On 20 November a nationwide general strike disrupted Greece as workers demanded better pay and improved living standards. Doctors, teachers, transport workers, and trade union members were among those who joined the protest. In Athens, demonstrators chanted for workers' rights and decried the high cost of living, with inflation in energy, food, and housing outpacing salary increases. The strike reflects frustration over the lingering effects of Greece’s 2009–2018 debt crisis, which required severe wage and pension cuts in exchange for €280 billion in bailouts. Though the economy has rebounded, wages remain low compared to the EU average, and many workers report a 50% reduction in purchasing power. The government has raised the minimum wage four times, now at €830, with a target of €950 by 2027, but protesters argue these measures fall short. The strike coincides with the submission of Greece's 2025 budget, which includes plans for modest economic growth and increased spending on wages and pensions.

Donald Trump has initiated a bold and controversial strategy for his return to power, unveiling cabinet appointments which embody his disregard for traditional governance. These selections, including individuals with histories of legal trouble, extremist ideologies, and controversial actions, aim to dismantle governmental structures Trump perceives as obstacles. Key appointments, such as Pete Hegseth as secretary of defence, reflect his intent to politicise institutions like the military, while figures like Robert F Kennedy Jr as health secretary highlight his disdain for scientific consensus. Others, such as Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, are to downsize federal agencies radically under a vaguely defined ‘department of government efficiency’. Trump’s intent to bypass Senate confirmation through recess appointments signals his push for one-man rule. His nominations seem to be not only instruments of policy but tools of intimidation and revenge, targeting perceived enemies and undermining traditional checks and balances in favour of centralised authority.

A group of 47 prominent pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong, including activists, journalists, and former lawmakers, have been sentenced to prison terms of up to ten years on subversion charges. This marks the largest prosecution under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020. Among the defendants was Joshua Wong, a well-known student leader, who shouted ‘I love Hong Kong’ before he left the dock. The group had been involved in organising an unofficial primary election in 2020, which the government labelled a subversive attempt to undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy. The crackdown, which follows the violent 2019 pro-democracy protests, shows the severe erosion of political freedoms in the city. Western governments and human rights groups condemned the trials as politically motivated. With many opposition leaders either imprisoned or in exile, Hong Kong’s once vibrant pro-democracy movement is all but silenced. This transformation has prompted widespread international concern over Hong Kong’s future autonomy.

Daniel Ortega’s government has forced Bishop Carlos Enrique Herrera Gutiérrez, president of Nicaragua’s bishops’ conference, to go into exile in Guatemala. He had complained about government officials placing loudspeakers outside a church during Sunday Mass, and also called the actions of the local mayor sacrilegious. CSW sources report that the authorities frequently play loud music outside churches to disturb religious activities, particularly on Sundays and holy days. After the bishop was arrested, his diocese’s Facebook page was deleted. Religious leaders in Nicaragua face growing hostility, with priests under surveillance and Protestant pastors receiving threats: the government has also seized a prominent Jesuit-run university in Managua. CSW has strongly criticised Ortega’s continued repression of religious freedom, calling for the international community to hold him and his regime to account for their ‘ongoing and systematic violation of human rights’.