Trump Says U.S. Made 'Minor Strikes' on an Iranian Anti-Aircraft Site on Qeshm Island and Says Qatar-Mediated Talks Have Made 'a Lot of Progress'
Iranian state media reported two missiles hitting the island's Suza area overnight Nov. 6–7. On Saturday, Iran's navy separately said an unnamed tanker hit a mine in the eastern Strait of Hormuz. No one has independently confirmed that claim.
U.S.
Bessent Asked China to Press Iran on Ending the War, Washington Post Columnist Reports, Citing One U.S. Official
David Ignatius writes that Beijing passed the message to Tehran after Tuesday's midterms, which Vance and Trump have linked to the war; China and Iran had not publicly confirmed the account in searches as of November 7.
New York Appeals Court Hears Trump's Bid to Overturn 34-Count Hush Money Conviction; No Ruling Yet
On Nov. 5, five justices of the Appellate Division, First Department, questioned both sides on federal election-law preemption, presidential immunity and harmless error. A separate federal appeal over moving the case out of state court is reportedly set for Nov. 16.
Trump Announces 'CapeWeek' Air Show Planned for Kennedy Space Center in 2028, in First Speech Since Tuesday's Midterms
At NASA's 'MAX POWER' expo in Florida, the president promised an American air show meant to rival Paris and Farnborough and briefly addressed his party's election losses.
Judge Chutkan Pauses Work on Trump's 250-Foot Arch for 14 Days, Less Than an Hour After 8-4 Planning Commission Approval
Ruling on a request from D.C. and Virginia, the judge said in a 33-page opinion that the challengers are likely to show the administration skipped a congressional approval step required for new monuments. The administration says a 1925 law already authorizes the arch and that it has security value.
Massie Plans to Force House Vote on Impeaching Hegseth the Week of Nov. 9; Hegseth Vows to Fight as Tillis and Bacon Criticize Him
After Tuesday's midterm losses, several Republicans questioned the Pentagon chief's leadership of the Iran war. Trump says he intends to keep him, and CBS reports he has been asking advisers whether Hegseth should stay.
House Democrats Name Trump Family Businesses, Including World Liberty Financial, Among First Targets for Subpoenas When They Take Control in January
Rep. Jamie Raskin, in line to chair the Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Robert Garcia, in line to chair Oversight, list probes of Trump family ventures, the Justice Department and FBI, and corporate mergers; Republicans and the White House call it a "witch hunt."
N.C.
About 60% of N.C. Voters Approve Three Amendments: 3.5% Income Tax Cap, Local Property Tax Limit and Photo ID for All Voters, Including by Mail
Unofficial results show all three amendments passed on Nov. 3. Republican legislators return for a lame-duck session on Nov. 16, before a new Democratic House majority is seated in 2027, and they face open questions about revenue and how to put the property tax limit into effect.
Britt's Lead Over Hamm in N.C. Senate District 24 Narrows to 245 Votes as Counties Review Provisional Ballots
The unofficial margin is inside North Carolina's 1% recount threshold. A Britt win keeps Republicans at 26-24 in the state Senate. A Hamm win makes it 25-25, and Democratic Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt would break ties.
Stein Calls for Compromise and Says GOP Should Avoid 'Power Grabs' in Lame-Duck Session; N.C. Supreme Court Hears His Appointment-Power Cases Nov. 10
The state Supreme Court has scheduled 2.5 hours of arguments in two cases over laws that limit Gov. Josh Stein's appointment powers. The cases were set before Tuesday's election, in which Democrats won the state House and broke the Republican supermajority in the state Senate.
Earls Wins Re-election to N.C. Supreme Court, 58.85% to 41.15% in Unofficial Returns; Court Stays 5-2 Republican
Democratic Justice Anita Earls defeated Republican Sarah Stevens. The result does not change who sits on the court, and the same seven justices will hear Gov. Josh Stein's challenge to laws limiting his appointment powers on Nov. 10.
Democrats Win N.C. House and End GOP Senate Supermajority in Unofficial Results; Stein Asks Lawmakers to Skip Lame-Duck Session
Unofficial counts show Republicans keeping a 26-24 Senate edge, which leaves neither party able to override vetoes alone. Gov. Josh Stein called for compromise and said a post-election session is 'not necessary.' Republicans scheduled those sessions back in August.
Ojeda Unseats NRCC Chair Hudson 51.1% to 48.9% as Democrats Win Five Republican-Held N.C. U.S. House Seats
Unofficial results show Democrats won the 6th, 9th, 11th, 13th and 14th districts. Democrat Chuck Hubbard leads Rep. Virginia Foxx by 99 votes in the uncalled 5th District, and the 3rd District is also too close to call.
Finance
S&P 500 Falls 2.7% for the Week; Nasdaq Gains 1.09% Friday but Logs Fourth Straight Weekly Loss
Chip stocks bounced on Friday, November 6, after Thursday's post-midterm sell-off. A strong jobs report raised bets on a Fed rate hike, and the Dow fell 0.46%.
U.S. Added 165,000 Jobs in October, Above Forecasts of 59,000 to 70,000; Unemployment Rate Dips to 4.1%
Job gains for August and September were revised up by a combined 84,000 and hourly pay rose 0.4% in October. Treasury yields rose, and futures-market odds of a December Fed rate increase climbed to roughly 75% to 80%.
U.S. Oil Falls 8.3% to About $88 a Barrel as Midterm Results Feed Hopes for an Iran Deal
Brent and WTI crude each fell more than 8% on Wednesday, Nov. 4, as traders bet the election result raises the odds of a deal with Iran; prices recovered slightly on Thursday, and Washington and Tehran still had not agreed on Qatar's plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Dow Gains 1,569 Points, Its Best Day Since April 2025, as Stocks Rise and Oil, Yields and the Dollar Fall the Day After Democrats Win Congress
The S&P 500 rose 1.58% on Wednesday as Democrats took both chambers and President Trump said he accepted the results. Sources disagree on how broad the rally was, and Friday's October jobs report is next.
AMD Shares Rose Roughly 5% to 9% After Hours Tuesday on Q3 Revenue of $13.38 Billion and a Fourth-Quarter Guide of About $17 Billion
Data center sales rose 97% while client and gaming revenue fell 8%. The report came after a chip-stock selloff last week, and Qualcomm, Arm and AppLovin report Wednesday.
Dow Rises 0.41%, Nasdaq Falls 1.07% Before Midterms; Apple and Palantir Shares Drop After Topping Estimates
A 7.63% drop in Brent crude lifted the Dow on Monday while tech stocks fell. Apple and Palantir both beat quarterly estimates, but their shares slid after hours and before Tuesday's open on worries about Apple's profit margin and Palantir's contract growth.
World
Russia Fires 36 Ballistic Missiles and 172 Drones at Kyiv Area, Damaging Power Sites and Northern Bridge
Ukraine's air force says it downed 4 of the missiles and 149 of the drones; officials report power, heat and water disruptions in Kyiv and damage to lines carrying power from two nuclear plants, ahead of U.S.-mediated talks set for Nov. 10-11.
Iran's IRGC Says It Downed Two More U.S. MQM-170 Drones Over Qeshm Island, for a Claimed Total of Six
No one has independently confirmed the Thursday claim. CENTCOM, the U.S. command, flatly denied an earlier Iranian claim about the same drone model, made Oct. 29.
Zelensky Holds 90-Minute Call With Witkoff and Kushner as U.S., Russia and Ukraine Set Nov. 10-11 Abu Dhabi Talks; Brussels Meeting on Security Guarantees Held
Washington describes the Abu Dhabi round as working-level talks on post-war security, de-escalation and humanitarian issues, the first three-way meeting since February. None of the sources reviewed links the talks to any specific change in U.S. sanctions.
Polish President Nawrocki Enters Constitutional Tribunal After a Judge Elected by Parliament Suspends Its Chief; Police Detain Protesters Outside
Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government says it is restoring an independent court, while President Karol Nawrocki and the opposition Law and Justice party call the suspension an illegal takeover. The fight centers on whether five judges who never took their oath before the president can lawfully sit on the court.
Houthis Claim Six Attacks on Saudi Oil Sites and Airports; Saudi-Led Coalition Reports Intercepting Missiles
None of the six claimed hits has been independently confirmed; the claims came three days after Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish officials met Iranian leaders in Tehran, and Brent crude traded at $115.74 early Friday.
Final Israeli Count: Netanyahu Bloc 53 Seats, Eisenkot Bloc 48, Arab-Led Parties 19; No Side Reaches 61
Netanyahu's Likud says the vote was stolen through fraud in Arab communities, and police say they have found no evidence. Bennett and Liberman reject a government that relies on Arab parties, and President Herzog begins consultations next week.
Analysis
Unbiased, evergreen deep-dives on the bigger questions — not breaking news.
What Fauci's Released Diary Documents About the U.S. COVID-19 Response — and What It Leaves Unresolved
A 1,141-page personal diary released by Sen. Rand Paul's committee is roughly one-third routine administrative logging; a minority of entries bear directly on contested questions, and a few conflict with contemporaneous public statements.
Eight Months of Mamdani: What New York's Record Actually Shows, and What It Cannot Yet Show
A claim-by-claim audit of what Zohran Mamdani has delivered, how New Yorkers judge it, and what the evidence does and does not license anyone to conclude about the rest of the country.