A gunman firing from a car killed one person and wounded five others, including a 12-year-old girl, at three locations in Trappes and La Verrière west of Paris on Friday. A suspect was arrested and antiterrorism prosecutors opened an investigation; Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called it a racist, probably Islamophobic attack. President Emmanuel Macron visited Trappes and called it a racist terrorist attack.
France will deploy about 70,000 police and gendarmes on Saturday, close the Louvre and other Paris museums, allow only union marches and ban protests in Marseille and Lyon, the government said. President Macron met student representatives for the first time since the protests began and postponed a trip to Nigeria and Senegal, while student groups called for protests to continue. The US State Department said Trump was 'spot on' about France after Macron criticized foreign leaders' comments.
French government borrowing costs have surged as debt and political risks build, prompting analysts to examine whether the stress could spread across the euro zone. France is awaiting a Moody's rating decision, with a downgrade widely expected, France 24 reported.
Claude Monet's painting Iris sold for 50 million euros including buyer fees at auction in Paris on Thursday, the most expensive artwork ever sold at auction in France.
South Korean researchers proposed that the night sky in Van Gogh's Starry Night matches the sky of 1889, based on details such as a thin crescent moon.
French authorities banned all protests in Lyon and Marseille on Saturday, and President Macron said only demonstrations organized by unions would be permitted, with 'illegitimate' protests banned in the coming days. Officials said police presence would be 20% higher than last weekend and top museums would close Saturday, after riots in which a town hall was set on fire and more than 2,000 shops were looted. Macron blamed 'ultra-left groups', and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu met party leaders.
France's 10-year government bond yield rose to a new 24-year high on Thursday, CNBC reported, as unrest continued across the country. Analysts quoted by CNBC said bond markets are showing unease over sovereign debt in parts of Europe and over financing costs for artificial intelligence.
The European Parliament awarded its Sakharov Prize for human rights to the International Criminal Court, citing its work upholding international law and justice. The Hague-based court has faced sanctions from the US administration.
French health and agriculture ministries reported the first known human infection with Shamonda virus, a midge-borne virus usually found in cattle, in a patient who died in early October. Authorities said the patient had a severely compromised immune system, that investigators are examining whether the virus contributed to the death, and that there is no risk to the general public.
At least four people died after a storm brought flooding to southern France, including two women found drowned in a cellar in the Bouches-du-Rhône department.
France imposed nightly curfews in central Paris and Lyon after its most destructive rioting in years, and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the deployment for protests on October 24 would be massive and backed by the military, acknowledging last weekend's operation was too static. Trials of people arrested began in Paris, and police arrested a suspect over the arson of Limoges town hall, with anti-terror police investigating.
The head of the IEA said oil markets are unlikely to return to normal next year, with prices above $100 a barrel compared with under $70 before the war and diesel at record highs. Goldman Sachs said tanker freight rates have risen to $20 a barrel from $3, and Morgan Stanley expects fuel markets to stay tight through mid-2027. Middle East Eye reported Gulf oil exports exceed pre-war levels via ship-to-ship transfers and Red Sea routes.
President Emmanuel Macron condemned comments by foreign leaders, including Trump, that blamed migrants and Muslims for France's riots, calling the claims stupid. He said there had been foreign manipulation of information after the unrest.
France's 10-year government bond yield reached 5% for the first time since 2002 as the government faces pressure to cut spending while protesters demand more. Carrefour shares fell 14% after it cut its 2026 forecasts, citing social unrest weighing on consumer spending.
Paris ordered a new overnight curfew around Place de la République and Les Halles after a calm night under the first one, and other cities kept local curfews. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the deployment for protests planned on Saturday would be "massive," admitted last weekend's operation was "too static," and blamed ultra-left groups for the riots; Sentinelle troops will also be used. More than 2,000 people have been taken into custody since October 17, hundreds face immediate trials, and a suspect was arrested over the fire at Limoges town hall.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu ordered localised curfews in parts of Paris, Nice, Lyon and other cities after weekend cost-of-living and school protests turned into rioting, looting and about 2,400 arrests. The interior minister conceded police had lost control, and Macron refused his resignation. Lecornu blamed the 'ultra-left' and said he would declare a state of emergency if needed.
Paris-listed stocks, French government bonds and the euro all fell as investors reacted to the riots. Analysts linked the unrest to existing worries about France's public finances and an upcoming budget vote.
Nationwide protests over school conditions and the cost of living drew hundreds of thousands on Saturday, with looting, arson and town hall break-ins in Paris, Marseille, Lille and other cities, and the Limoges town hall destroyed by fire. Reported arrests ranged from about 1,800 to nearly 2,400, one demonstrator died, and fresh clashes hit Paris on Sunday. In a national address Macron vowed accountability and transparency over policing but did not declare a state of emergency; Donald Trump blamed immigration.
After weeks of student protests in which hundreds of high schools were blockaded, France faces nationwide demonstrations on 17 October as the Yellow Vest movement returns over rising fuel prices. Students cite absent teachers and crumbling classrooms; the UN has flagged concern over violence.
The General Conference on Weights and Measures voted to stop adding leap seconds and make UTC continuous from 20 May 2027. A leap hour will be used when needed to reconcile UTC with atomic time.
The General Conference on Weights and Measures voted to end future leap seconds and make UTC continuous from 20 May 2027. A leap hour will be added when needed to reconcile UTC with atomic time.
Raphaël Glucksmann was chosen as the centre-left candidate for France's 2027 presidential election, winning more than 66% of votes in the first round of the Socialist Party primary.
Raphaël Glucksmann was chosen as the centre-left candidate for France's 2027 presidential election, winning more than 66% of the vote in the first round of the Socialist Party primary.