News Wrap: Democrat Scott Colom defeats Mississippi Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith

In our news wrap Wednesday, Democrat Scott Colom has defeated incumbent Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi, a group that included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was admonished by an Army sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and peace talks between Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. ended with an agreement to exchange prisoners, but no breakthrough on ending the war.

Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.

Amna Nawaz:

We start the day's other headlines with Veterans Day, which was marked across the country with parades, memorial services, and other ceremonies.

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA):

Thanks so much. Happy Veterans Day.

(APPLAUSE)

Amna Nawaz:

That included a rare moment of bipartisanship on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, as Republican and Democratic lawmakers took a moment to honor those who've served. And, earlier, at Arlington National Cemetery, President Trump laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

In his remarks, the president paid tribute to American service members and once again defended his war in Iran.

President Donald Trump:

We won. It's just a question of when we want to end it. We want to make sure we have a total victory, not a 93 percent victory. It's going to be total.

Amna Nawaz:

Mr. Trump also used the occasion to make the case for his proposed Triumphal Arch just outside the cemetery, saying it would be dedicated to veterans. Yesterday, nine members of the Kennedy family sued to block construction of the arch. They say it would cast shadows on the graves of their family members and block sight lines from the Eternal Flame at President John F. Kennedy's grave site.

Following the president's remarks, a group that included Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth were admonished by an Army sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They were taking photos near the sacred site, which houses the remains of a World War I soldier. As they walked away, they can be heard talking and laughing, leading to this response.

Man:

All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!

Amna Nawaz:

It was Hegseth's first public outing since narrowly surviving an impeachment effort in the House last night; 18 lawmakers were absent for that vote, including 11 Democrats. Some were reportedly stuck in traffic.

Today, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark said that members who missed vote had disappointed the American people. But PBS News confirms that the voting outcome would have been the same even if all Democrats had been present.

In Abu Dhabi, peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. ended today with an agreement to exchange prisoners, but no major breakthrough on ending the war. Top U.S. negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff spoke to the press following roughly two hours of talks. They were joined by Ukraine's delegation, but not the Russian side.

Meantime, in Copenhagen ...

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President:

Europe must be at the table.

Amna Nawaz:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the Danish Parliament that Europe's involvement is essential for future talks. Russia has pushed back on this. Kushner and Witkoff will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow tomorrow, and hope to convince him to include Europe.

In Italy, more than 6,000 schools received e-mailed bomb threats today, which authorities confirm was part of a coordinated hoax. Hundreds of schools were evacuated, and police conducted searches classroom by classroom. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says the e-mails were aimed at generating alarm and concern, and that an investigation is under way.

Scotland and Ireland reported similar incidents, though no evacuations were ordered. It follows a series of hoaxes across Europe targeting airlines and broadcasters.

In Ireland, one person has been charged after pro-Palestinian protesters confronted former President Joe Biden as he left an event in Dublin.

Protestors:

Blood, blood, blood on your hands!

Amna Nawaz:

Demonstrators shouted at Mr. Biden for his support of Israel, and video showed several objects being thrown toward his vehicles. Police clashed with the protesters and made three arrests, though the crowd soon dispersed. The former president was attending a ceremony at Trinity College honoring his son Hunter. Two other men who were arrested have since been released.

In New York, search-and-rescue workers are digging through rubble this evening after the partial collapse of a three-story building in Brooklyn. Footage from the scene shows a large emergency response in the Flatbush neighborhood. Local reports cite fire officials as saying at least one person was killed and several others injured, though the "News Hour" has not been able to confirm that.

Fire officials say the collapse occurred this afternoon in an area where construction had been taking place.

A grand ocean liner that once crossed the seas as the fastest of its kind will be starting a new life under the water as the world's largest artificial reef. The S.S. United States is being intentionally sunk off the Florida Panhandle coast. It's part of a multimillion-dollar project to lure divers and fishing enthusiasts to the area and to create a habitat for Marine life.

In 1952, the ship set a speed record on its maiden voyage. It went on to cross the Atlantic more than 800 times, carrying presidents, Hollywood stars, and even royalty. But a rise in air travel hurt demand and it ended up mothballed at a Philadelphia pier. The ship will rest some 180 feet below the water's surface, joining some 500 other artificial reefs.

On Wall Street, today, stocks ended higher thanks to a rebound in AI stocks. The Dow Jones industrial average added roughly 250 points. The Nasdaq jumped more than 1.5 percent. The S&P 500 has now recovered nearly all of last week's losses.

And Stacy Keach, the prolific actor, famous for his role as private investigator, Mike Hammer, has died.

Actor:

You're hurting me.

Stacy Keach, Actor:

I'll make a note.

Amna Nawaz:

He played the tough guy detective for nearly 15 years across multiple TV series and films. He was also nominated for a Tony, and took on a diverse range of roles, from Hamlet to Hemingway, across six decades on stage and on screen.

But his career almost came off the rails in 1984, when he spent six months in a U.K. prison for smuggling cocaine. His wife says Keach died peacefully after a long and difficult battle with a heart condition. Stacy Keach was 85 years old.