Press Review

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. 

PRESS REVIEW – Monday, November 10, 2025: The British front pages are all covering the crisis at the BBC. Next, the COP30 climate summit opens in Brazil as papers discuss who is attending and who isn't. Also, a football team of Afghan female refugees is helping women overcome their trauma. Finally, the well-dressed mystery man who was spotted at the Louvre has finally been identified.

The front pages in the UK are all covering the crisis at the BBC, whose director general and head of news have resigned over a misleading edit of a speech by US President Donald Trump. The Daily Mail headlines with "BBC bosses quit in disgrace". The Daily Express quotes Trump himself, who called the two bosses "very dishonest people". The Guardian discusses the bad edit and calls it the "Panorama row" on its front page. But the paper also has an opinion piece that argues the BBC is facing a "coordinated politically motivated attack". CNN has an analysis piece that says Trump was not the only factor, and that conservative critics have used the crisis to continue their long-running campaign against the British broadcaster. The BBC itself has an article that discusses the rift between the board of the BBC and its news division.  

The COP30 climate conference is opening its doors in Brazil and is also getting a lot of coverage. Les Echos says that making the progress needed could be mission impossible. Libération is focusing on who is not at the conference, saying that the US "has never been less engaged". Politico says that Trump's COP30 snub has thrown Europe into a role it is not ready for. L'Humanité is looking at who is going to be at the conference. It also looks at the different strategies that lobbyists use to disrupt climate talks. A lot of the coverage is debating whether or not COPs actually work. Where The Times is sure that the COPs have failed, The Conversation says that they are working, but just not in the way critics think.  

The Guardian has a long read about an Afghan female football team. Afghan Women United is made up of refugees who have escaped the Taliban’s brutal oppression.  

Finally, ABC reports that the mysterious, dapper young man who was spotted in front of the Louvre shortly after the heist and who went viral online has been found. It turns out he is a teenager who just likes looking chic.

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 7: We look at the Sudanese press as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces agree to a temporary truce. Will the world stop a genocide in Sudan? Also: Libération reports on the PFAS pollutant crisis gripping parts of France and the Guardian looks at the planned bulldozing of one of Mumbai's most storied slums. Plus: a solid gold toilet will go under the hammer this month for at least $10 million.

The Sudanese paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to a temporary truce, as shown on the front page of Sudan Tribune. The group has been fighting with the Sudanese military for the past two years. The truce comes after the RSF seized the last military stronghold of El-Fasher, in northern Darfur, a week ago. For the moment, the army has not agreed to the truce – it wants the paramilitary group to disarm and withdraw from civilian areas. The conflict in Sudan has been called one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world: as well as the hundreds of thousands of people killed, 12 million have been displaced and 21 million face acute food shortages. The Conversation, an Australian academic website, reminds us that in the early 2000s, celebrities like George Clooney helped put the Darfur war on the map and global outrage led to the indictment of Omar al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court. That same level of outrage is noticeably absent today as fears of another genocide grow. The Conversation wonders: will the world do anything to stop it?

Meanwhile, in the South African daily The Mercury, an academic pens a strongly-worded opinion piece. Ali Ridha Khan blames the Emirates for facilitating the war in Sudan. Sudan is not a crisis, he writes. "It’s a mirror that no one wants to look into, showing us what the world becomes when power sheds its old costumes and violence finds new investors." The "Emirates' fingerprints are all over Sudan’s agony", he explains, "through shipments, bank transfers and mercenary flows." He accuses Sudanese gold of being pulled through Dubai, while RSF fighters are trained and paid as proxy muscle and Sudan's generals are perfect puppets of "that Gulf patronage".

Elsewhere, French paper Libération is looking at the scourge of "PFAS" pollutants. The so-called forever chemicals are in everything from cuisine to cosmetics and fashion. Libé goes with one figure: "60,000" – in reference to 60,000 French people deprived of drinking water because of PFAS contamination. The chemicals can cause cancers, disrupt hormonal systems and weaken immunity. Certain districts are now stocking spring water reserves while waiting for the costly process of decontaminating tap water in what has become a major public health concern here in France.

Turning to India, the Guardian reports on the planned bulldozing of one of Mumbai's biggest slums for redevelopment purposes. The Dharavi slum is one of the largest and most storied slums of Mumbai. Under a multimillion-dollar project, it and its longtime residents could be no more. The Adani group is planning to bulldoze the slum and – according to activists' fears – plans to turn the prime real estate into a playground for the rich. The Dharavi slum is home to one million residents living in a 2.2 km² area. Generations of families have lived there and built businesses that sustain the Dharavi community. One man, for instance, makes leather coats sold in high-end shops in Mumbai and abroad. Residents are concerned they will be displaced. They say attempts to speak out about the redevelopment plan have been met with intimidation, threats and harassment by the Adani group itself.

Finally, a decades-long mystery has been cracked: who purchased a solid gold toilet that goes up for auction later this month? The New York Times reports that the golden throne is 100kg of solid gold that even works if you call a plumber! The owner of the toilet is Steven Cohen, the billionaire owner of the New York Mets. The toilet was designed in 2017 by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, who also was behind the duct-taped banana artwork that sold for millions. On November 18, the toilet will go up for auction at Sotheby's with a starting price of $10 million. You could say it’s a commode-ity of very high value!

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 6: The COP30 climate change conference begins with a summit of world leaders in Belem, Brazil. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva calls the summit the "COP of Truth" in an editorial for The Hindu and vows it will be different this year. Also: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum will seek legal redress after a man sexually harassed her in public in an incident that reflects a reality for many women in Mexico. Plus: a man in France strikes gold – literally – while digging in his backyard.

The COP30 climate change conference in Brazil is dominating headlines. World leaders have gathered in the Amazonian city of Belem for a two-day diplomatic summit. The COP30 roadmap, as outlined by the Brazilian daily Folha de Sao Paulo, makes some ambitious proposals: revising financial rules and taxing fortunes, private jets and specific assets like military or luxury goods as a means of reaching the whopping $1.3 trillion needed per year in climate finance. It also looks to new sources of low-cost financing, like growing the carbon market and facilitating debt swaps between countries for climate investment. Critics have derided COP conferences in the past as ineffectual. Despite the politico-social challenges facing today's turbulent world, however, La Croix says there's reason to hope.

One man who has hope is Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. In The Hindu newspaper, he has penned an editorial calling the summit the "COP of truth." Lula says the choice to hold the summit in the Amazon aims to bring people face to face with the challenges that the Amazon River and the populations who live there face for their survival. One notable absence this year is Donald Trump. The US president withdrew the US again from the Paris climate accords and has derided climate change as a con job. His refusal to take part in COP30 will exclude the US from talks about climate finance goals and new emissions targets. Eco Business, an Asian business website, notes one silver lining: the absence of the US could give more weight to the voices of US local and state representatives. In any case, a lot is riding on this conference. Le Monde takes stock of the past 10 years since the Paris accords were signed. Back then, leaders pledged to limit carbon emissions to a 1.5°C rise, which is now impossible. The past decade has been the hottest on record. 

In Mexico, there's outrage after President Claudia Sheinbaum was sexually harassed in the streets of the capital, in a brazen incident caught on video. El Pais reports that a man approached the president, tried to kiss her and fondled her breast in front of a stunned crowd. Her security guard finally stepped in, but the late response has drawn concerns over her lack of adequate protective detail. The resident says she'll be taking legal action against the man, saying she was taking a stance on behalf of all Mexican women. Sexual harassment in all forms is a reality for many Mexican women. The website El Economista notes that at least 45 percent of women have been victims.

Here in France, the government is mulling an extraordinary proposal: suspending the Chinese retailer Shein's website. It comes after Shein's calamitous bricks and mortar opening at Paris's BHV department store, which drew furious reactions and protests from activists. The ultra-fast fashion retailer has been accused of pillaging the environment and flouting laws in a bid to sell cut-price items. The recent child-like sex doll sold on its platform and the discovery of certain weapons freely available for purchase in France have drawn outrage. The French government is now considering suspending Shein's online platform until the company can prove it complies with French laws and standards.

Finally, French local paper Le Progrès reports that a man has struck gold – literally! The man was digging in his garden to build a pool when he came across five gold bars in perfect shape. They were not stolen, nor do they have particular archaeological value, so authorities may allow him to keep the bars, which are worth around €700,000 after tax. You might want to forage around in your garden – you never know what lurks underneath!

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 5, 2025: First, Zohran Mamdani's election as the next mayor of New York is widely covered around the world. Next, Shein continues to make headlines in France as the online platform opens a physical store in the heart of Paris. Also, David Beckham finally gets his knighthood. Finally, Gen Z has some strong opinions about texting habits.

US papers are discussing Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani's election as mayor of New York. The New York Post headlines: "On your Marx, Get set, Zo". The New York Times calls it an improbable victory; it deems Mamdani a trailblazer and talks about a surge in anti-establishment discontent. The Editorial Board of the New York Times says that Mayor Mamdani must focus on concrete solutions to specific problems to be successful. The New Yorker hails the "new Mamdani era". The Atlantic says that Mamdani is the foil US President Donald Trump wants: prepare yourself to hear a lot about the new mayor, it says. In the UK, the Guardian has a profile of Mamdani that discusses his life and meteoric rise.

In France, outrage continues as ultra-fast fashion giant Shein is set to open a shop in the heart of Paris. Le Figaro has the story on its front page. La Croix has published an investigation on fast fashion. Reporterre reports that Culture Minister Rachida Dati blames cycle lanes for the new store. Libération, meanwhile, has a profile of the controversial young CEO of the BHV department store, where the shop will be opening this Wednesday.  

Meanwhile, David Beckham has finally been knighted by King Charles III. The Athletic looks at what being knighted means practically; it features interviews with other "Sirs" who say that the title mostly comes in handy when trying to book a table at a fancy restaurant. The Telegraph looks at Beckham's "occasionally obsessive" campaign for his knighthood.

Finally, the Guardian takes us through some Gen Z texting etiquette. A survey found that 58 percent of 18- to 28-year-olds would consider dumping their partner because of bad texting etiquette.  

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

IN THE PRESS – Tuesday, November 4: New Yorkers begin voting in the city's mayoral election. Will young, Socialist upstart Zohran Mamdani cause an upset or will the election swing in Andrew Cuomo's favour? In France, the trial of concrete maker Lafarge begins. The firm is accused of paying the Islamic State group in the 2010s to keep its Syria plant operating during the war. Plus: women's cricket in India is galvanised after their thrilling World Cup victory!

Early voting is underway in New York's mayoral election. As The New York Times notes, frontrunner Zohran Mamdani spent his last day of campaigning by crossing the Brooklyn Bridge in a symbolic gesture that a new day was arriving for the city. The young leftist upstart is running for the Democratic Party. Mamdani is a strong favourite to win the mantle of mayor of America's largest city. If so, he would be the city’s first Muslim mayor, first mayor of South Asian descent and its first millennial mayor. USA Today draws comparison with another young, upstart politician: Barack Obama. Both ooze charm, are compelling and – in Mamdani's case – social media savvy. Mamdani first rose to popularity thanks to video postings with regular New Yorkers like taxi drivers. Like Obama, however, he also shares the same weaknesses: his thin resumé. He has held only one full-time job outside of politics and got elected to state assembly. As mayor, he'd go from leading a paid staff of five to overseeing a $116 billion budget and 300,000 workers.

For that reason, there is a lot of scrutiny of Mamdani's legitimacy to govern. As The Washington Post's editors note, he would also be the most radical mayor. Mamdani is a paradox: he was born into wealth but "adopted a worldview centred on destroying the economic system that made the US thrive." He’s called for higher taxes to fund state-run grocery stores, free childcare, transport and more state power in the housing market. New York’s business class is also in a panic over his "tax the rich" plans. Meanwhile, much of the city’s Jewish community are concerned over Mamdani's long, passionate history of anti-Israel activism. Politico notes his past controversies: posing with the architects of Uganda’s anti-gay laws, his family's luxury house in Uganda protected by armed guards and his tenancy in a rent-stabilised apartment despite his family's wealth. 

Here in France, a major trial begins this Tuesday into the French concrete maker Lafarge, which is accused of funding terrorism. As FRANCE 24 reports, the group is accused of paying the Islamic State group and other jihadists €3 million in protection money to continue its operations in northern Syria during the height of the terrorist group's power over a decade ago. The firm also pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide support to US-designated foreign terrorist organisations in a US trial and paid a nearly $800 million fine. French investigative website Mediapart calls this an unprecedented, historic trial. While other companies left Syria during the war, Lafarge did everything it could to continue its activities. It evacuated its foreign workers but kept its local staff. French Communist paper L’Humanité says bitterly: "they preferred cement over humans". The trial will determine the group's culpability but also that of French authorities. Le Point magazine quotes a former Lafarge worker as saying that French intelligence knew what was going on and used Lafarge as a source of information gathering.

Finally, there's jubilation in India after the women's cricket team won the World Cup for the first time. Hyperbole dominates the sports papers. The Hindustan Times calls it a defining moment and historic triumph as India "lifts the cup of dreams" after their incredible victory in the final over South Africa. As The New York Times notes, it had been the hardest, highest glass ceiling in Indian sports: cricket is watched by almost everyone in 1.4-billion strong India, the sport generates millions in revenue and cricketers are idolised. Up to now, that's been solely male cricketers. Four decades ago, the men won the World Cup and galvanised men's cricket. Now it's hoped this victory could do the same for women's cricket!

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 3: An investigation by The Times of London sheds light on Colombia, the world's sex-cam capital. Over in the United States, we take a look at Zohran Mamdani's political campaign, which is inspiring politicians across Europe. There's also focus on Donald Trump's newest White House renovation. Plus: NBA and chess are the newest sports duo. Finally, a "grumpy tour guide" is a total hit at a German museum. 

An investigation by The Times of London sheds light on the world's sex-cam capital Colombia, which is attracting clients from across the world. The clients often think that they are watching consenting women in their bedrooms, responding to their sexual requests in exchange for payment. But The Times says that the reality is that they're part of a "billion-dollar industry". The investigation shows that webcam models in the town of Cucuta have been raped, imprisoned and forced to commit "degrading acts on camera against their will". The paper interviewed sources who say that at least 300,000 women have worked or are working as webcam models, or one in 30 young women in Colombia. Most of the fees that the users pay don't even reach the women – about half is taken by the platforms and the other half by the people who manage them. A report by Human Rights Watch last year estimated that women received about 10 percent of the money they had worked for. 

We turn next to the United States, where the New York City mayoral race has inspired political leaders across Europe. Politico reports that Europe's left is "flocking to New York to take notes on Mamdani's meteoric rise". Several officials say they've been in touch with members of Zohran Mamdani's campaign team in the hope of learning more about his success. French left-wing MEP Manon Aubry, for instance, travelled to New York last week. The article says that Mamdani's success has sparked a "newfound sense of optimism among left-wing politicians in Europe". What they want to understand is whether his focus on affordability issues will work in European cities and regions.

Also in the US: President Donald Trump's latest White House renovation project has sparked controversy. The New York Times reports that his latest makeover is the Lincoln bathroom, which he has renovated in marble and gold. Trump said the design was "very appropriate for the time of Abraham Lincoln". The White House didn't share the cost of the renovation or who paid for it, despite mounting criticism around the funding of the makeover and the lack of transparency around it. 

In sports news, an interesting practice is gaining momentum. French paper L'Equipe writes that more and more NBA stars like Derrick Rose and Victor Wembanyama play chess because they believe it’s an excellent way to develop their skills in strategy, decision-making and anticipation – skills that are crucial in chess but also in basketball. The paper says there is a total revival of chess, which perhaps proves that well-established methods are often better than new ones. 

Finally, a new type of "grumpy" museum guide is a huge hit in Germany. The Guardian reports that his name is Carl Brandi and he is a performance artist who plays an aggressive art historian. He shouts at visitors and insults curators at Düsseldorf's Kunstpalast museum and his tours are completely sold out. Brandi was commissioned at a time when museums across the world are trying to attract younger audiences through formats that don't feel as strict.

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, October 31: American papers discuss US President Donald Trump's nuclear reset that "revives a Cold War debate". Next: the British tabloids are on fire after Andrew is stripped of his royal "prince" title. Finally, how much is too much when it comes to Halloween decorations? 

After Donald Trump's nuclear announcement, The New York Times writes that his move "revives a Cold War debate". The paper says that the announcement prompted "visions of a return to the worst days of the Cold War", when the United States, Russia and China were detonating nuclear weapons in outer space and underground. The paper writes that "it was an era of terrifying threats and counter-threats", and that all of the testing was supposed to end with the so-called Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty that nations agreed to in the mid-1990s. The Washington Post cites experts who say that the nuclear restart could take years and cost millions: a simple test can cost as much as $100 million. Some experts also argue that physical testing is "outdated" and could just give a push to the arms race that it wants to counter. But the paper also explains that some proponents of nuclear testing say that it is necessary to combat "a rising proliferation threat" from countries like Russia, China and North Korea. 

The Atlantic writes that "Trump is very confused about nuclear weapons". The article then fact-checks his Truth Social announcement. Trump says that the US has the most nuclear weapons; the paper says it's actually Russia. Then Trump says that China needs five years to catch up with Russia and the United States. The Atlantic says that this is only possible if China produces 1,000 nuclear bombs per year, which is very ambitious. Finally, modernisation of the US nuclear arsenal had actually already started under then-president Barack Obama, the paper adds, contrary to what Trump claims.

An opinion piece in The New York Post supports Trump's nuclear policy, saying it was "about time". The article says that Trump's announcement is a "victory of common sense over superstition". It says that if tests are controlled and contained, there is "no good argument for not conducting them" and that they are a central part of US defence. 

We turn next to the UK, where Andrew has been stripped of his royal "prince" title over his ties to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The story is all over the front pages: "Finally", says The Daily Mirror. "Andrew stripped of his 'prince' title and home", writes The Times. "The Andrew formerly known as Prince", writes The Sun in a clever pun. "BANISHED", reads The Daily Mail. "Andrew humiliated" says The Independent. The Daily Mail calls it a "sensation" and says that Andrew is being sent to live in Norfolk in a "final humiliation". The paper also says he has "no one to turn to but his daughters" after "the biggest ever fall from grace". The Mirror notes that Andrew still has some perks. He is still in the line of succession – eight in line to the throne, to be precise – and he is also still a counsellor of state, but only on paper. Vanity Fair reminds us that earlier this month, Andrew agreed to stop using his Duke of York title. The Royal Family says we should now call him Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. 

Finally, we end with some Halloween stories. An opinion piece in The Telegraph says, "Come on Britain, it’s time we embraced Halloween like America". The author writes that the celebration of the Brits is "pale" in comparison to the States. But perhaps people in the US are trying a little too hard. The New York Times asks: "Have Halloween decorations become too scary?" Dismembered bodies, blood everywhere, jump scares: what we see on the streets of Brooklyn is far from the cosy imagery of pumpkins, witches and spiders. Some parents share that their kids have been traumatised, while some neighbours have lodged complaints, and others simply wonder what "twisted impulses" are lurking in the minds of Americans.

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, October 30: First, we take a look at reactions in the Brazilian press after the deadly police raid in Rio de Janeiro. Next, papers discuss US, Chinese and Russian nuclear plans and a new nuclear weapon dubbed a "doomsday machine". Also: "Russia's moral guardians" are trying to ban Halloween celebrations across the country. Finally, we take a look at a wild text exchange between a HuffPost journalist and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

The Brazilian press react after the deadly police raids on drug gangs in Rio de Janeiro. Journal do Brazil writes that "witnesses report execution and torture," calling it a "carnage". The paper says this is the deadliest police operation in the history of the city. An opinion piece in O Globo says that "Rio is just the most visible wound on a rotting body". The piece says that until Brazil understands the magnitude of the problem and tackles it on a social level, "we will continue to fight a losing battle, killing people and horrifying ourselves with the news" – until the next wave of killings. Folha de São Paulo reports that the governor of Rio described the operation as a "success", claiming that the operation had preserved the lives of residents. The Guardian's correspondent reports from Vila Cruzeiro, the favela that was targeted. Many residents there searched for the dead bodies of their loved ones who were reportedly killed in the nearby forest. The paper explains that perhaps many of the dead men – mostly in their late teens, twenties and thirties – were members of a local drug faction called The Red Command. But locals who flocked to the scene said that Brazil doesn't have a death penalty and that even if they were involved in the local drug trade, the men should have been arrested and not executed. 

Next, just before meeting with his Chinese counterpart, US President Donald Trump announced that he has directed the Pentagon to resume testing nuclear weapons. The Washington Post reports that Trump wants the testing to occur "on an equal basis" with Russia and China. The paper notes that the announcement signals a reversal of US policy. China, for its part, is planning to narrow the nuclear gap with the US and Russia, the South China Morning Post reports, in order to "safeguard the global balance". The article reminds us that the United States and Russia together hold roughly 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons.  

Russia, meanwhile, keeps testing its nuclear weapons. The New York Times reports that President Vladimir Putin has announced the test of a "tsunami-making nuclear weapon". The news came days after a trial of another Russian nuclear weapon. According to Putin, "there is nothing like this in the world in terms of speed" and there are "no ways to intercept it". Radio Free Europe writes that the weapon has been dubbed a "doomsday machine". Western analysts say that if it is deployed and actually detonated, it would shower radioactivity and render huge territories uninhabitable. 

Meanwhile, "Russia's moral guardians" are trying to ban Halloween, according to Russian independent paper Meduza. Officials and activists have told teachers to cancel any Halloween-related school festivities, saying the holiday goes against the country's "traditional values" and could even mean "promoting Satanism". A city councilman in Krasnoyarsk called it a "monstrosity" and "a perverse game with death and violence, disguised as entertainment".

Finally, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has insulted a HuffPost journalist. The New York Times reports that the Trump administration often criticises journalists, but when Shirish Date comes calling, "the White House insults go flying". When Trump recently said he could meet Putin in Budapest, Date asked who recommended the Hungarian capital. Karoline Leavitt responded "Your mom did" and even posted their text exchange on X. She continued with the insults, describing Date as a "far left hack who nobody takes seriously". The HuffPost fired back and promoted its membership programme by saying, "MAGA Makes 'Your Mom' Jokes, We Make headlines – Serious questions deserve better than middle school humour". 

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, October 29, 2025: First, Spanish papers are commemorating last year's deadly floods which killed 237 people. Next, mass civilian casualties are reported in El-Fasher as humanitarian organisations say they have found evidence of crimes against humanity. Plus, the Guardian discusses Indonesia's new capital Nusantara, which it says is turning into a ghost town. Finally, the next episode of "South Park" will feature US President Donald Trump and his "lover" Satan.

Almost every single Spanish newspaper is commemorating the first anniversary of the deadly floods in Valencia. ABC's front page is dedicated to the memory of the 237 victims. El Mundo talks about a "very slow reconstruction and the open wounds of the victims". El Pais headlines with "Mazon on the ropes on the anniversary of the catastrophe". La Vanguardia says that the political circle is closing in on Carlos Mazon, the president of Valencia's regional government. El Periodico is also looking at the management of the crisis and talks about "the five mistakes which worsened the chaos". Sports tabloid Marca shares testimonies recounting the reconstruction and "moral repair" of the affected areas. 

In Sudan, extremely worrying reports are coming out of El-Fasher following its fall to the RSF paramilitaries. RFI says that abuses against civilians are on the rise since the RSF captured the city. The Telegraph has a very concerning headline: "Visible from space, Sudan’s bloodied sands expose a massacre of thousands". L'Humanité calls it the largest humanitarian crisis on earth.  

Next, a special report in the Guardian discusses Indonesia's brand new capital, which seems to not be living up to expectations. About 2,000 civil servants and 8,000 construction workers currently live in Nusantara, far from the 2030 target of 1.2 million. 

Finally, Variety brings us news that the next episode of "South Park" is a Halloween special and will be aired on Friday. The episode will feature Donald Trump and his in-show "lover" Satan overseeing the demolition of the White House.

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