Group of Seven backs Ukraine ceasefire, tighter sanctions.
Today's events
Ukraine ceasefire call.
State published the Group of Seven foreign ministers' November 9–10 Paris declaration: it backs a full, reciprocal ceasefire in Ukraine and closer sanctions coordination against shadow-fleet insurers, oil traders and intermediaries.1Nov 13 · StateChina leader talks.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed Trump's travel to the Asia-Pacific summit in China, Xi's visit to Florida for the Group of 20, and a possible leaders' meeting with Russia.2Nov 11 · StateGuatemalan cartel blacklist.
State designated Los Lorenzanas a foreign terrorist organization, and Treasury blacklisted Los Huistas and Los Mendoza for supporting Mexican cartels — three Guatemala-based clans that move drugs north.3Nov 13 · StateExploited software flaw.
CISA added two actively exploited vulnerabilities to its catalog, including a permissions flaw in multiple Check Point security products; a standing directive requires federal agencies to patch cataloged flaws on exposed systems first.4Nov 13 · CISAMexico labor complaint.
The U.S. Trade Representative invoked the trade pact's rapid-response labor mechanism over Industrias FG's plant in Morelos, Mexico, suspending customs liquidation of its goods; Mexico has 10 days to agree to a review.5Nov 13 · USTRQuantum computing award.
The Commerce Department signed a final research award of up to $100 million under the federal chips law to Atom Computing, a neutral-atom quantum company, for hardware to control tens of thousands of qubits.6Nov 13 · CommerceBomber weapons test.
The Air Force said a B-21 Raider test aircraft flying from Edwards Air Force Base released a conventional weapon last week, moving the sixth-generation bomber from flight test to a functional weapons platform.7Nov 13 · Air ForceEbola entry ban.
The CDC continued its suspension of entry for people who have been in specified countries with an Ebola outbreak in the previous 21 days, extending the order through December 10.8Nov 10 · CDCContractor cyber settlement.
The Justice Department settled with Johnson Controls and two subsidiaries for $5 million over claims they failed to meet cybersecurity terms in contracts with NASA and the Defense, Energy and Justice departments.9Nov 13 · DOJ
This week
Ukraine talks opened in Abu Dhabi.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on November 9 that U.S. envoys were at a Russia–Ukraine trilateral there, with German, British and French security advisers present but not at the table.1 Four days later State published the Group of Seven's Paris declaration: it backs a full, reciprocal ceasefire and closer sanctions coordination against shadow-fleet insurers, oil traders and intermediaries.2 The Nov 9 and Nov 14 briefs carried both.Nov 9 · StateIran's land routes.
Central Command stood up Task Force Iron Gate on November 7, about 20 staff in Tampa working against weapons, dual-use technology and sanctioned cargo moving across Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea.3 The same week it put the naval blockade's total since July at 147 merchant vessels redirected, five disabled and ten Iranian tankers destroyed, after an aircraft disabled the St. Kitts-flagged Huda in the Gulf of Oman.4 From the Nov 8 brief.Nov 7 · CENTCOMNo major combat operations.
Rubio told counterparts in Paris on November 10 that the blockade and sanctions have made major combat against Iran unnecessary, while warning the military stands ready if Tehran crosses red lines.5 The pressure ran instead through finance and courts: Treasury attached secondary-sanctions status to its Iran program list, exposing foreign banks that deal with those names,6 and prosecutors indicted three Iranian-backed operatives tied to nearly 20 attacks in Europe and the United States.7Nov 10 · StateCritical-minerals position.
The Geological Survey published projections of world production capacity to 2030 for eight minerals the United States mostly imports, finding graphite capacity up 20% while China still holds more than 70% of graphite, silicon and tungsten supply.9 Washington and Tokyo issued a joint statement on seabed mineral development the same day,10 and an Arizona federal court refused to halt the Hermosa project, the only domestic site positioned to produce battery-grade manganese; China refines about 95% of it.11Nov 12 · USGSFederal debt at $40.2 trillion.
A Government Accountability Office audit released November 9 put federal debt at $40.2 trillion and interest costs at $1.4 trillion for the year ended September 30; borrowing against the $41.1 trillion statutory limit has passed $40 trillion.12 Rates pointed up the next day: Fed Governor Waller said in London that increases are needed sooner rather than later, and Governor Bowman called broadening inflation her priority.13 From the Nov 10 and Nov 11 briefs.Nov 9 · GAO$1.2 billion seized from North Korea.
The Justice Department said on November 12 that it had seized and frozen more than $1.2 billion in cryptocurrency stolen from the exchange Binance, along with the infrastructure behind a deepfake scheme that has taken $400 million.14 Two days earlier Treasury's financial-crimes unit barred U.S. institutions from transmitting funds involving the exchange MEXC Global, citing Russian illicit finance and billions moved for Iran and North Korea.15Nov 12 · DOJ
Allied Governments
Hormuz reopening demand.
The UK told the Security Council the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened and condemned Iran's attacks on Gulf states, citing 340,000 newly displaced Yemenis and a 50% rise in food prices in besieged Taiz.aNov 13 · UK FCDOUkraine winter package.
Britain and Ukraine closed a strategic dialogue held in Kyiv on November 11 and 12, London citing a £10.5 billion package for air defence and economic resilience, both sides ruling out easing Russia sanctions.bNov 12 · UK FCDOTransatlantic arms orders.
NATO's secretary general told a defence-industry forum in Rome, organised by the U.S. mission to the alliance and the Commerce Department, that allies announced more than $50 billion in new procurements at July's Ankara summit.cNov 12 · NATO
Voices
“We reiterated that negotiations on the future security of Europe must include the Europeans.”
Joint Declaration of the G7 Foreign Ministers, Paris · Nov 131
“We will not stand by while these foreign terrorist organizations corrupt Guatemala's institutions.”
Sec. of State Marco Rubio · Nov 133
“They agreed on the importance of meaningful leader-level conversations to advance goals such as peace and denuclearization, including at any potential trilateral leaders meeting with Russia.”
State Dept. readout, Rubio call with Foreign Minister Wang Yi · Nov 112
“These types of vulnerabilities are a frequent attack vector for malicious cyber actors and pose significant risks to the federal enterprise.”
CISA, Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog alert · Nov 134
“This successful test demonstrates our ability to adapt rapidly and hold any target at risk if deterrence fails.”
Sec. of the Air Force Troy Meink · Nov 137
“Federal contractors must follow required cybersecurity standards to safeguard sensitive government information.”
Acting AAG Jonathan Guynn, DOJ Civil Division · Nov 139
Sources
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Joint Statement on the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Paris,” November 13, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/g7-foreign-ministers-paris
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Secretary Rubio's Call with China's Director of the Office of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang,” November 11, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/rubio-call-with-wang-yi
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Foreign Terrorist Designations of Guatemalan Groups,” November 13, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/guatemalan-group-designations
- CISA, “CISA Adds Two Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog,” November 13, 2026. cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/…/kev-two-additions
- Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, “United States Seeks Mexico's Review of Alleged Denial of Workers' Rights at Industrias FG,” November 13, 2026. ustr.gov/about/…/industrias-fg-rapid-response
- U.S. Dept. of Commerce, “Department of Commerce Announces Finalization of CHIPS R&D Award with Atom Computing Inc.,” November 13, 2026. nist.gov/news-events/…/chips-award-atom-computing
- U.S. Air Force, “B-21 Raider demonstrates weapon release capability, validating foundational role in US deterrence strategy,” November 13, 2026. af.mil/News/…/b-21-weapon-release
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Order Under Sections 362 and 365 of the Public Health Service Act Continuing the Suspension of the Right To Introduce Certain Persons,” Federal Register, November 13, 2026. federalregister.gov/documents/…/cdc-entry-suspension-order
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, “HVAC Supplier Johnson Controls Inc. and Two Subsidiaries Agree to Pay $5 Million to Settle Cybersecurity Fraud Allegations,” November 13, 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/johnson-controls-cyber-settlement
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO), “The United Kingdom stands in solidarity with our Gulf partners: UK statement at the UN Security Council,” November 13, 2026. gov.uk/government/speeches/…/uk-statement-gulf-partners
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO), “UK-Ukraine joint statement: Strategic Dialogue, November 2026,” November 13, 2026. gov.uk/government/publications/…/uk-ukraine-strategic-dialogue
- NATO, “NATO Secretary General: expanding transatlantic defence cooperation is crucial,” November 13, 2026. nato.int/en/news-and-events/…/transatlantic-defence-cooperation