Why does Japan PM's India visit matter for Indian economy and security? What new announcements likely after PM Modi and Sanae Takaichi meet?

• Two 19th-century midterm elections serve as historical examples of how significant shifts in legislative power can signal long-term changes in American political direction. • Between the administration of Ulysses S. Grant and the 1896 election of William McKinley, no U.S. president won a majority of the popular vote.

• The United States will hold midterm elections on November 3, 2026, to determine the balance of power in Congress. • Voters will decide all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 Senate seats.

• Mainline Protestant clergy members are running in several closely watched 2026 Democratic campaigns across Texas, Kansas, and Iowa. • Candidates competing in these races include James Talarico in Texas, Adam Hamilton in Kansas, and Sarah Trone Garriott and Lindsay James in Iowa.

• The upcoming midterm elections serve as a referendum on the economic policies of the Trump presidency. • Current economic growth is at 2%, which is higher than many other developed nations but below the 3% to 3.5% potential.

• U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin introduced the Safe Access to the Polls Act to prevent federal law enforcement and military personnel from intimidating voters at polling places. • The bill explicitly prohibits using federal funds to deploy personnel from the National Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to voting sites.

• Former Senator Joe Manchin recently hosted a gathering of politicians, activists, and donors at the Greenbrier resort to support independent candidates for Congress. • Manchin left the Democratic Party in 2024 after serving 38 years in office and completing 12 elections.

• The 2026 US midterm elections are expected to shift the balance of power in Washington and influence President Trump's legislative goals. • Forecasts predict that the Democratic party will secure a majority in the House of Representatives.

• The European Union is planning to sanction the Russian military with a new focus, according to RFE/RL's Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak. • This move would exclude Russia from potential membership in the European Economic Area, which currently includes countries like Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

• The European Parliament has 720 lawmakers, but a select group of 17 MEPs are notable to watch in the current political landscape. • Danish Social Democrat leader is at odds with the Spanish delegation led by García, following Denmark's criticism of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over the Ceuta crisis.

• Trump has threatened to "annihilate" Iran, while diplomatic efforts are ongoing at the UN, with formal negotiations pending the outcome of the US midterms. • The US, Denmark, and Greenland have signed an accord to resolve the Arctic crisis, aiming to ease tensions in the region.

• The European Union has removed two Russian oligarchs from its sanctions blacklist, following a dispute that threatened the stability of the EU's sanctions regime. • Andris Kulbergs, the Latvian prime minister, quoted that Latvia opposed the removal of these individuals, being the only EU member state to do so until the end.

• The European Union is struggling to finalize a sanctions package against Russia, with battle lines being drawn over the terms of the sanctions. • A Mediterranean minister is calling for EU funding to set up return hubs, highlighting the need for financial support to address the ongoing crisis.