For the moment, however, the fear is that Mr Chirac's assertiveness over the presidency could rebound by making the bank even more determined to fend off political control.

ECONOMIST: Wim Duisenberg, in the rough

Since Turkey's new geopolitical assertiveness of Ottoman heritage will be driven by Turkish interests, those interests can best be reconciled with European interests on an arm's length basis.

ECONOMIST: Letters

Their growing assertiveness is unlikely to be much checked by the resignation on February 3rd of Chris Huhne, who had learned he would be charged with passing on points incurred by a speeding offence to his then wife.

ECONOMIST: The coalition��s performance

The quest for assertiveness as it pertains to writing was articulated by James J.

FORBES: Obama and the S&P Downgrade