What are the 10 biggest news stories from today?

I'll gather today's top 10 biggest stories for you.

I've gathered early coverage of today's major developments — now I'll pull the full details to complete the top 10.

The 10 biggest news stories for today - Tuesday, November 3, 2026 - Election Day for the 2026 US Midterms:

1. US Midterm Elections - Election Day
Today is Election Day for the 2026 US midterms, with control of Congress at stake. Final campaigning on the eve of the vote was marked by Donald Trump rallying for Republicans as Democrats made closing arguments. The campaign is the most expensive ever, projected to cost nearly $12bn and already at roughly $11.21 billion spent on advertising, surpassing the previous record. All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are up for election. Polls have been predicting a Democratic surge, but sampling issues mean no guarantee.

2. Government Shutdown and SNAP Benefits Crisis
The federal government shutdown that began Oct. 1 continues to disrupt benefits. The Trump administration says it will partially fund SNAP benefits amid the shutdown and announced that only half of payments usually allocated for SNAP would be approved in November for eligible households. The shutdown leads to long lines, delays at airports. Two federal judges ruled the administration must use the contingency fund, giving the USDA until Monday, November 3, to present a plan to issue at least partial payments, after the USDA announced November benefits would not be paid because of the shutdown.

3. Middle East - US Strikes on Iran and Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. military says it destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz as Washington signals a peak day of strikes. President Donald Trump tells reporters the U.S. has hit Iran "we're not finished yet" with military strikes, though he also said the war with Iran could end soon because there are "almost no targets left". Trump said the United States is having productive discussions with Iran and will not launch an attack on the country before midterm elections on November 3. The International Energy Agency says its 32 member countries have agreed to release a record 400 million barrels of oil to try to lower prices spiked by the war, as oil prices surge past $140.

4. War in Ukraine - Deadly Russian Strike on Aid Centre
Russian bombing kills 26 people at Ukraine aid centre, Kyiv says. Officials say at least nine 3,000kg aerial bombs hit a southern Ukrainian village in what the president called an "utterly horrific" attack. Thousands of European troops are also rehearsing a Ukraine deployment in event of peace.

5. Deadly Florida Private Jet Crash
A Learjet plummets to ground in Florida, killing 9. The copilot in the deadly Florida jet crash was identified in reports as 20-year-old. Investigators say the plane may have broken apart ahead of the deadly crash and that weather could have been a factor. The victims included a tech entrepreneur and his young family, as well as the 20-year-old copilot.

6. Major Cyberattacks - European Retail and US Election Infrastructure
Shop freezers in seven European countries hit by cyber-attack, leaving piles of rubbish after shop freezers were hit and dozens of shops across European countries hit affecting their fridges. Separately, a hacker is attempting to breach the US Federal Election Commission's systems, and the agency has had to temporarily shut down. The disruption hit the agency's electronic filing system a week before the November 3 elections, with its filing system down since around 10 p.m. ET on Monday, blocking 24-hour and 48-hour spending reports in the most expensive election in history.

7. Supreme Court Rejects Trump's California Ballot Demand
The Supreme Court rejects Trump's California ballot demands as Democrats rally on midterms eve. The Trump administration had requested to sideline 20,000 ballots that it alleged may have been issued to non-American citizens in the state.

8. Trump Administration Targets and Trade Moves
Sources say Trump's war on drug cartels could expand to Mexico. Trump is also set to remove Rwanda and South Africa from the US trade deal, barely a week after Rwanda's defence ministry was hit with sanctions. Trump also threatens Nigeria over Christian persecution claims and ordered the Pentagon to plan for potential military action.

9. Washington State Flooding and Epstein Photos Release
Historic rains and flooding trigger dramatic rescues in Washington state. In Washington D.C., House Democrats released photos of Trump, Clinton and Andrew from Epstein's estate.

10. International Headlines - India and Europe
PM Modi inaugurates Bharat Renewable Energy Summit and Expo 2026, covered in school assembly news for November 3, 2026. The European Union announced $115 million in aid for Lebanon amid a humanitarian crisis with 750,000+ displaced people.