Press Review

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An overview of the stories making the French and international newspaper headlines. From Monday to Friday live at 7:20am and 9:20am Paris time.

  1. 2 days ago

    Stability or fiasco? Giorgia Meloni becomes longest-serving Italian PM

    PRESS REVIEW – Friday, September 4: Italy's Giorgia Meloni becomes the longest-serving prime minister in Italy's postwar history. While she's celebrated by the rightwing press, the leftwing press say her leadership is a fiasco. Also, is Europe gearing up for a chaotic winter? Concern is mounting after the UN warned of a "supersized" El Niño phenomenon that could bring heavy rains and snow. Plus we look at tributes to Gloria Steinem, journalist and women's rights icon, who has died at 92.  We start in Italy, where Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has become the country's longest-serving postwar leader. Meloni marks 1,413 days in office – a record for the country – and the Italian right-wing papers are celebrating. Libero says "Tiè" which translates to "there you go!": a triumphant, vindicated headline from the pro-government paper. Libero's editor takes aim at Italy's left, saying the secret to Meloni's longevity is the "realism of the conservative right versus the demagogic utopia of the left." Il Giornale, another conservative paper, also focuses on Meloni's political feat on its front page, with an opinion piece calling her "the exception that became the norm." It's a different story from the leftwing press. Il Fatto Quotidiano is far less jubilant: "Four years in office with nothing to celebrate", the paper says. It calls Meloni's governance a "fiasco". The Financial Times notes that Meloni has governed not as a radical but as a conservative – which is why she is reviled as a sellout by far-right hardliners in Europe. The FT also attributes her political capital remaining intact to the fact that she has "yet to use it on painful economic, welfare and public administration reforms". Elsewhere, the El Niño weather phenomenon is dominating headlines after the UN's stark warning about what's to come. After a scorching summer in Europe, El Niño could be supersized this year, according to the UN. That could mean heavy rains and/or a very snowy winter. Le Parisien wonders how worried we should be. The Guardian quotes the British environment secretary's warning to Britons to stock up on supplies this winter in the event of shortages and power cuts. The chaotic winter could mean an even hotter 2027, or as Metro says, it's going to be "hot as El." Finally, journalist and women's rights campaigner Gloria Steinem died on Thursday at the age of 92. The New York Times pays tribute to Steinem, saying she championed the cause of women at home, in the workplace and in society at large. One of her most iconic works was an undercover exposé she wrote about being a Playboy bunny – an exposé she came to regret writing because it hampered her professionally. The Washington Post recounts her experience of going undercover as a bunny at Hugh Hefner's nightclubs for men. It notes that her exposé was not so much the experience of being a Bunny but a dissection of gender structure, class and control. You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

  2. 3 days ago

    Supreme Court corruption scandal rocks Brazil

    PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, September 3: There's outrage in Malta after a tycoon was found not guilty of masterminding the murder of high-profile investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. In Brazil, a Supreme Court justice who was pivotal in sentencing former President Jair Bolsonaro to prison is implicated in a corruption scandal of his own. Plus conservationists marvel after a mating frenzy of the endangered kakapo – a flightless, nocturnal parrot native to New Zealand. We start with a court verdict from Malta: the acquittal of a man accused of orchestrating the killing of prominent journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. She was known for her investigation of the Panama Papers and had made a name for herself reporting on government corruption, nepotism and money laundering. This made her a target – she was killed in a shocking car bombing in 2017. The man accused of ordering her killing is Yorgen Fenech, who is one of Malta's richest men. A court verdict found him not guilty of involvement in her murder. The decision, as the Guardian says, came as a blow, not just to Caruana Galizia's family but to those who saw the trial as a landmark action in the fight to protect press freedom in Europe. Caruana Galizia's death triggered one of the biggest political scandals in Malta's postwar history. It also contributed to the resignation of Joseph Muscat, the then prime minister. "Yorgen Fenech NOT GUILTY" reads the headline from the Malta Independent, although it's hard to gauge how the paper really feels about the verdict. The front-page article is fairly neutral, reporting on the Caruana Galizia family's anger, but it chooses to go with a photo of Fenech coming out of the courthouse rather than Caruana Galizia herself. There are also little to no editorials and scant opinion pieces about what this verdict represents for Malta's stance on prosecuting crimes against journalists. The Times of Malta has, for its part, gathered reactions from activist groups and opposition political parties. Republikka, a civil society in Malta fighting for good governance and democracy, says that despite the verdict, the trial forces Malta to "confront uncomfortable truths" about political corruption. The Green Party says the verdict is an "indictment of the state of Malta", adding: "Daphne has been murdered a second time." Meanwhile, Brazil's press is headlining on a Supreme Court justice who was pivotal in bringing down former president Jair Bolsonaro. He is now implicated in a corruption scandal of his own. The Washington Times reminds us that Alexandre de Moraes was the Brazilian Supreme Court justice who sentenced Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison for a coup attempt. He's now come under scrutiny after newly released federal police documents show very close ties between Moraes and disgraced banker Daniel Vorcaro. The latter is the owner of Banco Master and was behind what some call the largest bank fraud in the history of Brazil. Brazilian daily O Globo's editors offer details of Moraes' alleged corruption: airplanes, helicopters, credit cards provided by Vorcaro to Moraes and his family. Vorcaro also sent him dozens of messages in the lead-up to his own arrest. This included attempts to obtain information about the investigation into Banco Master and asking Moraes for advice on whether he should leave the country. Folha de Sao Paulo headlines on President Lula's attempts to distance himself from de Moraes and the scandal, just one month before general elections in Brazil. Finally, there's some good news for the endangered populations of the world's heaviest parrot, the kakapo! The cute, hefty flightless parrots native to New Zealand are nocturnal, with owl-like faces. They are also critically endangered. The birds were once widespread across New Zealand, but their numbers plummeted due to hunting, habitat loss and predators, with the kakapo nearly going extinct in the mid-1900s. Now, thanks to conservation efforts and a bumper crop of the fruit of rimu tree this year, which is key to the reproductive capacities of the birds, the kakapos were thrust into a mating frenzy. Some 90 chicks were born in recent months and their population is now up to 324 – a milestone not seen for 75 years!  You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

  3. 4 days ago

    Who is Trump's Venezuela go-between?

    PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, September 2: We look at papers' coverage of the shadowy Venezuelan magnate who brokered the Washington-Caracas oil deal. In other news, the Pacific Islands Forum wants to talk climate change, but China's anger at the presence of Taiwan is stealing the limelight. Finally, the Bayeux Tapestry is back in Britain after nearly a millennium, with perhaps some salacious secrets. Web news outlet Axios chronologises Alejandro Betancourt's dealings with Nicolas Maduro and Washington. He has been in cahoots with the US before against the former Venezuelan president, but was one of the Trump administration's men on the ground even before the capture of Maduro, taking soundings from Delcy Rodriguez to establish how things might play out in the event of Maduro's ouster. We also look at a Washington Post investigation, which shows that US officials intervened around the world to help Betancourt shake off his legal woes this spring, so that he could be free to work on their oil plans.  Read moreAlejandro Betancourt, the controversial Venezuelan oil tycoon Trump is banking on In Palau, the Taiwanese presence at the Pacific Islands Forum has provoked the ire of Beijing, which has promised "consequences". The Diplomat suspects that China even had a hand in the non-attendance of five out of the 18 countries' leaders – enough to paralyse the bloc's ability to make decisions with its unanimity-based model. The Conversation says that despite the need for these countries to focus on issues like transnational crime, energy and climate change, the Forum has been hijacked by the question of "what happens when the world's great powers decide your part of the world is strategically important?" French paper L'Humanité, though, has nevertheless devoted a page to these 18 low-emission countries, which are vulnerable to rising sea levels, and their call for rich industrialised states to keep their promises about climate finance.  French President Emmanuel Macron is set to inaugurate the Bayeux tapestry exhibition at the British Museum this Wednesday. La Croix reminds us that the tapestry hasn't been back to the UK since it first left, soon after its creation following the Norman conquest of 1066. Britain last requested a loan in 1966, to which the French said no! The Economist describes this loan as France "love-bombing" Britain, no less.  Finally, prepare to be scandalised by a story in the Daily Mail, as one curator at the British Museum has a new theory about a mysterious scene on the 70-metre-long tapestry, namely a clergyman stroking a woman's cheek, with a nude man below. Could this be an allusion to an alleged affair between Emma of Normandy and the Bishop of Winchester? If true, it could – rather belatedly – undermine William the Conqueror's claim to the English throne.

  4. 5 days ago

    Back-to-school season in France sees tighter rules on mobile phones

    PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, September 1: It's back-to-school season in France, this time with tighter rules on mobile phones. In other news, local opposition to data centres across the US and Europe could be a spanner in the works of the AI revolution. Finally, in footballing news, Lionel Messi retires from the Argentinian national team, and some English men play football in a river.  In the French papers, one of President Emmanuel Macron's last marks on the national education system will be to extend an existing ban on mobile phones in schools to the oldest secondary school pupils. Le Figaro hails the development, even if Macron is yet to successfully pass what he hoped would be his landmark ban on social media for the under-15s. Libération also praises the effectiveness of the existing mobile phone bans for younger children, but reminds us that overall screen time still matters, and that schools are still the ones handling incidents of cyberbullying taking place outside of school hours.  Elsewhere, even though the global rollout of data centres is occasioning controversy pretty much everywhere, US President Donald Trump says their critics "want to end up backwards and poor". As the Financial Times explains, locals' concerns about water use, electricity consumption, as well as scepticism about long-term job creation have become impossible to ignore, even for Trump-endorsed Republican nominees in the upcoming midterms, with $150 billion worth of projects at a standstill across the US. Meanwhile in the rural Austrian town of Kronstorf, Der Standard and Politico are covering local opposition to a data centre that could end up making up 7 percent of the country's electricity demand. With EU plans to triple the bloc's data centre capacity by 2035, local and environmental concerns over the resource-hungry mastodons could raise serious questions about the development of AI.  Finally, in football news, as Lionel Messi retires, La Nacion hails "the end of an era". Also in football, the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard were in Bourton-on-the-water over the weekend, for the 100-year-old tradition of football-in-the-water, where the local youth and veterans teams face off, quite literally, in the river.

  5. 6 days ago

    What justice for Nepal after flooding?

    PRESS REVIEW – Monday, August 31: The international press tell the story of a heroic headmaster in Nepal who managed to save more than 1,600 pupils, while the Nepali press lambast a lack of accountability for major polluters. Meanwhile in France, back-to-school season reopens wounds over child sex abuse in before- and after-school clubs. Finally, do ants and bees have a concept of voting? Rajendra Dadabi, who is headmaster at Tribhuvan Trishuli secondary school, managed to save the lives of his 1,643 pupils during last week's flash floods, as The Times recounts. Meanwhile, an opinion piece in The Himalayan Times denounces Western hypocrisy when it comes to climate justice, underlining that Nepal produces just 0.1 percent of global carbon emissions, but "is now paying, in bodies and bridges, for a century of somebody else's industry."  In France, as children return to school for the new year, after an avalanche of reports of child sex abuse in public childcare facilities last year – and more surfacing this summer – both Le Parisien and Le Figaro report on parents whose trust is seriously damaged.  Finally, an article in National Geographic studies the voting and voting-adjacent behaviours of ants, bees and other insects.

  6. 16 Jul

    New Pegasus spyware revelations as French PM visits Morocco

    PRESS REVIEW - Thursday, July 7: we look into new revelations on the Moroccan surveillance apparatus, five years after the first wave of the Pegasus spyware scandal. In other news, support for Israel is floundering on both sides of the political spectrum in Washington ahead of Israeli prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu's visit this weekend. Finally, we look at international reactions to the World Cup semi-final, when Argentina made a historic comeback, quashing the Three Lions' hope of putting an end to 60 years of hurt. Five years ago, revelations of Israeli-made spyware Pegasus, purchased by Morocco, was being used to spy on various high-ranking French officials, including the then defence minister, Sébastien Lecornu. Now Prime Minister, Lecornu is on an official visit to Morocco, where new revelations related to the scandal have come to light. Investigative outlet Forbidden Stories reports a group of representatives of Israeli company NSO spending 10 days in a villa in central Rabat in 2017, long before the two countries had normalised bilateral relations. They wowed Moroccan officials with what Pegasus could do: remotely activating cameras and microphones and extracting text messages or data with a single click. Nearly a decade after, a consortium of 15 news outlets have secured the rare testimony of a whistleblower who was formerly employed by the Moroccan secret services. Le Monde broke down some of what he said: Pegasus was only ever used by Moroccan authorities as a last resort, and that they were buyers of other technologies before and after it came on the scene. They also describe the physical surveillance techniques used on one prominent critic of the monarchy, Omar Radi, who saw his phone tapped, miniature cameras installed in his home light fittings, and his every conversation transcribed. This ended only when he was arrested for espionage, rape and sexual assault, for which he was found guilty in a trial "fraught with irregularities". He later received a royal pardon. In the US, the Washington Post is covering the choice of 103 house Democrats to vote for an amendment (albeit a symbolic one) to end military aid to Israel. Brought by a Republican lawmaker as an “America first” measure, all of the other votes came from the left of the house, including the opposition chief whip Katherine Clark, who said "we should not provide a blank check for military aid to any country that does not comply with US law, interests and values." And a headline in the Wall Street Journal suggests Israel's rift with the US extends far beyond its critics on the left, as the periodical reports that JD Vance suspects an Israeli PR campaign of financing influencers to attack him online. He further accuses Israel of running a "foreign influence campaign" to "tank" the peace deal he is attempting to reach with Tehran. His response to which is, "well, go to hell". Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected in Washington on Saturday. And in the football, Argentinian sporting magazine Olé exalts a historic comeback, with one columnist asking, "is it unprofessional to admit one is writing through tears"? Spanish newspaper Marca heralds "the most beautiful final in the world" as Spain and Argentina, European and World championship holders, brace to face one another on Sunday. Argentinian periodical Clarin headlines on the victors’ controversial banner 'The Malvinas are Argentinian', reviving a decades-old sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands which are recognised as a British overseas territory. The banner could land the team with sanctions from FIFA. Though, it is unlikely that anything will dampen the team’s spirits after last night's victory. Meanwhile, in England, the Daily Express are not mincing words with the headline "End of the world". While the Sun splashes the heartbreak of captain Harry Kane, the tears of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and the despair of Jude Bellingham across the front page, with the headline "Wonderbawl" – a reference to the Oasis song-cum-unofficial England anthem "Wonderwall". And amid the pathos of 60 years of hurt, a look at a BBC story from yesterday: the fan who was so confident football was finally coming home that he spent £550 on a commemorative tattoo. His prediction for the semi-final was a 3-0 win for England. It is a disappointment he won’t easily forget, as it is inked all the way up his right shin.

  7. 15 Jul

    After the 'near oppressive' clean girl era, cigarettes are trendy again

    PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, July 15: French papers weep, while the Spanish press celebrates the World Cup semi-final. Also in France, papers discuss the assisted dying bill that will be voted on today. Finally: are cigarettes back in vogue?  PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, July 15: French papers weep, while the Spanish press celebrates the World Cup semi-final. Also in France, papers discuss the assisted dying bill that'll be voted on today. Finally: are cigarettes back in vogue?  French papers are reacting to Les Bleus' loss. July 14 is now a “day of national defeat” for France, according to So Foot. “That’s what you call a rude awakening, and it hurts”, writes the magazine, adding that “everything was going so well”, until the match against Spain. Aujourd’hui en France says that expectations are premeditated regrets. It writes that the “dream” was big and so is the sadness now. By looking up at the sky too much, Les Bleus tripped over their own feet and their dream turned into a “shooting star”. L’Equipe writes that the players “outclassed in every aspect, unable to live up to their dreams and the hope they had raised”.  Meanwhile, the Spanish press is ecstatic. “Qué grandes” – "How great they are", writes Mundo Deportivo – especially Lamine Yamal, who is only 19 years old. “Deschamps’ team arrived radiating an aura of power and invincibility. But if there was one team capable of winning, it was Spain and they did it”, says the sports daily. It also praises “the magnificent soccer, the impeccable attitude, and the total commitment” of La Roja that managed to deliver “a true masterclass in soccer”. “A lesson for the whole world,” according to AS, which describes “a thrilling match” and a “dazzling performance” that will send Spain to its second World Cup final. La Roja has crushed Les Bleus, handing them a “historic” thrashing, according to Marca. The paper thanks the players for their “unforgettable spectacle”.   Back to France, where deputies are set to vote on the country's divisive assisted dying bill – one of Emmanuel Macron's flagship promises. Left-wing paper Libération welcomes the adoption of what it defines as a “major societal reform, supported by a majority of French people”. According to the newspaper, “this vote will be a relief for many people suffering from incurable illnesses and in great pain – and for their loved ones”. Right-wing paper Le Figaro is opposed to the bill. It says that the legislation “divides both the executive branch and the French public”. L’Opinion reports on “hesitations emerging among lawmakers who are aware they are living through a historic moment”. Nine prominent lawmakers who are against the bill made a final appeal in the Catholic newspaper La Croix. Here’s a quote from one of them: “Fighting suffering can never mean eliminating the sufferer (...) because no one should have to choose between suffering and dying”. Finally: some news about pop star Dua Lipa. The Guardian reports that she said the Albanian protests against the Jared Kushner-backed resort are “inspiring," adding “the flamingo revolution has won its most prominent supporter yet”. The paper recalls that she was partially raised in Pristina and her parents are of Kosovan Albanian descent. But the flamingo revolution is not the only one she’s leading. The Washington Post writes that cigarettes are back in vogue, and celebrities like Dua Lipa and Gracie Abrams are at the forefront of the trend. If you ask, “are cigarettes back?” some people will tell you they never left. But the attitude towards cigarette smokers did, writes the paper. Kylie Jenner – one of the world’s most famous influencers – is smoking on the cover of Vanity Fair. Hailey Bieber also held a cigarette for her Interview Magazine shoot. And Charli XCX had a cigarette tray for guests at her wedding. The paper explains that cigarettes feel retro and very analogue. After the “near oppressive wellness” and “clean girl” era, the vintage, messy feel of cigarettes is back with full force.   You can catch our press review every morning on FRANCE 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday

  8. 9 Jul

    Israel kills one child per day on average in Gaza since the October ceasefire

    PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, July 9: In Gaza, despite the ceasefire, civilians continue to die – many of them children. Next, newspapers examine whether Ukraine can realistically manufacture Patriot missiles. Also, new research sheds light on the impact of war on wildlife. And finally, Gen Z is changing the narrative around hangovers... La Croix reports that, in Gaza, around 1,050 Palestinians have been killed since the so-called ceasefire on 10 October. According to the UN, 28% of the victims are children – an average of one young Gazan every day. The newspaper argues that the people of Gaza are "disappearing from our radar", largely because of the media restrictions imposed by the Israeli authorities. Meanwhile, Le Monde highlights the plight of those who survive, many of them left with life-changing injuries. Citing the World Health Organisation, it notes that Gaza has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world, and examines the challenges they face during recovery. Turning to Ukraine, US President Donald Trump's announcement that he will allow the country to manufacture Patriot missiles has prompted surprise. Le Monde describes it as “a promise with vague outlines”, pointing out that only Japan and Germany currently have permission to manufacture the missiles outside the United States. It also notes that it is likely to take years before Ukraine could produce them domestically. That assessment is echoed by The New York Times, which explains that Patriot systems are highly complex and time-consuming to manufacture. It adds that Trump's announcement did not follow the usual formal process and that none of the American companies involved had been informed in advance. Even if production does begin, any new manufacturing sites in Ukraine would become obvious targets for Russian attacks. Meanwhile, Russia continues to rely on North Korean support. The Kyiv Post, citing Ukrainian military intelligence, reports that North Korea now supplies between 25% and 40% of Russia's artillery ammunition. Alongside those supplies, Moscow is also seeking recruits from abroad to offset a shortage of volunteers. According to an NGO report cited by La Croix, more than 350 Egyptians have been recruited by the Russian army to fight in Ukraine, many of them young people lured by offers of scholarships. New research has also shed light on the impact of the war on wildlife in Chornobyl. The New York Times reports that although the Russian occupation lasted just over a month, it triggered significant changes in the behaviour of wild animals, with some fleeing the area and others retreating deeper into the forest. Researchers say the findings provide a rare glimpse into the ecological effects of armed conflict as it unfolds. Finally, Gen Z is romanticising hangovers on social media. According to The Guardian, the trend is a “cheeky rebuttal” to the culture of body optimisation, fitness, dieting and the wider wellness movement.   You can catch our press review every morning on FRANCE 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

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About

An overview of the stories making the French and international newspaper headlines. From Monday to Friday live at 7:20am and 9:20am Paris time.

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  • Channel
    FRANCE 24 English
  • Creator
    FRANCE 24 English
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © France Médias Monde
  • Show Website
    Press Review

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