PRESS REVIEW – Monday, December 8, 2025: First, papers discuss the one-year anniversary of the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. Also, a leak at the Louvre Museum damages hundreds of books. Next, tributes pour in for British photographer Martin Parr, who passed away on Sunday. Meanwhile, France names its 2026 Miss Super Grandma. Finally, Lando Norris wins his first Formula 1 world championship.

This Monday marks the one-year anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. The event is generating a lot of coverage around the world. L’Orient le Jour headlines with "the new Syria blows out its first candle", which is a quote by Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. Qatari newspaper Al-Araby al-Jadeed says that the country faces economic difficulties and a challenging path toward reconciliation. Der Spiegel asks: "Twenty years ago, Ahmad al-Sharah planted bombs against the Americans... today, he is welcomed at the White House... but what future does the former terrorist want for Syria?" Le Monde features a collection of testimonies from the hellish conditions in Assad's concentration camps.  

Another brazen heist has shocked the art world, this time in Sao Paulo. The Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo reports that 13 artworks are missing, including eight engravings by famed French painter Henri Matisse. This comes only weeks after the heist at the Louvre. The famous museum is not out of troubled waters though, as the Times reports that a water leak has damaged hundreds of historic books from the Egyptian Antiquities library. The New York Times says it is just another example of the poor state the museum is in.  

Meanwhile, the world’s press is remembering acclaimed British photographer Martin Parr. Libération celebrates him as the King of Kitsch on its front page. Vogue remembers him as a chronicler of the beauty and banality of British Life, who excelled at studying the mundane and the colourful. The Guardian takes a look back at his career in photos.  

In other news, France has named its 2026 Super Grandma! Le Parisien reports that Ana Maria Ciortea has been crowned "Super Mamie". The candidate from the Hautes Pyrenees was chosen for her kindness and family spirit. France Info has an interview with Fabienne Olivier, the creator of the competition, which has been running since 1997. 

But Ana Maria Ciortea is not the only champion to have been crowned this weekend, Formula 1 fans are celebrating their new world champion, as is The Telegraph: Lando Norris! 

You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20 am and 9:20 am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.