Eurotopics.net

The US company Apple has blocked the New York Times app in China at the request of the Beijing authorities, a spokeswoman for Iphone Producer announced. The fact that major corporations operating in China are disregarding liberal values has partly to do with the bad example set by many states, commentators criticise.

The ceasefire in Syria negotiated by Russia, Turkey and Iran is fragile. Rebel groups are accusing the Syrian government of violating the truce. A permanent laying down of weapons is not on the cards, many commentators believe. Others think the war will soon be over, as the rebels no longer have any allies.

Just under four weeks after the parliamentary elections Romania has a new government. Sorin Grindeanu of the social democratic PSD was sworn in as the head of the new social-liberal government on Wednesday. Romania's press has nothing good to say about the new prime minister and his cabinet.

The coming year will see elections in the Netherlands, France and Germany and the beginning of the Brexit negotiations. But journalists are not entirely pessimistic about Europe's prospects in 2017.

The Syrian ceasefire negotiated by Russia, Turkey and Iran is very fragile. Fighting continues in the Barada Valley region near Damascus, prompting the Syrian rebels to break off the preliminary talks being held in advance of a meeting in the Kazakh capital Astana at the end of January. Commentators wonder whether Russia will nonetheless be able to get the warring parties to sit down at the negotiating table.

Britain's permanent representative to the EU, Sir Ivan Rogers, has resigned. He wanted to cede his office to a successor before Britain triggers Article 50 at the end of March, a communique from the British embassy to the EU announced. This will weaken London's position in the Brexit negotiations, some commentators believe. Others see it as a chance.