The leaders of Germany and France this week highlighted the gap separating Britain and the United States from some of their closest allies on policy towards Iraq, saying they could not support an attack without a United Nations mandate.
A political backlash gathered pace in the UK this week against Interbrew, the Belgian brewer trying to force media organisations to hand over leaked documents. MPs described the action as corporate bullying and tabled a motion in the House of Commons in defence of the news organisations.