a protection zone in Rwanda under UN mandate.

Soldiers on Italy's streets | 06/08/2008

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:00:00 +0100

Troops have been deployed to fight crime In Italy's big cities for the past several days. All told, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government will station 3,000 soldiers in various cities to support the local police. Europe's press has harsh words for the move.

Terror in the run-up to the Olympics | 05/08/2008

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:00:00 +0100

Just a few days before the Olympic Games are due to begin in Beijing, 16 policemen have been killed in an attack in China's north-western Xinjiang region. The Chinese authorities blame Uyghur separatists for the attack. Europe's press discusses the repercussions for the games.

Brown in crisis | 04/08/2008

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:00:00 +0100

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is in trouble. Not only is he having to contend with an economic downturn but now his own party is turning against him. First came Foreign Secretary David Miliband's indirect call in a newspaper article for Brown to be replaced, and now a letter by former Prime Minister Tony Blair harshly criticising Brown's policies has been made public. What does Europe's press think the future holds for the British head of government?

The end for Olmert | 01/08/2008

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:00:00 +0100

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has announced he will resign in the wake of corruption charges. He said he will not run for the leadership of his Kadima Party and will step down as leader of the government. Europe's press unanimously welcomes the resignation of the luckless prime minister.

Court ruling in Turkey | 31/07/2008

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:00:00 +0100

The Turkish constitutional court has decided not to ban the ruling AKP party. The decision was close: six of eleven judges voted in favour, whereas seven were necessary to effect the ban. The Islam-oriented party of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has nevertheless been deprived of half of its state support. The European press discusses the significance of the judgement for Turkey and Europe.

A broken promise? | 30/07/2008

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:00:00 +0100

Nine days before the Beijing Olympics begin Amnesty International (AI) has harshly criticised the human rights situation in China. The organisation's report condemns above all the country's oppression of human rights activists, its use of the death penalty and its sweeping censorship of the media, and it talks of China having "broken its promise." For its part the Chinese leadership has criticised the report's Western perspective. Whose side is Europe on?

The end of an era | 29/07/2008

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:00:00 +0100

The high price of oil is wreaking havoc with Europe's cheap airlines: The Irish carrier Ryanair yesterday announced an 85 percent drop in its first-quarter profit while its British rival Easyjet has revised its profits outlook downwards. Is the era of cheap air travel coming to an end?

A breakthrough in Geneva | 28/07/2008

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:00:00 +0100

The WTO talks in Geneva look set to achieve a breakthrough: Following initial differences of opinion the ministers agreed on a compromise which included reductions in EU agricultural subsidies and import duties for products from developing countries. The Doha round is thus close to conclusion. What does Europe think of the WTO's plans?

Obama in Berlin | 25/07/2008

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:00:00 +0100

In a speech delivered to an audience of 200,000 in Berlin yesterday Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate for the US presidency, outlined his plans for future US foreign policy. How does Europe evaluate Obama's vision?