Democrats won a sweeping victory in the 3 November 2026 midterms, taking both the House and the Senate and reversing the voting patterns of 2024. The most striking results came in the Senate: in Maine, longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins lost to Democrat Troy Jackson. Analysts see the result as a rejection of President Trump's agenda more than a vote for specific Democratic policies, since many voters were reacting against the administration. With both chambers, Democrats gain the power to investigate, block legislation and slow nominations until at least 2029.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.