Democrats take control of the US Congress; in Europe, a series of bomb threats aboard aircraft

Results of the US midterm elections

Midterm elections to Congress were held in the United States on November 3, and, according to tallies by the AP agency, which the Uzbek publication Kun.uzcites, Democrats are taking control of both chambers. In the Senate, according to these figures, they have already secured at least 54 of 100 seats, taking seven seats from Republicans — meaning the party of President Donald Trump has lost its majority. In the 435-seat House of Representatives, Democrats are gaining the required 218 seats with a margin — 225, while Republicans won in 137 districts.

What these results mean

The geography of the Republicans' defeats is also symbolic: even in conservative Texas, for the first time in almost 40 years, a Democrat senator and a Democrat governor were elected. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, after the results were announced, wrote 'Victory for America!'; in January he is expected to take the post of Speaker of the House. Trump himself said he is fully ready to accept the election results. The publication notes that the results are interpreted as a blow to Trump and the Republicans against the backdrop of dissatisfaction with the economic situation and the war with Iran. A practical consequence of control of the House of Representatives: in the last two years of the presidential term, Democrats will gain the authority to conduct investigations and summon witnesses.

Bomb threats aboard aircraft and a cruise ship

On the same day, November 3, a series of bomb threats was reported in Europe: according to Reuters, which Kun.uz cites, the threats affected at least seven aircraft and one cruise ship. The targets were two flights each to Warsaw, Sofia and Rome, as well as one flight to the Spanish city of Murcia. A LOT plane flying from London to Warsaw was diverted to the nearby Modlin airport, which was temporarily closed; one of the Ryanair planes heading to Rome was escorted by Italian Air Force jets. The day before, a Wizz Air plane flying from London to Sofia was landed in Budapest due to a similar threat. Checks found no explosive device on any of the flights, but airport operations were disrupted.

The cruise ship and the absence of claims of responsibility

The cruise ship 'Crown Iris', heading to Israel, was also checked: it was inspected near the Greek island of Syros after an unknown person reported an explosive device allegedly attached to its hull — the initial inspection found nothing. No party has claimed responsibility for the threats, and officials have accused no one.