Democrats retain control of the Senate, Border Patrol chief resigns, Kyrie Irving still suspended. This is the news of the weekend.

Democrats seal Senate control after Cortez Masto defeats Laxalt in Nevada

Democrats will retain control of the US Senate after Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto – once considered the most vulnerable midterm Democratic senator – fended off a challenge from Republican Adam Laxalt after days of vote counting. The nation’s first Latina senator, Cortez Masto has been targeted by National Republicans as their best chance to flip a seat. And because Democrats only control the Senate 50-50 because of Vice President Kamala Harris’ deciding votes, Republicans only needed a net gain of one seat to take the chamber. But with his seat secured, Democrats are guaranteed to control whatever the outcome of the December 6 runoff in Georgia between incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker.

👉 More updates and midterm election results.

Customs and Border Protection chief Chris Magnus steps down

The head of United States Customs and Border Protection quit his job leading the nation’s largest law enforcement agency as officers encounter record numbers of migrants entering the United States from Mexico. The Associated Press reported that Chris Magnus had been ordered to resign or be fired, and he tendered his resignation to President Joe Biden on Saturday, saying it had been “a privilege and an honor” to be part of administration. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden had accepted Magnus’ resignation. Magnus’ removal is part of a larger upheaval expected at Homeland Security as it struggles to handle migrants from more countries, including Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. It comes as Republicans are likely to take control of the House in January and are expected to launch border investigations.

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Deadly blast on popular Istanbul street leaves six dead and dozens injured

Six people were killed and dozens injured after a bomb exploded on a popular tourist destination in Istanbul on Sunday. Footage from the shopping street scene on Istiklal Avenue showed people fleeing the flames moments after the pedestrian street, which is usually packed with tourists and locals, was bombarded. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the perpetrators would be punished. The governor of Istanbul reported 53 injuries. In the past, Turkey’s Supreme Radio and Television Council banned news organizations and social media users from showing close-up images of explosions and the aftermath of explosions in news reports, which the country’s media watchdog has again imposed. Shops were closed and the avenue closed after the bombardment.

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving’s suspension extended

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving’s suspension has been extended. On Saturday, Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn confirmed that Irving will miss at least one more game and not return to the lineup when Brooklyn takes on the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. Vaughn did not provide a timeline for Irving’s return. Irving was suspended at least five games by the Nets earlier this month for his failure to disavow anti-Semitism after he shared a controversial documentary containing anti-Semitic material on his Twitter account.

After long occupation, Ukrainian town is ‘a humanitarian catastrophe’, official says

Ukrainian police officers returned on Saturday, as well as television and radio services, to the southern city of Kherson after the withdrawal of Russian troops, as part of a quick but cautious effort to make the only regional capital captured by Russia habitable after months of occupation. Yet one official still described the city as “a humanitarian catastrophe”. People across Ukraine woke up to a night of jubilant celebration after the Kremlin announced that its troops had withdrawn across the Dnieper from Kherson. Ukraine’s military said it was overseeing “stabilization measures” around the town to ensure it was safe.

The Russian retreat represented a major setback for the Kremlin about six weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin annexed the Kherson region and three other provinces in southern and eastern Ukraine in violation of international law and removed them. declared Russian territory. 👉 Latest updates from Ukraine.

College football: Alabama appeases skeptics

There’s good news and bad news for Alabama’s No. 11. After last week’s loss to No. 8 LSU, Alabama bounced back to beat No. 9 Mississippi 30-24 and avoid the kind of result that would have set off serious alarm bells. on Crimson Tide’s precipitous fall from the top tier of the SEC. Facing more of the same from Alabama’s predictably mediocre offensive line, quarterback Bryce Young completed 63.6 percent of his throws for 209 yards and three touchdowns. Unfortunately, Alabama’s win puts SEC West back to LSU, who earned an ugly win at Arkansas and will represent the division in the conference championship game due to a head-to-head tiebreaker. against Tide and Rebels. More college football winners and losers.

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Contributor: Associated Press