Glaeseker Olaf, who worked for German president Christian Wulff until December 22 last year, is suspected of corruption. President Wulff is implicated in a scandal involving a loan and a holiday trip paid for by an industrialist friend. He is also accused of having put pressure on newspapers not to break the story.
Police raid on Wulff's former spokesman – Die Welt
Police raids have taken place in several Belgian dioceses to determine whether the Catholic Church has been protecting priest sex offenders.
Paedophilia: is the Church a criminal organization? – Le Soir
Austria's board of data protection, which advises the national government, is to give its opinion on the bilateral agreement between the U.S. and 16 European countries concerning the exchange of police data.
FBI obtains access to Austrian police data – Der Standard
The Polish daily puns on the Latin terms "ad acta" - to consider something closed, and the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). The Polish, German, French and Czech versions of Wikipedia may soon be inaccessible in protest against the agreement, considered by many as an attack on internet freedom. The European Parliament is to review the draft international treaty in the coming months.
Internet ad acta – Gazeta Wyborcza
The IMF forecasts that the Spanish economy will contract by 1.7% in 2012 and 0.3% in 2013.
Two more years of recession for Spain – ABC
France and Spain are paying less on their national debt. The Paris Bourse gained 1.96% on Thursday, buoyed by the banks, and has risen by more than 5% since the S&P downgrade.
Market brush aside Triple A loss – Les Echos
After the taxi-drivers strike, lawyers, pharmacists and railway workers have announced demonstrations against the government's plan to liberalise their respective sectors. The plan is to be presented to parliament on 20 January.
Wildcat street protests – La Stampa
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