Good morning, everyone. There’s a tidal wave of news to cover today, from a bombshell court ruling out of Utah to major cracks in Trump’s Gaza ceasefire deal. But before any of that, I want to pause and thank every veteran who may read this. Your service, your sacrifice, and your quiet strength are the backbone of this country. Today, and every day, it’s on us to honor that. This Veterans Day, thank you for keeping our nation safe.
And on a personal note: thank you for the incredible support. Our shutdown coverage has reached tens of millions of people in the past 48 hours, even breaking through on Fox News. Our interviews are everywhere. We are redefining what independent media can be in real time — no paywall, no executives telling us what to say, just me, you, and the truth.
Utah dropped political thunder at 2 a.m., when a judge rejected the legislature’s proposed congressional map that would have offered Republicans two seats still leaning their way (Trump +2 and +7) and instead chose the plaintiffs’ Map 1, which creates a safely Democratic Salt Lake City district (Harris +24). Republicans are livid and plan to appeal to the Utah Supreme Court, but for now the judge has ruled that Map C violated Proposition 4 and that the plaintiffs’ map will shape the state’s 2026 midterms unless a higher court intervenes.
Thailand has put on hold a newly signed ceasefire with Cambodia, a deal President Trump helped broker in late October, after several Thai soldiers were wounded by a land mine in a disputed border zone. The blast reignited tensions along the frontier and prompted Bangkok to freeze implementation of the agreement, which had been presented as a diplomatic breakthrough during Trump’s Asia trip. Cambodian and Thai leaders had celebrated the truce just weeks earlier, but the renewed violence has thrown the plan into doubt.
Trump blasted the SNAP food assistance program in a Fox News interview, claiming too many people receive benefits “automatically” and calling current spending “disgraceful,” even as the White House battles in court to avoid paying full benefits during the shutdown.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason Reding Quiñones, abruptly called a rare office-wide meeting after two prosecutors resigned rather than participate in what they viewed as an ethically troubling “conspiracy” investigation targeting former intelligence and law enforcement officials, including Barack Obama and John Brennan.
Donald Trump reignited the long-debunked and racist birther conspiracy on Tuesday by reposting Truth Social messages claiming Barack Obama wasn’t born in the United States and suggesting his presidency should carry an asterisk. The posts he amplified included images implying Obama used a false name and wasn’t a Christian, echoing the same birther rhetoric Trump pushed for years before his 2016 campaign.
Donald Trump reposted a meme on Truth Social blaming Barack and Michelle Obama for worsening racism in America, claiming they “set America back 100 years.” The post continues Trump’s long history of amplifying racist messages and conspiracy theories, including his past housing discrimination case, calls for the death penalty for the exonerated Central Park Five, and years spent pushing the birther lie about Obama. The repost signals no change in Trump’s rhetoric on race.
Late last night, the Senate voted 60–40 to end the record shutdown, with eight Democrats joining nearly all Republicans to pass a funding package that keeps the government open through Jan. 30 and fully funds SNAP, but leaves out an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin forced a Senate vote to extend the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits for one year, but Republicans blocked her amendment from being added to the government funding bill.
Senate Republicans quietly added a provision to the shutdown-ending funding bill that would let senators sue the federal government for at least $500,000 if their phone records were secretly seized, a response to former special counsel Jack Smith’s subpoenas during the Biden administration. The measure, inserted by Majority Leader John Thune without Democratic input, also requires tech providers to notify senators when their data is requested.
According to Politico, internal documents shared with U.S. officials reveal deep worries inside the Trump administration that its Gaza peace deal may unravel, largely because there is no clear plan for carrying out key parts of the agreement.
The slides, presented at a major symposium in Israel, highlight major obstacles such as deploying a still-undefined International Stabilization Force, rebuilding shattered governance and security institutions, managing Israeli resistance to withdrawal, and navigating tensions over whether the Palestinian Authority will have any role at all.
Despite Trump’s public optimism, the materials depict a vast, under-resourced effort struggling to turn a ceasefire into lasting stability, and officials warn that without sustained commitment, international backing, and concrete systems on the ground, the plan risks becoming another Middle East quagmire.
UNICEF says Israel is blocking nearly 1.6 million syringes, vaccine fridges, infant formula and other key supplies it needs to run a major vaccination campaign for young children in Gaza. The items, held in customs since August as “dual-use,” are slowing efforts to reach tens of thousands of kids who missed routine shots during the war. UNICEF has begun the first round of vaccinations but warns it cannot continue without the withheld equipment, while Israel has not commented on the latest claims.
Yale professor Oona Hathaway warned that the international legal system is at risk of “total collapse” as wars in Ukraine and Gaza, along with the Trump administration’s willingness to dismiss global courts, undermine the post–World War II rule against seizing territory by force. She said compliance with International Court of Justice rulings is slipping, civilian protections are eroding, and the UN system lacks tools to enforce accountability.
As the US enters flu season after last year’s second-deadliest pediatric outbreak on record, pediatricians are stepping in to lead vaccine messaging while the CDC scales back its own campaigns, including shelving its popular “wild to mild” initiative. With global flu activity rising and fewer virus samples shared internationally, experts worry this year could be as severe or worse, especially since most children who died last season were unvaccinated.
BBC director general Tim Davie, speaking to staff during a turbulent stretch marked by Donald Trump’s $1bn lawsuit threat and criticism over an editing error, urged employees to “fight for our journalism” and resist the “weaponisation” of attacks on the broadcaster. While avoiding direct comments on Trump’s legal claims or offering a departure timeline, he acknowledged recent mistakes, stressed the BBC’s strong position ahead of charter renewal, and encouraged staff to stay focused on delivering high-quality work.
Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to overturn the $5 million civil verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll, a judgment previously upheld by a federal appeals court. His lawyers argue Carroll’s claims were politically motivated and lacked direct evidence, while her attorney declined comment.
A suicide bomber detonated explosives outside a busy district court in Islamabad, killing 12 people and injuring 27, after failing to get past security and instead targeting a police vehicle. No group has claimed responsibility, but the attack comes amid a rise in militant violence and follows an overnight assault by Pakistani Taliban militants on a cadet college in the northwest.
A TikTok livestreamer from Zion, Illinois, is facing intense public backlash after allegedly hitting and killing 59-year-old pedestrian Darren Lucas while driving and streaming, then asking viewers to donate to support her “mental leave.” A screen recording of the stream shows her reacting in panic after the collision, and police say they are investigating the video as part of the case, though no charges have been approved yet.
Camp Mystic is facing three lawsuits from families of some of the 27 people — 25 campers and two counselors — who died in July’s catastrophic Central Texas floods. The suits accuse the operators of wrongful death and negligence, arguing the camp ignored repeated flash-flood risks along the Guadalupe River, failed to create or follow evacuation plans, and prioritized equipment over rescuing children as waters rose.
