Spy Plot, Hot Inflation, & Museum of Failed Products

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Adam Rogers
November 11, 2026

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British counterterrorism police arrested a senior U.S. Army officer Tuesday on suspicion of spying for Russia, following a joint investigation involving British and American intelligence agencies.
The 41-year-old soldier was stationed at Imjin Barracks in southwestern England, which houses the headquarters of NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. The unit coordinates forces that can deploy quickly across NATO territory. Authorities suspect the officer of illegally obtaining or disclosing protected information and assisting a foreign intelligence service. British police arrested him near Gloucester and searched two nearby properties as part of the investigation.
Officials familiar with the investigation told The Washington Post that no sensitive information reached Russia. The officer remains in British custody and could face charges under both British law and the U.S. military justice system. The arrest comes as European governments confront a growing number of suspected Russian espionage and sabotage operations. The Associated Press has documented more than 210 such incidents across Europe since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

U.S. consumer prices rose 0.4% in October, exceeding economists' expectations of 0.3%, according to a Labor Department report released Tuesday. The increase slowed from September's 0.6% rise but showed that inflation remains a problem for American households.
Prices excluding food and energy also rose 0.3%, above the expected 0.2% increase. The government did not publish an annual inflation rate because last year's federal shutdown prevented it from collecting the October 2025 data needed for comparison. September's annual inflation rate stood at 3.7%, well above the Federal Reserve's 2% target.
The report complicates the Fed's next interest rate decision as officials consider raising borrowing costs to control inflation. Investors increasingly expect a rate increase in December, and stocks fell following Tuesday's report. Oil prices had declined Monday, offering some potential relief for drivers, but the broader inflation figures suggest Americans could continue facing higher costs even as energy prices ease.

California voters rejected a proposal that would have established the nation's first statewide tax on billionaire wealth, according to results called by the Associated Press.
Proposition 40 would have imposed a one-time 5% tax on the total wealth of roughly 200 Californians worth more than $1 billion. Supporters estimated it could raise $100 billion over five years, primarily to offset federal healthcare funding cuts. Unlike traditional income taxes, the proposal would have taxed assets such as stocks and business ownership. Sen. Bernie Sanders supported the measure, while Gov. Gavin Newsom opposed it, concerned that wealthy residents would leave California.
Opponents of the billionaire tax also backed two measures intended to prevent it from taking effect. Voters rejected Proposition 41, which would have imposed additional restrictions on tax revenue and government spending. However, Proposition 42 was leading and would prohibit California from taxing stocks, business ownership, and other financial assets. Its passage could prevent the state from introducing similar wealth taxes in the future.

House Republicans elected Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan to lead their incoming minority after Speaker Mike Johnson chose not to run. (More) | Senate Republicans reelected South Dakota Sen. John Thune as their leader after losing their majority in the midterms. (More)

The Justice Department sued Lyft over allegations that drivers denied rides to people with service dogs or wheelchairs, which the company disputes. (More)

The Senate advanced bipartisan legislation that would speed up federal permitting for energy and other infrastructure projects. (More)

Pope Leo XIV is due in Peru today for a six-day visit that includes stops in the Andes and Amazon as the country prepares for heavy rain linked to El Niño. (More)

UNICEF warned that parts of Gaza could flood after it said Israel blocked repairs to a basin ahead of the rainy season. (More)

Piracy has increased in waters between the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean where European Union naval patrols help protect a major shipping route. (More)

U.S. stock markets closed lower on Tuesday (S&P -0.38%, Nasdaq -0.74%, Dow -0.30%). Stocks fell after October inflation came in above expectations and Nvidia dropped more than 5%. (More)

Anthropic set a proposed IPO price of $70 to $78 per share and plans to sell about 801 million of the 825 million shares on offer. (More)

U.S. credit card balances climbed $22 billion in the third quarter to $1.29 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. (More)

Minnesota reacquired quarterback Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2027 third-round draft pick to help revive the Vikings’ struggling offense. (More)

The Rings of Power returns to Prime Video today for a third season set five years after the fall of Eregion. (More)

U2 releases its first full-length album of new material in nine years this week, and one of its 12 tracks features Dolly Parton. (More)

An Ice Age camp near the French border places a group of hunter-gatherers in Italy about 30,000 years ago, or roughly 2,000 years earlier than previous dates at the site. (More)

A robotic thumb held a cup steady in tests so wearers could stir its contents using the fingers of the same hand. (More)

Frequent coffee drinkers had more diverse gut bacteria and a more acidic small intestine in a study of 61 adults that also linked higher coffee intake to more colon contractions. (More)

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