This week, last year: 20th – 26th November

Fidel Castro in 1978. Photo: Marcelo Montecino/Wikipedia Commons

Our news highlights from 12 months past, for your weekly dose of Slow Journalism perspective…

Sun 20th November 2016
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is defeated in a first-round vote to nominate the Republican candidate in 2017’s elections. His rival François Fillon, who once served as prime minister in Sarkozy’s government, will face Alain Juppé in a second round of voting.

Mon 21st November 2016
Cheshire Police confirm six people have come forward following Andy Woodward’s revelations that he had been a victim of sexual abuse at Crewe Alexandra Football Club as a child. The FA sets up a helpline for potential victims.

Tue 22nd November 2016
Donald Trump suggests in a tweet that former Ukip leader Nigel Farage “would do a great job” as the UK’s ambassador to the US. Downing Street says there is “no vacancy” for the post, which is currently held by Sir Kim Darroch.

Wed 23rd November 2016
Thomas Mair is given 
a whole-life sentence for the murder of British MP Jo Cox. An Old Bailey judge states that the “exceptional seriousness” of his crime, inspired by “an admiration for Nazis”, justifies the sentence. Mair offered no defence during the trial.

Read our interview with Jo Cox’s friend Tim Dixon, as he recalls the events surrounding her death and pays tribute to a “remarkable woman”

Thu 24th November 2016
Iceland confirms it has begun legal action at the European Union’s Intellectual Property Office against Iceland Foods, the UK supermarket, over the use of its name. Icelandic officials say they hope 
to ensure “the right of Icelandic companies to use the word ‘Iceland’ in relation to their goods 
and services”.

“This is the definitive one” – Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos signs a final peace 
deal with left-wing rebel group Farc. The revised agreement, which modifies more than 50 points of the deal rejected in a referendum in October, is expected to pass through congress.

See intimate portraits of fighters on both sides of Colombia’s conflict, as photographer Alvaro Ybarra Zavala looks back on 15 years documenting Farc’s separatist struggle

Fri 25th November 2016
Lead Brexit negotiator for the European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt, says he would favour a system in which individual British citizens could choose to pay to retain EU membership.

Former Cuban president Fidel Castro dies at 90. Having led the socialist ‘26th July’ movement to victory in the Cuban revolution of 1959, Castro remained in power as Cuba’s prime minister until 1976 and then as president from 1976 to 2008. Since his retirement, his brother Raúl Castro has led the country as president.

Jill Stein formally files for a recount of the US presidential election in Wisconsin, citing “a significant increase in the number of absentee voters” since 2012. The Green Party leader, who raised over $5 million to fund her recount bid, also plans to challenge the Michigan and Pennsylvania results.

See what the results might have been under different demographic circumstances, in our ‘Alternative US presidential election’ infographic

Sat 26th November 2016
At least 250,000 people fill the streets of Seoul for the fifth consecutive week of demonstrations against Park Geun-hye, the president of South Korea, who is embroiled in a corruption scandal.

Posted on Tuesday, November 21st, 2017 - Categories: Extras, The week that was.