Good Morning! Today’s edition is 902 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Orca hunting study

• Roman building collapse

• Furloughed government worker starts hotdog cart

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Big Stories

Off-year Elections

• Off-year elections today provide the first major electoral test of President Trump's second term, with gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey showing whether Trump's coalition holds without him on the ballot. The results preview the dynamics heading into the 2026 midterms.

• In Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger faces Republican Winsome Earle-Sears for governor. New Jersey shows a competitive race between Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli. New York City voters choose between democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo running as a third-party candidate.

• California's Prop 50 could authorize a Democratic-drawn congressional map, adding up to five House seats for 2026. Pennsylvania voters decide whether to retain three Democratic Supreme Court justices; losing them could flip the court to Republican control. Maine votes on expanding red flag gun laws, while Texas considers requiring voters to be US citizens.

Partial SNAP Payment

• The Trump administration said Monday it will use $4.65 billion to provide about half of November SNAP benefits after a federal judge ordered payment Friday. The administration needs $4 billion more to provide full benefits, but declined to tap Agriculture Department Child Nutrition funds to avoid creating 'an unprecedented gap' in child meal programs.

• More than 40 million Americans have not received November benefits as the government shutdown continues. Long lines formed at food banks nationwide over the weekend, with Texas and California converting stadium parking lots into mass food distribution sites.

• The administration previously argued contingency funds were only for disasters, not regular benefits. Judge McConnell rejected this, citing Trump's own 2019 guidance that said contingency funds are available during shutdowns. The shutdown is days from becoming the longest in US history.

Orca Hunting Tactics

• Orcas in the Gulf of California have developed specialized hunting skills to repeatedly target juvenile great white sharks, according to a new study. The orcas ram sharks at high speed to flip them upside-down, triggering paralysis. They then extract and eat the sharks' livers within minutes.

• Great white shark livers can weigh over 1,300 pounds and are extremely calorie-dense, making them valuable prey. The orcas have learned to target this energy-rich organ, a hunting strategy that sends adult great whites fleeing. Sharks avoid areas where orcas appear for up to a year.

• Researchers now want to know if juvenile sharks have instinctual anti-predator responses or must learn to fear orcas through experience. If the behavior must be learned, young sharks gathered in nursery areas could be highly vulnerable.

Quick Stories

US News

• Senate Leader John Thune said he's optimistic about ending the government shutdown this week, telling reporters "we're getting close to an off-ramp" but urging Democrats to accept offers. (More)

• Two men were charged with plotting a terror attack on Michigan LGBTQ+ bars over Halloween after buying three AR-15 rifles and thousands of rounds. (More)

• New York and 21 states sued the Education Department for blocking loan forgiveness to public workers whose employers support illegal immigration or disrupt public order, calling it political retaliation. (More)

World

• Chile is converting Punta Peuco prison, which houses 141 aging Pinochet-era human rights criminals in comfortable conditions with tennis courts and barbecues, into a regular jail to address overcrowding. (More)

• A 13th-century tower in Rome partially collapsed during renovations, trapping one worker beneath rubble and critically injuring another. Rescue attempts triggered further collapses, forcing firefighters back. (More)

• Israel's top military prosecutor resigned after leaking a video showing soldiers assaulting a Palestinian detainee. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed mixed on Monday (S&P +0.17%, Nasdaq +0.46%, Dow -0.46%). More AI deals propped up the Nasdaq as the rest of the market lagged. (More)

• Amazon stock hit record highs after signing a seven-year, $38 billion cloud deal with OpenAI, giving the ChatGPT creator access to hundreds of thousands of Nvidia's top computing chips. (More)

• Kimberly-Clark is buying Tylenol maker Kenvue for $48.7 billion in cash and stock, combining Kleenex, Huggies, Listerine, and Band-Aid under one roof. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• A former Atlanta Hawks executive was arrested for allegedly embezzling $3.8 million through fake hotel bills and corporate cards to fund luxury trips, a Porsche, and expensive gifts. (More)

• Diane Ladd, the Oscar-nominated actress known for "Wild at Heart" and "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" and mother of Laura Dern, died November 3 at age 89. (More)

• Jon Stewart will keep hosting The Daily Show on Mondays through December 2026 after signing his third one-year deal since returning to the show in early 2024. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Alzheimer's disrupts daily rhythms in brain cells that control half of the 82 genes linked to the disease, and Washington University researchers think stabilizing those rhythms could slow its progression. (More)

• Smartwatches using AI detected serious heart problems like weak pumping or damaged valves with 88% accuracy in a study of 600 people, potentially enabling early screening without ultrasounds. (More)

• A South Australian vet's Tesla windshield melted when something hot struck it while driving. Experts think it could be a meteorite or falling space debris. (More)

Extra Credit

Furloughed IRS lawyer is running a hotdog cart.

Nature’s best science photos from October.

…and the US ranks as the top country to view wildlife.

Sotheby’s is auctioning a solid gold toilet for $10M.