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Zelensky meets Witkoff as US-Ukraine relations sink to new lows

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was meeting US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday in a ​bid to rescue relations that have sunk to new lows as President Donald Trump has courted Moscow and Kyiv has complained about Washington withholding vital defences. FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg reports from Kharkiv.

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New Paris curfew ordered in parts of city from 2100 GMT Tuesday

Paris police ordered a new curfew for parts of the city for Tuesday overnight, after one the previous night that authorities said resulted in calm being restored following weekend riots and looting. The fresh curfew runs from 2100 GMT Tuesday to 0400 GMT Wednesday and applies to the Republique public square in the city's central east, where many weekend clashes took place, and in the central les Halles district which is full of shops. FRANCE 24's Luke Shrago reports from central Paris.

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France: Local curfews imposed after protests

French cities that imposed a curfew Monday saw a generally calm night, after October 17 protests devolved into violent riots this past weekend. Despite criticism from citizens, France's government said it is maintaining the measure where necessary on Tuesday night.

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France's decades-long ties with Gulf states built on 'economic development, oil, defence agreements'

Genie Godula is pleased to welcome François Gouyette, former French ambassador to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Against a backdrop of violent unrest at home and escalating conflict in the Middle East, French President Emmanuel Macron's Gulf diplomacy underscores the increasingly blurred boundaries between domestic economic security and international strategic commitments. Ambassador Gouyette argues that the visit serves a dual purpose: alleviating France's energy pressures while reaffirming its longstanding defense partnerships with Gulf monarchies. Insisting that "France has to play its role as a key partner," Gouyette portrays French military assistance as an expression of strategic solidarity rather than direct participation in the war with Iran. 

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US midterm elections: Trump approval rating falls to new low

With US President Donald Trump’s approval rating falling to a record low of 31%, Republicans are facing mounting concerns ahead of November’s midterm elections. Republicans are at risk of losing control of the House of Representatives, but how big could the Democrats’ gains be? FRANCE 24’s International Affairs Editor Kethevane Gorjestani explains.

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French PM vows 'massive' police deployment for new demonstrations Saturday

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Tuesday authorities would mobilise a "massive" security presence next weekend, with organisers announcing plans for new protests after riots erupted on the sidelines of nationwide demonstrations. "The deployment for next Saturday will be massive," Lecornu said in parliament, acknowledging that the security operation for the protests last weekend had been "too static and not mobile enough." FRANCE 24's Luke Shrago reports from Place de la République in central Paris.

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Alberta rejects move toward independence from Canada

Canada's province of Alberta rejected a plan to hold a binding independence referendum, results showed Tuesday, a win for unity as the country faces worsening ties with the United States. With more than 1.5 million votes counted, 76% supported remaining in Canada, while close to 24% backed beginning a process toward separation, according to unofficial results from Elections Alberta.

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Macron secures 200,000 tonnes of extra diesel per month from UAE, Bahrain

French President Emmanuel Macron has secured the delivery of an additional 200,000 tonnes of diesel per month from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the French presidency said on Tuesday. Macron is undertaking a tour of key energy suppliers in the Gulf in an effort to secure oil and diesel and bring down prices in France, after a weekend of violent protests over soaring living costs. FRANCE 24'S Tarek Kaï reports from Doha, Qatar.

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France's sociopolitical & economic crises: 'Large portion of population sympathizes' with protestors

Genie Godula is pleased to welcome Damien Lecomte, Political Scientist and Researcher at Paris Panthéon Sorbonne University. France’s escalating unrest has exposed a profound contradiction in the state’s response: disproportionate force against peaceful demonstrators and an inability to contain widespread violence. As competing narratives threaten to overshadow legitimate grievances over education, public services and the cost of living, he warns that the "repressive response won't make the social crisis disappear.” With presidential elections approaching, the struggle to restore order is becoming inseparable from a deeper contest over political legitimacy, public liberties and the future direction of French society.

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Midterms 2026: The farmers calling for more migrant workers

As the US midterms approach, immigration is once again dominating the country’s political discourse and Arizona’s largely agricultural Yuma County, just miles from the Mexican border, is no exception. But here, farmers like John Boelts are calling for more legal migrants, warning that without the labour they provide essential crops may go to waste or never be planted at all. France 24’s Sam Ball and Barbara Gabel sent this report.

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'Very poor communicators: Macron & his govt fail to address 'genuine concerns of the French people'

Annette Young is pleased to welcome Dr Joseph Downing, Senior Lecturer International Relations and Politics at Aston University. French unrest raises questions about political accountability, police exhaustion and the increasingly confrontational relationship between citizens and the state. Downing argues that  France must reassess how the state exercises authority and responds to both violent unrest and legitimate social movements. And he draws attention to France's centralised policing culture, its revolutionary traditions and the wider threat of Russian information warfare.

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Horror and disbelief after lawmaker attacked in rural Australia

A rural Australian town felt a mix of horror and disbelief on Tuesday after a highly respected lawmaker was gravely injured in what looked to be a targeted attack. Former nurse and midwife Helen Haines entered parliament in 2019, earning respect across the political divide for her efforts to stamp out corruption and bolster transparency. The 65-year-old was struck by a two-tonne SUV in Wangaratta on Monday afternoon.

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