Morning Edition · Sun, Nov 8 · 6:56 a.m.

The Essential 10 · about 4 minutes

1. New

   Russian drones and missiles cut electricity to hundreds of thousands in Ukraine

   Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure left more than 600,000 residents without electricity in Dnipropetrovsk and nearly 250,000 customers without power in Kharkiv, local authorities and DTEK said Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Moscow of intensifying attacks to pressure Kyiv ahead of U.S.-brokered trilateral talks scheduled for next week in Abu Dhabi.

   Reporting: CBS News, Deutsche Welle, BBC News, Türkiye Today, Ukrainian National News, Eurasia Review, WSVN 7News, azernews.az

2. New

   U.S. forces disabled a cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman

   A U.S. military aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of St. Kitts-flagged cargo ship M/V Huda in the Gulf of Oman Saturday, disabling it, U.S. Central Command said. The crew ignored repeated warnings and tried to violate the naval blockade against Iran. CENTCOM said it had disabled five merchant ships that refused to comply since July.

   Reporting: The Hill, Arab News, The Times of India, House of Saud, Benzinga, rudaw.net

   Updated since this edition · Read the latest

3. New

   Saudi energy ministry says Aramco building suffered minor damage in attempted Riyadh attack

   An Aramco administrative building in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District sustained minor damage from falling shrapnel in an attempted attack, Saudi energy ministry said Sunday; no injuries or fatalities were reported. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted two ballistic and two cruise missiles targeting Riyadh and other regions, accusing the Houthis of launching ballistic missiles; Houthis had not claimed responsibility.

   Reporting: Bloomberg, Le Monde, NewsCord, WKMG News 6, wptz.com

4. New

   Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant lost its external power supply

   The Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine lost its external power supply Sunday after damage triggered automatic disconnection of the Ferosplavna line, Reuters reported, citing the plant’s Russian-installed management. Backup diesel generators were supplying equipment needed for safe operation. UkrMedia News called it the 16th blackout this year and said restoration was unconfirmed at reporting time.

   Reporting: Devdiscourse, UkrMedia News, Investing.com News

5. Updated

   Polish prosecutors opened a formal terrorism investigation into the Krakow square shooting

   Polish prosecutors opened an investigation Sunday into Saturday’s Krakow shooting and intend to treat it as a terrorist act, Prosecutor Tomasz Waszczuk told ABC News. They are preparing six murder charges, potentially rising to nine if investigators establish the gunman was responsible for the deaths of his parents and sister, whom Prime Minister Donald Tusk said were found dead at home. Poland declared two days of mourning.

   Reporting: ABC News, France 24, BBC News, Daily Sabah, The Media Line, cathstan.org

   Updated since this edition · Read the latest

6. New

   Iran executed three men accused of working for Israel and the United States

   Iran executed three men—Hassan Dioband, Hamid Kazemi and Reza Zanganeh—on Sunday after the Supreme Court upheld their death sentences, state media reported. They had been convicted of carrying out operations for Israel and the United States and participating in armed unrest during January’s anti-government protests. The judiciary accused them of damaging an electricity substation in Karaj.

   Reporting: The Straits Times, Devdiscourse, The Jerusalem Post, UA News, The Hindu, Internazionale (with Reuters), Iran International

7. New

   NASA announced lunar exploration contracts and missions at Kennedy Space Center

   NASA selected eight companies for a 10-year CLPS 2 framework worth up to $10 billion and raised the existing CLPS 1.0 ceiling from $2.6 billion to $4.2 billion. It awarded six transportation task orders worth about $1.3 billion to Arrow Science and Technology, Blue Origin and Impulse Space; Blue Origin will deliver the nuclear-powered PROMISE rover to the lunar south pole.

   Reporting: Suara Garut, Demokratis, fakti.bg, starlust.org, nasa.gov

8. New

   White House Deputy Chief of Staff Richard Walters is leaving the administration

   White House Deputy Chief of Staff Richard Walters is leaving the administration, Axios reported, marking the first major departure in an expected staff shakeup as incoming chief of staff Stephen Miller takes charge. Walters, one of outgoing chief of staff Susie Wiles’ allies, offered his resignation Friday; a person familiar with the matter described his departure as amicable.

   Reporting: Axios, Mezha

9. Continuing

   Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government

   Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff, with forming the next government after elections produced no parliamentary majority. Eisenkot is due to receive the mandate Sunday and has 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension. The Associated Press reported most major parties recommended him, but coalition-building remains difficult.

   Reporting: The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Times of Israel, Al Jazeera, CBC News

   Updated since this edition · Read the latest

10. Updated

    White said he will discuss Donald Trump's press secretary offer on Monday

    UFC chief executive Dana White said he will meet Donald Trump at the White House on Monday to discuss Trump’s offer of the White House press secretary job. White made the announcement Saturday after a boxing event in London. The Wall Street Journal reported that White said, “I’ve got a lot of jobs already”; whether he will accept remains unclear.

    Reporting: The Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, Al Jazeera, TMZ