Kate And Gerry McCann: Amber Alert, Spotted in Belgium And No More Foreign Holidays
MADDIE WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann
DAILY EXPRESS (front page): “MADELEINE – Kate and Gerry McCann set off on new mission”
Having donated considerable monies to the fund to find Madeleine McCann, Express Newspapers will not now abandon the McCanns. The Express is “The world’s greatest newspaper”.
The only tabloid to feature the story on its front page, the Express says: “Kate finds courage”.
“Kate McCann put on her bravest fact yesterday as she travelled to Brussels to highlight the plight of missing children.”
Madeleine McCann was, of course, spotted in Belgium, of which Brussels is the capital city. Katleen Sampermans is the “child therapist” who saw Madeleine McCann dining in a Belgian restaurant with two adults. Ms Sampermans was “100 per cent sure”. She spoke to the Express.
Kate McCann is brave in the Daily Express. The “40-year-old GP smiled as she waited with husband Gerry, 39, for a train”.
Gerry and Kate McCann have travelled to Brussels to make the case for an EU-wide alert system for missing children. A child goes missing and police, media, border controls are alerted. A warning is flashed on motorway gantries.
Could an immediate pan-European response have made a difference in their case?
“Kate finds new courage” appears on page 7, one page on from: “Sterling’s collapse sends your holiday bills soaring”.
The paper’s front page features the McCanns and the headline “SHOCK £700 INCREASE ON FAMILY HOLIDAYS”.
Madeleine McCann went missing in Portugal. The message seems clear.
THE GUARDIAN: “Kate and Gerry McCann”
The paper looks at the facts. It’s been a year since Madeleine McCann went missing. The Guardian has been investigating:
Gerry McCann is a “£75,000-a-year heart specialist at Glenfield hospital in Leicester”
Kate McCann: “Kate, 40, originally from Liverpool, worked as a GP at Latham House Surgery in Leicestershire, but has said she does not plan to return to work now.”
Any other facts?
“Her face, tired and strained, reflects not only the tragic incident but the sudden weight of world publicity and criticism over her actions on the night Madeleine went missing.”
THE SCOTSMAN: “Bremner unplugged”
Rory Bremner has a new TV show to plug. Alison Roberts finds out more.
When I ask him whether anything can be turned into comic material, the grim subject of Madeleine McCann naturally comes up. Bremner got into hot water last year for including a joke about her in the last series of Bremner, Bird and Fortune in which John Fortune’s character mused on Gordon Brown’s desire to get re-elected: “I wouldn’t be surprised if the night before the election he went on television and said, ‘Look what I found…’ and held up Madeleine McCann.
Says Bremner: “That was complete bollocks.”
…”Firstly, it was in a sketch that John Bird and John Fortune did, and they were in character. They were playing these particular men who were cynical about politics, so straight away that joke is in a context … ”
He pauses for a second, then says, a little desperately: “There is a difference between the real-life Madeleine McCann tragedy and a reference in a comedy programme to her. You know? You’re not actually in Portugal abducting her. It’s a reference…
It’s up to the viewer, he implies, to make a judgment on the McCann reference. Dozens of people are said to have complained to Channel 4.
Yet you can’t be an impressionist and worry too much about the sensitivities of others. Heather Mills once sent him “a very stroppy e-mail” after he adapted an old joke about the Beatles “dying in the wrong order”…
Heather Mills and Madeleine McCann. Now that’s entertainment…
April 10th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Last?
April 10th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Hello
April 10th, 2008 at 7:46 am
“Her face, tired and strained, reflects not only the tragic incident but the sudden weight of world publicity and criticism over her actions on the night Madeleine went missing.”
Did somebody mention the war ?
April 10th, 2008 at 7:48 am
BBL
April 10th, 2008 at 7:51 am
Thanks Nosey, would have beeen alone all day!
April 10th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Brandon - My face looks tired and strained too. Especially after a night on the tiles…
Don’t be spooked
April 10th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Steve T - so where abouts on the globe are you today??
anyone know who’s up for questioning today?
April 10th, 2008 at 8:03 am
nosey cow
branden flours
steve t
who do you think you are kidding mr hitler…
April 10th, 2008 at 8:07 am
off to work..bye for now
April 10th, 2008 at 8:11 am
“A warning is flashed on motorway gantries.”
What ? ‘LOOK OUT FOR DEAD CHILDREN’
“Could an immediate pan-European response have made a difference in their case?”
Or in the case or Mari Luz, or in the case of Shannon Matthews, of even in the case of the two who survived all those years ago.
It is (almost) always local. I am pleased that some MEPs have their heads screwed on and are resisting this sort of nonsense.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:11 am
This song was heard last night coming from one of the rooms at the Ramada hotel. I cant think who it could be referring to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmsuKjKNryM
April 10th, 2008 at 8:11 am
The day got off to a bad start when I heard the newsreader on Radio 4 sweetly announcing that Kate and Gerry McCann are in Brussels to promote the amber alert for ‘missing children’.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:15 am
And dining in a restaurant in Brussels was only like “having dinner in your own back garden”, - as far as the remaining children were concerned.
Oh, and what has happened to the private jet ? They seem to be on a train, even if they re travelling 1st class. Not public transport surely !
How are the mightly fallen.
And who took the photo ?
April 10th, 2008 at 8:15 am
I expect the twins will be ok. Just a few days away. Are the doors locked? Will anyone be able to check in on them? TheTapas 7 are otherwise engaged.
Thought they would have flown Virgin rather than taking the train.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:15 am
7
noseycow
Sunny Sweden.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Who are the McCanns meeting?
April 10th, 2008 at 8:19 am
14
willo
Well they are good sleepers!
April 10th, 2008 at 8:21 am
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7339335.stm
quote
For Lady Meyer, the EU could play a vital role in improving the police response to child abduction by organising training programmes. And she thinks a new approach could save lives.
“How would you feel if it was your child who had been abducted by a predator? If we can save one child through a system like that, then it would be worth it.”
unquote
Government statistic show 2828 children were killed or seriousley injured as pedestrians in 2002. How can she possibly say that if one child were saved then it would be worth it. A huge waste of money imo.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Pat - have a good day
Steve T - you is wicked - great link.
sweden
Petermac - when are you running for PM - you get my vote.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:25 am
according to a poster on the 3a’s sight it appears that KM’s diary is to be impounded
http://www.the3arguidos.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8616
please come with us to portugal to help with the reconstruction so we can find maddie
and
we need your dairy because ….
OUCH!!!
April 10th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Morning
RTP last night reported on the case saying that the McCanns were not coming to Portugal because the PJ does not want negotiate. The PJ said that “the McCanns know full well and for a very long time that they cannot be lifted the arguido status before the end of the investigation. They also know that reconstructions are not allowed to be broadasted under portuguese law.”
The lawyer Rogerio Alves said he spoke to the couple and sent to the PJ some possible dates for them to come to Portugal. But Clarence said that they would not go unless their status of arguido was lifted. Sandra Felgueiras managed to get Clarence Mitchell all flustered when she said that she was perceiving some difference of opinions between Clarence and the portuguese lawyer Rogerio Alves (who clearly thinks that they should go)… Clarence in his typical false and shifty way answered that the mccanns listen to the legal opinions of Rogerio Alves, of their English lawyers and of the legal team of B. Kennedy.
Correio da Manha this morning claims that PJs are not coming back empty handed - they’re bringing Kate’s diary with them. (not mention of cuddlecat).
SOS Madeleine quotes a source from Leics police that said that the interviews so far confirmed (both to leics and to the PJ) that “SOMEONE IN THE TAPAS GANG IS LYING”…
Conclusion: Nothing new. But I’m actually quite worried with what is now almost an official confirmation that it was the PJ that asked them to return. The PJ (reminder: overseen by a magistrate in the investigation) don’t play PR games. IF they have asked them to return for the reconstruction, it’s because the PJ has a genuine interest in having this reconstruction. Either because they need the reconstruction to clarify what happened that night (ie. they simply don’t know - which is rather worrying), or because they know what happened and think that the reconstruction will serve the purposes of the prosecution once charges are pressed and the case goes to court.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:29 am
I doubt the aforesaid people would fly Virgin Air as hasn’t Sir Richard Branson decided not to donate any more. What use will all this promotion do. If a child is abducted, no one is to know in advance. An amber alert is already in place in some countries though, but the call to the police must be made quickly-no making mobile calls overseas, or other calls!!!
April 10th, 2008 at 8:30 am
The McCanns rarely make the Irish news anymore, but this morning their visit to Brussels and recent trip to the US was covered. However, not one mention of the fact that the McCanns remain two of the three main suspects in their own daughter’s “disappearance”.
Amazing.
And when this very important fact is tagged onto the end of the report it actually becomes………………..comical.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:31 am
batman Morning
how are the kittens? springlike?
April 10th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Noseycow
Thanks for the tip (posted on previous thread).
Will look in to it
April 10th, 2008 at 8:33 am
morning nosey.
Kittens becomine very expensive.
Suspected broken leg this week - coughed up over £150.
Thankfully all is well and kittens unaware that they have blown my wine budget for the month!!
How are yours?
April 10th, 2008 at 8:36 am
Good morning/Guten Morgen
As an EU-citizen I would consider an amber alert system for suspects in danger of absconding a good thing.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Salomon ES
A reconstruction would show quite clearly that an abduction would have been impossible.
Maybe they are interested in reconstructing what went on on 2nd May and earlier on 3rd May, which are far more important time scales, imo!
Because of the copy-cat style ‘McDuctions’ we have seen over recent weeks, sadly the McCanns themselves have meant that any Amber Alerts in future will be taken less seriously.
I think it incredible that those people in authority - who are supposed to be unbiased - are allowing suspected criminals shape potential future policy. Makes me even more convinced that they have friends in very high places who are making sure they are kept protected and cossetted, imo, of course.
April 10th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Batman - ouch
i’ll have to stop complaining about Tom Riddles habit of ditching his collar every few days then. he’s a little B U double g er.
Chubba’s is stunning - her long hair is really fluffy and she’s just sooo gorgeous.
Do you think that cats can tell the time? I get up at 5.15am when i’m on day shift and they seem to interpret this as a right to demand i get up at that time regardless of whether i’m working or not
Even i can’t ignore three black noses relentlessy pushed in my face/ears/hands etc etc etc . Don’t you just love them 
April 10th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Anyone know what ever happened about that Irish teenager who went missing on New Year’s Eve in Spain? Rumours were that that was another scam.
An Amber Alert would be a good idea, but I fear that ‘Wolf’ has been cried too many times.
Wolf should not be confused with a more enduring sound - Woof!