Press Review

PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, December 9: The bidding war has begun after Paramount launched a $108 billion hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, days after shareholders accepted a Netflix deal. Who will prevail? Also: we learn about the growing Japanese community in India. Plus: YouTube launches the first ever AI reality TV series: a "Hunger Games"-style fight to the death. The bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has begun. Paramount has launched a hostile takeover bid in dramatic scenes worthy of a Netflix series. Days after WBD shareholders agreed to a rival $82.7 billion cash and stock Netflix deal, Paramount launched a hostile $108 billion takeover of all assets of Warner Bros Discovery, one of the most storied studios in Hollywood. This includes news channels like CNN, unlike Netflix's offer. The British daily Financial Times takes us behind the scenes of what it calls one of the most audacious hostile bids in history. Paramount's deal is financed through Chief Executive David Ellison's billionaire father Larry Ellison, who is the founder of Oracle. It is also financed through Middle East sovereign wealth funds and a US private equity fund run by Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law. Paramount made six proposals over 12 weeks to WBD's board, but a person close to the company is quoted as saying they were gaslit and then ghosted by WBD. One sticking point was the Middle Eastern sovereign funds, which WBD worried would not pass the test with the US committee that reviews potential national security risks from foreign investment. Deadline reports that to sweeten the deal, Paramount has promised to release 30 or more films each year – an attempt to assuage fears that a Netflix takeover would favour TV and streaming releases over movies. The editors of the Wall Street Journal offer a "novel idea": let the shareholders of Warner Bros decide for themselves. They will have to navigate the mercurial whims of Trump, who wants to be involved in the deal. Both CEOs of Netflix and Paramount have courted Trump like "contestants on the Bachelorette", they write. In other news, Israel has said Gaza's yellow line demarcation in the US-brokered ceasefire deal is a new border. The Guardian reports that the yellow line is part of Trump's 20-point peace plan that commits the Israel military to progressively hand over Palestinian territory to an international security force until they have completely withdrawn from Gaza. On Monday, the chief of general staff, Eyal Zamir, said Israel would hold on to its current military positions, which give it control of the border crossing with Egypt and most agricultural land in Gaza. The London-based, pan-Arab paper al-Quds al-Araby explains in maps how Israel has continued to divide the Gaza Strip. Its headline reads the "yellow line of death." The first map shows the area carved out of Gaza following the Rhodes Agreement of 1949. The second map highlights the yellow line as it appeared during the Israeli army's deployment last October. The third map illustrates shows the Israeli army's withdrawal according to the Trump plan – showing that Gazans would only have 20 percent of territory, with Israel holding more than the 53 percent of land it has officially declared. Elsewhere, The Washington Post looks at the growing Japanese community living in India. It seems quite improbable, but there were over 8,000 Japanese citizens living in India last year. It's barely a drop in the ocean in terms of India's 1.4 billion-strong population, but it is a nearly four-fold increase from 2005. Most of them have come to work for Japanese companies like Panasonic or Toyota. The expat presence has particularly grown in Gurgaon, a financial and tech hub near New Delhi. There are more and more Japanese restaurants and Japanese mahjong rooms, while Indians are increasingly hooked on anime culture and Studio Ghibli dreamscapes. East meets subcontinent in this micro expat community!  Finally, we bring you a story that seems like something out of science fiction – the world’s first ever AI reality TV show. "Non Player Combat" launched on YouTube on Monday by AiMation Studios and it's the first reality TV show where all the contestants are virtual. The four-episode series is a hyper realistic fight to the death competition between six characters who are hunting each other and facing off threats like polar bears and venomous snakes. It's said to be a blend of "Hunger Games", "Fortnite" and "The Traitors". The London Evening Standard explains that each contestant is programmed with a human backstory – past lovers and personal tragedies. They also face hunger and fatigue, like real humans in the competition. Among the AI contestants are a murderer, a Navy Seal and a content creator who are parachuted into the virtual jungle. 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, 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 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.

PRESS REVIEW – Friday, December 5: The European Broadcasting Union votes to keep Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest, sparking a boycott from Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Ireland. We look at reactions from the front pages. Also: the FIFA 2026 World Cup draw will be unveiled in Washington this Friday, with US President Donald Trump receiving a special "FIFA peace prize". Plus, Pantone unveils 2026's colour of the year and a "kindness influencer" helps raise over $1.5 million for an 88-year-old US army veteran. Four countries have withdrawn from Eurovision 2026 after a decision to keep Israel in the competition. The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) cleared Israel on Thursday to take part in 2026, which sparked a boycott by Ireland, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Spain. The crisis has plunged the contest into its "deepest ever crisis", Politico says. The event is much more than just a glitzy, campy music competition; it has always been a bastion of European soft power and politics. The four countries who withdrew say their decision was based on Israel's war in Gaza and the resulting humanitarian crisis. We look at the reaction from the Irish dailies. The Irish broadcaster RTE will not ever air the contest as Ireland shuns Eurovision over "GAZA horrors", the Irish Daily Mirror and Irish Daily Star say. There is also anger over allegations that the Israeli government intervened in voting this year, after the Israeli candidate received the largest number of public votes during the final. The Jerusalem Post relays the controversy of the boycott on its factual front-page story. The competition's crisis will also be financial. Spain's exit represents the loss of a major source of funding. As the Spanish daily El Pais notes, five countries provide the most funding to Eurovision – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK – and they contribute €350,000 each. It means they automatically qualify for the grand final each year. Spain's absence means a large chunk of funding will be absent. As the paper explains in its article, the EBU has tried to compensate for the planned absences by extending the deadline for registration and encouraging other countries like Romania and Bulgaria to participate. Elsewhere, there's anticipation in the sports papers as the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw will be announced in Washington. We will finally know the groups of each of the 48 competing nations in the 2026 World Cup, which is taking place across the US, Canada and Mexico. French sports paper L'Equipe provides us with a guide to the announcement of the draw – and their predictions about the ideal draw for France. L'Equipe notes that the draw will be "highly political" too. It was initially meant to be held in Las Vegas, but FIFA pandered to Donald Trump, who wanted it in Washington. FIFA President Gianni Infantino will also be bestowing upon the US president FIFA's inaugural peace prize – in the absence of another peace prize that Trump has desperately sought. For an obscure prize, an obscure prize-giver: The Guardian reports that a close ally of the Myanmar junta will be handing this prize to Trump. Zaw Zaw is head of the Myanmar football association. The US described him in 2009 as a "crony of the Myanmar junta". A shadow of corruption looms over this inaugural FIFA peace prize.  Pantone is the world's colour authority and announces a colour that will dominate art, architecture and fashion for the year to come. Next year will be all about Cloud Dancer, the first ever white shade. It is a bland, boring shade, but that is exactly the point! It is a "whisper of calm in a noisy world", according to The Washington Post. This does not bode well for some, who see it reflecting a year dominated by rising White nationalism. Pantone assures us, however, that politics and skin tones do not factor in at all.  We end with a wonderful story about the online community rallying behind an 88-year-old military veteran in the US. Ed Bambas has not had a restful retirement. He lost his pension and health insurance in 2012 and then sold his house to pay for his sick wife's health care. For the past seven years, he has been working eight hours, five days a week at a store in Detroit. An Australian kindness influencer shared a video of Bambas's story and set up a GoFundMe. Total strangers donated, raising more than $1.5 million in three days to help Bambas finally retire. The story is proof that social media can bring out the best in people sometimes! 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, December 4: Russian leader Vladimir Putin begins a two-day visit to India, which is garnering a lot of attention in the press about the close ties between the two countries. Also, Australia prepares to roll out a social media ban for under-16s, but adolescents are already finding ways to circumvent the new rules that go into effect next week. Plus: New Zealand gets its first Ikea store and a drunk raccoon delights the internet. Vladimir Putin kicks off a visit to India this Thursday and it's garnering a lot of attention in the Indian press. The Russian president is holding a two-day summit with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. It's his first visit to India since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce has taken out a front-page, full-page ad in Indian business daily Financial Express, welcoming Putin to New Delhi. The Hindu Business Line offers us a "shopping list" of trade topics to be discussed: pharma, medical devices and automobiles but also SU 57 fighters – products that Russia may purchase from India. Two topics will dominate this summit: defence deals and hydrocarbons. However, the editors of the Hindustan Times urge the Indian government to use Putin's visit to push for more access within the Russian market. India, it says, currently has "piecemeal" access to a handful of Russian sectors. A solid and "wide-ranging trade basket" will add further depth to this bilateral relationship and "go beyond just optics", it adds. More widely, this visit is viewed as symbolic in terms of geopolitical relations. The Indian website Firstpost says that the visit sends a "powerful message to the world, especially the US, which thought it could coerce India to abandon Russia by imposing punitive tariffs for purchasing Russian crude". There is also an interesting analysis from Foreign Affairs magazine, which says Donald Trump's departure from India-friendly policies – this year, he imposed 50 percent tariffs on India and agreed to a raft of deals with India's rival Pakistan – has pushed India to a form of "multi-alignment." In other words, India has sought to build stronger ties with several countries, even when they have contradictory interests. One Russian news agency, though, paints a different picture. "Russia invites India to throw off its Western shackles," it says. We move on to Australia, which is preparing for a world-first social media ban on under-16s. That ban comes into effect next week, but Australian broadcaster ABC explains that the ban is not really a ban. Social media companies will be forced to prevent – or try to prevent – teens under 16 from holding an account on their platform. The loophole is that they cannot prevent teens from using the account. The outlets affected include Instagram, Facebook, Threads, X, TikTok, Snapchat and others. The Australian government has warned, however, that new sites could be added, setting the stage for "the world's most expensive and annoying game of whack-a-mole." Crikey, an Australian website, notes that teens are already finding ways to get around the ban. Some teenagers have started using platforms not covered by the ban, while others are using photos of their parents to convince platforms they are adults. In certain cases, parents themselves are helping kids set up an account. In fact, Australian federal government research showed that 34 percent of parents were likely to help their kids circumvent the ban. Next, the website The Spinoff reports that flatpack mania has arrived in New Zealand: the first Ikea shop has opened in Auckland. Thousands of people assembled for the opening, complete with a local news outlet live blog. New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was there to cut the ribbon. New Zealand is one of the last Western nations to get Ikea. Lucky New Zealanders will now get to spend hours trying to decipher those Ikea manuals! We end with a story of a raccoon whose Friday night was wilder than yours or mine! The New York Times reports that a raccoon dropped from the ceiling into a liquor store in Virginia last weekend and went on a raging bender that ended with its face down on the toilet floor, blind drunk. The mammal broke 14 bottles of spirits and drank rum, moonshine and peanut butter whiskey, as well as holiday eggnog. Its hangover lasted an hour and a half before authorities safely released the animal back into the wild. There were no injuries, simply remorse and embarrassment! 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, December 3: Bulgarians protest against a controversial budget and widespread corruption, with faith in mainstream media declining. Next, US President Donald Trump goes on a "xenophobic rant" against Somali migrants. Also: Sabrina Carpenter is not Trump's "best friend". Finally, some research on cats discovers what women already know about men. Mass protests have erupted in Bulgaria. Monday night saw demonstrations across the country against the 2026 budget and widespread corruption in the country, as Deutsche Welle reports. The protesters are calling on the government to step down, in the biggest protest movement the country has seen for years. The Bulgarian News Agency said that around 50,000 people attended, but many protesters claim that the media is trying to minimise the movement and is unfairly blaming the protesters for unrest on the streets. The Bulgarian National Television, for instance, chose to show many images of unrest across the capital, but according to protesters, the country's state TV is twisting reality.  The Times calls the protests a "Gen Z" movement. A lot of information is being circulated on social media, where people give each other advice on how to protest safely and show what they claim is not being relayed in the mainstream media. A cartoon by Gurbetstudio shows those in power as the puppet masters of journalists, the police and those who are causing unrest. Bulgarian daily Dnevnik reports that after the huge demonstrations, the government decided to withdraw the controversial budget and will propose a new one. The ruling coalition, however, will not step down, despite calls from protesters and the opposition. Gen Z members now say that more and bigger protests are coming. Over in the United States, President Donald Trump has railed against the Somali migrant community in Minnesota. As The Washington Post reports, he used "dehumanising language" by calling Somalis "garbage". Trump also said he "doesn’t want them in our country" and accused Somalis of having "ripped off" Minnesota. The verbal attacks come after dozens of Somalis are accused of stealing millions in public funds over the past years. The Guardian calls Trump's attacks a "xenophobic rant" and notes that Trump is ramping up deportation efforts. CBC News then reports that after Trump's verbal attacks, his administration paused "all immigration applications from 19 non-European countries", including Afghanistan and Somalia.  Also in the US, pop star Sabrina Carpenter has condemned the Trump administration after it used one of her songs. Carpenter may be a "man’s best friend" – the title of her new album – but not Trump's, as Politico reports. The White House posted a video on Trump's crackdown on immigration, using Carpenter's song in the background. The singer called it "evil and disgusting" and asked the White House not to ever involve her or her music in their "inhumane agenda". Finally, obese cats can now use an animal-friendly version of Ozempic, as The New York Times reports. In other pet news, it turns out that cats miaow more at men. It's simply because men don't listen, The Times reports. A study found that cats are way noisier when greeting their male owners. According to researchers, this shows that they've learned to be more insistent with those who are slower to respond, ie male humans. 

PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, December 2: We look at reactions to Luigi Mangione's pre-trial hearing, which attracted many of his supporters. The press look at why his case divides Americans so much. Also: Sri Lanka's anger at the government over the devastating cyclone and the rise of scam states in Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries. Plus: Eurovision's survival is threatened by a boycott over Israel and we look at Oxford's word of the year: rage bait! Luigi Mangione's pre-trial hearing continues this Tuesday in New York and is garnering a lot of attention. As The New York Times reminds us, Mangione is accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year. His pre-trial hearing began this week to determine what evidence can be used at trial. It marks a "critical stage" in the case, as Newsweek notes. Mangione's attorneys notably want to exclude statements he made to the police after his arrest. They argue that officers failed to inform him of his constitutional rights. They also accuse police of an unlawful search of his backpack at a McDonalds. The New York Times reports on the frenzy in court. About two dozen supporters of Mangione sat in the back rows, wearing green – their "signature colour". The Times writes: "With giddy smiles, laughter and whispers, they craned their necks for a glimpse of Mangione", proof of how divisive this case is for Americans. People magazine notes that Mangione has been kept in prison in a plexiglass cell to avoid an "Epstein-style" situation. This is in reference to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein's death by suicide in jail before he was able to face charges on sex trafficking. Next, devastating floods have ravaged Southeast Asia and the subcontinent, particularly Sri Lanka. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared last week's cyclone the largest and most challenging natural disaster in the country's history, as The New York Times reports. The anger in the Sri Lankan press is palpable. The Island, an English-language daily, reports on the opposition walking out of parliament on Monday in tense scenes as it accused the government of having ignored cyclone warnings. In the opinion pages of the Daily Mirror, one writer says that successive Sri Lankan governments have "behaved like monkeys" – accusing them of scrambling for solutions only when disaster strikes and not anticipating natural disaster prevention. We move on to a story from The Guardian about the rise of scam states. The paper takes us into the city of Myawaddy in Myanmar, where KK Park, one of the continent’s most infamous scam centres, was recently dismantled. Tens of thousands of people were held against their will and forced by criminal organisations to defraud people around the world. But those running it were long gone and were setting up shop elsewhere. The Guardian explains that these scam centres have become so monolithic in Southeast Asia that there is now a scam state. Like a narco-state, scam states refer to countries where this illicit industry has dug its tentacles deep into government institutions and transformed the economy. While the dismantling of KK Park was much vaunted by Myanmar's junta, this is deemed largely "performative". The Guardian says that in reality, governments have little interest in stopping such a lucrative billion-dollar business. After the cancellation of the international Angouleme comics festival, the Eurovision Song Contest could be at risk too. The Daily Telegraph explains that the European Broadcast Union will hold its general assembly this week. The body will have to decide whether or not Israel stays in Eurovision next year, amid anger over its war in Gaza. Things have become "toxic", it says, with two blocs emerging when it comes to Israel. Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland have all threatened to boycott Eurovision if Israel stays. Others, like Austria and Germany, say they'll walk out if Israel is forced out. The problem is that five countries contribute the most to funding the contest – including Spain and Germany. So if either one pulls out, it could affect the finances of the competition. The crisis is being described as one of the most severe in the history of Eurovision. If you read that article and felt intense rage or anger at the thought of Eurovision being cancelled, you could be suffering from Oxford's word of the year: rage bait! It’s defined as online content deliberately designed to elicit anger, outrage or frustration, all with the goal of increasing clicks and traffic. As NPR explains, the term originated in 2002 – back then, the internet was focusing on grabbing our attention through curiosity. The phenomenon is now so prevalent that it beat out competition like aura farming and biohack for Oxford University Press's word of the year! 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, December 1: Papers discuss HIV figures across France. Next, Israeli papers react to PM Benjamin Netanyahu's pardon request – a "resounding no" or a "necessary" act? Also: the "Sunday Scaries" are more common than we might think. Finally, we bring you a love story about a widow, a widower and water aerobics. For World AIDS Day, French papers are discussing the HIV epidemic across the country. Nearly half a century after HIV/AIDS was discovered, misinformation is extremely widespread, as the French TV channel BFM reports. Almost one in four French people still believe that kissing someone on the mouth can transmit the virus. Some 36 percent believe that the virus can be transmitted by drinking from the same glass or by a mosquito bite. And more than eight out of 10 people think that unprotected sex with an HIV-positive person who is undergoing treatment can transmit the virus. BFM reminds us that when taken correctly, treatment prevents HIV-positive people from transmitting the virus, even during unprotected sex. For some more statistics, The Conversation interviewed epidemiologist Dominique Costagliola. She says that in France, in 2023, more than 180,000 people were living with HIV. The highest figures were recorded in the Paris region: 162 cases per one million inhabitants.  Elsewhere, Israeli papers are reacting to PM Benjamin Netanyahu's pardon request. For left-wing Israeli paper Haaretz, the decision is clear. In an opinion piece, Haaretz writes that "the only sensible answer to Netanyahu’s pardon request is a resounding no". The article says that even though Netanyahu is asking for a pardon, he isn't willing to admit anything and continues to claim that the cases against him were "fabricated". The paper says that his request is an "aggressive act" by someone who seeks to exploit the institution of the pardon and abolish justice. The right-wing paper The Jerusalem Post has a different opinion. It says that "pardoning Netanyahu is an imperfect but necessary end to the PM's long legal saga". The opinion piece says that the deeper question is what prolonging the trial is doing to the country and whether ending it "might finally allow Israel to move on". The Jerusalem Post says that it's time to close the chapter – "not for Netanyahu, but for the country". Over in the US, Inc. Magazine talks about the "Sunday Scaries", the dreadful feeling we experience on a Sunday afternoon when we realise that the weekend has almost ended. The magazine says that more than 80 percent of American workers report "Sunday Scaries", with symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, loss of productivity and motivation. Finally, The Washington Post has a heartwarming story about a widow and a widower who fell in love during water aerobics... and three years later, got married in the pool. 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 28: The US press are talking about one story only: the death of a young National Guardswoman who was shot alongside another guardsman in Washington on Wednesday. The suspect, an Afghan native who came to the US in 2021, has sparked intense debate about the repercussions of the war in Afghanistan. Also: Denmark sets up a night watch to make sure Donald Trump doesn't try to seize Greenland while Copenhagen sleeps. Plus: a French town finds novel ways to make its locals stop complaining! US President Donald Trump announced the death of Sarah Beckstrom on Thursday. The 20-year-old National Guardswoman died of her injuries after she and a fellow guardsman were shot in what authorities say was a brazen attack in Washington on Wednesday. The other guardsman is fighting for his life. The perpetrator is believed to be an Afghan national who worked with the CIA, as the Wall Street Journal reports on the front of its website. In the wake of this, the Trump administration has paused immigration from Afghanistan. The US president blamed his predecessor Joe Biden for the shooting, saying the alleged shooter arrived amid the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan. For The Washington Post, Biden's team failed to prepare for the fall of Kabul in 2021, and this inevitably brought "dangerous people" into the US. The paper adds that these people should be identified and repatriated. However, it says, threatening the status of all 77,000 Afghan refugees who have made America their home is "morally bankrupt". The daily reminds us that they put their lives and their families' lives at risk to help the US during its two-decade war in Afghanistan. The New York Times' editors evoke a tragedy – the "uniquely American heartbreak of tragedy". It follows a year of political violence – Minnesota Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in June – and a few months ago, the conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead. The editors say that while Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard is "outrageous", he is not to blame. The paper urges readers to condemn the rise of political violence in America. For the conservative magazine National Review, the shootings are an "atrocity", not just a tragedy. It says: "Without Biden’s chaotic withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and Congress’ lethargy, it would have been far less likely that this terror attack would have occurred." Moving on, Denmark has set up a night watch on Donald Trump’s declarations and movements concerning Greenland. The "Game of Thrones"-style system was set up by the Danish foreign ministry, as reported by the Danish paper Politiken this week. The idea is to ensure they are on top of all things Trump, especially when it comes to his unpredictable movements while Copenhagen sleeps. The Guardian notes that the night watch starts at 5pm each day until 7am and the Danish government and its department will be informed about Trump's statements and actions during European nighttime. It was implemented after Denmark’s diplomatic row with Trump, who threatened to take control of Greenland earlier this year. According to one defence analyst, the Trump night watch shows that the US-Danish alliance is dead, at least under the current Trump administration. Finally, here in France, one town is trying to fight the stereotype that French people are rude! The Times of London reports that the Brittany town of Saint-Brieuc set up a novel experiment this week – daring its locals to abstain from complaining for an hour, a day, even a week. Moreover, they’re encouraged to engage in something the French are not known for: polite conversation. They've even been given some talking points – discussing whether putting pineapple on pizza is a crime against humanity or a culinary delight and discussing why socks go missing in the washing machine. The idea is to transform Saint-Brieuc into the "French capital of courtesy". A 2023 survey found that 68 percent of French people themselves agree that they are very rude – Lyon, Marseille, Nice and Paris topped that list! 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 27: We look at reactions to the deadly fire at a residential estate in Hong Kong and examine why The New York Times has compared the tragedy to that of London's 2017 Grenfell Tower fire. Also, there's anger in India after the acquittal of a man found guilty of killing and dismembering several women and children in 2006 in a case that highlights flaws in the judicial system. Plus: Donald Trump uses his presidential powers to revive Hollywood's "Rush Hour" franchise. The deadly fire at Hong Kong's Tai Po residential estate is dominating the press there. Dozens of people have been killed, and hundreds are still missing in Hong Kong's worst fire on record, in which flames engulfed seven of eight towers. The images are quite spectacular and splashed all over the local press, like the Hong Kong version of Chinese government newspaper China Daily. It also headlines on President Xi Jinping calling for full coordination and support in stopping the blaze and assisting local authorities. Like China Daily, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post also has its masthead in black, in deference to the victims of this fire. The daily focuses on the speculation behind the causes of the blaze: alleged irresponsible smoking of workers in the extensive renovations of the housing estate, as well as flammable scaffolding. The New York Times, meanwhile, looks at comparisons to the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, which killed 72 people. It was the subject of multiple investigations due to the flammable exterior cladding on the building which helped spread the flames. The New York Times interviews Jonathan Barnett, managing director of a fire engineering firm. He notes that the Hong Kong towers were cloaked in bamboo scaffolding during renovations. Bamboo is lightweight and easy to transport but also highly flammable. He speculates that this could have played the same role as the cladding in the Grenfell Tower fire. He also notes another big challenge for rescue efforts. Like Grenfell, the high-rise nature of the towers means that getting water up to the higher levels is a challenge. The way is to do it from inside, which obviously puts firefighters' lives at great risk. Turning to India, the acquittal of a man found guilty of heinous rapes and murders of multiple women and children has sparked outrage in the country. The story is covered over six pages in India Today, the most widely read weekly magazine in India. Surinder Koli walked free earlier this month after two decades in prison for the Nithari killings in 2006. In a grisly case, the skeletal remains of several women and children were found in a drain behind a villa in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. There was evidence of necrophilia and dismemberment. Koli and his employer Moninder Singh Pandher were sentenced to death, but served life sentences. Pander was freed two years ago and now, after claiming to be the victim of botched investigations, Koli also walked free this month. The magazine calls it a "shameful acquittal" that highlights criminal failures in the justice system. India Today also notes several other overturnings of convictions. This year, 12 men walked free after being acquitted of their role in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts. The magazine notes one unmistakable theme: that the real perpetrators of crimes remain unidentified, not because they evade the law but because the system fails to catch them. One of the reasons for this: botched investigations. Forensic evidence is "routinely trampled, contaminated or ignored at crime scenes," the magazine says. Elsewhere, the Hollywood franchise "Rush Hour" will be getting a new instalment thanks to Donald Trump. As Rolling Stone notes, it has been 18 years since the last "Rush Hour film", "Rush Hour 3". The buddy cop franchise starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker was a global hit, particularly in China, but a fourth film has stalled since director Brett Ratner's career collapsed in 2017 over sexual misconduct allegations. Since "under a Trump administration no one is truly ever cancelled", Ratner appears to have bought Trump's good graces by producing an upcoming feature documentary about Melania Trump. In turn, Trump pressured Paramount studios into reviving the "Rush Hour" franchise. "Rush Hour 4" has reportedly been green lit in what Rolling Stone calls "one of the strangest imaginable uses of presidential power." Finally, for something more out of this world, we leave you with a gorgeous picture of a planetary nebula captured by the Gemini South telescope in Chile. They are in fact not planets at all, but glowing shells of gas ejected by dying stars, Gizmodo explains. While they are usually circular in shape, this one looks like a gorgeous orange-hued butterfly! 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 26: The New York Times explains the work schedule of the ageing American president and more stories from the US. Next: we bring you a story on a YouTuber hunting child predators in an online game. Also: papers discuss relationship trends amid "cuffing season". Finally, festive Scottish boys and their Christmas spirit go viral. The New York Times describes the new work reality of the ageing US president in a piece entitled "Shorter Days, Signs of Fatigue". The paper notes that Donald Trump's online posts and interactions with reporters could make us believe that he is super energetic and at work all the time. "But the reality is more complicated," it says. The paper analysed Trump's schedule and found out that Americans see him less than they used to and that he has fewer public events scheduled. He is often sleepy and most of his public appearances are between noon and 5pm. Trump is the oldest person to be elected to the presidency. He is now 79 years old.  In more news from the US, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has been personally linked to the "brutal ICE raids sweeping America", The Daily Beast reports. Her nephew's mother, Bruna Ferreira, is in custody at an ICE facility and could be deported to Brazil.  Next, Wired magazine reports on a famous YouTuber who used to track down child predators on the online game Roblox, where they merge with the young players. He was banned from the game that's already facing multiple lawsuits over child safety. An attorney general participating in one said that "the game is trying to silence those who raised security risks". The papers are also discussing love and relationships. The BBC asks "Is winter the season for romance?" It definitely is and there's actually a name for it: cuffing season. It comes back each year, starting in the late autumn, when single people try to get into a relationship for the "cold, dark winter months". And the Vatican approves! The pope has published a note in praise of monogamy, saying "monogamy is not a limitation but a promise of the infinite", Vatican News tells us. The Daily Beast has the same story in a different tone: "Vatican shuts down polyamory trend". The pope definitely isn't "riding the Gen Z wave" of having multiple partners. Finally, new research has managed to map out very precisely the different phases of life, The Times reports. Scientists at the University of Cambridge say that people experience key turning points at the ages of nine, 32, 66 and 83. Phase two, adolescence, begins at nine and only ends at 32. Speaking of teenagers, five young Scottish lads between the ages of 10 and 11 have become a media sensation, notably in The Scottish Sun and The Telegraph, with their rendition of "Last Christmas" and their festive cheer.  Finally, research published in The Times shows that famous singers tend to die four years earlier compared to non-famous people in the same age group. Fame and its lifestyle can be seen as a "serious health threat". Celebrities may make us dream of fame, but The Times says it's "as bad for your health as smoking". 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 – Tuesday, November 25: We look at reactions to an updated peace plan for Ukraine, which one paper says is an "acceptable end to the war." French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to unveil a voluntary military service plan for citizens. In Italy, three children removed from their parents after growing up off-grid in the Italian forest have sparked an intense discussion about alternative lifestyles. Plus, groundbreaking gene therapy offers new hope for children suffering from Hunter syndrome. The clock is ticking for Ukraine to accept the peace plan put forward by Donald Trump. The US president has given Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky until Thursday, November 27 to respond to a proposal that would end nearly four years of war. Ukraine and its allies spent the last few days whittling away at the initial 28-point plan which was skewed in favour of Russia. An updated version puts the focus on Ukrainian sovereignty. New Voice of Ukraine, an English-language website described as an independent daily, quotes a Financial Times report which says that Zelensky has been advised to take his time in accepting the deal. For the Daily Telegraph, chief foreign editor Roland Oliphant goes through the seven key talking points of the amended proposal and concludes that "for the first time, an acceptable end to the war is in sight". The Wall Street Journal's editors remind us: "The test of any peace agreement isn't that fighting stops but that the conditions are created for durable peace." In the case of Ukraine, this means a "sovereign Ukraine with the means to defend itself militarily." Speaking of the military, discussions around voluntary French military service are dominating the front page of Le Parisien. President Emmanuel Macron is expected to announce a plan this Thursday to introduce a 10-month military service designed to train thousands of volunteer soldiers. Le Parisien's editor reminds us of a recent warning from the head of the armed forces: as Russia gets more aggressive, conflict in Europe by the end of the decade is possible. Le Parisien's editors cite a survey showing that six out of 10 teenagers between 16 and 18 are willing to risk their lives for France. The discussion of a military service programme has created a sort of panic nonetheless – firmly replanting France in a wartime scenario. Le Figaro quotes Macron as playing down these fears. He has said this military service does not mean France will send young French soldiers to Ukraine or indeed sacrifice them. We move on to a story that has divided the Italian press: the removal of three children from their parents who were raising them in the woods. As the Guardian reports, Nathan Trevallion and his Australian wife Catherine Birmingham have raised their three children in a wooded area in central Italy since 2021. They grew their own food, generated their own electricity and extracted water from a well. The children were homeschooled. But all this came to a head recently when the family was hospitalised after ingesting poisonous mushrooms. Italian authorities conducted a search and concluded that the parents were raising their children in insalubrious conditions. A court then removed them from their parents. Italian daily La Verità says the case has divided Italy and spurred a protest movement in defence of the family’s alternative lifestyle. The parents were naïve at worst, the paper adds. However, it defends them against allegations that their dwelling was not up to standard, saying that if this were the case, municipal authorities would never have allowed them to live there. A national demonstration is planned for December 6 in front of the family affairs ministry. Finally, new gene therapy in the UK to treat the rare condition of Hunter syndrome has yielded very promising results. This rare genetic disorder means that an individual's body cannot break down complex sugar molecules, which leads to cognitive decline. A three-year-old boy called Oliver was one of five patients who received gene therapy in a groundbreaking trial led by researchers at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. As Manchester Evening News explains, doctors removed Oliver's stem cells and then gave instructions to the cells to produce the missing enzyme. They then re-injected the modified cells. Months later, Oliver seems to have fully recovered, and doctors are cautiously optimistic. After a decade of trying to find a cure, they are hopeful of an affordable and effective treatment for this rare genetic condition. 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 24: First, Ukrainian papers react to the latest peace talks in Geneva. Next, a year-long investigation links a "freebirth" society to dozens of neonatal deaths and stillbirths. Also: the granddaughter of John F. Kennedy reveals she has been given a terminal blood cancer diagnosis. Finally: an LA-based fashion designer uses wool from gay sheep to save them from slaughter.  The Ukrainian papers are reacting after the latest peace talks in Geneva. "High hopes, high tension," writes The Kyiv Post. The paper says that behind closed doors, the US, Europe and Ukraine "edge towards a consensus on a new peace framework". The paper writes that Washington's "high-stakes" delegation to Geneva shows the political complexity of the talks. The Kyiv Independent writes that "Putin's plan for Ukrainian surrender doesn’t serve American national interests". It's an opinion piece written by an American journalist who shares his reaction "as an American".  Next, an analysis in Le Monde discusses the way European leaders approach Trump. It says that Trump has turned "European diplomacy into a cycle of flattery and humiliation" and that Europe has adapted to the president's unpredictable demands, even if that means trying to please him a bit too much.  Elsewhere, the Guardian publishes an investigation revealing the dangers of giving birth without midwives or doctors. The British paper did a year-long investigation on the Free Birth Society. It’s a business that promotes "freebirth" – an extreme form of giving birth without any medical support, where ultrasounds or medical checks, for instance, aren't allowed. The paper linked 48 cases of late-term stillbirths or neonatal deaths to the Free Birth Society.   Next, Tatiana Schlossberg, the granddaughter of John F. Kennedy, has revealed that she is fighting acute leukaemia – an aggressive form of blood cancer. She revealed it in an essay in The New Yorker published on the 62nd anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination. She describes the harrowing medical journey and finding out about her rare cancer. Her first thought was "it couldn't be happening to me, to my family". It’s a beautifully written but deeply sad story that resonated with many people with a terminal illness. Finally, The Telegraph has a bizarre fashion story entitled "Wool of gay sheep passes woke test for New York fashion debut". An LA-based designer, Michael Schmidt, has decided to use the wool of gay sheep only for his new collection called "I Wool Survive". It's actually a political and social statement. He wants to save the sheep from slaughter after he found out that farms often kill rams that refuse to mate with female sheep, probably due to their sexual orientation.  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 20, 2025: Today marks 50 years since the death of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. We take a look at front pages from past and present and evaluate the impact of Franco on the rise of the right today. In France, the death of the brother of anti-drug activist Amine Kessaci continues to dominate front pages. And: Cristiano Ronaldo snaps a multi-billion-dollar selfie at the White House, which promptly goes viral! IN THE PRESS - Spain marks the 50th anniversary of the death of dictator Francisco Franco. He ruled Spain with an iron fist, using repression and totalitarianism for four decades. His death – half a century ago today – paved the way for restoring democracy in Spain. Let's start with a few Spanish front pages from 1975. The conservative daily ABC headlined, "Franco is dead" and announced his time of death. While La Gaceta del Norte headlined, "Franco is dead, long live the King".  In today's front pages, Catalan paper El Periodico headlines, "50 years without Franco". The paper looks at the legacy of the end of Franco’s dictatorship. It notes the growing trend of younger generations voting to the right, especially on issues of immigration. It also looks at the growing popularity of the far-right party Vox and its leader Santiago Abascal. The daily reminds us that Vox is currently the leading force in direct voting intention among Spaniards aged 25-34. El Pais meanwhile headlines on a recent survey by the Spanish national polling institute which showed that 25 percent of Spaniards think that the dictatorship was good or very good. The very conservative La Razon goes with an interview conducted with Francisco Franco Martinez Bordiu, Franco’s grandson. In this extraordinary interview, Martinez Bordiu talks fondly of his grandfather and says, "history will judge my grandfather and history alone, no matter how much the current government practices damnation of memory". He also accuses Spain's leader Pedro Sanchez of trying to erase Franco’s legacy and of "playing the Franco card" several times to get votes. In France, the murder of the brother of a prominent anti-drug activist Amine Kessaci continues to draw headlines one week later. Kessasi’s younger brother was killed last week in a Marseille carpark, in what has been seen as a warning against his anti-drug activism. Le Parisien reports that the suspected killer has been identified. Kessaci spoke to La Provence, a Marseille local paper about the death of his brother. He refuses to be silenced and vows to continue speaking up about drug trafficking and violence in Marseille. He reveals that he is currently living under police protection and that he wished he had been in the carpark instead of his brother. Kessaci said he never names drug criminals but rather attacks the system that allows young people to be drawn into the drug trade – a lack of professional opportunities and public services for living in impoverished neighbourhoods. Cristiano Ronaldo snapped a selfie at the White House yesterday during a meeting between Donald Trump and Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Al-Nassr attacker was there to promote Bin Salman’s agenda which aims to promote Saudi’s prowess through sports and other avenues not related to oil. Ronaldo has become the world’s first billionaire football player, the website Lad Bible reminds us. The Portuguese star has spoken fondly of Trump in the past, despite not being seen in the US publicly since he was accused of rape in 2017. He was indeed present at the White House meeting. Ronaldo's selfie went viral – alongside Elon Musk, billionaire David Sacks and Open AI’s Greg Brockman. It's literally a multi-billion-dollar photo! Let’s end with a different photo. L’Équipe magazine focuses on the anniversary of an historic depiction: Muhammad Ali knocking down Sonny Liston on May 25,1965, in just 1minute 44 seconds. It was taken by Neil Leifer in Lewiston, Maine and is widely considered as one of the best sports photos ever taken. 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 19, 2025: First, migrants in Dunkirk are living in desperate conditions, while the "one in, one out" policy continues to be controversial in the United Kingdom. Next, Gustav Klimt's portrait of Elisabeth Lederer has become the most expensive piece of modern art in the world. Also, scientists trace the world's first kiss to around 21 million years ago. Finally, Scotland qualify for the 2026 World Cup in style.  Libération has a special report on the "misery of migrants". It says that around 2,500 people are living in terrible conditions in the French city of Dunkirk. Six organisations have brought a legal case against the French state for not respecting human rights. On the other side of the channel, the Guardian looks at what happens to asylum seekers and migrants when they are sent back to France under the new "one in, one out" policy.   In New York, the portrait of Elisabeth Lederer by Gustav Klimt has become the most expensive piece of modern art in the world. The Wall Street Journal reports that it was auctioned for $236 million at a Sotheby's sale. The New York Times explains that the art market has not been doing very well recently, but that six pieces currently on sale could be its lifeline. Plus, CNN looks at why we pay less for art made by women.  The BBC reports that scientists have discovered the world's first kiss and have traced it back to 21 million years ago in large apes. The main question now is why animals and humans kiss. Some theories suggest a kiss is used to assess the compatibility of a partner. Meanwhile, Metro reports that a man in China who cryogenically froze his wife so he could resurrect her has found a new girlfriend.   Finally, The Scotsman and Scottish football fans have something to celebrate: Scotland have qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years!   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 – Tuesday, November 18: Tensions escalate between the US and Venezuela, as Donald Trump refuses to rule out military intervention. The press are conflicted about which is the better option: war or diplomacy. In Britain, PM Keir Starmer's Labour government unveils what it calls the most sweeping asylum policy overhaul in modern times, which gets a seal of approval from one right-wing paper. Plus: we explain what Cambridge's word of the year, "parasocial", means! Tensions continue to rise between the US and Venezuela. El Universal, a Mexican daily, reminds us that earlier this year, the US launched strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats off the Venezuelan coast. Last month, the Trump administration authorised the CIA to launch operations inside Venezuela and this week,  Trump said he would not rule out US troops on the ground. He did express a willingness to speak with Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro to avert military escalation, but Maduro said it would have to be face to face, the daily reports. Maduro has said the strikes were an attempt by Washington to overthrow him. This is something that conservative columnist Bret Stephens makes a case for in The New York Times. The threat of Venezuela is not just about drugs, its devastating humanitarian crisis or Maduro's autocratic governance, but is also geopolitical, Stephens writes. Caracas's proximity with China, Russia and Iran give "America's enemies a significant foothold" in the region. The two options are: economic sanctions, which history shows are not effective; or intervention, which means war and all that it entails. But there is actually another option, Stephens writes: Panama dictator Manuel Noriega-style treatment – capturing Maduro and forcing him to face charges in the US, while destroying his military capacities. Foreign Affairs magazine suggests another option: Washington could use its diplomatic leverage to force both Maduro and the opposition to strike a deal. It explains that Trump could compel the two sides to sign a joint agreement. Venezuela's opposition is highly dependent on the US, so it would not be able to refuse. Meanwhile, the threat of war and violence could sway Maduro's government to the negotiating table – even if it will take time. In Britain, there is much ado about the Starmer government's asylum plans, which have been described as "most sweeping asylum policy overhaul of modern times." The Guardian reports that Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood unveiled the government's new hardline plans for asylum seekers. These include making refugee status temporary, quadrupling the time for refugees to settle permanently to 20 years, and speeding up deportations of those who come illegally. The tough approach aims to halt the rise of Nigel Farage's populist Reform party in Britain. The right-wing Daily Express approves, calling the plan "a step in the right direction" on its front page. There is much criticism, however, from The Independent. The centre-left daily says the plan will allow British judges to override European human rights law and quotes one anti-torture campaigner as accusing political parties of trying to outdo each other in their cruelty towards refugees. In other news, Cambridge Dictionary has released its word of the year: parasocial. It is defined as a deep connection you feel to someone or something you do not know. Think of the joy you may have felt when Taylor Swift announced her engagement to Travis Kelce or the deep empathy you felt with singer Lily Allen when she revealed her husband's infidelity. In the age of AI, it could also be the fact that Chat GPT is your friend, your therapist, your confidante. Our friends in the animal kingdom have no such social afflictions. The Washington Post reports that scientists say they may have captured the first documented instance of a wild wolf using a tool to hunt for fish. It took place in British Columbia and the report was published this week. They caught on camera a wolf that dived into the water, fetched a fishing float, caught the rope attached to it and pulled until a crab trap appeared, reaching inside and consuming the bait. It also solved a long-running mystery, the paper reports. People of the Heiltsuk Nation in British Columbia had no idea why their traps to capture green crabs were not working. It turns out it was this resourceful wolf that was stealing their treasure! 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 17, 2025: First, the film industry is on the rocks as cinemas appear empty in France and the United States. Next, faith is making a come-back on the left of American politics. Also, Sky Sport's new TikTok channel “Halo” gets axed after three days because of its patronising and sexist content. Finally, Jannik Sinner wins the Masters in Turin. The French film industry is not in the best shape according to Le Parisien. Only five films this year have seen more than a million entries, compared to 11 last year. The New York Times talks about a brutal three months in Hollywood. The newspaper says that despite the star power, many films are playing to empty cinemas. Meanwhile, The Guardian has an opinion piece talking about another change in the film industry: “the great unwokening of Hollywood”. The Conversation reports that Pope Leo has made a plea to save cinemas.  The pope is seen to be using his cultural significance to help a good cause, but his role in politics is also examined in the papers. An opinion piece in The New York Times says the pope’s role is to be a global moral witness, something which is incompatible with Trump’s "cruelty and corruption". The Guardian has a piece about how the Democratic Party is trying to reclaim faith in politics.   LBC reports that Sky Sport’s new TikTok channel aimed at women has closed after only three days because of its sexist and patronising posts. In Italy though, Tutto Sport celebrates Jannik Sinner as the master of the masters. Corriere Dello Sport says the Italian deserves another standing ovation.  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 14: Le Parisien interviews Jesse Hughes, the lead singer of Eagles of Death Metal, who performed at the Bataclan on the night of the Paris attacks. He talks about how that night changed his life forever. Also: Le Temps headlines on Italy's investigation into chilling claims European tourists paid to kill Sarajevo residents in "human safaris" during the Bosnian war. Plus: Japan's Shohei Ohtani wins MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the National League for the second time. The international papers are looking back at Thursday's commemorations marking 10 years since the Paris terror attacks. That night, 130 people died in coordinated attacks on bars, restaurants and the Bataclan concert hall. For The Guardian, "the pain remains" a decade later. El Pais, the Spanish daily, goes with a photo of President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo attending those commemoration ceremonies in the French capital. French paper Le Parisien, meanwhile, interviews Jesse Hughes, the lead singer of Eagles of Death Metal, who were performing at the Bataclan at the time of the attacks. The 53-year-old rocker was invited to take part in the commemorations. In 2016, Hughes caused controversy by suggesting a conspiracy theory around the attacks, but he later retracted his comments and says the French public forgave him. He also reveals he hasn’t released an album in the last decade, shows off his "fluctuat nec mergitur" tattoo and hopes to seek French nationality, saying he's irrevocably tied to France. We move on to a story that sparked horror in the press this week: the chilling so-called human safari during the Bosnian war. The Siege of Sarajevo remains the longest in Europe. It lasted some three years as Sarajevo residents were trapped in their own city, flanked in the mountains by Serb forces. Thanks to a 2022 documentary and a campaign by an Italian writer, Italy has opened an investigation into chilling allegations that wealthy Italian tourists paid to go on human safaris during the war. Swiss paper Le Temps explains: the Italian tourists allegedly left on Fridays for the border with Slovenia. From there they reached the mountains surrounding Sarajevo where they would spend the weekend human hunting Sarajevo residents, paying more to kill a child. Five men are accused, with more people from other European nations – Germany, France and Britain – possibly implicated. Smajo Bešo, a Bosnian public speaker and Order of the British Empire recipient, grew up in Sarajevo, before his family found refuge in the UK. In Metro, he confirms the allegations of human safaris, saying he saw it firsthand. He says learning that people travelled to Bosnia simply to kill for pleasure adds another layer of "personal trauma and dehumanisation" to a conflict that is fading from European memory. In sports, Japanese baseballer Shohei Ohtani has been named MVP of the National League. The baseball superstar won the accolade for the second year in a row. Ohtani, who plays for the LA Dodgers, helped his team win the coveted World Series this year. He also won the MVP award in the American league in 2021 and 2023, winning the four awards by a unanimous vote, something no other player has done. As the Japan Times notes, Ohtani's 2024 season saw him become baseball’s first 50-50 player – with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases. He also made his pitching debut for the Dodgers. Finally, we leave you with a new word: "chat fished". It’s the new red flag when it comes to dating, the Independent tells us. An online dating company found that more than half of Gen Z Americans use AI platforms like Chat GPT to send messages to date. Men are more likely to use it than women. People use AI to conduct conversations, attract new matches on dating profiles and even help script breakups. It seems harmless – until you get chat fished – when people use Chat GPT to pretend to be someone else or a different version of themselves. 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 13, 2025: The French and Belgian dailies mark 10 years since 130 people were killed in the Paris terror attacks. What trauma have the victims suffered? The Belgian daily Le Soir, meanwhile, looks at how the Molenbeek neighbourhood of Brussels has tried to shed its terrorism-linked image. Also: Tehran will run out of drinking water in days, while New Delhi suffocates from record pollution. Plus: a new study confirms that yelling at seagulls is the best way to scare them off! It's been 10 years since gunmen stormed a series of locations in Paris and killed 130 people, including 90 at the Bataclan concert hall. A decade on, France commemorates the victims. For many, the last decade has been traumatic. Le Parisien tells us about Salim Toorabaly, the security guard at the Stade de France who prevented a terrorist from going inside. He was present when the other terrorists blew up their vests. The last decade has been traumatic for him – Toorabaly even attempted suicide. As Le Parisien says, that night still haunts us all. Libération looks at "life after survival" and has gathered testimonies from four of the survivors, including a hostage at the Bataclan concert hall. L'Humanité evokes a "living memory" on its front page and notes that 10 years later, the terrorist threat has not completely abated in France.  Le Soir, the Belgian paper, also headlines on the 10-year anniversary. It focuses, however, on the Brussels neighbourhood of Molenbeek, from where the terrorists planned their carnage. The neighbourhood is still stigmatised by its terrorist affiliations, despite trying to shed itself of this negative image.  Moving on, as the COP30 summit continues in Belem, Brazil, the Daily Telegraph looks at Tehran's drought, which could make the city unliveable. The paper calls the crisis "national and extraordinary." Tehran has about nine days of drinking water left in its reservoirs. If it doesn't rain in the city soon, Iranian authorities may have to evacuate the capital's 10 million residents, and government offices would have to relocate elsewhere. While a lack of rainfall can partially be blamed, other factors are at play here. As well as thoughtless government mismanagement of Iran's resources, ageing networks and decades of over-pumping have also led to water wastage, as Iran International, the Iranian television network, writes. It looks to South Africa’s Cape Town, which in 2015 faced going dry within days. Thanks to strict action by authorities, water usage fell by 50 percent in less than two years. The network offers solutions for Tehran to follow Cape Town’s example: scaling up recycling, transparency, repairing networks, public education and realistic pricing. Over in India, pollution is threatening the lives of the residents of New Delhi and the city could also become unliveable in the near future, Le Monde reports. While New Delhi's winters were once a haven from the scorching summers, that's no longer the case. Winters have also become toxic for the capital's 30 million inhabitants. Due to agricultural burning and recent Diwali firecrackers, fine particle pollution has become a real health hazard. Since 2010, pollution-linked deaths have increased 38 percent, according to the scientific journal The Lancet, cited by Le Monde. The pollution also costs $100 billion per year in lost productivity and health expenses. The Indian government has attempted short-term solutions, but experts accuse them of not addressing the long-term solutions: banning thermic cars, developing public transport and moving New Delhi's industries out of the city. Finally, a new study has revealed the best way to shoo away seagulls, those thieving birds who steal our fries on the beach and slop up our untouched food. It's not all their fault – a loss of habitat has forced them to look for food closer to humans. Nonetheless, their brazen swooping and adamant refusal to leave can be a source of great frustration! Researchers at the University of Exeter set out to show that physical violence isn't needed to scare off the gulls. They evaluated the reactions of 61 Cornwall gulls when the birds heard a man speaking in a calm voice, versus an angry voice. The conclusion is clear: continue yelling at seagulls! 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 12, 2025: Ireland inaugurates its new president, Catherine Connolly, as Bernese shepherd dogs send Michael Higgins off with a guard of honour. Also, the Guardian covers an Italian investigation into alleged "sniper tourism" trips to Bosnia-Herzegovina during the 1992-1995 war. Finally, AI could be at the root of the so-called jobpocalypse, and "Toy Story 5" reveals its new baddie. Catherine Connolly has been inaugurated as Ireland’s 10th president. The Irish Daily Star and the Irish Daily Mail lead with the story on their covers, with the latter using a quote from her first speech: "The people have used their voices to shape a country we can be proud of." The Irish Times writes that Connolly is expected to be a steady hand but also a "catalyst for change". The Irish Examiner notes that the Irish language is something that is close to Connolly's heart, while The Irish Times discusses her pledge to make Gaelic the working language of the presidency. The Irish Independent, meanwhile, goes through Michael Higgins's 14 years as president. The Guardian is looking into alleged "sniper tourism" during the Bosnian war. Prosecutors in Milan are investigating a group of Italians who allegedly paid members of the Bosnian Serb army to organise trips to Sarajevo so they could kill civilians for fun. The investigation was launched by an Italian writer who started researching the case after watching the 2022 documentary "Sarajevo Safari".  L'Humanité is leading with a story warning of the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it is becoming a "Trojan horse against the job market". It argues that regulation is urgently needed to ensure the job market stays accessible. Time Magazine, meanwhile, says regulation is not enough and that a code of AI ethics needs to be developed and deployed. The New Scientist says AI is reducing our ability to think clearly and critically. Finally, Empire Magazine reports that technology is not necessarily all bad, but the new "Toy Story" baddie may suggest otherwise. 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 – Tuesday, November 11, 2025: First, US President Donald Trump's latest pardons are a worrying signal for next year's midterm elections. Next, China's carbon emissions have been flat or falling for past 18 months amid a renewable energy boom. Also, the winner of the Booker Prize is described as the "blokiest" novel yet. Finally, a toe-curling scandal erupts among barefoot walkers. In the US, Donald Trump has pardoned more than 75 of his allies who tried to overturn the 2020 election. The Washington Post explains that the move has not had any immediate effects, because those on the list have so far only been charged with crimes at a state level, and the president can only pardon those facing federal charges. NPR takes a look at who Trump has pardoned and why. For Politico, the "pardon raises alarms ahead of the midterms". CNN argues that the pardons are not just political, they are transactional too. The COP30 climate conference continues without the US, and many eyes have turned to China, which is seeing a renewable energy boom. An article in the Guardian reports that China's CO2 emissions have been flat or falling for the past 18 months. The New York Times says that green tech from China is "upending global climate politics". The Los Angeles Times wonders if this progress will be enough to curb global warming, while the Financial Times discusses whether or not it will be able to decarbonise "the world's factory floor". In China, CGTN says that the country can step into the global climate change leadership role.  The Times reports that the winner of the Booker Prize has been announced: David Szalay has won for his novel "Flesh". According to the Guardian, the singularity of the novel is that the main character is only ever described as others see him. Finally, a barefoot living group has been infiltrated by foot fetishists. You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.