France 24 - International breaking news, top stories and headlines

• Serbia holds parliamentary election as populist leader Vucic faces student movement
  25 October 2026
  Serbia votes on Sunday in what is set to be its most contested parliamentary election in more than 14 years, as a student-led movement seeks to oust the party of populist leader Aleksandar Vucic. The vote comes after nearly two years of student-led protests sparked by the 2024 collapse of a canopy that killed 16 people.
• What to know as Brazilians choose between Lula and Bolsonaro in tense presidential runoff
  25 October 2026
  Brazilians will choose between incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro in Sunday's polarizing presidential election, a contest that will determine whether the US will significantly expand its growing influence in Latin America. Bolsonaro bested Lula by more than 2.2 million votes in the first round of the election held earlier this month, but neither candidate secured an absolute majority, leading to Sunday's runoff.
• 'The marches went well' – French government on demonstrations a week after looting and violence
  24 October 2026
  Hundreds of thousands marched across France Saturday protesting the rising cost of living. While demonstrations in Paris started peacefully, they ended with a heavy government security response following escalation. Other cities saw clashes that also contributed to the near-1,000 arrested across the country, meanwhile other countries in Europe rallied over issues with some overlap. "The marches went well" said Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
• France: Watching the Post-Riot Protests
  24 October 2026
  After the French protests turned into riots last weekend, the curfews, and then the alleged racist mass shooting yesterday on the outskirts of Paris, there has been much anxiety, planning and preparation ahead of today's protests.
• “Witkoff should step down” says Ukraine Committee Chief
  24 October 2026
  Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield satellite links has been restored to the speeds it had before restrictions that disrupted front-line operations for more than a week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday.
• Thousands take to Tel Aviv's streets for protests against Netanyahu
  24 October 2026
  Thousands marched against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in Tel Aviv on Saturday – just three days before Israel's general election – demanding accountability for the failure to prevent a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, that led to the war in Gaza.  
• Yemen's Houthi rebels claim new attacks on oil facilities and airports across Saudi Arabia
  24 October 2026
  Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi rebels said they launched attacks at Saudi oil facilities and airports on Saturday while Yemen’s Saudi-backed government ​said the ‌group also fired three ballistic missiles at coast guard sites in ⁠the port city of Aden.
• France: Clashes erupt as protests sweep across cities
  24 October 2026
  🇫🇷 The Ministry of the Interior estimates at least 410,000 people rallied across France for Saturday’s protests against the high cost of living, including 110,000 in Paris.  Meanwhile, reported nearly 800,000 demonstrators and 250,000 in the capital.  The situation in Paris remained largely "calm" during the day, while clashes broke out in other cities following attempts to enter unauthorised areas. 
• Israel begins demolitions in West Bank
  24 October 2026
  The Palestinian Authority has called for international pressure on Israel after a Palestinian official said around 1,200 Palestinians in Hebron in the West Bank were forced to leave their homes following an attack on Friday which killed two Israeli soldiers. The head of Hebron's municipality said an additional 1,300 may also be forced to leave.
• Italy hit by new cost of living protests
  24 October 2026
  Soldiers were deployed across Milan and luxury boutiques boarded up as protesters took to the streets again on Saturday, a week after looting and clashes with police. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced a series of measures, including sending an additional 500 soldiers to the city and introducing tougher penalties for minors, who police said made up a large proportion of last week’s violent protesters. Surveillance helicopters circled central Piazza del Duomo, while soldiers patrolled in groups alongside military vehicles and a water cannon. Some visitors said they would leave the city centre if violence broke out again. Our Rome correspondent, Seema Gupta, has the latest.