French press review 24 February 2012

Is Bashar al Assad copying his father's tactics? Should the EU stand up to oil sands? Are the rich fleeing France ahead of this year's presidential election? Are bosses indecently overpaid? Was Einstein wrong or was it the GPS? France's first test-tube baby celebrates her 30th birthday. 

Centrist Le Monde's front-page editorial compares the current situation in the Syrian city of Homs with the brutal repression 30 years ago in the neighbouring city of Hama.

It draws a comparison between the tactics of president Bashar al Assad's father, Hafez, in 1982 and the current bombarding of the city.

According to the daily, Assad learnt the lesson of Hama well. That he should make an example of the city as a warning to other cities not to stir up trouble.

But, the daily warns, Assad did not count on the ability of the internet to transmit the images of the brutality around the world.

It also notes that it is no coincidence that the assault began the day that Russia and China vetoed any resolution against any UN mediation.

Communist L'Humanité and centrist Le Monde, cover yesterday's vote on whether oil extracted from oil sands should be allowed into the European Union, as the process of extraction is very damaging to the environment.

Le Monde says that the debate is very technical, but also very political, as it could cause diplomatic problems with Canada, which has large oilfields in Alberta. But L'Humanité reports that France abstained in this key vote.

The paper says the final decision will have to wait until the next council of ministers meeting to find out whether a ban will come into force.

Right-wing Le Figaro takes a look at French people who choose tax-haven exile. One thousand 200 people leave France every year to go into tax exile and, apparently, the paper says more are doing so in the run-up to May's presidential election. The paper dedicates its front-page editorial to the topic.

Le Figaro argues that France has one of the highest tax rates, at 45 per cent for the richest, and this is forcing French people to head towards Belgium and Switzerland. It adds that the Belgians and the Swiss are rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect.

Addressing the tax system is key to reversing this trend, says to the paper.

Communist L'Humanité takes a different slant on the economy. It headlines with a story about bosses of the biggest companies earning more that 30,000 euros a month - what it calls "indecent salaries".

The story continues on page two with an article about introducing a maximum salary, an idea - it insists - which should not be ignored.

According to the daily, 75 per cent of French people are in favour of a maximum salary. But presumably not those earning in excess of 30,000 euros.

On its science pages, Le Figaro reports on developments in neutrinos. Last year scientists published a paper suggesting that sub-atomic particles, or neutrinos, travel faster than light, 60 nanoseconds, to be precise.

If this were the case, it would undermine all current theories about the nature of the universe, much of it done by Albert Einstein.

Le Figaro says it now turns out there may have been errors in these calculations, caused by a bad connection between the GPS and the computer.

So the universe as we know it is safe for now.

A story that much of the press has been talking about recently is today's 30th birthday of France's first test-tube baby.

The child, known only as Amandine was born with the help of the pioneer doctor René Frydman. Thirty years on, 21,000 test-tube children are born per year in France through fertilty treatment.

Tabloid Aujourd'hui en France interviews some people who were concieved this way. One is proud of being a miracle of science and another says that she is proof of her parents' love.

Le Monde busts a myth propagated by far right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen that all meat in the Paris region is halal, slaughtered according to Islamic procedures.

In fact, only 2.5 per cent of the meat sold in the Paris region is prepared in such a way. And even this in insufficient to meet the demands of the Muslim population.