International News

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts that global economic output will slow to 3.1% this year in spite of geopolitical disruptions, but warns that high inflation and AI share valuations could be risks for financial stability. Also in this edition: Russia says it has exported $320 billion worth of oil and gas to European countries since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are visiting Ceuta months after more than 70,000 migrants arrived from Morocco. While most have returned, thousands remain. The visit has divided residents and risks reigniting diplomatic tensions with Morocco, which claims sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla.

Pope Leo XIV has been admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital for surgery to remove a small lung nodule discovered during recent medical checks. The 71-year-old pontiff said the growth was detected at an early stage. The procedure marks his first hospitalisation since becoming pope in May 2025. FRANCE 24's Seema Gupta has the latest from Rome.

Flights to and from Riyadh have been suspended following deadly Houthi attacks, with several international airlines extending cancellations through October 19. The disruption threatens Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to become a major global aviation hub, while Delta has postponed its first direct US flights to the Kingdom until March 2027.

Hundreds of supermarkets across France have been targeted in an unprecedented cyberattack that remotely altered the temperatures of fridges and freezers, causing large quantities of fresh and frozen food to spoil. Major retailers, including Carrefour, Monoprix, E.Leclerc and Coopérative U, were affected, with the Les Mousquetaires group reporting around 300 impacted stores. Losses could reach several million euros. The refrigeration systems involved used outdated software that no longer received security updates. Some fires were also reported, and French authorities have launched an investigation to identify those responsible.

France prepared for nationwide demonstrations on Tuesday as students continued protesting poor classroom conditions. Supported by trade unions and the far-left France Unbowed party, the mobilisation includes a march in Paris and rallies in other cities. Blockades had already disrupted central Paris, while authorities and protesters remained concerned about possible violence.

Lille are away to Arsenal on Matchday 2 of the Champions League. Olivier Giroud is set to face his former club, where he spent five and a half seasons.

The IMF has raised its 2026 global growth forecast slightly to 3.1%, citing the resilience of advanced economies despite rising energy prices caused by the Iran war. But it warned that poorer countries that are not benefiting from the AI boom remain particularly vulnerable to energy shocks, economic uncertainty and mounting debt.

Russia said on Monday that European Union countries had bought $320.7 billion worth of its energy resources since 2022, despite sanctions over the war in Ukraine. The figure fuelled tensions as European officials criticised a US deal to import Russian diesel, while Stockholm called for the bloc to use frozen Russian assets to boost support for Kyiv.

"Breaking Bad" actor RJ Mitte, who played Walter White Jr. in the hit US television series, has died aged 34, his representatives said Monday. The actor, who lived with cerebal palsy, also became a prominent disability rights advocate, championing inclusion and representation in film and television.  

Pope Leo XIV is expected to undergo surgery to remove a lung nodule this week at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, with doctors anticipating a recovery of about seven days. The 71-year-old pontiff is due to travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru on November 6, though the Vatican has not confirmed the operation date.

Major French supermarket chains on Monday said they were hit by a cyberattack that caused their refrigerators to shoot up in temperature in hundreds of stores, forcing spoiled food to be thrown away and raising concerns about food security. FRANCE 24's Selina Sykes reports.

  Former DR Congo president Joseph Kabila announced a new political-military alliance with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels on Monday, despite being sentenced to death in absentia for alleged complicity with the group. The move comes as debate grows over constitutional changes ahead of President Felix Tshisekedi’s final term ending in 2028.

The biennial Paris Motor Show kicks off with a record number of Chinese brands descending on the French capital. European carmakers are fighting back, showcasing their latest models, as the EU announces a deal with China to limit the imports of hybrids. FRANCE 24's Charles Pellegrin has been speaking with CEOs of both Chinese and European carmakers. 

President Donald Trump's envoys told ​Ukrainian officials on Friday that a deal to allow Russian diesel exports is part of a bid to draw Russia back to negotiations after the failure of previous efforts to launch sustained talks to end the war, three people familiar with the meeting told Reuters. FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney speaks with Grégoire Roos, director of the Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes at Chatham House. He says that "it's clear that Moscow is just playing with Washington because Vladimir Putin knows that Donald Trump lives on borrowed time".

As Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport suffers a string of deadly attacks, claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels, a slew of AI-generated or decontextualised videos and photos have been circulating on social media, purporting to show the strikes of the last few days. We take a closer look in Truth or Fake.

President Donald Trump's envoys told ​Ukrainian officials on Friday that a deal to allow Russian diesel exports is part of a bid to draw Russia back to negotiations after the failure of previous efforts to launch sustained talks to end the war, three people familiar with the meeting told Reuters. FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney speaks with Grégoire Roos, director of the Europe and Russia and Eurasia Programmes at Chatham House. He says that "it's clear that Moscow is just playing with Washington because Vladimir Putin knows that Donald Trump lives on borrowed time".

In tonight's edition, Ethiopian forces tighten their grip on Tigray, advancing into the key town of Adwa after rebels withdrew. Also, police arrested 30 people amid violence across South Africa. And we head to Tunisia, where ancient Sufi chants collide with pulsating electronic beats! 

The UN General Assembly on Friday voted to shift away from the 16th-century Mercator map, designed by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator, for a more accurate one reflecting the true size of continents. The resolution, spearheaded by several African countries and co-sponsored by France, was backed by 164 countries. The US voted against and six other states abstained.