News explained
What's behind the news everyone shares, with dates and sources.
Latest
The ECB freezes rates at 2.5% and Christine Lagarde announces she is leaving early
The European Central Bank leaves rates unchanged, but analysts expect a hike in December because inflation reached 3.8%. Hours earlier, Lagarde announced she will leave the bank on February 7, 2027, nine months before the end of her term.
The US economy grows 3.4%, more than expected, five days before the election
GDP grew much faster between July and September than in spring, pushed by consumer spending and investment. Imports soared. The data comes just before the November 3 midterm elections.
A Russian drone kills at least 13 people on a platform at Dnipro train station
The attack hit a platform where a passenger train to Zaporizhzhia was waiting. There was an alert, but many people were still there. Zelensky called it atrocious. It happened on the same day aid reached Oleshky thanks to a local truce.
256 Colombians have now died and 973 are missing in the war between Russia and Ukraine
The Foreign Ministry updated the figures: in June there were 173 dead and 670 missing. They fight on both sides, some drawn by misleading job offers. Colombia is asking Russia and Ukraine to stop recruiting them.
Israel investigates whether a foreign country tried to influence its election
The head of the election committee asked the domestic security service to investigate whether foreign money tried to sway the vote. The press points to Qatar. Netanyahu alleges fraud, the police dismiss it, and no one has a majority.
Repsol earns more than ever: 5,006 million through September, up 325%, thanks to expensive oil
It is its best result in history, above even the 2022 energy crisis. A barrel of Brent averaged 97 dollars. The oil company will pay out around 3 billion to its shareholders.
Cuba
The US expels a Cuban diplomat from the UN after a scuffle over a phone
Marco Rubio signed the immediate expulsion of Richard Tur de la Concepción, from Cuba's mission to the UN. According to Washington, he tried to grab the phone of a US diplomat who was filming. Cuba protested in a letter.
The dollar hits 850 pesos in Cuba: it has never been this expensive
On the informal market, one dollar now costs 850 Cuban pesos, 107 more than a month ago. The euro is at 936. The Central Bank's official rate stays at 754.
Cuba runs out of fuel: a mine closes, over 2,000 megawatts are missing and Havana asks Pemex for help
The Castellanos zinc and lead mine, in Pinar del Río, is closing for lack of energy. Pemex has not sent oil to Cuba since the second quarter of 2026, and the Cuban government is trying to get it back.
The UN again calls for an end to the embargo on Cuba, but with the worst result in its history
130 countries voted in Cuba's favor, 35 fewer than last year. Earlier, Cuba's foreign minister walked toward the US ambassador while he was speaking, and Washington expelled a Cuban diplomat.
Protest outside the US Embassy in Havana: the embassy closes and urges people to stay away
After the clash at the UN, a rally is expected at the Anti-Imperialist Tribune, next to the embassy. The US closed its in-person services at 11 a.m. and issued a security alert.
Cuba in 2026: the most absurd things about living there, with data
A nine-dollar monthly wage, twenty hours without power and your own cow that you're not allowed to kill. Eight verified facts about life in Cuba.
What would happen to Cuba's 9-dollar monthly wage if its economy opened up?
A month's work in Cuba is worth about 9 dollars. Poland and Vietnam already went from a closed economy to an open one: this is what happened to their wages.
Venezuela
Delcy Rodríguez promises elections but no date, while Machado holds her first press conference in Caracas
The acting president said there will be all the elections the Constitution requires, with a renewed electoral authority, but gave no timetable. Minutes later, Machado thanked Trump and Rubio for the path to transition.
The first million barrels of Venezuelan oil arrive in Texas, and Trump calls it a gift
Two tankers unloaded in Corpus Christi the first crude from the deal signed in August. The US will sell it to Exxon and Citgo. What the deal says and what is still unknown.
María Corina Machado visits La Guaira, the state hit hardest by June's earthquakes
Three days after returning to Venezuela, the opposition leader toured the areas destroyed by the June 24 double earthquake, which killed more than 6,500 people. She promised to help rebuild.
María Corina Machado returned to Venezuela: how it happened and what could come next
Seven attempts, a canceled boat and a denied landing. After exile and the Nobel Peace Prize, María Corina Machado reappeared in Venezuela.
Mexico
A former Russian soldier is arrested in Tecate with a grenade and a fake CIA badge
He was pulled over for speeding in an SUV with sirens. He was carrying a fragmentation grenade, a signal detector and fake documents. He had an international alert requested by the embassies of Russia and the United States.
Guadalupe Taddei resigns from Mexico's INE: 514 million in contracts and a driver with power of attorney for a contractor
The head of the National Electoral Institute stepped down after irregularities found by the federal audit office. Blanca Cruz replaces her on an interim basis. Sheinbaum calls for an investigation of the contractors.
Chuy González killed in Guasave: the US was offering 5 million dollars for him
Jesús González Peñuelas died in a clash with the Navy in Sinaloa. The US accused him of drug trafficking since 2007 and had sanctioned him this year for money laundering. Another man, known as El Profe, also died.
Colombia
256 Colombians have now died and 973 are missing in the war between Russia and Ukraine
The Foreign Ministry updated the figures: in June there were 173 dead and 670 missing. They fight on both sides, some drawn by misleading job offers. Colombia is asking Russia and Ukraine to stop recruiting them.
De la Espriella orders the immediate deportation of undocumented Venezuelans who commit crimes in Bogotá
Colombia's president met with mayor Carlos Fernando Galán and gave the order to Migración Colombia. More than 148,000 undocumented Venezuelans live in Bogotá. A day earlier, 27 foreigners had already been expelled.
Colombia's president responds to jokes about his head: Where do you think all this intelligence fits?
While trying on an aguadeño hat he was given, Abelardo de la Espriella joked about the memes calling him "big-headed" and "big-foreheaded". The video went viral and split social media.
Brazil
Bolsonaro and his four sons, all in trouble with the law: what each one faces
The father is serving 27 years at home. Eduardo was convicted and lives in the US. Flávio, who lost the election, has also left the country. Carlos and Jair Renan face open investigations. This is where the clan stands.
Flávio Bolsonaro is now in Miami: how he left Brazil despite having his passports canceled
The former candidate landed with his family at a private-jet airport in Miami, after crossing into Argentina. This is what's now confirmed and what isn't yet.
Trump approves Flávio Bolsonaro's arrival and the U.S. will give his family visas
"I would approve. I think they're fine people," said Trump, who also cast doubt again on Brazil's election result. This is how Lula's government responded.
Flávio Bolsonaro in Miami: can he be arrested, extradited or stripped of his Senate seat?
Lawmakers from Lula's party are asking for his preventive arrest and an Interpol red notice. We explain what could happen with his case, his Senate seat and a possible asylum claim.
Lula wins a fourth term in Brazil: how the election went and what comes next
Lula narrowly won the runoff against Flávio Bolsonaro. Here's how they got there, what happened on voting day and what his critics warn about.
United States
Republicans redrew the maps to win seats, and the plan is working out worse than expected
Trump asked for districts to be redrawn to secure the House of Representatives. Five days before the election, Republicans themselves admit they won't win all the seats they hoped for, and Democrats answered with maps of their own.
Obama mocks Trump's White House, and the Cheesecake Factory feud goes viral
Obama said the White House looks like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory. The Treasury Secretary responded by eating at one of those restaurants. Days before the election, the joke keeps going around.
Two Dan Sullivans on the same ballot: the trick under investigation in Alaska
According to The New York Times, Democratic operatives discussed fielding a candidate with almost the same name as Republican senator Dan Sullivan to confuse voters. A criminal investigation is already underway.
180 non-citizens charged with voting in the US: what the Washington Post found
Most have green cards, come from more than 50 countries and vote both Democratic and Republican. The newspaper found no organized network, as Trump claims. The Justice Department says they lied when they swore they were citizens.
Dolores Huerta, the woman behind "Sí, se puede", dies at 96
The farmworkers' leader died of cancer at her home in California. She co-founded the farmworkers' union with César Chávez and coined the rallying cry that millions of Latinos still chant.
US elections: over 33 million have already voted and early voting is heading for a record
Six days before the November 3 election, early voting is 18% higher than in 2022. Texas has already passed 4.5 million. What's on the ballot and why it matters.
Trump lashes out at Norway for not giving him the Nobel Peace Prize and says he wants nothing to do with the country
At a rally in Michigan, the president insulted Norway and said he doesn't want Norwegian immigrants because he didn't get the prize. The 2026 Nobel went to South African jurist Navi Pillay.
Spain
Train crash in Toledo: at least 69 dead after an AVE slams into a stopped Iryo train
A Renfe AVE crashed into an Iryo train that was stopped near Urda, in Toledo. There were 544 people on board. The LZB safety system had failed and the Atocha control center let the trains carry on. Spain declares three days of mourning.
Two years since the Valencia floods: official mourning, tributes and families still seeking justice
On October 29, 2024, floods killed more than 230 people in the province of Valencia. Today there are flags at half-mast, minutes of silence and marches, in a week also marked by the Toledo train crash.
World
A Russian drone kills at least 13 people on a platform at Dnipro train station
The attack hit a platform where a passenger train to Zaporizhzhia was waiting. There was an alert, but many people were still there. Zelensky called it atrocious. It happened on the same day aid reached Oleshky thanks to a local truce.
Israel investigates whether a foreign country tried to influence its election
The head of the election committee asked the domestic security service to investigate whether foreign money tried to sway the vote. The press points to Qatar. Netanyahu alleges fraud, the police dismiss it, and no one has a majority.
Keiko Fujimori visits Bukele's mega-prison and meets him to copy his security plan
Peru's president is spending four days in El Salvador with four ministers. On Thursday she tours CECOT, the prison built for 40,000 inmates, and in the afternoon meets Nayib Bukele. Even in her own party, some doubt the model would work in Peru.
Russia and Ukraine stop firing in Oleshky to get 2,000 trapped civilians out
It's a local ceasefire in the Kherson region to bring in food, water and medicine and evacuate anyone who wants to leave. Melania Trump's office says it helped make it happen. The humanitarian mission starts on Thursday.
Switzerland reopens its office in North Korea, and its foreign minister travels to Pyongyang
Ignazio Cassis is one of the few Western ministers to visit North Korea. On Friday he opens the Swiss office in Pyongyang, restoring the country's permanent diplomatic presence. Afterwards he travels to Seoul.
Afghanistan grows opium again: production rises fivefold despite the Taliban ban
According to the UN, poppy fields grew from 10,200 to 43,300 hectares in a year. Farmers hide the plants among wheat or behind walls. Even so, it is still far below the levels before 2022.
Pope Leo XIV confirms his trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru: dates and cities
It will be his first trip to South America as pope, from November 6 to 17. He will visit Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Luján, Córdoba, Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa. In Peru, where he was a bishop, he will spend almost a week.
Vance writes a letter to Iran to try to stop another US strike
According to the Wall Street Journal, Vice President JD Vance wrote to Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran's Security Council, to reopen peace talks. Trump is threatening to strike again after the election.
The UK gives Ukraine another 10 billion pounds to get through the winter
Andy Burnham's government announced a package of 7 billion in economic aid, 3 billion in export finance and 500 million for air defense. Zelensky called it a truly strong and very timely decision.
Israel's election: no one wins a majority, and Arab parties could decide who governs
Netanyahu's Likud is the most-voted party, but his bloc falls well short of 61 seats. Gadi Eisenkot says "the public chose change". What could happen now.
The Houthis say they hit Saudi Arabia's largest refinery with a missile
Yemen's rebels claim they caused "massive fires" at Ras Tanura, the port through which almost all Saudi oil leaves. Saudi Arabia hasn't confirmed it. Iran threatens a "more devastating" response.
Bukele and the four technicians missing in Haiti: what we know
Four burned bodies turned up in Haiti. The New York Times said they could be the Salvadorans; Bukele replied: "They are not our men."
North Korea: 12 absurd (and verified) facts about the world's most closed country
A president who has been dead for thirty years, banned words, a hotel with no guests and the "manure battle". Plus what's going around online that is false.
Economy
The ECB freezes rates at 2.5% and Christine Lagarde announces she is leaving early
The European Central Bank leaves rates unchanged, but analysts expect a hike in December because inflation reached 3.8%. Hours earlier, Lagarde announced she will leave the bank on February 7, 2027, nine months before the end of her term.
The US economy grows 3.4%, more than expected, five days before the election
GDP grew much faster between July and September than in spring, pushed by consumer spending and investment. Imports soared. The data comes just before the November 3 midterm elections.
The Federal Reserve leaves rates alone, but warns they could rise again in December
Kevin Warsh's Fed keeps rates between 3.75% and 4% because inflation is still high. What it means for your loans, your credit card and your savings, six days before the election.
Brands and business
Repsol earns more than ever: 5,006 million through September, up 325%, thanks to expensive oil
It is its best result in history, above even the 2022 energy crisis. A barrel of Brent averaged 97 dollars. The oil company will pay out around 3 billion to its shareholders.
Volaris sells more than ever but loses money: fuel cost it 72% more
The Mexican airline topped 1 billion dollars in revenue in a quarter for the first time, but lost 26 million. So far this year it has lost 225 million, double the figure for 2025.
Samsung earns more than any tech company in history in three months, but its shares fall
107 trillion won in profit in one quarter, about 80 billion dollars, thanks to memory chips for artificial intelligence. It is paying a dividend 12 times larger. Even so, the stock market punished it.
Dove turns the scent of its classic soap into its first perfume
After years of requests on social media, Dove is launching a perfume that smells like its famous beauty bar. It costs $19.57, and the price hides a message.
"Goodbye, Labubus; hello, Bimbitos": Bimbo joins the plush keychain craze
The Bimbo Bear, a slice of bread and a donut turned into surprise keychains. This is how Bimbo is jumping on the collectibles trend started by Labubu.
Technology
The EU freezes national laws on minors and social media for a year to impose a single rule
The European Commission is halting national laws while it negotiates its own: no social media for under-13s and supervised accounts for 13- and 14-year-olds. Austria, which wanted to ban them for under-14s, is the most affected.
Apple acknowledges iPhone Duo screen defects just days after launch
Cracks next to the fold, bright lines and dead pixels. Apple admits that "a small number of units" of the iPhone Duo have problems with the inner screen.
The iPhone Duo, the first iPhone that folds: how much it costs and what it's missing
Apple launched its first foldable iPhone, and the most expensive model costs almost 3,200 dollars. It sold out in Mexico on day one, but it has a problem CNN pointed out.
Movistar disappears in Argentina and Tuenti returns: what changes for 6 million lines
Six million Movistar customers in Argentina are switching to Tuenti, the name of a Spanish social network that had already died. What happened and what you need to do.
Science and health
Lab-grown mini-brains read braille: the first step toward computers made of neurons
Scientists at the University of Bristol connected brain organoids to a touch sensor. One alone got 61% of the letters right; three together, 83%. They don't learn or think, but they could use far less energy than a chip.
"Salvia messii": a sky-blue and white flower discovered in Peru is named after Messi
Peruvian scientists described a new plant species in the Andes. Its flowers have the colors of Argentina's national team, which is why it bears Lionel Messi's name.
The Euclid telescope was looking for distant galaxies… and discovered a comet
A European telescope built to study dark matter stumbled upon an unknown comet, about 1.3 billion kilometers from Earth.
"D-rex": a giant fungus with roots going back 65 million years is discovered in China
It grows up to 50 centimeters tall and weighs more than two kilos. It's the largest known fungus in its group, and farmers in Yunnan had seen it before scientists did.
Ships sunk in 1944 hide 1,505 types of bacteria in their fuel
Scientists analyzed the fuel still left in two Japanese ships sunk in World War II. They found a world of bacteria, some related to ones that "eat" oil.
The "brain-eating amoeba" in Yucatán: what it is and how to protect yourself
Naegleria fowleri enters through the nose and almost nobody survives. In October it forced authorities to ban access to the water at six lakes in Mérida. This is what you need to know.
Space
The 100th US spacewalk: two astronauts install a giant solar panel
American Anil Menon and Canadian Joshua Kutryk went outside the Space Station to install a new solar panel. It is the first spacewalk by a Canadian in seven years and the 100th from the station for the United States.
NASA changes plans: Artemis III won't go to the Moon, but it still wants to land there in 2028
The next mission in the Artemis program will be a roughly 14-day rehearsal in Earth orbit. The goal of walking on the Moon again remains set for 2028.
Music
Celebrities and entertainment
Go Nagai, the creator of Mazinger Z, is the big star of the Lucca comics festival
The Japanese artist returns to Lucca, in Italy, almost half a century after his first visit. There is an exhibition with giant robots from Mazinger Z and Grendizer, meetings with fans and a shop with special editions.
Laura Bozzo is not dead: how the TV host is doing after two weeks in intensive care
Alfredo Adame posted a farewell that said she had died, and her representative denied it. Laura Bozzo remains in intensive care in Mexico City after surgery for a perforated ulcer, but she is improving.
Susan Saint James, star of Kate & Allie and McMillan & Wife, dies at 80
She died of pancreatic cancer. She won an Emmy in 1969, played Rock Hudson's wife on TV and met her husband on Saturday Night Live. Her co-star Jane Curtin remembered her as a decent person.
The Kim Kardashian robbery in Paris: the "grandpa robbers" and the one-euro compensation
Five men dressed as police officers, a four-million-dollar ring and a gang of people in their sixties. Almost ten years later, the case ended with compensation of a single euro.
Kylie Jenner and the 50-million-dollar Fantasy Bra
4,410 diamonds, a 75-carat yellow diamond and the return of a tradition that hadn't been seen in eight years. And it wasn't worn by one of the brand's models.
Sports
The Milwaukee Brewers win their first World Series after a 57-year wait
They beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5. Jacob Misiorowski pitched five and two-thirds scoreless innings. They had reached the World Series only once before, in 1982, and lost.
Checo Pérez brings Reforma to a standstill: over 100,000 people and a young man who falls from a tree
The Mexican driver did donuts in front of the Angel of Independence with his Cadillac team. The video of a fan who climbed a tree to watch and fell onto the crowd went around social media.
Harry Kane wins the 2026 Ballon d'Or at a historic ceremony in London
The Bayern Munich English striker won his first Ballon d'Or at 33, ahead of Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. Messi finished fifth.
Messi receives the Princess of Asturias Award: Spain's ovation three months after the final
Spain beat him in the World Cup final and, three months later, gave him a standing ovation in Oviedo. Why he won, the tribute to his father and why he gave no speech.
Curiosities and viral
The squirrel eating a tamale that went viral in Mexico
A video of a squirrel eating a sweet tamale is sweeping social media. Many joke that Mexico beats artificial intelligence: it looks fake, but it's real.
A TV host kicks a drone live on air and hits a co-worker in the face
Ernesto Chavana, of "Es Show" (Multimedios, Monterrey), got annoyed at a drone flying low in the studio. He kicked it and it struck model Isabella Rojas. He apologized; social media is calling for him to be fired.
A black bear gets into a car in Alaska, ends up locked inside and wrecks it
The animal opened the door of an unlocked Subaru, the door shut behind it and it couldn't get out. Juneau police freed it in the middle of the night using a rope. The video has gone viral.
The world's heaviest pumpkin: 1,431 kilos and a record that lasted just one week
A Rhode Island farmer grew the first pumpkin over 3,000 pounds. It beat a world record that had been set just seven days earlier.