Civil Rights Groups Sue Trump Administration Over Childcare Funding Freeze and Influencer's Role 
China Conducts Live-Fire Naval Drill Near Japan’s Okinotori Island Amid Joint Operation With Russia 
US, Solomon Islands Deepen Ties as Peace Corps Set to Return After 25 Years 
US Sends First Humanitarian Aid Flight to Cuba Under $100M Assistance Plan 
Trump Says Talks With UK PM Andy Burnham Went Well, Signals Meeting Soon 
FBI Director Kash Patel Plans Russia Visit in October, Report Says 
Saudi Oil Tankers Reverse Course as Houthi Threats Disrupt Red Sea Shipping 
ASEAN Summit Faces Pressure as U.S.-Iran Conflict, South China Sea Tensions Dominate Agenda 
Trump Vows Iran Will ‘Pay’ After U.S. Troop Deaths as Conflict Escalates 
Rubio to Meet Wang Yi as Trump-Xi Summit Plans Advance Amid Election Meddling Dispute 
US, China to Hold AI Talks Ahead of Xi’s September Visit 
Houthi Naval Blockade on Saudi Arabia Escalates Iran Conflict, Threatens Global Oil Supply 
Eduardo Bolsonaro Granted U.S. Green Card Amid Brazil Legal Battle and Tariff Dispute 
Israeli Airstrike Kills Family of Six in Gaza as Ceasefire Death Toll Mounts 
Trump Set to Unveil New Tariffs on Dozens of Countries as Global 10% Duty Nears Expiration 
Maduro, U.S. Prosecutors Propose June 2027 Trial Date in Drug Trafficking Case 
US-Iran Conflict Escalates as Gulf Attacks Threaten Global Oil Supply 
Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries was elected as the new leader of the House Democratic Party, making history as the first Black man to hold such a position. Jeffries would succeed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who previously announced that she would be stepping down from her leadership position.
Jeffries was unanimously elected by House Democrats Wednesday to become the party’s leader in the incoming Congress in January. Aside from Jeffries, Rep. Katherine Clark was unanimously elected as the House Democratic Whip, while Rep. Pete Aguilar was elected as the Democratic Caucus chair, the position Jeffries is currently serving. Jeffries’, Aguilar’s, and Clark’s election mark the first time in both parties that the top three leadership positions are held by women or people of color.
The elections of the three lawmakers also mark a generational shift from lawmakers such as Pelosi and her colleagues, who are all in their 80s.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised Jeffries’ election, saying that he was not surprised that the congressman, who hails from Brooklyn, was chosen. Schumer said that coming from Brooklyn means learning “how to work with all kinds of people. You learn how to stand your ground. You learn to not take things personally.” Schumer added that Jeffries “exemplifies all these traits.”
Jeffries formally announced his bid to become the next party leader on November 18 after 10 years in the House. Jeffries pledged to lead a caucus that would bring back power to committee members and give junior lawmakers more input in drafting legislation.
On the same day, the US Treasury announced that it has complied with a Supreme Court ruling that granted the House Ways and Means Committee to obtain access to former President Donald Trump’s tax returns after an eight-year court battle.
The committee has long-sought the former president’s financial records from 2015 to 2020, saying that it needs the records to determine whether the Internal Revenue Service was properly auditing presidential returns and whether new legislation needs to be passed.
The Democratic-led panel has little time to look into the records until January when the Republicans take control of the House with its slim majority.
