French press review 19 November 2010

Debt and contagion have got the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund worried. Financial daily Les Echos leads with the headline "Ireland, growth and reform - Europe tackles the crisis." 

This morning the paper says that the financial aid package for the Emerald Isle is beginning to take form after the country's finance minister accepted that Ireland needed help in overcoming its crippling debt levels.

Les Echos says the size of the package is likely to be 80 billion euros. One of the remaining questions is how good a deal is Ireland likely to get in accepting such a loan.

The editorial on the front page of centre-left Le Monde says that while France has been worrying about the "local" news of a cabinet reshuffle, the "real" news is happening in Europe. Wake up folks.

Libération is wondering if marking children's work in primary schools should be abandoned here in France.

The French education system is notoriously keen on comparing and ranking students from an early age. And the article in Libé comes after an education pressure group published a call to abolish marks for younger students altogether.

They claim that the system discourages less able children from an early age and stops them from realising their full potential.

The right wing would say, according to Libé, that the suggestion is a load of left-wing, thumbsucking nonsense.

The lead story on Le Figaro looks at what Pope Benedict XVI is likely to say to his 203 cardinals as they all meet today.

"Radical Islam worries the Pope," reads the headline. He is expected to bring up the theme of the church's relationship with Muslims and how it can be improved.

Also on the agenda is the setting up of a body that will oversee integration into the Catholic church of disgruntled Anglicans, the paeodophilia scandal and liturgical reform.

And finally we should all spare a thought for Target, the German sheperd. The "story of the day" in Le Figaro recounts the unhappy lot of the ex-US military dog.

After serving in Afghanistan and surviving being run, over, shot in the leg and blown up by a roadside bomb, Target was retired with full military honours to Arizona. He quickly became a national hero.

But after escaping from his garden of his new owner (presumably looking for some excitement) he found himself locked up in a dog pound. And with no ID was given a shot in the neck and put to sleep.

The man who carried out the ghastly execution of a of the furry American hero was duly fired for not repecting the rules of engagement (with stray dogs).