2015/01/16 LEAP/E2020 Press Review on the Global Systemic Crisis. Libertad, Igualdad, Pluralidad.

First half of 2015 – Oil, the Middle East, Charlie Hebdo… Last resilience tests of the Western “model”: adapt or die

To be and not to be Charlie.. Our team had anticipated that the explosion of tensions in the Middle East would have a rapid impact on European societies, bringing great risks to our democracies1. The European crisis, as we have often said, well beyond the intrinsic value of the individuals who compose it, has revealed a structural weakness in the European political system technically disconnected from its citizens. The great fear that Europe had in 2014 of going to war with a neighbour led, in 2015, to a real return of politics: we saw a Juncker Commission that decided to legitimize its political decisions, national governments finally aware of the need for political union, highly mobilized citizens.

GEAB / LEAP

Swiss Stocks Tumble on Central Bank's Surprise; European Equities Rise

Stocks in Switzerland tumbled the most in 25 years, led by the nation’s exporters, while the Euro Stoxx 50 (SX5E) Index rose, after the Swiss National Bank (SNBN) unexpectedly ended its minimum exchange rate...

Bloomberg

La tentation d’un « Patriot Act » à la française

Rien de pire, pour le droit, que ces moments d’intense unanimité, que cette vague d’émotion qui submerge la raison. Or, le code pénal a les plus grandes difficultés à revenir en arrière...

Le Monde

Schlumberger confirms 9,000 layoffs coming

The company tells Eyewitness News they're in the process of reducing their workforce by 9,000 jobs. The reduction represents about 7.3 percent of the Houston-based company's total global workforce...

ABC13

Ukraine Default Risk Soars As Reserves Collapse 63% YoY

Amid contingent offers of more bailout loans from Europe, and a looming $3bn debt repayment to Russia, Ukraine's default risk has surged once again to post-crisis record highs...

ZeroHedge

Caesars Entertainment's operating unit files for bankruptcy

The operating unit of Caesars Entertainment Corp, the largest U.S. casino company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Thursday to implement its plan to cut $10 billion of debt...

CNBC

Oil-driven Asian bond rally could boomerang

Plunging oil prices have sparked a big rally in Asian government bond markets as lower fuel costs cut inflation expectations, but the rally could be built on shallow foundations as monetary policymakers remain out of step with tumbling bond yields...

Reuters

BP lays off 300 workers as oil slump troubles North Sea

BP PLC announced on Thursday that it would lay off about 300 people in the North Sea hub of Aberdeen, Scotland, the biggest sign yet of the problems besetting the U.K.’s main oil-producing region...

Market Watch

UK, Denmark back EU counter-propaganda plan

The two-page informal paper - endorsed by Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, and the UK and seen by EUobserver - was circulated to EU capitals on Friday (9 January)...

EUObserver

Merkel pledges to protect Muslim faith in an 'undivided' Germany

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has addressed the recent Paris attacks, describing the freedom of the press as one of society's greatest treasure. She also said that Islam belongs to Germany as much as Judaism.

Deutsche Welle

David Cameron warns of 'legacy of debt'

BBC correspondent Ben Wright says the speech sets out a policy of ending the £90bn deficit with spending cuts, not tax rises, while raising NHS spending...

BBC

EU ministers vow new counter-terrorism rules after Paris attack

As well over a million people attended a march in Paris, a handful of EU ministers along with US attorney general Eric Holder announced their intentions to step up counter-terrorism efforts...

EUObserver

Russia Favors Closer Ties With Japan Despite Territorial Dispute

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanovsaid on Monday that Moscow is ready to build closer ties with Japan despite a dispute over four Pacific islands. ??"Russia and Japan have entered a new level of cooperation and partnership," Ivanov said in a letter to a Russian-Japanese conference that opened in St. Petersburg on Monday.

Xinhuanet

Alibaba in major initiative to court China consumer for U.S. retailers

China's Alibaba Group Holding Ltd plans a major move to win U.S. business this year, by offering American retailers new ways to sell to China's vast and growing middle class.

Reuters

Plus d'une cinquantaine d'actes antimusulmans depuis les attentats

Le Conseil français du culte musulman (CFCM) signale une explosion d'actes hostiles aux musulmans en France, après les attentats commis par les djihadistes à Charlie Hebdo et à l'Hyper Cacher porte de Vincennes...

L'Express

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This special Press Review reviews articles from the French and Engligh-speaking international online media relating to the unfolding global crisis.

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