Jean-Rémi Girard, head of the French teachers’ union SNALC, said past government choices helped create the problems behind France’s education crisis. He called the latest reform proposals a tentative step but said they lack concrete guarantees and funding, and warned that measures will not take effect without an approved parliamentary budget.
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Girard said the government eliminated 8,000 secondary teaching positions during Emmanuel Macron’s first presidential term while student enrolment was rising.
He said schools still face teacher shortages, including difficulty replacing absent teachers.
Girard argued that Parcoursup, France’s university admissions platform launched in 2018, is not the main source of student frustration.
He said limited university capacity cannot meet growing demand for higher education.
Girard said student protests have drawn attention to serious problems shared by students, teachers and unions.
He said the government’s latest education proposals are a tentative step forward but lack concrete guarantees and secure funding.
Girard warned that promised measures will not become real without an approved parliamentary budget.
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Several Chinese brands have ended or suspended commercial ties with Kylian Mbappé amid online backlash over unverified clips that appear to show him joking about a meme depicting him as a Chinese dictator. Mbappé and the French talk show have not commented, and the brands cited hurt national feelings without explicitly naming the clip.
Key Facts
The clips reportedly show Mbappé calling a meme that places his face on an image resembling Mao Zedong his favorite.
The original interview video is no longer on the show’s YouTube channel, and Mbappé does not name Mao in the reported remarks.
Chinese football forum Dongqiudi drew attention to the remarks on Monday night and called them inappropriate.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said words and actions that hurt Chinese people’s feelings would face opposition.
Dairy company Mengniu and drinks company Dongpeng issued statements opposing actions that hurt or offend Chinese people’s feelings.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV is reportedly suspending La Liga matches, according to the outlet The Paper.
The article says Mbappé is popular in China and has had major commercial endorsements there.
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Wales First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth says the UK’s relationship with Wales is unequal and is seeking a new agreement that gives Wales more powers. He says the effort is intended to let Wales shape its future, not to dismantle the UK, and he will not seek an independence referendum during the current parliamentary term.
Key Facts
Ap Iorwerth formally asked the British prime minister to transfer powers over policing, justice, rail and natural resources to Wales.
He says the proposed changes would address what he calls historic unfairness.
Plaid Cymru, the centre-left Welsh nationalist party, took power in Wales in May, ending more than a century of Labour Party dominance there.
Four months into his term, ap Iorwerth signed a pact with Scotland and Northern Ireland affirming their right to self-determination.
The pact warned the British Parliament that its time was coming to an end.
Ap Iorwerth says Wales is on a path toward independence but will not hold an independence referendum during this parliament.
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Polls opened in Israel on Tuesday, October 27, in a national election widely viewed as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies. After the vote, a key question is whether the divided opposition, which includes an Arab-Israeli majority bloc, can unite to form a government.
Key Facts
Polls opened in Israel on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
The election is a national vote.
The vote is viewed as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies.
FRANCE 24 reporter Noga Tarnopolsky reported from Jerusalem.
The opposition is described as divided.
The opposition includes an Arab-Israeli majority bloc.
A key post-election question is whether opposition groups can join together to form a government.
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Retreating glaciers in Italy’s Dolomites exposed World War I munitions, which the Italian army says it recovered and defused. Experts say the ice loss is linked to global heating and warn that newly exposed explosives can be dangerous to hikers and climbers.
Key Facts
The Italian army’s Julia Alpine brigade recovered and neutralised 250 explosives in the Trentino-Alto Adige region.
The munitions included 18 Italian 75mm artillery shells and 37 French-made Thevetot mortar shells.
Hikers reported several sightings during the summer, mostly near Canal San Bovo in the Primiero Valley.
The weapons date to the White War, fought between Austro-Hungarian and Italian forces from 1915 to 1918.
A University of Bergamo professor said dangerous relics emerge from the ice at the end of each summer, with more found in recent years.
Authorities advise hikers not to touch suspected explosive devices and to report discoveries to police.
A White War museum is scheduled to open in Bormio in June 2027.
Eleven people died when part of the Marmolada glacier broke off in 2022.
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A Spotlight on Corruption investigation found that UK officials involved in developing AI datacentre policy met 137 businesses from July 2024 to June 2026, but no environmental groups and only two community groups. The investigation also identified 38 ministers, senior civil servants and advisers who left government for jobs at AI companies between July 2024 and September 2026.
Key Facts
Spotlight on Corruption filed 40 freedom of information requests to 18 government agencies.
The meetings concerned the government’s AI growth zones and datacentre policy.
Nine of the 38 people who left government had worked at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The AI growth zone policy aimed to support large datacentre projects across five UK regions.
The article reports growing local opposition to planned datacentres, including campaigns in Scotland and east London.
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James Daniel says he has faced anti-social behaviour from successive neighbours for seven years despite reporting it to agencies and sharing evidence. Housing Ombudsman data show it upheld 609 complaints about social landlords’ handling of anti-social behaviour in 2025–26, up from 159 in 2021–22.
Key Facts
Daniel said he reported incidents to police and housing provider North Devon Homes and gave them video evidence.
The footage he shared with the BBC showed knives being thrown from a window, an argument outside his home, and a neighbour appearing to make gun gestures at a camera.
North Devon Homes said it takes reports seriously and works with residents and partner agencies to investigate concerns and provide support.
The Housing Ombudsman upheld 159 complaints about landlords’ handling of anti-social behaviour in 2021–22 and 609 in 2025–26.
The Ombudsman cited poor communication, poor record keeping, and failures to use tools such as risk assessments and action plans as common failings.
The Ombudsman can require a landlord to take action, apologize, or pay compensation when it finds a failure.
Daniel has referred his case to the Housing Ombudsman and is awaiting a decision.
Devon and Cornwall Police has increased its use of closure orders on residential properties to address anti-social behaviour.
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The United States, the European Union and 30 countries warned that food security in Sudan is worsening and called for urgent steps to prevent famine. They urged the army and the Rapid Support Forces to allow humanitarian aid, protect aid workers and avoid attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Key Facts
The joint statement was released by the U.S. State Department on Monday.
The signatories called on the parties fighting Sudan’s civil war to remove barriers to humanitarian assistance.
Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have fought since clashes began in April 2023.
The war has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 13 million, according to the article.
In June, the U.N.-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification said 5.1 million people in Sudan faced severe hunger.
The statement warned that without immediate action, the number of children suffering severe acute malnutrition could exceed 825,000.
The signatories called for aid access across front lines and borders, including air access to Darfur.
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South Korea’s GDP grew 1 percent in the July–September quarter from the previous quarter, beating the Bank of Korea’s 0.3 percent forecast. Strong exports of semiconductors and other goods, amid demand for AI-related chips, drove growth while private consumption declined.
Key Facts
GDP grew 3.4 percent year-on-year in the July–September quarter, according to advance estimates from the Bank of Korea.
Exports rose 2.3 percent from the previous quarter, led by semiconductors, machinery and electrical equipment.
Investment in facilities rose 4.1 percent, and investment in intellectual property increased 2.3 percent.
Construction investment grew 0.7 percent, while private consumption fell 0.2 percent.
South Korea’s finance minister projected 2026 growth of 3.4 to 3.6 percent, which would be the strongest expansion since 2011, excluding the pandemic period.
SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics together hold about 80 percent of the global high-bandwidth memory market and 60 percent of the dynamic random-access memory market.
South Korean exports in September rose 83.5 percent year-on-year to $120.9 billion, with chips accounting for nearly half of shipments.
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At least 60 Orthodox Christians were killed in two attacks on October 20 and 24 in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The church said more than 20 people were seriously injured and 20 homes were burned; no group has claimed responsibility.
Key Facts
Fourteen people were killed in Gora Silingo, in Merti district, on October 20.
Forty-six people were killed in Tereta, Chole and Birbo villages, in Shirka district, on October 24.
Both districts are in the Arsi Zone of central Oromia.
The church called for stronger civilian protection and for those responsible to be brought to justice.
Oromia’s regional government pledged to pursue those responsible.
A local official reportedly accused a rebel alliance that includes the Oromo Liberation Army, but there was no immediate claim of responsibility; the OLA has previously denied attacking civilians.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Council reported that at least 432 civilians and four local militia members were killed in targeted attacks across East Arsi between 2021–22 and June 1 of this year.
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President Donald Trump’s war with Iran has become a political liability for Republicans ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Higher fuel prices, the conflict’s expansion and voter calls to end the war are complicating Republican candidates’ efforts to retain control of Congress.
Key Facts
Noor Dubow, an Ohio voter who often supports Republicans, said frustration with the war influenced him to lean toward Democrats when he cast his early ballot.
The conflict has lasted nearly eight months, despite Trump’s initial prediction that it would last weeks.
An AP-NORC poll found voters from both major parties want the next Congress to address affordability and end the war in Iran.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels have attacked Saudi oil infrastructure and airports, and a Saudi-led coalition has responded with attacks in Yemen.
The State Department said it was reducing staffing at four U.S. embassies after receiving intelligence about increased Iranian efforts to target American personnel.
Diesel prices remain near U.S. record highs, putting pressure on Republican candidates in competitive races in states including Iowa, Kansas, Ohio and Texas.
Trump has defended the war and described higher fuel prices as a temporary cost, while also saying further bombing could follow the election.
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Australian Bureau of Statistics data recorded 188,421 deaths in 2025. Dementia caused 19,019 deaths, more than 10% of the total, while asthma deaths reached their highest level in a decade.
Key Facts
Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, was the leading cause of death in Australia for the second year in a row.
Ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, lung cancer and chronic respiratory disease were also among the leading causes of death in 2025.
An estimated 446,500 Australians live with dementia, and 1.7 million people are involved in their care.
Asthma caused 484 deaths in 2025, compared with 478 in 2024; women accounted for almost two-thirds of asthma deaths.
Drug-induced deaths rose to 2,063 in 2025 from 2,007 in 2024, with opioids and benzodiazepines the most common drug classes involved.
The ABS reported substantial growth in deaths after stimulant use, including methamphetamine.
Suicide was the leading cause of premature death for males and females; men accounted for almost three-quarters of these deaths.
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A federal judge extended restrictions on the Trump administration’s renovation plans for East Potomac Golf Course in Washington, D.C. The preliminary injunction bars the government from removing or damaging more trees and requires 10 days’ written notice before making major changes while a lawsuit continues.
Key Facts
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued the preliminary injunction on Monday.
The order bars the government from removing or damaging additional trees at the public golf course.
The administration must give 10 days’ written notice before making an “irreparable modification” to the course’s features.
The D.C. Preservation League and two golfers filed the lawsuit, saying the project is causing irreversible damage.
The judge previously ordered the administration to suspend work until at least Oct. 26.
Workers cut down at least 400 trees over a holiday weekend, according to the article.
President Donald Trump said the course would close for 15 months starting Nov. 15, and said he would appeal the judge’s ruling.
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Caitlin Andrew, a Glasgow-based student from Midlothian, took up birdwatching at age 24 during a period of poor mental health. She says watching and listening to birds brought her calm and helped her feel more connected to her surroundings. RSPB research cited in the article estimates that the number of birdwatchers aged 16 to 29 in Britain rose from 61,000 in 2018 to 724,000 today.
Key Facts
Andrew first became interested in birdwatching during a family holiday on Islay about three years ago.
Islay is known for its wild birds, with more than 120 species to spot during spring and autumn migrations.
Andrew says birdwatching helped her feel peaceful and more connected to the environment.
Andrew met young women birdwatchers through an Inverness chapter of the Feminist Bird Club, founded in New York in 2016.
RSPB research estimates that Britain has more than four million birdwatchers, up from 2.7 million eight years ago.
The RSPB study estimates that the number of birdwatchers aged 16 to 29 rose from 61,000 in 2018 to 724,000 today.
Andrew's favourite birds include crested tits in the Cairngorms and gannets.
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President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio planned to visit a tanker carrying Venezuelan crude in Port Arthur, Texas, on Tuesday. Trump also had campaign rallies scheduled in Texas to support Republican candidates in the midterm elections; the article said it was unclear whether Rubio would join any campaign events.
Key Facts
The tanker carried Venezuelan crude intended for processing at Texas refineries.
The planned visit was in Port Arthur, Texas.
Trump had rallies scheduled in Corpus Christi and Lubbock on the same day.
Trump was seeking to support U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton, who was running against Democrat James Talarico.
Two U.S. officials and a congressional aide described the plans to the Associated Press anonymously.
Rubio also serves as Trump's national security adviser.
The article described Rubio's planned trip with Trump as his first time campaigning on the road with the president.
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Israeli forces imposed a lockdown and carried out raids and demolitions in the Hebron area after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three at a checkpoint. Residents and local sources reported thousands displaced, hundreds of homes searched and many arrests, while restrictions and sieges also affected other West Bank communities.
Key Facts
The shooting took place at a checkpoint on Hebron’s northern entrance on Friday; the two gunmen were killed afterward.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Hebron isolated and said troops would search homes in the gunmen’s neighbourhood.
Hebron Municipality data cited by Wafa said at least 3,171 Palestinians from 488 families had been displaced by Monday.
Hebron Governor Khaled Dudin said forces searched more than 500 homes, arrested more than 70 people and closed 128 gates and 120 checkpoints.
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society said those displaced included 127 infants, 81 pregnant women and 26 people with disabilities.
The article reported demolitions of a three-apartment building and several businesses in Farsh al-Hawa.
Residents described continuing restrictions and sieges in communities including Wadi al-Rakheem, Umm Safa and Madama.
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About 30 fans attended a midnight launch at The Secret Bookshelf in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, for Sarah J. Maas’s sixth A Court of Thorns and Roses book, A Court of Splintered Harmony. The event included crafts and fan discussions, while attendees described reading fantasy as a way to escape everyday pressures.
Key Facts
A Court of Splintered Harmony was released at midnight on Tuesday after a five-year wait.
The launch took place at The Secret Bookshelf, an independent bookshop in Carrickfergus.
About 30 fans attended despite torrential rain and high winds.
Activities included felting, friendship bracelet making and a dedicated area for fan discussions.
A Court of Thorns and Roses is a fantasy romance series set in the fictional world of Prythian.
The series’ first book was published in 2015, and the fifth book, A Court of Silver Flames, was published in 2021.
The article says the seventh book, A Court of Forgotten Melody, is due for release on 12 January 2027.
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The article examines whether Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s first Budget will improve life in his Makerfield constituency, where residents face high living costs and community groups struggle to fund basic needs. Residents and local representatives say they want support that helps households and small businesses, while a community centre has received £20 million in Pride in Place funding over 10 years.
Key Facts
Platt Bridge Community Centre is run by volunteers and serves about 500 people, offering activities, a food bank and a warm space.
The centre recently raised thousands of pounds for a new roof.
Makerfield is described as one of the most deprived parts of Wigan.
Think tank IPPR North representative Zoe Billingham said the Budget will have to balance household cost pressures with wider economic challenges.
Platt Bridge and nearby Spring View have been awarded £20 million over 10 years through Pride in Place funding.
The government has announced a £2 bus fare cap, removal of VAT on domestic electricity bills and business rates relief for pubs and live music venues.
Sophie Lowe, a mother of a two-year-old, said rising petrol costs led her to leave a job in Merseyside for work closer to home.
The article says Burnham has admitted that existing cost-of-living measures are not enough and has hinted at further Budget support.
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First-time buyers in the West Midlands say rent, rising living costs and home prices make it difficult to save for a deposit. Ahead of the UK Budget, the government is expected to give more details about a proposed scheme offering eligible buyers 2.5% deposits and government-backed equity loans for new-build homes.
Key Facts
Pre Ramteke pays about £900 a month in rent before bills.
Ramteke estimates it could take three to four years to save a deposit for a typical three-bedroom home.
The average rate on a new five-year fixed mortgage deal has reached 6%, its highest level in three years.
Estate agent Zunara Tariq said many buyers struggle to save while managing rising living costs.
Self-employed electrician Tyne Steele said unexpected costs, such as car repairs, can reduce savings.
The proposed Your First Home scheme is expected to offer eligible first-time buyers 2.5% deposits and government-backed equity loans for new-build homes.
The article says the government is expected to provide further details of the scheme in this week's Budget.
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The article says Palestinian citizens of Israel face a choice in the October 27 election between voting despite limited prospects for change and questioning whether participation can improve their situation. It describes threats to their rights, rising violence and land pressure, and argues that neither the governing right nor the anti-Netanyahu bloc appears likely to reverse these trends.
Key Facts
Palestinian citizens make up about 20 percent of Israel’s population and have the right to vote.
The article says Palestinian communities face discrimination, underfunded services, and political and economic marginalisation.
It reports that violence linked to organised crime has claimed hundreds of lives in Palestinian communities, while law enforcement has largely ignored the problem.
The article says organised crime groups have obtained advanced weapons reportedly stolen from Israeli army stockpiles or smuggled across borders.
It describes expanding settlements and land seizures near Palestinian communities, including in mixed cities since 2021.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich proposed adding one million Jewish residents to the Naqab and northern Israel, creating 40 settlements and dozens of farms, and expanding housing.
The article says the anti-Netanyahu bloc offers little prospect of reversing policies affecting Palestinian citizens.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has advocated a National Guard, whose possible role in policing Palestinian towns and villages is a source of concern.
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