This roundup summarises the most important news stories around the world in the last month (November 2025).

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In the United States (US), Democrats won significant victories in gubernatorial and state legislative elections, often by landslide margins. Later, the government reopened after the longest shutdown in the country’s history.

Outside the US – but related to the country – in Brazil, as countries gathered for the United Nations annual climate summit, COP30, the US neither sent official representatives nor played an active role in the talks. A new climate deal was struck at the summit, but countries failed to agree to a roadmap away from fossil fuels. In Colombia, amid the US’s ongoing military against narco-trafficking boats in the Caribbean, the Colombian military killed dozens in a rebel group accused of drug trafficking.

And the United Nations Security Council supported the US-drafted peace plan for Gaza. China and Russia raised objections, but they chose to abstain instead of voting the resolution.

Political and geopolitical developments

Politically and geopolitically, in Bangladesh, ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina – reportedly in exile in India since August 2024 – was sentenced to death after being found guilty of crimes against humanity. India has so far declined Bangladesh’s extradition request.

Politically, in France, former president Nicolas Sarkozy was released from prison, pending an appeal of his conviction in a campaign finance scandal. In Mexico, thousands turned out for anti-government protests, focused on drug-fuelled corruption and crime. In the Netherlands, the far-right party lost to a centre-left party in national elections. In Tanzania, hundreds were reportedly killed in protests, following last month’s elections.

And in the United Kingdom, the younger brother of King Charles III, Andrew, was stripped of his title as prince, over his ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Natural and man-made disasters

Hundreds in South East Asia, across large parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, were killed in flooding and landslides caused by cyclone-fuelled torrential rain. Tens of thousands were also displaced. In Hong Kong, at least 128 died in a fire that engulfed multiple high-rise buildings.

In Georgia, the crash of a Turkish military plane left at least 20 dead. In Nigeria, over 300 children were kidnapped from a Catholic school, and a few dozen – alongside some teachers – have escaped, as a search and rescue operation continues. And in Pakistan, dozens were killed after a suicide bombing.