Edition 79 · Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Here's what happened.
Democrats won control of both the Senate and the House in the midterm elections, stripping Republicans of Congress. The result was described as a historic rebuke to Donald Trump after he urged voters to treat the election as a judgment on his presidency, leaving him facing a lame-duck final term.
Investigators found pieces of a Learjet 60’s left elevator as far as 3.8 miles from the crash site near West Palm Beach, Florida. The National Transportation Safety Board said the discovery confirmed the aircraft was breaking apart before it crashed, killing all nine people aboard.
California voters are deciding the outcomes of 14 statewide ballot measures. The measures address issues including a billionaire tax, voter ID, recall elections and faster construction through limits on environmental reviews.
California voters are choosing a new governor along with the state’s insurance commissioner, attorney general, superintendent, treasurer and controller. The results will determine leadership across several major statewide offices.
A Russian attack on a humanitarian hub in Ukraine killed at least 31 people and left dozens missing, making it one of the war’s deadliest strikes, according to the report. The United States said peace talks involving Russia and Ukraine would resume after nine months.
Gulf Arab countries are conducting mediation efforts to avert a renewed war between the United States and Iran. They fear that any new fighting could be worse than the previous conflict.
Binance says suspected North Korean attackers used a fake job interview and malicious download to enter the crypto firm’s system. The exchange says the campaign resulted in a $6.34 billion theft.
AMD reported record quarterly revenue of $13.4 billion, calling the third quarter its largest and most profitable in history. The company expects another record quarter with projected revenue of $17 billion, driven in part by its data-center business.
Data-center builders are turning to once-discarded jet engines as they wait years for grid access and new turbines. The approach is less efficient and less environmentally friendly, but can provide power sooner.
NASA estimates a one-in-2,100 chance that debris from the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory could injure someone on the ground as the telescope is predicted to reenter Earth’s atmosphere. The report focuses on the risks surrounding its expected crash back to Earth.
A series of storms has added water to reservoirs in the Colorado River basin, but the region’s long-term water outlook remains bleak. The story examines why flooding does not resolve the Southwestern water crisis.
A space capsule about 300 miles above Earth is growing tiny crystals of a potential cancer drug in microgravity. Varda Space Industries now has three spacecraft simultaneously in orbit as it pursues orbiting pharmaceutical factories.
A new study found evidence of natural selection among dogs living in Chernobyl. Scientists still do not know what caused the genetic differences or what evolutionary advantages they might provide.
New policies are leaving some unaccompanied migrant children stuck in shelters for months. KFF Health News says the situation is undermining their mental health, and some children have chosen to return to the countries they fled.
Some GP surgeries will soon offer blood tests intended to detect hard-to-diagnose abdominal cancers earlier. The cancers named include liver, ovarian and pancreatic cancer.
A former top executive at Madrigal Pharmaceuticals has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the company covered up safety issues linked to its drug. The allegations have not been established in court.
Servier reported a surprise setback for a drug being tested for a form of muscular dystrophy that currently lacks treatment. The company said the drug failed its first major test.
The Bank of England is expected to raise interest rates after a survey showed UK services-sector growth reached an eight-month high in October. The survey also found input-price inflation accelerated to a five-month high, while businesses regained momentum lost after the start of the Iran war.
Britain’s housing market is not expected to recover until 2028, according to Savills. The firm forecasts average house prices will fall by 1.5% in 2027 as the Middle East war weighs on confidence and keeps mortgage rates higher for longer.
Democrats won governorships in several major states, including Texas and Georgia, in a major shift across traditional Republican strongholds. Georgia’s Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor of any state, while the results could affect Donald Trump’s remaining term and the 2028 presidential race.
Hakeem Jeffries is poised to become the first Black speaker of the House after Democrats took control of Congress. He has said his priorities would include affordability and holding the administration accountable.
Republicans redrew several congressional districts to strengthen their party ahead of the midterms. Democrats nevertheless won several of those districts in their sweeping victories.
Political campaigns are using influencers and other online creators through podcasts, paid posts, and voter outreach. The story examines how creator partnerships work and who funds them during the 2026 midterm elections.
A lawsuit brought by 26 former Meta employees alleges that AI-enabled systems helped determine who was selected for layoffs, disproportionately affecting people who took parental leave or needed disability accommodations. Meta denies that AI selected anyone for termination, while the case highlights growing concerns about opaque workforce analytics and automated employment decisions.
Graduates are spending more time managing artificial intelligence at work, raising concerns that they may be missing other kinds of experience. The story examines how AI is changing entry-level roles and early-career development.
Employee engagement has fallen to its lowest level in 15 years, according to Gallup. The largest declines were among hybrid and remote employees at companies that had adopted artificial intelligence.
Rory McIlroy says people connected to LIV Golf expressed an ambition to destroy the European Tour at the 2026 Masters. His comments came only months before LIV Golf filed for bankruptcy protection.
Novak Djokovic kept alive his bid to qualify for this year’s ATP Finals by winning his first-round match at the Paris Masters. He advanced after a hard-fought victory in the opening round.
Nexus Mods, one of PC gaming’s biggest mod repositories, will require creators of new mods to disclose whether AI was used in their work. The policy is part of the platform’s broader response to AI-generated content.
Reddit is testing ads in search results to help advertisers match promotions with users’ discovery behavior. The test comes as Reddit’s overall search traffic declines.
Rockstar Games has announced that Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-loading will begin on 10 November, along with file-size information and regional timings. Players will need to prepare storage space ahead of the game’s launch.
Nintendo’s Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is receiving exceptionally strong reviews. It currently holds a 96 Metacritic score, with critics praising its return to the status of a classic.
Arkane Studios has reportedly received buyout offers after spending months in limbo following Xbox’s decision to divest itself from the studio. Ubisoft is among the companies reported to be interested.
Valve says it is running behind on approving Steam games because submitted titles require repeated reviews. The company has created a new checklist for developers as wishlisted games miss planned release dates.
Some universities are offering students an alternative to conventional campus or off-campus housing: living alongside seniors in retirement communities. The programs combine student accommodation with intergenerational living.
An analysis of more than 6,600 faculty survey responses found that women, especially women of color, reported feeling disrespected and unappreciated in academia more often than their male counterparts. The findings point to persistent gender and racial disparities in academic workplaces.
As Denis Villeneuve’s blockbuster Dune series concludes, Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and the rest of the cast look back on desert shoots and the story’s moral implications. The piece offers a cast perspective on the trilogy’s final chapter.
Writer Ryū Murakami, known for books about sex, drugs and social misfits during Japan’s economic boom and bust, has died at 74. His novels sold millions of copies.
Joe Pantoliano has addressed the cancellation of Wonder Man’s second season, saying many people were disappointed. The comments provide an actor’s reaction to the Marvel show’s abrupt end.
An Ethiopian-born American citizen admitted sharing dozens of classified documents with senior Ethiopian officials. The documents were allegedly provided to help kill Tigray fighters.
South Africans are voting in local elections amid pressure on the African National Congress. Residents told the BBC they are frustrated by the poor quality of public services they receive.