A picture is said to be worth a thousand words and the same might be said of the witty, iconoclastic cartoons that often grace the cover of left-leaning Marianne. This week's image is of a small, grimacing man bent double beneath the weight of an enormous file-filled satchel strapped to his back. Like a picture, a cartoon usually needs a few words to help us understand the who, the what, the when and the where. The words are "Bonne Rentrée Jupiter!", which translates as "Have a great return to work, Jupiter!" "Jupiter" is the nickname the French press attaches to President Emmanuel Macron, who once said he wanted to rule as a “Jupiter” - the king of gods in ancient Roman mythology - operating above the political hurly-burly as he delivers thunderbolt judgements and instructions. Macron doesn't look at all godlike in the cartoon and there are succinct clues on the cover on what's inside the satchel that's making him stagger beneath its weight. Marianne summarises his … [Read more...] about French weekly magazines review 26 August 2018
French press instructions
French press review 30 May 2018
Le Monde gives the top of the front page to the ongoing evacuation of several hundred immigrants from a camp in northern Paris. This is the 29th such operation in the French capital since June 2015. Le Monde quotes the aid agency Médecins du Monde as saying the situation of the estimated 1,500 men, women and children living in tents under the motorway at La Villette is further proof of the failure of a policy which puts security ahead of humanitarian concerns. The reason the camp reached such a remarkable size, given that the police in the entire region surrounding Paris have been told to prevent any such regrouping of immigrants, is that the so-called Camp du Millénaire, under the ramps of the ringroad, has been practically invisible to ordinary Parisians and journalists. And that invisibility, says the medical charity, is an inevitable response to official violence. The aid agency says sanitary conditions at the camp are catastrophic, that 1,500 people have been left … [Read more...] about French press review 30 May 2018
Treasury Committee to examine why HMRC refused to assist French probe into Lycamobile
The Commons Treasury Committee is to examine why HM Revenue and Customs refused to assist French authorities with a financial probe into a company that had donated considerable sums of money to the Conservative party. It comes after an investigation by Buzzfeed showed that an email sent from HMRC officials mentioned how the telecoms giant Lycamobile was a donor to Theresa May’s party and the Prince Charles Trust and would be “extremely unlikely” to agree to having their premises searched. Correspondence published by the website revealed that French authorities had requested last year that their British counterparts raid Lycamobile’s headquarters in London but this was rejected. Read more HMRC wins tax case against former BBC presenter Christa Ackroyd HMRC under fire as inheritance tax bill rises by 23% in three months Demba Ba transfer 'named in HMRC investigation' Benitez addresses HMRC raids on Newcastle and the transfers involved An email from HMRC also … [Read more...] about Treasury Committee to examine why HMRC refused to assist French probe into Lycamobile
PM waiting for US instructions, claims Labour as it warns against Syria strikes
News / UK and world by Press Association April 13, 2018, 2:18 pm FacebookTwitterLinkedInWhatsAppEmail Sign up to our Daily newsletter Bombing Syria will not help the war-torn country, Labour has insisted as it accused Theresa May of “waiting for instructions” from US President Donald Trump on how to handle the crisis. The comments came as Russia claimed a suspected chemical attack in the Syrian town of Douma last weekend was fabricated with the help of an unspecified foreign intelligence agency. The Douma attack has drawn international outrage which has seen the Prime Minister and Mr Trump agree that the use of chemical weapons must not go unchallenged after Mrs May won the backing of her Cabinet for action to prevent their further use in Syria. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was scathing about the PM’s stance, stating: “Further UK military intervention in Syria’s appalling multi-sided war risks escalating an already … [Read more...] about PM waiting for US instructions, claims Labour as it warns against Syria strikes
Syria chemical attack: Jeremy Corbyn accuses Theresa May of ‘waiting for instructions’ from Donald Trump
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has accused PM Theresa May of "waiting for instructions" from US president Donald Trump on how to respond to the use of chemical weapons in Syria. Mr Corbyn also called for an independent UN-led inquiry into the devastating air strike in Douma last Saturday that killed a reported 70 civilians and injured 500 more, presumed to have been carried out by the Bashar al-Assad regime. "Further UK military intervention in Syria's appalling multi-sided war risks escalating an already devastating conflict," he said. Read more Cabinet agrees need for 'action' in Syria "The government appears to be waiting for instructions from President Donald Trump on how to proceed. But the US administration is giving alarmingly contradictory signals. "Even US defence secretary James Mattis has said we 'don't have evidence' and warned further military action could 'escalate out of control'." Rather than looking to Washington for leadership, Mr Corbyn urged the government to … [Read more...] about Syria chemical attack: Jeremy Corbyn accuses Theresa May of ‘waiting for instructions’ from Donald Trump