Democrats now control both chambers of the U.S. Congress, holding at least 54 seats in the Senate and expanding their House majority by at least 30 seats. They also captured a majority of the nation’s governorships for the first time since 2010, adding seven Senate seats, over two dozen House districts and several state legislative chambers. The shift follows the November 3 midterm elections and marks the first instance of a Republican president facing a Democratic‑controlled Congress in both houses. The results are expected to reshape legislative priorities and oversight of the Trump administration.
Zohran Mamdani
3 stories since 29 October 2026, newest first
5 November 2026
4 November 2026
Google will disable Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and AI-enhanced Search for K-12 student accounts in the United States unless school administrators switch them on, with the change expected early in 2027. Google says the shift answers requests from educators and parents for more control over AI use. Schools that block AI will also lose access to Google Search, and Google says it will roll out the controls worldwide, starting in the US, without a set date. Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani criticized the move, and Senators Richard Blumenthal and Josh Hawley have asked Google to explain its default settings.
29 October 2026
Twelve former U.S. officials who quit over the Biden administration's Gaza policy have issued a joint statement urging 2028 presidential candidates not to hire those who enabled Israel's military actions. The signatories, many from the State Department, intelligence agencies and the military, accuse the officials of violating U.S. and international law by supplying weapons while civilians were attacked and aid blocked. The statement warns that many of the same officials are seeking to return to government within two years of leaving office. A video accompanied the release, showing former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and former national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Israel says its Gaza operations are self-defence after the 7 Oct 2023 Hamas-led attack.