Morning Premium Edition · Thu, Nov 5 · 6:58 a.m.
The Essential 10 · about 4 minutes
Updated
Democrats won at least 240 House seats and 54 Senate seats
Democrats have won at least 240 House seats and 54 Senate seats, enough to control both chambers, Al Jazeera reported Thursday. Forty-eight House races and two Senate races remain uncalled. The party could gain more seats but lacks the two-thirds majorities needed to override presidential vetoes; Republicans retain control until the new Congress convenes Jan. 3, 2027.
Reporting: Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, osvnews.com, cfr.org, wttw.com, atlanticcouncil.org
Updated since this edition · Read the latest
Continuing
A Russian strike on a Ukrainian aid point killed dozens, police said
Police said the death toll from Monday’s Russian strike on an aid distribution point in Komyshuvakha reached 42, with up to 33 people still buried, Reuters reported. BBC reported body-camera footage from a police officer killed in the attack shows residents entering a shelter after an initial strike, before another blast hit it.
Reporting: Reuters, The Boston Globe, BBC News, AOL (with Reuters)
Updated
Donald Trump acknowledged the Iran war contributed to midterm election losses
Donald Trump said JD Vance was largely right that the Iran war contributed to Republicans’ midterm defeats, acknowledging that it drove gasoline prices higher in the short term. Trump defended the war as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and said he would make the same decision again. Iran International reported Republicans lost both chambers of Congress.
Reporting: Anadolu Agency, Iran International, Hindustan Times
New
Hong Kong’s High Court sentenced Joshua Wong to 10 years in prison
Hong Kong’s High Court sentenced pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong, 30, to an additional 10 years in prison for conspiring to collude with foreign forces under the national security law. Wong pleaded guilty in September and is already serving a prison term for subversion. Deutsche Welle reported he is now due for release at the end of 2036.
Reporting: National Public Radio, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Deutsche Welle, Al Jazeera, amnesty.org
New
House Democrats planned investigations into the Trump administration
House Democrats plan to launch four investigations into the Trump administration, Representative Robert Garcia, the incoming House Oversight Committee chair, said Wednesday. Democrats have also signaled they may examine the source of the Trump family’s wealth, Al Jazeera reported. Time said Democrats hope to connect investigations into alleged abuses of power with Americans’ economic concerns.
Reporting: Time, Al Jazeera, ABC7 Los Angeles, NBC Los Angeles, NBC New York
Updated since this edition · Read the latest
New
A British healthcare worker with Ebola is being evacuated from Congo to Britain
A British man who tested positive for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is being flown to the UK for treatment, the government confirmed. Believed to be a healthcare worker, he is expected to arrive later Thursday. The Guardian reported him in stable condition; the government said the risk to the wider UK public is extremely low.
Reporting: Reuters, The Guardian, UA News, News.Az, CTV News, irishnews.com, gazettengr.com
New
Airlines across Europe received bomb threats that forced diversions and emergency landings
Airlines across Europe received a new series of bomb threats Thursday, prompting diversions and emergency landings, Reuters reported. An Airbus A320 flying from Dublin to Rome was diverted to France’s Evreux airbase after a threat, the office of French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said. The Associated Press reported that earlier threats this week were hoaxes and no one was injured.
Reporting: Reuters, France 24, Deutsche Welle, The Jerusalem Post, aerospaceglobalnews.com, wgnradio.com (with Associated Press), informnny.com (with Associated Press)
Updated since this edition · Read the latest
New
French trade unions staged a nationwide day of strikes and demonstrations
French unions staged nationwide strikes and demonstrations Thursday, joining workers with a student-led protest movement and increasing pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s government. The unions sought higher wages and changes to the government’s draft budget, CGT General Secretary Sophie Binet told France 2. An intelligence memo cited by RTL expected 500,000 to 700,000 demonstrators across France, excluding the Paris region, and classified the day as high-risk.
Reporting: Reuters, BBC News, Central Oregon Daily, Radio France Internationale, WSLS 10 News
Updated since this edition · Read the latest
Updated
Scott Colom narrowly leads Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's unresolved Senate race
Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race remained too close to call Wednesday, with Democrat Scott Colom narrowly leading Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by less than 1%, according to Local Memphis. About 20,000 ballots, including provisional, affidavit and mail-in ballots, remain to be counted. County clerks have until Nov. 13 to certify results; state law provides no automatic recount or runoff.
Reporting: CBS News, The Clarion-Ledger, WAPT 16 News, KCRA 3 Sacramento, wcnc.com, localmemphis.com
Updated since this edition · Read the latest
Updated
Mary Peltola leads Dan Sullivan in unresolved Alaska Senate race
The race remained unresolved Wednesday, with Democrat Mary Peltola ahead of Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan by a few hundred votes, Alaska Public Media reported. Ballots remain to be counted, and if no candidate exceeds 50%, ranked-choice tabulation is set for Nov. 18. Sullivan’s campaign projected victory and alleged election cheating; Peltola’s campaign denied involvement in recruiting a same-name candidate.
Reporting: CBS News, Alaska Public Media, Alaska Beacon, Votebeat, fairvote.org, alaskasnewssource.com
More stories
U.S.
New
Voters approved abortion protections in Nevada and Virginia
Voters approved constitutional abortion protections in Nevada and Virginia, while Missouri voters rejected Amendment 3, preserving the constitutional right to abortion adopted in 2024, KFF reported. Idaho voters rejected a proposal to expand access, leaving the state with some of the most restrictive abortion laws. KFF said access was protected in three of the four states.
Reporting: The Guardian, contrariannews.org, kff.org
New
Justice Samuel Alito told associates he will not step down before term ends
Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. does not plan to retire before the court’s term ends, The New York Times reported, citing two people close to him. He shared his plans after Democrats’ Senate victories; the Times said Republicans may have missed a chance for Donald Trump to appoint another justice during his final two years.
Reporting: The New York Times, The Seattle Times, The Daily Beast
New
Indiana executed Jeffrey Weisheit by lethal injection in Michigan City
Indiana executed Jeffrey Weisheit by lethal injection in Michigan City early Thursday, after the Indiana Supreme Court rejected his emergency request for a stay, 3-2. Weisheit’s attorneys challenged the pentobarbital’s sourcing, citing the Indianapolis pharmacy’s probationary status. Chief Justice Loretta Rush and Justice Christopher Goff dissented, seeking a 10-day stay.
Reporting: Hindustan Times, fox59.com, wthr.com, indianacapitalchronicle.com, jconline.com
New
Lawyers for Donald Trump are set to seek an appeal of his felony conviction
Donald Trump's lawyers are set to ask New York's Appellate Division, First Department, to overturn his 2024 conviction for 34 felonies tied to a 2016 hush-money payment. They cite judicial recusal, presidential immunity and alleged misuse of state law. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's lawyers oppose the appeal; both sides anticipate further appeals.
Reporting: CBS News, ABC News, WRAL News (with Associated Press)
New
Donald Trump defended Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
Donald Trump publicly backed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, calling his work “very good” and saying he was not considering replacing him. The remarks came after Republicans’ midterm losses and criticism of the administration’s handling of the Iran war. Spokesman Sean Parnell told The Washington Post that Hegseth was committed to serving through Trump’s term.
Reporting: Forth (with Reuters), Hindustan Times, independent.ie
Continuing
House Speaker Mike Johnson decided not to lead House Republicans next year
Republicans face a leadership contest after House Speaker Mike Johnson said he will not serve as House minority leader next year following midterm losses, Reuters reported. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan are contenders. Johnson was re-elected to represent Louisiana, but his decision does not mean he will immediately resign as speaker, Vietnam.vn reported.
Reporting: Astro Awani, Vietnam.vn
New
Deb Haaland and Peggy Flanagan won historic races in New Mexico and Minnesota
Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland was elected governor of New Mexico, while Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan won a U.S. Senate seat in Tuesday’s midterms. They became the first Native American women elected governor of a U.S. state and to the Senate, respectively, marking milestones in Indigenous representation.
Reporting: CBS News, CBC News, Demokratis, Daily Sabah
New
A New York state appeals court cleared New York City to collect a second-home surcharge
A New York appeals court on Wednesday allowed Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration to move forward with its surcharge on high-end second homes, reversing a September order that had required the city to restart the rollout. The court dismissed seven homeowners’ challenge for lack of standing. Homeowners’ lawyer Randy Mastro called the ruling “a shame”; two other challenges remain pending.
Reporting: The New York Times, CNN, Fox News, New York Post, Business Insider, Gothamist, law.com
New
Billionaire Leon Black sued Rep. Robert Garcia of California over Jeffrey Epstein statements
Billionaire and Apollo co-founder Leon Black sued Rep. Robert Garcia, the House Oversight Committee’s ranking Democrat, alleging defamation over comments about Black’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Black’s suit says Garcia falsely accused him of involvement in Epstein’s crimes; Black told the committee he had no knowledge of or took no part in them. TMZ reported Black seeks $7.25 million.
Reporting: Bloomberg, NBC News, TMZ, Washington Examiner
World
Updated
Israeli President Isaac Herzog accepted certified election results and began consultations to form government
Israeli President Isaac Herzog accepted the certified election results as legally binding Wednesday and began consultations on forming a government. Herzog will likely choose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot to form a coalition. Neither bloc won a majority: Netanyahu’s coalition took 53 seats and Eisenkot’s 48. The nominee has 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension.
Reporting: PBS News (with Associated Press), Al Jazeera, Haaretz, WPDE News, St. Joseph News-Press (with Associated Press), oskaloosa.com (with Associated Press)
New
U.S. forces attacked Iranian positions in the Strait of Hormuz
The Hill reported, citing The Wall Street Journal, that the United States struck Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, including an anti-aircraft facility on Qeshm Island. The attacks, part of a series over recent weeks, have not been publicly acknowledged by either country. Trump called Monday’s strike “minor,” as the Pentagon’s silence raised transparency concerns.
Reporting: The Hill
New
Seoul planned to expand its Cheonghae anti-piracy unit near Oman's Duqm port
Seoul plans to expand its Cheonghae anti-piracy unit’s operating area to waters near Oman’s Duqm port, about 650 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz. The Defense Ministry will seek National Assembly approval to extend its mandate, adding 75 personnel and a P-8A patrol aircraft. An official said the aircraft would not monitor Iranian territory or waters.
Reporting: Al Jazeera, France 24 (with Agence France-Presse), Anadolu Agency, NewsCord, The Korea Herald, Around Prague, News.Az, Korea JoongAng Daily
New
Israel's Central Elections Committee certified the election results
Israel's Central Elections Committee approved the Oct. 27 parliamentary election results Wednesday, finding no evidence of irregularities that affected the outcome. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies alleged Arab-led parties stole the vote. Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg warned that doubts could undermine confidence in the electoral process. President Isaac Herzog began consultations on forming a government.
Reporting: The New York Times, Demokratis, WTOV 9 News, canadianinquirer.net, thevibes.com, gujaratsamachar.com, israeltoday.co.il
Continuing
British Columbia conservation officers are investigating a suspected fatal grizzly bear attack near Bella Coola
British Columbia authorities are investigating whether more than one grizzly was involved in the suspected attack that killed Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter, Selah Reed, 20, near Bella Coola. Inspector Jeff Tyre of the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service said the number of bears remains unclear. Officers have begun trapping operations; none had been caught as of Wednesday.
Reporting: CBS News, CNN, The Independent, La Voce di New York, FOX Weather, United Press International, wabi.tv
New
Bavaria Deputy Governor Hubert Aiwanger died in a Berlin hotel room
Hubert Aiwanger, Bavaria’s deputy governor, economy minister and leader of the Free Voters party, was found dead at 55 in a Berlin hotel room Wednesday evening, the Associated Press reported. The circumstances remain unclear, and investigators said they were seeking to determine the cause and rule out foul play. Bavarian state premier Markus Söder said he was “deeply shocked.”
Reporting: Deutsche Welle, New York Post, Greenwich Time
New
The UK Supreme Court opened proceedings on an appeal against Palestine Action's terror ban
The UK Supreme Court began hearing Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori’s challenge to the government’s 2025 ban. The two-day hearing tests the ban’s legality under the Terrorism Act and its effect on protest rights. Her lawyers say three of 385 actions over five years met the legal definition of terrorism; the Metropolitan Police said 25 protesters were arrested outside court.
Reporting: The Times of Israel, Suara Garut, Demokratis, thewhistler.ng, dailypost.ng
New
African National Congress narrowly leads in early South Africa municipal election results
South Africa’s African National Congress led the Democratic Alliance in preliminary municipal election results, with its vote share sharply reduced. With about 12% of votes counted, election commission results put the ANC at roughly 32%. The CSIR projected final shares of 32% for the ANC and 26% for the DA, based on 11.5% of voting districts reporting.
Reporting: Reuters, The Straits Times, U.S. News & World Report (with Reuters), Devdiscourse
Business & Markets
New
China blocked SoftBank Group's planned $5.4 billion purchase of ABB's robotics business
China blocked SoftBank Group’s proposed $5.4 billion acquisition of ABB’s robotics business, ABB confirmed in an emailed statement. The Financial Times, citing people familiar with the matter, reported concerns over domestic supply chains, manufacturing capacity, intellectual property and possible overseas transfer of robotics data for AI training. SoftBank shares fell around 7% in Tokyo; ABB has not indicated next steps.
Reporting: The Japan Times, BigGo Finance, The Economic Times, startupfortune.com, cxodigitalpulse.com, law.com
Tech & Science
New
OpenAI pledged to pay data center power costs and increase transparency
OpenAI said Thursday it will cover full power costs for its data centers, keeping electricity costs off residents. For facilities it owns and operates, it pledged community input, public construction plans and no nondisclosure agreements with public officials. Its policy blueprint urges lawmakers to codify similar commitments. CNBC said pledges followed voters’ rejection of rapid AI expansion two days earlier.
Reporting: CNBC, Seeking Alpha, techbuzz.ai
New
NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory re-entered Earth’s atmosphere over Indonesia
NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on Nov. 4, ending nearly 22 years studying gamma-ray bursts. The U.S. Space Force confirmed re-entry over northern Sumatra, Indonesia. NASA expected most of the spacecraft to burn up and estimated a 1-in-2,100 risk of debris harming someone. Katalyst Space Technologies’ LINK spacecraft could not carry out the rescue after attitude-control problems.
Reporting: Deutsche Welle, The Times of India, China Daily, Kazinform, skyatnightmagazine.com, space.com
Health
Updated
Pennsylvania health officials report sixth measles-associated death
Pennsylvania health officials confirmed a sixth measles-associated death this year: an unvaccinated Jefferson County resident who tested positive. The Washington Post, citing a funeral director, reported the deceased was a 21-year-old woman who died after postpartum complications; state officials declined details. The Inquirer said it was the county’s second such death. Pennsylvania had 1,467 confirmed cases across 45 counties.
Reporting: Reuters, The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, New Hampshire Union Leader, NBC10 Philadelphia
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