Democrats have stormed to victory in the US midterm elections, capturing control of both chambers of Congress in a stunning political reversal that delivers a major blow to President Donald Trump and his Republican Party.

The results of Tuesday’s elections saw Democrats break through in traditionally Republican strongholds, flipping key Senate seats in Texas, South Carolina and Kansas, where Republicans had expected to hold their ground.

Among the biggest upsets was James Talarico’s Senate victory in Texas, where Democrats had not won a statewide office in more than 30 years. In South Carolina, Annie Andrews defeated Republican Senator Darline Graham, while Troy Jackson unseated Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine.

The Democratic gains extended to the House of Representatives, where the party overturned Republican advantages in several states, including Iowa, Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Trump faces two difficult years

The scale of the defeat is a serious setback for Trump, who spent much of the final campaign stretch rallying supporters and backing Republican candidates. Several of those candidates went down to defeat despite his personal endorsements.

Voters appeared to deliver a clear message, with rising living costs, economic frustration, the war in Iran and concerns over government corruption emerging as major issues.

Trump sought to play down the results, insisting he had not been on the ballot and blaming the defeat on the candidates rather than his own leadership.

Democratic leaders, meanwhile, celebrated what they described as a historic political shift, promising tougher oversight of the administration and investigations into senior officials.

With Democrats now controlling both chambers, Trump’s legislative agenda faces a formidable obstacle. The party has also signalled that investigations into the administration, including questions surrounding the president’s personal interests and the conduct of senior officials, will be a priority.

The outcome marks one of the most significant political setbacks of Trump’s presidency, transforming the balance of power in Washington and setting the stage for two turbulent years ahead.

An Indian tourist was killed and a New Zealand national injured after two helicopters collided while attempting to land in Nepal’s Everest region on Tuesday, police said.

The accident occurred on a snowy landing site in Solukhumbu district when helicopters operated by Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty struck each other during landing attempts.

“The 47-year-old Indian tourist died on the spot,” Nabin Raja Budhathoki, head of Solukhumbu District Police, told AFP.

A 53-year-old New Zealand national was injured and airlifted to the capital, Kathmandu, for further medical treatment. Authorities were also arranging to transport the deceased tourist’s body to the capital.

Both helicopter pilots survived the collision.

Helicopters are widely used in Nepal to transport tourists, mountaineers and supplies across the Himalayan region, as well as to conduct emergency evacuations.

However, the country’s mountainous terrain and rapidly changing weather conditions make aviation operations particularly challenging.

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains, including Mount Everest, attracting thousands of international climbers and trekkers each year.

The US carried out strikes on Iran’s Qeshm ​Island in the Strait of Hormuz, a US ‌official said on Monday.

The strikes, earlier reported by the Wall Street Journal, appeared to be limited and were not ​a resumption of major combat operations, the official ​said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Another ⁠official said the strikes were defensive measures against ​Iranians using surface-to-air missiles against US assets.

The Pentagon referred ​a request for comment to the US Central Command, which oversees American forces in the Middle East. CENTCOM did not ​respond to requests for comment.

Earlier on Monday, Iranian ​state media outlet IRNA reported that there were several explosions on Qeshm ‌Island.

The ⁠Journal reported that the attack was the latest in a series of strikes carried out by Washington in recent weeks.

Fox News, citing officials, said the ​strikes were defensive ​and carried ⁠out in response to Iran firing at a US aircraft.

In recent weeks, President Donald ​Trump hinted at renewing attacks on Iran ​after ⁠the US midterm elections on Tuesday. But after a speech at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on ⁠Monday, he ​indicated he might be thinking ​otherwise.