observer.guardian.co.uk:
Europe and Russia are embroiled in an escalating contest over Ukraine ‑ its direction, its stability, and its alliances. Diplomats, analysts, and EU officials are warning that the situation could worsen sharply within weeks, in an early test of Catherine Ashton's crisis management skills.The new EU foreign policy chief will (Read More)
www.guardian.co.uk:
• Breadmaker to stop Canadian imports in the new year• Move welcomed by National Farmers' UnionBritain's farmers were given a boost today when bread maker Hovis announced that it plans to use only British wheat across its entire range.The switch is due to take place early next year. At present, the brand is using between 25 (Read More)
The Guardian:
• US confectioner has moved thousands of jobs to Mexico in three-year restructuring• Company's intentions towards Cadbury, a potential bid target, remain unclearIt calls itself the sweetest place in America. But the home town of Hershey's, the chocolate maker, has a lingering hint of bitterness in the air after cost-cutting (Read More)
guardian.co.uk Politics:
David Miliband says UK needs more time to shore up Afghan government The Afghan government could fall within weeks if Nato pulled out troops now, David Miliband warned today as he urged British opponents of the war to give the fight to rebuild the country more time.In an interview with the Guardian at the end of a visit to (Read More)
The Guardian:
Investment bank under fire again as investors protest at record bonuses of $717,000 eachGoldman Sachs has had to defend itself from angry taxpayers, regulators, the government – and now its own shareholders.Some of the US investment bank's largest investors are furious about the New York-based firm paying record bonuses to (Read More)
guardian.co.uk Politics:
Cathy Ashton's meteoric rise has surprised many, but not those who know her bestWhen Cathy Ashton arrived in Brussels at short notice just over a year ago she had to attend to some urgent business: removing traces of her predecessor, Peter Mandelson.In her first act Ashton took down a large painting of a bare-breasted woman (Read More)
guardian.co.uk Politics:
Lady Ashton is apparently a perfectly personable woman, but she was only chosen because she ticked the right boxesIf someone held the patent for the word "nice" they would make a fortune today: the only thing anyone can find to say about Lady Ashton is that she's nice. Sometimes she's just nice, other times she's nice in co (Read More)
The Guardian:
The mood in Brussels is bleak as experts agree politicking has triumphed over ambition in the appointment of two new leaders, writes Ian TraynorEurope's hopes of translating its economic power into global political clout have suffered a severe setback as a result of the timid choices on new leadership made this week, analys (Read More)
guardian.co.uk Politics:
The wild escalation of top salaries goes across both sectors – and so must the solution: a high pay commissionIf ever there were a need for a high pay commission to put some rationality into out-of-control top pay scales, this is it. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is looking for a new chief executive. Its chairman (Read More)
guardian.co.uk Politics:
Ali Dizaei, the suspended senior Scotland Yard officer, has been cleared of misusing his corporate credit card. An inquiry by Dorset chief constable Martin Baker found no evidence he acted dishonestly or without integrity. Dizaei, 47, was accused of failing to repay money he spent on a police credit card and not keeping rec (Read More)
guardian.co.uk Politics:
The appointments of Herman Van Rompuy and Cathy Ashton lay bare the rot at the core of the Lisbon projectIt's not often that the front pages of the Daily Mail and the Guardian have identical headlines. Still, both newspapers are right: it is a great EU stitch-up, this back-room installation of favoured placemen. Saying so d (Read More)
www.guardian.co.uk:
The verse-writing of the new president of the European Council is good in parts, says the former poet laureateFirst let me say this: on balance, I would far rather that people in politics were writing poetry than not. Where are the poets in the House of Commons? So let's give Herman Van Rompuy a round of applause.However, I (Read More)
The Guardian:
Jean-Claude Trichet said it was time to unwind some of the measures that propped up the banking system during the financial crisisEuropean Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet warned today that banks risk becoming addicted to cheap cash provided by central banks in their efforts get them lending again.Trichet also s (Read More)
New York Times:
While it will be a challenge, TV manufacturers believe that they'll be able to meet new California standards for HDTV power consumption.
. (Read More)
guardian.co.uk Politics:
Tony Blair warned Gordon Brown a week ago that his campaign to become the first president of the European Council was doomed after a decisive intervention by the German chancellor Angela Merkel, according to senior Whitehall sources.To the dismay of key ministers, who wanted Brown to push for Britain to take an economic por (Read More)