U.S. and world news for Nov. 10

Government shutdown may end in a few days

The Senate has taken a key step toward reopening the government as lawmakers push to end the longest shutdown in U.S. history. In a 60-40 vote on Sunday night, eight Senate Democrats crossed party lines and reached a deal with Republicans to end the stalemate in exchange for a future vote on extending healthcare subsidies. Despite sharp criticism from top Democrats, the centrist bloc defended the move to reopen the government without achieving the party’s chief demand — securing billions of dollars in health care tax credits. Still, the path to ending the shutdown remains uncertain: any senator can delay consideration of the package for several days. It must also clear the House before reaching President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature.

SNAP recipients may not get full November benefits

Even with the Senate starting the process to reopen the government with funding that includes money for the Department of Agriculture and the SNAP food assistance program, it is still unclear if and when all SNAP recipients will receive their full allotment for November. If the Senate and House give final approval to the pending legislation, Donald Trump still must sign it and he has opposed providing food assistance to families. A Supreme Court order issued Friday temporarily halted a lower court ruling requiring the Trump administration to pay full SNAP benefits for November. Although late yesterday the First Circuit Court of Appeals declined a request by the Trump administration to block SNAP funding, the appeals court ruling has no immediate effect because the Supreme Court’s temporary hold remains in place. The Trump administration also ordered states that were going to fund SNAP using their own money to stop doing that.

Trump pardons people who helped him try to overturn the 2020 election

Donald Trump has pardoned more than 70 of his political allies for their support or involvement in trying overturn the 2020 presidential election, according to the Justice Department’s pardon attorney. The list contains dozens of names, including high-profile figures like Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and the president’s former chief of staff, Mark Meadows. Each of them was charged with election interference in Georgia for trying to subvert Trump’s 2020 defeat. Notably, presidential pardons only apply to federal charges, not state or local charges.

Washington Post analysis shows Trump nodding off during event

Donald Trump was fond of referring to President Joe Biden as “Sleepy Joe,” but now California Gov. Gavin Newsom has given Trump a nickname as a result of Trump nodding off in public: “The Nodfather.” The Washington Post reports that an analysis of videos reveals that Trump struggled to keep his eyes open for about 20 minutes during an Oval Office event last week while Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and others were speaking. It described Trump as closing his eyes, putting a hand to his temple and slouching in his chair. The Washington Post said it analyzed videos from various sources.

Arctic blast moves into the U.S.

Temperatures are plunging across much of the U.S., with several major cities bracing for potential record lows today. In Chicago, a dangerous lake-effect snow event could dump three or more inches per hour — so fast it would overwhelm the ability to keep roads clear. Some parts of the city could see 10 inches of snow, marking Chicago’s first double-digit snowfall since January 2021. The city’s fierce weather pattern is fueled by the same Arctic air mass expected to sweep through the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. this week. Forecasts indicate that today will bring the coldest air to tens of millions east of the Rockies since spring. Freezing temperatures are possible as far south as Texas and Florida and as far east as the Appalachians.

Russia plunges much of Ukraine into the dark

Millions of Ukrainians are enduring cold temperatures and darkness after one of Russia’s largest attacks on energy infrastructure since the start of the war. Nine Ukrainian regions came under attack over the weekend, according to Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy. Of the 45 missiles fired by Russia, some of which were ballistic weapons, only nine had been intercepted. Some 450 drones were also launched. Amid widespread damage, Ukraine’s energy minister implemented emergency power cuts across almost all regions to stabilize the network. The latest Russian attacks come as Ukraine has requested more help from allies to replenish its air defenses.