This week, a panel of experts is meeting behind closed doors to decide whether the U.S. has lost its measles elimination status. If we lose status (if I were a betting person, I would say we will), it will cause a lot of commotion. Below, I’ll help you get ahead of it with what’s going on, what rumors to expect, and what’s next.
Also, fall viruses are doing what they always do: increasing on multiple fronts. That data shows that “sick season” is right around the corner. But where is the fall vaccination data?
Let’s dig in.
Health “weather” report
Each week, physicians tally how many people they see with a fever plus a cough or sore throat. It’s called ILI (influenza-like illness), and it’s a good way to gauge the health “climate” in the U.S.
Right now, the number of people sick is still relatively low but climbing. Nationally, the rate is 2.8%, just below the 2.9% baseline that marks the start of respiratory season. The South and West are already above it, at 3.3% each, and young kids are getting hit the hardest.
When we look at the specific viruses, like the “big three,” here’s where we are:
Flu is here. Nationally, about 9% of flu tests are coming back positive, and hospitalizations are climbing in every region but one. The West Coast and the South are seeing the most activity, and the Northeast is beginning to pick up. The CDC reported three flu-associated child deaths so far in the 2026-2027 season. This will reach ~200 kiddos by season’s end.
Covid-19 is in a holding pattern. Wastewater levels are moderate but hovering nationally. This is very odd, as typically levels decrease after summer before increasing again in December or January. At the state level, rates are truly a mixed bag.
RSV is starting its usual winter climb. Hospitalizations are climbing, mostly in kids under 5, and the South is furthest along. This is typically where the RSV season begins before it spreads North and West.
Where is the vaccination rate data?
CDC has not yet published vaccination rates for this fall season, which is highly unusual, since this data typically appears on the website in September or October. Not having this data publicly available is unacceptable. It also raises questions about why.
This data matters for many reasons: Hospitals typically use it to anticipate surges, ER wait times, and stretched staff. Health departments can use it to spot which neighborhoods are falling behind, so they can increase outreach to reach the people who need it. It also holds leadership accountable for vaccine access, communication, and outreach.
I hope people start making noise about it.
Spotlight: Measles elimination status is brewing behind closed doors
This week, an independent panel of eight experts meets to decide whether the U.S. loses its “elimination” status for measles, meaning the virus has spread continuously in the country for 12 months.
The clock began January 20, 2025, with the West Texas outbreak (February 1 in Mexico, which is also under review). The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) pushed the review from April to November 2026 to allow time for genetic analysis. (It also falls after the midterms, and some suspect RFK Jr. or the administration influenced this.)
CDC and local health departments compiled the evidence, a U.S. expert committee reviewed it over the summer, and now the panel will advise the PAHO director, who makes the final call.
How are they making the decision?
The report is confidential, but PAHO reviews all the evidence together, and no single piece determines the outcome. The core question is whether the same strain of measles (same genotype and lineage) kept spreading for 12 months without a break.
Most of the evidence comes from two places:
Old-school detective work. Health departments interview sick people and trace who infected whom and where. This work is critical to understanding how illness spreads (and how to stop it). The challenge is that the trail often goes cold because people don’t want to be interviewed, they don’t remember, or they are impossible to contact. That is why #2 matters…
Whole-genome sequencing. Instead of relying only on interviews, this option looks at the virus’s genetic code in measles tests to see whether it has spread continuously for 12 months. Measles picks up a mutation every two to four transmissions between people, kind of like a typo copied (and added) every time a note gets passed along. By reading the virus’s entire genetic code, scientists can see its family tree and whether the Utah case is a “grandchild” of the Texas case (continuous spread) or a separate arrival from another country (a new introduction).
The panel also weighs other factors, including vaccination rates and the effectiveness of a country’s surveillance and outbreak response.
What will it mean?
Many, including me, expect the U.S. to lose elimination status. If that happens, it means measles is officially “endemic” again. The label is largely symbolic. It signals measles is spreading freely in unvaccinated pockets, and it means more preventable disease (more sick unvaccinated people, higher medical bills, and more kids missing school.)
It also means we need a plan to crawl back. I won’t hold my breath for RFK Jr.
What next?
We should know the decision within a week. Last year, PAHO announced Canada’s decision the Monday after the panel met. So I expect we’ll hear something next Monday, November 16. Brace for the headlines.
Also, brace for a fight over the social media narrative. This is where prebunking, learning a misleading argument before you see it, helps. You’re then much less likely to fall for it. It’s like a vaccine for misinformation: a small, weakened dose now builds resistance for later.
Here are a few misconceptions that I see coming:
“This was caused by illegal immigrants.” (Scapegoating and a red herring.) Most imported cases are U.S. residents returning from international travel. Also, this isn’t really the point. An endemic status depends on whether it kept spreading after it arrived. Here is a YLE deep dive.
“Canada lost it too.” (Whataboutism.) Yes, so did the UK. This isn’t just a U.S. centric problem, but it’s preventable, and that means we need to look inward, not just outward.
“The MMR vaccine doesn’t work.” (Nirvana fallacy and base rate neglect.) Vaccines aren’t perfect, but this one is impressively effective (97%). The vast majority of measles cases are among the unvaccinated.
“We all had measles as kids and it was fine.” (Survivorship bias.) The people saying this are the ones who survived. About one in five unvaccinated people who get measles are hospitalized, and people have died this year. This is preventable.
“Measles only killed eight people this year. Why not focus on opioids?” (Relative privation.) Less deadly doesn’t mean unimportant, and public health can and should work on both.
But expect to see them in the other extreme, too:
“We lost our status, so measles is everywhere.” (Hasty generalization.) Outbreaks are concentrated in communities with low vaccination rates. Not everyone faces the same risk, and raising the alarm when a community isn’t at risk can do immense harm.
“It happened under the current administration, so they caused it.” This one needs nuance. Kindergarten MMR coverage has been sliding below 95% for years. But leadership does shape how we respond as a country, where resources go, how agencies communicate, and how quickly we restore our status.
Good news
Overdose deaths keep falling. CDC estimates nearly 68,000 overdose deaths in the year ending March 2026, about 9,500 fewer than the prior year. The nuance: among counties with enough data, deaths rose in 430.
Barbados eliminated mother-to-child HIV transmission. WHO certified the milestone, the result of years of sustained effort. This doesn’t mean HIV has been eliminated altogether in Barbados. It does mean, as UNICEF put it, that an HIV diagnosis during pregnancy in Barbados no longer has to mean transmission to a child. It worked because 98% of pregnant women got antenatal care, 98% were tested for HIV, and 98% of those with HIV received treatment.
RSV vaccines are working in nursing homes. A JAMA Internal Medicine study of nearly 600,000 Medicare nursing home residents found vaccinated residents were 73% less likely to be hospitalized with RSV during the vaccine’s first season. This is a high-risk group, so the real-world data is encouraging. Those who got the vaccine were also 56% less likely to die of RSV. Thanks to Force of Infection for flagging this win!
Reader poll
Bottom line
Public health moves slowly. Flu, RSV, and Covid-19 follow patterns we can prepare for before they peak. Measles took years of missteps to resurge, and returning to elimination will take persistence. But progress is also possible.
Love, YLE

Investigation launched after seven killed, 112 injured in Egypt train crash
Matt Spivey
Live editor
At least seven people – including a driver – have been killed in a train collision in Egypt.
The country’s health ministry says that 112 others have been injured and are being treated at three different hospitals near the crash site in al-Ayyat, south of Giza.
More than 70 ambulances were scrambled to the scene – authorities say the final number of fatalities is still being counted.
A train heading from Giza to Fayoum – south of Cairo – collided into the back of a service heading from Cairo to Aswan in the south, which is believed to have been stationary, according to Egypt’s Public Prosecution Office.
The cause of the crash is yet to be officially determined and prosecutors have launched an investigation. Our reporter writes the site of the collision has a long history of rail disasters.
Images and footage from the scene show several derailed passenger carriages overturned along the tracks – you can watch that below.
We’re now ending our live coverage, you can keep up to date in our news story.
Egypt’s ageing railways need modernisation
Samantha Granville
Middle East reporter
As well as this latest train collision, deadly rail disasters have also struck elsewhere in the country.
In August 2017, two passenger trains collided near the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, killing more than 40 people and injuring dozens.
Egypt was the first country in Africa and the Middle East to introduce railways. Today, around 110 million people rely on the network.
But while billions have been invested in roads and high-speed rail projects, much of the country’s ageing railway infrastructure is still in need of modernisation.
Services involved in today’s collision are used largely by lower-income passengers
Wael Hussein
BBC News, reporting from Cairo
The two trains involved in Sunday’s collision serve very different journeys – but both are important transport links for ordinary Egyptians.
The first was travelling to Fayoum, around 100km (62 miles) from Cairo, while the second was heading south to Aswan, nearly 900km (559 miles) away.
Both services are used largely by lower-income passengers, for whom train travel is one of the most affordable ways to get around the country. Tickets for the shorter journey cost less than $1, while the longer trip to Aswan costs less than $10.
Getting eyewitness accounts and personal testimonies can take time.
Many passengers on these services come from poorer communities and may not own smartphones, meaning photographs, videos and first-hand accounts of what happened can take longer to emerge.
Train from Giza crashed into back of stationary Cairo service – prosecutors
More now from the Public Prosecution Office statement.
The office says that after an inspection of the scene, and speaking to eyewitnesses, they have determined that the front of the train travelling from Giza to Fayoum crashed into the back of the Cairo-Aswan rail service.
It adds that the train in front (Cairo-Aswan service) had stopped on the tracks. Both trains were heading in the same direction, the statement says.
On the number of deaths, the office says the final number of fatalities and injuries is still being counted but initial estimates say seven people, including the driver of the Giza to Fayoum train, died and 114 have been injured.
This figure differs slightly from the latest update from the country’s health ministry, who say 112 people have been injured.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), in a striking interview on Saturday, accused the Trump administration of corruption.
Johnson referenced recent claims made by Calley Means, a former Trump White House adviser who quit last month. On an episode of the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast released Friday, Means accused Trump’s top aides and political strategists of catering to special interests, specifically naming individuals close to President Donald Trump who he alleged blocked policies popular within the Make America Healthy Again movement.
Johnson told Fox News on Saturday that Means laid out “in gory detail” concerning levels of corruption within government, including corruption “within the Trump administration.”
“This is how government operates on a bipartisan basis,” Johnson continued, claiming that it’s “happening throughout government agency after government agency, captured by the very … corporations that are regulated by government.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Speaking about Republican losses in the midterm elections, Johnson said his party’s supporters “were expecting us to drain the swamp, but it seems like the swamp won.”
The senator argued that Republicans “need to embrace the enduring principles of our founders, limited government” to win elections in 2028.
Johnson is gathering signatures to postpone Senate Republican leadership elections, telling Fox News that the conference “ought to have robust, robust, soul-searching discussions” in the wake of the midterms.
A federal judge said Saturday that she intends to appoint Jessie K. Liu, the former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia during President Donald Trump’s first term, to investigate whether Justice and Interior Department lawyers committed ethical violations in the legal fight over the administration’s plans for East Potomac Golf Links.
U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes identified Liu as her choice to serve as a special master, an outside investigator who would assist the court in examining the government’s conduct in the case.
Reyes said the investigation would cover potential violations through Oct. 31 and would be conducted at the government’s expense.
Liu served as the District’s top federal prosecutor from 2017 to 2020 and previously held several senior Justice Department positions. She is now a partner at Liu Shur Kravis, a Washington law firm. Reyes opened the ethics inquiry Oct. 30 after weeks of increasingly contentious proceedings in which she questioned whether government lawyers had provided misleading or incomplete information about the administration’s plans for the historic public golf course.
Among the issues Reyes has said warrant examination are the government’s representations about the removal of hundreds of trees at East Potomac and whether officials accurately disclosed plans to close and redevelop the course. The inquiry could also examine whether government lawyers failed to correct statements after learning they were inaccurate.
Reyes has stressed that she has not determined that any government lawyer committed misconduct.
The judge gave the Justice Department and the plaintiffs until 10 a.m. Friday to respond to her proposed selection of Liu. The government may object to Liu’s appointment without giving up its ability to argue that Reyes should not conduct an ethics investigation at all.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) doubled down on his position that Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) should not automatically retain his role as Senate Democratic leader.
“I’ve said very clearly that we need to have a discussion in the Democratic caucus,” Van Hollen told journalist Alex Wagner at Crooked Media’s Crooked Con event on Saturday. “We need to understand what the Democrats are going to do with this new responsibility and these new powers. And that nobody should get a blank check without a full understanding from the caucus as to where we’re going to go.”
Van Hollen made similar comments to reporters earlier in the week. He told Bloomberg News that senators should not commit to anyone without having a conversation and receiving specific commitments.
Schumer, who currently serves as minority leader, has been criticized for some of his decisions over the past couple of years, including voting with Republicans to avoid a government shutdown. Some progressive groups have come out urging Democrats not to select Schumer as majority leader when Democrats take control of the chamber next Congress.
However there are multiple Democratic senators who have expressed support for Schumer as leader in recent days.
Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed (D-Michigan) told CNN that he would support Van Hollen if he ran for majority leader. But Van Hollen has said he is not considering a run for majority leader.
Saying “elections matter,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire has limited the number of cases in which the city police will contact immigration officials about people in custody.
In a press release Friday announcing the executive order, the Democrat said that starting right away, police will call Immigration and Customs Enforcement only about suspects linked to jailable offenses.
The order follows an election Tuesday in which Democrats won every statewide office on the ballot and took control of the Texas House.
Later Friday, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said he had asked Police Chief Lisa Davis to craft a similar policy to be ready for when Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa, an Austin Democrat, takes over from Gov. Greg Abbott in January.
“It’s about reducing fear and anxiety, not just within certain communities, but across all of Houston,” Whitmire said. “We don’t want people worrying about their jobs, their family members, or their students. This policy helps unify Houston. … It will help ensure that individuals charged with new jailable offenses, including violent crimes, are removed from our streets.”
Having an ICE administrative warrant, or being suspected of having one, the statement said, is not enough of a reason for police now to contact ICE.
“For example, if our police officers pull someone over for a minor traffic infraction and they write a citation, that person receives a citation and goes about their day,” Police Chief Noe Diaz said in the release.
The order came a few months after Abbott threatened to withhold $110 million in public safety funding because of a city ordinance trying to limit contact with ICE.
Abbott was defeated Tuesday.
On Saturday, Sen.-elect James Talarico, the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Texas since 1988, made his first public appearance since the election. It was at a memorial to Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican home builder shot dead by ICE officers in July.
This may not be the year you get plane tickets in your Christmas stocking.
Americans are still expected to open their wallets and spend a solid amount on holiday shopping this year, according to research from Visa and Bank of America, but increased inflation and financial worries mean they are making trade-offs.
“We definitely see the consumer adjusting to the reality of higher prices,” said Michael Brown, principal U.S. economist for Visa.
Visa’s research shows people are prioritizing physical gifts this year, despite desire for gifts of travel or live events. And they’re searching for ways to trim their budgets, including by buying generic or cheaper brands.
Still, Visa expects holiday sales to rise 4.5 percent compared with last year, though much of that growth is eaten by inflation.
Bank of America expects holiday shopping to shift toward early or mid-December this year, slightly later than the usual Black Friday craze, as people research prices and hold out for deals.
“They want to spend. They want to enjoy the holidays. But they’re trying to be really smart about how they’re saving and spending,” said Lora Monfared, head of consumer card products at the bank.
We are four days past Election Day, and while we know that Democrats will hold the majority in both chambers, there are still several races yet to be called that will determine the official voting margins.
There are still 19 House races that have yet to be called and two Senate races uncalled, according to the Associated Press.
Here are some contests to look out for:
Mississippi Senate seat: Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) is locked in a tight race with Scott Colom, the Democratic nominee. Colom held a slight lead over Hyde-Smith by 2,574 votes as of Friday evening, according to the AP. If Colom triumphs in the deep-red state, that would add to the list of seats Democrats were able to flip in red states.
Alaska Senate seat: Former Rep. Mary Peltola (D) holds a narrow lead over Sen. Dan Sullivan (R), the incumbent, in the Alaska Senate race with 74 percent of votes counted. Sullivan trails Peltola by roughly 600 votes, according to the AP. Under Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system, neither candidate has the majority needed to win the seat. This race has received heightened attention following a New York Times report that Democrats recruited another candidate, Dan J. Sullivan Jr., to run in an effort to split votes away from incumbent GOP Sen. Sullivan. Democrats have denied the claim.
North Carolina 5th District: Rep. Virginia Foxx (R) is locked in a surprisingly close race with Democratic nominee Chuck Hubbard. A Hubbard victory would be an upset in the district, which was rated likely Republican by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
Colorado 4th District: Rep. Lauren Boebert (R) is at risk of losing her seat to Eileen Laubacher (D), a Navy veteran and former Republican. Boebert, a staunch Trump ally, trails by more than 3,000 votes, according to the AP. The district was rated as lean Republican by the Cook Political Report.

2 hours ago
Pinned
Israel says US military aid has been used to ‘confront enemies who threaten America’
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that aid provided by the U.S. has been used by Israel “both to defend itself and to confront enemies who threaten America and the West.”
“U.S. military aid to Israel has always been a cross-the-aisle agreement,” the office wrote on X after President Donald Trump announced earlier this week that $4 billion in aid would be “cut off at the end of the year.”
“Today, Israel has a strong and stable economy. The move by PM Netanyahu and President Trump from aid to partnership shows the strength and sophistication of our relationship, and its ability to adapt and stand strong over time,” Netanyahu’s office added.
Trump said on Election Day, “Israel’s our number one,” and, “We give them more than anybody else, and they no longer need it.”
Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond
5 mins ago
Tillis accuses Hegseth of ‘wasting taxpayer dollars’ with video defending Iran war
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., accused Pete Hegseth of “wasting taxpayer dollars” after the secretary of war posted a video to social media Thursday defending the Iran war and calling on Congress to approve a $350 billion budget request.
“Pete Hegseth, cabinet secretaries shouldn’t be wasting taxpayer dollars on campaign style videos. Kristi Noem learned that the hard way,” Tillis said Friday.
“This is about you: the incompetence you’ve displayed, the bad advice you’ve given to the president, and your shameful and embarrassing episodes from firing our top generals to texting war plans to reporters,” he added.
Tillis previously has called on President Donald Trump to replace Hegseth.
Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond
8 mins ago
Iranian official says any energy corridor that bypasses Iran will be ‘too expensive or unstable’
Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran’s supreme leader on international affairs, said Friday that, “Any energy or transit corridor that tries to bypass us will either become too expensive or unstable.”
“Now that everyone is talking about the new order of West Asia, it should be noted that: Iran is a bridge between [the] Persian Gulf, Central Asia, Caucasus, and the Sea of Oman,” he added on X.
“The domino effect of crises from Gaza to the Red Sea, and from Lebanon to Iraq, has shown that regional security is indivisible,” Velayati said. “Either collective security is achieved, or everyone experiences collective insecurity.”
“The tsunami of geopolitical changes in West Asia has engulfed the elections in Israel and the United States. The result: ‘Iran is now one of the principal architects of the regional order — a reality that can neither be eliminated nor replaced’,” Velayati also was quoted as saying Friday by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency.
Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond
2 hours ago
Trump calls Qatar’s leader to discuss ‘de-escalating tensions’ in the Middle East: report
Qatar said Friday that President Donald Trump called its leader Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to discuss “the ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region.”
The state-run Qatar News Agency said Al-Thani and Trump “discussed the latest international efforts, notably the initiatives led by the State of Qatar, to bridge the gaps between the concerned parties and support the negotiation process, to pave the road for reaching a comprehensive agreement that resolves the crisis and ensures security and stability in the region.”
The call comes as Qatar is acting as a mediator in talks between the U.S. and Iran that are aimed at ending the war.
Qatar said Al-Thani also “emphasized the importance of continuing dialogue and embracing diplomacy as a means of resolving disputes; preventing further escalation in the region; and safeguarding freedom of maritime navigation and the security of energy supplies.”
Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond
3 hours ago
Ship reports explosion while traveling in the Strait of Hormuz, UKTMO says
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) said Friday that a tanker ship traveling through the Strait of Hormuz reported an explosion.
The incident happened Thursday about 16 nautical miles east of Khasab, Oman, the agency said.
“The Master of a Tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz outbound, has reported an explosion at the waterline, port side,” the UKTMO said. “The crew are safe and are accounted for. The tanker is still under its own power and is continuing on its voyage.”
Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond
3 hours ago
Saudi Arabia intercepts 2 ballistic missiles launched by ‘Houthi terrorist militia’
Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Col. Turki al-Malki said Friday that the country’s air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles “launched by the Houthi terrorist militia toward Najran.”
“Debris fell as a result of the interception, and damage is being assessed,” al-Malki added.
He later announced that a drone was “intercepted and destroyed” in the Mecca region.
In a security alert issued this week, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Saudi Arabia said, “Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions.
“These hostilities have the potential to escalate rapidly beyond that immediate area,” the message warned.
Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond
4 hours ago
Trump meets with national security team as US prepares for possible new strikes on Iran
President Donald Trump met with his national security team Thursday to discuss whether to resume military operations against Iran, senior officials confirmed to Fox News.
There were meetings at the White House Wednesday and Thursday, the officials said.
Nov. 9 marks a new moon in the Middle East, meaning little to no moonlight — a condition favorable for military operations, they added.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office earlier Thursday that Washington would “make a decision” on resuming the war.
“Do we want to go further” with strikes to ensure Iran’s nuclear program is dead and that “it will never happen again?” he added.
“I would rather not destroy the rest of the country if possible, but maybe I will have to. You’ll know soon enough.”
U.S. Central Command is finalizing preparations for a potential resumption of major operations in Iran but has not received a new directive from Washington, according to reports citing a U.S. official.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi also told Trump during a phone call Thursday that Iraqi territory must not be used to launch strikes against neighboring countries.
“Mr. Prime Minister affirmed Iraq’s position calling for respect for the sovereignty of states, non-use of its territories as a launchpad for aggression against neighboring countries,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement on X.
Yesterday’s Fox News Digital live blog offers additional coverage of the conflict with Iran.
Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin contributed to this post.
Posted by Emma Bussey
4 hours ago
Tehran sends nuclear proposal to Washington via Qatar, demands conditions are met
Tehran submitted a formal nuclear proposal to the United States through Qatari intermediaries on Thursday, making further negotiations contingent on Washington addressing its seven demands, according to officials cited by Reuters.
Washington has received the document and is actively reviewing Tehran’s proposal, the outlet said.
Iran is pushing a seven-point deal demanding U.S. compensation for war damages, an end to economic sanctions and the naval blockade of Iranian ports, and an end to hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon and Gaza.
Iran is also demanding the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets, a reduced U.S. military presence in the Middle East and a permanent end to the war rather than a temporary ceasefire.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday that talks between Tehran and Washington would center on the proposal.
Posted by Emma Bussey
4 hours ago
Hegseth demands $350B for military, fires back at Democrat impeachment push
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth urged Congress Thursday to approve at least $350 billion in defense funding while pushing back against efforts to impeach him.
In a video posted to X, Hegseth defended his Pentagon overhaul, including eliminating DEI initiatives, removing military leaders and rebuilding recruitment.
“We need every vote from every patriotic member of Congress,” Hegseth said, calling for a reconciliation bill of at least $350 billion to strengthen the military and defense industrial base.
The impeachment effort is being led by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who introduced eight articles against Hegseth in September, accusing him of violating congressional war powers during the Iran conflict and abusing his authority in other military operations.
Hegseth also defended the administration’s military operations against Iran, describing the campaign as a historic effort to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Posted by Brittany Miller

Breaking News2 hours ago
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Trump meets with national security team as US prepares for possible new strikes on Iran
President Donald Trump met with his national security team Thursday to discuss whether to resume military operations against Iran, senior officials confirmed to Fox News.
There were meetings at the White House Wednesday and Thursday, the officials said.
Nov. 9 marks a new moon in the Middle East, meaning little to no moonlight — a condition favorable for military operations, they added.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office earlier Thursday that Washington would “make a decision” on resuming the war.
“Do we want to go further” with strikes to ensure Iran’s nuclear program is dead and that “it will never happen again?” he added.
“I would rather not destroy the rest of the country if possible, but maybe I will have to. You’ll know soon enough.”
U.S. Central Command is finalizing preparations for a potential resumption of major operations in Iran but has not received a new directive from Washington, according to reports citing a U.S. official.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi also told Trump during a phone call Thursday that Iraqi territory must not be used to launch strikes against neighboring countries.
“Mr. Prime Minister affirmed Iraq’s position calling for respect for the sovereignty of states, non-use of its territories as a launchpad for aggression against neighboring countries,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement on X.
Fox News national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
Posted by Emma Bussey
49 mins ago
Turkey clears Mecca defense pact with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, opens door to troop deployment
Turkey’s parliament on Thursday approved the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, a mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan that enables Ankara to deploy military support to Riyadh following cross-border attacks by Houthi militants.
Originally signed by the three nations in August, the agreement establishes a collective defense clause under which an attack on one signatory is treated as an attack on all.
According to Reuters, a ruling-party lawmaker also said Turkey’s parliament would soon consider a separate mandate formally authorizing the deployment of Turkish forces to Saudi Arabia
Posted by Emma Bussey
1 hour ago
Turkish soldier killed by suspected Iranian gunfire along Turkey-Iran border
A Turkish soldier was killed in a cross-border shooting incident along the country’s border with Iran, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Thursday.
“On Oct. 31, while intervening in an illegal crossing in the area of the Engin Mayin border post on the Turkey-Iran border,” a soldier was killed “as a result of fire assessed to have come from Iran,” the ministry said in a post on X.
The soldier “was wounded during the intervention” but, despite efforts to treat him, he “could not be saved,” the ministry said.
Turkish authorities immediately launched an investigation and met with Iranian officials to discuss the matter “on Nov. 3,” the ministry said.
Iran also launched an investigation “to clarify the incident in question,” the ministry said, adding that efforts “to fully elucidate the incident are being meticulously continued in coordination with Iranian authorities.”
Engin Mayin is a military border post along the roughly 300-mile frontier between Turkey and Iran
Posted by Emma Bussey
2 hours ago
US fighter jets refuel over Middle East as military tightens Iran port blockade: CENTCOM
American fighter jets refueled high above the Middle East as U.S. forces continued with its blockade of Iranian ports, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) highlighted Thursday.
“U.S. Air Force F-35A stealth fighter jets receive fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker while patrolling the skies over the Middle East,” the command said on X.
Posted by Emma Bussey
3 hours ago
Trump says US controls Iran’s nuclear future amid ‘virtual occupation’
President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran needs U.S. approval for decisions on its nuclear future, describing the American military presence in the region as an occupying force.
“They’re not doing anything without our approval,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about proposals mediators presented to Iran concerning its nuclear program.
The remarks came amid reports that Tehran had sent Washington a nuclear proposal through Qatar, which an official said would be discussed only after the U.S. met Iran’s seven demands, according to Reuters.
Trump also said Iran could face 25 years of reconstruction, describing the U.S. military presence as “virtually an occupation.”
After months of U.S. involvement in the war, Trump also said the United States now controls “everything that we’ve wanted to control.”
Posted by Emma Bussey
3 hours ago
USS Roosevelt aircraft carrier expected in Middle East by mid-November
The USS Roosevelt carrier strike group will not reach U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility in the Middle East until at least mid-November, Axios reported Thursday, citing a U.S. official.
The aircraft carrier is scheduled to make a port call in Singapore on Friday, where it will remain for several days, according to the report.
The Roosevelt is then expected to join the USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington in the Middle East region.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, the Roosevelt strike group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, comprise a combined 10,000 personnel.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported Wednesday that the carrier strike group, accompanied by four naval vessels, was operating south of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.
The carrier had departed Naval Base San Diego in California on Sept. 27 and then stopped at the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, Japan, for military exercises, the outlet said
Posted by Emma Bussey
3 hours ago
Iran sentences 2 protesters to death over alleged arson, anti-government activities
An Iranian court has sentenced two anti-government protesters to death over allegations of arson, destruction of public property, and opposition activities, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
Handed down by Branch 5 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, the rulings saw Matin Shabani convicted of “moharebeh (“waging war against God”) over fires set at a mosque and an educational center, while and Amir Delshad was condemned for alleged ties to an opposition group alongside protest-related property damage.
Both men remain held in Vakilabad Prison as Delshad appeals the capital verdict to Iran’s Supreme Court.
Posted by Emma Bussey
4 hours ago
Trump says Iran conflict may no longer qualify as war, threatens further destruction
President Donald Trump said Thursday he is unsure whether the conflict with Iran can still be considered a war, citing a lack of recent casualties, while warning that he may have to “destroy the rest of the country.”
Trump compared the conflict to the Vietnam War and Russia’s war in Ukraine, saying only 18 Americans had been killed in the fighting.
“I guess you have I don’t know if it’s a war because there hasn’t been anybody killed in many months,” he told reporters in the Oval Office.
“I would rather not destroy the rest of the country if possible, but maybe I’ll have to. You’ll know soon enough,” he said.
Posted by Emma Bussey
4 hours ago
Investigation exposes vast IRGC-linked network controlling Iran’s internet access
A hidden corporate network linked to Iran’s IRGC and state foundations controls much of the country’s telecommunications infrastructure, giving authorities power over internet access, according to an Iran International investigation.
The investigation, based on thousands of corporate filings and financial records, identified 690 people and nearly 300 entities involved in network management, equipment procurement and internet filtering.
The network links the IRGC Cooperative Foundation to major telecommunications providers, including the Telecommunications Company of Iran.
The investigation also uncovered rapid share transfers aimed at shielding operators from U.S. sanctions.
Those ties enable state censorship, the report found. It also cited the recent ouster of Irancell’s chief executive for defying government orders to shut down internet access during nationwide protests.
Posted by Emma Bussey
5 hours ago
Hegseth demands $350B for military, fires back at Dem impeachment push
War Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Congress Thursday to approve at least $350 billion in defense funding while pushing back against Democratic efforts to impeach him.
In a video posted to X, Hegseth defended his Pentagon overhaul, including eliminating DEI initiatives, removing military leaders and rebuilding recruitment.
Hegseth called the impeachment effort political theater and vowed to continue advancing President Donald Trump’s military agenda despite Democratic opposition.
This is an excerpt from a report by Fox News Digital’s Brittany Miller.
Posted by Emma Bussey
5 hours ago
Trump administration secretly discussed deportations with Iran during war: report
The Trump administration held talks with Iran about deporting Iranians as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran was underway, the Associated Press reported Thursday, citing court filings.
The newly unsealed documents, the outlet said, show the U.S. government, as recently as mid-October, had plans to deport Iranians through an unnamed third country.
“What you’re telling me is that the United States of America is going to send individuals back to that region facing … a serious threat of certain death,” Judge Ana Reyes said, according to a transcript dated Oct. 15.
The development emerged from a lawsuit that alleges Washington’s immigration agencies shared confidential information about Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government.
The lawsuit alleges a coordinated campaign between the U.S. and Iranian governments to identify Iranians in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and pressure them to return to Iran.
The court documents also show that Washington maintained contacts with Iranian officials during the war to discuss deportations, specifically submitting travel documents and exploring “possible avenues for removal,” the Associated Press said.
Posted by Emma Bussey
Breaking News6 hours ago
Tehran sends nuclear proposal to Washington via Qatar, demands conditions are met
Tehran submitted a formal nuclear proposal to the United States through Qatari intermediaries on Thursday, making further negotiations contingent on Washington addressing its seven demands, according to officials cited by Reuters.
Washington has received the document and is actively reviewing Tehran’s proposal, the outlet said.
Iran is pushing a seven-point deal demanding U.S. compensation for war damages, an end to economic sanctions and the naval blockade of Iranian ports, and an end to hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon and Gaza.
Iran is also demanding the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets, a reduced U.S. military presence in the Middle East and a permanent end to the war rather than a temporary ceasefire.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Monday that talks between Tehran and Washington would center on the proposal.
Posted by Emma Bussey
6 hours ago
Houthis claim drone attack on Saudi airport, accuse Riyadh of 61 airstrikes in Yemen
The Houthis claimed Thursday they had targeted King Fahd International Airport in the Saudi city of Dammam with a drone and accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out 61 airstrikes on several Yemeni provinces over 24 hours.
“Our armed forces have executed a targeting operation against King Fahd International Airport in Dammam using a drone, and the operation successfully achieved its objective, resulting in the disruption of air navigation traffic at the airport,” Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Sareea said on X.
Sareea also said Saudi warplanes carried out 61 airstrikes on civilian assets in the capital, Sanaa, and the provinces of al-Jawf, Taiz, Saada, Marib, Lahj, al-Dhalea, Ibb, al-Hudaydah and Hajjah, using F-15 and Typhoon aircraft.
“The total number of Saudi aggression airstrikes and missiles since the escalation against our country began has reached 4,197 airstrikes and missiles,” Sareea said.
Posted by Emma Bussey
7 hours ago
Mojtaba Khamenei sends message to Putin through security official during Moscow visit
Iranian Supreme National Security Council chief Mohsen Rezaei met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday to deliver a message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Reuters reported.
In a post on X, the Iranian government later said the two discussed key regional issues, postwar developments and regional security arrangements. “Putin also conveyed his warm greetings to Iran’s Supreme Leader,” the statement said without elaborating.
Iran and Russia also discussed plans to build gas pipelines between the two countries to help Iran address its gas shortages and export Russian gas to neighboring nations, the government added.
Putin’s office also confirmed Thursday that he met with Rezaei at the Kremlin.
Posted by Emma Bussey
9 hours ago
Trump defends decisions on Iran conflict despite midterm losses
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joins “America’s Newsroom” to react to Sen. Bernie Sanders’ proposal to defund the conflict with Iran.
President Donald Trump has insisted that launching the war in Iran was the right call despite the losses for the GOP in the midterms, saying he could not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
9 hours ago
US military releases footage of defensive Iran strikes on Iranian island base
Fox News’ Jeff Paul reports the latest on the defensive Iran strikes in response to the regime targeting a U.S. aircraft this week.
Pentagon officials have clarified that the strikes do not constitute a return to full aggression against Iran, and President Donald Trump has not announced plans to renew hostilities following the midterm elections.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
10 hours ago
Netanyahu faces coalition showdown as rivals maneuver to form Israel’s next government
TEL AVIV, Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hold on power in Israel will be tested Wednesday as President Isaac Herzog begins consultations with leaders of all parties elected to the 26th Knesset before deciding which lawmaker to task with forming the next government.
The final vote count, published last Friday by Israel’s Central Elections Committee, gave Netanyahu’s bloc 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, compared with 48 for the opposition alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot — 61 seats are needed to form a government.
On Monday, Netanyahu posted to X that “the public in Israel does not want a government that depends on Ra’am and the Joint List—parties that support terrorism and reject the existence of the Jewish state.”
“A clear majority in the Jewish public chose the Likud as the largest party and me, as prime minister, to lead the next government. We aspire to form a broad government with our partners and with any party that wishes to do so and does not support terrorism. I am open to holding discussions on the matter,” he added.
The two predominantly Arab parties he pointed his criticism at are the Joint List and Ra’am who secured a historic combined total of 19 seats, potentially positioning them as kingmakers in the government formation process.
A Joint List source told Fox News Digital that the alliance is likely to endorse Eisenkot to be the first lawmaker tasked with forming a government. If both predominantly Arab parties were to back him, he would receive recommendations from parties representing more than the 61 seats needed.
The lawmaker tasked with forming a government will have 28 days to do so, with the president authorized to grant an extension of up to 14 additional days.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Amelie Botbol.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
10 hours ago
‘Spiraling collapse’: Expert reveals depth of Iran’s economic crisis
National security expert Victoria Coates joined Fox News to warn that Iran’s economy is in a spiraling collapse as oil shipments continue to stall and Tehran’s currency loses value.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom