PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, April 17: The UK Supreme Court rules that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex. Also, The New York Times describes rifts in Trump's cabinet. Next, Haiti marks 200 years since France asked for compensation in exchange for independence. Also, two mountaineers break a speed climbing record in Switzerland. Meanwhile, astronomers find convincing signs of alien life in the universe. Finally, a Japanese lab has grown chicken nuggets.
The UK Supreme Court ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex is all over the British front pages today. The Daily Mail calls it a "historic victory for women and common sense". The Daily Telegraph headlines with "Trans women are not women". The Independent's front page, meanwhile, looks at the consequences that the ruling might have for trans women, calling it a blow to their rights. The Guardian's website has an explainer that goes through the implications of the ruling. Finally, The Times has a Hamlet-inspired cartoon, making light of the Supreme Court’s fascination for chromosomes.
French paper L’Humanité dedicates much of its coverage to the commemoration of the 200 years since France imposed the "chains of debt" on Haiti. It describes how on April 17, 1825, France demanded that Haiti pay compensation in exchange for its liberty and independence as a nation. This article calls it "blackmail", which still hangs over Haiti’s politics and economy to this day. The Haitian paper Le Nouvelliste says that President Emmanuel Macron must address Haiti on the anniversary of what it calls the ransom of independence. If not, it says, Haiti risks another war with its old colonial rulers.
The New York Times has a long article which says that Israel had planned to strike and destroy Iranian nuclear sites as soon as next month. Initially planned as a commando operation, Israeli officials later proposed a bombing campaign which would have lasted several weeks and needed US assistance. It says the attacks were "waved off" by Donald Trump in favour of renegotiating with Tehran to limit its nuclear programme.
The Times brings us extraordinary news from Switzerland. It reports that two mountaineers have scaled the "murder wall" and smashed the three peak record. The Swiss–Austrian pair smashed the previous record of 25 hours by finishing their three-peak climb in 15 hours and 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, scientists may have found signs that we are not alone in the universe. The New Scientist suggests that astronomers have found the strongest evidence for alien life so far. It says that the James Webb telescope has picked up signs of molecules that are only produced by living organisms. They found these chemical footprints on the exoplanet K2-18b, which is 124 light years away.
Finally, Nature brings us news that a team of scientists in Japan have grown chicken nuggets in a lab.
You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.
English (US) · 