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.
English (US) · 