Press Review

PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, November 10: French Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner announces he will run for president in next year's French elections. But how serious is his bid? Also, a new government directive in France says schoolchildren must participate in Remembrance Day commemorations – but the unions are not happy. British comedian Russell Brand is sentenced to 10 years in prison for rape and sexual assault. Finally, we bring you the best of the memes on Nvidia's Jensen Huang. French Olympic judo champion Teddy Riner has announced he is running in next year's presidential elections in France. The five-time Olympic judo champion made the announcement on social media. He gave an exclusive interview to Aujourd'hui en France - Le Parisien in which he explained that his decision to run has been in the works since the Paris Olympics. He is positioning himself as an alternative to the two likely extremist frontrunners, Marine Le Pen on the far right and Jean-Luc Mélenchon on the hard left. Le Parisien's editor hails Riner's style, while cautioning that he has a lot to lose with this candidacy – his popularity in France, his sponsors but also his possible bid for the 2028 Olympics in LA. He could also face criticism for his recent tax issues and his reluctance to incite the people of Guadeloupe, the French overseas territory from where he comes, to vaccinate themselves against Covid-19. From the Olympic flame to "political flame", French sports paper l'Équipe notes that more and more sportsmen and women seem ready to enter politics and give their opinions on issues beyond sports venues. Le Temps notes that President Emmanuel Macron is also to blame – for 10 years, he siphoned away support from the two main political parties, with only the extremists left. In this analysis, Le Temps is sceptical, reminding us that these would-be candidates will need 500 signatures to run and usually what happens is that the candidates have a way of parlaying support for a frontrunner into obtaining a ministerial post. La Charente Libre, a local French paper, says that "with all respect to Riner, his candidacy is above all a symptom of France's political malaise." For the first time this year, French primary, middle, and high schools will organise a commemoration ceremony for November 11, Armistice Day. But it is proving controversial among teachers' unions, according to the Huffington Post. Schoolchildren will partake in a commemoration ceremony that will become an annual homage to those who died for France – with the aim of transmitting the memory of history and peace to younger generations. Unions have criticised the move, saying it could favour military culture in school and be used politically. Historians and teachers debate the issue in La Croix, the Catholic paper. Those in favour says it will transmit the memory of history, while those against say that students already study the First and Second World Wars and thus participation in the commemoration service is redundant. Turning to the UK, comedian Russell Brand will spend a decade behind bars after being found guilty of rape and sexual assault. Brand was a career chameleon: a stand-up comic, MTV host, political analyst and, lately, conspiracy theorist. In a high-profile trial, six women testified against him over the past month. He has now been sentenced to over 10 years in prison – vindication for some British dailies like Metro. His face is splashed across the dailies, including Daily Mirror, Daily Express and the Guardian. In its analysis, Le Monde says that Russell Brand's conviction is unlikely to have the stratospheric consequences of that of Harvey Weinstein, but that the cases share one thing in common: a culture of silence broken by the press and a wave of accusations that shattered the denials long maintained by two prominent figures who were eventually brought to justice. Finally, Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia who confessed to having an affair with a rumoured Chinese spy, is the butt of all jokes on the Internet. His extramarital affair confession took everyone by surprise and briefly send Nvidia stocks tumbling, especially as rumours of a possible Chinese honeytrap abounded. The illustrated press has been merciless. We look at Morten Morland and Patrick Blower from the Times and Telegraph respectively. Morten Morland sees the Nvidia CEO as a "Nvidiot". He is also mocked in online memes gathered by Buzzfeed. You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Monday, November 9: Papers condemn the Kremlin's closure of Russian independent paper Novaya Gazeta on its last day. Also in Russia: leaked numbers suggest that almost half a million Russians have died in the war in Ukraine. Next: NASA is recruiting astronauts who will live and work on the Moon. Finally: who will be the next James Bond?     Novaya Gazeta's front-page headline reads: "What will we leave behind?" Moscow has classed the independent paper as a "foreign agent", a label used to stifle dissent and media that don't obey the Kremlin. They received the label back in September, so what followed didn't come as a surprise. In late October, the team received an eviction notice – they have to be gone by November 10 and evict the office that many journalists have called home for decades. Banks also blocked readers' donations, leaving the editorial team without a single source of income. The Times says that Novaya Gazeta was "the last free newspaper in Russia. Now Putin has come for it". The paper writes that for more than 30 years, the Russian paper "has fearlessly defended human rights in Russia". It says that its closure is "widely seen as revenge for its criticism of the invasion of Ukraine". Dmitry Muratov, Novaya Gazeta's co-founder, spoke to the paper. He said that this is the culmination of a long and violent journey that started in 1993, when Mikhail Gorbachev donated money from his Nobel Peace Prize to help establish the paper. El País condemns the closure of Novaya Gazeta, which it describes as a symbol of "great Russian journalism". Its final issue comes after three decades of exposing war crimes, political assassinations and high-level corruption. Also in Russia, a new data leak from the state statistics agency reveals some numbers about the war in Ukraine, The Moscow Times reports. The leaked figures say that more than 450,000 Russians have been killed in the war in Ukraine. Russia hasn't officially disclosed its battlefield losses since September 2022. But if this number is correct, it would make the war the fourth most common cause of death in the country since 2022 and the deadliest conflict since World War II. Next: NASA is expanding its Artemis programme. The Guardian reports that it now wants to send a new generation of astronauts to live and work on the Moon. NASA says the successful candidates would help "shape humanity's future in space". If you're interested, the application deadline is December 3. Applicants must be US citizens and have a master's degree in a related field, such as science or mathematics, or training as a pilot. They must also have three years of "related professional experience". This is all happening as the space agency is currently building a base on the Moon and is planning the first crewed missions to Mars. Finally, who will be the next James Bond? MovieWeb says Robert Pattinson will play the iconic British spy. But according to OK! Magazine, there are three frontrunners: Jack Lowden, Jacob Elordi and Callum Turner. Nothing has been officially confirmed yet, but the winner could be revealed "within weeks". You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Friday, November 6: Italian, British, French and Bulgarian papers discuss the bomb threats that diverted multiple flights across Europe on Thursday. British papers discuss Russell Brand's rape and sexual assault conviction. Finally, kids in Hanoi chase tourists – not for money, but for vocabulary. Bonus: we learn a fun fact about chihuahuas. Italian papers La Stampa and La Corrierre della Serra headline with "Bomb threats and chaos in the sky". Eight of the flights diverted on Thursday were flying to or from Italy. La Stampa spoke to a bomb expert who says that it's all connected and part of a "covert war". The news is also on the front page of the British newspaper Financial Times. The paper quotes intelligence leaders who say it's a campaign of "intimidation," "bearing the hallmarks of Russia's hybrid warfare". French paper Le Figaro writes about the movement that's believed to be behind some of the bomb threats. It's called the "Male State" and it's a Russian far-right, racist and misogynistic movement. The airports in Rome and Sofia received a mysterious email on Thursday, attributed to members of this masculinist group. Bulgaria's bTV quotes the threat that was sent to many people working at these airports: "We, the Male State, will go down in history through our actions today. Your feminist regime will remember this forever. The explosion will take place in 60 minutes. Today, your skies will turn red". Le Figaro writes that the messages haven't been verified and the group hasn't taken responsibility for them. But if the origin of the threat is confirmed, the paper writes, it would mark an unprecedented escalation. Next, British comedian Russell Brand faces jail time after he was found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others. The Times reports that Brand now faces years in prison. The crimes took place at the height of his fame. The paper says Brand was described as a "ruthless, calculated and manipulative sexual predator". The convictions follow a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4's investigative programme "Dispatches". It began in 2019 and took four years to complete. Its reporters spoke to many women from the comedy, TV and film industry, amid hundreds of sources. The Times says that the project was only made possible thanks to the bravery and courage of the women involved. In another article, The Times looks at Brand's fixation with sex and why and how it began so early. The paper writes that "he became a predator hiding in plain sight". The Independent's columnist Victoria Richards writes that she was personally warned about Brand 20 years ago "and the verdict surprises no one". She writes that "no woman was safe from his sleazy attentions" and that she is "shocked" that "he managed to get away with it for so long". Elsewhere, The Wall Street Journal writes about kids in Hanoi. They go after tourists: not for their money, but for their English vocabulary. For Vietnamese kids, tourists are often living, breathing Duolingo lessons. The paper writes that practicing English like this is a staple of Asian tourism. Alibaba's Chinese founder Jack Ma gave tours of his hometown lake in exchange for conversations in English when he was a kid. But in Hanoi, particularly by the lake, the phenomenon is everywhere. Finally, we bring you a fun fact from The New York Times: "Tiny chihuahuas hold a big surprise: a sliver of coyote DNA". They have four percent of coyote in their little bodies. It's confirmed by researchers! You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, November 5: "Loser" and "Reborn in the USA" are just some of the headlines dominating the international press after the Democrats stomped to victory in the US midterm elections. What impact will their success have on the rest of Donald Trump's presidency? How will he govern with a Democratic-controlled Congress? These are just some of the burning questions after that vote. Also, do the midterm results signal the end of the MAGA woman and the "Mar-a-Lago face"? There are plenty of reactions in the international press to the Democrats' crushing victory over Republicans in the midterms on Wednesday. French Communist paper L'Humanité compares the "loud voices" of French protesters preparing for a day of demonstrations with US President Donald Trump, whose head is "hanging low". Libération describes the results with one word – "Loser" – on its front page. After resounding victories in Texas and Ohio, both in the Senate and governor races, the Guardian says the Republicans were "Trumped." The Daily Mirror describes politics as "Reborn in the USA." French paper La Croix evokes the "Democratic jolt" that these midterms have instilled. It adds that Trump is "paying the price" for the rising petrol prices that occurred because of his war against Iran. The conservative US daily National Review says sheer exhaustion now defines the public's response to Trump, describing the results as "repudiation to Trump". Not everyone is thrilled about the results – not least of all in Israel. The pro-Netanyahu, conservative paper Israel Hayom expresses its concern on its front page, opting for a photo of new Michigan senator Abdul El-Sayed, the first Muslim senator in the US. It wonders what relations with the US will look like in the future, saying this new Congress will be the "most hostile to Israel in history". Haaretz, the centre-left Israeli daily, is far more nuanced in its reaction, announcing a transformation in US-Israeli relations. It says that Israelis, who have enjoyed US protection for the past three decades, are not ready for what's to come. Libero, a pro-Meloni daily in Italy, headlines with: "Trump cries, Islam laughs." It reminds us that Trump is still president, saying he still runs US foreign policy and can do what he wants. Metro calls Trump "Lame Donald Duck" in a clever front page. The magazine Foreign Affairs explores what Trump could do next. It notes that previous a "lame duck" president, Bill Clinton, used his time to negotiate a final settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Trump might not be so altruistic. The Democrats will have control of both chambers of parliament, and the threat of impeachment could loom over Trump. A boxed-in Trump may lash out internationally – he could issue new threats against Canada, launch attacks on US alliances or collude with Russia and China. There is a general feeling that the end of Trumpism may be nigh – or at least, the end of the MAGA woman. The Times of London says the midterm results signal the end to the "Botox, heels and hair of the MAGA woman". "They came, they saw, they conker tanned, Spanxed and gold leafed not just the White House but the world stage." For the better part of a decade, many women pant suitshave aspired to the "Mar-a-Lago face" and tradwife "raw milkmaid" dresses. But now, as we saw with Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa, sensible pantsuits are in. After wins by James Talarico, Jon Ossoff and Abdul El-Sayed, are the Democrats trying to make America sexy again? You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, November 4: US papers react to the results of the midterm elections, with Democrats retaking control of Congress and the headlines running from a "repudiation" of US President Donald Trump to a "blue tsunami". We also look at the historic firsts celebrated by the local press, the blame game already under way, and what the results mean for Trump's final two years in office. The New York Times' headline reads "Democrats take Senate". It notes stunning upsets across the US in a national rebuke to Donald Trump. The Washington Post has the same headline and calls the result a "repudiation" of the US president. Politico goes for a more illustrative headline: "Voters pummel GOP out of power." The Atlantic's take is more colourful still, with the headline "Orange crushed". It says the president told voters to act as if his name was on the ballot, and they did. The right-wing tabloid New York Post offers its own take on a Hokusai classic: a "blue tsunami". Beyond the headlines, the US is seeing not only a blue wave but also a swell of historic firsts. As AP reports, Florida Republican Byron Donalds became the first Black man to be elected governor of the state. Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms made history in Georgia, becoming the first Black woman elected governor in US history. Nowhere is she celebrated more than in the local Atlanta Journal, which published a profile of the new governor. More than 160 years after her ancestors were enslaved in Georgia, it says, the former Atlanta mayor makes history as the first Black woman to move into the governor's mansion. In North Carolina, local papers have a different first to celebrate. The News & Observer reports that Roy Cooper won the state's Senate race, the first for a Democrat in 18 years. In South Carolina, the Post and Courier covers the "stunning upset" inflicted by Democrat Annie Andrews, who against most odds beat Republican candidate Darline Graham for a Senate seat. The Texas Tribune, meanwhile, covers James Talarico's massive Senate win for the Democrats. The paper says the 37-year-old overcame "a deluge of outside money to break the GOP's three-decade grip on the state." As results come in, many papers are already looking for an explanation, and somewhere to put the blame. The left-wing political magazine Jacobin has its answer: Trumpism is running out of gas. "MAGA is exhausted and about to suffer a significant body blow," it says. The magazine argues that Trump has never been that popular and that to consolidate his hold on the country, he should have mobilised a larger popular coalition. That sentiment is reflected in Politico, which explains that "Republicans are about to pay for Trump's mistakes." According to the website, Trump's tariffs, a costly war in Iran and political vendettas have left Republicans scrambling to defend their congressional majorities. It notes that US presidents have suffered at midterms in the past, but argues that never before has a president been to such an extent solely responsible for a midterm defeat. Some coverage also looks to the future. The Atlantic explains that the likelihood of Trump contesting his defeat once again is low. The magazine observes that "election deniers" are fewer in number than in 2020, and that he "no longer enjoys the political support he once had amongst Republicans". AP says that Trump will be staring at the spectre of Democratic probes and the race to succeed him. With his party losing control of Congress, the rest of Trump's time in office is likely to be consumed by Democratic-led investigations into his administration, and possibly even another impeachment.  Finally, The Wall Street Journal looks at the financial angle, and wonders what the business world can expect from a blue wave. Its list of bullet points includes financial investigations, more opposition to AI data centres, a change in control at the Federal Reserve and an increase in the popularity of biofuel, among many others. You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.