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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
U.S. MIDTERM ELECTIONS
The Democrats have taken control of Congress. The party currently has 54 seats in the Senate, with Alaska and Mississippi yet to be decided, and has 231 seats to Republicans’ 139 in the House, with 65 seats yet to be announced. AP News reports; Reuters reports; BBC News reports; CNN reports; the New York Times reports.
The Democrats flipped at least seven state Senate seats and secured a number of other victories, as reported by AP News. Troy Jackson defeated Republican incumbent Susan Collins in Maine, while Dr. Abdul El-Sayed beat Trump-backed Mike Rogers in Michigan to become the first Muslim Senator in the United States. Peggy Flanagan became the first Native American woman to win election to the Senate after retaining the seat left vacant by Sen. Tina Smith in Minnesota. Rev. Adam Hamilton became the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in Kansas since 1932, defeating Trump loyalist Roger Marshall. House Rep. Chris Pappas became the first openly gay man to be elected to the Senate, and retained New Hampshire for the Democrats. James Talarico became Texas’ first Democrat Senator since 1988. Josh Turek flipped Iowa’s Republican-held seat just two years after the Republicans won by 13 percentage points. Sherrod Brown ousted Jon Husted from Ohio’s seat in a special election two years after he had lost the seat to former Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno. Both North and South Carolina flipped blue, as Rory Cooper won in the North, while Annie Andrews won in the South, defeating Lindsey Graham’s sister Darline who took the seat after her brother’s passing earlier in the year.
The Democrats gained a decisive majority in the House, as reported by AP News. Former Navy Adm. Nancy Lacore, who was fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is projected to win the traditionally Republican district in South Carolina. Democratic socialist Melat Kiros won the race to represent Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, and will be the first Gen Z woman to serve in Congress.
There were significant wins for Democrats in governor races, as reported by AP News. Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first black woman governor in the nation’s history. Deb Haaland will become the country’s first ever woman Native American governor after winning the race in New Mexico. Gina Hinojosa was elected the first Democratic governor of Texas in over 30 years after defeating incumbent Greg Abbott. Hinojosa is the first Latina governor. Dr. Amy Acton defeated Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy in the Ohio governor race, becoming the first woman governor of the state and the first Democrat to win in two decades.
The Democrats are poised to make significant gains in state legislative chambers across the country, as reported by the National Conference of State Legislatures. The Arizona Senate is poised to become Democrat for the first time since 2000, while Georgia’s House has flipped for the first time since 2004. The party gained the trifecta in Michigan, winning the state House alongside victories in the senate and governor race, and could do the same in Pennsylvania should the Democrats maintain their current edge in the Pennsylvania Senate race. Wisconsin’s Senate and House both flipped blue for the first time since 2010, giving the Democrats a trifecta in the state. North Carolina’s House flipped blue despite the Republicans previously being only one seat short of a supermajority in the chamber. Finally, Texas is currently leaning blue in its House election, and if the Democrats keep their lead, it would be the first since 2002 that the House flipped.
President Trump late last night told the New York Times that he was “absolutely willing” to accept the midterm election results, and was prepared to work with Democrats. “Historically, you veto for a couple of months and then they come and say, ‘We’ve got to make a deal,'” Trump told CBS News last night. “I don’t want to be just sitting there for two years vetoing everything,” he told POLITICO last night.
U.S. MIDTERM DEVELOPMENTS
World leaders have been reacting to the results. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa today said the results from the midterm elections would usher in a new era in world relations. Ramaphosa told reporters after casting his vote in South Africa’s municipal elections that “the people of America have spoken.” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Americans had voted against hate, climate denialism, and the privileged elite, while Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Store said voices were emerging in the United States that were more aligned with Norway’s principles. Nellie Peyton and Sfundo Parakozov report for Reuters; Jacobs Evans reports for BBC News.
Trump today acknowledged that the Iran war played a role in his party’s defeat in the midterm elections. Trump told Fox News that “I think a part of it was Iran,” and separately told the Wall Street Journal “Iran was a piece of it.” Trump yesterday told the New York Times that his decision to go to war with Iran was a “very wise decision.” Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said those who think changes in U.S. politics will bring a shift in “U.S. hostility towards Iran” are “gravely mistaken,” while Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said “Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message.” Kanishka Singh and Jarrett Renshaw report for Reuters; Erica L. Green and Tyler Pager report; Ghoncheh Habibiazad reports for BBC News; Parisa Hafezi reports for Reuters.
IRAN WAR
Trump yesterday told the Financial Times that the United States has no immediate plans to strike Iran. Trump said “we seem to be getting everything we want,” and suggested he was content with the state of the current stand-off with Iran. Edward Luce reports.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard today said four oil tankers were destroyed overnight after striking naval mines while trying to traverse a prohibited route south of the key waterway of the Strait of Hormuz. The elite corps said the tankers were still ablaze, and that two other vessels had been seized. Ahmed Tolba reports for Reuters.
WEST BANK VIOLENCE
A group of senior Israeli ex-military officials yesterday helped Palestinian farmers harvest olives in a gesture of solidarity amid an upsurge in militant settler violence targeting Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Former Maj. Gen. Eyal Ben-Reuven told Reuters that when he sees “what is going on here… it reminds me of stories from my parents from the time when the Jewish people suffered,” and said he began organizing a group of around 30 senior military officials several months ago following an increase in settler violence. Pesha Magid reports.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Russia yesterday said it attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, killing up to 25 Ukrainian servicemen, destroying 15 vehicles and an electronic warfare station, and knocking out power to swathes of Ukraine. Russia said its forces had targeted Ukrainian military units in areas around Komyshuvakha and two other settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a press conference in Berlin said the attack showed that Russia was intent on killing people instead of building on the ceasefire that occurred in the Russian-occupied southern Ukraine town of Oleshky. Olena Harmash, Sergiy Chalyi, Lina Golovnya, and Pavel Polityuk report for Reuters.
Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region Gov. Ivan Fedorov today said the death toll from a Russian bombing of an aid distribution center on Monday has risen to 37, with at least 59 people still missing. The Acting Head of the Regional Military Administration Mykhailo Semikin said rescuers were still searching for survivors in the rubble. Lina Golovnya reports for Reuters.
Ukrainian anti-corruption investigators from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau today said they believed senior security and law enforcement officials were involved in covering up a major fraud scheme at the center of an expanding new probe. The probe was initially unveiled in September and led to the resignation of former prosecutor general Ruslan Kravchenko. The SBU security service confirmed that investigators were searching some of its employees and said it was cooperating with the probe. Dan Peleschuk reports for Reuters.
Zelenskyy on Nov. 2 awarded the U.S. First Lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, 1st class for her role in helping organize the ceasefire and evacuation in Oleshky, according to a decree published today. The state honor is awarded to women who have made exceptional contributions in spheres including science, education, culture, and charitable work. Lina Golovnya reports for Reuters.
Melania yesterday hosted representatives from Russia and Ukraine at the White House. The White House press release said “this event represents an extraordinary moment in American history.” Melania is also scheduled to deliver remarks on the ceasefire that occurred in Oleshky tomorrow. Suryatapa Chakraborty reports for The Hill.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney yesterday said Canada will not let ice hockey players from Russia or Belarus take part in the world junior championships set to start next month in Alberta province. Canada last week condemned a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport to allow Russians to compete in International Ice Hockey Federation events. Carney said “while Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal, unjustified, horrific war in Ukraine… there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada.” Russian ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov said Carney’s decision was “regrettable” as junior hockey “is meant to unite, not divide.” David Ljunggren and JekaterĪna Golubkova report for Reuters.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk yesterday announced Poland has launched a “special operation” involving counterterrorism police, intelligence officers, and increased border security on its northern frontier with Russia. Tusk labelled the actions a response to “disturbing movement” that could be preparation for “armed incursions,” and said Poland had received warnings from allies of possible “acts of sabotage or more serious provocations on the border.” Andrew Higgins reports for the New York Times.
Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente resigned yesterday, six days after a high-speed train collision in which at least 69 people were killed and dozens more injured. Puente announced his decision in Spanish Congress after he gave evidence on the crash, and said “a transport minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year.” Guy Hedgecoe and Jaroslav Lukiv report for BBC News.
U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband yesterday insisted that the U.K. government’s willingness to consider formally apologizing for the U.K.’s role in the transatlantic slave trade will not lead to higher costs for the U.K. taxpayer. U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham previously said the United Kingdom will not pay reparations to affected countries. Miliband said previous U.K. governments had a “sweep it under the carpet” attitude to the pain and consequences of slavery. Chris Mason reports for BBC News.
Ethiopia has ordered six Sudanese diplomats to leave the country, a senior Ethiopian official told Reuters today. Sudan accuses Ethiopia of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, while Ethiopia accuses Sudan of backing rebels in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. Sudan on Sunday lodged a complaint against Ethiopia with the U.N. Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, accusing Ethiopia of allowing the RSF to use its territory to launch suicide drones against civilian infrastructure in Sudan.
China today said its Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned his Philippines counterpart Theresa Lazaro about alleged interference in their nations’ relationship and urged the Philippines to act with caution in their South China Sea dispute. Lazaro said she had a “frank and constructive” discussion with Wang on the direction of their bilateral relationship on their call yesterday. China and the Philippines have overlapping claims to the South China Sea. Huizhong Wu reports for AP News.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto today sacked his Chief of Staff Listyo Sigit Prabowo for what Subianto’s office said could be treason, a day after Sigit Prabowo’s arrest with two top police officers on suspicion of wiretapping the president, cabinet ministers, and others. Sigit Prabowo had been national police chief for five years before he became the president’s chief of staff last month, but the alleged wiretapping began in 2025. Ananda Teresia reports for Reuters.
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella’s bill, which breaks with the “total peace” policy of former president Gustavo Petro, was approved by Colombia’s Senate and House of Representatives yesterday. The legislation bars members of illegal armed groups who hand themselves in from holding office or entering into peace negotiations. De La Espriella’s government has argued that Petro’s peace negotiations allowed armed groups to expand their ranks and hold over strategic areas for drug trafficking and illegal mining. Luis Jaime Acosta reports for Reuters.
U.S. AI DEVELOPMENTS
Google yesterday announced that schools that choose to restrict AI entirely will also lose access to Google’s search engine. AI features are now a standard part of Google’s commercially available search engine, and Google Vice President for Education Chris Phillips said if a school has banned AI, students “will not have access to search, and they’ll see a message from their school that indicates it’s not available.” Dana Goldstein and Natasha Singer report for the New York Times.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
A Chinese court is set to hear a defamation case filed by local authorities and scientific institutions against the U.S. state of Missouri and several of its current and former attorney generals over claims they fabricated and disseminated false information related to Covid-19, according to an official notice published yesterday. Farah Master reports for Reuters.
The State Department is negotiating an agreement with Venezuela that would lay the foundation for a potential long-term U.S. military presence in the country, U.S. officials told the New York Times. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading the talks on the military pact known as a status of forces agreement. The State Department said it has negotiated status of forces agreements with more than 100 countries. Edward Wong reports.
Venezuela’s military last week launched a deadly attack on the Colombian rebel army the National Liberation Army with the help of U.S. intelligence and drones, U.S. officials told the New York Times. Venezuelan human rights organization Fundaredes first alerted the public to the attack last Friday, which took place in the Apure region near the Colombian border. At least 23 people were killed and many more were injured. Annie Correal, Eric Schmitt, Isayen Herrera, and Julie Turkewitz report.
Trump yesterday said the bulk of U.S. military aid to Israel would be “cut off at the end of the year” under an agreement reached with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu months ago. Trump described his Election Day declaration as a political effort to take a “bad talking point” away from the left wing of the Democrat Party, and said a new agreement would start where Israel would pay for weaponry from the United States. David E. Sanger reports for the New York Times.
Carney yesterday said recent trade talks with the United States have yielded encouraging results but major hurdles remain to be cleared. Carney told reporters “we have made progress,” and that the United States is “asking less and offering more.” Paul Vieira reports for the Wall Street Journal.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
Michigan House Rep. Haley Stevens (D) yesterday requested U.S. marshals’ protection after she told authorities she had received death threats for endorsing Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers, senior Trump administration officials told Axios. One of the officials said “there’s a process to go through but she’s a member of Congress and we expect her request will be fulfilled.” Alex Isenstadt and Marc Caputo report.
Georgia man Cleveland Meredith, who was pardoned by Trump after he pleaded guilty to a criminal charge related to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, on Monday was arrested and accused of threatening federal judges. Before Meredith was arrested on Monday, he had previously been interviewed by the FBI in Nov. 2024 and Aug. 2025 in relation to social media posts that appeared to be threatening, according to an affidavit from an FBI special agent. Amanda Holpuch reports for the New York Times.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTION
The Justice Department yesterday sent 20 letters to Democrats informing them they might be targets or asking them to preserve their records in relation to its investigation of the recruitment of Dan J. Sullivan to run in the Senate race against Republican Sen. Dan S Sullivan, sources told the New York Times. One source said recipients of the letter include Marc Elias, an elections lawyer whose firm represented Democrat Senate candidate Mary Peltola, one of Elias’ law partners, and at least one official at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Glenn Thrush, Devlin Barrett, and Anna Griffin report.
The National Park Service yesterday revealed plans to cut down more trees as it carries out Trump’s planned renovation of East Potomac Golf Course. The DOJ submitted the design at federal court. Heather Richards reports for POLITICO.
The DOJ yesterday said Trump’s proposed “triumphal arch” would not be completed until after the end of his second term. The department said it expects an initial six to eight months of construction focused on excavation and foundation work, with above-ground construction beginning in May 2027 at the earliest. Total construction is expected to take between 33 to 39 months. David Shepardson reports for Reuters.
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