Oil prices hit two-month low following decisive midterm election results

Key Points:

• British actor and comedian Russell Brand was found guilty by a London jury of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault, involving incidents from 2004 and 2009; sentencing is scheduled for Monday, with ongoing investigations into additional allegations.
• Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, after winning the Michigan Senate seat, used the Arabic term "habibi" in a speech to Vice President JD Vance, responding to Islamophobic attacks during his campaign and emphasizing resilience against religious discrimination.
• Oil prices fell to their lowest levels in two months amid expectations that Democratic control of Congress will push to end the Iran war, which has disrupted energy markets; stock markets in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. surged following the election results.
• Democrat Teresa Benitez-Thompson won Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District, a historic upset in a traditionally Republican stronghold, partly due to her opponent’s scandal involving false military claims; her victory means Nevada will be represented entirely by Democrats in Congress.
• Senator Ted Cruz described the Republican midterm losses as a "blue tsunami" and a "Watergate-level repudiation," attributing the defeat to issues like the cost of living and the Iran war; he expressed willingness to work with Democrats in Texas following Democrat James Talarico’s Senate win.