Spain's first general strike in 14 years brings out millions over housing, less than three weeks before an election

The stories

44 on this beat today.

Every story told the same way: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, how it works, the truth and the good news.

1. 01

   Spain's first general strike in 14 years brings out millions over housing, less than three weeks before an election

   4 million

   people on strike, by the unions' count

   out of about 23 million workers in Spain [3]

   98.7%

   of a young person's monthly pay goes on the average rent

   the average rent is EUR 1,176 a month [3]

   750,000

   homes Spain is short of, its central bank estimates

   expected to pass 1 million by 2028 [3]

   What happened

   • Millions of workers in Spain went on strike on Wednesday, 11 November, the country's first general strike in 14 years. [1]
   • They walked out over the cost of housing, less than three weeks before a national election on 29 November. [2]
   • The unions said about 4 million people took part. [3] Spain has about 23 million workers. [3]
   • The CEOE, which speaks for employers, said turnout was low in most sectors. [2]
   • The unions said 90% of workers stopped at ports and car plants. [1]
   • They said the meat industry stopped at 85%, waste collection at 82% and energy at 75%. [4]
   • Electricity use in Spain fell by up to 15.5% in the morning, the grid operator Red Electrica said. [3]
   • In Madrid, the metro ran most of its early trains but carried about half its usual passengers. [2]
   • An economist at the Spanish bank BBVA said the strike could cut 0.1% to 0.2% from Spain's yearly output. [3]
   • Police counted about 120,000 marchers in Madrid, in heavy rain. [5]
   • In Barcelona, the organisers counted 400,000 marchers. [1] Local police counted 55,000. [1]
   • After dark, masked groups in Barcelona set bins on fire, smashed shop windows and threw stones at police. [6]
   • Catalonia's leader, Salvador Illa, condemned the violence. [6] He said it did not reflect the peaceful march. [6]
   • Spain's government said more than 50 people were arrested across the country. [1]
   • Unlike past general strikes, this one had the support of Spain's government. [7] Sanchez and his ministers urged workers to walk out. [7]
   • 'This is not a strike against anyone,' Sanchez said. [8]
   • Polls suggest the most likely result is a coalition of the People's Party and Vox, a far-right party. [1]
   • The CEOE, Spain's biggest business group, said firms have little to do with house prices. [7]
   • One of its vice-presidents, Angela de Miguel, said the answer is to build more homes. [3] She also wants lower taxes on building and buying them. [3]
   • The unions said a police operation with tear gas and batons left 20 protesters hurt. [3] They plan a criminal complaint. [3]

   Who is involved

   Tenants' groups called the strike. [1] Spain's two biggest unions, the UGT and the CCOO, then backed it. [1]

   The opposition leader, Alberto Nunez Feijoo of the People's Party, called the strike 'nonsense'. [7] His party accuses Sanchez's government of using it to win votes. [7]

   • Tenants' groups called the strike
   • UGT and CCOO Spain's two biggest trade unions; they backed the strike that tenants' groups called
   • Pedro Sanchez Spain's Socialist prime minister since 2018; he backed the strike and called an early election
   • Alberto Nunez Feijoo leader of the People's Party, ahead in the polls; he called the strike 'nonsense'
   • The CEOE Spain's biggest business group; it said turnout was low and firms do not set house prices

   How it unfolded

   Rents in Spain rose by 80% in a decade, while house prices rose by 63%. [1]

   The average rent is EUR 1,176 a month. [3] That equals 98.7% of a young person's average monthly pay. [3]

   Spain is short of about 750,000 homes, its central bank estimates. [3] It expects the gap to pass 1 million by 2028. [3]

   The anger grew in September, when Maricarmen Abascal, 87, was evicted in Madrid. [1] She had lived in her flat for more than seven decades. [1]

   She died in hospital weeks later. [7]

   Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's minority government had proposed emergency housing rules. [2] Right-wing parties in parliament voted them down. [1]

   Sanchez then called the election for 29 November, instead of in 2027. [2]

   1. 11 November Spain's first general strike in 14 years [1]
   2. 29 November the national election
   3. September Maricarmen Abascal, 87, is evicted in Madrid [1]
   4. Weeks later she dies in hospital
   5. 5 October Sanchez calls an early election [9]
   6. 29 November Spaniards elect a new parliament [7]

   Why it matters

   The strike puts housing at the centre of the campaign, where Sanchez's left wants it. [9]

   His campaign had been dragged down by a train crash that killed 69 people. [9]

   Young people are hit hard: a 36-year-old hospital IT worker in Madrid said he still cannot afford to move out. [3]

   How it works

   Political scientists call this issue ownership: voters trust each party more on some problems than on others.

   Sanchez wants the vote to be about housing, not about corruption cases and a deadly train crash. [3]

   Seen it before

   Two friends arguing about a match each bring up the part their team played best.

   The truth

   • What is really going on Spain's government backed a strike over rents because it wants the 29 November vote fought over housing, not corruption cases and a train crash that killed 69. [3] [9]
   • Why it works on people A huge crowd number, 4 million strikers or 400,000 marchers, feels like proof of what a country thinks, but each figure came from the side that called the protest. [3] [1]
   • The figure of 4 million strikers comes from the unions behind the strike. [3]
   • Who gains Pedro Sanchez's Socialists — A strike about rents pulls the campaign back to housing, after a train crash had dragged it down. [9]
   • Who pays Small businesses in Spain — The employers' group says the housing shortage makes it harder for them to hire staff. [3]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How many people were arrested in Spain.

     Police had reported 40 arrests by midday. [3] Spain's government later said more than 50. [1]

   What comes next

   Spaniards vote for a new parliament on 29 November. [7]

1. 02

   Russia and Ukraine agree a big prisoner swap

   What happened

   • Russia and Ukraine agreed on Wednesday to the biggest prisoner swap of the war. [23] The talks in Abu Dhabi ran for 2 days. [23]
   • Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. [24] The United States ran the talks. [24]
   • The swap is expected to involve more than 1,000 prisoners from each side. [23]
   • Russia's state news agency TASS said the swap should happen in 2 to 3 weeks. [24]
   • It was the first round of face-to-face talks since February. [25] No deal to end the war came out of it. [25]
   • Russia's lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, said there is 'no prospect of territorial exchanges'. [26]

   Who is involved

   • Russia the invader
   • Ukraine defending its land
   • United States the go-between

   How it unfolded

   1. Tuesday talks open in Abu Dhabi
   2. Wednesday a prisoner swap is agreed
   3. Thursday the US envoys meet Putin in Moscow
   4. Then they meet Zelensky in Dublin

   Why it matters

   The war, started by Russia's invasion, has gone on for nearly five years. [25] Each swap brings soldiers home while the fighting goes on. [27]

   How it works

   Negotiation scholars call it fractionation: breaking a big conflict into smaller parts and settling the easiest first.

   US envoy Jared Kushner said the swap would build trust. [23] Land, the hardest part, is still unsettled. [23]

   Seen it before

   Two friends who have fallen out may agree to share a lift home before they talk about what went wrong.

   The truth

   • What is really going on In Abu Dhabi, Russia and Ukraine agreed to free prisoners, and agreed nothing about land, which is what the war is being fought over. [23]
   • The final numbers were not announced at the end of the talks. [28]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Europe gets a seat at the next Ukraine talks.

     Kushner said he would ask Putin for his blessing, while Russia's negotiator said it was unclear what Russia and the EU had to discuss. [97] [26]

   Good news

   • Russia and Ukraine agreed to their biggest prisoner swap of the war, expected to bring more than 1,000 people home on each side.

   What comes next

   Kushner and Steve Witkoff fly to Moscow on Thursday to meet Vladimir Putin. [25] Then they see Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin. [25]

2. 03

   Indonesia's vice-president resigns

   What happened

   • Indonesia's vice-president, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, handed his resignation to President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday, an aide said. [17]
   • Indonesia's Supreme Court ruled that a school certificate he used in the 2024 election was invalid. [17]
   • Indonesian law requires a vice-president to have finished secondary school, or its equal. [17]
   • On Wednesday, 120 lawmakers from all 8 parties filed the first formal step towards impeaching him. [30]

   Who is involved

   Gibran, 39, is the eldest son of the former president, Joko Widodo. [29]

   • Gibran Rakabuming Raka vice-president, 39
   • Prabowo Subianto president

   How it unfolded

   Gibran's father helped Prabowo win in 2024, and the two men have since drifted apart. [17]

   Why it matters

   His exit could split the alliance that runs Southeast Asia's largest economy. [31]

   How it works

   Lawyers call it eligibility: the rules a person must meet to hold an office at all.

   The court found no proof he had a diploma that counts. [17] That put his right to hold the office in doubt. [30]

   Seen it before

   A player found to be too old for an under-16 team can be dropped, however well they played.

   The truth

   • The BBC said it was unclear whether Prabowo had accepted the resignation. [17] Bloomberg's sources said he had. [32]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Who becomes Indonesia's next vice-president.

     There was no official word on whether the post is formally empty, and Prabowo must weigh rival parties in his coalition. [29]

   What comes next

   Parliament was due to vote on the impeachment motion on Thursday, 12 November. [30]

3. 04

   Iran threatens US bases as far as Europe

   What happened

   • Iran's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, threatened US bases far from the Middle East on Wednesday. [33]
   • He said any base used in a new US attack, 'from West Asia to Europe', would be a target. [12]
   • He also said Iran will not send 'even a tiny amount' of its enriched nuclear material abroad. [33]
   • The UN's nuclear watchdog estimates Iran had 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to 60%. [35]
   • Iran's foreign minister called a $20 million US reward for information on its nuclear work 'repugnant'. [33]
   • US officials told the Wall Street Journal that Vice-President JD Vance is weighing direct talks with Rezaei. [34]

   Who is involved

   Rezaei is the secretary-general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. [34]

   • Mohsen Rezaei head of Iran's top security council

   Why it matters

   Rezaei said even a US base in a European country would be hit if its planes bomb Iran. [33]

   How it works

   Strategists call it deterrence by punishment: threatening a cost so big the other side chooses not to act.

   By naming bases in Europe, Rezaei warns countries that host US planes that they could be hit too. [33]

   Seen it before

   A 'beware of the dog' sign is meant to stop someone before they open the gate.

   The truth

   • Rezaei said there are no plans to meet Vance. [34] An adviser to Iran's negotiator said Iran turned down a Vance request to meet. [36]
4. 05

   Iran says Hormuz will not go back to how it was

   What happened

   • He said the Strait of Hormuz will 'never return' to how it was before the war. [37]
   • The strait normally carries about a fifth of the world's oil. [38]
   • He said Iran and Oman agreed to oversee the strait together, under Iran's 7-point peace plan. [37]
   • On Wednesday, Iran's army said a tanker hit a mine and caught fire in the strait. [38]
   • A day earlier, a tanker with 6 Indian sailors aboard was hit by a projectile in the Gulf. [39]

   Who is involved

   Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is the speaker of Iran's parliament and its chief negotiator. [37]

   • Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf Iran's parliament speaker and chief negotiator

   Why it matters

   Iran's terms include lifting the US naval blockade and freeing its frozen money. [37]

   How it works

   International lawyers call it transit passage: the right of ships to cross a strait used for world trade.

   Ghalibaf rejects that right here. [37] He says only the laws of Iran and Oman apply in the strait. [37]

   Seen it before

   A shortcut through a neighbour's garden works until the neighbour says you must ask first.

   The truth

   • The US military recently said all mines had been cleared from the strait. [38] Iran says a tanker hit one on Wednesday. [38]

1. 06

   Eisenkot warns Netanyahu against a new war

   What happened

   • Israel's security cabinet ordered the army to step up plans for a possible attack on Iran, Israeli media reported. [40]
   • Eisenkot warned against sending troops to war without 'a direct and immediate threat' before a new government forms. [41]
   • His bloc holds 48 of the 120 seats in the Knesset, Israel's parliament. [41]
   • Eisenkot's bloc also wants an official inquiry into the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023. [15]

   Who is involved

   Gadi Eisenkot, a former army chief, is trying to form a government to replace Benjamin Netanyahu. [41]

   • Gadi Eisenkot former army chief, forming a government
   • Benjamin Netanyahu caretaker prime minister

   How it unfolded

   Israel voted on 27 October, and neither side won a majority. [15] Netanyahu stays on as caretaker until a new government forms. [42]

   1. 27 October Israel votes, no majority
   2. Now Eisenkot tries to form a government

   Why it matters

   Critics say a new war could help Netanyahu keep his grip on power. [41]

   How it works

   Political scientists call it a caretaker government: one that keeps things running until the next is formed.

   Eisenkot says Netanyahu should avoid 'dangerous moves that can wait until a new government'. [41]

   Seen it before

   A supply teacher keeps a class going for a week, but does not rewrite the exam.

   Why each party tries to make the election about the problem voters trust it to fix

   Political scientists call it issue ownership: voters trust each party on different problems, so campaigns fight over which problem voters think about.

   The twist

   A strike over rents can help the very government it is aimed at, because it keeps voters on the problem that government wants the election to be about.

   Step by step

   1. 1 Voters trust each party on different problems
   2. 2 Each party talks most about its own problems
   3. 3 Events push one problem or another to the front
   4. 4 The party whose problem leads the news gains votes

   The same force, elsewhere today

   Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.

   • Spain moves against TikTok before its vote

     Sanchez picked child safety and big tech firms as a fight to lead with, and Feijoo stepped onto the same ground so it would not be Sanchez's alone.

   • Democrats push to rein in immigration raids

     Immigration raids hurt Republicans at the polls, so Democrats are now pushing the subject forward instead of steering away from it.

   • Eisenkot warns Netanyahu against a new war

     Eisenkot's bloc wants an inquiry into the 7 October attack, which turns the campaign towards Netanyahu's record on security.

   • A Democrat wins Mississippi's Senate seat

     Colom made the race about beef prices and living costs, and Hyde-Smith's remark about beef became his advert.

   Where you've seen this

   School council elections

   a candidate known for sport talks about the sports hall, not the canteen

   Company results

   firms lead their reports with the figure that grew

   Job interviews

   people steer the talk to the project that went best

   The catch

   It works only while voters still trust the party on its own problem. Sanchez has governed since 2018 while rents rose 80% in a decade, so a campaign about housing also reminds voters what his government did not fix.

   And the whole of it

   In Spain, each side is now arguing about what the vote is about, as well as what to do. A renter in Madrid thinks of her rent, a commuter thinks of the train crash, and each one judges the same government by a different problem.

   The truth

   • The National says Eisenkot has 28 days to form a coalition. [41] Africanews says he has up to 6 weeks. [42]

1. 07

   Israeli strike hits Gaza's Nasser hospital

   What happened

   • An Israeli air strike hit the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, early on Thursday. [43]
   • Gaza's civil defence said at least 5 people were killed, including a surgeon, Rezik Abushira. [44]
   • More than 20 people were hurt. [43] The intensive care and surgery wards were badly damaged. [43]
   • Israeli Army Radio called it an assassination operation. [43] Israel's military gave no immediate comment. [44]

   How it unfolded

   A ceasefire began in October 2025. [45] Gaza's health officials say at least 1,600 Palestinians have been killed since. [44]

   Israel says 4 of its soldiers have been killed in that time. [44]

   Why it matters

   Israel says Hamas is trying to regroup and rearm. [44] Hamas says it is still keeping to the ceasefire. [44]

   How it works

   International lawyers call it proportionality: an attack is unlawful if the harm to civilians is excessive for the military gain.

   Israel has not said who was targeted, while at least 5 people died in a hospital. [44]

   Seen it before

   Knocking down a whole fence to catch one rabbit does far more damage than the rabbit is worth.

   The truth

   • Army Radio said it was an assassination, but the dead were staff and patients, Middle East Eye reported. [43]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How many people died in the strike on Nasser hospital.

     Gaza's civil defence told Reuters at least 5, Middle East Eye reported at least 6, and Al Jazeera at least 4. [44] [43] [96]

2. 08

   UN aid chief says Gaza's winter aid cannot wait

   What happened

   • The UN's aid chief, Tom Fletcher, said winter aid for Gaza cannot wait for Israel to form a new government. [46]
   • He said some countries told him the supplies would have to wait until then. [47]
   • 'No more excuses,' Fletcher wrote on X. [47]
   • About 150,000 new tents are being held outside Gaza, waiting for Israeli approval, aid agencies say. [48]
   • Storms at the weekend killed children and a woman in leaking tents, the Guardian reported. [48]
   • The Board of Peace, which oversees Trump's plan for Gaza, also urged Israel to let in shelter materials. [46]

   Who is involved

   • Tom Fletcher the UN's aid chief

   Why it matters

   Aid groups expect more lung illness, and fear more children could die from cold. [48]

   How it works

   Aid workers call it winterisation: getting shelter, blankets and heating to people before the cold arrives.

   Fletcher says the UN warned for months that winter supplies had to reach Gaza in time. [46]

   Seen it before

   A coat bought in spring is no use if it arrives after the first snow.

   The truth

   • Whether the tents get in depends on one approval: Israel's. [48]
   • Who pays Families in Gaza's tents — Their clothes are soaked, their children are sick, and they have nowhere else to go. [48]
3. 09

   Egypt confirms its troops defend Saudi sites

   What happened

   • Egypt's foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, confirmed that Egyptian troops and weapons are in Saudi Arabia to defend it. [11]
   • They guard sensitive sites, including Islam's holiest places in Mecca and Medina. [11]
   • Egypt sent armour, anti-aircraft batteries and missiles after its parliament voted for the move last month. [11]
   • It is Egypt's first official confirmation that its troops are already there. [11]
   • On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia said debris from 2 intercepted Houthi missiles fell in the Mecca region. [49]
   • They also said they hit a Saudi command centre in Aden, a city in southern Yemen. [50]

   Who is involved

   The Houthis, an Iran-backed group in Yemen, have fired again and again at Saudi airports, oil sites and bases. [11]

   • The Houthis Iran-backed group in Yemen

   Why it matters

   Egypt says its troops went at Saudi Arabia's request, after the repeated attacks. [11]

   How it works

   Military planners call it layered air defence: several kinds of weapon, each catching what the last one missed.

   Egypt brought anti-aircraft batteries, so Saudi sites gain another layer against missiles. [11]

   Seen it before

   A goalkeeper behind two defenders faces fewer shots than one standing alone.

   The truth

   • The hit on the Aden command centre is so far only the Houthis' own claim. [50]
4. 10

   Hezbollah's leader cheers Trump's election losses

   What happened

   • Hezbollah's leader, Naim Qassem, called the US election results 'an earthquake' and a chance for his group. [51]
   • He also called Israel's election a defeat for Netanyahu, whose bloc fell short of the 61 seats it needed. [52]
   • Qassem said Hezbollah will not hand over its weapons. [52]

   Who is involved

   Hezbollah is an Iran-backed armed group in Lebanon. [52]

   • Hezbollah Iran-backed armed group in Lebanon
   • Joseph Aoun Lebanon's president, wants disarmament
   • Naim Qassem Hezbollah's leader, refuses

   How it unfolded

   Lebanon's president, Joseph Aoun, who is backed by the US, wants the group to disarm. [52]

   Why it matters

   Qassem said the results mean Lebanon should resist the Trump administration's push to disarm the group. [52]

   How it works

   Political scientists call it a monopoly on force: the idea that only the state should hold weapons.

   Aoun wants Hezbollah to give up its arms, which the group calls a surrender to Israel. [52]

   Seen it before

   In a school, only teachers hand out detentions. If one pupil could too, nobody would know who was in charge.

   The truth

   • Who gains Hezbollah — Its leader uses Trump's election losses as a reason to refuse to hand over its weapons. [52]
5. 11

   Iraq orders an inquiry into fuel smuggling

   What happened

   • Iraq's prime minister, Ali Al Zaidi, ordered an inquiry into fuel stolen from pipelines south of Baghdad. [53]
   • Satellite pictures from 2021 to 2026 showed big tankers at 4 tapped pipeline sites. [53] Each tanker holds 36,000 litres. [53]
   • A separate inquiry looks at crude oil smuggled from Kirkuk to Iran and Afghanistan. [53]

   Who is involved

   The area, Jurf Al Sakhar, is controlled by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed armed group. [53]

   • Kataib Hezbollah Iran-backed armed group

   Why it matters

   Al Zaidi wants armed groups under state control. [53] Only 3 groups have said they will put their weapons under the state. [53]

   How it works

   Economists call income like this a rent: money from controlling something, not from making it.

   The pipeline sites sit under the protection of an armed faction, the interior ministry's report said. [53]

   Seen it before

   A pupil who guards the only door to the canteen could charge others to pass.

   The truth

   • Who gains Kataib Hezbollah — It controls the land over the tapped pipelines, so it can earn from fuel it never produced. [53]

   What comes next

   The deadline for armed groups to come under state control has been pushed back to June 2027. [53]

6. 12

   Iran names Argentina's navy and air force terrorists

   What happened

   • Iran said on Wednesday that it now classes Argentina's navy and air force as 'terrorist organisations'. [54]
   • It called this a reply to Argentina naming Iran's Revolutionary Guards as terrorists earlier this year. [55]
   • Argentina's foreign ministry called Iran's move 'completely baseless'. [54]

   Who is involved

   The Revolutionary Guards are an elite force set up after Iran's 1979 revolution. [55]

   How it unfolded

   Argentina blames Hezbollah, which Iran backs, for a 1994 bombing in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people. [54]

   Why it matters

   Iran said Argentina's government will carry the responsibility for 'all consequences'. [54]

   How it works

   Diplomats call it reciprocity: answering a country's step against you with a matching step. [54]

   Argentina named one Iranian force, so Iran named two Argentine ones, but not its army. [54]

   Seen it before

   If a classmate stops talking to you, you may stop talking to them the same day.

   The truth

   • A 2019 Iranian law allows a reply against any state that lists its military as terrorist. [55]
7. 13

   A Democrat wins Mississippi's Senate seat

   What happened

   • Democrat Scott Colom won the US Senate race in Mississippi, beating the Republican senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. [16]
   • He won 49.2% of the vote to her 48.7%, CBS figures show. [16]
   • Fewer than 5,000 votes, out of nearly 1 million counted, separated them. [16]
   • He is the first Black senator from Mississippi since 1875. [57] The state had not elected a Democrat to the US Senate since 1982. [57]

   Who is involved

   Colom, 43, is a local prosecutor whose father once worked for the Republican president Ronald Reagan. [56]

   • Scott Colom Democrat, the winner
   • Cindy Hyde-Smith Republican senator

   How it unfolded

   1. 1875 the last Black senator from Mississippi
   2. 1982 the last Democrat elected

   Why it matters

   Democrats will hold at least 55 of the 100 Senate seats, their largest midterm gain since 1986. [57]

   How it works

   Political scientists call it candidate quality: a candidate's own record and skill can win votes beyond their party.

   Colom made an advert from Hyde-Smith's remark about beef prices, and won where Republicans usually win. [57]

   Seen it before

   A school election is often won by the pupil others trust, not by the biggest group of friends.

   Colom made the race about beef prices and living costs, and Hyde-Smith's remark about beef became his advert.

   The idea, in story 06: Why each party tries to make the election about the problem voters trust it to fix →

   The truth

   • Mississippi has no automatic recount. [57] One needs a court order after a party sues a county. [57]

   What comes next

   A Senate race in Alaska has still not been called. [16]

8. 14

   Democrats push to rein in immigration raids

   What happened

   • A group of US Democrats called on Wednesday for quick steps to rein in the Trump administration's immigration raids. [58]
   • After his party's election losses, Trump said his crackdown may have been 'too tough'. [59]
   • Hours later he named Stephen Miller, the architect of his hardline immigration policy, as chief of staff. [59]
   • Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin wrote that 'deportations will continue'. [59]
   • Arrests have gone on across the country, including of twin 19-year-old brothers from Venezuela in Alabama. [59]
   • Houston and Austin, two cities in Texas, plan to limit how much their police help immigration agents. [60]

   Why it matters

   Democrats take over both chambers of the US Congress next year. [58] But they need Republican votes for any new law. [58]

   How it works

   Political scientists call it divided government: one party in the White House, another running the US Congress.

   Congresswoman Veronica Escobar said that with Trump in office and no Senate supermajority, any reform needs Republican support. [58]

   Seen it before

   Two parents who disagree must both sign the form before a school trip can happen.

   Immigration raids hurt Republicans at the polls, so Democrats are now pushing the subject forward instead of steering away from it.

   The idea, in story 06: Why each party tries to make the election about the problem voters trust it to fix →

   The truth

   • Trump's words point one way while arrests go on as before. [59]
9. 15

   White House warns Democrats over inquiries

   What happened

   • A White House lawyer, William Scharf, wrote to Democrat Robert Garcia accusing his party of planning to 'abuse' its power. [61]
   • Garcia will chair the House oversight committee when Democrats take control on 3 January. [61]
   • The letter says Democrats want to act like prosecutors. [61] That power belongs to the US government and the courts, it says. [61]
   • 'It appears Donald Trump has something to hide,' Garcia replied. [61]

   Why it matters

   The letter warns about subpoenas, the orders that force people to hand over papers or testify. [61]

   How it works

   Lawyers call it the separation of powers: lawmakers write the laws, ministers and officials enforce them, and courts judge.

   Scharf says the planned inquiries would cross that line. [61] Garcia says the US Congress may investigate because it has the power to legislate. [61]

   Seen it before

   A school council can ask the head teacher questions, but it cannot hand a pupil a detention.

10. 16

    Trump defends the Iran war on Veterans Day

    What happened

    • Trump defended the war on Iran at a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday. [62]
    • He said the world will be safer when the conflict is over, 'and it will be soon'. [62]
    • At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a guard scolded Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's group for laughing during photos. [63]
    • 'All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times,' the guard shouted. [63]
    • Trump said Hegseth had done 'a fantastic job'. [64]

    How it unfolded

    The war began on 28 February with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. [62] It has killed 23 US service members. [62]

    Why it matters

    Trump has said opposition to the war likely played a part in his party's midterm losses. [65]

    How it works

    Political scientists call it the rally-round-the-flag effect: support for a leader jumps at the start of a war, then fades.

    Now Trump must defend the war after voters' opposition to it helped beat his party. [65]

    Seen it before

    A new class rule is popular in the first week, then pupils grumble as it drags on.

    The truth

    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether the US strikes Iran again.

      An adviser to Iran's negotiator says the US set about 2 weeks before Trump decides, while Rubio says economic pressure makes major strikes unnecessary. [36] [65]

11. 17

    Bomb hoaxes hit thousands of European schools

    What happened

    • About 6,300 schools in Italy got the same bomb threat by email on Wednesday, officials said. [21]
    • That is 6,300 of Italy's 7,476 state schools. [21]
    • More than 300 Italian schools were evacuated. [66]
    • The email said a 'powerful explosive device with a remote detonator' had been left in the building. [67]
    • Schools in Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Ireland got similar emails. [66]
    • Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, said checks found no sign of 'concrete danger'. [21]

    Why it matters

    Italy's defence minister said the hoax was meant to 'sow terror' among thousands of families. [67]

    How it works

    Security experts call this hybrid warfare: harm below the level of war, such as hoaxes or sabotage. [67]

    The Italian email used the same fake name as threats sent to newsrooms in Bulgaria and Ireland on Friday. [67]

    Seen it before

    One prank fire alarm empties a whole school, even when there is no fire.

    The truth

    • It is unclear whether the cases in the different countries are connected, the BBC reported. [21]
12. 18

    NATO jets miss a drone over the Baltics

    What happened

    • NATO fighter jets twice failed to shoot down a drone over northern Lithuania overnight. [22]
    • One of the missiles they fired missed and fell to the ground. [22]
    • The drone came in from Belarus. [22] It crossed Latvia and Estonia, then flew on into Russia. [22]
    • Air-raid warnings sounded across the Baltic states, and Finland put precautionary limits in place. [22]

    Why it matters

    People across the Baltic states had what Euronews called 'a restless and difficult night'. [22]

    How it works

    Air-defence experts call drones like this 'low, slow and small' targets, which radar and missiles struggle to lock on to.

    Near Birzai, in Lithuania, 2 attempts to destroy it failed, and the drone escaped into Russia. [22]

    Seen it before

    It is much harder to swat a fly than to catch a football.

    The truth

    • The drone's type, where it came from and whether it carried explosives are still unknown, Lithuania's military said. [22]
13. 19

    Russia's ambassador to the US dies

    What happened

    • Russia's ambassador to the US, Alexander Darchiev, has died aged 66, Russia's foreign ministry said. [68]
    • He led Russia's team at talks with the US in Istanbul in February 2025. [68]
    • A ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, warned against conspiracy theories about his death. [68]

    Who is involved

    • Maria Zakharova foreign ministry spokeswoman

    How it unfolded

    Vladimir Putin sent him to Washington in March 2025, after Trump returned to office. [68]

    1. March 2025 Darchiev becomes ambassador
    2. This week he dies, aged 66

    Why it matters

    His death comes as Russia and the US try to repair relations broken by the war in Ukraine. [69]

    How it works

    Diplomats call the stand-in a charge d'affaires: the official who runs an embassy when there is no ambassador.

    The post had already stood empty for 6 months before Darchiev arrived. [68]

    Seen it before

    When the head teacher is away, a deputy runs the school but rarely makes big changes.

    The truth

    • The ministry said he died 'suddenly', Euronews reported. [69] DW reported he died of an unnamed long-term illness. [68]
14. 20

    Russia bans 4 French MPs and journalists

    What happened

    • Russia barred French MPs Sacha Houlie and Arthur Delaporte, and journalists Ariane Chemin and Paul Gogo, from entering the country. [70]
    • It said this was retaliation for France expelling Xenia Fedorova, a pro-Kremlin commentator. [70]
    • The EU says she spread messages in line with those of the Russian authorities. [70]

    Who is involved

    Fedorova is the former head of RT France. [70] She now works for media owned by the billionaire Vincent Bollore. [70]

    How it unfolded

    She has faced a French expulsion order and an asset freeze since late July. [70] EU sanctions followed in September. [70]

    1. Late July France orders her out
    2. September EU sanctions

    Why it matters

    Russia says the 4 were punished for their part in 'the harassment of Fedorova'. [70]

15. 21

    Ukraine captures its first Indonesian fighting for Russia

    What happened

    • Ukraine says it has captured its first Indonesian prisoner of war, a 49-year-old man from Java. [71]
    • He was sent into a Russian assault in the Zaporizhzhia region. [71] He reached Ukrainian lines after his group was hit by drones. [71]
    • Ukraine's 'I Want to Live' project says 283 Indonesians joined Russia's forces in the first 9 months of this year. [71]
    • It says no more than 10 were recruited in the 3 years before. [71]
    • Kenya's intelligence service said in February that more than 1,000 Kenyans had been lured to fight for Russia. [71]
    • Indonesia's government asked Russia this month not to draft any Indonesians. [71]

    Why it matters

    Russia is drawing fighters from Africa and Asia to keep its war going. [71]

    The truth

    • Russia's embassy in Jakarta did not answer questions about the recruitment. [71]
    • Who gains Russia's army — It recruits men from Indonesia, Kenya and other far-off countries to keep its war going. [71]
    • Who pays Men lured to fight for Russia — They are sent into front-line assaults, like the Indonesian who reached Ukraine's lines after a drone attack. [71]
16. 22

    Many Germans lose faith in democracy, a study finds

    What happened

    • Only 1 in 3 Germans is satisfied with how democracy works in their country, a long-running study found. [72]
    • The study has been run every 2 years since 2002 by Leipzig University's Else Frenkel-Brunswik Institute. [72]
    • Support for democracy as an idea fell below 90% for the first time. [72]
    • In the former East Germany, 22.8% are satisfied with democracy in practice, against 36% in the west. [72]
    • 22.3% backed the idea of a 'single strong party' for the whole nation. [72] In the east it was 30.9%. [72]
    • The study found antisemitic attitudes have more than doubled since 2022. [72]

    Why it matters

    The study's author, Oliver Decker, said democracy has lost acceptance and an 'authoritarian yearning' is taking its place. [72]

    How it works

    Political scientists separate support for democracy as an idea from satisfaction with how it works day to day.

    Most Germans still back the idea, but far fewer like the results they live with. [72]

    Seen it before

    You can love football and still be fed up with how your own club is run.

    The truth

    • The figures come from a questionnaire answered by just over 900 people. [72]
17. 23

    Most women in Germany's army face harassment, study finds

    What happened

    • More than 60% of women in Germany's armed forces have faced sexual misconduct, a study found. [73] It ranged from lewd remarks to physical harassment. [73]
    • Defence Minister Boris Pistorius presented the study on Wednesday. [73]
    • Fewer than a third of cases were reported. [73]
    • Germany's top military officer, Carsten Breuer, said misconduct is 3 to 5 times higher than reported cases show. [73]

    Why it matters

    Industry groups fear the report could put women off joining. [73]

    How it works

    Criminologists call this the dark figure: harm that happens but never reaches official records.

    An anonymous survey found 3 to 5 times more misconduct than the army's own records held. [73]

    Seen it before

    A teacher hears about some playground fights, but most never reach the staff room.

    The truth

    • The survey was anonymous and online, so it counts what people said, not cases proved. [73]
18. 24

    Germany's army drops Chinese-made drones

    What happened

    • Germany's armed forces will stop using drones made in China, a defence ministry spokesperson said. [74]
    • The drones were used for target practice and training. [74] They will be replaced with European ones. [74]
    • China's foreign ministry called it a 'discriminatory practice'. [74]

    How it unfolded

    Local commanders could buy them under a 2024 list that included models by DJI, the world's largest drone maker. [74]

    Why it matters

    Western armies fear such drones could send sensitive information to China. [74]

    How it works

    Security engineers call it supply-chain risk: danger that comes from who made a part, not only from how it works.

    The ministry said there is no blanket ban, only a risk check on each system. [74]

    Seen it before

    You might not lend your diary to someone whose best friend you do not trust.

    The truth

    • DJI has said its drones do not pose a security risk. [74]
19. 25

    Algeria sentences the novelist Kamel Daoud

    What happened

    • An Algerian court sentenced the writer Kamel Daoud and his wife, Aicha Dahdouh, to 5 years in prison. [19]
    • Both live in France and were sentenced in their absence. [19] They were convicted of revealing medical secrets and invading privacy, the newspaper El Khabar reported. [19]
    • A woman, Saada Arbane, says his novel 'Houris' uses facts from her life. [19] She had told it to Dahdouh, her therapist. [19]
    • Daoud denies that the novel used her confidential information. [19]

    How it unfolded

    'Houris' won France's top literary prize, the Prix Goncourt, in 2024. [19]

    Why it matters

    A French sports journalist, Christophe Gleizes, has now spent 500 days in an Algerian prison. [75]

    How it works

    Doctors and lawyers call it patient confidentiality: what a patient tells a doctor or therapist stays private.

    The court treated what Arbane told her therapist as secrets that should never have reached a novel. [19]

    Seen it before

    If you tell the school nurse something private, you would not expect it in the school play.

20. 26

    Egypt delays an editor's retrial

    What happened

    • A court in Cairo put off the retrial of the journalist Lina Attalah until 18 November. [18]
    • Her lawyers asked for a new judge, saying he 'has already formed a conviction against her'. [76]

    Who is involved

    Attalah co-founded Mada Masr, Egypt's leading independent news site, 13 years ago. [18]

    How it unfolded

    Last month a court fined her 3 million Egyptian pounds, about $56,000, and ordered Mada Masr shut. [18]

    She then learned she had been given a one-year prison sentence without her knowledge. [18]

    Why it matters

    The UN has warned of 'widening assaults on press freedom' by Egypt's authorities. [18]

    How it works

    Media lawyers call it prior restraint: stopping something before it is published. Licensing the press is its oldest form.

    Mada Masr applied for a licence for years without an answer. [76] Then it was convicted for having none. [76]

    Seen it before

    Imagine being fined for riding without a ticket after the station refused to sell you one.

21. 27

    Congo's president signs a law that eases referendums

    What happened

    • Congo's president, Felix Tshisekedi, signed a law setting the rules for a referendum on changing the constitution. [13]
    • The law was announced on national television on Tuesday night. [77]
    • Opponents say the law is a step towards letting him run for a third term. [13]
    • Opposition marches against what they called a 'constitutional coup' took place in June and September. [13]

    How it unfolded

    Tshisekedi, 63, must step down at the end of 2028 under the current constitution. [13] That is the end of his second 5-year term. [13]

    He has been in power since 2019. [13]

    1. 2019 Tshisekedi takes office
    2. End of 2028 his second term ends

    Why it matters

    The fight comes while M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, hold large parts of eastern Congo. [13]

    How it works

    Political scientists call it a term limit: a cap on how long one person may hold the top office.

    The law eases the rules for holding a referendum on the constitution, the route his critics fear. [13]

    Seen it before

    A captain who wants a third year in charge might ask the whole team to vote on changing the rule.

    The truth

    • Tshisekedi said in May he had not sought a third term. [13] He added: 'If people want me to have a third term, I will accept'. [13]
22. 28

    Uganda's ruling party pushes back on Museveni's son

    What happened

    • Senior officials of Uganda's ruling party rejected a reported plan by President Yoweri Museveni to back his son as successor. [14]
    • At a closed meeting on Tuesday, a vote was dropped after several members spoke against him. [14] Only 4 reportedly backed him, and 3 opposed. [14]
    • Kainerugaba has posted threats against opponents online, and has vowed to run for president in 2031. [14]

    Who is involved

    The son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, 52, is head of the army. [14]

    • Yoweri Museveni president, 82
    • Muhoozi Kainerugaba his son, head of the army

    How it unfolded

    Museveni, 82, has ruled Uganda since 1986. [14]

    Why it matters

    Open resistance inside the party is an unusual challenge to Museveni's control. [14]

    How it works

    Political scientists call it the succession problem: a long-ruling leader must pick an heir without creating a rival.

    Some party officials urged Museveni to move his son out of the army into a civilian job first. [14]

    Seen it before

    A shop owner who hands the business to one child can upset the others who work there too.

    The truth

    • The account of the meeting comes from 5 unnamed party sources. [14]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Who will lead Uganda after Museveni.

      The party dropped the vote on his son, and some officials suggested Museveni, 82, should seek another term himself. [14]

23. 29

    US warns Madagascar over its ties with Russia

    What happened

    • A US general warned Madagascar against growing military ties with Russia. [78]
    • Since the army seized power last year, Russia has sent Madagascar weapons. [78] Instructors came from Africa Corps, a Russian paramilitary force. [78]
    • Madagascar's leader, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, went to Moscow on one of his first official trips. [78]

    Who is involved

    Lieutenant General John Brennan is deputy head of US Africa Command. [78]

    • John Brennan deputy head of US Africa Command
    • Mali military rule
    • Niger military rule
    • Burkina Faso military rule

    How it unfolded

    Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, all under military rule, turned to Russia to fight jihadist groups. [78]

    Why it matters

    Brennan said the Mozambique Channel, the sea route beside Madagascar, is vital to world trade. [78] The Middle East war has pushed ships onto routes like it. [78]

    How it works

    International relations scholars call it a sphere of influence: a region where one power expects rivals to stay out.

    Brennan said the US does not want Russia's Sahel model applied in Madagascar or Mozambique. [78]

    Seen it before

    Two older pupils can both try to lead the same group of younger friends.

24. 30

    Guinea's gold mining ban sends 160,000 into Mali

    What happened

    • Hundreds of gold miners expelled from Guinea began leaving a gathering site in Mali this week. [79]
    • Mali says it has received about 160,000 people expelled from Guinea, and 6 of them have died. [79]
    • It arrested 1,263 people from 7 countries, including Guinea, Mali and Ghana. [79]

    How it unfolded

    Guinea banned unregulated gold mining in its Siguiri region from 2 November. [79]

    Why it matters

    Mali called the influx a 'humanitarian emergency'. [79]

    How it works

    Economists call small-scale digging like this artisanal mining: done by hand, often without a permit.

    Guinea says the digging damages its land, so it banned it and pushed the miners out. [79]

    Seen it before

    Closing one busy school gate sends every pupil crowding to the next gate along.

    The truth

    • Who pays Miners expelled from Guinea — They lost their work in Siguiri's gold fields and wait in Mali to be moved on. [79]
25. 31

    Nigeria's president launches his re-election plan

    What happened

    • Nigeria's president, Bola Tinubu, launched his re-election manifesto on 10 November. [80]
    • It targets 6% yearly growth by 2031, 78,000 more security staff and 200,000 affordable homes. [80]
    • Nigeria votes in January 2027. [80] Peter Obi and the former vice-president Atiku Abubakar are among his main rivals. [80]

    Who is involved

    • Bola Tinubu president, seeking a second term
    • Peter Obi rival
    • Atiku Abubakar rival

    How it unfolded

    In his first term he ended a fuel subsidy, which pushed up living costs. [80]

    Why it matters

    The plan is a bid to win back the trust of Nigerians hurt by painful reforms, the BBC reported. [80]

    How it works

    Economists call a fuel subsidy a state payment that keeps the pump price below the real cost.

    When Tinubu ended it, Nigerians paid more for fuel, and living costs rose. [80]

    Seen it before

    If your parents stop paying half your bus fare, the same trip suddenly costs you twice as much.

26. 32

    Tens of thousands flee northern Nigeria's violence

    What happened

    • More than 66,000 people fled northern Nigeria into Niger and Benin by mid-October, the UN refugee agency said. [81]
    • That is 3 times as many as in the same period last year. [81]
    • They are escaping jihadists, criminal gangs and clashes between farmers and herders. [81]
    • The agency has asked for $2 million to help them and tens of thousands still inside Nigeria. [81]
    • About 34,000 have not yet registered, which leaves them at greater risk. [81]

    Why it matters

    The jihadist violence has spread into Niger, Chad and Cameroon, where a regional force is fighting it. [81]

27. 33

    Amnesty says UN peacekeepers failed in South Sudan

    What happened

    • Amnesty International said UN peacekeepers and South Sudan's government failed to act on warnings before a massacre in March. [82]
    • Gunmen raided Abiemnom, near the border with Sudan, on 1 March and killed at least 213 people. [82]
    • Between 1,000 and 1,500 armed men took part, Amnesty said. [82]
    • About three dozen peacekeepers were based there, and were reinforced only after the attack. [82]
    • The UN mission said it did its best with limited resources, sheltering about 2,500 people. [82]

    Why it matters

    The report lands as the UN warns that South Sudan's peace deal must hold beyond its coming vote. [83]

    How it works

    Peacekeeping experts call it early warning and response: spotting the signs of an attack, then moving to stop it.

    Amnesty says both had 'sufficient information and time' to act. [82]

    Seen it before

    A teacher told of a fight planned after school can stand by the gate. Or she can hear about it the next day.

    What comes next

    South Sudan holds its first national vote since independence on 22 December. [83]

28. 34

    G7 warns China over the waters east of Taiwan

    What happened

    • G7 foreign ministers said China's actions in the waters east of Taiwan threaten regional stability. [84]
    • China has stepped up coast guard patrols off Taiwan's east coast since June. [84]
    • Officials in Taiwan believe China is practising for a possible sea blockade. [84]

    Who is involved

    The G7 groups the US, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Canada. [84]

    Why it matters

    China says Taiwan is its own territory. [84] Taiwan rejects that claim. [84]

    How it works

    International lawyers call it freedom of navigation: the right of ships to sail through international waters.

    The G7 says China's patrols threaten that freedom and the safety of shipping. [84]

    Seen it before

    Standing in a school corridor every day does not make it yours, but others start walking round you.

29. 35

    G7 warns over Ethiopia and Eritrea

    What happened

    • G7 foreign ministers warned that tension between Ethiopia and Eritrea risks spreading across the Horn of Africa. [85]
    • Ethiopia wants its own access to the Red Sea, possibly through Eritrea's port of Assab. [85]
    • Eritrea rejects any suggestion that its land could be given up. [85]

    Who is involved

    • Ethiopia wants a route to the sea
    • Eritrea refuses

    How it unfolded

    The two signed a peace deal in 2018 that ended two decades of hostility. [85]

    1. 2018 a peace deal ends two decades of hostility
    2. Now tension rises again

    Why it matters

    The ministers said more fighting could hit trade in the Red Sea, a vital shipping route. [85]

    How it works

    Geographers call a country like Ethiopia landlocked: it has no coast of its own.

    Ethiopia says it needs sovereign access to the sea, and Assab is the port it has named. [85]

    Seen it before

    A house with no gate onto the street depends on the neighbour's driveway.

30. 36

    Gunmen kill 10 police officers in Pakistan

    What happened

    • Gunmen ambushed police in Kohat, in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on Wednesday, killing at least 10 officers. [86]
    • The officers were returning from a raid on illegal gold mining. [87]
    • Police said 18 attackers were killed. [87]
    • The Pakistani Taliban, known as the TTP, claimed the attack. [86]

    Who is involved

    The TTP is separate from, but close to, the Afghan Taliban who rule Afghanistan. [86]

    • TTP Pakistani Taliban
    • Afghan Taliban rule Afghanistan

    Why it matters

    Pakistan accuses Afghanistan's rulers of sheltering the TTP. [86] Afghanistan's government denies it. [86]

    How it works

    Security analysts call it a sanctuary: a safe base across a border where fighters can rest and plan.

    Pakistan says the TTP shelters in Afghanistan, out of reach of Pakistan's police. [86]

    Seen it before

    A pupil who can always hide in another class's room is hard for their own teacher to catch.

    The truth

    • The figure of 18 attackers killed comes from the police's own statement. [87]
31. 37

    Pakistani minister's grandson charged with rape

    What happened

    • A court in Lahore charged 8 men over the rape of 2 foreign women. [88]
    • A medical examination confirmed they were raped. [88]
    • All 8 pleaded not guilty. [88]

    Who is involved

    They include Raza Dar, the grandson of Ishaq Dar, who is Pakistan's deputy prime minister and foreign minister. [88]

    • Raza Dar the accused grandson
    • Ishaq Dar deputy prime minister and foreign minister

    How it unfolded

    The women, from the Netherlands and Venezuela, came to Lahore on a business trip in June. [88]

    Police had earlier cleared Raza Dar and 4 friends, and charged 3 of his low-paid staff instead. [88]

    Why it matters

    The case puts a powerful family's son before a judge after the police had cleared him. [88]

    How it works

    Lawyers call it equality before the law: the same rules for every person, however powerful.

    Here the police cleared the grandson, but a judge still charged him. [88]

    Seen it before

    A rule that the captain's friends can break is not really a rule.

    What comes next

    The judge told prosecutors to present their witnesses on 9 December. [88]

32. 38

    Chile's truckers block roads over diesel prices

    What happened

    • Truck and bus drivers in Chile have blocked roads and highways across the country since Tuesday over fuel prices. [10]
    • The average price of diesel has risen 74% since March, driven up by the war in Iran, industry groups say. [10]
    • Talks with Chile's government broke down on Tuesday, and the two sides met again on Wednesday. [89]
    • Economy Minister Daniel Mas warned that 'at some point, we will have to clear the highways'. [10]

    Who is involved

    Fuerza del Norte, a union of about 80% of Chile's lorry drivers, organised it with the No+TAG movement. [10]

    How it unfolded

    1. Tuesday talks break down
    2. Wednesday they meet again

    Why it matters

    The blockades threaten exports of fresh fruit and vegetables at the start of Chile's farming season. [89]

    President Jose Antonio Kast faces shrinking economic activity and sagging polls, 8 months into his term. [89]

    How it works

    Economists call it a cost shock: a sudden rise in what it costs to run a business.

    A bus owners' leader said they have spent more than a month working at a loss. [10]

    Seen it before

    If flour suddenly costs much more, a baker still selling bread at the old price loses money on every loaf.

    The truth

    • Who pays Chile's fruit and vegetable growers — Their exports are stuck on blocked roads at the start of the farming season. [89]
    • Nobody knows yet

      Whether Chile's government will clear the blocked highways.

      The economy minister warned the roads would be cleared at some point, while talks with the drivers went on. [10] [89]

33. 39

    A Red Brigades fugitive escapes in Argentina

    What happened

    • Leonardo Bertulazzi, 74, escaped house arrest in Buenos Aires by lowering himself from a fifth-floor balcony. [90]
    • He tampered with his ankle tag so it kept sending readings after he left. [90]
    • Argentina's security ministry offered a $13,000 reward for information. [91]

    Who is involved

    He was a senior member of the Red Brigades, an Italian far-left armed group active from 1969 to 1980. [91]

    How it unfolded

    Italy sentenced him to 27 years in prison in 1987. [91] He was sentenced in his absence. [90]

    He had refugee status in Argentina from 2004 until it was revoked, and was arrested again in 2024. [91]

    1. 2004 refugee status in Argentina
    2. 2024 arrested again

    Why it matters

    He was waiting to be sent to Italy, and is now the target of a nationwide manhunt. [90]

    How it works

    Lawyers call it extradition: one country handing a wanted person over to another.

    Argentina held Bertulazzi at home with an ankle tag while Italy's request went through. [90]

    Seen it before

    A pupil sent to wait outside the head's office can slip away before the head arrives.

34. 40

    A local journalist is shot dead in Ecuador

    What happened

    • Tomas Beltran, a journalist in Ecuador, was shot dead outside his home on Sunday night. [20]
    • He ran a Facebook news page about Calceta, a small city in Manabi province. [20]
    • He had reported claims of corruption by local officials. [20]
    • He had told Reporters Without Borders about threats, and had been put in a state protection programme. [20]

    Who is involved

    • Tomas Beltran ran a local news page

    How it unfolded

    6 journalists were killed in Ecuador last year. [20]

    Why it matters

    Manabi's Pacific coast is a flashpoint in gang wars over drug-trafficking routes. [20]

    How it works

    Criminologists call it impunity: when killings go unpunished, more people feel free to kill.

    Police and prosecutors have said little about the case, and the killers fled. [20]

    Seen it before

    If nobody is ever caught cheating, more pupils start to cheat.

    The truth

    • It is not known whether his protection was still in place when he was killed. [20]
35. 41

    Two skulls return to Brazil from Harvard

    What happened

    • Two skulls, likely of enslaved people, were returned to Brazil on Wednesday from Harvard University. [92]
    • Harvard had used them in racist eugenics studies. [92]
    • One is believed to be a man who took part in Brazil's greatest slave revolt. [92]
    • Brazilian diplomats carried them home after a 4-year campaign. [92]

    Who is involved

    • One of the two believed to be from a slave revolt

    How it unfolded

    Brazil received more enslaved Africans than any other country in the transatlantic slave trade. [92]

    Why it matters

    Researchers will try to learn who they were. [92] Then they will be buried with funeral rites. [92]

    How it works

    Museums call it repatriation: returning remains or objects to the place they were taken from.

    Brazil asked for 4 years before Harvard's Peabody Museum sent them back. [92]

    Seen it before

    Giving back a book you borrowed years ago, to the friend who owned it.

    Good news

    • Two skulls taken from Brazil in the 19th century came home from Harvard, and will be buried with funeral rites once researchers learn who they were.
36. 42

    A Kenyan worker faces 100 lashes in Saudi Arabia

    What happened

    • A Kenyan domestic worker in Saudi Arabia has reportedly been sentenced to 100 lashes. [93] The charge was giving birth outside marriage. [93]
    • Her case came to light because hospitals must report single women who give birth. [93]
    • She said the child's father, an Egyptian man, has left the country. [93]

    Who is involved

    Her name is Esther Wanja Muthoni, and she worked as a housekeeper and nanny. [93]

    How it unfolded

    Sex outside marriage is a crime under Saudi Arabia's sharia law system. [93]

    Why it matters

    Rights groups called the punishment 'an act of violence'. [93]

    Rights groups say women are targeted far more than men under these laws. [93]

    The truth

    • Most unmarried mothers in Saudi Arabia give birth at home and are never reported, a migrant workers' group said. [93]
37. 43

    Jordan charges a man over a policeman's killing

    What happened

    • A Jordanian court charged Muhannad Al Hmouri with 2 counts of terrorism. [94] He is accused of stabbing a police officer to death in Amman. [94]
    • The officer, Corporal Jawad Al Salayta, was killed outside the Sri Lankan embassy last Thursday. [94]

    How it unfolded

    He had been let out of prison days before, after serving time for links to ISIS. [94]

    On 23 October, gunmen killed 9 men at a church in central Jordan, most of them from a Christian clan. [94]

    Why it matters

    Violence against Christians is rare in Jordan. [94] An attack on the police is seen there as a challenge to the state. [94]

    How it works

    Criminologists call it recidivism: when a person released from prison offends again.

    Al Hmouri had served time for plotting an attack, and is accused of striking days after release. [94]

    Seen it before

    A pupil back from suspension who starts the same fight on the first day.

38. 44

    Spain moves against TikTok before its vote

    What happened

    • Spain's prosecutors opened a preliminary inquiry into TikTok on Wednesday. [95]
    • It follows a report by Maldita, a Spanish civil society group, accusing TikTok of allowing child sexual abuse material. [95]
    • The youth ministry asked Spain's data protection watchdog to suspend the app. [95]
    • TikTok says such material is 'categorically prohibited on our platform' and that it moved quickly to remove it. [95]

    Why it matters

    Sanchez trails in the polls. [95] He has used the case to show he is tough on big tech firms before the vote. [95]

    How it works

    Sanchez picked child safety and big tech firms as a fight to lead with, and Feijoo stepped onto the same ground so it would not be Sanchez's alone.

    The idea, in story 06: Why each party tries to make the election about the problem voters trust it to fix →

    The truth

    • Feijoo, the opposition leader, also attacked TikTok, which may limit what Sanchez gains, Politico reported. [95]
    • Who gains Alberto Nunez Feijoo's People's Party — By attacking TikTok too, it stops Sanchez owning the child-safety fight on his own. [95]