November 4: Democrats Take Congress as Talarico Wins Texas Senate Race

In artificial intelligence
Tencent has released Hy4, its flagship Hunyuan AI model, adding the ability to process images and operate a computer. Tencent says it ranks among the strongest open-source models, though its own team acknowledges it still trails the best closed models by a wide margin.
In U.S. elections
Democrats have won control of both chambers of Congress, delivering a major setback to President Donald Trump. James Talarico won the Texas Senate race, giving Democrats their first Senate election victory in the state since 1988. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers, becoming the country’s first Muslim senator.
Two governor’s races also produced historic results. The Associated Press reports that Deb Haaland won in New Mexico, becoming the first Native American woman elected governor of a U.S. state. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Trump-backed Republican Rick Jackson, becoming the first Black woman elected governor in U.S. history.
Decision Desk HQ projects that Nevada voters approved constitutional abortion protections through fetal viability, usually around 24 weeks, with exceptions after viability to protect the patient’s life or health. The tracker also projects passage of a constitutional measure requiring photo identification for in-person voting.
At BMW
BMW is reportedly cutting 1,800 jobs at BMW Brilliance’s operations in Shenyang, China, with layoffs beginning November 2. The cuts come as declining sales pressure profitability for 2026.
In Florida
A Learjet 60 crash in Palm Beach County killed nine people. Investigators are examining the cause as a recording resurfaces of a reported exchange in May, when air traffic controllers warned the aircraft’s crew about severe turbulence.
In Scotland
Former Police Scotland officer Derek McNee has been sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to repeatedly raping a woman who was unconscious or heavily intoxicated. He was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow.
In clean industry
China accounts for 49 percent of the world’s clean industrial plants operating or under construction, according to the Mission Possible Partnership. Its report puts Chinese investment in energy transition projects at 45 billion dollars this year.
In Israel
Israel’s election commission says it found no fraud in last week’s vote. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters have repeatedly alleged, without substantiation, that Arab-led parties stole the election, possibly with foreign assistance.
In Spain
Transport Minister Oscar Puente has resigned after a train crash killed 69 people. Puente said he could not continue in office after two major train accidents in less than a year.