PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, September 2: We look at papers' coverage of the shadowy Venezuelan magnate who brokered the Washington-Caracas oil deal. In other news, the Pacific Islands Forum wants to talk climate change, but China's anger at the presence of Taiwan is stealing the limelight. Finally, the Bayeux Tapestry is back in Britain after nearly a millennium, with perhaps some salacious secrets.
Web news outlet Axios chronologises Alejandro Betancourt's dealings with Nicolas Maduro and Washington. He has been in cahoots with the US before against the former Venezuelan president, but was one of the Trump administration's men on the ground even before the capture of Maduro, taking soundings from Delcy Rodriguez to establish how things might play out in the event of Maduro's ouster. We also look at a Washington Post investigation, which shows that US officials intervened around the world to help Betancourt shake off his legal woes this spring, so that he could be free to work on their oil plans.
