10 things you need to know today: November 13, 2022

1. Sen. Cortez Masto beats GOP challenger in Nevada, Dems hold Senate

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) beat her Republican challenger, Adam Laxalt, to win re-election, NBC News and CNN projected Saturday. With her victory, the Democrats will maintain control of the U.S. Senate by the slimmest of margins. With 96 percent of precincts in Nevada reporting, Cortez Masto had carried 48.7 percent of the vote, compared to Laxalt's 48.2 percent, and was leading by nearly 5,000 votes. While the state has been leaning Democratic in recent years, the race turned out to be significantly closer than most pundits expected. With Masto's re-election, attention now shifts to the upcoming Georgia runoff to determine the final composition of the Senate.

NBC News CNN

2. Biden, Xi to size up each other's positions during Monday summit

President Biden will sit down Monday for a high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in what is expected to be a preview of the two nations' relationship moving forward. With international diplomacy between the countries at perhaps its lowest point in decades, Biden and Xi will have their first face-to-face meeting as national leaders — though the pair have known each other for more than a decade. The meeting, which will take place in Indonesia, will likely focus on China's increasing aggression toward Taiwan, with the country showing off its military prowess in an effort to show up the island nation. China's relationship with Russia is also likely to play a significant factor in the talks.

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The New York Times CNN

3. U.S., Japan, South Korea vow unification on North Korean threat

The leaders of the United States, Japan, and South Korea made a pact Saturday to remain a unified force against the increasing threat of North Korea. President Biden met privately with Japanese Prime Minster Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during the East Asia Summit in Cambodia. While the three talked about a variety of issues, Biden said the trio mostly focused on escalating military force seen by North Korea in recent weeks. "We face real challenges, but our countries are more aligned than ever, more prepared to take on those challenges than ever," Biden added.

The Associated Press

4. At least 6 people killed during air show crash in Dallas

A pair of vintage military planes collided in midair in Dallas on Saturday, killing at least six people. The crash, between a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra, occurred during an airshow taking place at the local Dallas Executive Airport. The total number of people onboard has not been confirmed. However, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins tweeted that "there are a total of six fatalities" from the incident. Jenkins added that officials are working on identifying all the victims. Officials also said that no people on the ground had been injured.

Dallas Morning News The Associated Press

5. Netanyahu to form new government in Israel, create conservative coalition

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received an official mandate Sunday to form a new government, effectively guaranteeing that the country's longest-serving leader will return to power once again. Netanyahu was tapped by Israeli President Isaac Herzog to create a new coalition, noting that he would be able to secure at least 64 out of 120 seats in the nation's parliament. The highly conservative Netanyahu, who left office in 2021, will return to the premiership with a significantly stable government compared to his predecessors, during which he was replaced by a revolving door of liberal politicians.

Reuters

6. Democrats flip House seat in Washington dominated by GOP for a decade

Democratic candidate Marie Gluesenkamp Perez beat her Republican challenger, Joe Kent, to flip a Washington House seat that had been controlled by the GOP since 2011, NBC News and Politico projected Saturday. The legacy of former President Donald Trump loomed large in the race, as Kent had won his GOP primary by ousting Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, one of 10 Republicans to vote for the former president's impeachment. However, Kent was unable to fend off a strong campaign from Perez, a small-business owner who was largely unknown in politics prior to her victory. Kent, however, has claimed he will not concede the race.

NBC News Politico

7. U.K. finance minister says country must raise taxes, cut spending

U.K. Finance Minster Jeremy Hunt said the country must raise taxes and decrease spending to avoid an economic disaster. Hunt, who is attempting to avoid the United Kingdom spiraling into a recession, said the moves were necessary in the aftermath of the disastrous prime ministership of Liz Truss. Truss, who was replaced recently by Rishi Sunak, was ousted in October, but not before a controversial tax cut plan was lambasted by economists across the country. However, Hunt told the British-based Sky News on Sunday that, while he didn't want to raise taxes, "If you do nothing, if you don't show that we're going to bring our debt down ... interest rates get higher and you get a recession that's made worse."

Reuters

8. Russia irritated by G20 focus on national security issues

Russia on Sunday said the G20 should stop focusing on worldwide security issues, instead saying that there were larger issues that the countries should be concerned about. The G20, a coalition of the world's largest economies, will be meeting in Indonesia later this week, and President Biden, along with other G20 leaders, is expected to lambast the Russians for their invasion of Ukraine. In a statement, though, Russian foreign ministry officials said the G20 should focus on "real, rather than imaginary, threats." Russia added, "We are convinced that the G20 is called upon to deal with socio-economic problems. Expanding its agenda into areas of peace and security, which many countries are talking about, is not viable."

Reuters

9. King Charles leads first Remembrance Sunday as monarch

The U.K.'s King Charles III led his first Remembrance Sunday as the British monarch following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September. The king attended the memorial service in central London alongside his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, along with other members of the royal family. He took the moment to lay a wreath at the memorial Cenotaph. The day, which honors the fallen soldiers of British wars, is celebrated annually on Nov. 11, which marks the day World War I came to an end in 1918. The day also runs in conjunction with American Veterans Day, which celebrates all the members of the U.S. military.

CNN

10. 'Saturday Night Live' pokes fun at midterm elections

Saturday Night Live began its cold opening by spoofing the outcome of the 2022 midterm elections. The ensemble variety show opened with a parody of Fox News' Fox and Friends, the morning daytime show featuring a number of conservative pundits. The "hosts" of the show pretended to ignore a call from former President Donald Trump, who many within the GOP's inner circles are reportedly blaming for the Republican's underperformance during the election. Notably, the team of hosts said they had moved on from Trump, and said they had instead shifted their attention to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the next face of the GOP.

Deadline The New York Times