France braces for another weekend of protests, Italy sends 500 troops to Milan, and teachers and renters march in Athens and Lisbon.
Hundreds of thousands of people marched in more than 140 French cities last Saturday over rising living costs, education and other grievances. Around 2,400 protesters were arrested. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has announced a major increase in police for further protests planned this weekend.
Unions left talks with the government disappointed and have called a day of action for 5 November. President Emmanuel Macron, in an apparent swipe at Donald Trump, criticised “stupid comments” by foreign leaders about the unrest.
140+French cities with marches last Saturday
2,400Arrests in France that day
In Italy, after days of protests and clashes in Milan, Giorgia Meloni’s government is sending 500 soldiers to patrol the city with police and the Carabinieri until the end of the year, under a new security decree.
500Italian troops sent to Milan
Thousands also rallied in Athens over schools and prices, and in Lisbon over housing. Governments are weighing energy-saving measures as the Middle East crisis deepens, adding to worries about winter bills.
Who’s who
Lecornu is France’s prime minister. Meloni leads Italy’s right-wing government. The Carabinieri are Italy’s military police.
Why it matters Food, energy and rent are squeezing households across Europe. Slovenia’s government wants a referendum on cutting VAT on food and energy (page 2).
Sources: Euronews · Democracy Now · 21 Oct
Russia & UkraineKremlin says it is open to new peace talks
Russia has freed Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American and former English teacher held for more than four years on charges of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. He had lived in Izium, in eastern Ukraine, since 2014.
The release came as US envoy Steve Witkoff met President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg, and the Kremlin said it is open to a new round of talks. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
Why it matters Any ceasefire would reshape energy prices and security across Europe.
YemenHouthis tighten their grip around Taiz
The Houthis, an Iran-aligned rebel movement that has held Yemen’s capital since 2014, have nearly encircled Taiz, a city held by the Saudi-backed government, cutting most supply routes. Shelling of a residential area killed two teenage girls.
The UN refugee agency says more than 250,000 people have fled since fighting resumed in July, and a Houthi missile strike on a government training camp killed 73.
Why it matters Yemen was already one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
World in brief
Spain. Storm Adam killed at least five people in the east; thousands were evacuated.
Hungary. Ex-central bank chief György Matolcsy was detained in a fraud probe.
Vatican. Pope Leo XIV’s lung tumour was localised; he needs no further treatment.
UK. Drilling approved at the Rosebank North Sea field, despite environmental concerns.
EU. Germany renewed its push for cuts worth hundreds of billions of euros in the next EU budget.
Spain. Pedro Sánchez and Argentina’s Javier Milei resumed their war of words; Sánchez called himself “a leftie and proud”.
Banking. Revolut suffered a worldwide outage.
