Here are today’s top stories.
Headlines
Trump concedes Iran war played a role in GOP defeat
President Trump said it is “largely true” that the war with Iran contributed to the Republican losses as results kept coming in Wednesday. He has also said the war was worth the political cost of losing Congress. See Details
Insiders are predicting trouble for War Secretary Pete Hegseth after Tuesday’s Republican losses, but President Trump has not moved to replace him. Incoming Democratic majorities are already promising subpoenas and closer scrutiny of the Pentagon. Find out More
After the midterm defeat, Trump is left choosing between a negotiated way out of the Iran war and riskier escalation. Israel’s own politics are unsettled as well: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc came out of the Oct. 27 election eight seats short of a majority. Find out More
Politics
House Speaker Mike Johnson will not run to lead House Republicans now that his party has lost the majority. The House GOP is moving quickly to pick a new leadership team after the blue wave. Read More
Mississippi’s Senate contest between Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democrat Scott Colom turned into a nail-biter, with votes still being counted Wednesday. Alaska’s Senate race is also undecided and could take a while to settle. Find out More
Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and becomes the first Democrat to win the Texas governorship in decades. Her win and Talarico’s Senate victory together mark a major shift in Texas politics. Read More
U.S. News
Two people, including the gunman, were killed in a shooting at a Citibank office complex near Tampa, authorities said. An armed security guard shot the suspect, and hundreds of officers responded to the scene. See Details
The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed that a Learjet broke up in midair before it crashed in South Florida, killing all nine people aboard. The victims included a tech CEO and a family of four from Texas. Read More
The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center flagged a possible early disruption of the stratospheric polar vortex, which is very rare for November and could let Arctic air move south. Forecasters say late November and December are the period to watch, though a cold snap is not guaranteed. Read More
Business
Stocks surged Wednesday as investors reacted to Democrats winning both chambers of Congress, and oil prices fell sharply. CNBC is tracking the market moves and futures as trading continues. Find out More
Oil prices fell sharply after a post from Vice President JD Vance about the Iran war, adding to hopes the conflict could wind down. U.S. crude fell about 8% on the day, and benchmark prices dropped below $100 a barrel. Source
SpaceX will partner with chipmaker Qualcomm on technology for cell phone service. The deal links SpaceX’s satellite business with one of the biggest makers of smartphone chips. Find out More
World News
Israeli President Isaac Herzog began talks Wednesday with every Knesset party leader before choosing someone to form the next government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc holds 53 seats to 48 for an opposition alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot, and 61 are needed for a majority. Find out More
Hong Kong democracy campaigner Joshua Wong was sentenced to another 10 years in prison. The sentence adds to the time he is already serving as Beijing keeps up its crackdown on dissent in the city. Find out More
France’s blood service said hackers on Monday pushed temperature and defrost settings to extreme levels at three plasma cold-storage sites, but staff caught the problem before any blood products were harmed. It follows an October attack on refrigeration at hundreds of supermarkets in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Source
Entertainment
AMC Theatres posted the highest quarterly revenue in its history, thanks to “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “The Odyssey.” It is a sign of how strongly moviegoers turned out this season. Read More
Country singer Kellie Pickler settled a legal dispute with the parents of her late husband, songwriter Kyle Jacobs, over his belongings. The items in dispute included his iPhone and his gun collection. See Details
Jamie Foxx has welcomed his third child, his first with Alyce Huckstepp. The Oscar winner already has two daughters. Find out More
Sports
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell said he has full movement in his lower body and is improving in his upper body after a neck injury in Sunday’s 19-15 win over Minnesota. He remains in the hospital as the 5-2 Lions get ready to play at Miami on Sunday. Source
The Arizona Cardinals named Gardner Minshew their starting quarterback, with rookie Carson Beck as the backup. The shakeup comes as the Ravens close in on a trade for Arizona’s Jacoby Brissett after Lamar Jackson’s thumb injury. Find out More
Spire Motorsports suspended Carson Hocevar for this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway because of his conduct at Martinsville, and Justin Haley will drive the No. 77 Chevrolet. Hocevar apologized and called it “an embarrassing day for me.” Source
Bob Dylan, 85, met Pope Leo XIV in a private audience at the Apostolic Palace on Wednesday. The pope gave the folk legend a rosary, and Dylan gave him a copy of his memoir, “Chronicles: Volume One,” ahead of his Thursday night concert in Rome. Read More
