Nov 13, 2026, 02:00 AM UTC

Spain's general strike triggered contrasting reports over its overall participation and economic toll. Trade unions targeted younger demographics and key logistics platforms such as Mercamadrid and Mercabarna to protest rising housing costs and inflation. Manufacturing plants faced noticeable disruptions, whereas the service sector operated with relative normalcy.

Disagreements emerged regarding the strike's reach. The CEOE business association termed turnout at "historic lows," citing a modest 4.7% drop in electrical demand and estimating total economic costs at €1.7 billion. Conversely, labor representatives highlighted major industrial pauses. The demonstrations also prompted sharp political reactions; Podem leader Irene Montero denounced police interventions, alleging instances of "cracked heads, broken ribs and swollen eyes" among protesters. Analysts emphasize that the mobilizations coincide with heightened pre-election maneuvering among political parties.

Sources: Canarias7, El Mundo, La Vanguardia, Marca

Following discussions in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, US mediators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have arrived in Dublin for meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The envoys announced that European representatives must be included in future negotiations to end the war, noting that President Putin appears open to European participation.

Despite expressing willingness to include European parties, President Putin reiterated Russia's firm stance on territorial claims during the Moscow talks. He insisted that any settled border must correspond to Russia's official constitutional boundaries, which encompass Crimea and four partially occupied eastern regions of Ukraine. Kushner called on European leaders to designate a negotiator for upcoming multilateral talks as shuttle diplomacy continues.

Sources: Der Spiegel, Der Standard, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held separate discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ireland following two days of trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi.

While the Abu Dhabi sessions concluded without a definitive breakthrough, talks centered on continental post-war security arrangements to reduce tensions between Russia and NATO. Following his meeting with the U.S. delegation, President Zelenskyy confirmed that European representatives will participate in the next round of peace negotiations, a move supported by U.S. negotiators who emphasized that European inclusion is essential to securing a lasting agreement. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized the initial discussions as "very productive."

Sources: BBC News, France24, Politico Europe (Defense), Sweden Herald, The Guardian.

American envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff completed two days of peace discussions with Russian and Ukrainian delegates in Abu Dhabi, aiming to construct a new framework for conflict resolution. The U.S. mediators plan to travel to Moscow to present the outcomes to Russian President Vladimir Putin before meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin. Zelensky indicated that a window of opportunity exists for diplomatic progress before the year ends.

Meanwhile, security concerns persist following a joint breach of Russia's Rosstat agency by Ukrainian and Belarusian cyber groups, which reportedly uncovered documentation of 412,576 Russian military fatalities. In Western Europe, Italy announced its future military aid to Kyiv will focus solely on defense capabilities and power generators, withholding additional Samp/T air defense missiles as domestic procurement costs for its F-35 fighter jet fleet rise.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, Il Sole 24 Ore, La Repubblica

U.S. intelligence agencies and Nvidia’s board of directors have launched investigations into potential security risks associated with Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang. The inquiries follow reports alleging that Huang was targeted in a Chinese intelligence operation involving an extramarital relationship with Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed. U.S. authorities suspect her of attempting to gather sensitive semiconductor information on behalf of Beijing.

Huang publicly acknowledged marital infidelity in a message to staff, though he did not identify his partner. During a conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump, who confirmed the Federal Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the matter, Huang denied any knowledge of espionage activities. Nvidia stated that an internal review found no evidence compromising corporate or government secrets, although the development triggered a temporary decline in the company's stock value.

Sources: Hospodářské noviny, Money, Rzeczpospolita, Seznam Zprávy, TVP info.