Since late September, students across France have staged protests against underfunding in education, blocking access to many high schools. The movement has turned violent in places, with hundreds of students, teachers and police officers injured and thousands arrested, including an unknown number of outside agitators. Protesters cite staff shortages and dilapidated facilities in the country's lycées, schools that serve 15- to 18-year-olds. "Sometimes our teachers are absent for several weeks without being replaced," Madalena, a Paris student, told the BBC on Tuesday as demonstrations drew hundreds of thousands nationwide. Her school buildings were "boiling hot" during recent heat waves. Other complaints include bans on mobile phones and school days that extend until 18:00, leaving students home at 7 pm with little time for sleep or homework. The frustration centers on Parcoursup, France's online platform for allocating higher education places, which many regard as opaque. While 80% of each cohort now passes the baccalauréat, the qualification does not guarantee entry into preferred university programs, creating a scramble for desirable courses. The OECD reports that France spends more per lycée student than the EU average for upper-secondary schools, and teacher shortages, though acute, are not worse than elsewhere. Teacher pay is relatively low, and extended school days reflect long lunch breaks and complex schedules rather than unusually long holidays. The protests' scale and violence are unprecedented, with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez describing the movement as "unprecedented" in the number of schools, pupils and degree of violence. Blockading schools is illegal and draws police, often leading to heavy-handed crowd-control operations. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has insisted security forces are not ordered to confront students, only to enforce the law. The protests draw on a political tradition in which street power often rivals elected bodies; similar student uprisings in 1990 and 1998 led to significant funding and staffing increases. In 2006, student blockades forced the withdrawal of a law loosening hire-and-fire rules for those under 26. More recently, the gilets jaunes movement used street pressure to drop a fuel tax hike and secure €10bn in spending. A BMFTV poll found 72% of French people view the students' demands as legitimate, with 55% supporting the movement, and many teachers, unions and left-wing politicians back the protests. President Emmanuel Macron, a deeply unpopular lame duck barred from the upcoming presidential election, has called a snap election for June 2024, leaving his government gridlocked and financially strained. Prime Minister Lecornu, who has described himself as the "weakest prime minister" in living memory, faces a deficit of 5.4% of GDP and public debt at its highest level since the 1940s, limiting his ability to respond to the protests. Unlike predecessors under street pressure, he has no budgetary concessions to offer.

Flávio Bolsonaro secured 47% of the vote in Brazil's first-round presidential election, placing him ahead of incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who received 44.2%. The result has sparked alarm among climate and environmental advocates.

The outcome threatens to reverse recent progress on Amazon protection. Under Lula's administration, deforestation rates had fallen by nearly 50%, reaching their lowest levels in over a decade. However, this environmental achievement did not translate into strong electoral support for forest-focused candidates. Indigenous activist Joenia Wapichana failed in her bid for Congress, and former environment minister Marina Silva lost her Senate campaign. Of 57 Indigenous candidates nationwide, only two emerged victorious.

Flávio Bolsonaro, a federal deputy and son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, has aligned with policies that weaken environmental safeguards. He previously supported legislation to reduce mandatory forest conservation requirements for Amazon landowners and has received backing from powerful agribusiness interests linked to illegal logging and mining. His campaign has also drawn attention for its ties to figures facing legal penalties for deforestation, such as Daniel Santos, who was fined for clearing protected land but now promises to eliminate such penalties if elected.

Bolsonarist candidates now hold control of seven of nine Amazonian states, with potential to expand further in the October 25 runoff. This political shift coincides with growing influence in Congress, where allies of the Bolsonaro family, including Flávio's brother Carlos and mother-in-law Michelle, have secured Senate seats. The movement's platform emphasizes expanding extractive industries with minimal environmental oversight.

Environmental degradation in Brazil has been closely tied to policy decisions over the past four years. During Jair Bolsonaro's presidency, Amazon deforestation rose by 59.5%, an increase equivalent to losing approximately 2 billion trees. Critics warn that a continuation of such policies under Flávio Bolsonaro's leadership could accelerate ecosystem collapse and undermine Indigenous land rights.

Religious and cultural dynamics also appear to be shaping the political landscape. The rise of Pentecostal evangelical movements, which now include a significant portion of Brazil's population, has introduced new perspectives on environmental stewardship that sometimes conflict with scientific consensus on climate change. These groups have at times promoted narratives that prioritize immediate economic gain over long-term ecological preservation.

Lula's campaign has faced challenges in resonating with voters despite his historical popularity. His administration's social programs contributed to poverty reduction, but economic expectations have evolved, and some beneficiaries now express dissatisfaction with environmental regulations affecting agriculture and development. Meanwhile, disinformation campaigns on social media, particularly through encrypted messaging platforms, have been linked to efforts supporting Bolsonaro-aligned candidates.

International observers have raised concerns about potential foreign interference in the electoral process. Brazil's intelligence agencies have reported attempts by external actors to influence public opinion, though the extent and impact of such activities remain under investigation.

The runoff election scheduled for October 25 will determine whether Brazil's environmental trajectory continues along its current path of reduced deforestation or shifts toward policies that could significantly increase forest loss. The outcome will have implications not only for the Amazon ecosystem but also for global climate stability and biodiversity conservation efforts.

Voter behavior suggests a complex picture. While environmental issues have not dominated the campaign discourse, they remain critical factors in long-term policy planning. The coming weeks may reveal how deeply these concerns influence the final vote, particularly among undecided voters who did not support either candidate in the first round.

If Flávio Bolsonaro wins, his proposed policies could lead to expanded mining and logging operations in protected areas, potentially reversing recent gains in forest conservation. The situation underscores the high stakes involved in Brazil's democratic process and the interconnectedness of national politics with global environmental health.

An Israeli air strike killed a Palestinian Civil Defence rescue volunteer who was en route to assist wounded individuals near Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, according to a medical source.

The attacks resulted in at least four Palestinian deaths and left several others injured throughout Gaza. The deceased was identified as Mohamed Tamous.

In the southern city of Khan Younis, an Israeli drone strike claimed the life of Hisham Ibrahim Abu Mustafa, aged 60, and injured multiple people, as reported by Nasser Hospital. Separately, a 17-year-old Palestinian succumbed to injuries sustained during an earlier Israeli drone strike in the Qizan Abu Rashwan area south of Khan Younis, per Anadolu Agency citing a medical source. Anadolu also reported that a teenage girl was wounded when Israeli forces fired on tents housing displaced Palestinians in the Al-Amal neighbourhood.

Israeli military operations included the demolition of structures in the northeastern and eastern sectors of Khan Younis, as well as in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City.

These incidents occur amid ongoing hostilities that began following Israel's military response to the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023. Palestinian health authorities have documented over 74,245 fatalities since the conflict's escalation, a figure that includes civilians and combatants alike.

Kosovo’s parliament chose Justina Shiroka Pula as president on Wednesday, ending a week of heightened tension that had threatened to plunge the country into renewed instability. Lawmakers cast 81 votes for Shiroka Pula shortly after midnight, surpassing the two‑thirds, 80‑vote threshold required for election and averting the need for early parliamentary elections.

The vote followed days of protests that erupted after the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, a Hague‑based tribunal, convicted several former Kosovo Liberation Army commanders of war crimes. Demonstrators had demanded that political parties address the court’s findings and the broader legal framework governing the tribunal. After negotiations between the ruling Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) and the opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), the parties agreed to amend the legislation that defines the court’s jurisdiction.

Shiroka Pula, 73, becomes Kosovo’s third female head of state, joining Atifete Jahjaga and Vjosa Osmani in that distinction. Born in Pristina in 1953, she earned a degree in economics from the University of Pristina and later completed postgraduate work in Zagreb before obtaining a doctorate focused on demographic investment and economic development in Kosovo. Her professional trajectory includes roles at the National Bank of Kosovo, a professorship at the University of Pristina, and leadership of the Kosovo Academy of Sciences and Arts (ASHAK). She also served as minister of energy and mining from 2008 to 2011 and sat in parliament as a PDK member from 2011 to 2014.

Political analysts noted that Shiroka Pula’s background blends academic expertise with institutional experience, making her a figure acceptable to a range of political actors. Donika Emini, a research fellow at the University of Graz’s Centre for Southeast European Studies, described the election as “a mix of political necessity and the need to stabilise institutions.” She cautioned that while the compromise restores functional governance, it does not necessarily resolve the underlying polarization within Kosovo’s political landscape.

The presidency in Kosovo carries limited formal executive authority but holds significant symbolic and diplomatic weight. The president represents the country abroad, helps safeguard institutional continuity, and can mediate deadlocks between parties. Shiroka Pula’s international education and professional network may influence how she engages with external partners, though the extent of her impact will depend on her relationship with the prime minister and the broader government.

Observers hope that her administration will foster a more coordinated foreign policy, particularly in areas such as Kosovo’s bid for Council of Europe membership, which previously stalled due to tensions between the presidency and the government. Whether Shiroka Pula can leverage her broad political base to act independently of party pressures remains an open question.

A 44-year-old Palestinian farmer was killed and 16 others wounded when Israeli settlers attacked harvesters in the northern occupied West Bank, Palestinian health officials reported.

Ali Hassan Yasser al-Bazzari died after settlers assaulted olive pickers on farmland near Burqa, west of Nablus, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The assault occurred on Wednesday during the annual olive harvest season.

Palestinian medical sources said several of the injured, including a woman, were transported to hospitals in Tulkarem and Nablus. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported treating five people, two of whom sustained gunshot wounds, while the others suffered physical assaults. Red Crescent personnel attempting to reach the injured were attacked by Israeli forces, resulting in the brief detention of three paramedics and a volunteer.

Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim noted that the violence reflects a broader pattern of settler attacks targeting Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest. "What should be a joyous season has become dangerous," she said, citing both settler violence and restrictions on movement imposed by Israeli authorities.

Similar incidents were documented near Anata in the central West Bank and in the village of Mikhmas, where settlers destroyed at least 50 olive trees belonging to the Siam family. Across the occupied West Bank, approximately 45,000 olive trees have been uprooted this year, according to Palestinian monitoring groups.

Settler violence has intensified since October 7, 2023, with nearly 15,000 recorded attacks in the West Bank and 66 Palestinian fatalities, per the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission. In the village of Marda, Israeli forces participated in a raid that injured several olive harvesters, who received treatment for tear gas exposure. Separately, a Palestinian was injured by live fire during an Israeli military operation near Jenin.

Israeli military operations also led to the detention of a Palestinian and the imposition of a curfew in Burqa following settler incursions east of Ramallah.