Full news summary:

Breaking news this afternoon. Rumsfeld to Step Down as Defense Secretary – “President Bush announces he is replacing secretary of defense, saying a "fresh perspective" is needed to deal with the war in Iraq. Ex-CIA chief Robert Gates is named to replace him.” Rumsfeld Resigns as Defense Secretary After Big Election Gains for Democrats – “Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, the hard-driving Pentagon boss who came to symbolize President Bush’s controversial Iraq policy, is resigning,”

Election news and analysis.

Democrats take U.S. House decisively – “Two years after reelecting President Bush and affirming Republican dominance of Washington, voters handed the president and his party a stinging rebuke, giving Democrats control of the House for the first time in 12 years in a campaign overshadowed by deepening public disapproval of the Iraq war.” Democrats' Day – “After six years of near-total Republican domination under President Bush, voters expressed displeasure with the president, the Iraq war and the GOP-held Congress in multiple districts and states throughout the nation, handing control of the House of Representatives to Democrats, cutting Republican numbers in the Senate and altering the balance of power in Washington.” Democrats capture House – “Democrats last night seized control of the House, riding a wave of public anger over the Iraq war, the economy, and the performance of the Bush administration to take power of the chamber for the first time in 12 years.” Democrats Take House – “Democrats recaptured the House last night, defeating Republican incumbents in every region of the country, and were close to gaining control of the Senate in midterm elections dominated by war, scandal and President Bush's leadership.” Democrats Take Majority in House; Pelosi Poised to Become Speaker – “Democrats captured a majority in the House of Representatives in midterm elections Tuesday, as voters delivered a rebuke to the Bush administration and the governing Republicans amid an increasingly unpopular war in Iraq and a rash of scandals tainting GOP incumbents in several states.”

Analysis GOP ceded the center and paid the price – “For six tumultuous years President Bush has provoked intense opposition while mobilizing passionate support for an ambitious conservative agenda.” A Loud Message for Bush– “A proudly unyielding president was put on notice that the voters want change, especially on the war in Iraq.” The Impetus for Changes: Voters Display Frustrations and Dissatisfactions– “Voters said they were unhappy with the Iraq war and expressed discontent over the economy, the cost of health care, gasoline prices and illegal immigration.” Voters signal a loss of patience with president's war plan –“The Democratic victory last night did not mark the end of the war in Iraq, but it seemed to mark the end of America's patience with the war.” Opposition to War Buoys Democrats– “October was the U.S. military's deadliest month in Iraq in nearly two years, and as Democrats cruised to victory in the House last night, early returns and exit polls suggested that the unpopularity of the war -- along with the president who started it -- was a major factor.” Angry electorate says `no' to Bush – “Americans finally got to vote on the war. They want change.” A Voter Rebuke For Bush, the War And the Right – “The political pendulum in American politics swung away from the right yesterday, putting an end to the 12-year Republican Revolution on Capitol Hill and delivering a sharp rebuke of President Bush and the Iraq war.”

Minimum wage. Six States Boost Minimum Wage – “Voters in six states have approved proposals that raise their state's minimum wage and tie it to changes in inflation,” Bush says min wage hike area of common ground – “George W. Bush on Wednesday said increasing the national minimum wage is likely an issue on which he could cooperate with Democratic leaders in Congress.”

Abortion. S. Dakota repeals tough abortion ban – ‘In a contest closely watched across the country, South Dakota voters Tuesday repealed the nation's toughest abortion ban.” All Eyes on Kennedy in Court Debate On Abortion – “As the Supreme Court prepares for today's oral arguments on the federal "partial birth" abortion ban, both sides are focusing on the same question: "What will Kennedy do?"

Darfur. In a Calm Corner of Darfur, Villagers Rebuild Ties – “Much of Darfur is still a battlefield, but there are other parts where people are making the difficult journey home.”

Iran. At the U.N., Discord Over Confronting Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions – “A meeting of six nations working on a resolution to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions broke up Tuesday evening with the ambassadors reporting widening disagreements and lessening prospects of a swift accord.”

Security Council. Panama to join Security Council – “Panama won a two-year term on the Security Council, making the powerful body's composition for 2007 much less contrarian than the U.S. had feared should Venezuela have won the Latin American seat.”