On national television last night French President Nicolas Sarkozy promised to lead France out of the economic slump, and defended his actions to beat the recession.

It’s on the front page of all the French dailies and the consensus seems to be that the president has softened his tone.


Le Parisien (France)
Le virage social / The social turn

Sarkozy says he said he understands public discontent, and is listening to the people.

The Paris daily features a verdict from people who watched the speech, who broadly speaking, say they are happy the president says he’s listening to the people, although they are anxious to see him actually take some action that will help them through the crisis.


Libération (France)
Sarkozy, une pincée de social / Sarkozy, a little bit more social

Even left wing Liberation notes the president seems to be more conciliatory. They say that in response to last weeks strikes Sarkozy is making some concessions.

On the inside pages they say this tone has been forced by the financial crisis, and he has to reign in his habitual hard talk.


The Times (UK)
President Sarkozy vows to avoid Britain’s economic ‘mistakes’

Across the English Channel, several British papers also talk about the speech. The Times discusses how Sarkozy justifies his choice to invest in state infrastructure rather than trying to boost consumer spending with tax cuts - British PM Gordon Brown's preferred option.


The Telegraph (UK)
President Barack Obama meets Tony Blair before Gordon Brown

UK papers are in a fluster about a meeting between former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the new White House incumbent, Barack Obama. “Tony Blair has once again outflanked his old friend Gordon Brown by becoming the first world statesman to shake hands with President Barack Obama,“ says the Telegraph.

Obama apparently praised Blair, calling him "my very good friend". Some thing that is likely to irk Downing Street.


The Independent (UK)
Eat your heart out Gordon

The story also makes the front page of the Independent. Blair gets the coveted photo op next to the president of the USA.

They say every European leader wants to be seen with Barack Obama – and Blair has beaten them all to it.

The inside pages the paper puts it down to Blair’s faith.

“Religion has its uses – like jumping the queue”

The meeting occurred on US National Prayer day and Blair gave a speech, he was famously not allowed to discuss this matter while in office and is clearly making the most of being allowed to “do God” now.


The Telegraph (UK)
Bill Gates unleashes swarm of mosquitoes at TED 2009

The Telegraph also reports on Bill Gates' unorthodox methods to wake up a conference centre of business delegates in California. The co-founder of Microsoft let the bugs loose in order to highlight the dangers of malaria. Conference organisers said he gave the audience food for thought.

 
As he sprung his surprise on the conference he said:

“Malaria is spread by mosquitoes….. I brought some. Here I’ll let them roam around. There is no reason only poor people should be infected.”

 
He pointed out that more money was being spent on a cure for baldness than on malaria prevention.