What F'nHappened This Week November 12, 2026

Nov 13

Written by Joe P

What F'nHappened This Week

November 12, 2026

F'nAround

This was the week the hemp deadline arrived, the Attorney General's office answered with a shrug, the market took back most of what it lost, a chip king resigned, and the Bears won a game they tried very hard to lose. F'nAround published the piece the shrug deserved, put six games live, and kept the watches ticking on the FOIA fronts, the mayoral petition fights, and the budget standoff at City Hall. Around the world, the talks in Abu Dhabi produced a prisoner swap and nothing else, Israel swore in a parliament that still has no government, and the climate summit opened in Antalya while the United States stayed home. This roundup keeps those tracks separate and straight: what we did, what happened in Chicago and Illinois, what happened nationally and around the world, and what is coming up next. Nothing here is dressed up as more than it is. A projection is a projection. An allegation is an allegation. And a watch is a watch, not a result.

F'nAround This Week

We Are Exercising Our Discretion and Closing This, in short.

Our piece of the week went live on Monday, November 9. It starts with the letter the Public Access Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General's office sent on 2026 PAC 98399, the Request for Review filed October 5 of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation's answers to a Freedom of Information Act request. The letter is signed by Matthew Rogina, Senior Assistant Attorney General in the Public Access Bureau. Here is the whole move, in one sentence, quoted in the piece: "Based on this office's review of the information you provided with your Request for Review, this office is exercising its discretion to conclude this matter without further proceedings. 5 ILCS 140/9.5(f) (West 2025 Supp.)." It leaves one route open: a FOIA lawsuit in circuit court under 5 ILCS 140/11(a).

The piece reads that letter back in plain English. It compares the government's shrug to the way an artificial intelligence gives up on a hard question, and finds the government wins the comparison, because it cites case law while it shrugs. The closure is discretionary, under 9.5(f), with no merits finding. It is not a finding that IDFPR complied with FOIA, not a finding of a crime, and not a finding of protection of one. The full piece is linked below.

F'nGames is live, and it is six games now.

F'nGames launched on Wednesday, November 11, and the page at fnaround.com/fngames now carries six games. Governor MoneyBags aka Fat Cat has the player jumping, landing on businesses, grabbing cash, and dodging the FBI, DOJ lawyers, and the press. The MSO CannaBitch Tries to Get Away With It is a flap-through-the-gaps game with shady bonuses to grab. F'nAround Fighting for Accountability fires filings automatically while the player dodges falling stamps and catches Civil Rights, Lawsuit, and FOIA filings. PAY TO PLAY gives the player 30 days to build a cannabis empire and keep scrutiny under 100, and the page notes that every person and company in it is made up, that it is a game, and not advice. The Governor Pritzker Buddy Game is a tap-to-bonk game with Budget Bucks and a Dizzy Meter. Angry Voters, Power of the People, is a slingshot game that launches people at houses of cards holding up politicians, bribe bags, and bad laws. Six games, all playable, all linked below.

The OEIG answered the follow-up, in part.

On Thursday, November 12, the Illinois Office of Executive Inspector General answered the narrow follow-up FOIA sent November 4, seeking disposition and referral records for three IDFPR complaints, from December 18, 2025, May 4, 2026, and September 9, 2026. General Counsel and FOIA Officer Neil P. Olson answered in three parts. First, the quarterly and Executive Ethics Commission reports under 5 ILCS 430/20-65 are exempt under 20-65(d), while the monthly statistical reports under 20-85 are public, and the letter refers the requester to those reports on the OEIG website under the FOIA provision for directing a requester to a public source. Second, the aggregate counts were referred again to those monthly reports, which the OEIG says contain complaints received, investigations initiated, and complaints referred to another investigatory body. No separate count table was produced, and the closed-without-investigation and suspended categories were not shown to be in those reports. Third, the status: Complaint Nos. 25-03996, 26-01634, and 26-03198 have been referred to another agency. The letter did not state which number maps to which filing date, the referral date, or the agency name, and it offered to re-send the prior referral letters on request. That is a partial denial, not a merits finding and not an approval of anything. The Public Access Counselor review clock runs 60 days from November 12, to Monday, January 11, 2027. That clock is separate from the November 4 partial-denial clock, which runs to January 3, 2027, a Sunday, so practically December 31, 2026.

Two letters from the Attorney General's FOIA office.

Also on Thursday, November 12, Assistant Attorney General and FOIA Officer Charlotte Bliss answered two FOIA requests. The first, 2026 FOIA 080055, received November 4, asked for all cases the Attorney General has prosecuted since Kwame Raoul took office about money laundering, death threats, fraud, witness bribery, witness intimidation, or police intimidation, to list everyone the office prosecuted for charges the office said it would not. The response is a clarification request, not a denial. It says the request must reasonably identify a public record, citing Chicago Tribune Co. v. IDFPR, 2014 IL App (4th) 130427, paragraph 33, and Assassination Archives v. CIA, 720 F. Supp. 217, 219. It says FOIA does not require creating records, citing Workmann v. Illinois State Board of Education, 229 Ill. App. 3d 459, 464, and 5 ILCS 140/1. It says the office does not maintain such a list, and asks the requester to specify the existing records sought. The second, 2026 FOIA 080054, asked for the name of the final decision maker on an October 27, 2026 letter in Civil Rights Complaint 2026-CRC-7204.

The DOJ FOIA watch continues.

The federal FOIA sent November 4 to the Civil Rights Division FOIA and Privacy Act Branch, seeking the policies and review records behind the Division's statement that it does not serve as a reviewing authority for other federal agencies' investigations, still awaited an acknowledgment and a tracking number at the end of the week.

Chicago and Illinois

November 12 was hemp deadline day, and the court hit pause for some.

The Illinois Hemp Act took effect on Thursday, November 12. It was signed by Governor Pritzker on June 12, 2026. After that date, any consumable or topical hemp product over 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container becomes cannabis under Illinois law, sellable only by licensed dispensaries. The Act also adds age restrictions, packaging rules aimed at products that appeal to minors, and repeals the 2018 Industrial Hemp Act. The standard single dose of THC is 5 milligrams, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which is more than twelve times the new per-container line. Most THC drinks on shelves now carry far more than 0.4 milligrams, and the line is the market.

A lawsuit filed November 5 bought some sellers a little more time. The Illinois Healthy Alternatives Association and five businesses, including CBD Kratom, CBD Botanicals, MNG 2005, Green Street 79, Life Element, OPT Holdings Technologies, and Zada Ventures, which operates Cubbington's Cabinet, sued Attorney General Kwame Raoul and five agency heads in the Northern District of Illinois, case No. 1:26-cv-13799, before Judge Martha M. Pacold. They seek a temporary restraining order and preliminary and permanent injunctions against the Illinois Hemp Act. The complaint argues the restrictions violate the Commerce Clause by shutting out interstate suppliers while protecting incumbent Illinois cannabis businesses, with no available licenses providing a practical path back in, and it separately challenges social-equity licensing eligibility. Those are allegations in a complaint, not findings, and no court has ruled on them.

In a joint status report on November 6, the state defendants agreed to withhold Hemp Act enforcement against the plaintiffs and the association's members through November 19, 2026. The pause covers only that defined group, about 250 businesses according to the Marijuana Herald, and the association says it represents 250 companies employing more than 5,000 people. The plaintiffs estimate the Illinois hemp industry generated more than $500 million in sales during 2025. Businesses outside the defined group cannot assume the pause protects them. The court adopted a fast schedule on November 9: the state responds to the emergency injunction request by November 13, the plaintiffs reply by November 17, and Judge Pacold hears argument on November 19. The agreement not to enforce is between the parties; the court has not granted an injunction and has not decided the constitutional claims.

Some shops closed rather than comply. Springfield's Prairie State Hemp closed after November 11, according to owner Samuel Brubaker, who posted on Facebook on September 11 that the ban, in his words, "will eliminate roughly 95% of the products currently sold in the hemp industry." That is his estimate, not a verified figure. Chris Stone, chief executive of CoPack Industries, a Springfield-based cannabis contract manufacturer specializing in THC-infused beverages, said his business cut staff from 11 down to three, and that he is sure others are losing jobs across the industry. Stone, who is also a shareholder with Ascend, a dispensary he was once chief executive of, said he is hopeful the veto session in late November and December will bring a legislative tweak that brings certain products back under regulation instead of a total ban. Illinois cannabis tax revenue fell to about $456 million in fiscal 2026, from about $474 million the year before, according to Grown In. The F'nGryllus page carries a new hemp cartoon for the occasion: Gryllus behind the bar, an empty THC seltzer can, a SOLD OUT sign, and the 12th circled on the calendar.

The mayoral petition fights opened, and no one has been ruled out yet.

Sixteen candidates filed to run for mayor in the February 23, 2027 election, and twelve of them face challenges to their nominating petitions. The objection window closed November 2, and the Chicago Board of Elections began hearings on Monday, November 9. No final rulings had been issued as of Friday morning, November 13. Ballot certification is December 17. Early voting and mail ballots go out January 14. If no candidate clears 50 percent, the top two go to a runoff on April 6, 2027.

Mayor Brandon Johnson submitted more than 31,000 signatures, more than double the 12,500 valid signatures required to qualify. Former state Senator Rickey Hendon filed a challenge on behalf of businessman Willie Wilson, alleging that some of Johnson's petition sheets are photocopies and that another candidate's petitions got mixed into the filing. Wilson's team claims only about 5,000 of Johnson's signatures are valid. That is an allegation in a challenge filing, not a finding, and the Johnson campaign disputes the count sharply. A second challenge against Johnson came from the conservative activist group Chicago Flips Red. Two hearings on those challenges wrapped November 9 without a ruling. Johnson is the first incumbent Chicago mayor to face a petition challenge since 2007.

The challengers are under fire too. Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias faces two challenges, including one filed by candidate William Quinlan's campaign raising the dual-office question, and his campaign also challenged candidate John Kelly on residency. Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza faces a petition challenge. Representative Mike Quigley and Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas face challenges from Quinlan's camp. Kelly faces a residency objection. The October NORC and Chicago Speaks poll, a poll and not a result, had Giannoulias at 25 percent, Mendoza at 9.5 percent, and 34 percent of voters undecided. Giannoulias reported about $19.2 million in campaign cash on hand, Mendoza about $1.73 million, and Johnson about $379,000, as of September 30 filings. Giannoulias filed about 60,000 signatures, on the first day of the petition window, October 19, securing an early ballot position through the lottery. Down the ballot, 140 candidates filed for the 50 City Council seats, and 11 of the 50 ward races have only one candidate. The Board uses manual review and AI-assisted handwriting analysis to work through the signature challenges, a process that can take weeks.

Twenty-eight aldermen called the budget a non-starter, and the mayor said he is revising it.

On Monday, November 10, the last day of budget hearings, 28 of the 50 aldermen, the Budget Accountability Coalition, wrote Mayor Johnson that his $17.6 billion fiscal 2027 proposal "is a non-starter" and "the 26 [votes] that are needed to approve your proposal do not exist." They refuse the $25-per-month-per-employee Equitable Employer Tax on firms with 125 or more Chicago employees, estimated to bring in $101.8 million, the Personal Property Lease Transaction Tax hike from 15 percent to 20 percent, estimated to bring in an additional $234 million, new spending, and a property-tax hike. The proposal is built to close an $882.4 million gap. The coalition also cited insufficient structural balance, arguing that using $480 million in proposed bond authority to cover legal settlements and judgments let the mayor artificially reduce the gap, called the proposed $132 million in new spending irresponsible given the structural gap, and said the mayor's claims of $119.8 million in operational efficiencies and personnel savings were not sufficiently demonstrated. The coalition proposed instead that the city seek additional revenue by improving debt collection and implementing cost-savings recommendations from budget consultant EY.

On Tuesday, November 11, Johnson told the full Council his office is "developing new models" for both taxes "to address questions by members." He did not drop either tax. The letter said the administration is revising the Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Area Employment Expansion and Development Credit, which gives employers a credit for every employee in a designated Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Area, and rethinking the lease tax hike, but it did not say what the revisions would look like. The mayor also said his budget team is working to close a newly opened $75 million hole, created when the Council voted 44 to 6 on November 2 to divert parking-meter transfer money to a 2026 pension payment instead of next year's supplemental pension payment. The mayor's office had said the budget is 76 percent structurally balanced. Chief Financial Officer Ashlee Gabrysch put it closer to 56 percent against the $882 million deficit. The Civic Federation issued a critical assessment. If no budget passes by December 31, more than 30,000 city workers go unpaid and services stop, according to WTTW reporting. Non-binding referendums in the 5th, 8th, 21st, and 24th wards backed taxing large corporations by 86 to 91 percent. Alderman Anthony Beale of the 9th Ward said he has not met one-on-one with Johnson in his time in office. The next full Council meetings are reported for December 8 and 9.

Morgan Park walked out over its football coach, and the two sides disagree about why he left.

Students, parents, and alumni walked out on Tuesday, November 10, after football coach Chris James was relieved of his duties on Monday. James told the Sun-Times he was fired after declining to decide immediately whether to return, and he denied taking another job. Principal Dan Kuzma disputed that account, saying James had told families this would be his last season and had accepted another job, and that decisions James made made his continued role no longer viable. The team withdrew from the Prep Bowl. The school plans to name a new coach by January 1, 2027. Both accounts are on the record. Neither is settled here.

The JW Marriott is suing over a LaSalle Street conversion.

The JW Marriott is suing a Chicago developer over a LaSalle Street Reimagined office-to-residential conversion, alleging the project proceeds without the hotel's consent, according to CBS 2 reporting on November 9 and 10. The developer's name and the docket were not confirmed in the reporting, so they are not named here. This is a separate matter from the $50 million foreclosure suit at 208 S. LaSalle, and the two should not be conflated.

Twelve more counties voted to talk about leaving Illinois.

Twelve more counties approved non-binding referendums on November 3 on separating from Illinois, bringing the total to 45 since 2020. Illinois Radio Network counts 44 counties plus 11 Adams County townships, and Ford County was separately worded and is not part of the organized campaign. The votes change no boundaries. A new state would need approval from the Illinois General Assembly and from Congress. The referendums are a statement, not a secession.

Two children were killed when an Amtrak train hit a car in Western Springs.

On Wednesday, November 11, at about 8:10 a.m., a westbound Amtrak train, No. 381, running Chicago to Quincy, struck a car at the Wolf Road crossing by the Western Springs Metra station. Two elementary students from Pleasantdale School District 107 were killed. The driver was taken to Loyola Hospital in Maywood with severe injuries. No one among the 35 passengers and crew was injured. All Metra BNSF service was halted for a time, and the crossings reopened by about 2:20 p.m. The village said preliminary reports indicate the crossing gates were functioning and engaged. The cause remains under investigation, and this roundup does not state one.

Judge Richard Posner died at 87.

Judge Richard Posner died on Tuesday, November 10, at 87. The University of Chicago Law School announced it on Wednesday, November 11. Posner was a Reagan appointee to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, serving from 1981 to 2017, and chief judge from 1993 to 2000. He wrote Economic Analysis of Law in 1973, and he was widely described as the most-cited legal scholar of the 20th century. No cause of death was given.

A wall fell into the Chicago River at the Bally's site.

On Saturday, November 7, a wall fell into the North Branch of the Chicago River during demolition of the former Tribune Freedom Center at 777 W. Chicago Ave., the Bally's casino site, dumping debris and white granular material into the water. Bally's and the contractor said the material was perlite, used in building insulation and non-toxic. Cleanup was completed on Sunday evening, November 8. Demolition was on hold as of November 11 while the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District investigated for violations. Bally's apologized on Tuesday, November 10.

Three finalists for police superintendent, all from inside the department.

On Thursday evening, November 12, the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability voted to send Mayor Johnson three finalists for Chicago police superintendent, all Chicago Police Department veterans of 25 or more years. First Deputy Superintendent Antoinette Ursitti would be the first woman to lead the department. Chief of Community Policing Angel Novalez and Counterterrorism Chief Christopher Papaioannou round out the slate. The search drew 46 applicants. Johnson has 30 days, to about December 12, to pick one or reject the slate. The vacancy follows Superintendent Larry Snelling's retirement, his final day July 15. Fred Waller is the interim superintendent.

Speaker Welch, a week later.

The announcement itself came Thursday, November 5, just outside this week, but the follow-up landed inside it. In an interview on Saturday, November 7, Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch said of the Harry Benton harassment case, "I do think we could've handled that situation better in hindsight." On November 10, Representative Sharon Chung of Bloomington, one of the 26 signatories who said the caucus needs new leadership, said she hopes a new speaker and a new acting Legislative Inspector General, David Risley, will change how harassment claims are handled. Successor names floated November 6 to 12 include Representatives Kam Buckner, Mary Beth Canty, Eva-Dina Delgado, Jay Hoffman, Ann Williams, Jehan Gordon-Booth, and Marcus Evans Jr. Buckner publicly made his case on Wednesday, November 11. Representative Kelly Cassidy said she is not interested. A winner needs 60 votes. The House votes for speaker when the new General Assembly is sworn in on January 13, 2027. The veto session runs November 17 to 19 and December 1 to 3.

UIC: no charges had been publicly announced by the end of the week.

In the November 4 Student Center East incident, an alleged incendiary device attempt followed by an attempted stabbing, with no one injured and a UIC student in custody, no charges had been publicly announced by the end of the week. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are involved. The building reopened Thursday, November 5.

Crime, in brief.

Ten people were shot, two killed, in Chicago over the weekend of November 6 to 9, according to the Warzone Chicago tracker, a partial count. The same weekend last year: 15 shot, 4 killed. A 17-year-old was arrested on Saturday, November 7, in connection with 19 burglaries across South and North side neighborhoods. A 59-year-old man was charged with first-degree murder in a September 27 fatal shooting in Greater Grand Crossing. A 44-year-old man was shot in the head and critically injured by someone on a moped in Little Village late Saturday, November 7. Two fatal hit-and-runs followed on Wednesday and Thursday: a 69-year-old woman on W. Madison in West Garfield Park on Wednesday at about 9:45 p.m., and a 48-year-old woman on E. 71st St. in Grand Crossing on Thursday at about 12:23 a.m.

Getting around: the Blue Line to O'Hare gets a bus leg again.

Shuttle buses replace Blue Line trains between Jefferson Park and Harlem from 10 p.m. Friday, November 13, through 4 a.m. Monday, November 16. Single-track delays follow from 10 p.m. Monday, November 16, to 4 a.m. Tuesday, November 17. The Number 50 Damen bus loses 13 stops and relocates one starting Monday, November 16, at 9 a.m. On Saturday, November 7, a Pink Line train collided with a vehicle at Kostner station in Lawndale, disrupting service. No casualty figures were verified.

National

Congress came back, and the calendar did not get any shorter.

Congress returned on Monday, November 9, for a lame duck session of roughly five weeks. Republicans still control both chambers until Democrats take over on January 3, 2027. Federal funding expires December 11 under the stopgap signed September 2. None of the 12 annual appropriations bills has been signed into law, and the likeliest outcome, according to congressional experts cited by USA Today, is another short-term extension into early 2027. Also pending: the annual defense authorization, the NDAA, renewal of FISA Section 702, and the lapsed farm bill. The Trump administration wants a record $1.5 trillion defense budget, which Senate Democrats reject. The House passed H.R. 8800 on July 22, 216 to 212, authorizing a $1.15 trillion fiscal 2027 defense policy bill. The debt ceiling sits at $41.1 trillion, likely to be reached within about six months, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

The House Republicans picked a new leader, and the Senate kept theirs.

On Tuesday, November 10, House Republicans elected Jim Jordan minority leader for the next Congress, defeating Majority Leader Steve Scalise 106 to 73 in a secret ballot. Speaker Mike Johnson did not seek the post. Tom Emmer kept the whip's post, 103 to 76 over August Pfluger. Senate Republicans reelected John Thune as leader by acclamation. Senator Ron Johnson walked out after the conference refused to delay the election. House Democratic leadership elections are set for November 18, with Hakeem Jeffries expected to be nominated as Speaker. Senate Democrats hold theirs in early December.

The Hegseth impeachment effort died on a referral vote.

Representative Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, refiled eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on November 9, with allegations tied to the Iran war, strikes on Iran, and strikes on alleged drug boats. Those are allegations, not findings. On November 10, the House voted 211 to 204 to refer the articles to the Judiciary Committee, effectively killing the effort in this Congress. Massie was the only Republican to vote against referral. Two hundred and three Democrats voted against it. The resolution expires when this Congress ends on January 3, 2027.

The counting finished, mostly.

The midterm count, as of November 11 and 12, is calls and projections, not certifications. The Associated Press count had House Democrats at 254 seats, Republicans at 167, with 14 races uncalled. Projections put the final Democratic total at roughly 256 to 259, the party's largest House majority since 2008. In the Senate, Democrats hold 55 seats, counting two independents, Republicans hold 44, and one seat, Alaska, is uncalled. Democrats flipped eight Republican-held Senate seats. Republicans flipped none.

Mississippi was called on November 11. The Associated Press and NBC called it for Democrat Scott Colom over Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, about 49.2 percent to 48.7 percent, about 473,015 votes to 468,492 as of November 12. Hyde-Smith conceded in a video message that night. Colom is the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Mississippi since 1982. Alaska remains uncalled. Mary Peltola leads Senator Dan Sullivan by about 4,000 first-choice votes, 121,489 to 117,513, with about 82 to 86 percent counted. Ranked-choice tabulation is set for November 18 if no one tops 50 percent. If Peltola wins, Democrats hold 56 seats including independents, a nine-seat gain, having flipped seven states Donald Trump carried by at least 11 points in 2024: Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas.

In Colorado, the projection stands and the counting is not done.

CNN projected on November 9 that Democrat Eileen Laubacher defeated Representative Lauren Boebert in Colorado's 4th District, 48.8 percent to 47.9 percent. The Associated Press had still not called it as of Friday morning, November 13, listing it as too early to call with 98.04 percent of precincts reporting: Laubacher 186,218, Boebert 182,856, a margin of 3,362 votes. Laubacher declared victory on November 9. Boebert has not conceded, and her campaign is weighing a recount. The margin sits outside Colorado's 0.5 percent automatic-recount threshold, about 931 votes. Counties have until November 13 to finish counting and curing ballots. Certification comes later this month. A projection is a projection, and this one is still a projection.

Ted Cruz is rebuilding Texas Republicans after the sweep.

On November 10, Senator Ted Cruz unveiled an effort through Saving Texas, with a new Austin headquarters, to rebuild Texas Republicans after Democrats swept statewide offices on November 3, including James Talarico over Ken Paxton for Senate and Gina Hinojosa over Greg Abbott for governor. Cruz called it a "Watergate-level repudiation" and said Texas is blue for now.

Stephen Miller is the new chief of staff, and the MAGA civil war has a new front.

Stephen Miller was named White House chief of staff this week, replacing Susie Wiles, who was ousted November 6 to 9. The succession came with a public fight. Calley Means, a former senior adviser to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., posted on November 8 on X demanding that Wiles, Ballard Partners, and Continental Strategy preserve emails, texts, Signal, WhatsApp, and other records. He had alleged on Joe Rogan on November 6 that Wiles blocked Make America Healthy Again agenda items to keep sugar-industry midterm money flowing, and that firms hiring her daughter's lobbying firm got high priority. Wiles's spokesperson called the charges outrageous, defamatory, and provably false. Representative Robert Garcia said on November 8 he will look into the claims as incoming House Oversight chairman. Attorney General Todd Blanche scoffed at investigating. Means later claimed on November 9 that he was warned Wiles could inflict physical harm. He did not say she threatened him, and he gave no evidence for that claim. All of it is allegation, and it is presented here as allegation.

The Miller texts, as alleged, are a separate item. Ashley St. Clair posted on November 7 on Threads screenshots from a contact labeled "S M," which she identifies as Miller, pitching conservative women telling "white boys" to vote, with operation names "White boy November" and "The Kens strike back," and the instruction to "call 10 white guys." It was a pre-2024-election plan. St. Clair says she did not carry it out. It did not happen. Miller's authorship is St. Clair's claim, not independently verified.

The president questioned the election, without evidence.

On November 9, President Trump posted on Truth Social questioning whether the election was honest, citing polls and early-voting "dumps" and machines, with no evidence offered and no state or county named. He had told the New York Times on November 3 that he was "absolutely willing" to accept the results. Election officials raised no major concerns about machines.

Democrats want to close the contractor-donation loophole.

Senator Chris Van Hollen and Representative Robert Garcia introduced the Close the Campaign Cash-for-Contracts Loophole Act, shared first with the Washington Sun on October 29. The bill would bar officers, major shareholders with at least 5 percent, and affiliated corporations of federal contractors from political donations, closing the gap that lets Elon Musk spend freely because SpaceX and Tesla are separate legal entities from him. Musk spent nearly half a billion dollars in the 2026 midterms, according to New York Times reporting. The bill has little future in the current Republican-controlled Congress, and Trump would not be expected to sign it. This is a separate proposal from Robert Reich's call to defund Musk and nationalize Starlink and SpaceX, and the two should not be presented as the same bill.

A congressman-elect says party leaders threatened him.

Representative-elect Don Leonard, Democrat of Ohio, who flipped Ohio's 15th District from Representative Mike Carey, said in a video published by Drop Site News on November 10 that senior House Democrats told him on Monday night, in no uncertain terms, to drop his two conditions for backing Hakeem Jeffries for speaker, a constitutional amendment to end Citizens United and ending United States support for the war in Iran and Israel, or the party would make his life "a living hell" for two years and ensure he loses in 2028. The Democrats who spoke to him are unnamed. The threat is his account only. Leadership elections are November 18 and 19.

Fetterman has a primary challenger.

Ahmed Moor, 42, a Gaza-born Palestinian-American writer and businessman and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, announced on November 9 on X that he is running for United States Senate in Pennsylvania, the first Democrat to announce a 2028 primary challenge to Senator John Fetterman. His platform: end the war in Iran, free healthcare, free childcare, and affordable housing. Fetterman has not said whether he will run for reelection.

John Oliver called for Hegseth's impeachment, and the Pentagon told him to leave the country.

On the November 8 and 9 episode of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver urged the impeachment and removal of Pete Hegseth, and called the damage irreversible in part. Oliver said a Pentagon spokesperson replied, "Deport John Oliver." Oliver is a United States citizen since 2024. The context: Massie had moved for impeachment in September, and Johnson sent lawmakers home early.

Houston's mayor limited police cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire signed an executive order on November 6 sharply limiting police cooperation with federal immigration authorities, breaking with Texas state immigration policy after Texas Democrats' midterm wins.

A third wave of hoax bomb threats hit European flights.

A third wave of hoax bomb threats disrupted at least 18 more flights across Europe on November 6 and 7, to and from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, France, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Romania, and Britain. No devices were found.

The SS United States went down, on purpose, a day early.

The SS United States sank on Wednesday, November 11, disappearing beneath the surface at 9:59 p.m. Eastern, 8:59 p.m. Central, about 7 hours and 19 minutes after flooding began at about 2:40 p.m. Eastern, about 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin, Florida. She rests upright in 180 to 200 feet of water, to become the world's largest deliberately deployed artificial reef. The schedule was moved up a day from November 12 for weather. A preservation lawsuit filed November 3 sought to stop the sinking, and a federal judge denied an emergency restraining order on November 7.

International and Global

Iran says there are no talks, the strait stays shut, and the oil price moved anyway.

There is no separate Iran track in Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi talks were the Russia-Ukraine track only. On Iran, the week brought a flat denial. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on November 10 that Iran is "not currently conducting any negotiations with the Americans," called United States claims of talks "complete lies," and denied a planned meeting with Vice President JD Vance in Qatar. Iran says the Strait of Hormuz stays shut "until all seven conditions were fully implemented," including ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian foreign assets, lifting oil sanctions, and ending the United States naval blockade of Iranian ports. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi kept one door open: Iran's offer to reopen the waterway within two days of a deal still stands.

At the Group of Seven foreign ministers' meeting in Paris, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the economic campaign against Iran is "so devastating that right now there is no need for major combat operations." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, "We control the Strait of Hormuz." President Trump, after meeting Qatar's prime minister on November 9, spoke of "positive momentum" toward ending the conflict. At Arlington on Veterans Day, November 11, Trump defended the Iran war, saying America did not start it and the United States won. The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28. An April ceasefire and a June memorandum followed, but there is no final settlement.

On November 10, merchant ships were attacked on both sides of the strait within hours. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations issued Warning 201-26. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said three tankers were burning, one after hitting a mine on a route Iran had not approved. An ADNOC vessel was reported damaged in a Gulf attack. Brent crude settled at $92.57 on Monday, November 9, and $95.82 on Thursday, November 12, after dipping toward $90 midweek.

On November 10, the Justice Department unsealed an eight-count superseding indictment charging three men, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a dual Iranian-Iraqi national, Mohsen Mohajeri, an Iranian national, and Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, an Iraqi national, with terrorism offenses in support of Kata'ib Hizballah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The indictment alleges involvement in nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks across Europe and the United States, including a September 2026 plot at RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom and an attempted bombing of a New York synagogue. Al-Saadi has been in federal custody since May. The other two are alleged to have been in Iran. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. An indictment is an allegation, not a finding.

Abu Dhabi produced a prisoner swap and nothing else.

The first United States-mediated trilateral meeting of Russia, Ukraine, and the United States since February in Geneva ran November 10 and 11 at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. The first session, on November 10, lasted more than four hours. The second day's session, on November 11, wrapped up in under two hours. United States envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner mediated. Russia's delegation was led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky. Ukraine's was led by Rustem Umerov, with Kyrylo Budanov in the delegation. European officials were in Abu Dhabi but outside the three-way format, meeting the Ukrainian and United States teams separately. Russia objected to Europeans joining the trilateral sessions.

The sole concrete outcome was an agreement in principle on a large prisoner-of-war exchange, which Kushner called "the biggest humanitarian release of prisoners," with numbers to be finalized November 12. Zelenskyy suggested 1,000-for-1,000 or 1,500-for-1,500. Russian Lieutenant General Alexander Zorin said more than 1,000 per side within two to three weeks. In Dublin on November 11, Zelenskyy spoke of 1,000 to 1,200 and said he saw "no reasons for Russia to not accept" the proposal. No official number had been published as of November 12. There was no ceasefire, no joint statement, and no date for a next round. Territory remains the central dispute: Russia demands Ukraine hand over the rest of Donetsk Oblast, and Kyiv calls that unacceptable. The United States offered security guarantees modeled on NATO Articles 4 and 5, according to Radio Svoboda and Guardian reporting. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected European demands for a ceasefire framework. Rubio called day one "very productive." Zelenskyy called the talks "constructive and quite substantive." Kushner and Witkoff were due in Moscow on November 12 to meet Putin, then Dublin to debrief Zelenskyy.

The energy strikes continued through the talks. Overnight November 9 to 10, Russia struck energy facilities in eight regions, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, and Kirovohrad, according to grid operator Ukrenergo via Reuters. Five major substations were hit, and two people were killed in Vinnytsia. Overnight November 10 to 11, Russia launched 163 drones, including 91 jet-powered drones, and one Kh-59/69 cruise missile, according to the Institute for the Study of War's November 11 assessment. Six large substations were struck in Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, Zhytomyr, and Cherkasy oblasts, with outages in eight oblasts. On November 11 to 12, Russia said it carried out a "massive overnight strike" on military factories including Kyiv, where a drone hit a nine-story apartment block in the Solomyanskyi district, killing one woman and injuring five, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

Israel swore in a new Knesset and still has no government.

The 26th Knesset was sworn in on Tuesday, November 10, all 120 members taking office. President Isaac Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot, former chief of the Israel Defense Forces and leader of the centrist Yashar party, with forming a government on Sunday, November 8. Eisenkot has 28 days, until December 6, with a possible 14-day extension to December 20. The final count, published November 4: Netanyahu's bloc 53 seats, Eisenkot's alliance 48, Arab parties, Ra'am and the Joint List, 19. Sixty-one are needed for a majority. In Herzog's consultations, 67 lawmakers recommended Eisenkot, 46 recommended Netanyahu, and 7 recommended no one. Benjamin Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister until a new government wins a confidence vote.

Eisenkot says he seeks a national emergency government. Netanyahu proposed a unity government, which Eisenkot rejected the same afternoon. The main obstacle is the ultra-Orthodox draft law: Avigdor Liberman, with 7 seats inside Eisenkot's 48, says he will not vote for any government without it, while the Haredi parties want the law first. The options are a minority government with Arab-party support from outside, bringing in ultra-Orthodox parties, or unity with Netanyahu. If Eisenkot fails, the mandate can pass to another lawmaker. If that fails, the Knesset dissolves and Israel votes again. Netanyahu has baselessly alleged voter fraud by Arabs. Election officials said they are probing potential misconduct but have seen no evidence of fraud that could have influenced the outcome.

The first moves came immediately after the swearing-in. Eisenkot's bloc submitted bills for a state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, prime-minister term limits, and repeal of the judicial changes enacted under Netanyahu. The bills were filed, not enacted. On November 11, the opposition and Arab parties won the first parliamentary vote of the new Knesset, establishing the Arrangements Committee 63 to 50, chaired by Roy Folkman of Yashar. A vote to replace Speaker Amir Ohana of Likud is scheduled for November 17, after 67 lawmakers signed a request to remove him. Eisenkot's bloc says it has the votes to elect Matan Kahana as speaker. Among those sworn in on Tuesday was Elisha Madan, a military reservist who lost both legs fighting in Gaza. He received a standing ovation as he rose on his prosthetic legs to take the oath.

The ceasefire held on paper, and the killing continued.

The ceasefire in Gaza, formally in place since October 10, 2025, has halted the heaviest fighting, but strikes continue daily. Negotiators have been unable to agree on terms for Hamas to disarm or for Israel to withdraw its troops, who control about two-thirds of the territory. Reconstruction has made little progress. The Gaza Health Ministry's figures, the ministry is Hamas-run, the figures are not independently verified, and the ministry does not distinguish fighters from civilians: by November 11, 1,622 Palestinians killed and 5,878 wounded since the ceasefire took effect. The overall toll since October 7, 2023, was 74,653 killed and 176,007 wounded as of November 12, according to the ministry's figures as reported by Drop Site News.

On November 12, an Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis killed six people, including a doctor and a child, and wounded at least 28, according to the ministry. One person was killed near the entrance of Al-Shifa Hospital. A Palestinian infant died of hypothermia in a tent in Al-Mawasi. Five fishermen were reported missing after the Israeli navy threw them overboard off Deir al-Balah, according to WAFA. Over the past 24 hours, eight Palestinians were killed and 29 injured, according to the ministry. The Israeli Supreme Court denied a request to release Gaza doctors detained without charge or trial. On Friday morning, November 13, the United Nations human rights office warned that Israeli forces in Gaza were continuing to displace Palestinians, raising concerns of ethnic cleansing, according to Al Jazeera.

The climate summit opened in Antalya, and the United States stayed home again.

COP31 opened on November 9 at the Antalya Expo Center in Turkiye, with nearly 200 countries and more than 90,000 people expected, running through November 20. The co-presidency is unusual: Turkiye's Environment Minister Murat Kurum holds the presidency and leads the voluntary Action Agenda, while Australia's Climate Minister Chris Bowen presides over formal negotiations. The United States stayed away for a second consecutive year. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, opening the leaders' summit on November 11, warned the climate crisis is "outrunning us," said fossil fuels must "go the way of the dinosaurs," and said an overshoot of the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold is now unavoidable but its extent and duration can still be influenced. He proposed a new Climate Justice Compact. United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell said COP31 must "supercharge solutions."

The presidency's headline initiative is voluntary: raise electricity's share of global final energy demand from about 23 percent to 35 percent by 2035, under the Global Electrification Initiative. The Utilities for Net Zero Alliance pledged at least $156 billion a year in grid, renewables, and storage investment. Finance, adaptation, carbon markets under Article 6, and just transition are the main negotiating issues. A fossil-fuel phaseout roadmap is not on the formal agenda. Brazil published a voluntary roadmap on November 3. The World Meteorological Organization's State of the Climate Update, released November 9, projects 2026 among the four warmest years on record, with January to September global temperature about 1.47 degrees Celsius above the 1850 to 1900 average, record-high sea levels, and the 2015 to 2026 period the warmest 12-year stretch in the instrumental record. El Nino has intensified since August. Global fossil-fuel carbon dioxide emissions are projected to remain broadly stable in 2026, down about 0.4 percent from 2025. On the same day the summit opened, President Erdogan announced two new oilfields in the Gabar mountains, with an estimated 135 million barrels. Production began in October.

France blamed Iran for hacking grocery store refrigerators.

France blamed an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unit, Shahid Kaveh, on November 9 and 10 for the October 11 and 12 attack on refrigeration controllers at about 700 stores. Iran called the claim baseless and denied it. France summoned the Iranian ambassador and said it will push for European Union sanctions. The attribution is France's, not a court finding.

Cannabis and Hemp

The federal hemp ban arrived in two pieces, and only the first one landed.

Under Public Law 119-37 Section 781 as narrowed by H.R. 6500 Section 2019, Public Law 119-103, signed September 2, 2026, only products containing cannabinoids the cannabis plant cannot naturally produce lost federal hemp status on November 12. THC-O is the clear example. The rest waits until December 11: the total-THC test including THCA, the 0.4 milligram per-container cap, and plant-producible cannabinoids synthesized outside the plant, including CBD-converted delta-8. The Food and Drug Administration has still not published the cannabinoid lists the 2025 law required, according to the Congressional Research Service as of October 28. Without those lists, enforcement of the December 11 ban may lose some of its teeth. No new delay passed Congress as of November 12.

Representative Morgan Griffith, Republican of Virginia, said last month that he planned to prevent the December 11 ban from taking effect through legislation attached to a reconciliation package during the lame-duck session. In January 2026, Griffith and Representative Marc Veasey, Democrat of Texas, introduced the Hemp Enforcement, Modernization and Protection Act, which would create a federal regulatory framework for hemp-derived products for those 21 and older, including an intoxicating cannabinoid limit of 5 milligrams per serving and 30 milligrams per package, should the FDA continue its hands-off approach. "I think we need to get my THC regulatory bill passed, and if we could get that into a reconciliation bill before the 11th of December, that'd be fabulous," Griffith said ahead of the midterm elections. "I truly believe if we don't do something before that December 11th deadline, that it's going to create all kinds of issues."

Missouri's Intoxicating Cannabinoid Control Act also took effect on November 12, after Governor Mike Kehoe signed House Bill 2631 earlier this year. Most hemp-derived cannabinoid products in Missouri must now be sold through the state's licensed cannabis dispensaries, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The Illinois story, the lawsuit, the pause, and the November 19 hearing, is in the Chicago section above.

Movies, Music, and Pop Culture

Godzilla Minus Zero stomped the box office.

Godzilla Minus Zero opened at No. 1 at the November 6 to 8 weekend box office with an estimated $31.6 million in the United States and Canada, in 3,254 theaters. It is a record debut for a foreign-language film at the North American box office and the biggest opening in GKIDS history, about 2.8 times the $11.42 million domestic opening of Godzilla Minus One in 2023. The Cat in the Hat debuted second with $20.5 million in 4,003 theaters. Drummer Boy took third with $9.3 million. You Can See Everything slipped to fourth with $8.9 million in its fourth week, for a domestic total of $79.8 million. Ramayana: Rise of a Legend took fifth with $8.7 million. Clayface took $6.7 million, Wildwood $6.6 million, and Wild Horse Nine $6.0 million. The Top 10 combined for $103.7 million, more than double the prior weekend's $47.2 million. Spider-Man: Brand New Day has a domestic total of $958,944,095. The F'nAround review is linked below.

Ella Langley set the record again, and Thriller came back from the dead.

Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" spent a 27th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, on the chart dated November 14, announced November 9, extending the longest-running No. 1 in the history of the chart. The previous record was Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," with 22 weeks. The song held off a Halloween surge from Michael Jackson's "Thriller," which jumped No. 20 to No. 2, a new all-time peak. Its 1984 peak was No. 4. The 27 weeks are a total, not one unbroken stay: seven separate runs since the song first led in February, the longest 14 straight weeks over the summer. "Choosin' Texas" also leads Hot Country Songs for a 48th week. In the October 30 to November 5 tracking week it had 18.8 million streams, 53 million radio impressions, and 4,000 sold. JENNIE's "Dracula" rose to No. 3, a new high, tying Rosé's K-pop record. "Loving Life Again" is No. 1 on Mediabase's country chart and No. 1 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart dated November 14, its second week on top there, Langley's seventh Mediabase No. 1 and the fourth No. 1 from her album Dandelion. Langley heads into the 60th CMA Awards on Wednesday, November 18, with nine nominations, the most of anyone this year.

GTA 6 is nine days out, and the preorder numbers are already enormous.

Sensor Tower estimated about 7.71 million digital preorders worth about $751 million as of November 3, with PlayStation 5 at 74 percent, 5.74 million copies and $559 million, against Xbox at 26 percent, 1.97 million copies and $192 million. An updated estimate on November 10 put it at 9.69 million preorders and $942 million. Those are third-party estimates, not Rockstar official sales. The game launches November 19 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. Preloading began November 10. The rolling midnight release means New Zealand unlocks at 11:00 UTC on November 18, 18 hours before the United States East Coast midnight on November 19. On Xbox, changing the console location to New Zealand needs no new account, but Rockstar has not confirmed the trick works for GTA 6 and could block it. On PlayStation 5, the account region cannot be changed, so it needs a new New Zealand PSN account and a second purchase in New Zealand dollars, Standard NZ$139.95 and Ultimate NZ$174.95, with foreign payment awkward. There is no official early access of any kind.

Snoop Dogg hired a violinist to taste his ice cream.

Australian concert violinist Annabelle Traves, based in Dubai, was named on October 28 the first International Ice Cream Taster for the Snoop Dogg Dr. Bombay brand, from more than 350,000 applicants in more than 130 countries, via Deel. It is a three-month remote contract at $10,000 a month, $30,000 total. She applied with a violin version of "Young, Wild and Free."

The Curse of Lono is back in print.

The closest timely hook for Hunter S. Thompson this week is a reissue, not a new story. Simon and Schuster reissued The Curse of Lono on October 20, 2026, fully illustrated, with a new introduction by Natasha Lyonne, $35, ISBN 9780684873176. If the book belongs anywhere, it belongs on a shelf next to the Fear and Loathing paperbacks, and the reissue is the excuse to put it there.

Dave Chappelle joked about Charlie Kirk, and Erika Kirk answered.

Dave Chappelle joked at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 7: "Ever since that guy Charlie Kirk got murdered, and I shouldnt say this publicly, but I feel better." He followed it with a second joke, that Kirk is "looking up at us right now, laughing so hard he cant breathe." Erika Kirk responded on Sunday, November 8, calling jokes about her husband's death beyond disgusting. Chappelle appeared in the Saturday Night Live closing credits on November 7 alongside host Druski, but he is not a Saturday Night Live icon and he did not host, and this roundup does not present him that way. The clips are attendee recordings from a phone-free show, so the context before and after the bit is unclear.

Russell Brand was found guilty, and the sentencing made the news.

Russell Brand was found guilty on November 5 at Southwark Crown Court on one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, on incidents from 1999 to 2009 involving six women. Sentencing came on November 9, reported at 10.5 years. The "delusion of Trump officials" framing that traveled with the story is Independent columnist Holly Baxter's assessment in a November 9 column, not a court finding.

A pardoned January 6 rioter crashed a cat convention.

Pardoned January 6 rioter Jake Lang crashed the Sea-Meow Convention in Seattle on Sunday, November 8, accusing cat owners of being furries and of grooming children, after crashing a Diwali celebration the day before with Thomas Allen. Sea-Meow is a cat owners convention, November 7 and 8 at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, with adoptable kittens and speakers including Kitten Lady and Jackson Galaxy. Lang spent about four years jailed awaiting trial on charges including assaulting police officers on January 6, 2021. He was pardoned on January 20, 2025. Staff told him, "This is a convention for cats." Video of the crash was viewed more than 4 million times.

The most expensive neighborhood in America has four mansions nobody will buy.

Developer Scott Gillen, 66, bought a 24-acre Malibu cliff parcel for $50 million in 2017 and planned five mega-mansions at $40 million to $100 million each, The Case, billed as America's most expensive neighborhood. Only one sold, for $61 million in 2024 to Scottrade heiress Pam Walkenbach. Four remain nearly complete and unsold. Agents including Compass agent Tracy Tutor said "Ego just got in the way," citing Gillen's perfectionism and his insistence on pitching buyers himself. Entities tied to Gillen filed Chapter 11 this summer. He is in a legal fight with his biggest investor, Barry Shy, whose company says Gillen owes more than $240 million with interest on a $260 million 2021 promissory note, while Gillen says the principal is $89 million.

James Gunn is out at DC Studios, and nobody agrees on whether he was fired.

Skydance announced on November 9 that James Gunn and Peter Safran will leave DC Studios as co-chief executives, with Jeremy Latcham taking over on December 1. Gunn posted a goodbye calling his time "trying" and said he is writing another DC project. Variety used the word "fired." The Hollywood Reporter said "stepping down." Gizmodo said it is not known whether they were pushed or walked. This roundup says "out" and notes the framing dispute, because the framing dispute is the story.

Meghan McCain blamed Turning Point for the Arizona losses.

Meghan McCain clashed on X on November 8 and 9 with Turning Point Action chief operating officer Tyler Bowyer over Arizona Republican losses, after Democrats won a trifecta for the first time since the 1960s. McCain blamed Bowyer for picking a slate she called "grifters and losers," naming Kari Lake, Blake Masters, and Paul Gosar. Bowyer blamed the McCains for backing Martha McSally twice.

Sports

The Bears won ugly, and that is the point.

The Chicago Bears beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27 to 24 on Sunday Night Football, Sunday, November 8, at Soldier Field. Cairo Santos kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired. Caleb Williams threw a career-high 4 interceptions, 22 of 37 for 279 yards and two touchdowns, and the Bears committed 5 turnovers. Jaylon Johnson returned an interception 67 yards for a touchdown. Colston Loveland's 38-yard catch set up the winner. The Buccaneers tied it 24 to 24 with 2:51 left on Bucky Irving's second touchdown plus a two-point conversion, which Baker Mayfield scored by scrambling up the middle. Irving ran for 97 yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns. Mayfield finished 18 of 32 for 243 yards with two picks. The Bears are 7 and 2, on a four-game winning streak, and in first place in the NFC North, where every team has at least six wins. It was their first win with 5 or more turnovers since December 3, 2006 against the Vikings. Attendance was 60,470. The Bears are on bye in Week 10 and host the New Orleans Saints on November 22. The Buccaneers are 3 and 6.

The Bulls lost twice more, and a rookie broke his hand.

The Bulls lost 127 to 121 to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, November 8, at the United Center. Josh Giddey had 19 points and 15 assists. They lost 124 to 119 to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, November 11, at the United Center, after leading by 22, 70 to 56 at halftime. Victor Wembanyama scored 32 points for the Spurs. Jalen Smith led the Bulls with 23. The Bulls are 1 and 8, on an eight-game losing streak. They host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, November 13, in an NBA Cup game. Rookie Caleb Wilson is out 4 to 6 weeks with a fractured right hand, hurt in the third quarter against San Antonio while reaching to knock the ball from Wembanyama. Surgery was successful on November 12, and he will be re-evaluated in three weeks. Wilson, the No. 4 overall pick, is averaging 18.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.

The Blackhawks got blown out, then won in overtime.

The Blackhawks lost 9 to 2 at Carolina on Saturday, November 7, giving up seven unanswered goals to start the game. Connor Bedard and Roman Kantserov scored, and the record fell to 4-13-1. They beat Buffalo 3 to 2 in overtime on Thursday, November 12, at the United Center. Ryan Donato scored at 3:12 of overtime, Frank Nazar scored twice, and Spencer Knight made 21 saves, ending a six-game slide. The record is 5-13-1. Patrick Kane returned after missing three games with an upper-body injury.

Pete Crow-Armstrong is the National League MVP, unanimously.

Pete Crow-Armstrong was named National League Most Valuable Player on Thursday, November 12, unanimously, all 30 first-place votes, 420 points. Shohei Ohtani finished second with 264. Crow-Armstrong hit .280 with 45 home runs, tied for the major league lead, 107 runs batted in, 41 stolen bases, the seventh 40-40 season in major league history, 119 runs scored, a .943 OPS, and 9.8 WAR according to Baseball-Reference. He is the ninth Cub to win the award, the first since Kris Bryant in 2016, and the 11th unanimous National League MVP.

Around the league, Week 9 belonged to the road teams and the comebacks.

The Buffalo Bills beat the Minnesota Vikings 23 to 6 on Monday, November 9. James Cook carried 31 times for 107 yards and a touchdown. The Bills are 7 and 1. The Vikings are 6 and 2, on a second straight loss after a 6 and 0 start. Carson Wentz started at quarterback for Minnesota, going 8 of 25 for 81 yards with three turnovers before Max Brosmer replaced him. The Vikings had 178 total yards, a season low, went 0 for 7 on third down, and held the ball 17:28, the shortest possession time in franchise history. Josh Allen went 21 of 31 for 234 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, and the Bills held the ball 42:32. The Kansas City Chiefs beat the New York Jets 35 to 12. Kenneth Walker III scored three touchdowns and Patrick Mahomes threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns. The Chiefs are 6 and 2 and ended a two-game skid. The Detroit Lions beat the Miami Dolphins 19 to 9. Jahmyr Gibbs scored the only touchdown. The Lions are 6 and 2, on a fourth straight win. The Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 26 to 21. The Broncos are 7 and 2, on five straight wins, their 16th straight one-score win, and on top of the AFC West. The San Francisco 49ers beat the Las Vegas Raiders 38 to 17 and forced five turnovers. The Los Angeles Rams beat the Washington Commanders 20 to 13. The New York Giants beat the Philadelphia Eagles 19 to 11, their first road win at Philadelphia since 2013, snapping a 12-game losing streak in the city. The Eagles lost a seventh straight. The Cincinnati Bengals beat the Atlanta Falcons 34 to 17 in Madrid. The New Orleans Saints beat the Cleveland Browns 23 to 22 in overtime, after Shedeur Sanders' two-point try failed. The Dallas Cowboys beat the Indianapolis Colts 27 to 23. The Green Bay Packers beat the New England Patriots 45 to 27 behind Jordan Love's 372 yards. The Seattle Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals 44 to 22. The Houston Texans beat the Los Angeles Chargers 44 to 22.

Week 10 opened on Thursday, November 12. The Washington Commanders beat the New York Giants 24 to 21 at MetLife Stadium. Jayden Daniels found Stefon Diggs for a 32-yard touchdown with 57 seconds left, and Rasul Douglas intercepted J.J. McCarthy to seal it. The Commanders are 3-5-1. The Giants are 5-3-1.

Separation Saturday separated.

On Saturday, November 7, Notre Dame knocked off No. 1 Miami 31 to 24 in South Bend, handing the Hurricanes their first loss. Notre Dame rose to No. 3 in the AP poll, and Georgia reclaimed No. 1. No. 22 Oregon beat No. 3 Ohio State 41 to 28 in Columbus. Ohio State led 14 to 0, then allowed 38 unanswered points, and fell to No. 21 in the AP poll. Georgia routed No. 10 Ole Miss 42 to 7. Alabama beat No. 14 LSU 31 to 13. Tennessee routed No. 6 Kentucky 34 to 6. Utah beat BYU 28 to 20 in the Holy War and stays undefeated. Michigan State beat Michigan 15 to 6 in Ann Arbor. Texas beat Missouri 34 to 20.

In the NBA on Saturday, November 7, the Golden State Warriors beat the Orlando Magic 126 to 119 in overtime behind Stephen Curry's 41 points, a seventh straight win. The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Washington Wizards 114 to 75 and are 8 and 2. The Phoenix Suns beat the Houston Rockets 102 to 99 behind Devin Booker's 24. The Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers 125 to 103, an eighth straight win. The New York Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109 to 97 behind Jalen Brunson's 31 and Karl-Anthony Towns' 29 points and 13 rebounds. The Denver Nuggets beat the Indiana Pacers 114 to 102 in the Mexico City game. The Atlanta Hawks beat the Brooklyn Nets 124 to 121. On Thursday, November 12, the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Dallas Mavericks 133 to 94, and the Detroit Pistons beat the Wizards 144 to 140.

In soccer on Saturday, November 7, Nottingham Forest beat Manchester City 3 to 1, Liam Delap scoring twice. City have lost three straight league games and sit six points behind Arsenal, who beat Hull City 1 to 0. Nashville SC set a Major League Soccer record with 77 points.

Technology and Markets

The market gave it back, then took most of it back.

The week ending November 6 was the worst of the year so far. The Nasdaq fell 3.4 percent, the S&P 500 fell 2.7 percent, and the Dow fell 0.9 percent. It was the S&P's worst week since June and the Nasdaq's fourth straight weekly decline. The technology ETF XLK fell about 8 percent, its worst week since early April 2025. Thursday, November 5, was the worst day since April 2025: the S&P fell 4.4 percent, the Nasdaq fell 5.5 percent into correction territory, and the Dow fell 3.4 percent, shedding 1,833 points. The Nasdaq lost about $2.5 trillion in market value in a single session. The selling was driven by post-midterm AI and data-center concerns, voters approved restrictions on data centers in 39 of 45 local ballot measures, plus a strong October jobs report, 165,000 payrolls against about 65,000 expected, that kept Federal Reserve hike odds in focus. The VIX spiked to 28.18 on Thursday and ended Friday at 25.64. Friday, November 6, was a partial rebound: the Nasdaq rose 1.08 percent to 24,579.42, the S&P rose 0.31 percent to 7,376.86, and the Dow fell 0.46 percent to 51,285.73.

The week of November 9 to 12 was a rebound. Monday, November 9, was the best session since April: the S&P rose 2.35 percent to 7,549.94, the Nasdaq rose 2.74 percent to 25,253.14, and the Dow rose 2.15 percent to 52,389.75, with all 11 sectors higher and the Philadelphia semiconductor index up about 6.9 percent. Tuesday, November 10, gave some back: the S&P fell 0.38 percent to 7,520.93, the Nasdaq fell 0.74 percent to 25,065.87, and the Dow fell 0.30 percent to 52,231.89. Wednesday, November 11, the S&P rose 1.31 percent to 7,619.38, the Nasdaq rose 1.60 percent to 25,466.19, and the Dow rose 0.49 percent to 52,486.49. Thursday, November 12, the S&P fell 0.35 percent to 7,592.40, the Nasdaq fell 0.39 percent to 25,366.09, and the Dow fell 0.36 percent to 52,297.09. From Friday, November 6, to Thursday, November 12: the S&P up 2.92 percent, the Nasdaq up 3.20 percent, and the Dow up 1.97 percent. Brent crude settled at $92.57 on Monday, $91.49 on Tuesday, the lowest since August 31, $92.76 on Wednesday, and $95.82 on Thursday. Gold fell 4.65 percent on the week to $3,885.30. The dollar index reached 103.19. The VIX fell to 18.70. The 10-year Treasury yield sat near 5.10 percent.

October inflation came in hot. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on November 10 that consumer prices rose 0.4 percent in October, after 0.6 percent in September. Food rose 0.5 percent, energy rose 0.7 percent, shelter rose 0.3 percent, and core prices rose 0.3 percent. The Bureau did not publish a year-over-year figure, because it collected no CPI data in October 2025. The Senate Joint Economic Committee estimated year-over-year CPI at 4.02 percent and core CPI at 2.81 percent, using the Bureau's suggested method. The Federal Reserve held its target range at 3.75 to 4 percent on October 28, by a 10 to 2 vote, with Lisa Cook and Beth Hammack dissenting in favor of a quarter-point rise. Governor Waller said the Fed should raise rates in December. Futures pricing for a December 8 and 9 quarter-point rise ranged from about 85 to 91 percent. That is market pricing, not a forecast.

Jensen Huang resigned.

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang resigned on November 12, effective immediately, as president, chief executive, and board member. The company gave no reason in its statement. Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress is interim chief executive. Harvey C. Jones was named the board's first chair. The resignation ends a controversy that began with revelations about Huang's relationship with a Singapore-based tech executive whom United States intelligence officials suspect of spying for China. On November 8, Huang admitted infidelity in a memo to employees, apologized to his family and colleagues, and pledged to cooperate. The board said independent directors, assisted by outside legal counsel, would oversee an investigation into whether Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. The board said it had no reason to believe United States national security interests or Nvidia secrets had been compromised. On November 11, the New York Times reported that Huang also had an extramarital relationship with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of healthcare. The Wall Street Journal reported on November 11 that directors were preparing to remove him. The spying allegation remains unproven, and China called it groundless. Shares fell more than 13 percent at one point on Thursday before closing down 4.34 percent at $166.19. The company, worth roughly $4 trillion, has shed about $600 billion in stock market value this week. President Trump suggested Tim Cook as a replacement. Huang faces a potential congressional subpoena if he does not comply with a request for a closed-door briefing. Nvidia reports earnings on November 17. Huang, 63, cofounded Nvidia in 1993 and owns about 3.6 percent of its stock. He has no obvious successor.

Anthropic set the terms for the biggest IPO of the year.

Anthropic filed Amendment No. 2 to its S-1 and launched its IPO roadshow on November 10. The price range is $70 to $78 per share for 825 million Class A shares, to list on the Nasdaq under the ticker ANT. At the top of the range, the offering would raise $64.35 billion. A separate $26 billion private placement, Google and Nvidia at $10 billion each, AMD at $2.5 billion, Broadcom, Micron, and Microsoft at $1 billion each, and TSMC at $0.5 billion, lifts the total to as much as $90.4 billion. The valuation is about $1.02 trillion on shares outstanding, and about $1.33 trillion to $1.4 trillion fully diluted. CNBC and Bloomberg report pricing planned for November 18 and first trades on November 19, but the filing sets no date. Anthropic reported $33.24 billion in revenue in the first nine months of 2026, against $2.55 billion a year earlier, and an approximately $81 billion annualized revenue run rate as of October 31.

OpenAI made $10 billion in a quarter and lost more.

The Wall Street Journal, citing internal documents, reported third quarter 2026 revenue of about $10 billion at OpenAI, up nearly 50 percent from $6.7 billion in the second quarter, driven by enterprise products and agents, with operating losses of about $10.9 billion on high training costs. OpenAI will retire the Advanced and Standard Voice models in ChatGPT Voice on December 11. It expanded ChatGPT Finances to the desktop app on November 12, and introduced a "Control Room" safety system.

Google shipped, and Apple warned about agents and closed a forum.

Google launched the Gemini Decisions API on November 12. DeepMind released AlphaGenome 2, a DNA model trained on more than 100 million single-cell profiles across 68 tissues. Google Labs launched Tabletop, an experimental AI collaboration hub, on November 11. The Gemini app rolled out on Apple CarPlay globally on November 11, with Gemini Live, after Apple opened CarPlay to chatbots in iOS 26.4. Google announced Gemini 4 Carbon on November 10. Apple announced its Apple Support Community forums will permanently close on November 20, 2026, after 28 years. They went read-only on November 10. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported on November 8 that Apple ultimately wants Siri to become an autonomous agent starting in 2027, and that Siri engineering chief Mike Rockwell may leave. Apple is reportedly tightening employee spending limits on AI tools and selling additional AI usage bundles. The iPhone 18 Pro Max topped CNET's battery-life comparison of 32 phones. Apple is also reportedly readying "Harbor," a Mac app under its Claris brand for running local language models, according to 9to5Mac.

Coming Up

· Friday, November 13: the state responds to the ILHAA emergency injunction request. Colorado counties finish the initial count in the 4th District. The Kansas Attorney General investigator contact is expected about now, with a case number for the October 30 charity fraud submission. No finding is expected at that step, just a number and an investigator. CTA Blue Line shuttle buses begin at 10 p.m., Jefferson Park to Harlem, through 4 a.m. Monday, November 16. Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks, NBA Cup, 7 p.m.

· Saturday, November 14: Blackhawks vs. Winnipeg, 3:30 p.m. Eastern.

· Sunday, November 15 and Monday, November 16: NFL Week 10 games, including Bills at Jets and Vikings at Packers on Sunday.

· Monday, November 16: Number 50 Damen bus stop changes take effect at 9 a.m. Blue Line single-track delays run 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Tuesday. Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh gives remarks.

· Tuesday, November 17: Nvidia reports third quarter fiscal 2027 earnings after the close, about 1:20 p.m. Pacific, with the call at 2 p.m. Pacific. The Knesset votes on replacing Speaker Amir Ohana at 4 p.m. The Illinois veto session begins, November 17 to 19 and December 1 to 3. The ILHAA plaintiffs' reply is due.

· Wednesday, November 18: House Democratic leadership elections, with Hakeem Jeffries expected to be nominated as Speaker. The 60th CMA Awards, with Ella Langley holding nine nominations, the most of anyone. Alaska ranked-choice tabulation. Anthropic IPO pricing is planned. The FOMC minutes from the October 27 and 28 meeting are released.

· Thursday, November 19: the ILHAA hemp hearing before Judge Pacold, and the enforcement pause runs through November 19. GTA 6 launches, rolling midnight, New Zealand at 11:00 UTC on November 18. Anthropic first trades are planned.

· Friday, November 20: COP31 closes. Apple Support Community forums permanently close.

· Sunday, November 22: Bears home vs. New Orleans Saints. Buccaneers at Lions.

· November 27 to 29: Chicago TARDIS, Westin Chicago Lombard. F'nAround press passes confirmed.

· December 6: Eisenkot's deadline to form a government, extendable to December 20.

· December 8 and 9: next full Chicago City Council meetings, and the Federal Reserve decision.

· December 11: the rest of the federal hemp redefinition, the total-THC test and the 0.4 milligram cap, and the federal funding expiry. OpenAI retires the Advanced and Standard Voice models.

· December 12: the mayor's roughly 30-day window to pick a police superintendent ends.

· December 17: Chicago mayoral ballot certification.

· December 18: Avengers: Doomsday, with Patrick Stewart's final on-screen appearance.

· January 3, 2027, a Sunday, practically December 31, 2026: the Public Access Counselor review clock for the November 4 OEIG partial denial. Monday, January 11, 2027: the clock for the November 12 OEIG partial denial.

· January 13, 2027: the new General Assembly is sworn in, and the House votes for speaker.

· January 14, 2027: Chicago early voting and mail ballots go out.

· January 15, 2027: the new Chicago school board takes office.

· January 2027: the new Congress convenes.

· The 7th Circuit sanctuary case, argued October 29, still awaits a decision.

· Illinois social equity infuser license comments, through roughly the end of November.

F'nGryllus, A F'nAround Funny Paper, Cartoon of the Week

The Discretion