10 Things Global News - 20th November 2025
Interesting and important news from around the world
Revised Peace Push Tests Kyiv’s Position
Russian Strike Kills 25 In Western Ukraine
Trump Orders Release Of Epstein Case Files
Trump Moves To Address Sudan’s Escalating War
Italy Approves Extradition In Nord Stream Case
Lula Pushes On As COP30 Deal Slips
Japan Lacks China Links As Tensions Rise
Israeli Strikes Kill Dozens Despite Gaza Ceasefire
Dutch Ease Nexperia Pressure To Stabilise Chip Supply
Grand Jury Oversight Questioned In Comey Case
On this day ….
On this day in 1985 Microsoft released Windows 1.0, introducing a graphical interface that moved personal computing beyond the command line.
The launch placed Microsoft in direct competition with Apple, whose earlier interface innovations influenced its design - a reminder that technological progress often involves aggressive commercial rivalry as much as invention.
Windows would go on to dominate global operating systems and shape expectations about how software ecosystems should function.
Did this early interface battle set the template for today’s platform-driven tech competition?
Washington has revived its drive to end the war in Ukraine as Army Secretary Dan Driscoll arrives in Kyiv for a fact-finding mission. His visit follows a secret meeting in Miami where special envoy Steve Witkoff presented a revised peace plan containing terms Kyiv has long rejected.
The proposal includes a major territorial loss for Ukraine, strict limits on its armed forces and key categories of weaponry, and a rollback of US military assistance. As a result, officials familiar with the talks say a breakthrough remains unlikely.
Zelensky faces this pressure amid a widening corruption scandal that has implicated close allies and weakened his political standing. The fallout has emboldened critics and raised questions about his ability to resist unfavourable terms. Meanwhile, Russian and US officials involved in drafting the plan have pushed for concessions aligning with long-standing Kremlin objectives.
However, officials in Kyiv say the proposals amount to a capitulation and cannot be accepted without significant changes.
Sources: Washington Post, FT
A major Russian drone and missile barrage on Ternopil killed at least 25 people, including three children, and injured more than 70 others, according to Ukrainian authorities. The attack struck two residential blocks in the western city, where many displaced families had sought safety. Meanwhile, additional strikes injured dozens in Kharkiv as firefighters battled blazes across several districts.
However, the scale of the assault extended far beyond the two cities. Ukraine’s air force reported 476 drones and 48 missiles launched overnight, saying most were intercepted. Rescue workers in Ternopil are still searching the rubble, with dozens of people unaccounted for and fires damaging homes and industrial sites. As a result, officials warned that the toll could rise.
Zelenskyy, who was in Ankara meeting Turkey’s President Erdogan to bolster diplomatic pressure on Russia, said the attacks showed that existing international pressure remained insufficient.
Sources: Associated Press, Anadolu Agency
President Trump has signed a bill compelling the justice department to release its case files on Jeffrey Epstein, ending years of wavering over whether to disclose the material. The department now has 30 days to publish the documents and cannot withhold information on grounds of embarrassment, reputational harm or political sensitivity.
However, officials can still redact victims’ identities, child sexual abuse material and anything that might jeopardise active investigations, so the scope of the release remains uncertain.
The move follows overwhelming bipartisan votes in Congress and intense public pressure for transparency, amid scrutiny of Epstein’s links to prominent political figures in both parties. Members of Congress have already previously published tens of thousands of related documents, adding detail to his network and relationships without implying criminal activity by everyone named.
Sources: The Guardian, NPR
President Trump has pledged to work to end Sudan’s civil war after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked him to intervene, saying his administration began acting within half an hour of the request. The promise came during the Saudi Investment Forum in Washington, where Trump said Arab leaders wanted him to use US influence to halt the conflict.
However, the scale of the crisis underlines the difficulty of any intervention, as Sudan faces widespread bloodshed, displacement and deepening famine.
The fighting erupted in 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces and has since triggered more than four million people to flee.
Meanwhile, UN analyses have declared famine in el-Fasher and Kadugli, and nearly half the population is experiencing acute food insecurity. Trump said he would work with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and other regional partners to end atrocities and stabilise the country. As a result, Washington is now positioned to pursue a larger diplomatic role.
Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera
Italy’s highest appeals court has approved the extradition of Ukrainian national Serhiy Kuznetsov to Germany, where he is suspected of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions. He is expected to be handed over to German police within days, facing charges of anti-constitutional sabotage and causing an explosion.
Prosecutors believe he coordinated a group that planted explosives under the Baltic Sea, though they have not publicly presented evidence. However, his lawyer says he feels like a scapegoat and notes that Kyiv has offered no statement on his role.
The ruling contrasts with a recent Polish court decision blocking the extradition of another Ukrainian suspect, citing insufficient evidence and jurisdictional concerns. Meanwhile, the pipelines’ destruction rendered three of the four Nord Stream lines inoperable and prompted investigations in Sweden, Denmark and Germany.
The case carries political weight, as Germany is a key military supporter of Ukraine, and some Ukrainians argue the attack targeted a major Russian revenue source. As a result, the trial in Germany is likely to draw significant international attention.
Sources: BBC, DW
Brazil failed to secure an early COP30 agreement on Wednesday, but President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he remained confident a deal could still be reached. Brazil had hoped to avoid another climate summit running past deadline, yet a revised draft did not appear and divisions persisted over fossil fuels, climate finance and tougher national plans. However, Lula argued that countries must cut their use of coal, oil and gas and said transitions should reflect different paces and come with financial backing.
Talks in Belém have brought nearly 200 countries together to consider a roadmap away from fossil fuels, but fewer than half have publicly backed the idea. Meanwhile, island states say major producers are blocking strong language, and scientists have criticised current proposals as too weak to meet agreed temperature goals.
As a result, negotiators now face a tight timetable to resolve disputes over funding and transparency before the summit’s scheduled close.
Sources: Reuters, Associated Press
Japan’s diplomatic channels with China are under strain as tensions flare over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on Taiwan. Several long-standing political conduits have faded, however limiting Tokyo’s ability to manage the dispute. In contrast, key figures once central to bilateral communication, including Toshihiro Nikai, have retired, and the Komeito party has left the ruling coalition, removing a group long viewed as a bridge to Beijing.
The shift has left the government with few senior politicians who maintain deep ties to China. Meanwhile, some lawmakers warn that the absence of trusted intermediaries risks complicating dialogue at a time when Beijing’s reaction has sharpened, illustrated by online comments from China’s consul-general in Osaka. Others note that new coalition partner Nippon Ishin no Kai has little China expertise.
The Japan-China Friendship Parliamentarians’ Union may still visit Beijing, but internal caution and China’s reluctance cloud prospects.
Sources: Japan Times, Asia Nikkei
Israeli strikes across Gaza have killed at least 25 Palestinians, with health authorities in the enclave saying dozens more were wounded as bombardments hit Gaza City and Khan Younis. In contrast, Israel said its forces were responding to gunfire in the south, describing the attacks as strikes on Hamas targets. Hamas offered no immediate public comment.
The escalation comes despite a ceasefire that has been in place since October, and follows days of relative calm. Meanwhile, the strikes hit residential areas, a ministry building in Zeitoun and sites around Shejaiya, where children were reported among the dead. Civil defence officials described widespread damage and said rescue teams were working through rubble at multiple locations.
The renewed fighting also coincides with regional tension, including Israeli strikes in Lebanon, and follows a UN Security Council resolution endorsing a US-led plan for Gaza.
Sources: Al Jazeera, BBC
The Dutch government has suspended its intervention in chipmaker Nexperia after “constructive” talks with China, in a move aimed at averting deeper shocks to global supply chains. Beijing recently relaxed export restrictions, allowing partial resumption of chip flows to Europe, while carmakers warned their stocks were running dangerously low. However, officials said the situation remains volatile despite these early signals of cooperation.
Nissan has already begun making “production adjustments”, while Bosch confirmed disruptions at two plants in Germany and one in Portugal, with thousands of workers affected by curtailed hours or furloughs. Meanwhile, BMW welcomed the more positive political tone but cautioned that any further delays in chip movements could still have major consequences for manufacturers.
China described the Dutch reversal as a “first step”, and EU officials said stabilising chip supply chains was essential as inventories in China were expected to last only until early December.
Sources: Dutch News, FT
A federal judge has raised pointed concerns over the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey after prosecutors admitted the final charging document was never shown to the full grand jury. The irregularity emerged during a tense hearing, prompting the judge to seek further information. However, the issue expanded as the courtroom examined signs of political pressure, including President Trump’s public demands for charges and the appointment of an inexperienced U.S. attorney after her predecessor declined to prosecute.
The judge pressed prosecutors on how the edited indictment, reduced from three counts to two, was approved, and why the grand jurors did not vote on the revised version. In contrast to the government’s explanations of “paperwork error,” Comey’s lawyers argued that the process rendered the indictment invalid and could not be refiled.
The judge has not ruled but signalled scepticism as further disclosures loom.