Opinion
After the Midterms: What the World Expects from Washington
Democrats are projected to have taken Congress. Bilal Javed on what a divided Washington means for trade, Ukraine, China, South Asia and global markets.
Journalist
Bilal Javed
Editor, World & Geopolitics
Bilal Javed edits The Indus Compass’s world and geopolitics coverage. He follows the United Nations, NATO, US politics, wars and conflicts, democracy and the global economy, and he also writes on business and sport.
His reports for the site include the US-Iran war and the mediation efforts around it, the Israeli election count, cases at the International Court of Justice, and the markets and oil prices that move with them. In stories on the Middle East he gives particular weight to the human cost of conflict and says where every casualty figure comes from.
He explains what each story means for readers in Pakistan.
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Articles by Bilal Javed
299 articles · page 2 of 10
- Islamabad
UN panel welcomes Pakistan's marriage-age law, flags bonded labour
A UN rights committee welcomed Pakistan's 2025 law setting 18 as the minimum marriage age but pressed it on child brides, bonded labour and flood recovery.
- Markets
Oil falls 9% and gold tops $4,000 after Democrats win Congress
Brent fell 9% to $94.29 and gold climbed back above $4,000 an ounce after Democrats won Congress. In Pakistan gold rose Rs13,900 a tola to Rs426,036.
- Economy
Saudi Arabia rolls over $3bn loan to Pakistan as US facility fades
Finance Minister Aurangzeb confirmed Saudi Arabia has extended its $3bn financing to Pakistan, as the proposed $10bn US facility looks increasingly unlikely.
- Middle East
Israel's election body rejects Netanyahu's fraud claims
Israel's Central Elections Committee said an audit of 9,069 polling stations found no harm to the vote, rejecting Netanyahu's fraud claims against Arab parties.
- Asia
ICJ to rule on November 19 in Rohingya genocide case against Myanmar
The International Court of Justice will rule on November 19 on whether Myanmar's crackdown on the Rohingya was genocide, in a case brought by The Gambia.
- Markets
KSE-100 crosses 170,000 on hopes of easing US-Iran tensions
The KSE-100 gained 2,567 points to 170,586 by 1.19pm on Wednesday, as the US midterm result and Qatar's mediation lifted hopes of easing Iran war tensions.
- Middle East
Iran's supreme leader: hope of a US policy shift is 'seriously mistaken'
Mojtaba Khamenei said anyone hoping US behaviour will change after the midterms is 'seriously mistaken' and warned a renewed war would be 'much wider'.
- Asia
Nepali workers stranded in Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks cancel flights
About 45pc of scheduled Saudi flights were cancelled from Oct 8 to 25 after Houthi attacks; Nepali workers pay up to Rs100,000 for tickets and may miss Tihar.
- Europe
Spain's transport minister Puente resigns over deadly train crash
Transport Minister Oscar Puente resigned a week after the Urda rail crash that killed 69, saying he could not stay after two accidents in under a year.
- Middle East
Israel scrambles to pay for arms after Trump says US aid will end
Israeli officials are assessing a $3.8bn yearly gap after Trump said US aid will end; Israel's Finance Ministry learned of it from his announcement, media say.
- Other Sports
Hunza's Maliha Ali beats Russian champion at MMA world championships
Maliha Ali of Hunza beat Russia's Veronika Drozdova by split decision at the IMMAF World Championships and meets Mexico's Guzman Salazar in the quarter-finals.
- Middle East
Trump says no immediate plans to strike Iran; oil edges up to $104
Trump told the FT the US has no immediate plans to strike Iran but is 'locked and loaded'; Brent rose to $104.42 as Iran says a deal is far off.
- Americas
Democrats win the US Congress in sweeping midterm rebuke of Trump
Democrats won the US House and Senate, flipping six Republican Senate seats, as voters cited prices and the Iran war; Trump says he will work with them.
- Europe
Britain and France to rehearse deploying a force to Ukraine in Poland
Nearly 3,000 troops from 12 European nations will rehearse deploying a reassurance force to Ukraine in Poland from November 9 to 22, led by Britain and France.
- Asia
Xi tells Oman's sultan the Gulf must not become a ground for rivalry
Xi Jinping told Oman's sultan the Gulf must not be an arena for great-power rivalry; a 20-point statement backs reopening Hormuz and the June deal.
- World
US midterms: Democrats lead the polls, but why the polls could be wrong
Polls point to a Democratic House and tight Senate races, but misses in 2016, 2020 and 2024 show how a few points can change control of Congress.
- Europe
Russia fires 289 drones and 76 missiles at Ukraine's power grid overnight
Zelensky says Russia fired 289 drones and 76 missiles at energy sites, hitting a Kharkiv hospital and injuring 73, as he flew to Berlin.
- Middle East
Three oil tankers hit mines in Hormuz after leaving Iran's lanes, IRGC says
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy says three tankers hit mines in the Strait of Hormuz after using unauthorised lanes; there is no independent confirmation.
- Middle East
Qatar says US and Iran are trading proposals; Tehran says ball is with US
Qatar says Washington and Tehran are reviewing mediators' proposals; Iran's Ghalibaf says the ball is in America's court and Trump says he is in 'no rush'.
- Europe
Russian bombs kill 29 at aid distribution point in Zaporizhzhia
Russian aerial bombs hit a humanitarian aid point in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia, killing at least 29 people, with 48 missing, Ukrainian officials say.
- Asia
North Korea denies US claims it was behind the Binance hack
Kim Yo Jong called US claims linking North Korea to the $6.3bn Binance theft a 'grave political provocation' and warned Pyongyang may reconsider its position.
- World
UN reports warn of irreversible damage to Earth's ice beyond 1.5C
Two UN reports warn that passing 1.5C of warming will irreversibly damage glaciers, sea ice and permafrost, and that today's level is already unsafe.
- World
Longest truce of the Ukraine war ends; US sets Abu Dhabi talks
The Kherson truce ended after Russia refused an extension, alert apps were hacked on both sides, and the US set talks for November 10-11.
- World
Supreme Court rejects Trump bid to stop California counting 20,000 ballots
The Supreme Court rejected the administration's emergency bid over 20,000 California ballots and a judge barred it from sending states noncitizen voter lists.
- World
Americans vote in midterms that could end Republican control of Congress
Americans vote in midterms that could cost Trump his hold on Congress, with Democrats favoured in the House and the Senate in play.
- Middle East
US strikes Iran's Qeshm Island hours after Trump says a deal 'could happen'
The US carried out limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island on midterm day, officials said, as Iran reported intensive talks through Qatar and Pakistan.
- Americas
Learjet crashes in residential Florida, killing all nine on board
A Learjet 60 bound for the Bahamas crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine on board, after a mayday call reporting a rapid descent.
- Asia
Bangladesh garment workers clash with police over minimum wage
Thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers blocked highways and clashed with police demanding a 30,000-taka wage; 529 factories are shut despite a wage board.
- Middle East
Saudi-led coalition says it hit Houthi resources; fire reported in Dammam
The Saudi-led coalition said it 'neutralised' Houthi missile and drone resources; Iranian media reported a strike and big fire at a Dammam industrial site.
