Here are today’s top stories.
Headlines
Democrats win the House and Senate
Democrats captured control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections, delivering a strong rebuke to President Donald Trump and Republicans. The wave reached deep into GOP territory, with James Talarico defeating Ken Paxton for a Texas Senate seat and Gina Hinojosa unseating Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. In Iowa, Josh Turek defeated Rep. Ashley Hinson. Find out More
U.S. stock futures fell overnight as early Democratic victories rattled investors, with S&P 500 futures down 0.5% and Nasdaq futures off 0.9%. Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff’s re-election was among the first major race calls of the night. Japan’s Nikkei slid 1.5%, while AMD forecast faster-than-expected growth for 2027. Source
Democrat Adam Hamilton defeated Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas, the first time the state has elected a Democrat to the Senate in nearly a century. Marshall had warned during the campaign that if Republicans lost Kansas, he did not see how they could keep control of the Senate. The upset was among the most stunning results of a night that handed Democrats the chamber. Source
Politics
Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate race, a historic upset in a state Republicans have dominated for decades. The victory was one of several Senate flips that delivered Democrats the majority. Talarico’s win marked a stunning reversal in what had long been considered safe GOP territory. Find out More
Democrat Gina Hinojosa unseated Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, ending a Republican hold on the governor’s office dating to 1995. She will become the first Hispanic governor of Texas. Abbott outspent her roughly eight to one, about $281 million to $36.8 million. Source
Democrats secured the House majority with flips across GOP-held districts, and the race for control was called at 1:26 a.m. ET Wednesday. In Iowa, Republican Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks were ousted, while Jamie Ager flipped a western North Carolina seat. "They want a Congress that’s going to deliver for the American people," said Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries. Source
U.S. News
A Learjet 60 crashed near Greenacres in Palm Beach County on Sunday, killing all nine people aboard. About 600 nearby residents were evacuated after the crash. NTSB senior investigator Timothy Monville said the on-site work "will be a several-day process." Read More
The national average price of gasoline fell 17.1 cents in a week to $4.12 a gallon, the largest weekly drop in months. Prices are down nearly 25 cents from a month ago but remain $1.13 higher than a year ago. "Volatility could return quickly after the election," warned GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan. Find out More
First lady Melania Trump will host Russian and Ukrainian representatives at the White House, with the meeting expected Thursday. The talks follow a humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky that ran Oct. 27 to Nov. 1 and allowed about 800 people to be evacuated. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia has "no similar plans" for future humanitarian operations. Find out More
Business
Brent crude rose 82 cents to $104.42 a barrel and U.S. crude gained 50 cents to $96.59. Industry data showed U.S. crude stockpiles fell 5.27 million barrels last week, far from the roughly 880,000-barrel increase analysts expected. Traders are weighing what Republicans’ losses mean for the course of the Iran war. Source
Novo Nordisk shares rose 6% after sales of its Wegovy weight-loss pill impressed investors. The Danish drugmaker also raised its full-year outlook. The results offer a lift to a company that has battled stiff competition in the obesity-drug market. Source
A former elementary school teacher became China’s newest billionaire on paper after a company’s blockbuster stock market debut. The jump in the company’s shares on its first day of trading pushed the founder’s stake past the billion-dollar mark. The debut stands out at a time when China’s broader stock markets have struggled. Find out More
World News
President Trump acknowledged the Iran war factored into Republicans’ midterm losses but said he "would have done it again." Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted that "Americans said NO TO WAR." Four tankers caught fire after striking mines in the Strait of Hormuz, while Qatar said it expects feedback on peace talks within 36 hours. Find out More
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine will keep striking Russian oil refineries unless the U.S. delivers more Patriot air-defense missiles. "Our response must be painful," he said in an interview. He called the Oleshky humanitarian evacuations "a huge result." See Details
President Trump said the U.S. will stop roughly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel at the end of the year. He said the aid would be "cut off at the end of the year." The announcement marks a sharp shift in a decades-old security relationship. Read More
Entertainment
Nicole Taylor, a member of the country trio Taylor Red, has died at 35. Her sisters and bandmates, Nika and Natalie Taylor, announced the news on TikTok. She had been diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in 2022, and a private memorial has already been held. Read More
Former 007 Pierce Brosnan voiced support for Callum Turner being cast as James Bond. Brosnan called Turner "so strong" for the role. The endorsement from a past Bond adds weight to the franchise’s new direction. Find out More
Johnny Depp said he has one condition for reprising Captain Jack Sparrow in a sixth "Pirates of the Caribbean" film. Depp last played the role in 2017’s "Dead Men Tell No Tales." Fans have long campaigned for his return to the Disney franchise. Source
Sports
Unbeaten Miami (8-0) debuted at No. 1 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season, with Georgia (7-1) at No. 2. The SEC placed 10 teams in the top 25, including five in the top 10, with Alabama (6-2) at No. 5. Boise State (7-1) rounded out the list at No. 25. Source
Notre Dame landed at No. 11 in the first playoff rankings despite ranking first in ESPN’s FPI and third in SP+. Wake Forest sits at No. 16 after winning its last four games by a combined 187-31. USC is ranked No. 20 even after beating No. 12 Ohio State 38-18 on Oct. 31. Source
Eight players received qualifying offers, including David Bednar, Seiya Suzuki and Randy Arozarena, and have until Nov. 17 to accept. Another 28 players became free agents, raising the total to 183. Major League Baseball is expected to lock out players when the labor deal expires Dec. 1. Find out More
Off the Wall
17-week-old Chihuahua mix named Applejack and an African grey parrot named Tasha greeted voters at a San Diego-area polling place on Election Day. The Helen Woodward Animal Center brought the animals to brighten voters’ trip to the polls. Among those stopping to say hello was 18-year-old Thomas Episcopio, casting his first ballot. See Details
