Democrats scored sweeping state-level gains, adding 258 legislative seats, flipping 11 chambers and winning key governorships. The shift gives them more state power than at any point this century, with counting still underway.

Tencent unveiled Hy4, an open-weight model with visual reasoning and computer-use skills, claiming top results in a financial-task test. It’s rolling out across Tencent products, with model weights and a safety report still to come.

Democrats were projected to win both chambers, and Trump said he accepted the results. Election Day was mostly calm despite scattered logistical problems; Alaska’s Senate race remained unresolved amid a federal investigation.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani cast Democrats’ election gains as a national demand for action on working people’s costs and concerns. He urged the party to deliver on promises, calling the results a turning point in the Trump era.

Democrats’ sweeping midterm wins have sharpened a defining question: embrace progressive populism or pragmatic moderation? Party leaders say victories matter only if they deliver broadly felt gains and rebuild voters’ trust.

Democrats are proposing a pause on advanced AI development until federal safety rules are in place, escalating Washington’s fight over how to balance AI risks and U.S. competitiveness. The bills remain in committee and are not current law.

Democrats appear poised to retake Congress, putting a sweeping mining bill and federal resource policy in the spotlight. The bill would speed permits and expand mining waste sites; critics warn it could weaken environmental safeguards.

Claude’s monthly users soared 1,260% year over year in Q3, the fastest growth among seven AI assistants—but it still has just 4% of their combined audience. ChatGPT remains dominant, with 1.4 billion users.

Congress has ceded much of its lawmaking power to party leaders and presidents, leaving rank-and-file lawmakers with little say. In 2025, the House blocked amendments to 84% of bills reaching the floor; conference committees have nearly disappeared.

AI is making ransomware faster and easier to run, turning a specialist crime into a cheap, scalable service. With groups surging and attacks increasingly automated, experts urge proactive threat hunting, tested offline backups and rapid patching.