Political Guyentist
Political Guyentist

Wednesday

PBS NewsHour
1usUpdatecontestedHegseth's Pentagon

House votes 211-204 to send Massie's eight Hegseth impeachment articles to committee, shelving them

Massie was the only Republican to vote no; 210 Republicans and independent Kevin Kiley voted yes, and 18 members skipped it, 11 of them Democrats.

- Oct. 18 — Democratic ads tied the Iran war and high prices to House and Senate votes, singling out Hegseth. - Nov. 6 — Massie announced he would force a vote on eight articles; Trump said he had "every intention" of keeping Hegseth. - Nov. 8 — Oversight chair James Comer declined to defend Hegseth; Hegseth vowed to serve out Trump's term. - Nov. 9 — House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called himself a "hard yes." - Nov. 10 — Massie filed the articles as a privileged measure, which forces House action within two legislative days.

ContextOnly two Cabinet secretaries have ever been impeached: William Belknap in 1876 and Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024. Hegseth would have been the third. Massie filed his resolution as privileged (a fast-track status that forces the House to act within two legislative days of filing), so leaders could not simply ignore it. The vote to send it to committee was that action, and it shelved the charges without a vote on any of them. Republicans hold the House 218-214 for now. Before the vote, Massie said on X that several members agreed with some articles but not all, and that he would seek separate votes if referral failed. Democrats take control of both chambers on Jan. 3, 2027, and could bring the articles back.

PBS NEWSHOUR11 sources

2usUpdateInflation and rates

Consumer prices rose 0.4% in October, above the 0.3% forecast; core prices rose 0.3% for a third straight month

The government published no annual rate because the 2025 shutdown left no October 2025 data; Axios estimates about 4%, up from 3.7% in September.

- Sept. 11 — Consumer prices rose 0.4% in August and 3.4% over the year, lifting September rate hike odds above 80%. - Sept. 16 — The Fed raised its rate a quarter point to 3.75%–4%, its first hike since July 2023. - Sept. 30 — August PCE inflation came in at 3.4%, under the 3.7% forecast, cutting October Fed hike odds to 35% from 45%. - Oct. 7 — Fed minutes showed 16 of 18 officials projecting at least one more rate hike this year. - Oct. 14 — Consumer prices rose 3.7% in the year to September; producer prices rose 6.3%, the most since December 2022. - Oct. 28 — The Fed held its rate at 3.75%–4% in a 10-2 vote; two officials wanted a hike. - Oct. 29 — The economy grew at a 3.4% annual pace in the third quarter; December hike odds hit 85%. - Nov. 6 — Employers added 165,000 jobs in October, unemployment fell to 4.1%, and hourly pay rose 3.1% from a year earlier.

ContextThe Fed aims for 2% inflation a year. Axios estimates core prices rose about 2.8% in the 12 months to October, up from 2.6% in September, by assuming October 2025 prices sat halfway between September and November. The recent pace is faster: 3.7% annualized over three months, against 1.6% in the three months through July, per the WSJ. AAA's national gas average fell below $4 a gallon on Nov. 10, the first time in nearly four months.

CBS NEWS10 sources

3usIran war

DOJ charges 3 Iran-backed men in foiled plot against UK base housing US bombers, allegedly directed from a New York jail

The 8-count indictment, unsealed in Manhattan on Tuesday, Nov. 10, also ties the men to a front group that claimed 18 attacks in Europe this spring.

What the recorded jail calls show: The FBI monitored and recorded every permitted family call; court filings cite nine phone or video calls between June and September. Prosecutors say al-Saadi told his family he owed Mohajeri money and had them pass him messages about "work," his code word for attacks. On one call his mother told him to stop talking about a topic because "they may end the call." The FBI then cut the call, per a prosecutors' filing. In an Aug. 25 filing, al-Saadi's defense lawyers said the government had cut his family calls short "unnecessarily and arbitrarily."

ContextFederal prosecutors in Manhattan unsealed the 8-count case on Tuesday, Nov. 10. It names 3 men, and only 1 of them, al-Saadi, is in US custody. The charges are being brought in an American court, not a British one, because RAF Fairford housed US bombers and the American troops who fly them. "Anyone who plans a terrorist plot on a military base housing American servicemembers will be prosecuted by the United States government," said Attorney General Todd Blanche. The vans never reached the base. Outlets disagree on the arrest count: PBS NewsHour and The Guardian report 5 men detained on Sept. 27 and a sixth days later, while BBC News counts 7 arrests in total.

BBC NEWS8 sources

4us

British police arrest a 41-year-old senior US Army soldier at a NATO headquarters on suspicion of helping Russian intelligence

Britain's 2023 National Security Act lets police hold him up to 14 days without charge. Officers searched two sites in Gloucestershire.

The National Security Act 2023 took effect on Dec. 20, 2023. It repealed the Official Secrets Acts of 1911, 1920 and 1939, Britain's old espionage laws. The new law made it a crime to assist a foreign intelligence service even when no secret changes hands. That is the Section 3 offense here. Its best-known use so far is Howard Phillips, a retired Essex man. He offered help to undercover officers he believed were Russian agents. He was convicted in July 2025 and sentenced to seven years. Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon of Army Counterintelligence Command said the suspect was 'entrusted with sensitive information.' He said the case shows 'insider threats are real and persistent.' FBI Director Kash Patel says the bureau has made at least 167 counterintelligence and espionage arrests under its current leadership, per Fox News.

ContextThe National Security Act 2023 took effect on Dec. 20, 2023. It repealed the Official Secrets Acts of 1911, 1920 and 1939, Britain's old espionage laws. The new law made it a crime to assist a foreign intelligence service even when no secret changes hands. That is the Section 3 offense here. Its best-known use so far is Howard Phillips, a retired Essex man. He offered help to undercover officers he believed were Russian agents. He was convicted in July 2025 and sentenced to seven years. Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon of Army Counterintelligence Command said the suspect was 'entrusted with sensitive information.' He said the case shows 'insider threats are real and persistent.' FBI Director Kash Patel says the bureau has made at least 167 counterintelligence and espionage arrests under its current leadership, per Fox News.

CBS NEWS10 sources

5usUpdateRussia-Ukraine war

Russia and Ukraine hold 4 hours of U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, their first since February

Russia kept European officials out of the main room; Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, "They flew to Abu Dhabi. Let them sit there in the hotel."

On Monday, Nov. 9, a senior U.S. official said European officials would join U.S.-Ukraine-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10-11, with Witkoff and Kushner representing Washington. By the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 10, the U.S. had asked Russia to accept NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine, with territory and postwar security at the top of the agenda.

ContextRussia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine was 1,720 days old as of Tuesday, Nov. 10. The United States has acted as go-between in three-way talks this year. Three earlier rounds produced no breakthrough, and the last of them was in Geneva in February, about nine months before this meeting. European governments back Ukraine but did not get a seat at the main table, because Russia kept their officials out of the room.

WASHINGTON EXAMINER10 sources

6not newslongformMeasles outbreak

International health panel meets this week to decide whether the US has lost measles-elimination status after more than 5,000 cases in 2026

Eight people have died of measles this year, four of them babies too young to be vaccinated.

CDC Director Erica Schwartz told Reuters on Nov. 10 that the agency would not fundamentally change its outbreak response.

ContextMeasles-elimination status is a formal finding that the virus no longer spreads on its own inside a country. The US earned it in 2000. Former CDC director Jeffrey Koplan said of that win: "We had a great vaccine. Everyone was on board." This year, through the week of Nov. 10, eight people have died of measles. Four were babies too young to be vaccinated, so their protection depends on the people around them being immune. Nationally, 92.4% of kindergartners got the measles shot in 2026, down from 95.2% in 2020, per the CDC. Herd protection needs about 95%.

NBC NEWS2 sources

Wednesday · The daily brief

Nov 112026

6 leads16 briefs23 min

BoardScroll

Executive summary6 stories

News news5

  1. House votes 211-204 to send Massie's eight Hegseth impeachment articles to committee, shelving themMassie was the only Republican to vote no; 210 Republicans and independent Kevin Kiley voted yes, and 18 members skipped it, 11 of them Democrats.
  2. Consumer prices rose 0.4% in October, above the 0.3% forecast; core prices rose 0.3% for a third straight monthThe government published no annual rate because the 2025 shutdown left no October 2025 data; Axios estimates about 4%, up from 3.7% in September.
  3. DOJ charges 3 Iran-backed men in foiled plot against UK base housing US bombers, allegedly directed from a New York jailThe 8-count indictment, unsealed in Manhattan on Tuesday, Nov. 10, also ties the men to a front group that claimed 18 attacks in Europe this spring.
  4. British police arrest a 41-year-old senior US Army soldier at a NATO headquarters on suspicion of helping Russian intelligenceBritain's 2023 National Security Act lets police hold him up to 14 days without charge. Officers searched two sites in Gloucestershire.
  5. Russia and Ukraine hold 4 hours of U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, their first since FebruaryRussia kept European officials out of the main room; Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, "They flew to Abu Dhabi. Let them sit there in the hotel."

Not news news1

  1. International health panel meets this week to decide whether the US has lost measles-elimination status after more than 5,000 cases in 2026Eight people have died of measles this year, four of them babies too young to be vaccinated.

News news5 stories

Ongoing5 earlier updates24 days

This story has run 6 times over 24 days, starting Oct 18.

  1. Democratic ads target House and Senate Iran war votes and single out Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
  2. Thomas Massie will force a House vote next week on eight impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
  3. UpdateJames Comer declines to defend Hegseth before a House impeachment vote Massie plans to force the week of Nov. 9
  4. UpdateHouse Democratic leader Jeffries says he is a 'hard yes' on Massie's resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Hegseth
  5. UpdateMassie files eight impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Hegseth, forcing House action by Wed., Nov. 11
  6. UpdateHouse votes 211-204 to send Massie's eight Hegseth impeachment articles to committee, shelving them — this issue
PBS NEWSHOURUpdateHegseth's Pentagon

House votes 211-204 to send Massie's eight Hegseth impeachment articles to committee, shelving them

Massie was the only Republican to vote no; 210 Republicans and independent Kevin Kiley voted yes, and 18 members skipped it, 11 of them Democrats.

The House voted 211-204 on Tuesday, Nov. 10, to refer Thomas Massie's (Rep-R Kentucky) impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the Judiciary Committee. The yes votes were 210 Republicans and Kevin Kiley (Rep-I California), per the House clerk's roll call. Republicans hold 218 seats to Democrats' 214, so the articles sit in committee unless leaders act. The eight articles cover strikes on Iran, Yemen, Venezuela and drug boats, rules on civilian harm, and retaliation against Mark Kelly (Sen-D Arizona).

Hegseth. Hours earlier, at his first Pentagon briefing in about six months, he called the effort a "farce" and a "stunt." On the operations: "I would do it again tomorrow."

Trump. On Truth Social he wrote that "Every single Republican, except Thomas Massie," voted for Hegseth. ([TS]seven Republicans didn't vote at all, per the House clerk's roll call) He called Massie "a major LOSER" and the vote an "EXONERATION."

What next. Democrats take control of both chambers on Jan. 3, 2027, and could bring the articles back.

Catch upwhat happened before · 5 earlier issues
  • Oct. 18 — Democratic ads tied the Iran war and high prices to House and Senate votes, singling out Hegseth.
  • Nov. 6 — Massie announced he would force a vote on eight articles; Trump said he had "every intention" of keeping Hegseth.
  • Nov. 8 — Oversight chair James Comer declined to defend Hegseth; Hegseth vowed to serve out Trump's term.
  • Nov. 9 — House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called himself a "hard yes."
  • Nov. 10 — Massie filed the articles as a privileged measure, which forces House action within two legislative days.
4 earlier issues
What the Kelly retaliation article rests on in courtJan. 5, 2026: Hegseth personally signed a letter of censure against Kelly over his public statements3 details
  • Jan. 5, 2026: Hegseth personally signed a letter of censure against Kelly over his public statements
  • The letter told the Navy secretary to recommend whether to cut Kelly's retired rank, and warned of possible prosecution
  • Feb. 12, 2026: Judge Richard Leon blocked the action, finding Kelly likely to win his First Amendment claim; that ruling is preliminary, not final

A stacked bar of the House vote: 211 yes and 204 no, 415 votes cast, so 51 percent of those voting said yes.

Chart

The House voted 211–204

7-vote margin, out of 415 votes cast.

The House voted 211–204A stacked bar of the House vote: 211 yes and 204 no, 415 votes cast, so 51 percent of those voting said yes. A reference line at 218 is labelled "218 for a majority of the full 435-seat House".
YesNo
The numbers
The House voted 211–204
VotesYesNo
House roll call211 votes204 votes
Source: House roll call, reported by PBS NewshourPOLI

Red take

The House was right to shelve them, 211-204. Most of Thomas Massie's eight articles charge Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, over strikes on Iran, Yemen and drug boats. Congress settles fights like that by funding those wars or cutting the money off. The Kelly dispute is already in court. Make war policy a firing offense, and every new majority will put the other party's war cabinet on trial.

Blue take

Burying the Kelly charge 211-204 tells every future defense secretary that punishing a critic is free. Pete Hegseth personally signed a letter scolding Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democratic senator, for his public remarks. The letter asked the Navy whether to cut Kelly's retired rank. A judge has paused it for now, but a court order removes no one from office. Let this stand, and senators will think twice before speaking out about a war.

Ongoing19 earlier updates61 days

This story has run 20 times over 61 days, starting Sep 11.

  1. August inflation holds at 3.4% annually; gasoline drives monthly increase
  2. Consumer prices rose 0.4% in August and 3.4% over the year, lifting September Fed rate hike odds above 80%
  3. Trump threatens trade cutoff with some nations unless Fed lowers rates despite 3.4% inflation
  4. Update10-year Treasury yield hit 5.014% Monday, Sept. 14, first time since October 2023
  5. Federal Reserve is expected to raise its benchmark rate a quarter point on Wednesday, Sept. 16, its first hike in three years.
  6. UpdateFed raises its benchmark rate a quarter point to 3.75%-4%, its first increase since July 2023
  7. UpdateChicago Fed's Goolsbee says getting inflation to 2% will be 'painful' and require pushing employment below target
  8. Fed Governor Michael Barr says more rate increases are likely to counter inflation
  9. UpdateAugust PCE inflation was 3.4%, below the 3.7% forecast, cutting October Fed hike odds to 35% from 45%
  10. Markets pull back bets on October Fed and ECB rate hikes after weak US jobs data
  11. UpdateFed minutes show most officials expect another rate hike by year end
  12. Trump sets a closed White House hearing for Nov. 5 on whether he has cause to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook
  13. UpdateConsumer prices rose 3.7% in the year to September, up from 3.4%, as increases spread beyond gasoline
  14. UpdateProducer prices rose 6.3% in the year to September, the most since December 2022, with fuel half the gain
  15. UpdateFed Chair Kevin Warsh declines to preview Oct. 27-28 meeting; rate hike odds fall to 28%
  16. Fed expected to hold rates at 3.75%-4% Wednesday, Oct. 28, a week before midterms, despite 3.7% inflation
  17. UpdateFed holds its rate at 3.75%–4% in a 10-2 vote; Cook and Hammack dissent for a hike
  18. UpdateEconomy grew at a 3.4% annual pace in the third quarter as September inflation rose to 3.6%
  19. Employers added 165,000 jobs in October against a 65,000 forecast; unemployment fell to 4.1%
  20. UpdateConsumer prices rose 0.4% in October, above the 0.3% forecast; core prices rose 0.3% for a third straight month — this issue
CBS NEWSUpdateInflation and rates

Consumer prices rose 0.4% in October, above the 0.3% forecast; core prices rose 0.3% for a third straight month

The government published no annual rate because the 2025 shutdown left no October 2025 data; Axios estimates about 4%, up from 3.7% in September.

Consumer prices rose 0.4% from September to October, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Tuesday, Nov. 10. Economists polled by FactSet expected 0.3%. September's rise was 0.6%.

0.3% was the monthly rise in core prices (everything except food and energy, the gauge the Federal Reserve watches for lasting inflation) for the third month in a row. Annualized over those three months, that is 3.7%, the fastest pace of the year.

1% was gasoline's October rise, after 9.1% in September. Energy rose 0.7% after 5.2% in September. Food rose 0.5% after a flat September, and shelter, up 0.3%, supplied more than 30% of the overall increase.

What next. The two-year Treasury yield (the interest rate on two-year federal debt, which tracks where traders expect Fed rates to go) rose 0.18 percentage points to 4.725% on Nov. 10, per the WSJ. That was its biggest one-day jump since April 9, 2025. CME FedWatch put the odds of a December hike near 100%, mostly for a quarter point.

Catch upwhat happened before · 19 earlier issues
  • Sept. 11 — Consumer prices rose 0.4% in August and 3.4% over the year, lifting September rate hike odds above 80%.
  • Sept. 16 — The Fed raised its rate a quarter point to 3.75%–4%, its first hike since July 2023.
  • Sept. 30 — August PCE inflation came in at 3.4%, under the 3.7% forecast, cutting October Fed hike odds to 35% from 45%.
  • Oct. 7 — Fed minutes showed 16 of 18 officials projecting at least one more rate hike this year.
  • Oct. 14 — Consumer prices rose 3.7% in the year to September; producer prices rose 6.3%, the most since December 2022.
  • Oct. 28 — The Fed held its rate at 3.75%–4% in a 10-2 vote; two officials wanted a hike.
  • Oct. 29 — The economy grew at a 3.4% annual pace in the third quarter; December hike odds hit 85%.
  • Nov. 6 — Employers added 165,000 jobs in October, unemployment fell to 4.1%, and hourly pay rose 3.1% from a year earlier.
18 earlier issues
BBC NEWSIran war

DOJ charges 3 Iran-backed men in foiled plot against UK base housing US bombers, allegedly directed from a New York jail

The 8-count indictment, unsealed in Manhattan on Tuesday, Nov. 10, also ties the men to a front group that claimed 18 attacks in Europe this spring.

Prosecutors say Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, already jailed in New York, sent coded messages through family phone calls to Mohsen Mohajeri and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani. Those two allegedly arranged vans loaded with fuel. The superseding indictment (a revised set of charges that replaces an earlier one) ties all three men to Iran's Revolutionary Guard and to Kata'ib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Iraqi militia.

HAYI, the front group, claimed 18 attacks in Europe in spring 2026, and 7 of them were in the UK. The indictment's 8 counts also cover attacks on Jewish targets in Europe. Only al-Saadi is in custody.

  • Thu., Sept. 24On a jail call, al-Saadi allegedly told relatives to "give him money so we can do it," meaning al-Hassani.
  • Sat., Sept. 26Three fuel-laden vans were driven toward RAF Fairford, the British base where US bombers were stationed, over Sept. 26–27.
  • Sun., Sept. 27Five men were detained near the base, and a sixth was arrested days later. BBC News counts seven arrests in total.
What the recorded jail calls showThe FBI monitored and recorded every permitted family call; court filings cite nine phone or video calls between June and September.4 details
  • The FBI monitored and recorded every permitted family call; court filings cite nine phone or video calls between June and September.
  • Prosecutors say al-Saadi told his family he owed Mohajeri money and had them pass him messages about "work," his code word for attacks.
  • On one call his mother told him to stop talking about a topic because "they may end the call." The FBI then cut the call, per a prosecutors' filing.
  • In an Aug. 25 filing, al-Saadi's defense lawyers said the government had cut his family calls short "unnecessarily and arbitrarily."
CBS NEWS

British police arrest a 41-year-old senior US Army soldier at a NATO headquarters on suspicion of helping Russian intelligence

Britain's 2023 National Security Act lets police hold him up to 14 days without charge. Officers searched two sites in Gloucestershire.

British counterterror police arrested the 41-year-old soldier near Gloucester on suspicion of two offenses under the National Security Act 2023. Section 1 covers obtaining or disclosing protected information. Section 3 covers assisting a foreign intelligence service, in this case Russia's. Officers searched two sites in Gloucestershire. Police announced the arrest on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

A senior NATO official confirmed he was assigned to NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps at Imjin Barracks. The FBI and Army Counterintelligence Command worked the case with British police. Police say it is not linked to the separate Iran-related plots against U.S. bases in Britain.

Still open. Officials have not named his job or said what he had access to. They have not said when his 14-day custody clock started. They have also not said whether Britain or the U.S. Army will prosecute.

Ongoing1 earlier update

This story has run 2 times, starting Nov 10.

  1. UpdateU.S. asks Russia to accept NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine before Abu Dhabi talks
  2. UpdateRussia and Ukraine hold 4 hours of U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, their first since February — this issue
WASHINGTON EXAMINERUpdateRussia-Ukraine war

Russia and Ukraine hold 4 hours of U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, their first since February

Russia kept European officials out of the main room; Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, "They flew to Abu Dhabi. Let them sit there in the hotel."

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators met for about four hours in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, Nov. 10. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, mediated. It was the first three-way round since Geneva in February, about nine months earlier. Three earlier rounds this year ended without a breakthrough.

The agenda. Volodymyr Zelenskyy (President, Ukraine) called the session "constructive and quite substantive." He said it centered on prisoner exchanges, returning civilians and children, and security guarantees.

The tone. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it "very productive" but said a deal is not "on the verge of being solved in the next 24 hours." Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky said his team "has become bigger and more professional." Russia kept European officials out of the main room. Sergey Lavrov (Foreign Minister, Russia) said of them: "They flew to Abu Dhabi. Let them sit there in the hotel."

The backdrop. The night before the talks, Russia fired 162 drones and one ballistic missile at Ukraine, per Ukraine's air force.

What next. A second day of talks is set for Wednesday, Nov. 11.

Catch upwhat happened before · 1 earlier issue

On Monday, Nov. 9, a senior U.S. official said European officials would join U.S.-Ukraine-Russia talks in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10-11, with Witkoff and Kushner representing Washington. By the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 10, the U.S. had asked Russia to accept NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine, with territory and postwar security at the top of the agenda.

What Europe controls in any deal, even outside the roomLifting EU sanctions on Russia takes a unanimous vote of EU governments, so Washington cannot promise it on Europe's behalf3 details
  • Lifting EU sanctions on Russia takes a unanimous vote of EU governments, so Washington cannot promise it on Europe's behalf
  • About €210 billion in Russian central-bank assets is frozen in the EU, and a separate December 2025 rule bars sending it back
  • 24 of the 35 nations in the European-led coalition had pledged forces to a postwar multinational force as of Nov. 3, per Britain's defence ministry; deployment needs a ceasefire and Ukraine's invitation

Quick bites14

Courts3 bites

  1. Appeals court rules 3-0 that Kari Lake illegally fired Voice of America director Michael Abramowitz

    THE HILL

    A D.C. Circuit panel upheld Judge Royce Lamberth's order putting Abramowitz back in his job. Firing him needed approval from the International Broadcasting Advisory Board, the court found, and that board has lacked a quorum, a majority of its members, since January 2025, so it could approve no firing. Lake, then a senior adviser running VOA's parent agency, has since left it; Trump nominated her ambassador to Jamaica in May. Abramowitz stays on administrative leave while separate suits over VOA's operations go on.

    • Vote: 3-0 on the D.C. Circuit panel.
    • Advisory board without a quorum since January 2025.
    • Abramowitz to Politico: 'I am gratified by this result and look forward to getting back to the important work Voice of America does.'

  2. Nine Kennedy relatives ask a federal judge to block Trump's planned 250-foot arch near Arlington

    ABC NEWSTrump's arch

    The arch is Trump's planned monument to the nation's 250th anniversary, set for Memorial Circle between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. The relatives asked to join two existing suits, one by Washington, D.C., and Virginia and one by a group of Vietnam veterans. On Thursday, Nov. 5, Judge Tanya Chutkan granted D.C. and Virginia's request to bar construction for 14 days. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did not join his relatives' filing.

    Also in the filing fightThe National Capital Planning Commission approved the arch 8-4 on Thursday, Nov. 5, about an hour before Chutkan's order.2 details
    • The National Capital Planning Commission approved the arch 8-4 on Thursday, Nov. 5, about an hour before Chutkan's order. Trump appointees hold a majority on the panel.
    • Rory and Maxwell Kennedy: "we stand for those who can not stand for themselves."

  3. Western Washington federal prosecutors stop defending many immigration detention challenges, citing too few staff

    NBC NEWS

    Acting US Attorney Charles Floyd told a judge that in "many habeas cases" his office "will no longer assume responsibility for providing a defense." If the office files no appearance within seven business days, judges may decide a case on the detainee's filings alone. An unopposed petition still needs a judge's ruling to win release.

    • 93,245 immigration habeas cases were filed in federal court from January 2025 to Nov. 3, 2026, per ProPublica's tracker; NBC cites about 85,000, border czar Tom Homan's figure.
    • Nearly 8,000 of them were filed in October alone, per the same tracker.
    • Judges have frequently ruled against ICE in these cases, CNN reports.
Picking the party leaders3 bites

  1. House Republicans elect Jim Jordan (Rep-R Ohio) minority leader over Steve Scalise, 106-73

    TIMEUpdate

    Jordan won the secret ballot on his third try for the top job. The Judiciary Chair and Freedom Caucus co-founder pitched himself as 'battle-tested' for the Democratic oversight that starts in January.

    Catch upwhat happened before · 1 earlier issue

    Nov. 4 — Mike Johnson said he would not run for minority leader. That set up a Scalise–Jordan race for Nov. 10. Nov. 5 — Scalise wrote GOP committee chairs to take "inventory" of probes Democrats could open and to name likely targets. Democrats take the gavels and subpoena power in January.

    The rest of the leadership voteEmmer beat August Pfluger 103-76 to stay whip (Fox News).3 details
    • Emmer beat August Pfluger 103-76 to stay whip (Fox News).
    • Republicans lost more than 40 House seats in the midterms (CBS News).
    • Jordan is 62 (PBS NewsHour, Politico).
    Ongoing1

    This story has run 2 times over 6 days, starting Nov 5.

    1. Mike Johnson won't run for minority leader; Scalise and Jordan expected to compete Nov. 10
    2. UpdateHouse Republicans elect Jim Jordan (Rep-R Ohio) minority leader over Steve Scalise, 106-73 — this issue

  2. Sanders and Slotkin come out against Schumer; PBS counts six incoming Democrats opposed

    NBC NEWSUpdate

    Bernie Sanders (Sen-I Vermont) said on Tuesday, Nov. 10, that "the time is now for change" and he will not back Schumer. Elissa Slotkin (Sen-D Michigan) stood beside him. "I am not actively seeking this job. I am seeking change," she said. Neither named an alternative. Schumer, 75, said he is "confident I will be elected majority leader." He needs a majority of the caucus.

    On Nov. 8, Kansas Sen.-elect Adam Hamilton (D-KS) told NBC's "Meet the Press" he won't back Schumer, calling him "kind of a polarizing figure" in Kansas.

    Where the race standsPBS NewsHour counts six incoming Democratic senators opposed to Schumer outright and two more unsure.4 details
    • PBS NewsHour counts six incoming Democratic senators opposed to Schumer outright and two more unsure.
    • Chris Van Hollen (Sen-D Maryland) says he is "actively listening" to colleagues about a run but hasn't entered: "We should not have a coronation."
    • The 600,000-member Machinists union (IAM) urged Schumer to step aside, per Politico.
    • Democrats will hold at least 54 seats in January, a net gain of at least 7. NBC and PBS say the leadership vote is in December; ABC says later this month.

  3. Senate Republicans reelect John Thune as leader by acclamation after a 31-15 vote rejecting a delay

    PBS NEWSHOUR

    After more than seven hours behind closed doors, conservatives led by Ron Johnson (Sen-R Wisconsin) lost a 31-15 vote to postpone the election, Johnson walked out, and no one ran against Thune.

    The falloutSeats lost: Republicans lost at least 7 Senate seats, with Alaska and Mississippi still uncalled.2 details
    • Seats lost: Republicans lost at least 7 Senate seats, with Alaska and Mississippi still uncalled.
    • Johnson on the lack of challengers: "That's part of our problem, who would want the job?"
The House oversight agenda2 bites

  1. House Oversight Republicans end 15-month Epstein probe, saying DOJ failed survivors for decades

    CBS NEWSEpstein files

    The House Oversight Committee's Republicans closed their 15-month Epstein investigation. Their report says "the federal government failed over the course of decades and multiple administrations" to protect Epstein's victims. It tells DOJ to interview or reinterview people in the inner circle of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. DOJ answered that the recommendations "have already been addressed" and that the case is not closed.

    The probe in numbersThe committee conducted 19 transcribed witness interviews (CBS News)2 details
    • The committee conducted 19 transcribed witness interviews (CBS News)
    • Ranking Democrat Robert Garcia (Rep-D California) called the probe "incomplete" and said Democrats will hold public hearings once they take the majority in January (NBC News)

  2. Incoming House Democrats put Homan first on oversight list; Garcia names four ex-officials, Wiles among them

    WASHINGTON EXAMINER

    Democrats put border czar Tom Homan first in line for oversight. Caucus chair Pete Aguilar (Rep-D California) put Homan "at the very top of the list." Robert Garcia (Rep-D California) is the likely Oversight chair. He said, "We're already looking at Susie Wiles." Wiles is the former White House chief of staff. Garcia said she is one of four former officials Democrats will investigate, with Kimberly Guilfoyle, Corey Lewandowski and Kristi Noem, per The Hill.

The Iran standoff2 bites

  1. US moves about a dozen tankers and Ospreys out of RAF Mildenhall after reported Iran-linked threat

    FOX NEWSIran war

    Three CV-22 Ospreys went to nearby RAF Lakenheath, and 8 to 10 KC-135 tankers (outlets differ on the count) went to Scotland, Germany and Spain. Mildenhall raised its security to Force Protection Condition Charlie, one step below the top level.

    Key factsMildenhall hosts Europe's only permanently based US tanker wing.3 details
    • Mildenhall hosts Europe's only permanently based US tanker wing.
    • Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft leaving on the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 9; the Wall Street Journal first reported the Iran-linked threat.
    • Secretary of State Marco Rubio: "We are constantly repositioning forces around the world for a variety of reasons."

  2. Rubio tells G7 Trump chose continued economic pressure on Iran over war or a deal

    AXIOSUpdateIran war

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a closed G7 meeting in Paris about a 'third option.' He said it is to 'continue to do what we do now.' That means keeping the naval blockade. It also means keeping Task Force Iron Gate. The CENTCOM unit of about 20 people targets Iran's land and Caspian supply routes.

    How we got herethe story so far
    • Oct. 26 — Trump called it 'decision time' on Iran, a deal or resumed attacks, as a third U.S. aircraft carrier headed to the region.
    • Oct. 27–31 — Saudi, Turkish, Pakistani and Qatari envoys pushed Tehran toward an interim deal: UN inspectors in exchange for partial sanctions relief.
    • Nov. 3–4 — Trump confirmed U.S. strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island. Iran offered to reopen Hormuz within two days if the U.S. met seven conditions, including lifting sanctions and the blockade. The Revolutionary Guard claimed its mines set four tankers ablaze.
    • Nov. 5–7 — Trump weighed strikes against keeping the blockade; Vance ran indirect ceasefire talks while Qatar drafted a blockade-for-inspectors swap.
    • Nov. 6 — Trump confirmed 'minor strikes' on an Iranian air-defense site on Qeshm, and CENTCOM offered a cash reward for nuclear-program tips.
    • Nov. 8–9 — Rubio called some of Iran's demands 'outrageous and ridiculous'; on Nov. 9, after meeting Qatar's prime minister, Trump said renewed strikes didn't seem necessary.
    What Rubio saidRubio, per Axios: 'The President is not under false time pressure, the Iranians are inflicting major damage on their own economy.'3 details
    • Rubio, per Axios: 'The President is not under false time pressure, the Iranians are inflicting major damage on their own economy.'
    • Rubio said publicly that military strikes aren't needed if economic pressure achieves the same goal.
    • The closed-meeting quotes come from Axios alone; Fox News is the source for Iron Gate's 20-person staff in Tampa.
Also tonight4 bites

  1. Fed governor Waller says a half-point December hike should be considered after core prices hit his 0.3% trigger

    WSJ

    Fed officials are split on how hard to push. Speaking in London before the inflation report, Waller set a trigger: if core prices rose at least 0.3% in October, a 50-basis-point hike "should be considered" at the Dec. 8-9 meeting. They did. Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee called the report "borderline disturbing." Philadelphia Fed President Anna Paulson wants a slow, steady pace.

    Where each Fed official standsWaller: "Hiking only 25 basis points would put our credibility at risk, a risk I am not eager to take."5 details
    • Waller: "Hiking only 25 basis points would put our credibility at risk, a risk I am not eager to take."
    • Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan: a faster pace of hikes may be warranted, per the WSJ
    • Goolsbee: called the October inflation report "borderline disturbing"
    • Paulson: gradual tightening seems appropriate for now; expectations remain consistent with the 2% target
    • Governor Michelle Bowman: there is still work to do to reach 2%

  2. USDA proposes ending SNAP's broad-based eligibility; its own estimate says 6.3 million people, nearly 1 in 5 recipients, would lose benefits

    CNNMedicaid and ACA cuts

    The Agriculture Department proposed a rule on Nov. 10 to end "broad-based categorical eligibility." That policy lets states enroll people in SNAP (food stamps) if they qualify for other aid, often at higher income limits than SNAP's own. USDA estimates 6.3 million people in 3.2 million households, 17.6% of recipients, would lose benefits in the rule's first year, per The Hill. USDA says the rule would cut federal SNAP spending by nearly $45 billion over five years, per CNN. Nothing changes yet: public comments run until Dec. 10. The proposal says it would "preserve benefits for the truly needy." A 2019 version was withdrawn in 2021.

  3. Commerce Secretary Lutnick got a classified memo on Jensen Huang's ties to a suspected Chinese agent

    AXIOS

    The memo, drafted under Secretary of State Marco Rubio's oversight, covered the Nvidia CEO's ties to Alice Huang, The New York Times reported. It circulated before Trump's May 13-15 trip to China. Commerce still has not added her company, Megaspeed, to the entity list despite pressure from other departments, the FT reports.

    Key figuresCommerce reportedly cleared about 10 Chinese companies to buy Nvidia H200 chips in mid-May (Reuters, May 14).3 details
    • Commerce reportedly cleared about 10 Chinese companies to buy Nvidia H200 chips in mid-May (Reuters, May 14).
    • Nvidia has lost about $1 trillion in market value since The New York Times first reported the Huang ties on Oct. 29, per Axios. Some of that fell after the midterms, when Democrats who promised to slow AI data-center building won.
    • Trump on the intelligence: "Certainly, it didn't make much of an impact on me."

  4. Scott Colom (D-MS) widens his lead over Cindy Hyde-Smith (Sen-R Mississippi) to 2,633 votes as Mississippi's ballot deadlines pass

    NEW YORK TIMESUpdate

    Colom led by 2,633 votes as of Tuesday evening, Nov. 10, per the AP, with about 97% of the vote counted. That is under 0.3% of ballots cast. Mail ballots had to arrive, and affidavit ballots had to be cured, by 5 p.m. that day. All 82 counties must finish counting affidavit ballots and certify results to the secretary of state by Friday, Nov. 13.

    The Nov. 3 election left the race uncalled. Colom led by 65 votes on election night and by 2,536 on Monday, Nov. 9, per the AP.

    Key factsSecretary of State Michael Watson said more than 18,000 affidavit ballots had been processed by Tuesday evening, Nov. 10.3 details
    • Secretary of State Michael Watson said more than 18,000 affidavit ballots had been processed by Tuesday evening, Nov. 10. Of the first 15,547, 76% were accepted.
    • Hyde-Smith's lawyers asked all 82 counties to separate and preserve affidavit ballots, a step toward a possible court fight.
    • Colom would be Mississippi's first Black senator since Reconstruction, when Hiram Revels and Blanche K. Bruce held the state's seats.

Elections2 races

2 closest races

  • pAlaska governor99.4%Wilson 0.45%Begich 0.05%

    POLYMARKET: Alaska governor — general election

    Bernadette Wilson (R) faces Tom Begich (D).

    A dead heat — the two sides are priced within a point of each other, after Wilson lost about three points in a week.

    Two markets, one question

    Alaska governor

    Nov 10, 9:10 PM CT
    widest venue gap 0.2pp
    • Polymarket, solid
    • Kalshi, dashed
    • shaded = the gap between them

    Alaska governor. Bernadette Wilson (R): Polymarket 0.35%, Kalshi 0.55%; Tom Begich (D): Polymarket 0.05%, Kalshi 0.05%. Widest disagreement between the two venues: 0.2pp. Full history is in the table below.

    7 days ago

    Market-implied chance of winning, out of 100 — prices, not polls. Source: Polymarket · Kalshi.

  • oAlaska SenateMary Peltola 98.55%▲4.6Sullivan 1.45%

    POLYMARKET: Alaska Senate — general election

    Mary Peltola (D) faces Dan Sullivan (R).

    A sitting Republican senator is defending this seat, and Peltola holds a commanding lead.

    Two markets, one question

    Alaska Senate

    Nov 10, 9:10 PM CT
    widest venue gap 0.6pp
    • Polymarket, solid
    • Kalshi, dashed
    • shaded = the gap between them

    Alaska Senate. Mary Peltola (D): Polymarket 98.85%, Kalshi 98.25%; Dan Sullivan (R): Polymarket 1.15%, Kalshi 1.75%. Widest disagreement between the two venues: 0.6pp. Full history is in the table below.

    7 days ago

    Market-implied chance of winning, out of 100 — prices, not polls. Source: Polymarket · Kalshi.

“Still in doubt” means no leader above 80% on either book. Prices captured Nov 10, 9:10 PM CT. These are trader-implied estimates, not polls. Separate contracts trade independently, so opposing prices may not add to exactly 100%.

Not news news1 story

NBC NEWSMeasles outbreak

International health panel meets this week to decide whether the US has lost measles-elimination status after more than 5,000 cases in 2026

Eight people have died of measles this year, four of them babies too young to be vaccinated.

A Pan American Health Organization (PAHO, the World Health Organization's office for the Americas) commission is meeting in Washington from Nov. 10 through Friday, Nov. 13. It will decide whether the US still holds the measles-elimination status it won in 2000. Experts expect the status to be revoked, because genetic data show the virus is spreading inside the country again.

The CDC counts 5,182 confirmed cases this year through Nov. 5, and 43 new outbreaks. That compares with 2,289 cases in all of 2025 and 1,274 in 2019, the high before last year.

What next. Losing the status carries no penalty, experts told CIDRAP; it records that the virus spreads on its own here again. Canada lost its status in November 2025. Brazil lost it in 2019 and won it back in 2024.

  • CDC Director Erica Schwartz told Reuters on Nov. 10 that the agency would not fundamentally change its outbreak response.
1 story that didn't make the cutSeen by the desk, ranked, and not run. The number is where each stood in the day's order.
  • 16White House calls Democrats to hold permitting bill together after Trump says he won't approve windDemocrats say they expect concrete wind-permitting action within days.