United States

No US grid attack, large outage or new DOE emergency order found for Nov 1-3. DOE's 2026 Federal Power Act 202(c) emergency-order list (read Nov 3) still shows its newest order as No. 202-26-50, issued Oct 12 to PJM for Oct 13-16. Orders keeping older plants available remain in force: Craig Unit 1 in Colorado (to Dec 25), Culley 2 and Schahfer 17-18 in Indiana (to Dec 18), Centralia Unit 2 in Washington (to Dec 11) and Stanton Unit 1 in Florida (to Nov 30). One local item: a power outage at George Washington University's Foggy Bottom campus in Washington on Nov 2, with Pepco working on restoration (university notice). Not checked: NERC winter assessment, FORTRESS America updates, and the EO 14421 equipment-rule date of about Dec 24; sources disagree on the executive order number (14420 vs 14421).

Iran: CBS News reported U.S. forces carried out limited 'defensive' strikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz (reportedly Qeshm Island); a senior U.S. military official said they answered Revolutionary Guard fire on a U.S. aircraft. Qatar-led indirect talks, with Pakistan also involved, have produced no breakthrough. Iran says the next move is up to the U.S. and has offered to shorten the implementation period from seven days to two if the U.S. lifts its naval blockade and sanctions, releases frozen assets and halts fighting on all fronts. Trump posted that a deal 'could happen'; Vice President Vance said there was 'some progress'. Iran's broadcaster said 11 tankers caught fire over nine days; CBS reported a vessel struck off Oman killed one Indian crew member. Oil fell about 7% Monday on deal hopes, with Brent near $105 (CBS). Ukraine: Ukraine's Air Force, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine, said Russia launched 289 drones and 59 cruise missiles plus ballistic missiles from 18:00 Nov 2; it said 257 drones, 49 cruise missiles and 3 ballistic missiles were downed or suppressed, with strikes at 23 locations. No casualty figures from that attack were found; the attack was still under way when reported. The prior night, Ukrinform reported 371 of 433 drones neutralized. Gaza and Lebanon: no dated Nov 3 reporting found; Nov 2 Reuters/ABC report of Israeli strikes killing eight in Gaza stands. North Korea and Taiwan: nothing new found this sweep.

Oil fell about 7% Monday on hopes for US-Iran talks. CNBC reported Brent settled at $104.77 and a wire report said WTI closed at $96.46, so WTI stays under $100. Early Tuesday, Brent was near $105.25 and WTI near $96.93 (Asian trading, per a wire report). The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials, reported a US strike on Iran's Qeshm Island aimed at protecting Hormuz shipping; that came through secondary outlets and was not confirmed in the results seen. Iranian and Qatari officials were in a third day of talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with no breakthrough reported, and analysts cited by CNBC and others urged caution. AAA national averages for Nov 2: $4.17 regular (12 cents below a week ago) and $6.29 diesel (6 cents below a week ago). A GasBuddy analyst said the national average could fall under $4 within a week if crude holds, per Al Jazeera. Pump prices usually trail futures by days. EIA weekly data (reported by Reuters via the BOE Report) showed distillate (diesel and heating oil) stocks down about 1.5 million barrels to roughly 102.8 million in the week ending Oct 23; the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is near 282.6 million barrels, the lowest since 1982 per one aggregator. The next EIA report is due Wed Nov 4.

Election Day: no confirmed cyberattack on voting systems found. CISA's advisories page (read Nov 3) lists nothing newer than an Oct 30 known-exploited-vulnerabilities alert. The Federal Election Commission's e-filing system, taken offline around Oct 26-27 after reported hacking attempts (Reuters), was back Oct 28; the FEC has not officially given a cause and says it does not run elections, so voting is not affected; some FEC search and notification services were still being restored. Arizona's candidate portal was defaced with Iranian imagery, and two senators asked DHS about it (senators' release; not independently checked). Federal election-security support is reported thinner than in past cycles (secondary reports). A claim that Iran plans Election Day attacks comes from an opinion outlet repeating a Telegraph report and is unverified. Europe: the Nov 1-2 supermarket refrigeration attacks now cover Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Ireland and Estonia per NBC; Musgrave said 13 SuperValu stores were hit, Colruyt five Spar shops, and Ikea one Belgian store. No group named and no US link reported. Pentagon commissary freezer probe not re-checked.

Election Day (Tue Nov 3). The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) rates severe-storm risk 1 to 5 (1 Marginal, 2 Slight, 3 Enhanced, 4 Moderate, 5 High). Its 5:34 AM UTC outlook has only a Marginal risk (level 1) from the Sabine River Valley into the lower and mid Mississippi Valley, with isolated damaging gusts and a brief tornado or two possible; a broken line of storms moves east from western Missouri, western Arkansas and east Texas. This is down from Monday's Enhanced (level 3) risk over Oklahoma and Kansas. The Weather Prediction Center (WPC, 7:54 AM EST) says scattered heavy rain spreads across the Middle and Lower Mississippi Valley, steady rain falls over the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, and Flood Watches continue for southeast Florida after flooding Monday. No lowland snow is forecast; mountain snow is possible in the Central Rockies Nov 4-5. NBC News reported Palm Bay, Fla., got about 22 inches of rain in 24 hours, several polling sites in St. Lucie and Brevard counties were relocated, and Gov. DeSantis declared a state of emergency in seven Atlantic-coast counties; NBC also reported that Arizona, Utah and Colorado flash flooding was deadly and Utah allowed electronic ballot return in San Juan County and other isolated areas. NWS put Election Day flash-flood chance in Florida near 5% but the ground is saturated, per NBC. Space weather (NOAA SWPC alerts feed): a G1 (minor, on the 1-to-5 geomagnetic storm scale) K-index 5 alert was issued Nov 1 at 01:17 UTC; a warning that K-index 4 is expected was extended Nov 1; and an alert that electron flux at 2 MeV (energetic particles that can affect satellites) exceeded 1,000 particles per unit continued Nov 3 at 05:02 UTC. No G3 or higher and no SWPC grid warning seen. Not checked: NHC tropics page, NWS tornado or flood warning counts, SWPC 3-day forecast.

Election Day, Nov 3. AP reported relatively few problems with voting so far; it said heavy rain and flash flooding were expected to make reaching polls harder in parts of Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico, and that most polling locations have not changed. Florida: NBC News reported flooding led to several polling places being moved (a ClickOrlando/AP sidebar says Brevard County moved locations; exact count not verified here). Guard: a few states use small teams for cybersecurity support and some Washington counties use unarmed Guard members to watch ballot drop boxes at night (search results; The Hill page could not be opened). The Pentagon letter cited earlier said no plan to put troops or federalized Guard at polls. Federal: AP said the Justice Department planned its largest-ever Election Day monitoring effort, with Democrats and allied groups planning a counter-effort; the administration has said no armed federal officials would guard polls, while election officials and Democratic groups prepared for possible immigration agents at voting sites. Courts: the Supreme Court declined the administration's request to make California set aside ballots in a search for noncitizen voters (AP); the Justice Department suit over Alaska Senate certification was dismissed Nov 1 and the department said it will appeal. No polling-place bomb threats, closures or new emergency declarations were found for Nov 3. D.C. Guard deployment: October 14 appeals arguments reported; no ruling found.

Wall Street ended Monday mixed as oil fell, per market reports: the Dow up about 0.4% near 51,984, the S&P 500 down about 0.5% near 7,541 and the Nasdaq down about 1.1% near 25,164, with chip stocks the main drag (figures differ slightly by outlet; close numbers come from secondary market reports). The 10-year Treasury yield was about 4.9%, down for a third day. Markets traded ahead of the midterm elections. The Fed held its target range at 3.75% to 4% on Oct 28 on a 10-2 vote; the two dissenters wanted a quarter-point increase, per the Fed statement. Its next meeting is Dec 8-9 with no meeting this month. One analysis put the chance of a December hike near 85%; that is a market-pricing estimate, not a Fed signal. The October jobs report is due Friday Nov 6 (from the prior report). No confirmed major US bank or payment outage found.

The LA/Long Beach port watchmen deadline is 5 p.m. Pacific Wednesday Nov 4, after the Pacific Maritime Association and ILWU Local 26 extended talks, with federal mediators helping (gCaptain, FreightWaves, FreshFruitPortal). About 250 watchmen are involved; the employer group says their terminals handle roughly 85% of Long Beach and 33% of Los Angeles cargo and that other ILWU workers are not expected to cross picket lines. No settlement had been reported as of the latest coverage seen. Air travel: the FAA flagged thunderstorm delays possible at Miami and Fort Lauderdale on Nov 2, and trade reports described ground stops there; nothing nationwide found, and nothing linking Election Day to flight disruption. Diesel at $6.29 still weighs on trucking. No US rail, trucking or airline strike found (search returned only European actions).

Costs remain the main pressure. NPR (Oct 29) reported General Motors expects chips and diesel to cost it as much as $2 billion this year, and Stellantis's CEO said higher memory-chip prices will affect the whole industry. A shortage of an engine-control chip is disrupting Stellantis's Fiat plants in Italy, possibly into December (trade report). Tesla and Samsung warned that proposed new US tariffs on Vietnam would raise costs (trade report). A watchmen strike at LA/Long Beach after Wednesday would add to port and rail container backlogs; the last count seen was about 35,000 containers waiting for rail service (FreightWaves, Oct 28). Carried over from the Nov 2 report: US-Canada tariff talks continuing. Not re-checked today.

FDA's recalls page shows its latest entry is still Oct 30 (365 Whole Foods Market ashwagandha capsules, possible Salmonella), followed by Wise Wife ground cinnamon (elevated lead, Oct 29) and cold-smoked sprat fish (possible botulism, Oct 27). No new recalls since the Nov 2 draft. Outbreak tables (FDA, CDC) and water notices were not re-checked today; Nov 2 figures stand: a Salmonella Javiana outbreak of 59 cases, Listeria outbreaks, and 25 active multistate foodborne investigations as of Oct 28.

Measles: CDC page (updated Oct 30) still shows 4,852 confirmed US cases as of Oct 29 (4,834 in 47 jurisdictions, 18 among international visitors), 3 deaths, 43 new outbreaks this year, 96% of cases outbreak-associated; the next weekly update was not yet seen. Ebola (DR Congo), the new traveler attestation from Nov 3, H5N1 in Indiana cattle (USDA APHIS, Nov 2), flu and drug shortages were not re-checked today; the Nov 2 figures and wording stand.

Kilauea (Hawaii): USGS HVO raised the alert level from Advisory to Watch and the aviation color code from yellow to orange in its Nov 2, 2:06 PM HST update. Low-level precursory activity began about 11:43 AM HST Nov 2 and HVO said it can continue for hours to days; lava fountaining for episode 56 is expected between Nov 2 afternoon and Nov 7. Quakes: USGS's significant-quake feed for the past week still lists one event, magnitude 6.4 southeast of Easter Island, green PAGER alert, no tsunami flag (one fetch read the time as Oct 31 09:49 UTC, the Nov 2 draft said Oct 29; unresolved, so no date used here). Nuclear: the NRC event notification report for Nov 2-3 says no events found. Wildfire (NIFC) was not checked.