Spanish workers are taking to the streets today for the country’s first general strike in 14 years, protesting against a severe housing crisis and soaring living costs. The timing might seem bad for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez – who faces snap elections on November 29 – but his government actually encouraged the strike. With his Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party sliding in the polls, Sánchez has sought to capitalize on public anger over housing costs, which came to a head this summer after an 87-year-old woman was evicted from her Madrid apartment. By backing the protests, Sánchez hopes to cast his party as the champion of housing reform ahead of the vote. But it’s a risky gamble. The conservative People’s Party and far-right Vox have been surging in the polls after the mass wave of migration in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta this summer.
One week after scoring majorities in the US House and Senate, Democrats’ battles over the party’s direction in the new Congress are taking shape. Progressive and independent Sen. BernieSanders, who caucuses with Democrats, said on Tuesday he would not support Sen. Chuck Schumer as majority leader in January. Sanders was joined by Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who called for a broader discussion on who should lead Senate Democrats, along with a number of newly elected progressive senators, some of whom argued Schumer, who has led democrats in the Senate since 2017, is too old and too moderate to lead. However, Schumer’s election only requires a majority of Senate Democrats to support him, which he appears on track to win if no one else announces a run. Across the aisle, Republicans re-elected Sen. John Thune as party leader in the chamber, and House Republicans chose Trump ally Rep. Jim Jordan as minority leader, who pitched himself as best prepared to push back against the Democratic majority.
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s military adventure into Haiti is getting increasingly aggressive. On Monday, he posted a video on X showing a Salvadoran helicopter destroying an alleged gang headquarters after crowdsourcing its location directly from a social media user. And last week, Salvadoran helicopters fired on gangs attacking members of the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF), but hit the nearby US Embassy building in the process, according to US officials. Although President Donald Trump reportedly gave Bukele his blessing to send troops to Haiti, it may be causing a rift in the Trump administration. State Department officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, worry that poor coordination between the Salvadorans and the GSF – which the Trump administration has strongly supported – could undermine efforts to restore order in Haiti.
Can the US beat China in the AI race without putting democracy itself at risk? Former White House Special Advisor on AI joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World.
Can sovereignty and cooperation go together? Franck Paris, the new director general of the Paris Peace Forum, says sovereignty without cooperation is "just an illusion."
Last month, Microsoft and Cyberlite launched their expanded AI Classroom Toolkit for educators. The toolkit focuses on the critical thinking skills needed to navigate an increasingly AI-powered world, with classroom-ready scenarios that help students learn how to evaluate AI-generated content, verify information, trace claims to reliable sources, and make informed decisions about what to trust online. The initiative is part of Microsoft’s broader work to help young people use AI safely and responsibly, while strengthening the judgment they need to participate confidently in an evolving digital environment. Read more here.
In this Quick Take, Ian Bremmer breaks down the New York Times investigation into Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's relationship with a Chinese tech executive that the US government believes was a spy for China.