student protesters

Serbia is heading to a snap election, with President Aleksandar Vucic hoping to consolidate power despite a sustained student-led protest movement that has challenged his government. Analysts are questioning whether the vote will defuse the unrest or hand protesters a new focal point for mobilisation, as opposition parties scramble to form a credible challenge.

Thousands of students have taken to the streets in Germany to protest against military conscription, Al Jazeera reports. The demonstrations reflect growing opposition among young people to compulsory military service as Germany debates strengthening its armed forces amid heightened security concerns in Europe.

Al Jazeera examines whether President Aleksandar Vucic can outmanoeuvre Serbia's student protest movement through snap parliamentary elections announced for 2026. The feature argues the early vote is unlikely to end the country's political crisis or defuse the protests, which have challenged Vucic's grip on power for months. Observers are debating whether elections will weaken or strengthen the movement.

Students and school workers rallied outside Italy's parliament in Rome on Friday to protest a government decree that would cap foreign pupils at 30% per class and restrict face coverings in schools. Demonstrators say the rules stigmatise migrant students and undermine integration. The measures, backed by the Meloni government, have sparked a heated national debate over classroom composition and inclusion in Italian schools.

Thousands of students across Germany went on strike on Friday, 25 January, protesting against the reintroduction of military conscription and against education cuts, according to a report by Ana Vracar in Savage Minds. The action frames opposition to militarisation as inseparable from defence of public education funding, and organisers say youth reject being turned into a reserve army as European security debates intensify.

High school students in the San Antonio area walked out of classes to protest immigration enforcement actions. Local news outlets including WOAI, News 4 San Antonio, and KABB covered the walkout, reporting that students left school grounds to voice opposition to enforcement activity affecting their communities. The demonstration reflects a broader wave of student-led protests over immigration policy.

Lecturers at the University of Edinburgh have started a five-week strike in protest at planned job cuts and cost-saving measures. The industrial action is expected to disrupt teaching for students, with the university and union at odds over how to manage budget pressures. The strike adds to a wave of disputes over redundancies across UK higher education.

Student protesters interrupted an NVIDIA panel on artificial intelligence and climate held during NYC Climate Week. Footage shared by Al Jazeera shows activists taking over the session, adding to ongoing criticism of the tech industry's energy-hungry AI expansion and its climate commitments. The disruption has drawn attention during a week when companies are showcasing their environmental pledges.

Student protesters confronted an NVIDIA executive over the climate impact of artificial intelligence, according to the Indian Express. The confrontation highlights growing concern that AI's energy demands and data centre expansion are driving up emissions. No further details about the location, the executive involved, or the protesters' specific demands were reported.

Students at the University of Connecticut are protesting the university's role in supplying weapons for war, according to the student newspaper The Daily Campus. The demonstration reflects broader campus activism over university links to arms makers and ongoing conflicts, with students demanding the institution cut its ties.