diff --git a/backend/src/alphapulse/news_research/batches.py b/backend/src/alphapulse/news_research/batches.py
index 9ea6c55..6c6c64f 100644
--- a/backend/src/alphapulse/news_research/batches.py
+++ b/backend/src/alphapulse/news_research/batches.py
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 """Durable admission barriers: finish this batch's assignments before any research."""
 from collections import Counter
 from datetime import UTC, datetime
-from sqlalchemy import select, or_, exists
+from sqlalchemy import select, or_, exists, func
 from alphapulse.models import NewsItem
-from alphapulse.news_research.models import Batch, BatchPackage, BatchEvent, Package, Event, Membership
+from alphapulse.news_research.models import Batch, BatchPackage, BatchEvent, Package, Event, Membership, Attempt
 from alphapulse.news_research.service import enroll
 
 
@@ -76,15 +76,21 @@ async def actions(session, batch, active, slots):
         for e in await session.scalars(select(Event).where(Event.id.in_(ids - existing))):
             session.add(BatchEvent(batch_id=batch.id, event_id=e.id, revision=e.revision, state='pending'))
         await session.flush()
+        latest = select(func.max(Attempt.id)).join(BatchPackage, BatchPackage.package_id == Attempt.package_id).where(
+            BatchPackage.batch_id == batch.id, Attempt.stage == 'assign', Attempt.state == 'done').group_by(Attempt.package_id)
+        urgent = {int(event_id) for attempt in await session.scalars(select(Attempt).where(Attempt.id.in_(latest)))
+                  for event_id, target in attempt.rules.get('membership_targets', {}).items() if target.get('urgent')}
         for item, event in await session.execute(select(BatchEvent, Event).join(Event).where(BatchEvent.batch_id == batch.id)):
+            if item.event_id in urgent:
+                item.state = 'urgent_pending'
             item.revision = event.revision
         batch.phase = 'researching'
         return []
     result = []
     rows = list(await session.execute(select(BatchEvent, Event).join(Event).where(
-        BatchEvent.batch_id == batch.id).order_by(Event.due_at, Event.id)))
+        BatchEvent.batch_id == batch.id).order_by((BatchEvent.state == 'urgent_pending').desc(), Event.due_at, Event.id)))
     for item, event in rows:
-        if item.state not in ('pending', 'processing') or ('event', event.id) in active:
+        if item.state not in ('pending', 'urgent_pending', 'processing') or ('event', event.id) in active:
             continue
         if item.revision != event.revision:
             item.state = 'deferred'
@@ -102,7 +108,7 @@ async def actions(session, batch, active, slots):
             elif len(result) < slots:
                 item.state = 'processing'
                 result.append(('event', event.id))
-    if not result and not active and all(item.state not in ('pending', 'processing') for item, _ in rows):
+    if not result and not active and all(item.state not in ('pending', 'urgent_pending', 'processing') for item, _ in rows):
         bad = any(item.state in ('failed', 'deferred') for item, _ in rows)
         bad |= bool(await session.scalar(select(BatchPackage.batch_id).where(
             BatchPackage.batch_id == batch.id, BatchPackage.state.in_(['failed', 'deferred'])).limit(1)))
diff --git a/scripts/smoke_news_batches.py b/scripts/smoke_news_batches.py
index 8621e02..06a2ed0 100644
--- a/scripts/smoke_news_batches.py
+++ b/scripts/smoke_news_batches.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from urllib.parse import urlparse
 from sqlalchemy import select, delete
 from alphapulse.core.db import SessionLocal, engine
 from alphapulse.models import NewsItem
-from alphapulse.news_research.models import Batch, BatchPackage, BatchEvent, Package, Event, Membership
+from alphapulse.news_research.models import Batch, BatchPackage, BatchEvent, Package, Event, Membership, Attempt
 from alphapulse.news_research import batches
 
 
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ async def main():
         for p in packages[:2]:
             p.state = 'done'
             s.add(Membership(event_id=event.id, package_id=p.id, evidence='original', reason='same event', change_kind='new_fact'))
+        s.add(Attempt(package_id=packages[0].id, content_hash=packages[0].content_hash, stage='assign', state='done', input={}, rules={'membership_targets': {str(event.id): {'urgent': True}}}))
         packages[2].state = 'index_failed'
         await s.commit()
         assert not await batches.actions(s, batch, {('assign', packages[0].id)}, 8)
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ async def main():
         assert not await batches.actions(s, batch, set(), 8)
         await s.commit()
         assert batch.phase == 'researching'
+        assert (await s.get(BatchEvent, (batch.id, event.id))).state == 'urgent_pending'
         # Reopen the session to prove the admission barrier is durable.
     async with SessionLocal() as s:
         batch = await s.get(Batch, identifier)
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ async def main():
         await s.commit()
         assert items[0].state == 'deferred'
         # Leave no fixtures for other isolated acceptance scripts.
-        for model in (BatchEvent, BatchPackage, Batch, Membership, Package, Event, NewsItem):
+        for model in (BatchEvent, BatchPackage, Batch, Membership, Attempt, Package, Event, NewsItem):
             await s.execute(delete(model))
         await s.commit()
     await engine.dispose()