November 10, 2022

UKRAINE | Today is day 259 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said yesterday that more than 100,000 Russian soldiers, and probably a similar number of Ukrainian troops, have been killed or wounded in the war in Ukraine. [more]
• Russian military officials confirmed today that their forces will withdraw from the occupied southern Ukrainian city of Kherson. Ukrainian leaders, however, continue to suggest that the Russian withdrawal could be feigned as part of an effort to lure Ukrainian forces into the area. [more]
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated this week that Ukraine is open to peace talks with Russia, but said the war could only end if Russia returns all occupied lands, provides compensation for war damage, and faces prosecution for war crimes. [more]

U.S. ELECTIONS | While final results and outcomes remain unclear, Republicans are expected to gain narrow control of the House of Representatives following Tuesday’s midterm elections. Control of the Senate hinges on pending election outcomes in Nevada and Arizona, and a December 6 runoff election in Georgia between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | Economists surveyed by data firm FactSet predict Labor Department data due to be released today will show that consumer prices rose 8% in October, compared to the year-ago period. [more]

HURRICANE NICOLE | Airports and theme parks have been closed and evacuations ordered as Hurricane Nicole made landfall early today near Vero Beach on Florida's eastern coast and weakened into a tropical storm. The storm is expected to travel across central and northern Florida today before moving into Georgia and the Carolinas. [more]

ESPIONAGE | U.S. Navy engineer Jonathan Toebbe and his wife, Diana Toebbe, were sentenced to 19 and 22 years in prison, respectively, yesterday for attempting to sell classified information about the U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered submarines to a foreign country. [more]

LISTERIA | The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is investigating a possible link between consumption of deli meats and cheese and a listeria outbreak that has killed one person and hospitalized 13 others in six different states. [more]

CONGO | The Kenyan parliament yesterday approved $37 million in funding for the deployment of nearly 1,000 military troops that will take part in the newly established East African Community Regional Force mission to support Congolese government forces in their fight against armed groups. Uganda, Burundi, and South Sudan have also contributed troops to the regional force. [more]

AFGHANISTAN | The Taliban government’s Ministry of Virtue and Vice announced yesterday that it has banned women in Afghanistan from using gyms and parks due to people ignoring gender segregation orders and not complying with rules requiring the wearing of headscarves. [more]

RUSSIA | Following news that U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner has been sent to a penal colony to serve her nine-year prison sentence for drug possession in Russia, President Joe Biden said yesterday that he continues to work on negotiations for the release and repatriation of Griner and Paul Whelan, another American jailed in Russia. [more]

CYBERSECURITY | The European Commission, prompted by increased levels of Russian cyber attacks on E.U. countries, yesterday proposed an action plan to strengthen the bloc’s cybersecurity capabilities and increase cooperation between military and civilian cyber communities. [more]

IRAN | Amidst renewed threats of crackdowns by government ministers, protests sparked by the death of a woman in police custody in September continued for a 54th day today in Iran. Reports estimate that more than 300 people have been killed and more than 14,000 arrested since the protests began. [more]

MORE IRAN | Iranian news agency Tasnim cites the country’s Revolutionary Guard aerospace commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh as saying Iran has successfully developed a hypersonic ballistic missile. [more]

MOLDOVA | The European Commission has announced a 250-million-euro support package for Moldova to assist the country in overcoming its severe energy crisis. Moldova is almost entirely dependent on Russia for its natural gas supplies and has faced supply cuts from Russia due to its support of Western stances against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine. [more]

FRANCE | Commuters in Paris are facing significant travel disruptions today as metro rail workers take part in a strike over wages and pension reforms. [more]

COUNTRY MUSIC | Luke Combs was named entertainer of the year for the second year in a row at last night’s Country Music Association Awards ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee. Jordan Davis’ “Buy Dirt” won song of the year and Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson were named best male and female vocalist, respectively. [full award list] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1775, the United States Marine Corps was founded when the Continental Congress ordered that two battalions of marines be raised for service during the American Revolution. [more history]