During a TV appearance on Sunday night, President Sarkozy showed off a perhaps new-found love - for France's economically stronger neighbour Germany. Next, we meet the lingerie factory workers fighting to keep their jobs. Their plight is becoming a rallying point against industrial decline for politicians on both left and right. Finally, we take a look at the bitingly satirical comic books that are proving hugely popular in France.
French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation has clinched a $12 billion deal to supply the Indian military with 126 Rafale fighter jets in a major setback for rival bidder Eurofighter Typhoon.
Iran threatens to close the strait of Hormuz and effectively shut down the transit point for over a third of the world's oil, a scenario some analysts have described as Armageddon. Is Iran ready to go all the way and hold the global economy at ransom in order to avoid further sanctions? Or is it just bluffing, an empty threat made by a regime with dwindling options?
Iran threatens to close the Strait of Hormuz and effectively shut down the transit point for over a third of the world's oil, a scenario some analysts have described as Armageddon. Is Iran ready to go all the way and hold the global economy at ransom in order to avoid further sanctions? Or is it just bluffing, an empty threat made by a regime with dwindling options?
The latest spike in unemployment grabs headlines with just four months to go before the presidential election. It's extra fuel for partisanship on the front pages of two of the main papers: Libération knocks Sarkozy for placing his supporters in key positions, while Le Figaro slams Hollande for groping in the dark. That's the focus for this look at the French papers, Wednesday 28th December 2011.
What is the role of intelligence today? How has it developed since the days of the Cold War? In this edition of the programme we explore the murky world of spying with documentary film maker David Korn-Brzoza. Throughout his documentary David explains to us how business and industrial espionage are taking centre stage.
Coinciding with the 26th anniversary of the Bhopal disaster, the Indian government is suing Union Carbide and Dow Chemical, two US companies implicated in the gas leak tragedy, for $1 billion.
A few months ago, a complex computer worm called Stuxnet was identified by IT security professionals. The virus is designed to exploit five different security weaknesses, making it stronger than most other computer worms. It has reportedly infected the personal computers of staff at Iran's first nuclear power station and it continues to spread and multiply.
ENVIRONMENT dips into dyes to look at the true colours of our clothes. Travelling to cowboy city in China where a devil in blue jeans has turned Pearl River a worrying shade of indigo, and to India where cotton fields are poisoning farmers and turning children’s hair grey.
Pierre Briançon tells us about French austerity, which is still in the news even during the government's summer break; a wave of consolidation among large industrial groups; and a new battle which is looming between internet giants Facebook and Google.
