Latest update: 11/01/2009 

- aid - Australia - Belgium - Gaza Strip - Ireland - Israel - South Korea


In the papers
No Flash warning
To take advantage of all the features on FRANCE24.COM, please click here to download the latest version of Flash Player.
France 24 journalists present a daily round-up of the world's newspapers.
By Catherine NORRIS TRENT (text)

Liberté (Algeria)

‘L’aide humanitaire arrive enfin à Gaza’ – Humanitarian aid finally arrives in Gaza

The Algerian newspaper Liberté has a cartoon illustrating some aid agencies’ claims about the difficulties of delivering supplies to the Gaza Strip. A UN aid agency recently suspended their work after staff were hit by Israeli fire. Liberté’s cartoon illustrates the brief amount of time agencies say they have in which to deliver aid – during a scheduled daily three-hour suspension of hostilities.

Irish Times (Ireland)

‘Muslims auction their cars to help raise funds for Gaza aid’

The Irish Times is running an article about the Muslim community in Dublin raising funds for the people of Gaza by auctioning off their cars. The paper reports that one couple gave away their Mitsubishi 4x4. The article says the auction was held after Friday Prayers at mosques in the Irish capital.


The Australian (Australia)


‘Aussie mafia of spin doctors in Gaza incursion’

Right over on the other side of the world, The Australian has a piece on the so-called ‘Aussie mafia’ involved in Israel’s military commications. The newspaper has an interview with a man from the Bondi area of Sydney who moved to Israel and is now working as a spokesman for the Israeli army. Benjamin Rutland is quoted as saying he thinks the current conflict is “morally justified”, so he doesn’t mind “selling” the army’s side of the story.

Joong Ang Daily (South Korea)

‘Minerva arrest sparks speech freedom row’

The Joong Ang Daily has a story about the alleged arrest of a popular internet pundit who wrote under the alias ‘Minerva’. ‘Minerva’ wrote about financial issues and attracted a big audience by apparently making several predictions which came later true. For example, he ‘foresaw’ the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the depreciation of South Korea’s currency. Authorities arrested him on charges of spreading ‘cyber rumours’.

 

 
Korea Times (South Korea)

‘Cyber Pundit’s arrest’

The Korea Times also picks up on this story. Their editorial questions whether the man arrested is the real ‘Minerva’. The suspect is said to be uneducated, young and unemployed, and the Korea Times questions whether he could really be the man known as the country’s “economic president” because of his technical, in-depth analyses.

The Hankyoreh (South Korea)

‘Is the government allergic to free expression?’

Another Korean paper the Hankyoreh has an editorial pointing the finger at the government for suppressing freedom of expression, using ‘Minerva’s arrest’ as an illustration. The newspaper cites “critics” as saying the move is “part of a politics of intimidation that seeks to gag all critical voices”.
 
Aujourd’hui en France / Le Parisien (France)

‘Tintin fête ses 80 ans’ – Tintin celebrates his 80th birthday

It’s the 80th anniversary of cartoon character Tintin, and lots of newspapers around the world are running stories to mark the occasion. French newspaper Aujourd’hui en France has a photo of a giant image of Tintin on top of a roof in the Belgian capital Brussels.

El Mundo (Spain)
 
Spanish newspaper El Mundo has lots of features on the cartoon roving reporter, including one article full of facts and images from the comic books.
 
 
However, the Tintin coverage isn’t only centered on celebration; there’s also controversy around the world. Indian paper The Hindu has a story about speculation that the cartoon character could be gay. A British newspaper columnist and former politician sparked off the theory, writing that Tintin looks androgynous, wears “funny trousers” and lives with his best male friend in a country retreat.

 

 

Related Content
Close