While NYU students decompressed after midterms and stuffed their faces with turkey over Thanksgiving break, the news cycle had a number of breaking stories develop during the start of the holiday season. WSN broke down the top five news stories you may have missed over break.

International: Former Cuban Leader Fidel Castro Dies at 90

Cuba’s former president Fidel Castro passed away on Friday at the age of 90 after a long battle with an intestinal ailment. Castro’s younger brother and successor, Raul, made the announcement on state TV. Castro toppled the island’s government in 1959 through a Communist revolution that has survived for more than half a century. While the Cuban government issued nine days of mourning across the nation to honor his death, Cuban-Americans throughout the United States have broken out in celebration.

National: DAPL Deadline to Move Out

The Army Corps of Engineers issued an ultimatum to Dakota Access Pipeline protesters on Friday urging them to vacate the property by Dec. 5 or face arrest. The order follows five days of violent protests between the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and its allies and the Morton County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said the officers had tried to disperse crowds of protesters by using tear gas, rubber bullets and water sprayed from fire hoses.

National: Jill Stein Calls for a Ballot Recount in Wisconsin

Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein called for a ballot recount in Wisconsin on Friday as a last-ditch effort to prevent a Donald Trump presidency. Stein has raised more than $6 million dollars through crowdfunding to help the recount effort. This is a result of election lawyers advising members of the Hillary Clinton campaign to request recounts in crucial swing states since they suspected that the electronically-cast votes may have been manipulated. Stein is also considering calling for recounts in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

City: NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio Makes Waves in City by Rejecting Donald Trump

Although Trump decided to work and live in his Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, de Blasio made multiple public statements to the 78.59 percent blue city that it would not accept or comply with the president-elect’s values that contradicted the city’s beliefs. He declared that the city would not oust its undocumented citizens and would protect all its marginalized citizens, such as Muslims, if a registry was created.

University: NYU Ranked First For Alumni Employability

Times Higher Education ranked NYU as the university with the most employable alumni, citing the university’s Wasserman Center and strong alumni network. And within student life, many clubs such as Women in Communications and Tech at NYU host events that double as networking opportunities.

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Nov. 28 print edition. Email Lexi Faunce and Diamond Naga Siu at [email protected].