Latest update: 22/07/2011 

- European Union - eurozone - Famine - Greece - marriage - Monaco - Phone-hacking scandal - Prince Albert II - Somalia - terrorism


The Grimaldi soap: Prince Albert in a lather

Much of the press leads on the Brussels summit on Thursday which ended in agreement on a second Greek bailout. Reaction is largely positive - the eurozone has been brought back from the brink. But there's criticism, too, about the direction Europe is taking. There's also the latest in the UK's phone hacking scandal, and a look at a royal spin in Monaco. That's the focus for Friday, 22nd July 2011.

By Nicholas RUSHWORTH

Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins slams Thursday's eurozone agreement in his piece: "Monetary union, always unworkable has set in train a European disaster". He argues the eurozone - after the Brussels summit - is one step nearer to a doomed fiscal union. “This is the true turning point”, he says, towards a “brittle unitary state”. “If European politics starts to implode and returns to xenophobia, manned borders, ethnic cleansings and trade boycotts, that start is now,” he says.

The Guardian’s front page headline is “James Murdoch misled MPs, say former News of the World editor and lawyer”. Two former News of the World executives claim the evidence Murdoch gave to a British parliamentary committee on Tuesday in relation to an out-of-court settlement was "mistaken". Meanwhile, James’s dad, News Corp CEO and Chairman Rupert Murdoch, is the target of the cartoonists. The International Herald Tribune has a cartoon with the words “NEWS” in very large letters and underneath a forlorn Rupert Murdoch saying: “How was I supposed to know?” USA Today International shows him standing up in a rubbish bin saying: “Phone hacking goes against everything I stand in … er … stand for”.

The Huffington Post headlines “Somalia: Famine, Al-Shabaab Complicate U.S. Food Delivery In Face of Severe Malnutrition”. It says international organisations are looking for alternative solutions to work around American restrictions on delivering funds to terrorist organizations. Many of those in need are in areas controlled by the Islamist militant group al Shabab. A comment piece in the Bahrain paper The Gulf Daily News says this “first famine of the 21st century was not a horrible surprise sprung on the world”. The writer Jennifer Gnana says the extent of desertification was known fourteen years ago. She acknowledges the lawlessness and extremism in Somalia but argues the world has failed Somalia.

And the Grimaldi soap continues. Britain’s Daily Telegraph leads “Prince Albert II of Monaco dismisses marriage rumours”. He has said they're being spread by people who are "jealous" of his family and lavish royal lifestyle. And the Monaco Times leads: “A prince indignant”. It reports that Prince Albert II briefed the press immediately on return from his honeymoon in southern Africa, saying the constant rumours were "simply not acceptable". South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock – now Princess Charlene – and Albert slept apart one night on their honeymoon, and there were reports the bride attempted to leave Monaco two days before their wedding.

'Secrets of the rich who hide cash offshore'
04/04/2013 - IN THE WORLD PAPERS

'Secrets of the rich who hide cash offshore'

IN THE WORLD PAPERS - 04/04/13: International papers react to the Jérôme Cahuzac scandal in France. Also, The Guardian says millions of documents have been leaked that reveal the identities of people hiding money in offshore bank accounts. The list is long, spans the world and is likely to have explosive consequences. Also, a Spanish princess is summoned to testify in court.
Just what did François Hollande know about the Cahuzac scandal?
04/04/2013 - IN THE FRENCH PAPERS

Just what did François Hollande know about the Cahuzac scandal?

IN THE FRENCH PAPERS - 04/04/13: French papers say the situation is untenable in the aftermath of the Cahuzac scandal. Libération wants to know whether François Hollande knew his former Budget Minister had a secret bank account.
Cahuzac's disgrace: slap in the face to Hollande's promise for a squeaky-clean government
03/04/2013 - IN THE FRENCH PAPERS

Cahuzac's disgrace: slap in the face to Hollande's promise for a squeaky-clean government

FRENCH PAPERS, Weds. 03/04/13: French papers seem to have the wind knocked out of them after the former budget minister admitted he had a secret bank account in Switzerland. Libération says this discredits politicians in general. Le Figaro says it comes as a slap in the face to François Hollande’s promise for a squeaky-clean government. Meanwhile, Mediapart, the website that broke the scandal, is trying to find out if the government knew about the account and was trying to protect Cahuzac.
'The picture went all over the world. But it didn’t help my family'
02/04/2013 - IN THE WORLD PAPERS

'The picture went all over the world. But it didn’t help my family'

INTERNATIONAL PAPERS, Tues. 02/04/13: Papers react to the Indian Supreme Court's ruling against the Swiss drug maker Novartis. The Hindu says this is a landmark verdict that gives a boost to cancer patients...but not everybody is happy about the decision. Syria is also getting a lot of attention, especially the emergence of opposition newspapers. And the Independent goes back and finds an Afghan girl, two years after her tragic photo went around the world.
PSG vs. Barcelona: one big winner... Qatar
02/04/2013 - IN THE FRENCH PAPERS

PSG vs. Barcelona: one big winner... Qatar

FRENCH PAPERS, Tues. 02 /04/13: French papers focus on what they call a "historic" football match tonight between PSG and FC Barcelona. Le Parisien likens it to a David vs. Goliath scenario, while sports daily L’Equipe says the real winner of the match is Qatar. The Kingdom owns PSG and is a big investor in Barcelona FC. Meanwhile, Le Figaro says it’s time for Hollande to reshuffle his government.

React to the article
Comment this article typing your message in the above text zone. Please note that this is limited to 1500 characters or less.
(0) Reactions
Read more
Close