BitGou: Wednesday Morning Briefing: Iran fires missiles at military bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq

U.S.-Iran

Iran launched missiles at U.S.-led forces in Iraq, retaliating for the U.S. drone strike on an Iranian commander whose killing last week stoked fears of a new Middle East war. It was the latest strike against an air base that has figured prominently in high-ranking officials’ visits. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said the missile attack was a “slap on the face” for the United States and that U.S. troops should leave the region. He was addressing a gathering of Iranians who chanted “Death to America”. Follow the latest updates.

Iran’s launching of more than a dozen missiles at American-led forces in Iraq came after years of preparing for a confrontation with its superpower foe, whose forces are vastly larger and more advanced. The Gulf country has more than 500,000 active-duty personnel, including 125,000 members of its elite Revolutionary Guards, according to a report last year by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. But international sanctions and restrictions on arms imports have made it hard for Iran to develop or buy more sophisticated weaponry.

The American public is increasingly critical of Trump’s handling of Iran after he ordered the U.S. military to kill a powerful Iranian military commander, and a majority of U.S. adults now expect the countries to be at war in the near future, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling.

World

A Ukrainian airliner burst into flames shortly after take-off from Tehran, killing all 176 people aboard in a crash that an initial report blamed on engine failure. Debris and smoldering engine parts were strewn across a field around six miles from Imam Khomeini airport as rescue workers with face masks retrieved bodies of the victims.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged foreign tourists not to be deterred by deadly wildfires that have razed large swathes and sent smoke as far as South America, even as authorities fretted about renewed dangers ahead. Morrison made the plea as he visited Kangaroo Island, a usually wildlife-rich tourist attraction off the south coast hit twice in recent weeks by blazes.

A top Indian actress who joined students protesting against the government drew calls on social media for a boycott of her upcoming film, as well as praise for being a rare Bollywood A-lister to stand up against a crackdown on dissent. Deepika Padukone stood silently behind students chanting anti-government slogans at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University on Tuesday evening, surprising many in a country where top film stars typically avoid politics.

U.S.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he had enough support from his fellow Republicans to set the rules for President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, dealing a blow to Democrats’ efforts to call new witnesses against the president. Democrats responded by saying they still want more details on the trial process before any further action is taken although they have little leverage if Republicans, who control the Senate, remain united.

'Everyone's scared': Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez declared a state of emergency after a series of earthquakes killed at least one person, toppled buildings and knocked out power to nearly the entire island of more than 3 million people.

Mexican authorities removed almost 100 Mexican migrants seeking asylum in the United States from a camp in downtown Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas, according to a Reuters witness, after state police threatened to separate parents from their children. The operation came a day after news that the United States will deport some Mexican asylum seekers to Guatemala.

Business

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Investors pause equity selling as fears of immediate Iran-U.S. escalation abate

The spike in oil prices due to the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran is causing investors to worry that U.S. corporate earnings will be crimped by rising energy costs. European shares fell and U.S. equity futures pointed to weakness on Wall Street after Iran’s attack on U.S.-led forces in Iraq, but earlier sharp market moves were starting to fade as fears abated that the raid would lead to an immediate military escalation.

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Exclusive: Impossible Foods has stopped McDonald's burger talks, shares of Beyond Meat jump

Impossible Foods is no longer trying to win a coveted deal to supply McDonald’s with plant-based burgers, telling Reuters it cannot produce enough of its imitation meat to partner with the world’s No. 1 fast-food chain.

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