Argentina’s Provincial Commission for Memory (CPM, in Spanish) filed a criminal complaint Monday against national government officials over the police operation that left more than 550 people injured during the fifth federal university march in Buenos Aires.
The complaint, submitted to the Federal Court led by Judge Sebastián Ramos, calls for an investigation into both the officers who took part in the operation and the political authorities who ordered the security deployment during the day of protest.
A report prepared by the autonomous body found that the police intervention stretched on for more than three hours.
Security forces fired rubber bullets horizontally at the bodies of demonstrators, deployed water cannons at high pressure and launched more than 120 tear gas grenades in what the report described as a disproportionate use of force.
The formal filing also stated that the attacks reached medical assistance teams, press workers and human rights observers. At the same time, the National Committee for the Prevention of Torture monitored the street actions and warned of an abusive use of force that led to the detention of four adults and two teenagers.
The figure of more than 550 people affected or injured gives the operation a scale recorded in Argentine protests. The Argentine Provincial Commission for Memory report documented the trajectory of the rubber bullets, the intensity of the water cannons and the volume of chemical agents deployed against a crowd that included students, teachers and ordinary citizens.
The fifth federal university march brought thousands of people into the streets across the country to demand that President Javier Milei enforce the University Financing Law. The legislation, approved by the National Congress and reaffirmed after being vetoed by the executive branch, has the backing of the judiciary to guarantee the budget of the public education system.
Human rights organizations demanded the urgent delimitation of criminal and institutional responsibilities in the face of the reported escalation of violence. Torture prevention bodies stressed that the use of less lethal weapons requires strict protocols to protect the integrity of those exercising their constitutional right to protest.
The advance of the legal actions keeps the conduct of the Ministry of Security and the management of social conflict in the Argentine capital at the center of national debate. The complaint before Judge Ramos seeks to establish who ordered the deployment and who allowed the operation to continue for hours despite the growing number of injuries.
University communities announced that they will maintain institutional and street actions to demand the budget allocation that the law grants to higher education institutions. The protest movement shows no sign of retreat, even as the judicial process begins to examine the events of the march.
The Provincial Commission for Memory (CPM, in Spanish), an autonomous body with a long record of documenting state violence, placed the operation within a broader pattern of concern. Its report argues that the use of force crossed the line separating legitimate public order maintenance from punishment aimed at those who dissent.
The case now rests with the Federal Court, which must decide whether to summon the security agents and the political officials identified in the filing. The outcome will shape how Argentina addresses the use of force against social protest, a question that has divided the country since the march left its toll of injured demonstrators on the streets of the capital.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy warned Monday it will take firm measures, including sanctions, against any vessel sailing through the Strait of Hormuz with its identification systems deliberately switched off, after an oil tanker struck a naval mine and caught fire.
The naval force reported that the tanker sustained a powerful explosion and fire in its engine room, according to a communiqué released October 19. The blast occurred in the southern sector of the strait as the ship tried to leave the area while keeping its positioning and navigation equipment turned off from the very start of its journey.
Iranian authorities said the vessel was attempting to cross an unauthorized maritime route without observing the international transit regulations in force along the corridor. The military institution stressed that severe and firm measures will be applied against any ship or supertanker navigating the Strait of Hormuz or the Persian Gulf with electronic identification gear intentionally deactivated.
Ships commonly use automatic identification systems, known as AIS, to broadcast their position, and switching them off is a practice often associated with efforts to avoid detection.
The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf with the open sea and ranks among the world’s most critical corridors for energy shipments. Disruptions along this route echo quickly through global oil markets, which explains the attention the mine blast drew from the naval command and from traders tracking the waterway.
BREAKING: Iran announces an oil tanker has hit a naval mine while exiting the Strait of Hormuz through the US-backed southern Omani corridor, with a massive fire in the engine room. pic.twitter.com/kzMnoJr4Q0
The explosion and the fire that followed inflicted serious damage on the tanker. Naval rescue teams remain deployed near the site of the incident to prevent further risks to navigation and to guard against possible spills that could harm the marine ecosystem.
In recent weeks, several other vessels have recorded considerable damage while attempting to cross through passages that are not authorized south of the strategic corridor controlled by Iranian forces. Officials tied the pattern of incidents to deliberate breaches of transit protocols by ships seeking to move without being detected.
The warning issued Monday signals that Tehran intends to enforce those rules with greater severity. The IRGC’s statement made clear that no vessel, whatever its size or flag, will be permitted to traverse the waterway with identification systems switched off.
Closure and Oil Markets
The escalation unfolds against the backdrop of Tehran’s decision to restore the closure of the strait, a measure presented as a response to the sanctions and maritime blockades imposed on Iranian ports by the U.S. government.
The shutdown of this vital artery pushed international prices of crude and refined energy products sharply higher, disrupting supply across Western markets. Washington, confronting the resulting instability in commercial transit, has resorted to continuous releases from its strategic petroleum reserves in an effort to contain global economic volatility. The continuous drawdowns from emergency reserves underscore how heavily the closure weighs on the global supply balance.
Tehran had previously arranged the reopening of the corridor after the signing of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding. The Iranian Armed Forces, however, reimposed the restrictive controls after denouncing aggressions and violations of the peace accords, a reversal that left the waterway under tight military supervision once again.
Control over commercial navigation in the Persian Gulf remains a central point of geopolitical confrontation in the region. Iranian authorities reiterated that full compliance with transit regulations is indispensable to guarantee the operational safety of merchant vessels moving through the strategic passage. The naval command said the area remains under close observation.
The decision affects 163,020 citizens residing abroad registered in the Electoral Census of Absent Residents (CERA).
Last Monday, the Spanish Supreme Court upheld the precautionary suspension of voting rights for some citizens who acquired Spanish nationality through the Democratic Memory Law, which generated concern among descendants of Spaniards residing in Cuba.
The measure maintains restrictions on registration in the CERA for individuals who obtained nationality under an instruction signed in October 2022 by Sofia Puente, then Director General of Legal Security and Public Faith.
The decision does not affect all beneficiaries of the Democratic Memory Law, but rather 163,020 citizens residing abroad registered in the CERA. It also does not restrict the right to vote for those who obtained nationality and subsequently established their residence in Spain.
The Democratic Memory Law allowed children, grandchildren, and other descendants of Spaniards who lost or renounced their citizenship as a consequence of exile for political, ideological, or other reasons stipulated in the legislation to obtain Spanish nationality.
The now-challenged instruction established a presumption of exile for Spaniards who left the country between July 1936 and December 1955, provided they could prove their departure from Spain during that period.
The strong expression of support for #Cuba at the @UN today sends an unmistakable message: no U.S. political maneuver can conceal the devastating humanitarian impact of the blockade and energy siege on our people.
Estela Marina Perez, president of the Association of Descendants of Spaniards Around the World (ADEM), pointed out that around 90% of nationality applications were based on this instruction, especially in countries like Cuba.
ADEM filed an appeal against the precautionary measures and argues that the suspension of voting rights harms people who obtained nationality through procedures officially approved by the Spanish State.
However, Perez stated that among naturalized citizens residing in Cuba, the main concern is not the inability to vote, but rather the possibility that a future ruling could invalidate the instruction that facilitated thousands of applications.
The ADEM representative warned that if the Supreme Court were to conclude that this instruction was irregular, numerous naturalization processes already granted or still pending could be affected, generating uncertainty among thousands of descendants of Spaniards abroad.
Two weeks before the midterm elections, Trump’s approval rating has hit a two-term low. The war with Iran has driven up the cost of a tank of gas and a cart of groceries, millennials have turned away from him faster than the rest of the country, and part of his base plans to stay home.
Donald Trump’s name is not on any ballot on Nov. 3, yet much of the U.S. electorate will head to the polls with him in mind.
A national poll released Sunday, Oct. 18, and conducted Oct. 9-13, puts his approval rating at 33%, the lowest the series has recorded in either of his terms. Two in three adults disapprove of his performance, 52% strongly, and the same survey had him at 37% in both April and July.
The poll also asked whether the next Congress should act as a check on the president or support his agenda. Fifty-eight percent preferred a Democratic-controlled Congress as a check on him, compared with 39% who want a Republican Congress aligned with the White House, a gap nearly twice as wide as a year ago. Neither party is calling this election a referendum, but the answer brings it close to one.
Almost six out of ten U.S. citizens want the next Congress to counterbalance Trump, a gap that has nearly doubled in one year. Graph: teleSUR
In the race for the House of Representatives, Democrats lead Republicans 52% to 44% among likely voters. Among registered voters the gap holds at eight points; in July it was three.
Between the first bombings on Iran and the election, gasoline soared above 4 dollars and Trump’s approval rating plummeted. Graph: teleSUR
From Hormuz to the Gas Tank
The United States and Israel began bombing Iran in February, when a gallon of regular gasoline cost an average of $2.98, according to AAA. By late March it had topped $4 for the first time since 2022, and each new round of strikes pushed it back up. On Oct. 1, the national average hit $4.41.
At those prices, filling a 15-gallon tank costs about $21 more than before the war.
With Ormuz declared closed by Iran and no oil pipelines capable of replacing it, the gallon rose 48% in the US even with record crude production. Graph: teleSUR
In February, 7 in 10 U.S. citizens considered gasoline affordable. Eight months later, the same share says the opposite.
About a fifth of the oil the world consumes passes through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the official price index for September, consumer prices rose 3.7% over the year, energy 20.4% and gasoline 34.2%, while inflation excluding food and energy stood at 2.6%. Today, 65% of U.S. citizens believe attacking Iran was a mistake.
Tehran declared the strait closed in March and has reaffirmed that stance several times since. In October, Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, chief of staff of Iran’s army, told the official IRNA news agency that the waterway remains closed and that all transit must be coordinated with the armed forces, and he blamed the closure for the rise in U.S. gasoline prices.
Washington says otherwise. On Oct. 7, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that “the Straits of Hormuz are open,” that as much oil is flowing out now “as there was before this conflict began” and that Iran has “lost complete control of the straits.” Overland routes cannot replace the strait either. Before the war, the EIA estimated that the Saudi and Emirati pipelines that bypass Hormuz had only about 2.6 million barrels a day of spare capacity to divert crude, compared with the 20 million barrels a day that moved through the strait.
Ten days later, Vice President JD Vance revealed another side of the same administration. “I recognize that gas prices are too high right now,” he said Saturday night at a televised town hall. Asked why the war had not ended in a clear victory, he said that “in some ways we have won decisively,” though “the enemy gets a vote.” And he repeated that Iran, “the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world,” cannot have a nuclear weapon.
On the campaign trail, the fix being sold in Washington points elsewhere. In a poll of 1,000 likely voters taken in early October, four in five agreed that increasing U.S. energy production “can help make everyday life more affordable,” and 67% backed a proposal whose wording already promised the result, “updating federal permitting laws to reduce delays and lower costs.” It is the same reform the oil industry pitches as the key to affordability.
The government’s own energy agency supplies the missing piece. The United States has been the world’s largest crude oil producer since 2018 and is on track for a record of about 13.7 million barrels a day this year, while 84% of the crude that crossed Hormuz was bound for Asia. With output at record highs, gasoline has risen 48% since the bombing began. Crude is priced on a global market, and this year’s price spikes followed the calendar of the war, not the permitting calendar.
The price shock reached much of the world, and Latin American economies that import refined fuels absorbed it without having had any say in the decision to go to war. For those countries, the permitting fight in Washington is a distant concern; the price of their diesel depends on what happens in Hormuz. How much room Washington has to keep waging the war without congressional oversight will also be decided on Nov. 3.
For Latin American families living in the United States, the most visible face of the second term is immigration policy. At the start, half the country approved of it; now about 60% disapprove, and 56% say deportations have gone too far, eight points more than in April 2025. At the same town hall, Vance acknowledged that his rhetoric about immigrants had been “imperfect” and took the blame. “That’s on me,” he said. His goal, he insisted, is not “to dehumanize any immigrant.” “In fact, I love a number of immigrants,” he added.
An Economy Judged by Team Colors
The president’s approval on the economy has fallen to 28%, its lowest mark across his two presidencies. Forty-eight percent feel worse off than when Trump returned to the White House in 2025, the highest share in a series dating back to 1986, and for the first time in more than a decade, registered voters trust Democrats more to handle the economy, 40% to 33%. Before the 2022 midterms, the same series gave Republicans a double-digit edge on the issue.
That year, with Joe Biden in the White House, each party’s verdict on the economy was the mirror image of today’s, almost point for point, and independents stood at 16% in both surveys.
Democrats and Republicans reversed their judgment of the economy by changing government, meanwhile only independents stayed where they were. Graph: teleSUR
Voters who wear no team colors are moved by their wallets. In the October survey of likely voters, 37% said a candidate’s stance on affordability will decide their vote for Congress, more than double the 15% who put immigration first, an issue central to Trump’s 2024 campaign. That priority is shared by 43% of Democrats, 36% of independents and 32% of Republicans.
Among those who say they are worse off than in 2025, 78% lean toward Democrats, as do 71% of independents in that group.
The Generation that Turned Away Fastest
Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, are now 30 to 45 years old and make up the largest adult generation in the country. In 2024 they split almost evenly on Trump; exit polls showed voters ages 30 to 44 backing Kamala Harris over him 51% to 47%.
A YouGov poll conducted Aug. 28-31 found 27% approval and 70% disapproval in that age group, the group’s worst showing in the series. Its net rating went from minus 1 in January 2025 to minus 43 in August, a 42-point drop, compared with 30 points nationally.
The Economist makes the opposite case. It argues that millennials have turned their fortunes around and now earn more than any recent generation did at the same age, while narrowing the gap in homeownership. The magazine credits the recovery to markets rather than to a state-funded rescue. October’s polls show what that narrative leaves out.
In the House race, the Pew Research Center found voters ages 30 to 49 favoring the Democratic candidate 43% to 31%, with one in five still undecided.
October’s affordability survey, broken down by age, points in the same direction. Affordability will decide the vote of 45% of voters in their 30s and 44% of those in their 40s, above the 37% average. This is the cohort that entered the job market in the 2008 crisis, pays rent or a mortgage, raises children and fills the tank every day to get to work, and the tank is precisely where prices have climbed the most this year.
The cost of living defines the vote of almost half of voters aged 30-49, above the national average of 37%. Graph: teleSUR
The figures come from surveys with different age brackets and do not prove a single cause. Read together, though, they show the country’s largest generation turning away from Trump faster than everyone else, with the cost of living at the top of its priorities.
Among those who voted for Trump in 2024, 23% now disapprove of his performance and 38% reject his handling of inflation. Most of them still prefer Republicans for Congress, so the erosion does not take the form of a switch to the other party. What they have lost is the certainty that they will vote.
Seventy-five percent of registered Democrats say they are certain to vote, compared with 67% of Republicans. Within the Republican Party, certainty reaches 75% among supporters of the MAGA movement and falls to 57% among those who do not identify with it, and more than a quarter of the latter want Democrats to control the next Congress.
Only 39% of Republicans strongly approve of the president, down from 63% in February 2025.
How many of the 77 million people who voted for Trump in 2024 will return to the polls without his name on the ballot is a question no one can answer yet. Turnout models based on 2022 and 2024 favor Republicans; votes already cast or locked in, by contrast, favor Democrats.
The risk for Republicans is at home. Their MAGA-unaffiliated voters are the least confident of going to the polls. Graph: teleSUR
What is at Stake in the Senate
With the slim House majority Republicans are defending, losing a handful of seats would be enough to hand over control, and presidential approval is among the best predictors of midterm results. Even so, 58% of likely voters who “somewhat” disapprove of Trump still prefer the Republican in their district.
The Senate is split 53-47 in Republicans’ favor, and Democrats need a net gain of four seats to win back the majority. Of the 35 seats on the ballot, seven are rated toss-ups, and six of them — in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Ohio and Texas — are held by Republicans. North Carolina, a Republican seat, is already rated as likely to go Democratic.
The seven states that decided the last presidential election — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — offer an early clue about 2028. Trump carried all seven in 2024, and today his net approval is negative in every one of them, between 15 and 25 points underwater among registered voters, according to the Civiqs tracker. He cannot run in 2028, and those numbers measure a president, not his successor, but they map the terrain his party will inherit.
Six of the seven open Senate races are played in Republican seats, while their approval is now negative in the seven states that gave the White House to Trump in 2024. Graph: teleSUR
On Nov. 3, Trump’s name will still be missing from the ballot. The outcome will depend less on votes that switch parties than on the votes that are never cast, among them those of a generation that split almost evenly on him two years ago and in August disapproved of him by more than two to one.
The Arch and the Gas Pump
On Wednesday, Oct. 14, 20 days before the election, the new Air Force One flew low over the airport in Bullhead City, in the Arizona desert. It is the Boeing 747 that Qatar’s royal family gave Trump, now painted red, white, blue and gold. “When they give you a 747, you say two words, thank you,” he told supporters.
Arizona is one of the swing states that change hands from one presidential election to the next. Joe Biden won it in 2020 by about 10,500 votes, Trump took it back in 2024, and today his approval there is 18 points underwater. The state has no Senate race this year, but it does elect a governor and all nine of its House members. The president chose Mohave County, where he won more than 77% of the vote two years ago, with early voting already a week underway. He went looking for his base, the voters he needs at the polls, not at home.
From the plane he moved on to people who leak military information. “In my opinion, leakers should be shot,” he said, and he called the journalists covering him “almost as bad as a leaker.” He touted the ballroom he is building at the White House and the triumphal arch he plans for the capital. On Iran, whose leaders, he said, “are gone,” he let slip a confession. “I might have gone too far. I don’t know who the hell to deal with.” And he promised that once the war ends,“your gasoline is going to go down to even lower than it was before it started.”
He was addressing a country that fills its tank at wartime prices and pays rents 2.8% higher than a year ago, according to the official price index. Three days later, his vice president admitted on television what the gas pump was already saying. Trump, in Arizona, had preferred to talk about monuments.
The planned arch would stand 76 meters (250 feet) tall, about 26 meters (85 feet) taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, and would rise at the foot of the bridge leading to Arlington National Cemetery, as part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
Napoleon commissioned the Paris arch in 1806, after his victory at Austerlitz, to honor his armies. Construction dragged on for three decades. When it was inaugurated in 1836, the emperor had been dead in exile for 15 years, and he passed beneath the arch only once, in 1840, inside the coffin that brought his remains back to France.
Unrest across eight countries reveals a growing working-class rejection of public spending cuts.
Across Europe, a widespread wave of public protests and labor strikes unfolded during September and October 2026. Demonstrations took place in major urban hubs across France, Belgium, Italy, Albania, Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Germany.
While individual mobilizations emerged from specific domestic triggers, the overarching unrest reflects a shared socioeconomic environment characterized by declining purchasing power, public budget austerity, rising energy prices, and real estate speculation.
The economic backdrop of late 2026 includes sustained structural pressure on working-class households. Energy market shifts driven by international conflicts significantly escalated fuel and electricity costs across the continent, directly inflating the cost of basic consumer goods.
In urban centers, market-driven housing policies and real estate deregulation led to steep increases in residential rents, outstripping wage growth and increasing housing insecurity for young workers and low-income families.
Mainstream institutional coverage frequently characterizes these events through a lens of isolated public order disturbances or temporary economic grievances.
Labor organizations, tenant unions, student groups, and neighborhood alliances have increasingly framed their demands around public resource protection, wage indexation, market regulation, and social welfare preservation.
Protests in Belgium escalate into clashes with Police
🔻 Protests by student and school groups in Belgium over rising education costs and restricted access to higher education turned violent in central Brussels and the city of Liège. Police used tear gas and water cannon to… pic.twitter.com/Nm32hPzgvR
Albania: The Vjosa-Narta Resistance and Sazan Island Mobilizations
In Albania, mass demonstrations began in May 2026 following public controversy surrounding large-scale real estate and luxury tourism developments along ecologically sensitive coastal zones, related to the family of United States President Donald Trump.
Known as the Flamingo Revolution, the protests were initially triggered by foreign investment proposals backed by international private equity firms, including United States-based entities.
These proposals targeted protected areas in the Vjosa-Narta lagoon delta and Sazan Island, a former military territory off the coast of Vlorë.
The movement escalated after an incident on May 30, 2026, when private security personnel physically removed local environmental activists at a development site in Zvërnec.
By June, demonstrations expanded from coastal municipalities into the capital, Tirana. Organized primarily by environmental groups, university student assemblies, and grassroots youth coalitions, the protesters demanded an immediate halt to coastal land privatization, the enforcement of environmental protections under European Union standards, and the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
On June 9, 2026, tens of thousands gathered in central Tirana. In response, Prime Minister Edi Rama publicly dismissed the critique regarding foreign capital involvement, stating in June that the international scrutiny was primarily driven by high-profile political names associated with the investment project rather than environmental policy.
Throughout July and August 2026, daily civic actions maintained a continuous presence in Tirana, marking 100 consecutive days of anti-government demonstrations by September 8, 2026. By mid-September, the focus expanded as university and high school student assemblies joined the broader movement to protest rising living costs, tuition increases, and systemic public corruption.
Tensions culminated between October 13 and October 18, 2026, when thousands of demonstrators assembled outside the Ministry of Education and Prime Minister Rama’s offices. Clashes erupted between protesters and state security forces, leading to the deployment of tear gas and water cannons by law enforcement.
Official police reports confirmed over 160 detentions and nearly 400 individuals charged following widespread civil disobedience and public building blockades in central Tirana.
Massive protests in France against the high cost of living and the deterioration of public services. pic.twitter.com/H3FUK6kcvC
Spain: The Pensioner Eviction and the National Housing Crisis
In Spain, social unrest escalated rapidly on September 21, 2026, surrounding the national housing crisis. On September 23, 2026, police enforced the court-ordered eviction of María del Carmen “Maricarmen” Abascal, an 87-year-old resident in Madrid, following a legal dispute with property investors.
By September 30, 2026, housing collectives and the Madrid Tenants’ Union (Sindicato de Inquilinas e inquilinos de Madrid) established a continuous protest encampment in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, which grew to over 1,200 tents.
Similar encampments emerged in Barcelona’s Plaça de Catalunya and Málaga’s Plaza de la Constitución. According to data from the Youth Council of Spain, average residential rent prices had reached €1,176 per month, absorbing roughly 98.7 percent of the average young worker’s salary following a decade of steady price increases.
Protesters demanded an immediate legal cap on rent prices, a total ban on short-term vacation rentals, the expropriation of residential housing units owned by private investment funds, and the passage of strict tenant protection laws.
The central government headed by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presented two urgent decree-laws proposing a ban on evictions for vulnerable residents until 2030 and a two-year extension on existing leases.
However, on October 2, 2026, the Spanish Congress rejected the legislation following opposition votes from the People’s Party, Vox, and Together for Catalonia (Junts). Opposition spokesperson Cuca Gamarra argued that affordability could only be achieved through increased residential construction, while Junts spokesperson Míriam Nogueras stated the decree would create legal market uncertainty. In contrast, tenant union representatives called for nationwide general mobilizations to enforce housing rights.
📌KNE: Victory for the struggle of the school students in France! 🔴“Victory for the struggle of the school students in France!”, emphasises the Press Office of the Central Council of KNE in a statement on the large-scale student protests, noting… 🔗https://t.co/sxtH89fNp0…
— International Relations Section of the CC of KKE (@intern_kke) October 5, 2026
France: Educational Strikes and Fuel Price Mobilizations
In France, a distinct wave of social unrest began on September 15, 2026, sparked by sharp increases in retail fuel costs. Driven by regional maritime supply disruptions and international market volatility, average diesel prices in France reached €2.37 per liter, nearing historical highs.
Initial blockades were established by transport workers, agricultural workers, and commercial fishermen who obstructed access to major fuel depots in Frontignan and port facilities in Nice and Sète.
This economic disruption coincided directly with public sector labor actions in secondary and higher education.
On September 18, 2026, teaching staff and suburban education workers across the Île-de-France region initiated strikes over class overcrowding, wage stagnation, and severe administrative budget reductions. Student assemblies subsequently blockaded high schools and university campuses in Paris, Lyon, and Marseille.
The movement saw a broad convergence of trade unions, including the Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT) and Solidaires, along with student organizations and former Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests) networks.
The protesters demanded the immediate indexation of wages to current inflation rates, increased state spending on education and healthcare, and emergency price caps on petroleum products.
In response to the growing disruptions, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on September 16, 2026, that the government would increase state fuel subsidies to the maximum allowable limit under European Union rules.
When protests continued into October, the government released 10 million barrels of strategic diesel reserves to stabilize market supply, while law enforcement authorities deployed heavy riot control measures, leading to thousands of detentions nationwide.
Zakharova calls out Macron's double standard on protests
Russian MFA spokeswoman says Macron demands "uncompromising" crackdowns on French rioters while the West lectures others on "human rights."
As Limoges City Hall burns, Zakharova notes: the people attacking Europe aren't… pic.twitter.com/mcwYHHfFav
Escalation Across the Mediterranean: Greece and Portugal
Greece: Public Sector Strikes and Anti-Privatization Mobilizations
In Greece, social mobilizations accelerated on September 5 2026, driven by rising electricity tariffs, real estate inflation, and persistent wage stagnation.
The unrest gained momentum following coordinated labor actions organized by the All-Workers Militant Front (PAME) and supported by major public sector confederations, including the Civil Servants’ Confederation (ADEDY).
On September 28, 2026, nationwide strikes disrupted public transport, maritime ferry connections between the mainland and Aegean islands, and municipal services.
In Athens, over 45,000 demonstrators marched toward Syntagma Square in front of the Hellenic Parliament. Student assemblies from the National Technical University of Athens and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens joined the marches, blocking central thoroughfares.
Protesters focused their demands on structural economic reforms, including:
• The immediate restoration of collective bargaining rights dissolved under previous austerity frameworks.
• Strict state price controls on essential consumer goods and electricity tariffs.
• Increased public funding for higher education and healthcare infrastructure.
• Direct wage indexation to compensate for post-2022 inflationary losses.
Addressing parliament in late September, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis defended the administration’s fiscal stance, stating that government policy must maintain strict fiscal discipline to ensure sovereign debt stability.
📌Dimitris Koutsoumbas, GS of the CC of the KKE, on the youth protests 🔴In Spain, people are taking to the streets becuase they are being evicted from their homes. In France, because they’re being denied an education. In Greece, students are setting up tents in Syntagma Square… pic.twitter.com/qO5UR3LWoG
— International Relations Section of the CC of KKE (@intern_kke) October 15, 2026
Portugal: The Housing Dignity Movement (Vida Justa)
In Portugal, demonstrations expanded across major urban centers during the first week of October 2026. Catalyzed by the civil movement Just Life (Vida Justa) alongside tenant rights group Door to Door (Porta a Porta) and university student unions, tens of thousands gathered in Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, and Faro.
The central issue driving the protests was real estate speculation and the expansion of short-term tourist accommodations, which had led to significant residential displacement in urban neighborhoods.
According to national statistical reporting, residential property prices in Lisbon had increased by 12.4 percent year-over-year by mid-2026, while median national wages remained under €1,050 per month.
On October 3, 2026, demonstration columns marched along Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon toward the Assembly of the Republic. Speakers at the rally called for immediate state intervention to secure affordable living conditions, demanding:
• An immediate freeze on residential lease renewals and rent price caps indexed to local wage levels.
• The mandatory revocation of tax incentives granted to non-resident foreign real estate investors.
• Substantial state investment in public housing construction.
• An increase in the national minimum wage to €1,000 per month to offset basic living expenses.
Government representatives pointed to existing tax relief programs for young buyers, but grassroots spokespersons rejected these measures as inadequate against systemic market speculation.
Convergence and Expansion: Germany, Italy, and Belgium
Germany: Heating Cost Protests and Urban Rent Freezes
In Germany, demonstrations gathered force across major industrial and urban regions in mid-October, led by trade union factions, tenant associations (Mieterverein), and progressive youth organizations.
The mobilizations were prompted by public sector wage negotiations and sharp increases in seasonal municipal heating and gas bills following regional energy supply realignments.
Protests took place in Berlin, Leipzig, Cologne, and Hamburg. Demonstrators assembled at the Brandenburger Tor in Berlin, calling for:
• Federal legislative caps on natural gas and district heating charges.
• A nationwide five-year freeze on residential rents in cities exceeding strict vacancy limits.
• Higher public investment in municipal transport networks and social housing initiatives.
• Wage increases for public sector employees above the annual core inflation rate.
Federal officials acknowledged the economic burden placed on households, but emphasized that national budgetary constraints limited further large-scale energy price subsidies.
🇪🇸🔥 #MADRID – The Madrid teachers' demonstration, on the first day of the call for an unlimited strike, links up with the encampment at Plaza del Sol – who have been there since late September 2026 for the right to housing, against tenant evictions, against the surge in prices…
Italy: The “Italia in Piazza” General Strike and Cost-of-Living Mobilization
In Italy, social tension culminated on October 17, 2026, in a coordinated general mobilization organized under the banner “Italy in the Square” (Italia in Piazza). The action was spearheaded by grassroots trade unions, including the Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) and COBAS, alongside student collectives and housing rights coalitions.
Demonstrations affected major urban centers, including Rome, Milan, Turin, and Naples. In Milan, an estimated 60,000 people marched through the city center, resulting in the temporary suspension of public transit lines and commercial activity.
Protesters cited declining real wages, cuts to basic social protection mechanisms, and rising utility prices as the primary drivers of the mobilization.
Key demands raised by Italian protest organizers included:
• An immediate statutory minimum wage of €10 per hour.
• The automatic reintroduction of wage indexation tied to inflation metrics (scala mobile).
• Increased public funding for national healthcare (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale) and public transit systems.
• A moratorium on residential evictions involving primary residences for low-income households.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni issued a statement from Rome, characterizing the disruptions as politically motivated actions designed to destabilize public order during delicate national budget negotiations.
MILAN RIOTS 🙏🔥 🇮🇹
Milan is experiencing weekend unrest that began as cost-of-living protests and escalated into looting, vandalism, and clashes with police.
On Saturday and Sunday (17–19 October 2026), demonstrations in Milan and other northern Italian cities (including Turin… pic.twitter.com/GuQVFDoahE
Belgium: Public Service Strikes and Educational Budget Mobilizations
Simultaneously, on October 17, 2026, Belgium experienced significant public sector disruptions centered in Brussels and Liège. Organized by joint trade union fronts (FGTB/ABVV and CSC/ACV) in coordination with secondary and higher education student unions, the actions brought together public transport operators, municipal sanitation staff, and academic workers.
In Brussels, thousands of demonstrators gathered near the European Quarter, marching toward the federal parliament building. The movement focused on rising urban living costs and proposed structural spending cuts to secondary and university educational systems.
Protesters demanded:
The full preservation and enforcement of Belgium’s automatic wage indexation system across all employment sectors.
Increased federal budget allocations for public education, student housing, and public transit.
Legislative action to curb commercial energy price speculation and residential real estate inflation.
Federal government spokespersons stated that maintaining current fiscal trajectories was necessary to adhere to European Union public debt standards, while indicating a willingness to continue sector-specific labor dialogue.
Institutional Reactions and State Repression vs. Protesters’ Demands
As demonstrations converged across the European continent through mid-October 2026, state authorities responded with a combination of security deployments, judicial actions, and public condemnations.
Government officials framed the widespread public disruptions as threats to political stability and fiscal order, while protest coalitions emphasized that state actions prioritized debt constraints and elite economic interests over the material needs of the population.
In France, the executive branch adopted an uncompromising stance. President Emmanuel Macron publicly criticized what he described as “unbridled violence” following the escalation of high school blockades, fuel port disruptions, and urban demonstrations.
Interior Ministry directives led to the widespread deployment of specialized CRS riot control units, water cannons, and tear gas in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Limoges.
Law enforcement agencies reported making between 1,800 and 2,400 detentions nationwide by mid-October, with human rights monitoring groups and legal collectives expressing concern over indiscriminate police tactics, pre-emptive arrests, and severe injuries sustained by secondary school students.
In Southern Europe, local administrations similarly sought to delegitimize the protest movements. In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government characterized the “Italia in Piazza” general strike as a politically motivated attempt by opposition factions to destabilize the nation during crucial state budget negotiations.
Police forces in Milan and Rome deployed water cannons and heavy cordons to clear key arterial roads and transit hubs blocked by union members and youth assemblies. In Albania, Prime Minister Edi Rama argued that persistent anti-government and student demonstrations—initially sparked by the “Flamingo Revolution” against coastal real estate privatization in Sazan and Vjosa-Narta—endangered the country’s economic integration and accession standing with the European Union.
Albanian authorities utilized water cannons and tear gas against university student blockades in Tirana, leading to dozens of detentions and criminal charges.
Across Spain and Portugal, state responses highlighted severe institutional divisions over economic reform. While Spanish local police enforced court-ordered evictions in Madrid and cleared public squares, parliamentary opposition parties blocked proposed national lease extensions and eviction bans.
In Portugal, government spokespersons maintained that market-based housing strategies and tax incentives for foreign buyers were necessary to attract capital, directly rejecting the Vida Justa movement’s demands for immediate rent controls and foreign investment caps.
From Localized Grievances to Pan-European Class Solidarity
What began as distinct domestic actions, resistance against speculative real estate projects on Albania’s protected coastline, outrage over elderly evictions and surging rents in Spain, and secondary school labor strikes over state underfunding in France, rapidly converged into a interconnected continental mobilization.
This convergence reflects shared structural drivers: the systematic erosion of real wages, the commodification of urban housing, the decline of essential public services under sustained fiscal austerity, and the compounding impact of energy inflation.
Across national borders, working-class households, student coalitions, and independent trade unions have consistently targeted the policy frameworks that prioritize fiscal deficit targets and private asset protection over public welfare and living standards.
The organizational strategy of the autumn 2026 movements highlights a shift in popular mobilization methods. By utilizing decentralized communications, student assemblies, neighborhood collectives, and grassroots trade union alliances, protest networks frequently bypassed established political parties.
This organizational horizontalism enabled rapid, cross-sector coordination—demonstrated by the simultaneous national strikes and urban blockades in France, Italy, Belgium, and Portugal on October 17, 2026.
As winter approaches, the continued alignment of labor unions, housing organizations, and youth movements suggests that Europe’s autumn of discontent may mark the beginning of a sustained, pan-European struggle for structural economic reform, market regulation, and social welfare preservation.
Sources: TeleSUR – Al Jazeera – Democracy Now – BBC – DW – France 24 – EFE – AFP – AP – The guardian – El País – El Mundo – La Radio del Sur – La República – RTVE – Xinhua – CGTN – Press TV – Anadolu Agency – RT – TRT World
It charges the Revolutionary leader with ‘conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.’
On Monday, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel called the Florida Court’s arrest warrant for Army General Raul Castro a “reprehensible action” and a “pathetic Miami circus”.
“The reprehensible action taken against the Army General this morning—a pathetic circus in Miami with an electoral agenda—lacks, and will forever lack, any legal basis, let alone any practical merit. Raul is Raul, and every affront to his person will always be met with the determination of a people to defend the Revolution,” he said.
“This maneuver, dressed up in legal terms by anti-Cuban politicians against Raul and against Cuba, deserves our firm condemnation. It is part of an aggressive agenda and reflects the difficulties they face in trying to justify the blockade and the collective punishment of our people,” Diaz-Canel stressed.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez also condemned what he called a “sterile maneuver” driven by anti-Cuban politicians in South Florida. The minister maintained that the accusations were unfounded and linked them to a strategy of political pressure and hostility.
YES to a 30-year-old Cuba case. NO to today's problems. FYI: A U.S. grand jury in Florida has indicted Cuban leader Raul Castro, a move widely seen as an escalation of Washington's pressure campaign against Cuba. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez swiftly condemned the… pic.twitter.com/WDXuhlWeeT
The attack occurred on February 24, 1996, in international waters, where three U.S. citizens and one legal permanent resident of the United States died. Miami-based “Brothers to the Rescue” carried out missions to locate and assist Cubans attempting to leave the island by sea for the United States.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that the warrant charges the former Cuban leader with “conspiracy to commit first-degree murder” for the events that occurred nearly three decades ago.
The warrant, signed by a Miami judge, is based on an investigation into Castro’s alleged role as Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba. According to U.S. authorities, Cuban agents gathered information about flights belonging to the Brothers to the Rescue organization and transmitted it to Havana.
The U.S. investigation maintains that this information “facilitated” the interception of the aircraft by Cuban military fighter jets during an operation that resulted in the downing of both planes.
#Cuba | Cuba is reforming its state-owned enterprises to expand financial autonomy, boost domestic production, and strengthen cooperation with the private sector amid US sanctions. The government says public ownership will remain central to its economic model.#EconomicReforms… pic.twitter.com/GJMG0FJz6d
Magistrate Bellizze warns daily fine could double to about US$185,000 if Meta fails to comply.
On Monday, the Brazilian Superior Electoral Tribunal gave the technology company Meta a 24-hour deadline to demonstrate that the campaigns of the two presidential candidates, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro, are receiving equal treatment on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Magistrate Marco Aurelio Bellizze warned that if Meta does not demonstrate that it has complied with the equity measures previously ordered, the court will double the planned daily fine to about US$185,000 until the end of the runoff that will take place on Oct. 25.
His decision comes after both campaigns went to court to denounce that their political content is being harmed by Meta’s platforms and to accuse the company of favoring its rival.
This discriminatory treatment has been particularly notable against the campaign of President Lula da Silva, according to denunciations by militants of the Workers’ Party.
More generally, Brazilians have confirmed that Meta-controlled social networks have imposed limitations on the advertising boost of the leftist candidacy and have selectively restricted the dissemination of posts linked to Lula and his supporters.
Esto es un escándalo por el que tendría que responder Zuckerberg La periodista Daniela Lima muestra en directo como la IA de Meta favorece la campaña de Bolsonaro creando imágenes de "Flavio 22", y con las mismas instrucciones se niega a hacerlas de "Lula 13". pic.twitter.com/SGb5NjStcR
The text reads, “This is a scandal for which Zuckerberg would have to answer. Journalist Daniela Lima shows live how Meta’s AI favors Bolsonaro’s campaign by creating images of ‘Flavio 22,’ and with the same instructions refuses to make images of ‘Lula 13’.”
Last week, Judge Bellizze determined that Meta offer equal treatment to both candidates in a decision that was endorsed on Friday by the entire electoral tribunal.
In Monday’s decision, the magistrate stated that there are still not enough elements to conclude that Meta deliberately manipulated the distribution of content, but he considered that the multinational has not satisfactorily demonstrated compliance with all previous orders.
Bellizze also questioned that Meta has assumed the authority to modify the deadlines set by the Court, since it requested more time to comply.
Among the court’s demands on Meta are explanations about recommendation systems, the review of ads from both candidacies, the identification of those responsible for political advertising and the measures adopted against possible networks of inauthentic profiles.
The new decision comes after Meta last week denied any interference in the Brazilian elections and rejected accusations of favoring a candidate. The company attributed the problems denounced by the Lula campaign to technical incidents and assured that its systems do not classify or distribute content based on political ideology.
Christopher Landau met with Paraguayan President Peña to discuss regional security and investment opportunities.
On Monday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau began a three-day visit to Paraguay, where he announced that U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are interested “on refocusing attention on the Western Hemisphere.”
Landau specified that their attention is focused specifically on “the Great America,” a territory that Washington considers extending from Canada to Tierra del Fuego, at the southern tip of South America.
During the day, the senior U.S. official met with President Santiago Peña and Vice President Pedro Alliana as part of a visit he described as “very important” for U.S. diplomacy, which seeks to explore investment opportunities and regional security.
“We talked about security issues. Paraguay is located in the heart of South America, and I think there are many opportunities to strengthen those ties,” he said after meeting with Peña and Alliana.
🇵🇾🇺🇸 El presidente Santiago Peña recibió al subsecretario de Estado adjunto de Estados Unidos, Christopher Landau, quien inició una visita oficial de tres días a Paraguay.
The text reads, “President Santiago Peña received the U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of State, Christopher Landau, who began a three-day official visit to Paraguay.”
He also indicated that his visit recognizes “the great importance” of the relationship between the two nations and that there are “many win-win situations given Paraguay’s great potential” for investors.
On Monday, Landau arrived accompanied by a delegation of U.S. business executives and Juan Pablo Segura, deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs.
On social media, President Peña posted a welcome message in Guarani and Spanish in response to a post by Landau, who lived in Paraguay from 1972 to 1977, when his father, George Landau, served as ambassador to the South American country during the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner (1954-1989).
The delegation finished the competition with 75 medals, including 24 gold.
On Saturday, Italy achieved its second consecutive title at the World Skate Games in Paraguay, beating Colombia in a close race for first place in the overall medal count.
The Italian delegation finished the competition with 75 medals, including 24 gold, while Colombia finished second with 49 medals and 23 gold. Spain took third place with 47 medals, 17 of which were gold.
The Italian wins were based primarily in the artistic and technical disciplines, where they achieved a significant advantage over their rivals. In artistic skating, Italy won twelve medals compared to Colombia’s three.
Meanwhile, Colombia showed its dominance in speed skating, amassing 35 medals in this discipline, including 17 gold. Therefore, they solidified a hegemony that has allowed them to win 23 world titles.
🌎 World Skate Games ASU🇵🇾2026 🛼
🛹 ¡A puro #Skateboarding en el Parque Olímpico Paraguayo! ✨
The text reads, “World Skate Games Asuncion 2026. Pure Skateboarding in the Paraguayan Olympic Park!”
Among the tournament’s outstanding performances was that of 15-year-old Spaniard Egoitz Bijueska, who was crowned champion in the park skateboarding event, ahead of renowned international figures.
Sebastian “Chevi” Guzman, a Venezuelan-born, naturalized Spanish sprinter, won five medals and broke his own world record in the 100-meter sprint with a time of 9.467 seconds.
According to the organizers, the Games brought together 5,600 competitors from 91 countries between October 2nd and 18th. The participants competed in 11 sports and 40 disciplines, making the event one of the biggest international skating events.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's World Food Forum is being held in Rome, Italy, offering nations an opportunity to showcase their capabilities and limitations in ensuring food security. pic.twitter.com/APin31lft6
Houthi Gen. Saree denounces 110 airstrikes in 24 hours as rescue teams search rubble.
On Sunday, the Yemeni government led by the Ansar Allah party (Houthi) denounced that Saudi Arabia’s airstrikes turn a family lunch into a massacre in Saada, leaving 10 killed and 23 wounded, most of them women and children.
“Thirty-three people, most of them women and children, had gathered for a family occasion. As they were preparing to eat, Saudi warplanes launched airstrikes at midday, reducing their home to rubble and turning the joy of their reunion into a bloody tragedy. Amid the ruins, cries for help mingled with the groans of the wounded and the shock of local residents,” Ansar Allah media official Nasr al-Din Amer said.
“Ambulances from the Republican Hospital and vehicles mobilized by residents rushed to the scene, while rescue workers and locals struggled to find survivors and pull victims from beneath the debris. The complete destruction of the house made the rescue operation extremely difficult, delaying efforts to reach those trapped underneath.”
“Children’s small bodies bore the devastating impact of shrapnel and injuries, as the entire family was left confronting an act of horrifying brutality. There was nothing in the Al-Qahm family home but relatives gathering to share a meal, before Saudi airstrikes tore them apart, leaving some dead and others wounded,” al-Din Amer stressed.
“Another crime committed by Saudi forces using American bombs. The world merely watches the suffering of Yemenis, yet raises its voice in outrage when they seek to avenge their loved ones and retaliate against those responsible for twelve years of such crimes,” he added.
Saudi-backed Yemeni government fears potential Ansarallah takeover of third-largest city —— Fighting across Yemen has escalated sharply as the Saudi-backed government scrambles to defend key positions against a sweeping offensive, according to Al Jazeera.
A bomb also destroyed a drinking water depot in the Al Dhalea district. Heavy artillery stationed at the border attacked various sectors of the town of Shada, while health authorities deployed emergency assistance teams to care for the affected population.
General Yahya Saree, spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, confirmed that enemy forces carried out 110 airstrikes and missile launches in the last 24 hours. He detailed that fighter jets took off from Saudi military bases to bomb civilian targets in Sana, Taiz, Hodeidah, Amran, Hajjah, Al Jawf, and Marib.
The military spokesperson stressed that the cumulative total of strikes carried out since the start of the current escalation amounts to 2,652 bombings on the territory.
These actions are part of an offensive deployment that hits basic infrastructure, family homes and essential service facilities in various provinces of the country.
Faced with the persistence of the aggressions, the Yemeni armed forces ratified that they will continue carrying out military response operations against strategic positions of the neighboring country.
In this regard, the command issued a formal warning addressed to aircrews and international companies about the dangers of transiting Saudi airspace.
The Houthi authorities called on the international community to condemn the systematic destruction of civilian goods indispensable for urban survival. Currently, the situation in the affected governorates remains under high tension while rescue teams remove rubble in search of survivors.
Among its key milestones is the experimental confirmation of the pion, a subatomic particle.
Bolivia is promoting the candidacy of the Chacaltaya Cosmic Physics Laboratory for UNESCO World Heritage status. The scientific center is considered the highest in the world, located at 5,220 meters above sea level.
The laboratory belongs to the San Andres High University and is situated on Chacaltaya mountain in the Andes Mountains, about 30 kilometers from the city of La Paz.
According to researchers at the institution, the main reason for the nomination lies in the historical significance of the scientific discoveries made at this site over several decades.
Among its key milestones is the experimental confirmation of the pion, a subatomic particle whose existence was predicted in 1935 by Japanese physicist Hideki Yukawa and confirmed at Chacaltaya in 1947.
🏔️¡Una nueva cima para las Cholitas Escaladoras de Bolivia 🇧🇴!
Con apoyo de OIT, la Asociación Cholitas Escaladoras Khunu obtuvo personalidad jurídica.
Un paso clave para fortalecer su organización, avanzar en su formalización y ampliar sus oportunidades de trabajo decente. pic.twitter.com/K9UUIpRWxv
The text reads, “A new milestone for the Cholita Climbers of Bolivia! With support from the ILO, the Khunu Cholita Climbers Association has obtained legal status.
This is a key step in strengthening their organization, advancing their formalization process, and expanding their opportunities for decent work.”
The work carried out at the laboratory was linked to internationally renowned scientists such as Hideki Yukawa, Cecil Frank Powell, and Cesar Lattes, whose contributions were recognized as significant advances in modern physics.
In addition to particle physics research, the center expanded its activities into areas such as astrophysics, astronomy, and atmospheric physics, establishing itself as an international scientific leader.
The mountain also houses a station of the World Meteorological Organization’s Global Atmosphere Watch network, dedicated to monitoring greenhouse gases, aerosols, and radiation.
The University is managing the nomination to UNESCO with the support of countries such as Brazil and Japan. The process requires prior recognition by Bolivian regional and national authorities.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | In Bolivia, the indigenous march arrived in La Paz, where they are demanding that the government repeal a new land law passed on April 8. pic.twitter.com/J9JryjZKvv
She rejects Western accusations of Russian involvement in unrest in France.
On Sunday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova strongly criticized French President Emmanuel Macron, describing his condemnation of the massive student protests as an example of hypocrisy and double standards.
“So, when the French smash Paris, it demands uncompromising condemnation and harsh measures, but when protesters smash cities in other countries, we should watch in silence,” she wrote on her Telegram channel.
“What is needed is uniform standards, not endless Western manipulation of human rights issues and interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states,” Zakharova stressed.
Referring to the student protests that intensified over the past week, the Russian diplomat also accused Macron of stealing money from the French people to finance the Ukrainian regime led by Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Guns and shells instead of school supplies and textbooks — these are the priorities of France’s political leadership today. While billions of euros are being channeled to support the neo-Nazi regime in Kiev,” she said.
On Sunday, Zakharova also categorically denied accusations by Western leaders that her country was involved in the social unrest in France. “The EU’s accusations show how disrespectful the bloc is toward its own citizens,” she pointed out, and posted a video in which she answers the question of who actually attacked Europe.
“The beginning of the recording includes statements by European political leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. They talk about a threat that allegedly originates from Russia,” Akmu reported.
“Following are footage of riots and pogroms in France, Italy, and Albania, accompanied by the question: ‘Were they Russians?’ The video ends with a categorical answer: ‘No, the Europeans attacked the ‘blooming garden’,” the European outlet added.
New probe examines financial transactions, ties to lawyer Tomaz and payments for the senator’s trips to Europe.
On Sunday, newspapers Estadao and Folha revealed for the first time that the Brazilian Federal Police had sent a new investigation to the Supreme Federal Court (STF) to examine suspicions of money laundering involving presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro and lawyer Willer Tomaz.
The investigation seeks to clarify the relationship between them and possible irregularities in financial transactions detected during another probe related to the movement of capital through betting activities.
The journalistic revelation came hours before a televised presidential debate in which Workers’ Party leader Lula da Silva challenged the far-right senator to authorize Brazilian authorities to examine his bank accounts and phone so the Brazilian people could learn the origins of his personal wealth and his family’s fortune. Flavio Bolsonaro refused to do so.
On Oct. 8, the case file for the new investigation arrived at the Supreme Court and was assigned by lottery to Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Previously, he oversaw the case that ended with a 27-year prison sentence for coup plotting against former President Jair Bolsonaro, Flavio’s father.
Brazil’s election offers a simple choice: Governance from Brasilia or from Washington.https://t.co/TORegJQvQK
De Moraes was also the justice responsible for the proceedings in which Eduardo Bolsonaro, the far-right presidential candidate’s brother, was sentenced to four years in prison for attempting to coerce judges and orchestrate U.S. sanctions against Brazil to obstruct the case against his father.
According to investigators, an analysis of data extracted from digital files linked to lawyer Willer Tomaz revealed records indicating a close relationship between him and Flavio. Items found in the material examined by the Federal Police included references to meetings, parties and gatherings, as well as the lawmaker’s personal documents.
The investigation also indicates that a bank account linked to Willer Tomaz recorded transactions totaling about 130 million reais between March and May 2025. Investigators seek to establish the origin and destination of these funds, as well as verify possible connections to companies and financial operations related to the betting sector.
The case also includes information about payments for Flavio’s trips to Europe and an account linked to Alcazar Holding, in which the senator was identified as the “master user.” Both Flavio and Willer deny any wrongdoing and say their relationship is one of “friendship.”
Acting President Rodriguez praised voter participation in the Second 2026 National Consultation.
Venezuelan Minister of Communes, Social Movements and Urban Agriculture, Angel Prado, announced that direct financing for projects selected in the Second 2026 National Consultation will begin next week.
In a review of the electoral process held on Sunday, he explained that financial resources will be allocated promptly to begin work in communities before the end of the year, coordinating budget execution with the December holiday season.
Prado also said the election called by Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez was characterized by massive public mobilization, reaffirming the model of participatory democracy and territorial self-management in the face of external aggression.
On Sunday, to guarantee the exercise of voting rights throughout the country, the Venezuelan state deployed 11,495 polling centers and 12,769 polling stations organized around 5,418 communal circuits and more than 48,000 communal councils.
Youth organizations played an active role in the election. Albany Montilla, vice minister for youth, highlighted the inclusion of younger generations in collective decision-making and the resolution of social needs in their immediate communities.
Youth Minister Sergio Lotartaro announced that authorities are preparing the next National Youth Consultation. The event will put to a vote projects designed exclusively by grassroots youth organizations throughout the country.
Acting President Rodriguez Praises Participation
Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez congratulated citizens who participated Sunday in the Second 2026 National Popular Consultation and emphasized that investment funds for the selected projects are ready for implementation.
The acting president described participation as extraordinary and expressed satisfaction with the process’s results. “I could only say that I feel very happy. I thank you and congratulate you,” she said.
Rodriguez said the consultation reflects a democracy that is growing stronger and respects the decisions of communities organized into neighborhood circuits. “I want to congratulate all Venezuelan citizens who have participated in this consultation because it represents a genuine belief in a democracy that is growing stronger,” the president said during a telephone interview.
Rodriguez said the next step is to fulfill the commitments and implement the approved projects, for which investment funds are already available. “I am making the most important announcement: The investment funds for these projects are already ready to be allocated for their implementation,” she emphasized.
Venezuela’s acting president called for continuing along the path of respect for democratic and peaceful coexistence, in which popular organizations guide decisions within their communities and condominium boards.
A special sesion will include a performance of Don Quixote, one of the company’s emblematic works.
On Sunday, the National Ballet of Cuba announced a special season to celebrate its 78th anniversary, the 81st anniversary of the United Nations (UN), and the 50th anniversary of the island’s Ministry of Culture.
The first gala will take place on October 20 at the National Theater of Havana to honor the Ministry of Culture, coinciding with the celebrations of National Culture Day.
The program will include a performance of Don Quixote, one of the company’s emblematic works. Contemporary Dance of Cuba and the National Folkloric Ensemble will also participate, presenting renowned pieces from their repertoires.
The performances on October 24 and 25 will be dedicated to the UN anniversary. For this occasion, the National Ballet of Cuba will present Giselle in the stage version by the legendary ballerina Alicia Alonso.
🇨🇺 Through blackouts and shortages largely spurred on by the U.S. oil blockade, Cubans are still working hard to preserve the arts.
Cubans in ballet and acting display extreme dedication as they "live day to day" through hardships to persevere against U.S. sanctions. pic.twitter.com/jBvKYUMIWH
The season will close on October 28th, commemorating the anniversary of the first performance given in 1948 by the then-Alicia Alonso Ballet, the precursor to the current national company.
During this final performance, “The Magic of Dance,” an anthology featuring highlights of 19th-century ballet in versions conceived by Alicia Alonso, will be presented, along with the epilogue to Gottschalk’s Symphony.
The institution explained that these performances aim to compensate for the cancellation of the Alicia Alonso International Ballet Festival of Havana, which cannot be held this year due to the country’s economic difficulties.
#Cuba | Cuba is reforming its state-owned enterprises to expand financial autonomy, boost domestic production, and strengthen cooperation with the private sector amid US sanctions. The government says public ownership will remain central to its economic model.#EconomicReforms… pic.twitter.com/GJMG0FJz6d
The celebration also included a horror-themed fashion show and contests focused on costumes, acting, and performance.
On Sunday, hundreds of people participated in the 19th annual Zombie Walk in Mexico City, an event that combined horror costumes with a food drive for families in need.
Attendees, dressed as zombies, witches, ghosts, and other characters, marched from the Revolution Monument to the Zocalo, one of the country’s most iconic public squares.
Organizers emphasized that the event aimed to demonstrate that “zombies are also compassionate.” While donations were voluntary, participants were encouraged to contribute non-perishable food items.
The call for donations included food such as rice, beans, and canned goods, which were given to the organization Food for All, dedicated to distributing aid to vulnerable individuals and families.
Revelers dressed as zombies filled the streets of Mexico City for the annual Zombie Walk, with many wearing elaborate costumes inspired by pop culture characters, including Michael Jackson's iconic 'Thriller' zombies pic.twitter.com/6GIWtafqvs
The 19th anniversary celebration also included a horror-themed fashion show and contests focused on costumes, acting, and performance.
Among the groups present were Resident Evil fans, circus performers, K-pop group BTS enthusiasts, and performances inspired by Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec deity associated with death.
In addition to zombie weddings and themed makeup services, the event promoted respect among attendees and community support, transforming a Halloween party into an act of solidarity.
They denounce police brutality, budget cuts and the deterioration of public services as workers join the demonstration in Paris.
On Monday, students from the Ecole du Louvre blocked access to the museum in support of the secondary school student movement and to denounce police brutality during protests. They blocked the main entrance through the Pyramid and the entrances along the Richelieu Passage.
“We are proud to announce that we have blocked the largest museum in the world,” the students said in a leaflet distributed to inform Louvre visitors.
In their statement, the Louvre students accused the government of President Emmanuel Macron of responding to social discontent with police repression. They also denounced budget cuts, job losses and the deterioration of public services.
The protesters justified the museum blockade as a last resort after several weeks of mobilization and expressed their support for the student movement that began in the French overseas territories and spread to Paris.
🚨 PARIS | La police RÉPRIME violemment le blocus de Sciences Po ce matin
La police a arrêté un étudiant et déboîté l’épaule d’une étudiante en la traînant par terre. Une partie des étudiant•es est allée soutenir les blocus des Saints-Pères (UPC) et du Louvre. pic.twitter.com/SHk5mbAgwB
The text reads, “Paris. Police violently suppressed the blockade at Sciences Po this morning. Officers arrested one student and dislocated another student’s shoulder while dragging her along the ground. Some of the students have gone to support the blockades at Saints-Pères (UPC) and the Louvre.”
“We are here to talk about the lack of funding for culture and education, and we are at the Louvre to be heard because it is a symbolic place,” said Ange, a member of Inverti.e.s, one of the youth organizations that took part in the blockade.
Dozens of tourists gathered in the Pyramid Square, waiting to enter the building. Louvre employees approached them to explain that the museum would remain closed at least for the morning and that the cost of their tickets would be refunded.
On Monday, student protests at the Louvre were accompanied by groups of workers, including members of the Culture division of the General Confederation of Labour (CGT).
Patricia Villegas highlights digital infrastructure, media sovereignty and cooperation with China.
On Sunday, teleSUR President Patricia Villegas participated in the closing session of the Global South Academic Forum, held in Shanghai, where she defended South-South cooperation to strengthen communications sovereignty.
During her presentation, the Colombian journalist argued that power in the international arena is also exercised through digital infrastructure, undersea cables and algorithms that determine the global circulation of news.
Villegas warned that the digital environment is not neutral but instead reflects power relations that prioritize content with immediate impact at the expense of the peoples’ memory and identity.
She also urged Latin America and the Caribbean to engage more decisively in Global South initiatives to narrow the gap between existing knowledge and strategic decision-making.
teleSUR President highlighted the partnership with China as a key channel for diversifying the capacity of developing nations to produce their own content.
Villegas pointed to concrete advances, including the teleSUR+ platform, created in July 2026 to distribute material produced by creators from the Global South, and the joint bureau operated in Beijing with Prensa Latina and Brasil de Fato.
On the sidelines of the 2026 Global South Academic Forum in Shanghai, I held discussions with the forum’s organising committee, led by Prof. Lu Xinyu, Chair of the Global South Academic Forum, about China’s experience in rural revitalisation, poverty reduction, and community… pic.twitter.com/xnoslb0ouk
— Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang (@NJOAgyemang) October 19, 2026
U.S. Blockade Affects Cuban News Agency
During the same panel on communication and governance, Prensa Latina Vice President Alejandro Gomez denounced the severe obstacles facing the Cuban news agency as a result of the U.S. blockade.
Gomez explained that unilateral restrictions limit the acquisition of fuel for electricity generation and the purchase of basic medical supplies for Cuba’s children.
He said the financial blockade directly affects the work of the agency’s foreign bureaus through the arbitrary closure of bank accounts and restrictions on transfers. These coercive measures hinder the objective reporting of the Cuban reality and the provision of communications services across several continents.
The international forum brought together more than 200 delegates in the Chinese metropolis to discuss modernization, governance, and social mobilization from the perspective of developing countries.
Speakers agreed that content exchange, journalism training and the fight against disinformation are essential to democratizing the global media landscape.
Greece remains a major entry point for migrants and refugees attempting to reach the European Union by sea.
On Monday, Greek authorities confirmed that six people died and 14 others were rescued after a speedboat carrying migrants capsized off the island of Samos, hours after a separate collision between a migrant speedboat and a Greek coast guard patrol vessel off Lesvos left six people dead.
The boat capsized during manoeuvres about 3.7 nautical miles north of Samos. A search-and-rescue operation was underway, involving a navy vessel, a coast guard rescue boat and an air force helicopter.
In a separate incident off Lesvos, another eastern Aegean island, four men, a woman and an infant died when a speedboat carrying migrants collided with a Greek coast guard patrol vessel in the early hours of Monday.
Authorities said the migrant boat had made dangerous manoeuvres to evade a coast guard inspection before the collision.
Tra il 2014 e il 2025 almeno 4.414 bambini sono morti lungo le rotte dei migranti: più di uno al giorno, per dodici anni.
Il conto è dell’Organizzazione internazionale per le migrazioni (Oim), l’agenzia dell’Onu che dal 2014 registra i migranti morti e dispersi nel mondo.
The text reads, “Between 2014 and 2025, at least 4,414 children died along migration routes—an average of more than one per day over the course of twelve years. This figure comes from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency that has been tracking migrant deaths and disappearances worldwide since 2014.
In a report published on October 13, produced in collaboration with a network of organizations led by UNICEF, the IOM warns that the actual number is likely much higher. Over these twelve years, nearly 81,000 migrant deaths or disappearances have been recorded; in more than half of these cases, the individuals’ ages are unknown. Among the children whose ages are known, more than a hundred were under five years old.
More than half of these minors died in the Mediterranean, the deadliest route. In 2024, minors accounted for 19% of the people who arrived in Italy and Malta, yet they represented only 2% of the deaths recorded along that same route. This discrepancy exists because many children who die are never accounted for.
Some disappear without their deaths being registered, while others appear in the data without a specific age—particularly adolescents, who are often classified as adults. The most precise age-related data comes from forensic experts and the police, though they document only a small fraction of cases; the rest of the information is gathered through humanitarian organizations, media outlets, survivors, and witnesses.
IOM Director Amy Pope links these deaths to the lack of safe and legal migration pathways. The organization urges states to systematically record the age of deceased individuals and to share this information among police forces, forensic experts, and humanitarian organizations.
‘Every child who dies during a migratory journey deserves to be accounted for. Yet far too many do not appear in the data. We cannot protect children from dangers that we do not see,’ says Stuart Campo, strategy lead for the IOM’s Data Department.”
Eight survivors — four men, two women and two children — were rescued and taken to hospital for treatment. The boat’s 37-year-old Turkish operator was arrested on suspicion of people smuggling.
Greek Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Vassilis Kikilias expressed grief and anger over the deaths off Lesvos. He reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance policy towards people smugglers, describing them as criminals who endanger the lives of desperate people for profit.
Greece, located at the southeastern edge of Europe, remains a major entry point for migrants and refugees attempting to reach the European Union by sea.
The Workers’ Party leader challenged the far-right candidate to disclose the origin of his wealth.
On Sunday, Brazilian President and re-election candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and far-right opposition candidate Flavio Bolsonaro faced off for the first time in a presidential debate.
Just one week before the Oct. 25 runoff election, and after skipping the first-round debates, they engaged in a tense confrontation marked by insults, corruption accusations and constant interruptions.
The friction forced the moderator to intervene repeatedly. In one of the initial exchanges, after Lula complained that Flavio was mocking him, the journalist demanded that the far-right politician show “respect” for speaking out of turn.
“The clown here is him, not me,” the Brazilian president said, accusing Flavio and Bolsonarism of lacking “ethical behavior.” Addressing public spending, Lula called his opponent a “crook” and a liar.
“Do you see that innocent-looking face of his? It belongs to a compulsive liar. He is the Rio de Janeiro crook who lies shamelessly,” the Workers’ Party leader said.
Streets of Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, are filled with people mobilizing in support of President Lula da Silva and against the return of the far-right. Citizens share their concerns about public health (SUS) and fundamental rights.
The most tense moment occurred when Lula was invited by Bolsonaro to stand beside him and calm down. The Brazilian president returned to his podium, drank some water, and responded:
“I don’t want to be near you. I want to keep my distance from the Bolsonaro family,” Lula said, later recalling the criminal clan’s low character.
The Brazilian president accused Eduardo Bolsonaro — Flavio’s brother, who is living in the United States — of fleeing and calling for the intervention of U.S. President Donald Trump.
“They are betraying the homeland and will be judged for it… Your brother is a fugitive in the U.S., conspiring against Brazil,” Lula declared, implicitly referring to calls by the Bolsonaro clan for U.S. economic, political, and even military intervention in Brazil.
In an attempt to discredit the Workers’ Party leader, Flavio demanded that Lula explain his alleged strong electoral performance among prison inmates. “Can you explain why 73% of prisoners voted for you?” the far-right candidate asked.
Flávio Bolsonaro quer seguir o modelo da Argentina, país vizinho da carne de burro, do desemprego em alta. Lula questionou o adversário sobre isso, mas, de novo, não teve resposta. Se ele não responde, Lula faz isso: o modelo do Brasil será o modelo de Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.… pic.twitter.com/27ne3ncadO
The text reads, “Flavio Bolsonaro wants to follow the model of Argentina—a neighboring country plagued by economic hardship and rising unemployment. Lula questioned his opponent about this, but, once again, received no answer. Since he offers no response, Lula provides one: Brazil’s model will be the model of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. According to the IMF, Brazil is set to climb back up and become the world’s 8th-largest economy by 2027. The last time Brazil held the 8th position was in 2017.”
Lula responded to the provocation mockingly, saying he would like to receive the votes of the entire prison population, including the vote of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving house arrest for an attempted coup.
“I want 100% of them to vote, including your father. Your father can vote for me. He will have voted for the better candidate. He knows you and knows I am better than you,” Lula asserted and issued a challenge to Flavio Bolsonaro.
“I challenge you. Tomorrow, we will open our bank accounts and phone records to the Electoral Court and the Supreme Court so that the Brazilian people can know who the real thieves in this country are.”
In the final stretch of the debate, foreign policy took center stage. Lula questioned Flavio’s close ties with Argentine President Javier Milei, asking whether he planned to apply Milei’s economic “chainsaw” model in Brazil.
The far-right candidate dodged the question and counterattacked by criticizing the left’s regional alliances.“Brazil is internationally ruined by your policies, Lula. Look at your friends,” he declared.
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