United News of Bangladesh

A weekend attack by militants affiliated to the Islamic State group killed 48 people in the Ménaka region of eastern Mali, a lawmaker told the Associated Press Tuesday. Fighters from Islamic State in Sahel Province, or ISSP, attacked on Sunday night into Monday morning and casualties included children and elderly, Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, a Tuareg leader and member of the National Transitional Council, said. According to Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, the armed group attacked civilians, accusing them of revealing ISSP positions to the Malian army who had been conducting a drone strike on the group. ISSP operates mostly in the Ménaka region of Mali, where it faces stiff competition from another militant group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), and in the neighboring countries of Burkina Faso and Niger. On Monday, the Malian army announced it had located a major base housing “several terrorist elements as well as military equipment and logistical supplies” 65 kilometers (40 miles) southwest of the town of Ménaka. “After confirming the intelligence gathered and assessing the situation, the site was targeted and successfully struck,” an army statement said. West Africa’s vast Sahel region has become the deadliest place in the world for extremism. The military governments of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in recent years have struggled to turn the tide of armed attacks in the region despite seizing power and turning to Russia for help.  

Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukraine have killed at least nine people and caused power outages in 12 regions, officials said Tuesday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met US and European officials in Norway to seek additional military support. Zelenskyy was joined in Oslo by US envoy Steve Witkoff, while another US envoy, Jared Kushner, was expected to participate in a meeting virtually. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb were also scheduled to meet with the Ukrainian leader. Zelenskyy said the discussions would focus on strengthening Ukraine’s air defences and joint weapons production. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow hoped to arrange a meeting between the US envoys and Russian President Vladimir Putin soon, possibly on Wednesday, praising Washington’s mediation efforts. Amid uncertainty over continued US military assistance, Zelenskyy said he had a “substantive conversation” with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sought help in securing further air defence supplies and continued intelligence sharing. Zelenskyy has warned that Ukraine is running short of US-made Patriot interceptors needed to counter Russian ballistic missiles. He also said delays in missile deliveries purchased by other countries and restrictions on Ukraine’s use of the military-grade Starshield satellite service were affecting its defence capabilities. Rubio, however, denied that Washington was deliberately withholding assistance, saying there had been no change in US policy. He said Patriot ammunition was in short supply and needed in other parts of the world. European countries are increasing their support as concerns grow over a possible decline in US assistance. According to Germany’s Kiel Institute, European countries and EU institutions have allocated 237 billion euros ($266 billion) to support Ukraine, compared with 115 billion euros ($129 billion) from the United States. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas questioned whether US negotiators had acted as impartial mediators, saying European support had helped Ukraine resist pressure to surrender territory to Russia. Meanwhile, Russian attacks continued across Ukraine. Regional police said four people were killed and 27 wounded, including children, in attacks on the Kyiv region over the past day. Three people were killed and four injured in an attack on the Kyiv-Odesa highway on Tuesday morning, while two others died in a strike on warehouses near Dnipro, authorities said. The attacks also damaged hundreds of buildings and triggered power outages in 12 regions, grid operator Ukrenergo reported. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces targeted logistics centres, port infrastructure and cargo ships in the Odesa region. It also reported that Russian air defences had intercepted 136 Ukrainian drones overnight across several Russian regions.

Britain will deploy Royal Air Force jets to protect Saudi Arabia from Houthi attacks, as violence across the Middle East continues to claim lives, including in Yemen and Gaza. British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said RAF Typhoon jets would conduct defensive air patrols over Saudi Arabia to protect cities, civilians and critical infrastructure. The UK will also send a military transport aircraft and an unspecified number of military advisers, while extending its aerial refuelling support for Saudi aircraft by 90 days. British jets will intercept incoming missiles and drones but will not attack Houthi positions on the ground. In southern Yemen, the death toll from a Houthi missile strike on a government military training camp in Shabwa province has risen to 73, according to Governor Awad Ibn al-Wazir. The recruits, aged 18 to 20, were targeted at the al-Alam camp, with some still missing a day after Monday’s attack. In the besieged city of Taiz, a Houthi missile struck a residential area on Tuesday, killing two teenage girls and injuring six others, local authorities said. The UN warned that the siege has left civilians at grave risk, with soaring prices and shortages of food and other necessities. UN human rights chief Volker Türk called for humanitarian aid to enter the city and for civilians wishing to leave to be allowed to do so safely. Meanwhile, an Israeli strike on an apartment in Gaza before dawn killed a husband and wife and wounded others, according to Shifa Hospital. The Israeli military said it had targeted a Hamas militant. Gaza’s health ministry said more than 1,500 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli forces since the ceasefire agreed last year. Separately, a senior Qatari official said Israel’s political leaders were not committed to a negotiated end to the Gaza war. Majed al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, told The Associated Press that there was currently no Israeli partner for peace. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also suggested possible further joint action against Iran in a video call with US President Donald Trump, saying the two leaders had a job to finish together. Meanwhile, Turkey has submitted to parliament a mutual defence agreement signed with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan for ratification. The pact stipulates that an armed attack against one signatory would be treated as an attack against all three and provides for closer military cooperation and intelligence sharing.

US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are set to announce a $25 million programme on Tuesday to encourage the public to report suspected fraud in the federal government, as the administration steps up efforts to prevent the misuse of government funds and programmes. Under the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, known as WHIP, anyone who submits a tip through fraud.gov that leads to a fraud conviction or significant federal enforcement action will be eligible for a reward of up to $30,000, the White House said. The programme will be administered by the Justice Department. Trump has launched an aggressive campaign to eliminate fraud across the federal government. In March, he established a task force to address the issue and placed Vance in charge. The two are scheduled to announce the fund during a joint appearance in the Oval Office later Tuesday. “Every day, President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud is zeroing in on the rampant abuse of taxpayer dollars and giving Americans the accountability they deserve. This administration has zero tolerance for individuals who steal from Americans,” White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. During the event, Trump is also expected to present a $10,000 cheque to Nick Shirley, a right-wing influencer who posted a video last year alleging that members of Minnesota’s Somali community were operating fake childcare centres to obtain federal subsidies. The video drew attention from the Trump administration and conservative activists, although inspectors said the centres were operating as expected. Investigations, searches and arrests followed. In July, Fahima Mahamud pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States after submitting inflated reimbursement claims for meals allegedly served to children at her childcare centre, according to the Justice Department. The White House said Mahamud had been featured in Shirley’s video.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Mumbai on Tuesday as Washington and New Delhi seek to finalise a long-delayed trade agreement and strengthen energy cooperation. The two countries are trying to revive trade negotiations that stalled for months amid tensions over US tariffs and India's purchases of Russian oil. “We’re very, very close. I would say we’re about as close as you can be without having executed the agreement,” Rubio told reporters in Mumbai, adding that only a small number of issues remained to be resolved and an agreement could be reached shortly. India's foreign ministry said the discussions were expected to cover major areas of bilateral cooperation, including energy, trade, investment and defence. Washington imposed tariffs of up to 50% on most Indian goods in August 2025 after trade negotiations broke down. Under a framework agreed in February 2026, the tariff rate was reduced to 18%, but talks have since made little progress. Earlier this month, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the negotiations had “plateaued”. However, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said last week that the first phase of a trade agreement was in its final stages. India wants its final tariff rate to be comparable to those imposed on competing manufacturing economies such as Vietnam. Energy trade has also been a source of friction between the two countries. India's purchases of discounted Russian crude since the start of the war in Ukraine have periodically strained relations with Washington. New Delhi has said it plans to expand energy imports, including from the United States, while diversifying its suppliers to maintain market stability and keep prices affordable. Speaking to reporters on Saturday before leaving for India, Rubio acknowledged that New Delhi had diversified its energy sources but continued to import substantial quantities of Russian oil, making an immediate shift to other suppliers difficult. “You’ve got countries like India, for example, that have voluntarily diversified their energy portfolio but are still getting a substantial amount of energy from Russia because it’s hard to pivot from one day to the next,” he said, describing India as an important US ally and partner. Despite disagreements over trade and energy, Washington and New Delhi continue to strengthen cooperation in defence and technology. The United States considers India an important strategic counterweight to China in the Indo-Pacific region. Rubio's visit to India followed a trip to Uzbekistan aimed at promoting trade and strengthening ties with Central Asian countries. According to the US State Department, Rubio is scheduled to visit a refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat, on Wednesday and meet business leaders. The facility, operated by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries, is the world's largest refining complex. In March, US President Donald Trump announced that the company was investing $300 billion to establish an oil refinery in Brownsville, Texas. Rubio last visited India in May.

The death toll from a Houthi missile strike on a government military camp in southern Yemen rose to 60 people, primarily new recruits, making it the deadliest strike since fighting in the country began escalating three months ago, Yemeni officials said Tuesday. At least a dozen people were still missing a day after the Iranian-backed rebels hit the al-Alam training camp in the southern province of Shabwa with ballistic missiles, three officials said. Monday's strike was part of a recent surge of fighting in Yemen, which started when forces from the internationally-recognized government and Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes on Houthi-held Sanaa International Airport in July, shattering a 2022 ceasefire deal that largely stopped fighting in the country's civil war. The Houthis have also fired missiles and drones on Saudi Arabia, which has struggled to counter the Houthi attacks, even with far superior U.S.-supplied arms. The strike on the al-Alam camp hit while recruits were lining up in formation for a training session. Videos from the area circulated online and analyzed by The Associated Press showed many motionless bodies lying on the sandy ground of the camp. More than 200 other recruits were also wounded, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. One of the officials, from the local government, said several suffered serious injuries and were transferred to hospitals in other provinces in life-threatening condition. He said at least 15 of the recruits killed were from a single Yemeni tribe. In televised comments aired by the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya satellite news television, Shabwa governor Awad Ibn al-Wazir said the dead were new recruits from across Shabwa being trained to provide security in the province and not combat operations. “These recruits have never before participated in any mobilization or on any front,” he said. “They have no connection to the front lines … they were (part of) a non-offensive security force.” The Shabwa provincial government said in a statement Monday that the Houthis fired three ballistic missiles on the camp. The Houthis claimed the attack, saying they had killed and wounded dozens but did not provide further details. The camp, which was previously used by a militia backed by the United Arab Emirates, is located in the Jardan district, north of the provincial capital of Ataq. It sits on a crucial supply line connecting to the government-controlled province of Marib. Shabwa and Marib, along with neighboring Hadramawt province, contain what has been dubbed the Yemeni government’s “triangle of power,” a strategic area in which the country’s oil and gas production is located. On Tuesday, authorities in Saudi Arabia issued an attack warning for the capital area in the late morning followed by the sound of an explosion in northern Riyadh where the King Khalid International Airport is located. The airport has come under repeated Houthi attacks this month, forcing the facility to suspend its operations. The all-clear was given a short time later and Saudi Arabia said a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis had been intercepted. Yemen first plunged into civil war in 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of northern Yemen and forced the government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year in an attempt to restore the government to power. The conflict created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, and killed more than 150,000 people.

Rising fuel prices, dissatisfaction with education, deteriorating public services and a worsening housing crisis are fueling a wave of protests across Europe this autumn. Demonstrations have continued for weeks in major cities, with some turning violent and resulting in arrests, looting and injuries in France, Italy and Albania. In Spain and Portugal, protesters have set up tent camps to draw attention to increasingly unaffordable housing. Young Europeans are experiencing “a strong sense of uncertainty and a lack of control,” said María Silvestre, a sociology professor at Spain’s University of Deusto. “And when specific situations come together, a spark suddenly ignites that is capable of channeling that discontent and driving people into the streets.” The unrest comes as major European Union economies, including France, Italy and Spain, approach crucial elections, while far-right parties have made electoral gains in Germany and could advance elsewhere. It also coincides with a critical period for Europe’s support for Ukraine, as US President Donald Trump makes overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia faces accusations of increasingly frequent arson attacks, cyberattacks and other acts of sabotage in NATO countries. Right-wing politicians have sought to capitalize on the unrest. Although protests in France have appeared broad-based, Trump blamed immigrants for the destruction, writing on his Truth Social platform on Monday: “The migrants have taken over France. They must CLOSE THE BORDERS, FAST!” Many demonstrations have been driven by frustrated young people. Other groups, including masked agitators dressed in black, have contributed to the violence, but French authorities and police have not blamed immigrants. Here is a look at the factors driving the unrest: Students demand more resources for schools France, which has a long tradition of popular protest, has seen high school students stage blockades and demonstrations for more than three weeks, demanding greater resources for schools they describe as understaffed and run-down, particularly in lower-income neighborhoods. The movement expanded when France’s CGT labor union and other activists joined the protests as students took a break for the autumn holidays. Demonstrators have since broadened their demands to include action on the rising cost of living and declining public services. Although hundreds of thousands of people took part in peaceful marches, weekend unrest resulted in 2,400 arrests and serious disturbances in several parts of France, including looting in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Bordeaux. In Limoges, flames engulfed the 19th-century City Hall, nearly destroying the building. Some schools were also set on fire. Hundreds of people have been injured as students and rioters threw firebombs and police responded with tear gas. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the violence on Saturday, accusing far-left activists of seeking to create chaos by attacking buildings and police. “Those who looted will have to pay for the damage, and those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable,” Macron said in a rare televised address on Sunday. In Spain, elementary and secondary schoolteachers began an indefinite strike in Madrid last week, demanding better pay and working conditions. Teachers in other parts of the country have staged similar walkouts this year. Housing costs put pressure on young people In central Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, tents covered with tarpaulins have occupied the square for weeks as protesters demonstrate against soaring housing costs. The protests were sparked by the eviction of María del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman who later died while in hospital. Smaller protest camps have since emerged in other Spanish cities. Public pressure prompted the ruling Socialist government to approve affordable housing measures, but the proposals failed to secure parliamentary support, leading Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call an early election in November. A general strike has also been called for November, the first in 14 years. Similar housing protests have emerged in Portugal’s largest cities, Lisbon and Porto, as well as in Barcelona, which faces significant challenges related to overtourism and housing affordability. Spain’s minimum wage stands at 1,221 euros ($1,370), while the average monthly rent for an 80-square-meter apartment is around 1,130 euros (about $1,270), according to an analysis by business newspaper Expansión. “Most of my paycheck goes to the rent. My roommate struggles to make ends meet just like I do,” said Diana Manzanares, a 20-year-old waitress at the Madrid encampment. “This is my reality and the reality of most of us living in this city.” Rising inflation adds to pressure in Italy The “Italia in Piazza” (Italy in the Streets) movement has mobilized thousands of demonstrators demanding better employment opportunities, healthcare, education and access to housing, along with higher wages. Inflation in Italy climbed to 4.2% in September, exceeding the eurozone rate of 3.8%, according to government data. Peaceful marches were followed by violent riots in Turin and Bologna, as well as Milan, the country’s financial and fashion capital. There, masked rioters clashed with police, looted shops and set property on fire. Milan police said 271 people were arrested, most of them minors, while 14 security officers were injured during two days of unrest. A newly formed group calling itself the “Oct. 17 Movement” has since announced what it describes as a “permanent mobilization,” with demonstrations planned every Saturday at 3pm in cities across Italy. Albanian students join anti-corruption demonstrations Anti-government protests have continued for more than a week in Albania’s capital, Tirana, with clashes intensifying after high school and university students joined the broader anti-government “Flamingo” movement, which is demanding the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama. Rama has denounced the protesters as “ideologized and radicalized” by antifa, a term used to describe loosely organized far-left militants. Trump has designated the movement a terrorist organization in the United States. The movement, named after the flamingos’ natural habitat in an area where Rama’s government agreed to allow a major luxury tourism development linked to Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, has made ending corruption a key demand. It is also calling for protections for healthcare, education and public pensions, according to its website. In Serbia, university students who have led mass anti-corruption protests for nearly two years are challenging an attempted return to power by former populist leader Aleksandar Vucic in parliamentary elections. Vucic, the Balkan country’s former authoritarian president, is seeking to become prime minister after the October 25 vote. The youth-backed Students’ List party is believed to be running close to Vucic’s party, leaving the outcome uncertain and raising concerns about possible violence.

Voters in Canada's oil-rich Alberta province have overwhelmingly backed remaining part of the country, dealing a setback to the separatist movement and a boost to Prime Minister Mark Carney's efforts to strengthen national unity amid US President Donald Trump's trade war and threats to annex Canada. With more than 1.4 million ballots counted, around 76 percent of voters supported staying in Canada, while nearly 24 percent backed initiating a process toward separation, according to unofficial results from Elections Alberta. The referendum did not directly ask voters to declare independence. Instead, approval would have paved the way for a future vote on whether Alberta should leave Canada. Reacting to the results, Carney said Albertans had made a clear choice in favour of unity and cooperation. He said the outcome would help Canadians move forward together, diversify trade, accelerate major infrastructure projects and strengthen Canada's position as a global energy powerhouse, with Alberta playing a central role. Separatist leaders, however, argued that the result demonstrated significant support for their cause. Keith Wilson, a prominent figure in the independence movement, said at least a quarter of Albertans believed the province deserved better treatment from the federal government, although the final vote count was yet to be confirmed. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also welcomed the early results, saying voters had chosen a stronger province within a united Canada. Smith, who called the referendum amid pressure from separatists within her governing United Conservative Party (UCP) despite opposing independence, was expected to address the province later Tuesday on the outcome and Alberta's future. Thomas Lukaszuk, a former deputy premier who led the campaign against separation under the banner Forever Canadian, said the results demonstrated that Canada remained united from coast to coast. The announcement of results was delayed after the late opening of polling stations forced more than 100 voting centres to extend their hours on Monday. Alberta, which holds the world's fourth-largest proven oil reserves, is a conservative stronghold with a political culture often associated more closely with the American West than other parts of Canada. Although resentment toward the federal government in Ottawa has long been strong, it has not traditionally translated into widespread support for independence. Despite the apparent defeat, separatist leaders said their campaign had evolved from a fringe cause into a movement that would continue to influence provincial politics. Carney had earlier urged Albertans to deliver a decisive vote for unity during a rally in Edmonton on Friday, the city where he grew up. Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney said separatist parties had traditionally secured only one to two percent of the vote. Anger over COVID-19 restrictions later helped mobilise activists who joined the independence movement, he said. Trump's trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st US state have also helped Carney rally support in Alberta, where Liberal prime ministers have historically faced opposition. At a gathering of separatist supporters in an Edmonton restaurant, attendees fell silent as the results came in. Jeff Rath of the Alberta Prosperity Project said the movement would continue its campaign, arguing that it had dominated public discussion over the past year and educated voters about the potential benefits of independence. Rath had previously said he would consider it a strong result if 30 percent of voters supported beginning the separation process. He also called for Smith to be removed as UCP leader, suggesting the party could split and potentially give rise to a new pro-independence party. Some voters who supported separation said Alberta had long been treated unfairly by the federal government. Dustin Degenhardt, who voted in Wainwright on Monday, described the province as being treated like a colony, arguing that Ottawa took resources from Alberta without providing sufficient returns. Others questioned the timing and cost of the referendum. Dave Malka, 59, of Edmonton, criticised spending public money on a vote that would only determine whether another referendum should be held, saying the funds could have been directed toward healthcare. With Trump threatening Canada, Malka said the country should be strengthening national unity rather than becoming divided internally.    

Voters in Canada's oil-rich province of Alberta have rejected a proposal to begin a process toward independence, results showed early Tuesday, delivering a victory for Prime Minister Mark Carney and supporters of Canadian unity amid U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and annexation threats. The vote was not a direct referendum on independence but would have set oil-rich Alberta on a path toward a future vote on separation from Canada. With more than 1 million votes counted, about 76% supported remaining in Canada, compared with 23% who backed beginning a process that could lead to separation. "We are a solid country that's united from coast to coast to coast," Thomas Lukaszuk, a former Alberta deputy premier who led the Forever Canadian campaign against separation, told supporters. Results were delayed after late openings forced more than 100 polling stations to extend voting hours Monday. More than 1.35 million Albertans, or 43% of eligible voters, cast advance or special ballots. Albertans were deciding whether to remain in Canada or begin a legal process that could have lead to a second vote on separation. Alberta, home to the world's fourth-largest proven oil reserves, is cowboy country and a conservative stronghold whose political culture has long had more in common with the American West than much of Canada. Resentment toward Ottawa runs deep, but has not traditionally translated into widespread support for independence. Dustin Degenhardt, a Wainwright voter, said Albertans have long been mistreated by Ottawa. "Alberta has essentially been treated as, you know, a colony," he said after voting Monday. "They want to take and take and take from us and not return anything." Taylor MacIsaac, another Wainwright voter, backed separation. "I think it'll be good for Alberta to separate personally, as a very conservative individual that grew up in rural Alberta," she said. Dave Malka, 59, of Edmonton, criticized spending money on a "referendum on a referendum" rather than health care. With Trump threatening Canada, Malka said, "It seems to be happening at the absolute worst time when we should be united; instead we're fighting among ourselves." Jake Graham, 35, of Calgary, attended a Carney rally wearing maple leaf pants and a Canada hockey jacket. He hopes the vote ends the debate. "I hope this squashes this for a long time to come and that it's clear and decisive, that these grumblings disappear for a while and we can be a united Canada," he said. Despite the proposal's apparent failure, separatist leaders have said they turned a fringe cause into a movement that will not disappear. Carney earlier urged Albertans to deliver a decisive vote for unity. "Vote like Canada's future depends on it because it does," he told a rally Friday in Edmonton, where he grew up. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the referendum amid pressure from separatists within her governing United Conservative Party, even though she opposes independence. She cited a poll showing just 22% support for separation, a figure she said was still too high. Separatist parties traditionally attracted only 1% or 2% of the vote, former Premier Jason Kenney said. Anger over COVID-19 restrictions helped mobilize activists who later embraced the separatist movement, he said. Trump's trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st U.S. state have helped Carney rally support in Alberta, where Liberal prime ministers have historically been unpopular. Separatist advocate Jeff Rath said he would be thrilled if 30% of Albertans voted to begin the separation process. He wants Smith ousted as leader of her governing United Conservative Party and said the party could splinter, potentially creating a new pro-independence party.

Paris police imposed an overnight curfew in two areas of the French capital on Monday following a weekend of widespread rioting, among the country's worst in years, that targeted city halls, other public buildings and thousands of businesses nationwide. The measure aims to protect "people and property from the violence and looting," according to a statement issued by the Paris police. Under the order, people are prohibited from entering or remaining at Place de la République, where rioting occurred on Saturday, and in the Les Halles shopping district, which has been hit by looting. The curfew will remain in force from 11pm Monday until 6am Tuesday. Gatherings and demonstrations have also been banned from 8pm, police said. Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu called for curfews that would be "very limited" and "localized". In northern France, local authorities imposed curfews on children and teenagers under 18 in several cities, including Lille, from 8pm to 6am starting Monday and continuing for the next two days. Nice, on the French Riviera, also introduced an overnight curfew for minors from 9pm. Lecornu defended the police response to the unrest, saying that "despite scenes of severe violence and extensive property damage, no one was killed, and that is a miracle." He said details of the curfews would be announced later Monday following consultations with mayors. Mass protests in France have frequently been accompanied by violence on the fringes of otherwise peaceful demonstrations, resulting in clashes with police. Saturday's unrest brought back memories of the riots following the fatal police shooting of a teenager in 2023, when local curfews were imposed, as well as violence during the Yellow Vest movement that began in 2018 over fuel prices and broader economic grievances. Macron rejects interior minister's resignation The prime minister's instructions came after Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez offered to resign on Sunday. President Emmanuel Macron rejected the offer, citing "the need for continued command of law enforcement in the current context," according to a statement from Macron's office on Monday. Macron instructed Nuñez "to take all necessary steps to ensure full transparency about the failures in planning and intelligence-gathering that led to the violence," the statement said. He also called for "new policing tactics on the ground as quickly as possible" to bring the violence to an end. On Sunday evening, groups set fire to rubbish bins, bicycles and other objects in the streets and looted businesses in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities. The incidents followed nationwide protests on Saturday against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools. At least 2,400 people were arrested across the country, while authorities estimated on Monday that at least 3,000 businesses had been damaged or looted in several cities. In Marseille, the prefect banned protests and other gatherings from noon to 8pm on Monday. "I submitted my resignation because I am responsible for everything that is happening," Nuñez told France Inter radio. "Now the real issue is ensuring that this doesn't happen again. … We obviously need to be better at anticipating the kind of mobilization that is unfolding," he said. Nuñez blamed the violence on "hordes of troublemakers and looters" and "far-left activists", adding that police tactics needed to be adjusted to deal with "extremely mobile groups". Authorities said groups of hundreds of people had sought confrontations with police and attacked public buildings, including city halls and other government offices. Shopkeepers assess damage Nuñez acknowledged that authorities had "lost control" in some major cities during Saturday's unrest. "You can't look shopkeepers in the eye when hundreds of businesses have been looted and say we haven't lost control in some of these major cities," he said. In Limoges, central France, flames engulfed the city's 19th-century City Hall, causing its roof to collapse and nearly destroying the building. On Monday, cleanup crews and firefighters removed shattered glass and other debris from the streets of Paris. Ouri Zagoury, who owns a video game shop near Place de la République, said he closed his store on Saturday afternoon but later watched through surveillance cameras as looters forced their way inside. "There were so many people coming in and out. And even though I called the police, they said not to intervene, that they would come, but they never did, which is another problem," Zagoury said. Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Rally party, blamed the government for failing to prevent the violence. "The government has failed, the head of state has failed in his essential duty of protecting the French people," he told reporters at the party's headquarters. "I call on the people of France now, beyond their right to protest, to use their voting power," Bardella said. He is campaigning alongside far-right leader Marine Le Pen, whose polling figures have suggested for months that she is the front-runner in next spring's presidential election.