The curfew has been extended in certain areas of Paris, every night from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. until Monday morning. The measure has been in force since the violence and looting of the weekend, according to an order from the Paris police prefecture published Thursday. A Paris protest Thursday organised by students -- who had held four weeks of protests before the October 17 rallies -- went ahead with hundreds attending after a police ban was overturned by an emergency court injunction. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks with Alice Cohen-Morzadec, International Spokesperson of "L'Union étudiante."

US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday defended an explosive attack ad by Republican Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign against his Democratic rival in the Ohio governor’s race, telling fellow Republicans to "stop whining" about it and go win the race. The ad features ​Democrat Amy Acton’s ‌estranged mother, Donna Arthur, disputing Acton’s account of a childhood she says involved a period of homelessness and sexual abuse. ⁠Arthur, whom Acton says she has not seen since 1978, urges Ohioans not to vote for her daughter. Acton has said she was sexually abused by her stepfather when she was 12. Her mother stayed with the ‌stepfather, who was charged with rape but fled the state and was never tried. He died in 2004. Acton said she ⁠and her brother were removed from her mother's custody for severe abuse, neglect and sexual abuse. Acton's brother has supported her account. FRANCE 24's Catherine Viette reports.

Facing US sanctions, the International Criminal Court was on Thursday awarded the European Union's top rights prize, in a show of support that risks upsetting President Donald Trump. "The European Union is built on respect for multilateralism and international institutions, and this prize recognises the important work of the court in upholding international law and justice," said European Parliament chief Roberta Metsola in announcing the award. The ICC thanked the European Parliament for giving it the Sakharov Prize "at a time when the Court and its officials face unprecedented challenges". FRANCE 24's International Affairs Commentator Douglas Herbert has more.

Jean-Emile Jammine is pleased to welcome Federico Donelli, Associate Professor of International Relations in the Department of Political and Social Sciences at the University of Trieste in Italy. Can another three days of military strikes achieve what eight months of confrontation have failed to deliver? Donelli challenges the assumption that a short, intensive offensive would necessarily produce a decisive political outcome. He argues, "the real question is whether military pressure is intended to constrain Iran's capacity, or to pressure Iran to sit on the table." And whether they can translate that capacity into a sustainable political outcome without provoking a wider regional crisis. Regardless, Donelli reminds us that "Iran still has leverage over the US."

In Paris, shopkeepers fear further losses ahead of a demonstration planned for next Saturday. After last weekend’s protests saw scenes of vandalism, some are considering closing their shops, while others plan to stay open.

Ukraine and Russia exchanged drone and missile strikes on Thursday, killing seven people in Ukraine, according to authorities. Moscow said it had intercepted 630 Ukrainian drones targeting the Russian capital. The strikes came hours after US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. Witkoff said Moscow was ready to resume trilateral talks with Kyiv and Washington.

The French "interfac" student movement organised new protests on Thursday, even though it is currently the school holidays in France. Student representatives are set to meet soon with Education Minister Edouard Geffray. Details by FRANCE 24's Ellen Gainsford.

Reports claim that the US and Israel have ramped up military drills and planned new strikes in Iran, potentially targeting energy sites, drone facilities and missile arsenals. Details by FRANCE 24's correspondent in Jerusalem, Noga Tarnopolsky.

Italian truck drivers have been blocking refineries and key roads to protest against soaring diesel prices. Italy’s government has warned truckers blocking roads could face criminal penalties, as authorities move to clear demonstrations. Details by FRANCE 24's correspondent in Rome, Seema Gupta.

It has been ten years since a Cameroon National Railway Intercity train travelling between Yaounde and Douala derailed and became the country's worst ever railway disaster. Seventy-nine people were killed and hundreds were injured.

French PM Sebastien Lecornu holds a meeting with the leaders of political parties after unrest this weekend across the country. The aim is to prevent potential violence during the next protests, including on Saturday as the "Yellow vests" movement called for a new mobilisation. Details by FRANCE 24's Luke Shrago.

A US envoy met Putin in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday after the Kremlin agreed to resume peace talks with Ukraine and the United States. Details by FRANCE 24's correspondent Gulliver Cragg.

Delano D'Souza is pleased to welcome Dr. Laura Keesman, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Dr. Keesman examines the complex relationship between peaceful protest, radical activism, social inequality and state authority. She challenges the tendency to interpret disruptive demonstrations exclusively through the lens of extremism. Even when protesters engage in confrontational or unlawful actions, she argues, their motivations may remain rooted in genuine political and socioeconomic grievances. 

French President ​Emmanuel Macron spoke to the press on Thursday after a meeting with security chiefs. He said that "illegitimate" protests would be banned in ​coming ‌days, ⁠while those from ‌organised groups such as unions ⁠would be offered alternative paths ​for the marches ‌to protect businesses.

Oliver Farry is pleased to welcome Steven Erlanger, Chief Diplomatic Correspondent in Europe for The New York Times, based in Berlin. Europe's political centre is confronting a crisis that extends far beyond electoral volatility. From France and Germany to Italy and Spain, mounting economic frustration, generational inequality and declining confidence in established political leadership are reshaping the continent's democratic landscape. "The promises of more economic growth haven't come true," explains Erlanger, describing a continent marked by "a kind of general disgust" and "a sense of drift."