An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: Trump’s call with Putin; the balance of power in Congress; why November is weirdly warm; and more

By Jamie Ross
with John Taylor

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Good morning. It's Monday, Nov. 11, and in honor of Veterans Day, remember that you can get free entry into the National Parks. Now let's get to the news.


	President-elect Donald Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin after last week's election.

What happened: Trump urged the Russian president not to escalate the war in Ukraine, The Post reported yesterday. This morning, Russia denied that the conversation took place.
In related news: Trump's victory, including a sweep of all seven swing states, has left Democrats in shambles. The party faces a long rebuild, and a search for a new leader.
Reader reaction: We asked women how Trump's win made them feel — here's what they said.

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Republicans are inching toward winning the House.

Where things stand: There are still millions of uncounted votes, many in California, and 19 uncalled races. Republicans need to win five for a majority — find the latest results here.
Power struggle: Republicans will pick a new Senate Majority Leader on Wednesday. Trump, who wants to move fast on tax cuts, weighed in on that three-way race yesterday.
In Arizona: They're still counting votes. But if Rep. Ruben Gallego (D) holds on to defeat Kari Lake, Republicans will have a 53-seat Senate majority.

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The annual United Nations Climate Change Conference began today.

What's happening? Leaders are gathering in Azerbaijan for COP29 — find live updates here. Last year, nations agreed to move away from coal, oil and gas. So far, they have failed.
One major issue: Trump's plans further threaten global climate goals. His win has set off a scramble to lock in President Joe Biden's environmental policies before January.

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Israeli airstrikes killed dozens of people across Gaza and Lebanon.

What to know: The death toll in yesterday's strikes included 20 children, health officials said. One strike in the northern Gaza Strip hit family homes in a besieged refugee camp.
Zooming out: Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu sees himself as "the great winner" of Trump's victory. And, in the U.S., pro-Hamas messages have spread on college campuses.

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Wildfires blanketed parts of New York City with potentially dangerous smoke.

Smoke billows from a fire in Brooklyn's Prospect Park on Friday. (Michelle Paggi, Ph.D./Reuters)

This weekend: Fires broke out in New Jersey and the Hudson Valley. A New York parks employee was killed while fighting a fire about 30 miles northwest of Manhattan.
What's driving the fires? Much of the Northeast has gone without rain for weeks. The drought is made more dangerous when combined with dry fall foliage.

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It's been a weirdly warm November so far.

Why? The answer can be partially found 5,000 miles away in the North Pacific Ocean. The jet stream has been blowing more strongly than normal from north of its usual position.
Its impact: The weather has been more than 10 degrees above average across parts of more than 20 states. The warmth is forecast to continue through mid-November.

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A court decided who should get the engagement ring after a breakup.

The ring Bruce Johnson gave to Caroline Settino when they got engaged in 2017. (Courtesy of Caroline Settino via Reuters)

What you're looking at: A $70,000 Tiffany & Co. ring that sparked a court battle in Massachusetts. A man sued his former partner, claiming he was the ring's rightful owner.
The ruling: The man should get the ring back, the state's highest court decided last week. It said, from now on, rings must be returned to the buyer if the wedding falls through.

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Before you go … this airplane boarding hack really works: How to play Check-in Chicken. Plus: Going full expat from the U.S. is tricky — here's an easier option.

One more good read: A Virginia toll road saved an RV-driving dad 20 minutes — and cost $569.

And finally … test your news knowledge with The Post's daily quiz, On the Record. Click here to play. Or try our word game, Keyword.

You're all caught up. See you tomorrow.