5 things to know for November 5: Midterms, Brexit, Iran, corporal punishment

You can rest your head under the sea, now that the world's first underwater hotel has opened in the Maldives. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. (You can also get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)

1. Midterm elections

We have reached the final days of a midterm election cycle unlike any other. President Trump is burning up the campaign trail, with five rallies in two days where he's talking in apocalyptic terms about immigration (and occasionally mentioning the booming economy). The Democrats, led by big rallies with former President Obama, hope the unprecedented level of early voting this cycle means they've juiced turnout enough among their supporters that they can retake the House and grab back some power in Washington. The stakes couldn't be higher: voters will either choose to constrain Trump and his unconventional presidency, over concerns about his behavior and many scandals, or they will reward him for overseeing a historically red-hot economy and keeping his election promises, however controversial. Keep up with the latest election updates here.

Here's a refresher, should you need one, on everything you need to know about the midterm elections

Here's what to do if you're turned away at the polls

And here's the answer to that burning question: Can I take a selfie in the voting booth?

2. Iran sanctions

The Trump administration is set to reimpose all sanctions against Iran today. The sanctions were lifted as part of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, which President Trump pulled the US out of earlier this year. Iran's energy and banking sectors will be hit hard, although it should be noted that Iran is still exporting oil as the sanctions kick in. Demonstrators took to the streets of Tehran to protest. Trump highlighted the return of sanctions on Friday by tweeting a "Game of Thrones"-style image of himself with the words "sanctions are coming." That didn't play well with HBO (or Arya Stark, for that matter).

3. Indonesia plane crash

A couple of big developments in the investigation of Lion Air Flight 610: The plane was intact, and its engines running, when it plunged into the Java Sea last week, killing 189 people, Indonesian officials said. That means it didn't explode in the air. They also confirmed that the pilots reported issues flying the plane on another route a day before the crash. On a flight from Bali to Jakarta, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 had a big drop in altitude. "After 10 minutes in the air, the plane dropped as if it was losing power," a passenger on that flight said. "People panicked. It dropped about 400 feet."

Another Brexit vote? It's what at least 60 UK business leaders are pushing for, as fears grow that the country will leave the EU in March without a deal. The business leaders published a letter in a newspaper calling for a "People's Vote" on Brexit. They want this because the proposals the UK and EU are hashing out right now are not "as good as the current deal we have inside the EU," the business leaders said. They also said the uncertainty over Brexit has caused a slump in investment.

5. Corporal punishment

America's pediatricians are doubling down on their opposition to spanking. In a new policy statement coming out today from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the group says adults caring for children should use "healthy forms of discipline," like positive reinforcement, and not spanking, hitting, threatening, humiliating or shaming. The new statement, which updates a policy the group put out 20 years ago, describes how several studies have found associations between spanking and aggressive child behavior as well as adolescent depression.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Selfie fail

Ooops! A woman in Russia tried to take a selfie with artworks by Salvador Dali and Francisco Goya. She failed miserably.

Shop (and click) without fear

Amazon is offering free shipping on all orders for the holidays. It's more about pumping up the season's sales than being nice to you, though.

Out for a swim

He's spent the past five months swimming around the mainland of Great Britain, because everybody needs a hobby, we guess.

Gone but not forgotten

Rick Grimes may be done with "The Walking Dead," but AMC is most definitely not done with him.

Price drop

Enjoying the sudden drop in gas prices? Don't get used to it, road warriors. It probably won't last.

HAPPENING LATER

Law and order

Jury selection starts today in the trial of accused drug trafficker (and world-class escape artist) "El Chapo" Guzman.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Getting dumped by your pop star girlfriend is no excuse for lashing out at a decorated war hero who lost his eye serving our country."

National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Jack Pandol, responding to SNL's Pete Davidson, who mocked the appearance of a GOP congressional candidate who lost an eye while serving in Afghanistan.