May 11, 2026
War in the Middle East, Charts, and History
Good morning, everyone!
Each day, we will traverse history, both its past and present. By providing you with the single most comprehensive snapshot of the world as humanly possible, I aim to equip you with everything you need to know for the day to be informed.
Today, we will look at the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, several historical snapshots, and the week of news ahead.
Let’s get to it.
The Week Ahead
-West Virginia will hold a statewide primary election on Tuesday.
Separately, the Bahamas will hold a snap parliamentary election.
-The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will publish the April Consumer Price Index.
-The Copenhagen Democracy Summit will convene in Denmark.
-Leaders of the Bucharest Nine (B9), a group of NATO’s eastern flank members, will convene in Romania for a summit meeting.
-President Donald Trump will begin a two-day visit to China on Thursday.
-U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s term will end on Friday.
-Cabo Verde will hold legislative elections on Sunday.
Major Developments
-President Donald Trump called Iran’s response to a U.S. proposal to end the war in the region “totally unacceptable” yesterday amid heightening tensions between the two countries.
Trump, who authorized the joint U.S.-Israeli operation against Tehran on February 28, has sought to bring the war to a conclusion as it has grown increasingly unpopular inside the United States and as gas prices have soared.
Yesterday, the average U.S. gas price stood at $4.52 amid the ongoing conflict, according to AAA.
At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview on CBS’ 60 Minutes that there is still “work to be done.”
View it here:
-The Virginia Supreme Court overturned the state’s newly approved redistricting map that sought to add up to four Democratic seats to its congressional delegation.
The ruling is a major setback for Democrats, as Republican-led states move to approve new maps that advantage the GOP in the wake of last month’s Supreme Court decision invalidating a pillar of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
In an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press yesterday, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker called the ruling “profoundly hypocritical.”
View the full interview here:
-The U.S. economy added 115,000 jobs in April, more than anticipated by economists, while the unemployment rate remained steady at 4.3%.
-Homicide rates across major American cities plummeted in the first part of the year, according to new data.
-Trump is continuing to ask his associates whether they see Vice President JD Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a worthier successor, according to The New York Times, and he often suggests the two run on the same presidential ticket in 2028.
-Anti-abortion activists met with White House officials on Friday where they reportedly expressed their frustration over what they see as the administration’s lack of progress on advancing their priorities.
-Trump is reportedly planning to fire Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary.
-British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party suffered major losses in municipal elections held across the United Kingdom over the weekend.
-Abe Foxman, the longtime leader of the Anti-Defamation League, died yesterday at the age of 86.
On this day in 1846, President James Polk asked Congress to declare war on Mexico.
In 1858, Minnesota was admitted to the Union as the 32nd state.
In 1992, former President Ronald Reagan and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev reunited at Forbes magazine’s 75th Anniversary celebration at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
In 2010, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown resigned, ending 13 years of Labour Party rule.
Other Links:
Energy Secretary says Trump ‘open’ to pausing gas tax amid climbing prices - USA Today
Platner and Collins Begin Their Duel in the Maine Senate Race - The New York Times
Sen. Susan Collins reveals ‘benign’ tremor, says it hasn’t affected her job or how she feels - NBC
Poll: 72 percent say there’s too much money in American politics - The Hill
Remains of US soldier who went missing during military exercises in Morocco have been recovered - AP
Benin opposition joins ruling coalition - Africa News
State Department reviewing all Mexican consulates in U.S. as tensions grow - CBS
Mexican parents criticise ending school year a month early for World Cup - BBC
China says April exports jump 14.1% from a year ago ahead of Trump-Xi summit - AP
US disappointed in Taiwan’s smaller defense budget, official says - Reuters
Trump says Russia and Ukraine have agreed to his request for a 3-day ceasefire and a prisoner swap - AP
Putin says he thinks Ukraine conflict ‘coming to an end’ - BBC
Former prime minister launches presidential campaign to take on far right in France - Politico
Israeli strikes kill three people in Gaza, medics say, testing fragile ceasefire - Reuters
That’s all for today. See you tomorrow.
Notes:
https://scowcroft.substack.com/p/tsg-weekly-calendar-may-11-17
The blend of Middle East conflict updates with historical snapshots and U.S. economic data is a strong way to frame the day. Your consistent long-view approach helps connect global flashpoints to domestic realities without feeling overwhelming.
President John Adams made a compelling education argument for renewing civics education . . . viogorously: "Liberty can not be preserved without a general knowledge among the people." 🗽
Thank you, Jacob . . . ¡for making me the smartest human in the room!🥳
Baltimore CFity tends to have higher crime rates than Baltimore Countty but its violence is coming down, too. That chart on declines in crime blew my mind.⚖️