MORNING NEWS UPDATE:
NOVEMBER 13, 2026
U.S. NEWS
- Deadly shooting near the White House in Washington, D.C.: A doctor opened fire inside a gym and outside, killing one person and wounding at least four others before barricading himself; the incident occurred about a mile north of the White House.
- Brooklyn building collapse: A three-story structure containing apartments and commercial space collapsed during nearby excavation work, killing eight people; the search for additional victims has ended and the cause remains under investigation.
- Microsoft outage: A widespread disruption hit Microsoft services including Outlook, Teams, and other apps across North America and beyond, affecting millions of users and businesses; the company reported elevated loads and worked on recovery.
- Severe weather in the Northeast: Thunderstorms and heavy rain triggered rare tornado warnings in the New York City area and disrupted thousands of flights.
- Cargo ship strikes bridge: A vessel hit a bridge across the Delaware River between New Jersey and Philadelphia, causing traffic disruptions.
- FBI crypto seizure: Authorities seized more than $1.2 billion in cryptocurrency linked to a major theft from Binance.
Fatal Brooklyn Building Collapse: At least eight people (six adults and two children) were confirmed dead following a partial building collapse in Flatbush, New York, prompting emergency investigations into over 100 other sites tied to the structure.
Post-Midterm Democratic Leadership Shakeup: Senator Chris Van Hollen announced a challenge against Chuck Schumer for Senate majority leader, arguing that the recent midterm results demand fresh congressional leadership.
California Protests over Immigration Enforcement: Growing community pressure and protests emerge across California calling for the immediate release of a beloved local nurse detained by ICE.
Historic Darth Vader Prop Auction: A Star Wars collector item drew massive national attention as Darth Vader's original lightsaber prop from The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi sold at auction for $4.875 million.
POLITICS
- Senate Democratic leadership contest: Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen announced he will challenge longtime leader Chuck Schumer for Senate Majority Leader as Democrats prepare to take control of the chamber.
- Mississippi Senate history: Democrat Scott Colom won the race, becoming the state’s first Black senator since Reconstruction and expanding the Democratic majority.
- Trump redirects Vance: President Trump directed Vice President JD Vance to shift focus from Iran negotiations to combating fraud and crime in Democratic-led states and cities, stating the U.S. does not need an Iran deal.
- Hegseth awards soldier: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presented a medal to the sentinel who chastised him and aides for poor decorum at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
- Midterm aftermath and turnout: High voter turnout (near-record levels) and Democratic gains flipped control of Congress, with analysis of Southern shifts driven by Black turnout and other trends.
- Scrutiny of Commerce Secretary: Bipartisan pressure mounted for Howard Lutnick to testify over the Nvidia scandal and related chip issues.
Trump Shifts Middle East Strategy: President Trump announced that the U.S. is no longer seeking a deal to end the conflict with Iran and directed Vice President JD Vance to pivot his primary focus toward domestic political and fraud investigations.
Commerce Secretary Under Scrutiny: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faces growing political pressure and criticism over an alleged lack of action regarding federal security protocols.
Incoming Senate Shifts: Newly elected senators, such as Michigan's Abdul El-Sayed, are taking active public stands in congressional leadership races as both parties position themselves following the midterm elections.
WORLD AFFAIRS
- Iran conflict updates: Trump said the U.S. does not need a deal with Iran and pulled Vance from related talks; reports of dwindling options and possible renewed action, alongside Iranian claims of striking a U.S. radar in Bahrain.
- Ukraine peace talks: U.S. envoys engaged Russia; European representatives are expected to join future negotiations, though Putin reiterated territorial demands and opposed foreign peacekeepers.
- Gaza hospital strike: An Israeli airstrike on a hospital killed at least six people, including a surgeon, amid ongoing conflict and reports of civilian impacts.
- Houthi attacks: Yemen’s Houthis claimed strikes on Saudi energy infrastructure, including an oil pipeline pumping station.
- Indonesian politics: The vice president resigned amid a political rift.
- Other developments: UK convictions related to Iranian spying on dissidents; ongoing Russia-Ukraine military actions including a car bomb near St. Petersburg.
Escalation in the Strait of Hormuz: The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for destroying a U.S. military early-warning radar installation in Bahrain, alongside a tanker explosion triggered by a naval mine.
UN Atomic Energy Agency Restrictions: A confidential IAEA report revealed that Iran has insisted nuclear monitoring discussions cannot move forward while facing ongoing external military threats.
Moscow Car Bombing Incident: Russian investigators reported that a car bomb in Moscow severely wounded Sergei Zavorotniy, a former top aide to pro-Russian former Ukrainian prime minister Mykola Azarov.
US EDUCATION
- Google Search policy for schools: Google announced that K-12 schools opting out of AI Overviews would lose access to Search entirely, prompting frustration and protests from parents and educators.
- Ohio education waiver: The Trump administration (Education Secretary Linda McMahon) approved an Ohio plan giving the state more flexibility over struggling schools and federal funds, which critics say risks privatization or reduced support for high-poverty schools.
- College cost transparency: Some colleges are expanding guarantees of free tuition for families below certain income thresholds to address confusion over actual costs.
- Higher ed and AI: Coverage of professors monitoring students more intensively against AI use, and discussions of AI’s impact on teaching jobs and campus culture post-midterms.
- Local/school board shifts: Progressive and moderate candidates won key California school board races amid the broader Democratic wave; other state-level policy changes expected under incoming Democratic control.
- English learner guidance: The administration reiterated it would not enforce certain prior guidance on translation and equal access for English learners.
Minnesota Special Education Funding Cuts: A dedicated state blue-ribbon commission urged Minnesota lawmakers to repeal a planned $250 million reduction in special education funding, warning that rapid cuts will severely harm vulnerable students.
College Affordability and Transparency Initiatives: Universities and higher-ed advocacy groups nationwide are racing to overhaul confusing financial aid and tuition pricing structures to ease student anxieties surrounding inflation and job market shifts.
ECONOMY
- Existing home sales plunge: Sales fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.75 million in October—the lowest since 2010—driven by high mortgage rates (above 7%) and elevated prices; inventory rose.
- Nvidia market impact: The CEO’s resignation triggered sharp stock swings and broader AI/tech sector volatility, with significant market-cap losses reported.
- Inflation and Fed outlook: Recent CPI data came in above expectations; markets priced higher odds of Fed rate hikes, with Treasury yields rising.
- Budget deficit: The federal government recorded a deficit exceeding $400 billion in October as the new fiscal year began.
- Jobless claims: Initial claims remained near historically low levels.
- Broader market: Stocks fluctuated amid the Nvidia news, Microsoft outage effects, and oil price concerns tied to geopolitical tensions.
Nvidia Executive Shift Shocks Markets: Jensen Huang resigned as CEO of Nvidia following internal board and federal reviews, with Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress stepping in as interim chief executive of the $4 trillion AI tech giant.
Tariff Rebate Prospects: American importers moved a step closer to securing potential $166 billion universal tariff rebates despite ongoing administration efforts to limit refund payouts.
Nasdaq Futures Volatility: Stock market futures experienced sharp downturns driven heavily by investor uncertainty following sudden leadership changes within major semiconductor infrastructure.
TECHNOLOGY
- Nvidia leadership change: Jensen Huang resigned as CEO and from the board amid reports of extramarital affairs (including one with an alleged Chinese spy); CFO Colette Kress became interim CEO, with a search for a permanent replacement underway and congressional scrutiny.
- Microsoft outage: Global disruption to Outlook, Teams, and related services; company worked to restore access.
- SpaceX AI campuses: Plans outlined for more than $74 billion in AI supercomputing facilities in Texas and Arizona.
- Google Gemini 4 Hydrogen: Launch of a lower-cost, high-context model aimed at agent workflows and coding.
- Other AI/tech moves: AMD expanded its Instinct accelerator lineup; consortium formed around open-source inference runtime (SGLang); lawsuits by nonprofits seeking to halt more advanced AI model development.
- Additional items: Reports of data breaches/leaks (e.g., related to AI providers or chipmakers) and ongoing export-control/spy-related scrutiny of chip sales.
Global Microsoft Infrastructure Outage: A massive system failure crippled businesses, airlines, and public digital services globally, though the tech company reported early signs of stabilization after more than 12 hours of severe disruption.
Municipal Data Center Regulations: Cities like Minneapolis are moving forward with strict zoning and energy-source caps that limit data center footprints based on whether they rely on renewable or nonrenewable power grids.
HEALTH
- American Cancer Society prostate screening guidelines: Updated recommendations advise more routine screening for certain men, citing advances that shift the balance of benefits and harms.
- Kratom and 7-OH products: Federal crackdown expected, potentially making some highly potent related products illegal; they remain widely available at retail outlets.
- Insulin price caps: North Dakota (and similar bipartisan efforts) moved to limit out-of-pocket costs for patients.
- Ebola in Congo: Outbreak surpassed major case thresholds with reports of attacks on health workers and facilities hindering response.
- Other research/notes: Cellular atlas of the basal ganglia for potential disease treatments; ongoing concerns around drug shortages, GLP-1 medication rebound risks after discontinuation, and various wellness trends under scrutiny.
DR Congo Hunger and Disease Crisis: The WHO, FAO, WFP, and UNICEF issued an urgent joint appeal regarding the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where conflict and disease outbreaks are projected to push over 30 million people into acute food insecurity.
Minnesota Medicaid Funding Loss: Healthcare leaders expressed deep concern after Minnesota faced a steep $113 million reduction in federal Medicaid funding, threatening critical rural health services.
Rising Measles Warnings: Public health officials in multiple Midwest counties issued renewed vaccination warnings following an uptick in reported measles cases.
SPORTS
- NFL Thursday Night Football: Washington Commanders rallied to defeat the New York Giants 24-21 on a late touchdown pass from Jayden Daniels to Stefon Diggs.
- MLB awards: Chicago Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong won NL MVP unanimously; Houston Astros’ Yordan Alvarez took AL MVP.
- Soccer: Manchester United hired Mauricio Pochettino (leaving the U.S. national team role) after sacking previous management amid a poor start.
- NBA results: Notable games included Detroit Pistons over Washington Wizards in OT and other matchups; injury notes such as Stephen Curry sidelined.
- NHL action: Multiple overtime and shootout results across the league (e.g., Ottawa, Chicago, St. Louis wins).
- College basketball: Strong performances by top women’s teams (UConn, South Carolina, Duke, etc.) and men’s results.
- Other: National Sports Awards presented in India; various international cricket and regional results.
NHL Goal Scoring Records: Winnipeg Jets star Mark Scheifele tied and neared historic franchise milestones previously held by mentor Dale Hawerchuk during an 8-3 blowout victory over the Dallas Stars.
NFL Prime-Time Momentum: The Washington Commanders rallied for a crucial prime-time victory over the Giants despite late-game interceptions, bolstering their position in the NFC.
College Basketball Early-Season Action: Major programs—including the No. 1-ranked Florida men's basketball team and West Virginia—secured hard-fought victories as early-season conference matchups heat up.
These reflect the most prominent stories circulating on November 13, 2026, drawn from major outlets. Coverage can shift quickly with developing details.
EDUCATION SPECIAL
TOP US EDUCATION NEWS TODAYTOP WORLD EDUCATION NEWS TODAY
Here is your daily briefing for major education developments across the United States and around the globe.
Top 5–7 US Education News Today
Overhaul of College Accreditation Moves Forward
The U.S. Department of Education is moving swiftly to implement major structural changes to higher education accreditation ahead of the 2027–28 academic year.
Pushed as a key policy mechanism by the administration, the new rules require accreditors to place heavy emphasis on concrete student outcomes, such as median post-graduation earnings, graduation rates, and program licensure pass rates. Debate Escalates Over Proposed International Graduate Work Fees
Higher education institutions and advocacy groups are pushing back fiercely against proposed Department of Homeland Security regulations that would levy massive application fees (including up to tens of thousands of dollars) on Optional Practical Training (OPT) pathways for international graduates, warning it will cost universities millions and threaten global recruitment.
IRS Drafts Broad Rules for Federally Backed K-12 Scholarships
Internal Revenue Service officials announced that upcoming guidance regarding federally backed K-12 scholarship programs will interpret eligible educational expenses "as broad as possible," aiming to cover a wide range of alternative and supplemental student learning needs.
"Returning Education to the States" Tour Expands
Federal education leadership continues rolling out state-level waivers and decentralized policy frameworks, with recent approvals and visits targeting states like Oklahoma, Nebraska, Ohio, and Hawaii to shift tighter control of curriculum and compliance back to local authorities.
Local Funding Squeezes Threaten School Resource Officers
Public school districts in states like Florida are expressing deep fiscal anxiety following recent property tax reform ballot measures (such as Amendment 3), which are expected to trim municipal and county revenues and force local agencies to reconsider funding for campus law enforcement and security.
AI Deepfakes and Misinformation Target K-12 Ecosystems
New educational research reports highlight a growing blind spot in school safety: the rapid proliferation of synthetic media and fake AI-generated images targeting both students and teachers, leaving many districts scrambling for policy guardrails.
Top 5–7 World Education News Today
Widespread Hoax Bomb Threats Disrupt European Schools
More than 1,800 schools across Italy, alongside institutions in the UK and Ireland, were forced into emergency evacuations and closures following a coordinated wave of email bomb threats, ratcheting up anxieties over hybrid warfare tactics targeting civilian infrastructure.
Indonesian Vice President Resigns Amid Qualification Controversy
The national political landscape was upended as Indonesia’s vice president stepped down following an intense public dispute regarding educational qualifications and legal eligibility, drawing sharp focus to credential verification standards.
Danish Students Join Broader European Protests Over Funding Cuts
Student unions across Denmark joined continental demonstrations opposing cuts to education spending and government proposals to eliminate student allowance schemes for families above specific income thresholds.
UNESCO Launches New Global Education Monitoring Report
UNESCO officially rolled out its latest global data initiative, focusing heavily on systemic disparities in education access, equity, and the uneven post-pandemic recovery of foundational learning metrics across developing regions.
Australia Reframes International Education at Major Sector Summit
At the annual Australian International Education Conference (AIEC), sector leaders and former policymakers grappled with shifting migration caps, housing strains, and how to rebuild trust and sustainable pathways for inbound international students.
Parents of kids with disabilities fear losing Texas school voucher https://www.texastribune.org/2026/11/13/texas-school-vouchers-students-disabilities-uncertainty/
Left-leaning California school board candidates ride ‘blue tsunami’ to big leads in local races | EdSource https://edsource.org/2026/left-leaning-california-school-board-candidates-ride-blue-tsunami-to-big-leads-in-local-races/770321
Gov.-elect Xavier Becerra says he wants to improve childcare, fueling high expectations | EdSource https://edsource.org/2026/gov-elect-xavier-becerra-says-he-wants-to-improve-child-care-fueling-high-expectations/770280
Trump administration reiterates it won’t enforce English learner guidance | EdSource https://edsource.org/2026/trump-administration-reiterates-it-wont-enforce-english-learner-guidance/770007
Colleges try to be clearer about cost : NPR https://www.npr.org/2026/11/13/nx-s1-6023392/real-college-costs-confusing
To use Google Search, schools have to keep AI Overviews : NPR https://www.npr.org/2026/11/13/nx-s1-6029408/google-ai-search-schools
Followers of Christ: Leaving an Oregon Faith-Healing Sect — ProPublica https://www.propublica.org/article/followers-of-christ-faith-healing-documentary
Trump’s War on Offshore Wind Has Hurt Thousands of Workers — ProPublica https://www.propublica.org/article/offshore-wind-trump-connecticut-massachussetts
Georgia Election Board Members Coordinated With Cleta Mitchell Group — ProPublica https://www.propublica.org/article/georgia-election-board-cleta-mitchell-midterms
Bloomberg Will Seed a New Pro-Charter School Group With $1 Million - The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/13/nyregion/bloomberg-charter-schools-super-pac.html
Study Hard, Get a Career and Get Ahead? It’s Not What It Used to Be. - The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/13/world/europe/education-meritocracy.html
The Florida Teacher Who Turned “MAGA Meg’s” District Blue – Mother Jones https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/11/florida-elizabeth-holmes-meg-weinberger-trump-palm-beach-county-blue-wave/
Seven Ways Democrats Can Help Ordinary Americans and Stand Up to the Oligarchs – Mother Jones https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/11/how-democrats-address-affordability-wealth-income-inequality-oligarchy-costs-solutions-trump-veto/
How Candace Owens Turned a French Conspiracy Theory Into a ‘Gold Mine’ - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2026/11/13/candace-owens-brigitte-macron-conspiracy-theory-01159339
Democrats weigh reconciliation bill, even if it's doomed - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/13/democrats-weigh-reconciliation-bill-even-if-its-doomed-01162620
Climate funders convened a data center forum. They triggered a reckoning. - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/13/climate-funders-convened-a-data-center-forum-they-triggered-a-reckoning-01153944
The Grieving Parents Counting on Trump - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2026/11/13/kids-online-safety-parents-trump-01158463
Trump administration makes another push at MAHA priority - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/13/ultraprocessed-food-policy-gains-new-momentum-under-miller-a-maha-ally-01163831
Democrats have reached a dรฉtente in their internal war. Will it last? - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/13/poll-democrats-united-for-now-2028-01163438
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/gallery/2026/11/13/the-nations-cartoonists-on-the-week-in-politics-01164446?slide=0
Can ‘Mr. Education’ save an agency Trump wants to shutter? - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/13/bobby-scott-house-education-democrats-01161704
Leading AI safety advocate likely to run for president - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/news/2026/11/13/former-rep-brad-carson-likely-to-run-for-president-01164544
Louisiana Democrats take aim at the governor's mansion | The Lens https://thelensnola.org/2026/11/13/louisiana-governors-race-2027-democrats-jeff-landry/
