It is too early to say whether Mr Sarkozy is a failure at home: thanks to his doublespeak on so many issues, we will only know on his last day in office whether he was a reformer using populism to change France, or just another French ruler in hock to the country's vested corporatist interests, and paralysed by fear of public opinion.

ECONOMIST: European politics

Before you think Lycerius is just an unfeeling ruler, he said he does want to find a way to end the longstanding war.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

The issue is made more complex by the evolving relationship between Greenland, a hunting-based society of just over 50, 000 people, and its former colonial ruler.

BBC: Call for UN debate rejected as whaling talks end