Expo 2015, a Milanese fiasco
"Is Milan in danger of losing Expo 2015?", asks Il Post, after revelations came to light concerning a litany of problems. Mired in "delays in infrastructure projects, disputes over the assignment of specific duties, conflicts among local organisations and the infiltratation of organised crime in the bidding process for public offers", Milan may be thinking of giving up on hosting the Expo, notes the news site.
While this would be a great disgrace for Milan, things would be even worse if the expo were not ready for opening day. And now that Ankara has offered to host the event (the Turkish city of Izmir was runner-up in the host-city selection for the event), Milan can at least breathe easy knowing that they have an option, reports the economic journal Italia Oggi, explaining that Ankara has also sweetened the pot with the promise of a substantial sum for the debt-ridden Italian municipality.
“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.