U.S. orders Michigan coal plant to stay open.
Today's events
Coal plant order.
The Energy Department ordered the Midwest grid operator and Consumers Energy to keep Michigan’s J.H. Campbell coal plant available to run through February 12, reversing a shutdown first set for May 2025.1Nov 14 · DOEIndustrial nuclear permit.
Nuclear regulators approved construction of four small X-energy reactors at Dow’s Seadrift chemical site in Texas — the first pebble-bed design ever cleared in the United States, and 320 megawatts when built.2Nov 13 · DOEHydropower record low.
Colorado River drought cut Southwest hydropower 19% below last summer and 28% below the ten-year average; Lake Powell ended September less than 1% above the level Glen Canyon Dam needs to generate.3Nov 13 · EIAProductivity puzzle.
Federal Reserve Governor Philip Jefferson asked whether artificial intelligence will lift productivity as computers did, noting information-technology investment added about three-quarters of a point to annual productivity growth in the late 1990s.4Nov 14 · FedGlobal telecom vote.
The State Department welcomed Doreen Bogdan-Martin’s re-election to lead the International Telecommunication Union on a 164-to-nothing vote; her first term drew more than $80 billion in connectivity commitments.5Nov 13 · StateHonduras partnership.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Honduran President Nasry Asfura in Washington and praised his role in the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition and Honduras’s designation of MS-13 and Barrio 18 as terrorist associations.6Nov 13 · StateCartel leader sentenced.
The Justice Department secured a 270-month sentence for Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, 67, who helped build Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation cartel alongside his brother, El Mencho.7Nov 13 · DOJSingapore digital talks.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Singapore’s digital minister discussed trusted digital infrastructure, cybersecurity and superintelligence before Singapore chairs the Southeast Asian bloc in 2027.8Nov 13 · StateSanctions licenses published.
Treasury’s sanctions office entered four previously website-only general licenses into the Federal Register: three Iran licenses, including wind-downs with Iraq Development Bank and Samudra Marine Services, plus one Cuba license.9Nov 13 · OFAC
This week
Ukraine talks opened.
Rubio said on November 9 that Russia–Ukraine talks were opening in Abu Dhabi, and confirmed the next day that U.S. envoys were at the table while British, French and German security advisers were present but not at it. State then published the Group of Seven's Paris declaration, which backs a full, reciprocal ceasefire and tighter sanctions on shadow-fleet insurers, oil traders and intermediaries. The November 9 and 14 briefs carried both steps.1Nov 9–13 · StateNo major Iran strikes.
Rubio told reporters in Paris on November 10 that the naval blockade and sanctions have made major combat operations against Iran unnecessary, while warning the military stands ready if Tehran crosses red lines. The remark came a day after he defended new U.S. strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island as defensive. Treasury added secondary-sanctions status to existing Iran listings rather than new targets, and published three Iran wind-down licenses by week's end.2Nov 10 · StateFederal debt at $40.2 trillion.
Auditors reported that figure for the year ended September 30, with interest costs of $1.4 trillion and borrowing subject to the $41.1 trillion statutory limit now past $40 trillion. New York Fed researchers put the banking system's capital shortfall under a repeat of the 2008 crisis at $16.9 billion, up from $1.9 billion a year earlier. Household debt grew $334 billion in the third quarter. First in the November 10 brief.3Nov 9 · GAOSummit calendar set.
At China's request, Rubio and Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke on November 11 and discussed Trump's coming travel to the Asia-Pacific summit in China, Xi's visit to Florida for the Group of 20, and a possible three-way leaders' meeting with Russia. The call put two leader-level meetings on the calendar in both capitals and raised a format that would seat Washington, Beijing and Moscow together. It anchored the November 12 and 14 briefs.4Nov 11 · StateMinerals position mapped.
Three actions in three days touched the same dependency. The Geological Survey projected world capacity to 2030 for eight minerals the U.S. mostly imports; China holds over 70% of graphite, silicon and tungsten supply. Washington and Tokyo issued a joint statement on deep-sea mining, pledging processing capacity among trusted partners. And a federal court in Arizona refused to halt the Hermosa mine, the only domestic project positioned to produce battery-grade manganese. China refines about 95% of it.5Nov 10–12 · USGS$1.2 billion seized.
The Justice Department seized and froze more than $1.2 billion in cryptocurrency stolen from Binance by North Korean actors, along with the infrastructure behind a deepfake scheme that has taken $400 million. Treasury acted two days earlier, naming the exchange MEXC Global a primary money-laundering concern over Russian illicit finance and barring U.S. institutions from transmitting funds involving it; the order cites billions moved for Iran and North Korea. First in the November 13 brief.7Nov 12 · DOJ
Allied Governments
Arctic naval framework.
Britain and Norway convened representatives of 30 countries aboard HMS Prince of Wales in Oslo; Joint Expeditionary Force naval chiefs signed a new Northern Navies Framework on November 10.aNov 13 · UK MoDEuropean migration statement.
Britain, Denmark and Italy issued a joint statement on illegal migration endorsed by 41 leaders at the European Political Community summit in Dublin, pledging to sustain recent reductions.bNov 13 · UK No.10
Voices
“Ensuring coal plants such as the Campbell Plant are available to operate has prevented blackouts and likely saved lives.”
Energy Sec. Chris Wright · Nov 141
“The NRC’s approval demonstrates meaningful progress toward deploying advanced reactors that can deliver reliable power and industrial heat.”
Principal Dep. Asst. Sec. Mike Goff, DOE Nuclear Energy · Nov 132
“Hydropower generation from April through August 2026 was 19% lower than during the same period last year and 28% lower than the 10-year average.”
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Today in Energy · Nov 133
“How could rapid technological change affect our economy, and what could that mean for monetary policy?”
Fed Gov. Philip Jefferson, UC San Diego Economic Roundtable · Nov 144
“The sentencing of Oseguera Cervantes demonstrates that no cartel leader is beyond the reach of American justice.”
DEA Administrator Terry Cole · Nov 137
“Ms. Bogdan-Martin received 164 votes out of 164 countries present and voting, demonstrating her commitment to the ITU’s mission and culture of excellence that she has instilled in the organization.”
State Dept. media note, International Telecommunication Union · Nov 135
Sources
- U.S. Dept. of Energy, “Energy Secretary Keeps Critical, Coal-Fired Generation Operational Ahead of Winter in the Midwest,” November 14, 2026. energy.gov/articles/…/coal-fired-generation-midwest
- U.S. Dept. of Energy, “Dow, X-energy Receive Construction Permit for Advanced Nuclear Project in Texas,” November 13, 2026. energy.gov/ne/articles/…/dow-x-energy-construction-permit
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Hydropower generation in the Southwest fell to record lows this summer,” November 13, 2026. eia.gov/todayinenergy/…/id=68445
- Federal Reserve Board, “New Technology, Old Questions: Productivity Puzzles and the Macroeconomy” (Gov. Philip N. Jefferson, UC San Diego Economic Roundtable), November 14, 2026. federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/…/jefferson20261113a
- U.S. Dept. of State, “United States Welcomes Re-Election of Doreen Bogdan-Martin as Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union,” November 13, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/itu-secretary-general-re-election
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with President of Honduras Asfura,” November 13, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/rubio-honduras-asfura
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, “Mexican Cartel Leader Known As ‘Tony Montana’ Sentenced for Armed Drug Trafficking as Part of Homeland Security Task Force Initiative,” November 13, 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/oseguera-cervantes-sentenced
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Deputy Secretary Landau’s Meeting with Singapore Minister of Digital Development and Information Teo,” November 13, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/landau-singapore-teo
- U.S. Dept. of the Treasury, OFAC, “Publication of Iran-Related Web General Licenses EE and FF,” November 13, 2026 — with companion notices publishing Iran-related General License W and a Cuba Sanctions Regulations general license the same day. federalregister.gov/documents/…/iran-general-licenses-ee-ff
- UK Ministry of Defence, “Atlantic Future Forum 2026 Co-Hosts Statement,” November 13, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/atlantic-future-forum-2026
- UK Prime Minister’s Office (No.10), “Joint Leaders Statement on Migration at the European Political Community Summit,” November 13, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/epc-migration-joint-statement