From nationwide protests in France to a deadly church attack in Jordan, missiles over Kyiv, a catastrophic earthquake in Tibet and escalating danger in the Strait of Hormuz, here are the stories that matter most around the world today.
France braces for nationwide protests as 70,000 officers deploy
France is on high alert today, October 24, as authorities deploy some 70,000 police officers and gendarmes nationwide ahead of planned cost-of-living protests, with the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Picasso museum and the Grand Palais all closed in Paris, according to The Hindu and the Manila Times. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the operation — including helicopters, armored vehicles and water cannons — after last week's unrest, which saw fires, looting and clashes with police in what was described as France's most violent unrest in years. "We will be absolutely uncompromising" with those involved in violence, Nuñez said. Students, CGT union members and "yellow vest" activists are expected to join today's marches. Some demonstrations have been banned in Lyon, Nice and Montpellier, and Art Basel Paris canceled its weekend program at the Grand Palais after opening to the public on Friday.
Netanyahu orders West Bank lockdown after Hebron attack wounds five
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an immediate closure of Hebron and preparations for a full lockdown across the West Bank on Friday, October 23, after a shooting attack near Hebron wounded five Israelis, according to Gulf News and The Times of Israel. An AFP journalist witnessed two Palestinian men exchanging fire with Israeli forces at the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint; both attackers were shot and killed. Israel's Magen David Adom said all five wounded were Israelis in their 20s, with two in critical condition. Netanyahu, facing a tight race in Tuesday's election, said troops had prevented what could have been a major attack, citing ammunition found in the attackers' vehicle. He vowed an expanded IDF operation around the Hebron neighborhood the attackers came from and a siege on the cities of Hebron and Halhul. Hamas praised the attack without claiming responsibility. The West Bank and Gaza were already expected to be under lockdown on Monday and Tuesday for the election.
Gunmen kill seven at church funeral in Jordan
At least seven people were killed and 34 wounded on Friday, October 23, when gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud in Jordan's Karak governorate, according to Al Jazeera and The Times of Israel, citing Jordan's Public Security Directorate. Witnesses told state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka that a vehicle arrived carrying the gunmen, who fired for about five minutes before fleeing. Between 150 and 200 people were in and around the church at the time; most of the victims were aged 50 to 70. King Abdullah II vowed "the harshest retaliation," saying authorities would "strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation." No group claimed responsibility, and the attackers' identities were not yet confirmed. Interior Minister Mazin al-Farrayeh described it as an act of terrorism by extremists — attacks of this kind are virtually unknown in the relatively stable kingdom.
Missiles strike Kyiv hours after Putin agrees to resume peace talks
Russia attacked Kyiv with a massive overnight missile and drone barrage into Thursday, October 22 — just hours after President Vladimir Putin told US envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg that the Kremlin was ready to resume trilateral peace talks after November 10, according to CNN and Reuters. The attack involved 21 missiles and 210 drones in three waves of ballistic strikes; President Volodymyr Zelensky said two people were killed and 34 injured, while authorities reported nine killed and 56 wounded across the country. Air defenses shot down 181 drones, but none of the ballistic missiles that hit Kyiv were intercepted, and central Kyiv was struck with a cluster warhead — even as President Donald Trump declared his administration was "the closest we've been" to ending the war. Zelensky said Russia has launched 170 strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities since October 11, describing an annual campaign Ukrainians call "weaponising winter."
"All-out" rescue after magnitude 7 earthquake kills 16 in Tibet
Rescuers combed through a remote high-altitude region of Tibet on Friday, October 23, after a magnitude 7 earthquake struck late Thursday, killing at least 16 people and collapsing at least 339 homes, according to Chinese state media and The Hindu. The quake hit Nagqu, a city north of Lhasa sitting some 4,800 meters (15,750 feet) above sea level, at 10:33 p.m. local time; the US Geological Survey placed the epicenter 191 kilometers (119 miles) east-northeast of Nagqu at a depth of 18 kilometers. More than 5,000 rescuers completed three rounds of house-by-house searches by Friday afternoon, and supplies — including 2,000 prefabricated housing units, 3,400 tents and winter clothing — arrived in the region. Authorities reported dozens injured and more than 12,000 residents evacuated. President Xi Jinping ordered an "all-out" rescue. At least seven aftershocks of magnitude 4.3 to 5.2 followed, with snowfall forecast over the next three days further complicating the effort.
Seven tankers damaged in Strait of Hormuz as war fears rise
Seven oil tankers caught fire or were damaged in the Strait of Hormuz overnight into Thursday, October 22, after being hit by Iran or striking naval mines, Iranian state television reported, citing the Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy — a markedly high single-day number, according to The New Indian Express and the Associated Press. The IRGC claimed four vessels were targeted during illegal oil transfers and three struck mines west of the strait; the AP said it could not independently confirm the reports, and the British monitor UKMTO did not report them. The IRGC again threatened to strike US military bases in the region if Washington keeps helping ships navigate the strait. Iran asserted control over the waterway — which normally carries about a fifth of the world's oil — after war broke out with the United States and Israel in late February. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran remained open to diplomacy but ready to defend itself. The US is sending more military assets, including a third aircraft carrier, amid concerns attacks could resume ahead of Israel's election and next month's US midterms.
Indonesia students clash with police over haze and economic woes
Students clashed with riot police in Pontianak, Indonesia, on October 21 during protests over the government's handling of toxic haze, rising inflation, fuel shortages and a lack of jobs, according to the Hindustan Times and Firstpost. Police used water cannons as demonstrators burned objects and chanted "Revolution." Satellite data from Nusantara Atlas showed Indonesia's burned area surged to 1.92 million hectares by the end of September, with months of forest fires blanketing parts of the country in thick smoke. Indonesia's Health Ministry reported more than 333,470 residents have suffered acute respiratory illnesses across seven provinces since mid-August, with haze spreading to Singapore, Malaysia and Timor-Leste. President Prabowo Subianto called deliberate fire-setting "environmental terrorism" and vowed to revoke the licenses of offending companies. A court in Pontianak began hearing a class-action case accusing the government of negligence, naming the president and officials.
What to watch next
Today's French protests set the tone for a volatile weekend, with any violence in Paris likely to escalate the unrest. The West Bank lockdown and the Jordan church attack put the Middle East on edge days before Israel's election. Ukraine braces for more strikes on its energy grid as winter approaches, Tibet's rescue operation continues under snowfall, and any confirmation of the Hormuz tanker attacks — or a US response — could move oil markets next week.
Sources
- The Hindu — French authorities deploy 70,000 officers for October 24 protests (Oct 23, 2026)
- Gulf News — Netanyahu orders West Bank lockdown after attack (Oct 23, 2026)
- Al Jazeera — Gunmen kill at least seven at church in Jordan (Oct 23, 2026)
- CNN — Massive strikes hit Kyiv hours after Putin agrees to fresh peace talks (Oct 22, 2026)