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What you need to know

Trump signs bill ending U.S. government shutdown

President Donald Trump has signed the long-delayed spending bill, bringing an end to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The 43-day lapse in federal funding halted large parts of the government, disrupted essential services, and left hundreds of thousands of federal workers either furloughed or working without pay.

The agreement, reached after weeks of strained negotiations between the White House and congressional leaders, combines short-term appropriations with several full-year spending measures that typically support departments such as agriculture, veterans affairs, military construction, and transportation.

The consequences of the shutdown had become increasingly apparent as talks dragged on, with air-travel delays mounting, food-assistance programs nearing exhaustion, and federal courts preparing to suspend civil cases.

Economists warned of declining productivity and a drag on quarterly growth, while public frustration intensified pressure on both parties.

The bill’s passage provides immediate relief to federal employees, who will receive back pay, and restores normal operations across government agencies, although the political disputes that set off the shutdown remain unresolved and could reappear in the next budget cycle.

It’s the U.S. vs China, everyone else needs to choose a side

Germany plans new military service model

Germany is preparing a substantial overhaul of its military-service system, with lawmakers agreeing to introduce a new framework in 2026 that combines voluntary enlistment with elements of revived conscription.

Under the plan, all 18-year-old men will again undergo compulsory mustering, starting with an online registration process and followed by medical screening for each cohort from 2027 onward.

The system is meant to create a reliable pool of potential recruits for the Bundeswehr while keeping service voluntary at the outset.

The reform reflects Berlin’s concern about Europe’s worsening security climate, continuing shortfalls in military recruitment, and the need to strengthen both active and reserve forces.

The proposal remains politically delicate, particularly over whether the obligations should eventually apply to women, although the model signals Germany’s intention to rebuild manpower capacity quickly if required.

Russia imposes blackout on returning travelers

Russia has begun imposing a mandatory 24-hour mobile-internet blackout on citizens returning from abroad, cutting them off from most websites, apps, and social-media platforms the moment their domestic SIM card reconnects to a Russian network.

During this period, they may use only a limited set of government-approved services, including the FSB-controlled messenger MAX, until they complete a manual identity-verification process.

Officials claim the measure is intended to prevent “orphaned” SIM cards, often registered fraudulently or used without the owner’s knowledge, from being inserted into drones operating inside Russia, a threat heightened by the war in Ukraine.

The blackout sits comfortably within a broader effort to tighten the country’s “sovereign internet” architecture, which increasingly relies on deep-packet inspection, regional shutdowns, and a closer link between connectivity and state-verified identity.

The policy builds on earlier restrictions placed on foreign SIM cards, and analysts argue that the security rationale may be only one part of the explanation, since the blackout also strengthens the state’s ability to monitor behavior, track travel, and steer citizens into controlled digital ecosystems. Although presented as a technical precaution, the rule signals the expanding reach of Russia’s surveillance-driven telecom system and its growing implications for business, travel, and civil liberties.

The birthplace of civilization

Iraq’s election delivers a divided mandate

Iraq’s parliamentary election on 11 November 2025 produced a fragmented result that leaves Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani stronger than before, although still short of firm control.

His Reconstruction and Change coalition emerged as the largest bloc nationwide, coming first in eight of the country’s eighteen provinces, including Baghdad and several southern governorates.

Turnout reached about 56 percent of registered voters, a figure that conceals sharp regional differences, since Kurdish areas such as Duhok and Erbil recorded participation rates above 70 percent. The Kurdistan Democratic Party dominated in those northern provinces, while the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan led in Kirkuk.

With no bloc close to a majority in the 329-seat parliament, coalition negotiations are likely to be lengthy, reinforcing Iraq’s habit of consensus-driven, slow-paced governance. Iraq often takes many months to form governments after national elections.

For policymakers and investors, the result points to continuity rather than upheaval. Sudani remains a pivotal figure, although it’s far from certain that he will return as Prime Minister in the upcoming administration.

Move fast and break things

Judge orders release of detainees held in Chicago immigration sweep

A federal judge has ordered the release of hundreds of people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Chicago area, directing that the first group be freed no later than noon on Friday.

The ruling follows the agencies’ disclosure that about 3,300 people have been arrested since June, many of them caught in a large enforcement drive known as Operation Midway Blitz.

According to the plaintiffs, most of those detained had no criminal history and no prior removal orders, a claim that raises questions about whether the arrests complied with a 2022 consent decree that limits warrantless immigration detentions.

Judge Jeffrey Cummings has ordered the immediate release of 13 detainees whose arrests appear to breach that decree, and he has told the government to review the cases of more than 600 others to determine whether they should also be freed or placed in less restrictive alternatives, such as bond or monitoring.

The decision increases pressure on federal immigration authorities to defend the legality of their recent enforcement campaign and may result in the release of hundreds more people held without a clear legal justification.

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