Republicans appear close to securing sweeping power in the US government, inching toward retaining the House majority as Congress returns for its lame-duck session this week. With 218 seats needed for Republicans to keep their majority in the 435-member chamber in January,

Control of the House has yet to be determined, as a number of critical races remain too close to call, leaving lawmakers — and voters — waiting to see which party will hold the majority next year. The sprint to 218 seats,