John Thune elected Senate majority leader, tropical storm develops in Caribbean, Joan makes final pick on 'Golden Bachelorette'

Good morning, all. It’s National Pickle Day. Here are seven golden rules for quick-pickling some of your favorite foods. Now, on to the news.

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NEED TO KNOW

GOP retains control of House as Trump makes more appointments

Republicans officially won the House, and the GOP moved to name leaders in both congressional chambers yesterday. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump nominated more people for roles in his administration.

House majority: Republicans won the 218 seats needed to control the House after winning the Senate majority last week, creating a so-called trifecta. The vote margins may still be slim in Congress, but many Republicans see it as a mandate to implement Trump’s agenda. [Yahoo News]

Trump nominees: Trump named Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for national intelligence director and Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Gaetz, the subject of a House Ethics Committee probe for sexual misconduct, promptly resigned from Congress. [CNN/The Hill]

Congressional leadership: Republicans elected South Dakota Sen. John Thune as the next Senate majority leader. Meanwhile, Mike Johnson, the current GOP speaker of the House, was nominated to retain his role, with an official vote to come next year. [AP/USA Today]

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

?? Joan’s happily ever after

Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos got the beach proposal of her dreams, telling her fiancé, “We are living proof that no matter what life throws at you there's still hope, even at our age.” See who she picked. [Yahoo Entertainment]

?? Tropical storm watch

A storm system in the western Caribbean is expected to intensify into a tropical storm. While the potential impacts to the eastern Gulf of Mexico, including Florida, are unclear, residents are urged to monitor forecasts. [CNN]

?? McDonald’s E. coli outbreak

Federal health officials said that the E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders sickened more than 100 people in 14 states. However, it posed “no continued food safety concern.” [CBS News]

?? Zuckerberg ‘gets low’

Love is patient, love is kind, love is … a NSFW cover of the T-Pain song “Get Low”? Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg teamed up with the rapper to form the duo Z-Pain and release the track in tribute to his wife, Priscilla Chan. [Business Insider]

? Clark takes a swing

WNBA star Caitlin Clark traded in her basketball for golf clubs to play in The Annika pro-am. “Golf is hard,” she quipped, after her first shot nearly hit a spectator. [Yahoo Sports]

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY

?? The first five episodes of The Day of the Jackal, starring Eddie Redmayne, dropped on Peacock, but beware: One critic called it a “torturous bore.” [Daily Beast]

?? The 25th annual Latin Grammy Awards air live at 8 p.m. ET on Univision. Here’s who’s performing. [Los Angeles Times]

?? On Thursday Night Football, the Commanders face the Eagles at 8:15 p.m. ET on Fox. These are the matchups to watch. [NBC Sports]

?? In basketball, the Mavericks play the Jazz at 9 p.m. ET on NBA TV. [AP]

?? And don’t forget to: Read your daily horoscope. Play the Crossword. Check the forecast in your area.

TODAY IN HISTORY

In 1960, 6-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first Black child in the South to attend an all-white elementary school. On that morning, she said her mom told her, “I want you to behave yourself today, Ruby, and don’t be afraid. There might be a lot of people outside this new school, but I’ll be with you.” [Parade]

3 QUESTIONS

...about the best books to read this fall

Cozy weather means it’s the perfect time to curl up with a new book. I asked Yahoo News entertainment reporter Kelsey Weekman for some of the season’s best recs.

Jessica: I want a few books that get me in the autumnal spirit. Any recommendations?

Kelsey: For a new read, try Richard Osman’s cozy mystery We Solve Murders. For nonfiction, I’m totally entranced by Ilana Kaplan’s Nora Ephron at the Movies. You can read an excerpt here.

Jessica: It feels like a million celebrity memoirs have come out over the past month. What should I pick up first?

Kelsey: I’m currently reading Bethany Joy Lenz’s illuminating memoir about her life in a cult, but I learned a ton from Ina Garten, Lisa Marie Presley and Al Pacino through their books too.

Jessica: What’s the book everybody is reading this fall?

Kelsey: Everyone’s reading Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo, which is a tale of two brothers who grapple with heartache and ethical quandaries. I thought it was captivating. But I’ve seen the spy thriller Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner around a lot too. Here’s an excerpt of that one.

Read before bed? You might need a reading light.

FEEL-GOOD MOMENT

California mom Rhiannah Gordon recently learned that she’d passed the bar exam on her first try, and her kids were there to “ugly cry” with her in happiness. “All the time we spent and the sacrifices we made as a family paid off,” Gordon said. Watch the emotional moment. [GMA]

Have a great day. See you tomorrow!

?? P.S. Before you go, your daily advice: Have your AirPod Max headphones stopped working? Removing the headband and cleaning the connector may help. [How-To Geek]

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