Prosecutors searched Santiago Peña’s summer mansion outside Asunción on Sunday and found a fitted panel hiding a corridor to an armoured vault — the second door, reportedly guarded by biometric locks, was still shut Monday — as they asked the U.S., Luxembourg and Argentina to help trace assets abroad, teachers struck over pension money trapped in the collapsed Ueno Bank, and new President Alliana named a new central bank chief.
Second source: Paraguay raids ex-president’s home — why a bank crash brought down Peña | Third source: Peña held in pretrial detention in Ueno Bank probe
ELECTIONS & CONGRESS
HOUSE REPUBLICANS PICK THEIR NEXT LEADER TODAY AS SCALISE AND JORDAN FACE OFF — The conference votes behind closed doors Tuesday, with Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan vying to lead a much smaller minority; Speaker Johnson won’t run or endorse, Thune is unopposed for the Senate job, and the Dec. 11 shutdown clock is running.
MISSISSIPPI SENATE STILL UNCALLED AS TODAY’S MAIL-BALLOT DEADLINE ARRIVES — Democrat Scott Colom leads Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by 2,574 votes, but nobody knows how many ballots are left: mail ballots postmarked by Election Day count if they arrive today, and counties need not report until Friday; in Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola leads Sen. Dan Sullivan by 637 votes, with ranked-choice tabulation Nov. 18.
FLORIDA’S CLOSEST HOUSE RACE IS IN A RECOUNT, AND THE LOSER WANTS THE ELECTIONS CHIEF OFF THE CASE — A state-ordered machine recount in Florida’s 27th started Monday in Doral, with Rep. María Elvira Salazar ahead of Democrat Eliott Rodriguez by 1,090 votes, while Rodriguez’s suit seeks to bar the Miami-Dade elections supervisor — whose son-in-law represents Salazar — from the canvassing board.
DEMOCRATS’ HOUSE MAJORITY HEADS FOR ITS BIGGEST SINCE 2008 AS THE FINAL COUNT DRAGS ON — The AP count stood at 254–162 in the House, with 19 races uncalled and a final total projected near 256–259; Democrats flipped seven Senate seats and lost none, took the governorships 28–20, and won the House popular vote by about 13 points — the largest margin since the post-Watergate elections.
JEFFRIES PLANS A FIRST-100-HOURS BLITZ TO RESTORE HEALTH SUBSIDIES AND UNDO MEDICAID CUTS — The presumptive Speaker plans to move in Democrats’ first 100 hours to revive lapsed enhanced Obamacare subsidies, end roughly $1 trillion in Republican Medicaid cuts, quash Trump’s tariffs and force an end to the Iran war.
BUSINESS & YOUR MONEY
KOSPI SURGES 4.4% AS FOREIGN BUYERS RETURN AND THE CHIP ROUT PAUSES — South Korea’s benchmark jumped 4.39% to 5,239.13, ending a three-day slide, as foreign investors bought after seven straight sessions of selling; Samsung rose 4.9% and SK hynix 6.95%, and oil fell 1.5% on hopes the Iran standoff eases.
CPI LANDS AT 8:30 THIS MORNING — AND FOR ONCE THERE IS NO YEAR-OVER-YEAR NUMBER — October CPI is expected at +0.3% headline and +0.2% core, but BLS will publish no 12-month change for most indexes because October 2025 prices were never collected during the shutdown; it’s the last inflation read before the Dec. 8–9 Fed meeting, with a hike priced near 80%.
PENDING HOME SALES HIT A RECORD LOW AS PRICES FALL FOR A THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK — Redfin counted 275,484 pending sales in the four weeks ending Nov. 1, down 16.4% from a year earlier and the lowest in its records back to 2021, with buyer activity falling in every major metro; the median sale price slipped 0.4% to $388,604, though the typical monthly payment is still 11.1% above a year ago.
QUICK HITS
VANCE BLAMES THE IRAN WAR FOR THE GOP WIPEOUT AND SAYS VOTERS WANTED OUT
JEFFRIES IN LINE TO BE FIRST BLACK SPEAKER AS DEMOCRATIC WIN RESHUFFLES BOTH CHAMBERS’ LEADERSHIP
HOUSE GOP LAUNCHES DEFENSE PLAN TO SHIELD TRUMP FROM LOOMING DEMOCRAT INVESTIGATIONS
INDIANA PICKS NEW LEGISLATIVE LEADERS AFTER DEMOCRATS BROKE THE GOP SUPERMAJORITY
WHY THE MISSISSIPPI AND ALASKA SENATE RACES REMAIN UNCALLED DAYS AFTER ELECTION DAY
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
JEFFRIES TO MILLER: ‘ZERO INTEREST’ — THE INCOMING SPEAKER RULES OUT WORKING WITH TRUMP’S NEW CHIEF OF STAFF — Jeffries called Stephen Miller a “stone-cold racist” and said he has no interest in working with him, as Miller began his first day as chief of staff Monday; Oversight’s top Democrat has already flagged Miller as a focus of the probes coming in January.
FIRST EXIT OF THE MILLER ERA: DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF RICHARD WALTERS QUITS — Walters, a longtime Susie Wiles ally and the longest-tenured RNC chief of staff in history, offered his resignation Friday as Miller prepares to build his own West Wing team; Miller called him “invaluable” and said he will keep helping from outside.
TRUMP: NEW IRAN STRIKES ‘HIGHLY UNLIKELY’ IF TALKS PROGRESS — In a phone interview with CNN, Trump said fresh attacks on Iran are highly unlikely as long as talks move toward “a very strong agreement” — while noting the U.S. has identified potential targets, including 38 bridges it “can knock down in literally one hour.”
JUDGE FREEZES TRUMP’S TRIUMPHAL ARCH FOR 14 DAYS HOURS AFTER PLANNERS APPROVED IT — U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary restraining order late Thursday halting construction for 14 days on the planned arch between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, the same day the National Capital Planning Commission approved the plans 8-4; the government must file a compliance report.
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT DROPS ITS CALIFORNIA SUIT OVER 20,000 BALLOTS FLAGGED ON CITIZENSHIP GROUNDS — DOJ asked a court Friday to dismiss its suit seeking to set aside roughly 20,000 California ballots until citizenship could be checked, after a federal judge and then the Supreme Court blocked the hold before Election Day.
BUSINESS & YOUR MONEY
TRUMP STANDS BY NVIDIA’S HUANG AS FBI LOOKS INTO THE SPY AFFAIR — AND SHAREHOLDERS SUE — Trump said the FBI is looking into Jensen Huang’s affair with a Megaspeed executive U.S. officials suspect is a Chinese intelligence asset, and called Huang an “honorable guy”; Nvidia’s board opened its own probe, shareholders filed a class action Monday, and the stock slid more than 4%, wiping about $190 billion off its value.
TAIWAN’S MARKET SOARS AFTER TAIPEI CURBS SHORT SELLING AND READIES A $15 BILLION RESCUE FUND — The Taiex surged as much as 6.4% Monday — its biggest one-day gain since July 31 — ending a seven-session losing streak after regulators cut the short-sale ceiling from 30% to 3% and authorized the NT$500 billion stabilization fund, with TSMC up 6.6%.
QUICK HITS
TRUMP MEETS QATAR’S PRIME MINISTER AT THE WHITE HOUSE AS IRAN TALKS STALL
TUESDAY’S CPI COMES WITH NO ANNUAL RATE — AND A DECEMBER HIKE HANGING ON ONE DECIMAL
BLANCHE DISMANTLES DEMOCRATS’ OVERSIGHT CHARADE ON THE SUNDAY SHOWS
OBAMACARE BENCHMARK PREMIUMS UP 13% FOR 2027 AS OPEN ENROLLMENT RUNS TO THE DECEMBER 15 DEADLINE
GEOPOLITICS
POPE LEO FLIES TO CÓRDOBA FOR MASS TODAY, THEN BACK FOR A YOUTH VIGIL IN BUENOS AIRES — Leo XIV celebrates a 10 a.m. Mass at Córdoba’s Military Aviation School, meets clergy at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, and presides over a youth vigil at the Monumento de los Españoles tonight — the first papal visit to Argentina in 39 years, ahead of Wednesday’s Luján Mass and the Peru leg.
U.S., RUSSIA AND UKRAINE SIT DOWN IN ABU DHABI TODAY — FIRST TALKS IN NINE MONTHS — Witkoff and Kushner lead the U.S. side, Umerov leads Kyiv’s team and Medinsky leads Moscow’s, for two days of talks Trump calls “very close” to a deal — with Ukraine ending up “a little bit different shape”; Russia insists Europe stay out of the room, while European officials hold separate coordination with Kyiv.
ISRAEL’S NEW KNESSET IS SWORN IN TODAY AS EISENKOT HUNTS FOR 61 VOTES — Neither bloc holds a majority in the 120-seat parliament sworn in today; Eisenkot, handed the mandate Sunday with 67 recommendations, has 28 days to build a coalition — his 48-seat bloc needs the 19 Arab-Israeli lawmakers or the 13 ultra-Orthodox seats, while Netanyahu pitches a unity government under himself instead.
FRANCE’S STREETS STAY FULL AS UNIONS JOIN THE STUDENT-LED PROTESTS — Between 600,000 and a million people marched Thursday as unions joined students in a movement that began over crumbling schools and now spans wages, purchasing power and inequality; Macron is rejected by a majority of the French, Le Pen leads the polls, and a presidential election is six months away.
ALLIANA NAMES A NEW CENTRAL BANK CHIEF TO STEADY PARAGUAY AFTER THE UENO COLLAPSE — President Pedro Alliana nominated economist Jorge Schreiner on Monday and Congress approved him, alongside Fernando Rivarola — the regulator who raised the alarm on Ueno in July — to the bank’s board; Alliana said the picks aim to restore confidence, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio called him Sunday.
UKRAINE’S DRONES HIT RUSSIA’S SECOND-BIGGEST REFINERY ON THE EVE OF THE ABU DHABI TALKS — Ukrainian drones struck the Kirishi refinery in the Leningrad region overnight, setting fires at the plant that handles over 6% of Russia’s refined output, while Moscow claimed its air defenses downed 81 UAVs; Russia has hit Ukraine’s power grid again in return.
BUSINESS & YOUR MONEY
SEOUL’S MARGIN RELIEF DRAWS MIXED REVIEWS — BREATHING ROOM TODAY, BIGGER LOSSES TOMORROW? — A day after the three-month waiver of the 140% margin-collateral rule took effect, the KOSPI surged 4.4% — but critics warn the relief breaks the forced-selling spiral only by letting leveraged investors hold on longer, as happened with a similar pandemic-era measure.
QUICK HITS
PARAGUAY’S TEACHERS WALK OUT INDEFINITELY FROM MONDAY OVER PENSION MONEY TRAPPED IN UENO
TRUMP EXPECTS TALKS WITH XI AND PUTIN AT APEC SUMMIT IN CHINA NEXT WEEK
NOVAYA GAZETA GOES DARK AS THE KREMLIN SHUTS RUSSIA’S LAST FREE NEWSPAPER
IN PARAGUAY, A LECTURER LEFT WITH $5 IN CASH WAITS FOR A REFUND THAT MAY NOT COME SOON
SPORTS
BILLS WEAR DOWN VIKINGS 23-6 AS WENTZ THROWS TWO PICKS IN A HISTORICALLY BAD THIRD QUARTER — Josh Allen threw for 234 yards and James Cook ran for 107 and a touchdown as Buffalo held the ball for 42:32; the 7-1 Bills matched their best eight-game start since 1993, while the Vikings went 0-for-8 on third down and Wentz finished 8-of-25 for 81 yards.
GEORGIA BACK ON TOP, NOTRE DAME UP TO NO. 3 — AND THE SECOND CFP RANKINGS LAND TONIGHT — Georgia reclaimed No. 1 after a 42-7 rout of Ole Miss, Notre Dame rose to No. 3 after toppling No. 1 Miami, and Utah and UCLA stayed unbeaten at 9-0, while Ohio State tumbled to No. 25 after consecutive losses.
MAHOMES SHAKES OFF ELBOW SCARE AS CHIEFS HANDLE THE JETS 35-12 — Mahomes had his elbow worked on at halftime after a strip-sack bent his arm, then threw two touchdown passes to Kenneth Walker III, who also ran for 102 yards and a score, as Kansas City ended a two-game skid.
BURROW THROWS THREE SCORES AS BENGALS WIN IN MADRID, 34-17 — Joe Burrow completed 24 of 29 passes for 271 yards at the Santiago Bernabéu, Ja’Marr Chase caught 10 for 155 and a touchdown, and Cincinnati won a fourth straight.
SHEDEUR’S TWO-POINT TRY FALLS SHORT AS SAINTS EDGE BROWNS 23-22 IN OT — Tyler Shough hit Juwan Johnson for the overtime touchdown, and the Saints held on when Shedeur Sanders threw incomplete on the two-point try after Harold Fannin Jr.’s 39-yard score.
BRONCOS WIN 16TH STRAIGHT ONE-SCORE GAME, 26-21 OVER CAROLINA — Bo Nix threw two touchdown passes and Nik Bonitto’s strip-sack of Bryce Young with 1:24 left sealed Denver’s fifth straight win and sole possession of the AFC West.
TRAVEL
VIENNA’S CHRISTMAS MARKET OPENS FRIDAY — MULLED WINE, AN ICE RINK AND A MONTH BEFORE THE CROWDS — The Christkindlmarkt opens Nov. 13 on the Rathausplatz with an ice rink beside it; go for Sachertorte in a coffee house, the Riesenrad at dusk and roasted chestnuts from a street booth.
MACY’S THANKSGIVING PARADE TURNS 100 — WITH A RECORD 100 INFLATABLES — The centennial parade steps off Nov. 26 at 8:30 a.m., with Underdog returning for the first time since 1984; Plymouth’s hometown parade, meanwhile, marches Nov. 21 from Plymouth Rock.
VANCOUVER’S EASTSIDE CULTURE CRAWL OPENS ITS STUDIO DOORS NOV. 19–22 — The annual crawl turns the city’s east side into open studios, with artists showing work where it’s made — one of November’s best reasons to wander a neighborhood on foot.
ROASTED CHESTNUTS AND BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU: THE FRENCH RIVIERA DOES NOVEMBER ITS OWN WAY — Free chestnut festivals fill Nice’s neighborhoods on Saturdays, Beaujolais Nouveau arrives Nov. 19, and the Monte Carlo Jazz Festival runs Nov. 18–29 at the Opéra Garnier.
TORONTO’S ROYAL WINTER FAIR, THE WORLD’S BIGGEST INDOOR AG SHOW, RUNS THROUGH NOV. 15 — The 104th Royal draws about 300,000 visitors for horses, livestock and farm food in the heart of the city — with the Kona coffee festival still pouring in Hawaii through Nov. 15.
FOOD
TIKTOK’S THANKSGIVING ALL-STARS: HONEY-GARLIC HAM, FRENCH ONION MASHED POTATOES AND A 100-MILLION-VIEW TURKEY — Food Network handed the holiday to seven creators: a honey-garlic ham, crème brûlée sweet potatoes, Nonna Gracie’s century-old stuffing and a turkey with a maple-soy glaze that’s been watched more than 100 million times.
THE THANKSGIVING MENU THAT ISN’T BEIGE: APPLE SALAD, BRUSSELS SPROUTS THAT TASTE LIKE MAC AND CHEESE — A decade of hosting distilled into a plan: crisp apple salad with maple vinaigrette, a pumpkin tiramisu that needs no oven, and a make-ahead schedule so the day itself is mostly reheating and tossing.
THE PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE THAT LETS THE FARMS CALL THE SHOTS — At Greenport’s Halyard, chef Francis Derby builds his silken pumpkin Basque cheesecake from local cheese pumpkins, cooking the purée down to concentrate the flavor — on the menu through winter and on the Thanksgiving buffet.
SEATTLE’S RESTAURANT SECRETS, BOUND IN ONE COOKBOOK — New cookbook “Seattle Eats + Drinks” collects more than 70 recipes from 36 of the city’s chefs, bartenders and bakers — halibut with tom kha, lao lao noodles, a cumin chicken sandwich — as a time capsule of the post-COVID restaurant scene.
HUATULCO KEEPS ITS MOLE RECIPES ALIVE, ONE CONTEST AT A TIME — As part of Day of the Dead celebrations, Huatulco held its Traditional Mole Contest at City Hall, honoring the recipes, flavors and culinary knowledge passed down through generations.
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