Attention Schlachtbummelers: here's an eloquent defence of Chinese military prowess, with specific reference to the Sino-Dutch war over Taiwan. I'm not sure the comparison bears as much weight as the article says. A ragtag colonial garrison at the far end...

How about this for a claim by Nicolas Sarkozy, made in a TV appearance yesterday? ‘Europe is no longer at the edge of the cliff.’ It's quite some statement, so let's hear it again: ‘Europe is no longer at the edge of the cliff.’ Of course, Sarkozy has reasons for saying it beyond mere pre-electoral braggadocio: the rates paid on Italian and Spanish 10-year bonds h...

                The ECB’s decision to lend very large sums of money to banks has for the time being quietened the Italian and Spanish bond markets, despite S and P downgrading various sovereign bonds. Meanwhile, trouble is blowing up again in Greece.            Before Chris...

Strong demand at auctions for Italian and Spanish government debt yesterday (12 January) softened some worries over the region's debt crisis amid talk by the European Central Bank that the euro was showing "tentative" signs of stabilisation. More »

Yesterday Italian unemployment figures came in at 8.6%. That is bad news for many Italians, but by Euro area standards it was a good performance.An astonishing 23% of the Spanish workforce is unemployed, including 45% of young people. 18% of the Greeks of working age, 14% of the Irish and 13% of the Portuguese rely

Unemployment data released yesterday in Germany and Spain highlights the growing divisions within the eurozone. The German unemployment rate dropped to 6.8%, its lowest point for 20 years, while Spanish levels rose for the fifth month in a row to 23%. Separately, credit rating agency Fitch cut its growth forecasts for Spain to zero for this year and only 1% in 2013.

Officially, of course, the answer to that question is William Hague - who has put in some decent work since assuming office, particularly during the Arab Spring. But, still, I ask it because, following the European Council, Nick Clegg seems to have usurped the Foreign Secretary's role in a number of key areas. It was the Deputy Prime Minister who engaged the newly-elected Spanish leader, for ...

Open Europe's press summary reports that A leaked European Commission report seen by Italian daily La Repubblica reveals that Italy is likely to be told at the end of today’s meeting of eurozone finance ministers that it needs to adopt a new package of savings worth at least €11bn as quickly as possible.... Separately, an article in El País reports that Spain’s incomin...

@oikonomenos Enrique Viaña Remis Ley de Worstall: “Todas las organizaciones terminan siendo dirigidas por quienes son capaces de mantenerse despiertos en las reuniones”

You can eat all the tacos and drink all the Margaritas you want, but dinner isn't authentically Mexican until at least three Spanish-speaking men have appeared at the side of your table, singing in unison and strumming guitars.