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World

Ukraine accuses SpaceX of crippling military missions as ties with US worsen

Ukraine accused Elon Musk's SpaceX on Wednesday of limiting Starlink services, crippling its drones, as Russian missiles knocked out power stations in attacks President Volodymyr Zelensky called "ostentatious disrespect" to Donald Trump. Kyiv's relationship with Washington has taken a sharp turn for the worse since US President Trump abruptly lifted sanctions on Russian diesel last week and publicly turned on Zelensky. FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg reports from Kyiv, Ukraine.

Politics

Houthis say targeted Saudi oil giant Aramco, vow more attacks

Yemen's Houthis said Wednesday they had targeted facilities belonging to Saudi Aramco, after Saudi officials reported a strike on a building in an area housing the energy giant's operations centre. Powerful explosions meanwhile rattled the Saudi capital, as the coalition fighting the Houthis said it had intercepted a missile fired by the Iran-backed group towards Riyadh.

Politics

French student protesters are being 'exploited' by political forces, Macron says

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that France's student protesters are being "exploited" by political forces ahead of the country's presidential election in April 2027. Hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon participated in a Paris demonstration while hard-right frontrunner Marine Le Pen voiced support for the police deployed to protests.

World

Pope Leo XIV recovering after lung cancer operation

Pope Leo XIV spent a calm night and was to begin post-surgery recovery Wednesday, a day after having a cancerous tumour removed from his lung. Part of the pope's right lung was removed in the operation and the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics is awaiting the results of tests to determine if the cancer has spread. FRANCE 24's Seema Gupta reports from Rome, Italy.

World

Ukrainian ex-officer stands trial in Germany over Nord Stream bombing

A Ukrainian ex-military officer goes on trial in Germany on Wednesday, accused of organising the secret operation ​that blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022, severing western Europe from the biggest source of Russian natural gas. The suspect, identified under German privacy rules only as Serhii K., is accused of leading a group of Ukrainian agents including divers and an explosives expert to mount one of the biggest infrastructure sabotage operations of modern times. FRANCE 24's Jörg Taszman reports from Berlin, Germany.

World

'Super-Earths' might be better than our planet. But are they reachable?

PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, October 14: Portuguese papers are discussing the country's housing problems. Next: in Germany, a humanoid robot has sexually assaulted a teenage girl. In science news, there might be planets more habitable than Earth out there. Finally, Cosmopolitan helps us find out if we are dating a loser.

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World

Faithful pray for Pope Leo after lung cancer diagnosis

World leaders, Catholics across the globe and senior cardinals at the Vatican offered prayers for Pope Leo on Wednesday after doctors announced the 71-year-old pontiff had been diagnosed with lung cancer and had part of one lung removed. The cancer diagnosis ​for a pope known ‌to be relatively young and energetic and who was elected only in May 2025 caused shock.

Politics

Madrid mourns evicted retiree, 'icon' of Spain housing protests

Tens of thousands of mourners marched through Madrid on Thursday in tribute to a Spanish pensioner whose eviction sparked national housing protests that culminated in the calling of early elections. The death of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal on Wednesday produced tears and anger in the Spanish capital's emblematic Puerta del Sol square, the epicentre of the movement where hundreds are camping in protest.

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World

Microsoft brings more AI to PCs as it challenges Apple

Microsoft unveiled on Wednesday an AI coding model that can run directly on personal computers and new security technology to prevent AI agents from accessing data without permission, challenging Apple's push to bring more AI into personal devices.

World

Conflict in Yemen: What are the Houthis’ aims?

Saudi authorities said Wednesday three people were killed in attacks on two of the kingdom's international airports, including in the capital Riyadh, after Yemen's Houthis claimed to have fired on both transport hubs. The Iran-backed Houthis have claimed a wave of attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure in recent weeks, which came as Riyadh-backed forces pressed a counter-offensive against the group's territorial gains. France 24’s Philip Turle takes a look at what the Houthis aims in the conflict are.

Politics

France student protests: What measures is the government taking?

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said in a televised address Wednesday evening that the country could not be "indifferent" to the concerns of protesting high school students, acknowledging that the "anger of young people does not come from nowhere". He denied that security forces have "orders to confront" the young people, and promised the government would present a plan to respond to the crisis at the end of October. But what measures could the French government introduce and will it be enough to calm the protests? France 24’s Rochelle Ferguson Bouyahi takes a look.