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[1/2] People take part in a protest against the electoral reform proposed by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and in support of the National Electoral Institute (INE) in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, November 13, 2022. Without opposition support, Lopez Obrador cannot pass his planned electoral overhaul, a constitutional reform which requires a two-thirds majority in Congress. Critics view that as a presidential power grab, something Lopez Obrador denies. If the bill founders, Lopez Obrador has mooted lesser changes that only require a simple majority. Lopez Obrador may have a last chance to reshape the INE when four of its 11 commissioners step down next April.

[1/2] A memorial is seen in the parking lot after a mass shooting at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, U.S. November 23, 2022. A system meant to help workers get compensated for workplace injuries could make it difficult for the lawsuit to succeed. But while many of those shootings occur in the workplace, employers are rarely held responsible. That is in part because nearly all U.S. states, including Virginia, require employers to buy workers compensation insurance to pay workers for medical expenses and lost wages stemming from workplace injuries. Workers' compensation is "a tough defense to overcome," said Jeffrey Harris, a Georgia-based plaintiffs' attorney who has handled numerous workplace injury cases.

[1/7] U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jefferies (D-NY) walks on the day of House Democratic leadership elections on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 30, 2022. The vote by Jeffries' fellow Democrats also marked the rise of a younger generation of leaders in the 435-member House and the end of the Nancy Pelosi era. In 2007 she became the first woman to be elected House speaker. Jeffries, a 52-year-old New Yorker, will hold the position of House Democratic leader for the 118th Congress that convenes on Jan. 3. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he was not surprised that Jeffries, a fellow Brooklynite, was chosen.

He is the founder and leader of the Oath Keepers, which U.S. officials have described as an anti-government group. According to the indictment, Rhodes began encouraging his Oath Keepers followers in November 2020 to "oppose by force the lawful transfer of presidential power." Caldwell has denied he was a member of the Oath Keepers, but prosecutors have said he has strong ties to the group. KENNETH HARRELSONHarrelson, 41, of Titusville, Florida, helped Meggs organize the Florida Oath Keepers and was part of the militia group that stormed into the Capitol building, according to the indictment. JESSICA WATKINSWatkins, 40, of Woodstock, Ohio, led the Ohio team of Oath Keepers at the Capitol on Jan. 6, according to the indictment.

☆ Republican U.S. House will sharpen China focus, monitor Ukraine aid
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Representative Michael McCaul, the Republican in line to head the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said his top priority will be competing with a rising China, including monitoring high-tech exports. To become law, any bills must be passed by the Democratic-controlled Senate and be signed by President Joe Biden. McCaul said he expected the aid to keep flowing, noting bipartisan support for the Kyiv government. The House Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees also plan a joint investigation of business dealings that Hunter Biden had with a Chinese energy firm in 2017. The Democratic-led House impeached Trump in 2019 on charges that he withheld military aid to Ukraine to put pressure on President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to launch an investigation of Hunter Biden.

☆ Republicans grill Biden homeland chief in possible preview of next Congress
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Ted Hesson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Republicans at a congressional hearing on Tuesday chastised U.S. While Tuesday's hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee was titled "Worldwide Threats to the Homeland," Republicans focused intensely on the southwestern border. [1/6] A general view of a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on "Worldwide Threats to the Homeland" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 15, 2022. Higgins said there were rumors that Mayorkas would resign before the start of the new Congress on Jan. 3. Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Howard Goller, Kristina Cooke and Alistair BellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Election denier Lake loses governor's race in battleground Arizona
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Julia Harte | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The closely fought governor's race between Lake and Democrat Katie Hobbs was one of the most significant in the general election because Arizona is a battleground state and will likely play a pivotal role in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. After the Arizona governor race was called, Hobbs wrote on Twitter: "Democracy is worth the wait." [1/4] Republican candidate for Arizona Governor Kari Lake speaks at the Republican Party of Arizona's 2022 U.S. midterm elections night rally in Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S., November 8, 2022. Voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin also rejected election deniers in races for governor and other statewide election posts. On Monday, she won the seat currently held by Republican Governor Doug Ducey, who could not seek re-election because of term limits.

☆ TSX rises as investors cheer U.S. inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE) ended up 72.97 points, or 0.4%, at 19,994.78. "It is a growing sense that the Fed could start to slow the pace of interest rate hikes." Canadian inflation data for October, due on Wednesday, could help guide expectations for further tightening from the central bank. Halfway into November, the TSX looked set for its second straight month of gains as investors welcomed signs of decade-high inflation cooling. Reporting by Fergal Smith; Additional reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Editing by Alistair BellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Kevin McCarthy faces high-wire act as Republicans close in on U.S. House majority
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

As speaker, McCarthy would be well placed to frustrate Democratic President Joe Biden's legislative ambitions. In Republican House leadership elections on Tuesday, McCarthy is expected to overcome a challenge from hard-line conservative Representative Andy Biggs. Republicans fell short of the "red wave" that some had predicted for a comfortable House majority and control of the Senate. The last two Republican House speakers, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, came under varying degrees of pressure from the right flank of the Republican caucus. The Congressional Leadership Fund, a group tied to him, contributed more than $160 million to help Republican House candidates.

REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstWASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Democrats in the U.S. Congress aim to pass bills protecting same-sex marriage, clarifying lawmakers' role in certifying presidential elections and raising the nation's debt ceiling when they return from the campaign trail on Monday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen both signaled that addressing the nations' looming debt ceiling would be a priority during the session. Some Republicans have threatened to use the next hike in the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, expected in the first quarter of 2023, as leverage to force concessions from Biden. Pelosi, who would lose her position as speaker if Republicans win a majority in the House, told ABC News on Sunday that the best way to address the debt ceiling was "to do it now." "We'll have to, again, lift the debt ceiling so that the full faith and credit of the United States is respected."

Under federal law, a president can retain personal records after leaving office, but these must be unrelated to official work. It is not clear from the redacted court filings exactly which documents Trump is claiming as personal. The department said Trump cannot assert executive privilege over any documents he has claimed as personal records because any such records must be unrelated to official duties. The Justice Department is appealing Cannon's decision to appoint a special master, telling the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Cannon initially barred the department from using all of the seized records for its criminal investigation until Dearie's review is complete.

Control of the Senate - and the shape of President Joe Biden's next two years in office - will now hinge on contests in Nevada and Georgia. Democrats needed one more seat for control, since Vice President Kamala Harris can cast the tie-breaking vote. Political analysts anticipate a rush of campaign funds into Georgia as Republicans and Democrats gear up for the final battle of the 2022 midterm elections. In the fight for control of the House of Representatives, Republicans were inching closer to becoming the majority and ending four years of rule by Democrats. The Republican House leader, Kevin McCarthy, has already announced his intention to run for speaker if Republicans take over, an outcome he has described as inevitable.

☆ Republican Joe Lombardo projected to win Nevada governors race-Edison Research
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 11 (Reuters) - Republican Joe Lombardo has unseated Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak in Nevada, one of the few governors races in the country considered a toss-up between the two major parties' candidates, Edison Research projected on Friday. Lombardo, the Clark County sheriff and a former soldier, ran on supporting law enforcement and cutting government spending. Sisolak emphasized protecting abortion. Unlike many of the unsuccessful Republican candidates for governor in presidential battleground states this year, Lombardo has rejected former Republican President Donald Trump's false claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Nevada law requires officials to count mail ballots received by Friday, so long as they were postmarked by Tuesday's Election Day.

☆ Republican Joe Lombardo projected to win Nevada governors race, Edison Research says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Trump in turn has blasted back, accusing the media without evidence of favoring DeSantis in a conspiracy to deny him the nomination. There is also an effort underway to get Trump to focus less on past grievances. In a Friday post on his Truth Social network, Trump called Youngkin "Young Kin" and said, "sounds Chinese, doesn’t it?" The day earlier, Trump posted a long harangue about DeSantis that again called him Ron "DeSanctimonious" and said he owes his political fortunes to Trump. Two Florida Republicans close to DeSantis predicted the governor would be wary of responding directly, keeping his focus on the state's recovery from Hurricane Ian and policy issues.

Lula insisted in a speech that he would maintain fiscal discipline, but his comments added to growing investor skepticism that he would keep a lid on spending. Concerns have been mounting about Brazil's public finances after major outlays through the pandemic and this year's presidential election. But his advisers are already discussing with lawmakers how to open room for more spending outside a constitutional spending cap in order to deliver on campaign promises, including a possible "Transition PEC" amending the constitution. "The signals indicate that the spirit of the Transition PEC is very oriented around new public spending. Still, as tough policy tradeoffs loom, and with Lula's economic team still being defined, markets have grown less patient.

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy had hoped to celebrate a resounding victory that would propel him into the top job of speaker. But Republican hopes for a "red wave" of victories faded as Democrats showed surprising resilience in several key races. Pelosi said in a statement, "It is clear that House Democratic members and candidates are strongly outperforming expectations around the country." [1/9] Supporters cheer U.S. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) at a House Republicans' party held late on the night of the 2022 U.S. midterm elections in Washington, U.S., November 9, 2022. The Georgia Senate race could end up in a Dec. 6 runoff, possibly with Senate control at stake.

SummarySummary Companies Key House, Senate races still too close to callRepublican-controlled Congress would stymie Biden agendaPHOENIX, Ariz./BIRMINGHAM, Mich., Nov 8 (Reuters) - Control of Congress was up for grabs after Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections with many of the most competitive races uncalled, leaving it unclear whether Republicans would seize control from President Joe Biden's Democrats. In the House of Representatives, Republicans had been favored to win a majority that would allow them to halt Biden's legislative agenda. By early Wednesday, the party had flipped four Democratic House seats, Edison Research projected, one short of the number they need to take over the chamber. The Georgia Senate race could end up in a Dec. 6 runoff, possibly with Senate control at stake. Democrats currently control the 50-50 Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris able to break any ties.

Vance won Ohio's U.S. Senate race in Tuesday's midterm elections, but control of the chamber remained up for grabs with several contests too close to call. Democrats currently control the 50-50 Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris able to break any ties. In addition to every House seat, 35 Senate seats and three dozen governors' races are on the ballot. (Live election results from around the country are here.) In Pennsylvania, Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, who sought to overturn the state's election results after Trump lost, was defeated by Democrat Josh Shapiro.

[1/14] A voter waits in line to cast their ballot during the midterm elections, in McAllen, Texas, U.S., November 8, 2022. REUTERS/Callaghan O'HarePHOENIX, Ariz./BIRMINGHAM, Mich., Nov 8 (Reuters) - Republicans were favored to wrest control of the U.S. House of Representatives away from President Joe Biden's Democrats based on early returns in Tuesday's midterm elections, though the prospects of a "red wave" appeared to have dimmed. But importantly, that number can change as close to 200 of the 435 House races had yet to be called, including some with vulnerable Republican incumbents. But even a narrow Republican House majority would be able to block Biden's priorities while launching politically damaging investigations into his administration and family. (Live election results from around the country are here.)

REUTERS/Mary F. CalvertPHOENIX, Ariz./BIRMINGHAM, Mich., Nov 8 (Reuters) - Senate incumbents including Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and senior Republican John Thune won re-election in Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections, on a day Republicans were expected to wrest control of Congress away from President Joe Biden's Democrats. Thirty-five Senate seats and all 435 House of Representatives seats are on the ballot. The final outcome, particularly control of the 50-50 Senate, is unlikely to be known any time soon. Democrats currently control that chamber through Vice President Kamala Harris' tie-breaking vote. The Georgia race could end up in a Dec. 6 runoff to determine which party holds the Senate.

DeSantis, a possible contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, turned away Democratic Representative Charlie Crist, Edison Research projected. Seven Republicans also won U.S. Senate seats, according to Edison, though none was unexpected. Thirty-five Senate seats and all 435 House of Representatives seats are on the ballot. Republicans are widely favored to pick up the five seats they need to control the House, but control of the Senate could come down to tight races in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia and Arizona. In Maricopa County, Arizona - a key battleground - the Republican Senate nominee, Blake Masters, and the national party filed an emergency lawsuit seeking to extend voting hours after some tabulation machines malfunctioned.

Edison Research projected that incumbent Republican Senators Tim Scott in South Carolina and Todd Young in Indiana would win re-election. Fox News projected Republican Rand Paul would win re-election in Kentucky and Democrat Peter Welch would win an open Senate seat in Vermont. I blame the current administration for that," said Bethany Hadelman, who said she voted for Republican candidates in Alpharetta, Georgia. A Republican Senate would hold sway over Biden's judicial nominations, including any Supreme Court vacancy, intensifying the spotlight on the increasingly conservative court. Those concerns swayed even some Republican leaning voters like Henry Bowden, 36, an Atlanta lawyer who said he voted for a mix of Republican and Democratic candidates.

[1/8] Voters fill out ballots at a polling station during the 2022 U.S. midterm election in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S., November 8, 2022. With voting underway, U.S. officials said they did not see a "specific or credible threat" to disrupt election infrastructure. I blame the current administration for that," said Bethany Hadelman, who said she voted for Republican candidates in Alpharetta, Georgia. A Republican Senate would hold sway over Biden's judicial nominations, including any Supreme Court vacancy, intensifying the spotlight on the increasingly conservative court. Reuters GraphicsINFLATION AND ABORTIONThe Supreme Court's June decision to overturn the nationwide right to abortion had galvanized Democratic voters around the country, temporarily raising the party's hopes they could defy history.

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