Democrats Take Control of US Congress

Democrats won the House and Senate, gaining full control of Congress for the first time since 2023. Governments and commentators abroad are assessing what a changed Congress could mean for Iran, oil prices, Ukraine and Israel.

Canada Sees Opening in Tariff Talks

Canada-US trade talks have resumed after the midterms. Canadians hoping for tariff relief say the Democratic gains add pressure on the White House to reach a deal.

Ukraine Reports Deadly Double-Tap Strike

Kyiv says bodycam footage shows a Russian double-tap bombing on a Ukrainian village on Monday. At least 40 people were killed and about 30 more may still be under the rubble.

Poland Tightens Border Security With Russia

Poland is reinforcing its border with Russia after Prime Minister Donald Tusk cited "disturbing movement" in Kaliningrad, a Russian region just north of Poland.

Japan Balances Diplomacy Under Joint Pressure

Ties between Japan and Russia are at their worst in decades as the Ukraine war continues. Tokyo is seeking more support from Washington, though some Japanese fear it may not be forthcoming.

Israel Begins Coalition Consultations After Deadlock

President Isaac Herzog is holding two days of talks with party leaders to decide whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or rival Eisenkot gets the first chance to form a government. Herzog has warned politicians that they must compromise to avoid another election.

Palestinian Citizens of Israel Face Campaign Against Them

Palestinian-led parties won a record number of seats in Israel's parliament. They now face an intimidation campaign against them following the election.

Iranian Calls for Nuclear Weapons Grow After War

Some Iranian clerics and officials argue that Iran must rebuild deterrence by dropping its longstanding pledge not to build a nuclear bomb. The debate comes as Iran holds rallies marking the anniversary of the US embassy takeover.

South African Voters Express Anger Over Services

South Africans voted in local elections amid frustration over water outages, power cuts and crumbling infrastructure. The African National Congress is expected to receive less than a third of the vote.

Danish Students Join European Education Protests

Students in Denmark joined a wave of protests across Europe against education funding cuts. The Danish government has proposed scrapping an allowance scheme for students from wealthier families.

Hungary Releases Communist-Era Secret Police Files

Hungary has released secret police files 37 years after the fall of communism. Critics say the release is too late, the files are incomplete, and it risks dividing society.

Delhi Air Quality Worsens Ahead of Diwali

Delhi's air quality index reached 377 on Wednesday morning, in the "very poor" category, even as firework restrictions took effect ahead of Diwali.

Binance Says Crypto Heist Was Months in the Making

Binance says hackers who stole billions in cryptocurrency spent months planning the attack. Techniques included laptop infections, compromised internal tools and fake job interviews.

Ukraine Drone Strikes Push Russia Toward Underground Data Centers

Russia is hastily planning underground data centers to protect exposed digital infrastructure after Ukrainian drone strikes. Reports describe the effort as backfiring in the data center war.

US Ban Threatens Research on Promising Opioid Treatment

The US Drug Enforcement Administration placed a drug that some opioid users described as a miracle into Schedule I. Researchers say the ban could halt studies of a promising opioid treatment.

Prince William Warns of Growing Wildfire Risk in UK

Prince William met firefighters who fought this summer's blazes. He said 2026 was the first summer he felt "worried about the scale of the wildfires" and warned of the terrifying risk of more fires due to climate change.