Spain’s two largest unions called a 24-hour nationwide strike over wages, housing costs and prices, with disruptions expected across transport, schools, health care and other public services. The action comes amid a housing shortage and rising rents, and ahead of snap elections scheduled for November 29.
Key Facts
The Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and Union General de Trabajadores (UGT) called the strike, which is due to begin at midnight on Wednesday.
The unions last called a general strike together in 2012, during Spain’s austerity crisis.
Flights may be delayed or canceled, and public transport in major cities is expected to run at reduced capacity.
Essential services will maintain minimum staffing, while schools, hospitals, shops and other services may close or operate with fewer staff.
Protests intensified after 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal was evicted from her Madrid home in September following a rent increase; she has since died.
The Bank of Spain estimates the country has 750,000 fewer homes than it needs, with the shortfall potentially exceeding one million by 2028.
The Spanish Youth Council reports average monthly rent of 1,176 euros and an average salary of 1,190 euros for young people.
Spain’s snap election is scheduled for November 29, and the housing crisis has become a central political issue.
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The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council unanimously overturned laws in Trinidad and Tobago that criminalised consensual same-sex intimacy. The ruling followed an 11-year legal challenge by Jason Jones and found the laws incompatible with the right to respect for private and family life.
Key Facts
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is Trinidad and Tobago’s final court of appeal.
Jason Jones, a dual citizen, began the legal challenge 11 years ago.
Jones won in Trinidad and Tobago’s High Court in 2018, but the government appealed successfully.
The government argued that savings law clauses protected the laws from legal challenge.
Jones’s lawyers argued that changes made to the laws in 1986 removed that protection.
Lord Sales said the laws could not be justified in a society that respects individual rights and freedoms.
The article says Trinidad and Tobago had been among about 34 Commonwealth countries that criminalised homosexuality under laws originating in the British colonial era.
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Sydney’s jacaranda trees typically bloom for six weeks each spring, covering parts of the city in purple flowers. BBC journalist Tabby Wilson visits a well-known spot for photos and speaks with visitors who traveled from around the world to see the blooms.
Key Facts
Jacaranda trees in Sydney typically flower for six weeks each spring.
The blooms turn parts of the city purple.
The flowering season also fills social media feeds with images of the trees.
BBC journalist Tabby Wilson visits a famous Sydney jacaranda photo spot.
Wilson speaks with visitors who traveled from across the globe to see the blooms.
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Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry summoned German mission head Mathias Licharz over a video calling for the release of detained former leaders Win Myint and Aung San Suu Kyi. The ministry said it warned Licharz that similar conduct would be treated seriously; Licharz said Win Myint was not free to meet or communicate independently.
Key Facts
Licharz posted the video on Sunday outside Win Myint’s former residence in Yangon.
The video marked Win Myint’s 75th birthday and called for the release of people it described as arbitrarily detained.
Myanmar’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ko Ko Kyaw met Licharz and gave him an aide-memoire, a formal diplomatic note.
Licharz said the United Nations still regards Win Myint as Myanmar’s legitimate president.
Win Myint was jailed after the military coup in February 2021.
Myanmar’s authorities said in April that Win Myint had been pardoned for convictions incurred after the coup.
Aung San Suu Kyi remains detained and was moved to house arrest in Naypyidaw this year, according to the authorities.
The military held elections this year and installed a nominally civilian government.
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The UK Privy Council unanimously ruled that Trinidad and Tobago’s laws must not criminalize private, consensual sex between adults of the same sex. The decision restores activist Jason Jones’s 2018 legal victory and could affect other Caribbean countries that use the Privy Council as their final court of appeal.
Key Facts
The Privy Council overturned a 2025 Trinidad and Tobago Court of Appeal decision that had reinstated criminal penalties for consensual anal sex.
Jones first won a High Court ruling against the laws in 2018.
All five Privy Council judges ruled that sections 13 and 16 of the Sexual Offences Act 1986 must be read consistently with the constitution.
The ruling protects private, consensual sexual relations between adults of the same sex from criminalization under those provisions.
The Privy Council is the final court of appeal for Trinidad and Tobago and several other Commonwealth countries.
Jones said he does not yet feel comfortable living in Trinidad again.
The article notes that a court in St Lucia struck down laws criminalizing consensual gay sex last year.
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The article says British publishers withdrew several Russell Brand books after a jury convicted him of rape and sexual assault and he received a 10½-year prison sentence. It revisits passages in his 2007 memoir that describe sexual pressure, violence toward women, and cruelty to a dog, and notes that commentators say celebrity media once treated provocative behavior more leniently.
Key Facts
Pan Macmillan and other publishers reportedly withdrew Brand’s books from sale after his conviction.
The article says a jury convicted Brand of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Brand was sentenced to 10½ years in prison, according to the article.
In his 2007 memoir, My Booky Wook, Brand described a school game involving grabbing girls over their clothing and wrote, “No one was safe from me.”
The memoir recounts Brand using pleading, emotional pressure, and lies to persuade a woman identified as Penny to have sex.
Brand wrote that he spat in a lap dancer’s face after she slapped him, and that he smashed a sex worker’s phone.
Brand also wrote about luring the family dog, Topsy, upstairs and kicking it down the stairs.
Public relations professionals told Newsweek that entertainment media in the late 2000s and early 2010s often treated provocative celebrity behavior as part of a performer’s public image.
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UK minister Hamish Falconer said Britain is willing to discuss contributing to EU infrastructure funds as part of talks on joining the European electricity market, but the government has not accepted that the contribution should be required. The UK and EU are also negotiating on defence cooperation, youth mobility, food and drink, carbon emissions, and industrial policy.
Key Facts
Five European leaders said Britain would need to contribute to the EU cohesion fund to join the electricity market.
The EU cohesion fund supports economic development in poorer regions of the bloc.
Falconer said the UK had not accepted a link between joining the electricity market and contributing to the cohesion fund.
Negotiators hope to reach agreements on food and drink, carbon emissions, and youth mobility at an upcoming UK-EU summit.
Talks over UK participation in the EU’s €150 billion Safe defence loan scheme collapsed after the sides disagreed over the UK’s contribution.
Falconer said he hoped Britain could join a future Safe2 defence scheme on acceptable terms.
The UK and EU are discussing a youth mobility scheme, with tuition fees for EU students at UK universities among the sticking points.
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Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in Córdoba, Argentina, before an estimated 650,000 people, urging citizens to follow the example of Argentine saints and build a more caring nation. During his visit, he also pressed President Javier Milei’s government to pursue more inclusive economic policies and protect vulnerable groups.
Key Facts
The Vatican said about 650,000 people attended the Mass in Córdoba.
About 2.5 million worshippers attended Leo’s Mass in Buenos Aires on Monday, according to the article.
Leo urged Argentinians to spread their faith and work toward a more fraternal and caring nation.
The Mass took place on the grounds of a military aircraft factory.
Pilgrims travelled from across Argentina for the visit, following nearly 40 years without a papal visit to the country.
Leo’s Latin America tour was scheduled to last 12 days.
During his three days in Argentina, Leo called for a more inclusive economy, protection for trade unions, and restored funding for poor people and people with disabilities.
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French police searched the Ritz hotel and other properties linked to Mohamed Al Fayed as part of an investigation into an alleged international network that trafficked women. The probe, opened in 2025, seeks to identify accomplices of Al Fayed and his late brother Salah; investigators have questioned people and are examining digital devices.
Key Facts
Police searched the Ritz in Paris, Villa Windsor and Castel Sainte-Therese in Saint-Tropez.
Prosecutors said people were held for questioning and investigators examined computers, phones and other digital media.
The investigation concerns allegations of aggravated human trafficking, procuring prostitutes and rape.
Mohamed Al Fayed died in 2023 at age 94 without charges having been brought against him.
French investigators have heard from at least five complainants, with the latest interview in October, according to sources close to the case.
Complainants allege that young women seeking jobs at Harrods or as assistants were recruited and given fabricated jobs.
Some complainants said they believe they were drugged; one former Ritz employee said she was transported between France and Britain.
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Iran says it remains committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), while limiting cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after U.S. and Israeli attacks on its nuclear facilities. The IAEA recently inspected the Bushehr power plant, but it says it cannot verify Iran’s nuclear material without requested information and access to other sites.
Key Facts
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran has not suspended its NPT commitments.
Iran has restricted broader cooperation with the IAEA, citing attacks on its nuclear facilities and security concerns.
Iran confirmed that IAEA inspections took place at the Bushehr nuclear power plant days before Baghaei’s announcement.
Bushehr is the only Iranian nuclear facility that remains accessible to the IAEA, according to the article.
The United States attacked the perimeter of Bushehr several times, causing damage and a partial evacuation of Russian personnel.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told the UN Security Council that the agency could not verify Iran’s nuclear material because Tehran had not provided requested information and access.
Iranian hardliners have increasingly raised the possibility of leaving the NPT and building a nuclear weapon.
The article identifies Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan as sensitive sites where broader inspections remain unavailable.
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The UK is considering a broad expansion of its planned social media ban for children under 16, potentially bringing services such as YouTube Kids, Spotify and gaming platforms within its scope. Ministers are weighing rules based on recommendation systems and user-generated content, while a later set of regulations could cover online marketplaces with messaging features.
Key Facts
The ban is scheduled to take effect in March, and the government is considering rules that could cover as many as 150 platforms.
The proposals are expected to go to cabinet for approval this week, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy expected to present regulations to Parliament in December.
The working proposal focuses on recommendation systems and content created by users.
YouTube Kids, Spotify and Lego Play could potentially fall within the proposed rules, although the government had previously said educational services and music streaming would be exempt.
Technology companies argue that removing recommendation systems could make some services difficult to operate.
The government is considering a second set of rules for next spring that could include marketplaces such as Vinted, eBay and Depop.
Officials have discussed the marketplace proposals with retailers, some of whom reportedly objected to bringing sites with messaging features into scope.
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British Defence Minister Luke Pollard says Russian naval activity around the UK rose 41% in the first nine months of 2026. The Royal Navy plans to expand cooperation with nine other northern European countries on sea drones and warships, while the UK also plans investment in underwater drones and sensors to monitor Russian submarine activity.
Key Facts
Pollard described the 41% rise in Russian naval activity around the UK as a major increase.
The proposed Northern Navies Initiative would allow sea drones from participating countries to work with allied warships.
The initiative involves the UK, the Netherlands, and Baltic and Nordic countries.
A parliamentary defence committee warned that shortages of available warships and submarines could weaken the UK's ability to deter Russian aggression.
The UK budget allocated an extra £10 billion a year for defence from 2030, according to the article.
The UK's defence investment plan includes £1.5 billion for sea drones over four years.
The UK will spend a further £90 million on underwater drones and sensors to monitor the Greenland-Iceland-UK gap.
Pollard said Russian spy ships, including the Yantar, had operated near UK waters and sought information about critical infrastructure and undersea cables.
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Russell Brand’s films and shows remained available on major streaming platforms in the United States and United Kingdom after a jury convicted him of rape and sexual assault. The article counted 21 titles available in the U.S. across several services and reported that Netflix and other platforms had been asked for comment.
Key Facts
A jury convicted Brand on November 5 of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Brand was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court in London to more than 10 years in prison.
The convictions concerned crimes against four women from about two decades ago; Brand denied the charges.
As of Tuesday morning, the article counted 21 of Brand’s titles available for streaming in the U.S.
Prime Video and The Roku Channel each hosted six titles; Netflix and Max each hosted four.
The article said Brand’s stand-up show Russell Brand: Re:Birth could be found on Netflix through a search engine, though it did not appear in searches on Netflix’s site.
Jurors cleared Brand on two other rape counts and one count of attempted indecent assault.
London’s Metropolitan Police said they were investigating two further rape allegations that had not resulted in charges.
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Israeli President Isaac Herzog urged lawmakers to form a government without another election and called for an investigation into the Hamas-led October 7 attacks. Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, to build a coalition, but he has not secured the support needed for a majority.
Key Facts
Herzog spoke as newly elected members took their seats in the 26th Knesset.
Eisenkot was tasked with forming the next government on Sunday.
A government needs support from at least 61 members of the Knesset.
Eisenkot and his allies want an independent inquiry into the October 7 attacks.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has opposed a commission appointed by the Supreme Court, saying it would be biased against his government.
Netanyahu’s bloc has challenged the October 27 election result, alleging foreign interference; the results were certified and authorities dismissed claims of widespread violations.
Herzog called for stronger ties with the United States and for Israel to strengthen peace agreements with regional neighbors.
If neither Eisenkot nor Netanyahu forms a coalition, Israel could hold another election.
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A study of more than 71,000 women in South Korea found that higher consumption of some sugary foods was associated with greater breast cancer risk. Researchers found no such association for fruit, and the study does not establish that sugar causes breast cancer.
Key Facts
The study used data from the Health Examinees-Gem study, collected between 2004 and 2013, and followed participants for an average of about nine years.
Researchers identified about 700 new breast cancer cases among the participants.
Women who ate ice cream more than once a week had a 26 percent higher risk than women who did not eat it.
Women who ate sugary cereal more than once every two months had a 34 percent higher risk than those who never ate it.
Women who ate more than two weekly servings of high-sugar foods had a 28 percent higher risk than those who ate less than one serving per month.
The researchers found no association between greater fruit consumption and breast cancer risk.
The study appeared in the European Journal of Nutrition on October 31.
The researchers said factors including alcohol consumption and body mass index affected the strength of the associations.
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Somalia’s former Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed told Al Jazeera that more than 300 security personnel occupied the Supreme Court. He said this happened after the court ruled that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term extension, and therefore his presidency, was unconstitutional.
Key Facts
Bashe Yusuf Ahmed is Somalia’s former chief justice.
Ahmed told Al Jazeera that more than 300 security forces occupied the Supreme Court.
The reported occupation followed a court ruling on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term extension.
The court ruled the term extension unconstitutional, according to the article.
The article says the ruling also meant Mohamud’s presidency was unconstitutional.
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Slovyansk, part of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk defensive belt, is facing frequent Russian drone, missile and glide-bomb attacks that have damaged buildings and driven many shops to close. The city’s future is a central issue in renewed talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi, as Ukraine resists calls to give up the territory.
Key Facts
Slovyansk is one of four cities in Ukraine’s heavily fortified defensive belt in the part of Donetsk still under Ukrainian control.
The BBC report describes Russian drones, missiles and glide bombs threatening the city.
Many buildings in Slovyansk have been damaged or destroyed, including a school hit by glide bombs.
Ukrainian drone-unit members Tetiana and Yasha escorted the BBC crew through the city and monitored threats from the air.
Russia wants Ukraine to surrender the fortified cities, which are central to renewed peace talks in Abu Dhabi.
Ukrainian officials worry that giving up the cities would make it easier for Russian forces to advance farther west.
Russia has captured nearly 90% of the Donbas, which includes the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, the report says.
Ukraine’s general staff reported that more than 54,000 Russian troops were killed or injured in October.
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French judo champion Teddy Riner announced a bid for the 2027 French presidential election. The article reviews the political careers of former athletes Imran Khan and George Weah, whose paths included both high office and setbacks.
Key Facts
Teddy Riner is a French judo champion and has announced he will run in the 2027 French presidential election.
Imran Khan captained Pakistan to its only Cricket World Cup victory in 1992.
Khan became a member of Pakistan’s parliament in 2002 and prime minister in 2018; he left office in 2022.
Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 while facing charges including corruption and inciting violence; he says his imprisonment is politically motivated.
George Weah won the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 1995, becoming the first African to win both in the same year.
Weah lost Liberia’s 2005 presidential runoff, later became a senator in 2014, and won the presidency in 2017.
Weah lost his bid for a second presidential term to Joseph Boakai in 2023.
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Train driver Andrew Johnson told a jury that he had about 10 seconds to move his train onto a slower track after hearing a report of a stabbing. He said he directed the London-bound train to Huntingdon, where it stopped during the attack on 1 November last year.
Key Facts
Johnson was driving an LNER service from London when it stopped at Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
He testified that the train was travelling at 122 mph when an alarm indicated someone was trying to open a passenger door.
Johnson said he heard someone report over the intercom that a knifeman was stabbing people.
He said he chose to switch to the slow line and asked a signaller to get the train to Huntingdon and contact police.
The train arrived at Huntingdon at 19:44 GMT, and Johnson had to override the system to open its doors because the station was not a scheduled stop.
Anthony Williams, 33, denies 10 attempted-murder charges relating to the train attack and four more charges relating to earlier alleged attacks in Peterborough and London.
The court has heard that whether Williams carried out the attacks is not in question; jurors must decide whether he intended to kill.
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Germany marked the 88th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the 1938 pogrom against Jewish people in Nazi Germany and Austria. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany faces a historic test over antisemitism.
Key Facts
The article was issued on November 10, 2026.
The anniversary marked 88 years since Kristallnacht.
Kristallnacht is also known as the Night of Broken Glass.
The pogrom targeted Jewish people across Nazi Germany and Austria.
The article describes Kristallnacht as a critical escalation toward the Holocaust.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany faces a historic test over antisemitism.
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