What We’re Watching: Longest-ever US shutdown coming to an end, Georgia Dream making one-party rule reality, Syria’s president in Washington

November 10, 2025

and

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) heads back to his office following a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on November 5, 2025 in Washington, D.C. The shutdown of the Federal Government has become the longest in U.S. history after surpassing the 35 day shutdown that occurred during President Trumps first term that began in the end of 2018.

(Photo by Samuel Corum/Sipa USA)

US shutdown heads toward end as eight Democrats give in

Eight Senate Democrats joined almost every Republican to advance a continuing resolution that would fund the government through January and end the longest-ever US shutdown. Other members of the Democratic caucus were fuming. They had been demanding that any funding bill included an extension of healthcare subsidies, as premiums are set to rise, but all they received was a guarantee of a vote on this by the second week of December. Republicans did make concessions, though: they proposed offering healthcare funds directly to households, agreed to reverse the firings of thousands of government workers, and ensured there’d be backpay for furloughed federal employees. The Senate must formally pass the bill before it moves to the House and then to the president’s desk.

BUT BUT BUT. The decision to end the shutdown might help Democrats politically. If healthcare premiums rise, voters may well blame the party in power (Americans also tend to trust Democrats more than Republicans when it comes to healthcare), giving Dems a potential midterm boost. Healthcare was central to Democrats’ successful 2018 midterm campaign during US President Donald Trump’s first term; could history repeat itself next year?

Georgia’s ruling party sentences opposition leaders, attempts to outlaw opposing parties

In Georgia, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has charged eight of the country’s leading opposition figures with plotting to overthrow the government. Their potential 15 year prison sentences come as the pro-Russia GD has asked the judiciary – which is beholden to the government – to outlaw the three largest opposition parties, cementing one-party rule in the country.

Syrian president at the White House

Is there a more improbable life arc in global politics right now? Fifteen years ago, Ahmed al-Sharaa was an al-Qaeda jihadist, jailed by Iraq’s US occupiers. Today, a year after overthrowing Bashar al-Assad, he will meet with Trump at the White House, as president of the new Syria. Recent months have been a whirlwind of Sharaa aura: he’s gotten Western sanctions dropped, flirted on-air with a prominent American news host, shared a panel with his former jailer, and shot hoops with US military commanders. But the new Syria is still a fragile project, beset by horrific sectarian violence, concerns about democratic legitimacy, and tensions with Israel. What will al-Sharaa want from Trump, and what will the US president demand in return?

Hard Numbers: BBC leader resigns over Trump edit, Another typhoon tears through the Philippines, US same-sex marriage isn’t going away, China ends some export controls

Members of the media gather outside Broadcasting House, the BBC headquarters in central London, as BBC Director General Tim Davie and BBC News CEO Deborah Turness resign following accusations of bias and the controversy surrounding the editing of the Trump speech before the Capitol riots on 6 January 2021 in a BBC Panorama documentary.

(Credit Image: © Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire)

+26: Two BBC leaders, Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News Head Deborah Turness, resigned on Sunday after it emerged that the British news organization edited footage of US President Donald Trump in a misleading fashion.

Anatomy of a Scam

Mastercard

Behind every scam lies a story — and within every story, a critical lesson. Anatomy of a Scam, takes you inside the world of modern fraud — from investment schemes to impersonation and romance scams. You'll meet the investigators tracking down bad actors and learn about the innovative work being done across the payments ecosystem to protect consumers and businesses alike. Watch the first episode of Mastercard's five-part documentary, 'Anatomy of a Scam,' here.

Hard Numbers: Tesla approves $1 trillion Musk package, Kazakhstan wants to join Abraham Accords, Typhoon rips through Vietnam, & More

Elon Musk attends the opening ceremony of the new Tesla Gigafactory for electric cars in Gruenheide, Germany, March 22, 2022.

Patrick Pleul/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

$1 trillion: Tesla shareholders approved a $1-trillion pay package for owner Elon Musk, a move that is set to make him the world’s first trillionaire – if the company meets certain targets. The pay will come in the form of stocks.

What We’re Watching: Longest-ever US shutdown coming to an end, Georgia Dream making one-party rule reality, Syria’s president in Washington

US shutdown heads toward end as eight Democrats give in

Georgia’s ruling party sentences opposition leaders, attempts to outlaw opposing parties

Syrian president at the White House

GZEROMEDIA

More from GZERO Media

Hard Numbers: BBC leader resigns over Trump edit, Another typhoon tears through the Philippines, US same-sex marriage isn’t going away, China ends some export controls

+26: Two BBC leaders, Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News Head Deborah Turness, resigned on Sunday after it emerged that the British news organization edited footage of US President Donald Trump in a misleading fashion.

Pope vs president: could Leo sway American Catholic voters?

It’s been six months since the Catholic Church elected its first American pope, Leo XIV. Since then, the Chicago-born pontiff has had sharp words for US President Donald Trump.

Anatomy of a Scam

Is the US falling behind China?

For better and worse, China has become an engineering powerhouse. Dan Wang joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World to talk about what the US can learn from China’s example.

China has become an "engineering state," with Dan Wang

Author and tech analyst Dan Wang joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to talk about the similarities between the US and China, and what Washington can learn from Beijing’s race to build the future.

GZEROMEDIA

What the US can learn from China's infrastructure boom

On Ian Explains, Ian Bremmer breaks down how the US and China are both betting their futures on massive infrastructure booms, with China building cities and railways while America builds data centers and grid updates for AI. But are they building too much, too fast?

Are we entering a new era of nuclear weapons testing?

Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt asks whether the world is sliding back into the dangerous era of open nuclear weapons testing, and it all started with a misunderstanding by US President Donald Trump.

In Hungary, Orbán's grip on power is slipping

Don't let a chummy White House visit fool you. He's on the ropes.

Government shutdown grounds flights

Hard Numbers: Tesla approves $1 trillion Musk package, Kazakhstan wants to join Abraham Accords, Typhoon rips through Vietnam, & More

$1 trillion: Tesla shareholders approved a $1-trillion pay package for owner Elon Musk, a move that is set to make him the world’s first trillionaire – if the company meets certain targets. The pay will come in the form of stocks.

What We’re Watching: Longest-ever US shutdown coming to an end, Georgia Dream making one-party rule reality, Syria’s president in Washington

US shutdown heads toward end as eight Democrats give in

Georgia’s ruling party sentences opposition leaders, attempts to outlaw opposing parties

Syrian president at the White House

GZEROMEDIA

Subscribe to GZERO Media's newsletter: Signal

More from GZERO Media

+26: Two BBC leaders, Director-General Tim Davie and BBC News Head Deborah Turness, resigned on Sunday after it emerged that the British news organization edited footage of US President Donald Trump in a misleading fashion.

It’s been six months since the Catholic Church elected its first American pope, Leo XIV. Since then, the Chicago-born pontiff has had sharp words for US President Donald Trump.

For better and worse, China has become an engineering powerhouse. Dan Wang joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World to talk about what the US can learn from China’s example.

Author and tech analyst Dan Wang joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to talk about the similarities between the US and China, and what Washington can learn from Beijing’s race to build the future.

GZEROMEDIA

Subscribe to GZERO Media's newsletter: Signal

On Ian Explains, Ian Bremmer breaks down how the US and China are both betting their futures on massive infrastructure booms, with China building cities and railways while America builds data centers and grid updates for AI. But are they building too much, too fast?

Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt asks whether the world is sliding back into the dangerous era of open nuclear weapons testing, and it all started with a misunderstanding by US President Donald Trump.

Don't let a chummy White House visit fool you. He's on the ropes.

$1 trillion: Tesla shareholders approved a $1-trillion pay package for owner Elon Musk, a move that is set to make him the world’s first trillionaire – if the company meets certain targets. The pay will come in the form of stocks.