Democrats won control of the House and Senate in Tuesday's midterms, according to AP race calls. As of Saturday, AP had Democrats at 54 Senate seats and Republicans at 44, with Mississippi and Alaska undecided. In Mississippi, Democrat Scott Colom led Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by 2,574 votes with 97% counted; mail ballots postmarked by Election Day count if they arrive by Nov. 10. In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola led Sen. Dan Sullivan by 637 votes with 74% counted; ranked-choice tabulation begins Nov. 18 if no one tops 50%.
Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith says"We are not backing down. This election is not over."
Scott Colom saysHe is confident the count will favor him and vowed "to protect the process."
U.S. Central Command said late Saturday it disabled a St. Kitts-flagged ship in the Gulf of Oman after it ignored multiple warnings and tried to leave the region after visiting an Iranian port. On Friday night the U.S. carried out what President Trump called "minor" strikes on Iranian air defenses on Qeshm Island. Trump says there has been "a lot of progress" in Qatar-mediated talks; officials told AP that Iran won't discuss its nuclear program until the U.S. meets core conditions, including ending the blockade of its ports and lifting sanctions.
President Trump saysThere has been "a lot of progress with Iran" in the talks, and "They want to make a deal."
Iran saysOfficials told AP Iran won't discuss its nuclear program until the U.S. ends the blockade, lifts sanctions and meets other conditions; security official Ali Bagheri said Iran wants practical steps, not "paper commitments."
The Dow fell more than 1,800 points, about 3.4%, on Thursday and the PHLX Semiconductor Index lost about 12% as investors sold AI chip and data center stocks. On Friday AI stocks rebounded: Nvidia rose 3.6%, the Nasdaq gained 1.09% and the S&P 500 0.31%, while the Dow slipped 0.46%. The same day, the government reported employers added 165,000 jobs in October, well above forecasts, and the unemployment rate dipped to 4.1%.
President Trump announced Friday that deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller will become White House chief of staff on Monday, replacing Susie Wiles, the first woman in the job, who is moving to Trump's political operation. Trump said he "wanted to make a change" and that Wiles had done a good job. Vice President JD Vance called the promotion "well deserved"; some Republicans and Democrats criticized it.
Supporters sayVice President JD Vance called the promotion "well deserved"; the White House said Miller "has been a key player in delivering on President Trump's America First agenda since day one."
Critics sayRepublican Rep. Marlin Stutzman called it a "horrible decision"; Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern wrote, "Clearly they've learned nothing."
President Isaac Herzog said Saturday he is giving opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief, the first opportunity to form Israel's next government after the Oct. 27 election left no side with a majority. Sixty-seven lawmakers, including from Arab-led parties, recommended Eisenkot and 46 backed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Eisenkot has 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, to assemble at least 61 of the Knesset's 120 seats.
President Herzog saysHe is giving Eisenkot "the first opportunity to form a governing coalition."
Netanyahu saysA government "dependent on Islamists, will dismantle the state of Israel from within."
Paraguay's Senate removed President Santiago Peña for misconduct in office on Friday, with all 44 senators present voting in favor, after regulators seized Ueno Bank on Nov. 3. Vice President Pedro Alliana was sworn in to serve until August 2028. Prosecutors placed Peña under house arrest on suspicion of breach of trust, influence peddling and using public office for personal gain. Lawmakers accuse him of steering public funds into the bank; Peña denies wrongdoing.
Lawmakers who removed him sayPeña used his political influence to steer hundreds of millions of dollars in public funds into Ueno Bank.
Santiago Peña saysHe denies wrongdoing and said he did not want his "presence to be a cause of greater division or instability."
Hundreds of thousands of people marched in a one-day nationwide strike in France on Thursday, Nov. 5, over living costs, public services and education. The Interior Ministry estimated about 600,000 took part; the CGT union said 1.6 million. On Nov. 4 lawmakers rejected the first part of the 2027 budget bill, which includes austerity measures to address France's debt and deficit; the bill now goes to the Senate. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is due to meet unions and employers on Nov. 9.
Unions sayThe budget hits the most vulnerable and freezes social benefits; the CGT's Sophie Binet said taxes should be reintroduced on the wealthiest people and largest companies.
The government saysAusterity measures are needed to address France's public debt and deficit; it released diesel from strategic reserves to lower fuel prices.
Ethiopia closed Sudan's consulate in the border town of Assosa and ordered six diplomats to leave within 48 hours; Sudan then closed Ethiopia's consulate in Gedaref and expelled its staff. Sudan accuses Ethiopia of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan's civil war; Ethiopia accuses Sudan of backing rebels in its Tigray region. Both deny the allegations.
Sudan saysEthiopia supports the Rapid Support Forces and let them launch drone attacks from its territory.
Ethiopia saysSudan backs rebels fighting Ethiopia's government in Tigray; it denies supporting the RSF.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new sanctions on Thursday, Nov. 5, targeting a Cuban crude oil shipping network, state-owned entities and China-based suppliers of Cuba's military. A new Treasury determination allows sanctions on foreign persons operating in Cuba's electronics, manufacturing, marine and technology sectors. Five Cuban-flagged tankers and carriers were identified as blocked property.
The U.S. saysRubio said the administration "will not stand by while the Cuban regime funnels the island's resources to its military elite."
North Korea fired multiple missiles toward the sea off its east coast from the Sondok area on Wednesday, Nov. 4, its fourth weapons launch in a month, South Korea's Defense Ministry said. North Korean state media said it tested an advanced air-defense missile system. Kim Yo Jong ruled out dialogue with Washington until the U.S. abandons what she called its "hostile policy" and repeated North Korea's denial that it was behind the Binance hack the FBI blamed on it.
