Young people turned out in near-record numbers for the 2026 midterms. According to Tufts University's CIRCLE, 27 percent of 18-to-29-year-olds voted, the second-highest midterm youth turnout in 30 years, behind only 2018. The economy was the top issue, and for young voters, both those in college and those who weren't, jobs and health care were also leading concerns. Young voters heavily favored Democrats, who won decisive majorities in both houses of Congress.

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.