Berlin lost in Somalia
"German debacle in the horn of Africa", headlines Die Tageszeitung after the disappearance of 1,000 Somali peacekeepers freshly trained by German armed forces in Ethiopia. "The fact that no one knows what (the peacekeepers) are doing or for whom they are fighting" is worse than a scandal, proclaims the daily, which blames Berlin for shirking its responsibilities in acting without prior UN approval and by neglecting to provide for the return of the peacekeepers to Somalia. The TAZ openly questions the wisdom of military training programmes, a staple of European and German civilian aid in Africa as well as Afghanistan, wondering if such programmes truly contribute to lasting peace. Citing Britain's own experience in Somalia, the TAZ notes that between 1999 and 2002 the Hart Group trained members of the Somali Coast Guard, some of whom have now become the region's most competent pirates.
“Hitler”, “Occupying Power" – it’s always the same. Berlin is asserting its stance on the euro crisis and, in turn, is being abused with comparisons to the Nazis. Die Zeit ponders how Germans should respond. 
France’s second city will be European capital of culture in 2013. But for the moment, news from Marseille is dominated by feuds among Kalashnikov toting drug dealers who hold sway over entire neighbourhoods. 
A Greek default can still not be ruled out, and it would place the European Central Bank in considerable danger. To avoid this, states should pay up and provide guarantees, believes economist Melvyn Krauss.