Aujourd’hui en France (France)

Among the cartoons featuring in the press this weekend, a sketch in Aujourd’hui en France showing an Israeli soldier and Hamas militant missing the opportunity for peace.  A dove flies over their heads saying: “Don’t worry about me, I’m just passing through.”   


Liberté (France)
“The massacre of Gaza’s children”

A cartoon by Dilem in Algerian paper Liberté shows the Israeli military mistaking a baby’s bottle for a rocket and consequently firing towards the children of Gaza.



Der Spiegel (Germany)
“Psychotricks demoralisieren den Gegner”
“Psychological tricks to demoralize the enemy”

Der Spiegel explains Israel and Hamas are playing a game of psychological warfare.  According to the paper, the Jewish State regularly hijacks radio and television broadcasts in Gaza to send out its own message to Palestinians.  Meanwhile Hamas militants aim to crush the morale of Israeli soldiers by spreading rumours they’ve captured their colleagues.  



Aujourd’hui en France (France)
“Obama entame sa marche sur la Maison-Blanche”
“Obama’s journey to the White House begins”

Aujourd’hui en France reveals that Barack Obama is once again following in the footsteps of his political inspiration - Abraham Lincoln - as he travels to Philadelphia on Saturday.  From there he will catch a train to the White House – replicating the very journey Lincoln made towards Washington in 1861.



Figaro (France)
"Barack Obama dans les pas d’Abraham Lincoln"
“Barack Obama follows in Abraham Lincoln’s footsteps”

Figaro also describes Lincoln as Obama’s political hero.  The paper publishes a map of the train journey America’s 44th president is due to take – detailing his stops along the way.



Libération (France)

Articles written by three American authors are published in Libération, as we await the official inauguration of Obama.

Douglas Kennedy writes about “The intellectuals’ victory”, explaining that cultured Americans, who reject consumerism and are aware of international affairs and understand the problems in American society, have been overlooked during eight years of the Bush administration.  The best thing for him about Obama taking up office, is the fact the US has finally chosen one of these people as president.

Richard Ford meanwhile writes an article entitled “Something’s not right here”.  Raising many questions about the US’s future under Obama’s rule, he points out that most Americans who voted for him did so because he was not the obvious choice of candidate.  


Mail Online (United Kingdom)
"Make yourself at home, Barack: The precise job of decorating at the Obama Oval Office"

While much of the world’s press focuses on the political challenges Obama will face as the president of the United States, the Mail Online looks at the issue of how he will chose to decorate his new office.  According to the paper, each new US president receives a budget of $100,000 to make the necessary changes to suit his tastes.