Explore

Rapid ReadRapid Read
U.S. Reaffirms Commitment to Wartime OPCON Transfer to South Korea Amidst Midterm Election Uncertainty

U.S. Reaffirms Commitment to Wartime OPCON Transfer to South Korea Amidst Midterm Election Uncertainty

Representative Jin Sung-joon, chair of South Korea's National Assembly’s National Defense Committee, announced that the United States remains committed to the conditions-based transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul. This reaffirmation comes despite uncertainties surrounding U.S. midterm elections. Following a parliamentary delegation visit to the U.S. from November 1 to 5, Jin reported that U.S. officials attributed the postponement of the Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting to scheduling conflicts rather than disagreements over the OPCON transfer. U.S. officials assessed the security situation on the Korean Peninsula as stable, even with recent North Korean actions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), such as the demolition of inter-Korean connecting roads and fortification along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). However, they emphasized the necessity of maintaining military readiness due to North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile capabilities and potential abrupt policy shifts. A...
ReutersReuters
Expanding on naval blockade, US military looks to restrict Iranian land commerce

Expanding on naval blockade, US military looks to restrict Iranian land commerce

(Adds dropped word in paragraph 12) By Phil Stewart WASHINGTON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Building on a months-long naval blockade on Iran, the US military said on Saturday it is launching a task force to help crack down on Tehran's movement of advanced weapons and other sanctioned material over its land
ReutersReuters
Nvidia's out-of-hour shares fall as firm probes CEO Jensen Huang

Nvidia's out-of-hour shares fall as firm probes CEO Jensen Huang

By Heekyong Yang, Kyu-seok Shim and Tom Westbrook SEOUL/SYDNEY, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Nvidia shares fell in out-of-hours trading on Monday after an internal investigation into whether CEO Jensen Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence effort put his future at the AI chipmaker under scrutiny.
ReutersReuters
Democratic wins in state AG races give Trump a new headache

Democratic wins in state AG races give Trump a new headache

By Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff WASHINGTON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Democrats flipped attorney general offices in five Republican-leaning states in the midterm elections, dealing a significant blow to the conservative legal movement and erecting a new line of resistance against President Donald Trump's agenda.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng Visits Georgia, Signaling Beijing's Strategic Interest in South Caucasus

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng Visits Georgia, Signaling Beijing's Strategic Interest in South Caucasus

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng recently concluded a three-day official visit to Tbilisi, Georgia, meeting with President Mikheil Kavelashvili and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. The visit underscores Beijing's growing strategic interest in the South Caucasus region and Georgia's ambition to become a logistics hub along the Middle Corridor. Discussions during the visit covered the strategic partnership, a free trade agreement, increased Chinese investment, transport infrastructure, and a potential sixth Silk Road Forum in Tbilisi. President Kavelashvili thanked China for its support of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while reaffirming Georgia's 'One China' position. This visit occurs amidst deteriorated relations between Georgia and the European Union, with Tbilisi having suspended EU accession talks until 2028 and facing potential sanctions from the European Parliament.
AP NewsAP News
Democrats plan to push clean energy to lower bills and challenge Trump’s fossil fuel agenda

Democrats plan to push clean energy to lower bills and challenge Trump’s fossil fuel agenda

Some Democrats are promising to push for more clean energy to help tackle rising energy costs when they take control of Congress in January
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Reportedly Asks China to Intervene in Iran Conflict

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Reportedly Asks China to Intervene in Iran Conflict

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has reportedly asked China to use its influence with Iran to help end the ongoing conflict, according to The Washington Post, citing a U.S. official. Beijing has reportedly relayed this message to Tehran. This reported outreach comes as Washington considers its next steps in the conflict, with President Trump indicating he is not in a hurry to resume major fighting while talks continue. However, public readouts from the November 6 videoconference between Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng focused on bilateral economic relations and trade commitments, with no mention of Iran. China's account of the call also made no reference to an appeal concerning Tehran.
ReutersReuters
Morning Bid: Out of the blue

Morning Bid: Out of the blue

By Anna Szymanski Nov 6 (Reuters) - Markets had long been pricing in a "blue wave" in the United States midterm elections, but what they got was a deluge as Democrats regained control of the House and Senate in decisive fashion.
ReutersReuters
Take Five: Tech wreck and roll

Take Five: Tech wreck and roll

Nov 6 (Reuters) - Traders on the world's financial markets go into next week hoping the storm engulfing tech stocks blows itself out and for no new escalation in the Iran war that sends oil prices surging again.
ReutersReuters
Exclusive-Expanding on naval blockade, US military looks to restrict Iranian land commerce

Exclusive-Expanding on naval blockade, US military looks to restrict Iranian land commerce

By Phil Stewart WASHINGTON, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Building on a months-long naval blockade on Iran, the US military said on Saturday it is launching a task force to help crack down on Tehran's movement of advanced weapons and other sanctioned material over its land borders and through the Caspian Sea.
ReutersReuters
Trump makes hardliner Stephen Miller his chief of staff after midterm defeat

Trump makes hardliner Stephen Miller his chief of staff after midterm defeat

By Bo Erickson, Nandita Bose, Steve Holland and Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - US President Donald Trump named longtime aide Stephen Miller as his chief of staff on Friday, giving the architect of some of his toughest domestic policies one of the most powerful jobs in Washington
ReutersReuters
Can the US Democrats' 'Blue Wave' election sweep buoy Ukraine?

Can the US Democrats' 'Blue Wave' election sweep buoy Ukraine?

By Patricia Zengerle, Andrea Shalal and Daniel Flynn WASHINGTON/KYIV, Nov 6 (Reuters) - One potential beneficiary of the US Democratic Party's sweeping wins in congressional elections sits thousands of miles away: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, whose government has fought Russia's invasion