Democrats won the House and Senate in Tuesday's midterms, with some counts still open, and the result is already reaching well beyond Washington. Republicans are arguing over who caused the defeat, while Trump must choose between a negotiated exit from the Iran war and escalation. Tehran celebrates but signals no concessions.
In the Gulf, Iran says five tankers and a tugboat caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after striking mines, and the Financial Times reports that Moscow agreed to supply 90 missile launchers to Iran. In Israel, Gadi Eisenkot has 67 recommendations from lawmakers against 46 for Netanyahu after an ultra-Orthodox party declined to back the prime minister. President Herzog will name his choice on Sunday. Ukrainian police raised the toll from Russia's strike on the Komyshuvakha aid site to 42, and Ukrainian drones hit Ryazan overnight. In Paraguay, President Santiago Peña announced his resignation after the central bank seized the digital bank Ueno, though Congress has not accepted it.
The Nasdaq fell sharply on Thursday as AI and chip shares extended their slide on fears of tougher scrutiny of data-center expansion. The Bank of England raised its key rate by 25 basis points to 4%, its first hike in three years, and warned that more may follow. Oil steadied below $100 as traders weighed Iran diplomacy.
Less noticed: a Helsinki court sentenced the Russian captain of the cargo ship Fitburg to three and a half years in prison over damage to two undersea telecommunications cables in the Gulf of Finland. Next, watch Monday, when Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu receives French unions and employers after the cost-of-living marches.
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In the Gulf, Iran says five tankers and a tugboat caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz after striking mines, and the Financial Times reports that Moscow agreed to supply 90 missile launchers to Iran. In Israel, Gadi Eisenkot has 67 recommendations from lawmakers against 46 for Netanyahu after an ultra-Orthodox party declined to back the prime minister. President Herzog will name his choice on Sunday. Ukrainian police raised the toll from Russia's strike on the Komyshuvakha aid site to 42, and Ukrainian drones hit Ryazan overnight. In Paraguay, President Santiago Peña announced his resignation after the central bank seized the digital bank Ueno, though Congress has not accepted it.
The Nasdaq fell sharply on Thursday as AI and chip shares extended their slide on fears of tougher scrutiny of data-center expansion. The Bank of England raised its key rate by 25 basis points to 4%, its first hike in three years, and warned that more may follow. Oil steadied below $100 as traders weighed Iran diplomacy.
Less noticed: a Helsinki court sentenced the Russian captain of the cargo ship Fitburg to three and a half years in prison over damage to two undersea telecommunications cables in the Gulf of Finland. Next, watch Monday, when Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu receives French unions and employers after the cost-of-living marches.
Important today
Republicans split over blame after Democratic midterm sweep
Nasdaq slides as AI and chip stocks extend losses after Democratic midterm win
More tankers burn in Hormuz as Iran keeps up pressure
Komyshuvakha toll rises to 42 as Ukrainian drones hit Ryazan
Paraguay's president announces resignation as Ueno bank collapse deepens crisis
Trump weighs Iran deal or escalation after midterm defeat
Unions and ministry dispute size of French cost-of-living protests as PM calls social conference
Houthi missiles keep targeting Saudi Arabia as Yemen's government reshuffles
Eisenkot leads recommendations as ultra-Orthodox party withholds backing from Netanyahu
Melania Trump hosts Russians and Ukrainians as Europe seeks a voice
Bank of England raises rates to 4% and signals more
No sign of foul play in Aiwanger's death, preliminary autopsy indicates
All stories
Global · 5
North America · 2
Middle East · 9
- More tankers burn in Hormuz as Iran keeps up pressure
- Trump weighs Iran deal or escalation after midterm defeat
- Houthi missiles keep targeting Saudi Arabia as Yemen's government reshuffles
- Eisenkot leads recommendations as ultra-Orthodox party withholds backing from Netanyahu
- Gaza truce toll passes 1,600 after new Israeli strikes
- Russia deepens military support for Iran
- Saudi Arabia and Syria sign defence deal and $403m in loans
- Israel weighs life without US aid as midterms strain ties
- Herzog warns West Bank violence could lead to civil war
Europe · 12
- Komyshuvakha toll rises to 42 as Ukrainian drones hit Ryazan
- Unions and ministry dispute size of French cost-of-living protests as PM calls social conference
- Melania Trump hosts Russians and Ukrainians as Europe seeks a voice
- Bank of England raises rates to 4% and signals more
- No sign of foul play in Aiwanger's death, preliminary autopsy indicates
- Second wave of bomb threats hits European flights, no explosives found
- Finland jails Russian captain over Baltic cable sabotage
- Crédit Mutuel Arkéa seeks to recover over €100m after hack
- Bosch announces 750 more job cuts, over 30,000 in total
- Europe drains gas storage at twice the usual rate
- EU pays Ukraine €4.36bn as Kyiv aims to close accession clusters
- Germany agrees to buy 50% stake in tank maker KNDS
South America · 1
Africa · 3
Asia · 7
- Hong Kong court adds ten years to Joshua Wong's sentence
- China blocks SoftBank's takeover of ABB's robotics business in China
- Indonesia deploys troops in Jakarta over wiretap scandal
- South Korea to deploy navy closer to Hormuz
- China ties more US farm purchases to $30bn tariff cuts
- Nvidia chips pile up in Hong Kong as China withholds approvals
- Bangladesh garment protests continue despite wage board move
Geopolitics · 23
- Republicans split over blame after Democratic midterm sweep
- More tankers burn in Hormuz as Iran keeps up pressure
- Trump weighs Iran deal or escalation after midterm defeat
- Komyshuvakha toll rises to 42 as Ukrainian drones hit Ryazan
- Unions and ministry dispute size of French cost-of-living protests as PM calls social conference
- Houthi missiles keep targeting Saudi Arabia as Yemen's government reshuffles
- Eisenkot leads recommendations as ultra-Orthodox party withholds backing from Netanyahu
- Melania Trump hosts Russians and Ukrainians as Europe seeks a voice
- No sign of foul play in Aiwanger's death, preliminary autopsy indicates
- Second wave of bomb threats hits European flights, no explosives found
- British national with Ebola to be evacuated from Congo
- Hong Kong court adds ten years to Joshua Wong's sentence
- Gaza truce toll passes 1,600 after new Israeli strikes
- ANC loses ground in South African local elections
- Russia deepens military support for Iran
- Indonesia deploys troops in Jakarta over wiretap scandal
- Nigerian court voids Atiku's 2027 presidential candidacy
- Finland jails Russian captain over Baltic cable sabotage
- Saudi Arabia and Syria sign defence deal and $403m in loans
- Israel weighs life without US aid as midterms strain ties
- Herzog warns West Bank violence could lead to civil war
- South Korea to deploy navy closer to Hormuz
- EU pays Ukraine €4.36bn as Kyiv aims to close accession clusters
Economy · 12
- Nasdaq slides as AI and chip stocks extend losses after Democratic midterm win
- Paraguay's president announces resignation as Ueno bank collapse deepens crisis
- Bank of England raises rates to 4% and signals more
- Oil stays below $100, rebounds from two-month low
- Trump-Putin diesel deal falters as tankers divert
- Developing countries' external debt hits record $9.4tn
- Crédit Mutuel Arkéa seeks to recover over €100m after hack
- Bosch announces 750 more job cuts, over 30,000 in total
- Europe drains gas storage at twice the usual rate
- China ties more US farm purchases to $30bn tariff cuts
- Bangladesh garment protests continue despite wage board move
- Germany agrees to buy 50% stake in tank maker KNDS