DevelopingSpain: first general strike in 14 years over the housing crisis
A 24-hour nationwide walkout backed by the UGT and CCOO unions began at midnight on Wednesday, with roadblocks around Barcelona and scuffles between pickets and police near Madrid's main wholesale market. Unions reported 90% early participation in the car and port sectors, while employer groups said overall turnout was low; the strike comes less than three weeks before the Nov 29 snap election.
Sources: Al Jazeera (AFP/AP) · France 24 (AFP) · NBC News (Reuters) · ABC (Spain)
DevelopingFrance: education march stays calm in Paris as an official is hit with petrol in Chelles
Police counted 6,000 marchers in Paris on Tuesday and organisers said 10,000; the ministry said 49 high schools (1.3%) were blockaded and 1.6% of teachers struck. Outside a high school in Chelles, a regional councillor was hit by a bottle of petrol, prosecutors opened an attempted-murder inquiry, and Macron said violence has no place in a democracy.
Sources: franceinfo · RFI · France 24 (AFP)
ConfirmedUkraine: Abu Dhabi talks end with a deal on a large prisoner exchange
After two days of US-mediated talks, Kushner and Russia's Medinsky both said the sides agreed on a large prisoner swap; Kushner said the numbers would be finalised on Thursday. He said there was progress on ceasefire monitoring and that he and Witkoff will meet Putin in Moscow on Thursday, while Medinsky was cool on any European role.
Sources: The National · Guardian live
ConfirmedRussia: drone attack sets Baltic oil port of Ust-Luga on fire
Leningrad region governor Aleksandr Drozdenko said a drone attack overnight caused a fire in the Ust-Luga port area and injured three workers, and that 150 drones were shot down over the region. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania issued drone warnings and the blaze was visible from Estonia's coast.
Sources: Reuters via MarketScreener · ERR News
ConfirmedUK: US Army soldier arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia
British counter-terrorism police arrested a 41-year-old senior US Army serviceman near Gloucester on Tuesday under the National Security Act. The BBC understands he was based at Imjin Barracks, headquarters of NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, and the FBI called the case of the utmost concern.
Sources: BBC
DevelopingAlbania: national march against the Rama government set for Wednesday afternoon
Students and citizens planned to gather outside the Education Ministry in Tirana at 2 pm local time (8 am ET) and march on the prime minister's office, continuing the twice-weekly protests demanding Edi Rama's resignation.
Sources: CNA
DevelopingSerbia: former economy minister Rade Basta arrested
Police arrested Rade Basta on Wednesday on orders from the Belgrade Higher Public Prosecutor's Office, which suspects that, while he ran the city heating company Beogradske Elektrane, he caused it tens of millions of dinars in damage through unwarranted donations to sports clubs. RTS reports several people linked to him are also being detained.
Sources: RTS · N1
ConfirmedGeorgia: pro-European protest in Tbilisi reaches day 713
Demonstrators gathered outside parliament again on Tuesday, demanding new elections and the release of political prisoners, and honoured Mzisa Gabeshia, a 75-year-old activist from Martvili who had held daily pro-EU pickets there alone and whose death was announced that day.
Sources: TV Pirveli · Caucasian Knot
DevelopingIran: Tehran says Hormuz stays shut until its conditions are met as tankers catch fire
Security chief Mohsen Rezaei called reports of talks in Qatar a lie and said Iran is still waiting for a clear US answer to its seven conditions. Iran's military said a tanker hit a mine and caught fire in the strait on Wednesday; the UK's UKMTO reported a tanker incident but could not say if it was the same ship.
Sources: Al Jazeera · Arab News
ConfirmedUS: Treasury chief Bessent moved to a military base after Iranian threats, NYT reports
The New York Times, citing three sources, reported that Scott Bessent left his Washington-area home for a military base over threats to his life, and that Iranian plotting against US officials has reached a more advanced stage. Treasury said he will not be deterred; Iran has previously denied plotting attacks on US officials.
Sources: Guardian · CBS News
DevelopingGaza: Board of Peace calls Israel's flood response insufficient; Netanyahu rejects blame
The US-backed Board of Peace said on Monday that Israel's response to flooding in Gaza's displacement camps 'remains insufficient' and urged it to authorise winter and humanitarian supplies immediately. Israel says more than 91,000 tents have entered Gaza, and Netanyahu has rejected accusations that Israel is delaying winter supplies.
Sources: BBC · AP · Times of Israel
DevelopingIsrael: Eisenkot cancels unity talks with Likud after Netanyahu's 'divisive' speech
Eisenkot's Yashar party called off a planned negotiating meeting with Likud after what it called Netanyahu's divisive speech at the Knesset swearing-in. At least one ultra-Orthodox party is understood to be in talks with Eisenkot, with the military draft a central issue.
Sources: Jerusalem Post · Al Jazeera
ConfirmedCongo: Ebola outbreak passes 11,000 cases
Government data released on Tuesday put confirmed cases at 11,042 and deaths at 5,387 in Congo's largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine or treatment. Eight of Congo's 26 provinces are affected.
Sources: Al Jazeera (Reuters) · CNBC Africa (Reuters)
ConfirmedKenya: eight killed in suspected al Shabaab ambush near the Somali border
Two police reservists, five construction workers and a driver were killed on Tuesday morning at a road-building site in Mandera county, police and a regional official said.
Sources: Reuters via TimesLIVE · Daily Monitor
ConfirmedSouth Korea: bus ploughs into 32 vehicles in Seongnam rush hour
A city bus hit traffic stopped at a signal in Bundang on Wednesday morning, injuring 57 people, nine seriously, per Yonhap; the Korea Herald gives the same 57. The driver told police the brakes failed, and investigators are looking into the cause.
Sources: Yonhap · Korea Herald
ConfirmedIndia: three workers die at Tata's iPhone parts plant near Hosur
Three contract workers died on Monday evening while servicing a wastewater tank at the Tata Electronics site in Tamil Nadu; officials suspect toxic gas. District officials, Apple and Tata have opened inquiries.
Sources: Indian Express · New Indian Express
ConfirmedUS: House Republicans block Hegseth impeachment, 211-204
The House voted on Tuesday to send Rep. Massie's impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Hegseth to committee, effectively ending the effort this Congress; Massie was the only Republican to vote no. Democrats, who take both chambers in January, have promised investigations.
Sources: NPR · BBC · House Clerk
ConfirmedCanada: Carney says a new ambassador to China has been chosen
Prime Minister Carney said on Tuesday that he has found the right person for the post, vacant for six months, and that China's formal approval is under way. He is expected at the APEC summit in China on Nov 18-19.
Sources: CBC