17.11.2025 – WEEKLY BRIEFING

Reymonta
7–10 minutes
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  • Turkish military plane crash in Georgia kills all 20 on board – 12.11.2025

Türkiye’s defense minister announced that all 20 personnel aboard a C-130 military cargo plane were killed when it crashed in Georgia’s Sighnaghi region while returning from Azerbaijan. The aircraft had transported Turkish military members who took part in Victory Day celebrations in Ganja, and the cause of the crash is under investigation, with the flight data recorder recovered and a 46-member Turkish team examining the site alongside Georgian authorities. Nineteen bodies have been recovered so far, and search efforts for the remaining victim continue. The plane, built in 1968 and added to Türkiye’s inventory in 2010 after serving in Saudi Arabia, was en route to Merzifon when contact was lost shortly after entering Georgian airspace. Condolences were extended by Azerbaijani, Georgian, U.S., and NATO officials.

  • Iran confirms it seized tanker in Strait of Hormuz – 15.11.2025

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that it seized the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Talara in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming it was carrying unauthorized cargo, reportedly high-sulphur gasoil, while en route from the UAE to Singapore. The vessel altered course after being approached by small boats, and its managing company later lost contact with the crew about 20 nautical miles off the UAE coast. The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet said it was monitoring the situation, while UK maritime authorities urged caution in the area. The incident comes amid Iran’s history of detaining ships in the Persian Gulf over alleged maritime violations and follows heightened regional tensions, including Iran’s past threats to close the Strait of Hormuz and the seizure of a vessel linked to Israel in 2024.

  • Ukraine has ‘no chance’ of winning war, Hungary’s Orbán says – 16.11.2025

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said the EU’s continued financial support for Ukraine is unsustainable and “just crazy,” arguing that Kyiv has “no chance” of defeating Russia and that the war is harming Europe economically. In an interview with Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner, Orbán accused EU leaders of prolonging the conflict to gain leverage in future negotiations, insisting instead on immediate efforts to stop the fighting and open separate European and US communication channels with Moscow. He suggested that a postwar settlement would likely include stabilized borders, possibly a demilitarized zone, and acknowledged that Russia may retain control of parts of eastern Ukraine. Orbán also dismissed concerns that Russia might attack NATO or EU countries, saying Moscow lacks the strength. His remarks come as Hungary continues to challenge EU sanctions on Russia and seeks long-term exemptions from US energy sanctions, while Europe works to secure Ukraine’s financing amid ongoing uncertainty.

  • UN peacekeepers say Israeli forces fire on them in southern Lebanon – 16.11.2025

UNIFIL reported that Israeli soldiers fired machine-gun rounds near its peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, saying the shots came from a Merkava tank positioned on Lebanese territory, marking another breach of the yearlong ceasefire intended to uphold UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Israel said the incident resulted from poor visibility and that its troops mistook the UN patrol for suspects. The Lebanese army condemned ongoing Israeli violations, while UNIFIL cited previous incidents, including Israeli drones dropping grenades near peacekeepers, and reiterated calls for Israel to halt aggressive actions. The tensions come as Lebanon prepares a UN Security Council complaint over Israel’s construction of a concrete wall crossing the Blue Line, which UN reports say blocks Lebanese access to roughly 4,000 square meters of territory. UNIFIL affirmed that the wall and continued Israeli presence north of the Blue Line violate Resolution 1701 and Lebanon’s sovereignty, urging Israel to fully withdraw from all such areas.

  • Trump backs full release of Epstein files in sharp reversal – 17.11.2025

US President Donald Trump has reversed his earlier stance and urged Congress to release additional files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as bipartisan support grows for legislation requiring the Justice Department to unseal all remaining records. The Epstein Files Transparency Act has reached enough signatures to force a vote in the House, though its fate in the Senate remains unclear. Trump’s call for transparency comes amid tensions with parts of his political base, including a public split with Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, and follows newly released emails that have renewed scrutiny of his past association with Epstein. While Trump denies any wrongdoing and criticizes what he calls politically motivated efforts to damage him, he has also accused some Republicans backing the measure of being manipulated. The push to release the files has intensified broader debates about Epstein’s connections to public figures, even as Trump demands investigations into several of his critics; none have been implicated in criminal conduct related to Epstein.

  • Bangladesh’s ousted PM Hasina sentenced to death for students crackdown – 17.11.2025

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death in absentia, ruling that she ordered security forces to use lethal force against a student-led uprising in mid-2024, during which a UN report estimates up to 1,400 people were killed. Hasina, who fled to India after being ousted in August 2024, was also given a life sentence for crimes against humanity; she denies all charges, calling the trial politically motivated and unfair. The Awami League said it will not appeal unless a democratically elected government is in place, while the state-appointed defense argued the accusations were baseless. The verdict, delivered under heavy security ahead of February’s expected parliamentary elections, comes amid nationwide tensions marked by bomb blasts and arson attacks, as Bangladesh remains under an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus since Hasina’s removal.

  • Japan seeks to calm escalating row with China over Taiwan – 17.11.2025

Japan moved to ease tensions with China after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments suggesting Japan could respond militarily if a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatened its survival, prompting Beijing to warn citizens against traveling to Japan. Japanese official Masaaki Kanai visited Beijing to reaffirm that Japan’s security policy has not changed and urged China to avoid actions harming bilateral ties, while China demanded a retraction of Takaichi’s remarks. The dispute has included Chinese coast guard incursions near disputed East China Sea islands, military warnings, and provocative statements from Chinese diplomats and state media. Taiwan criticized China’s actions as destabilizing, and U.S. Ambassador George Glass condemned Chinese provocations. Economically, the row has affected tourism and retail in Japan, with shares in tourism-sensitive companies falling amid fears of a drop in Chinese visitors similar to that seen in 2012.

  • Communist and far-right candidates head to Chile presidential run-off – 17.11.2025

Chile’s presidential election will proceed to a December run-off between Communist Party candidate Jeannette Jara, representing the governing coalition, and far-right contender José Antonio Kast, after no candidate won outright in Sunday’s first round. The campaign focused on crime and immigration amid rising migrant flows, including from Venezuela, with both candidates pledging tougher border controls and stronger law enforcement. Jara, a former minister in President Gabriel Boric’s government, advocates increasing lithium production, raising the minimum wage, and deploying the army to protect borders, while Kast, a conservative lawyer and former congressman, promotes strict anti-immigration measures, mass deportations, new maximum-security prisons, and opposes abortion and environmental activism. The run-off is expected to consolidate right-wing votes around Kast, whose family has ties to Chile’s Pinochet-era government, and could shift the country further to the right. This election is the first with automatic voter registration and compulsory voting for all eligible Chileans.

  • Dozens killed in DR Congo after bridge collapses at copper, cobalt mine – 17.11.2025

At least 32 people were killed when a bridge collapsed at the Kalando copper and cobalt mine in southeastern DRC’s Lualaba province, officials said, after overcrowding by wildcat miners trying to access the site despite heavy rain and a formal ban. The incident followed panic sparked by gunfire from soldiers, causing miners to rush onto the makeshift bridge, which gave way and left many piled on top of each other. Reports suggest the death toll could be as high as 40, and the site has been a longstanding point of conflict between unregulated miners, a cooperative, and legally recognized operators with Chinese involvement. Authorities suspended mining operations and human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the military’s role. The DRC, the world’s largest cobalt producer, has long faced criticism over unsafe working conditions, child labor, corruption, and conflict linked to its mineral wealth.

  • Ukraine to import US liquefied natural gas via Greece – 17.11.2025

The United States will begin supplying liquefied natural gas to Ukraine this winter through the Trans-Balkan pipeline via Greece, following an agreement announced after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as part of efforts to replace Russian gas in the region ahead of the EU’s planned ban on Russian imports by 2027. Deliveries are expected to start in January, with Ukraine allocating nearly €2 billion to cover imports through March, supported by European Commission guarantees and Ukrainian banks. The move comes amid ongoing fighting, with six reported deaths in Kharkiv, Kherson, and Donetsk, and Russian claims of capturing three villages, while Zelensky is in France to discuss air defence equipment with President Emmanuel Macron and inspect a planned multinational headquarters for a potential ceasefire monitoring force.

  • Russia’s Attack on Turkish Ships in Ukraine and Power Outages – 17.11.2025

Russian forces targeted the Turkish ship ORINDA, carrying about 4,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), anchored at Izmail Port in Ukraine’s Odesa region, prompting the evacuation of nearby residents due to the risk of explosion. Additionally, a Russian attack on the Odessa energy facility operated by Ukraine’s largest energy company, DTEK, left 36,500 households without electricity, with authorities restoring power to 4,000 homes via backup lines while repairs for the remaining 32,500 households are expected to take longer.

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