Control of Congress - and Biden's power - on the ballot in U.S. midterms

The Reuters Daily Briefing Tuesday, November 8, 2022 by Linda Noakes Hello Here's what you need to know. Twitter girds for a surge in election misinformation, China's COVID epicenter shifts, and watch out for the 'Beaver blood moon' Make sense of how companies and governments are grappling with climate change. Sign up to the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter. Today's biggest stories A poll worker prepares stickers for voters at the City Clerk's Office in Lansing, Michigan, November 7, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein U.S. Americans today cast the final ballots in U.S. midterm elections that will determine whether Democrats lose control of Congress, and with it the ability to push forward on President Joe Biden's agenda in the next two years. Biden's public approval rating dipped to 39% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll, reinforcing nonpartisan election forecasters' expectations that the Democratic party was in for a drubbing. After Twitter fired half its staff and new owner Elon Musk tweeted a recommendation to vote for Republican candidates, election experts are anxiously bracing for a surge in online misinformation. The top U.S. cybersecurity agency said it plans to monitor and issue security alerts on the election, amid worries about potential efforts to interfere with the vote. Americans in key election battlegrounds will decide who will run the 2024 presidential vote in their states, choosing from a slate of candidates that includes Republicans who back former President Donald Trump's false claim that he won in 2020. Trump suggested he would mount a 2024 presidential run as soon as next week, saying at a political rally in Ohio he would make a "big announcement" on November 15. Delegates attend the COP27 climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, November 7, 2022. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem WORLD More than 25 countries at the COP27 climate talks launched a group they said would ensure they hold each other accountable for a pledge to end deforestation by 2030 and announced billions of dollars to finance their efforts. Here's what to watch today at COP27. Ukraine doubled down on its tough stance on negotiations with Russia, saying talks could only resume once the Kremlin relinquishes all Ukrainian territory and that Kyiv would fight on even if it is "stabbed in the back" by its allies. Here's what you need to know about the conflict right now. New coronavirus cases surged in Guangzhou and other Chinese cities, official data showed, with the global manufacturing hub becoming China's latest COVID epicenter and testing the city's ability to avoid a Shanghai-style lockdown. Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan blocked roads near the capital, disrupting traffic and forcing schools to close, as they protested against a bid to assassinate their leader at a recent anti-government rally. Nighttime skywatchers from East Asia to North America will be treated to the rare spectacle of a 'Beaver blood moon' today, weather permitting, as the Earth, moon and sun align to produce a total lunar eclipse for the last time until 2025. People walk over Westminster Bridge during heavy rainfall in London, November 6, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls BUSINESS British businesses fear a gloomy Christmas, as almost half of households plan to cut festive spending due to the soaring cost of living and sales are already falling sharply in inflation-adjusted terms. UK grocery inflation hit 14.7% in October, another new record, and it is still too early to call the ceiling, market researcher Kantar said. Chip maker Nvidia is offering a new advanced chip in China that meets recent export control rules aimed at keeping cutting-edge technology out of China's hands. The chip, called the A800, represents the first reported effort by a U.S. semiconductor company to create advanced processors for China that follow the new rules. Japanese videogame maker Nintendo cut its full-year Switch sales projection by nearly 10% after microchip shortages constrained console production, but it raised its annual net profit forecast thanks to a softer yen. French car maker Renault announced a major overhaul that will see it separate its activities in five businesses, deepen ties with China's Geely and spin off its electric vehicles unit through a stock market listing next year. Cryptocurrencies fell heavily and the native token of crypto exchange FTX collapsed by 15% as investors appeared to take fright at talk of pressure on FTX's financials. Read our weekly analysis of the wild world of cryptocurrencies. COP27 The latest news and analysis from the U.N. climate summit Quote of the day "There's no credible path to avoiding an ice-free summer. We're starting to see something that can’t be saved." Robbie Mallett Sea ice researcher at University College London Loss of Arctic summer sea ice inevitable within 30 years, report says Video of the day Migrant rescue ship refuses to leave Italian port Migrants are stuck onboard charity-operated vessel Geo Barents amid a new standoff between NGO rescue ships and the Italian government. And finally… The sisterhood of Muslim women uniting football and faith in London Founded in 2018, Sisterhood has doubled in size to almost 100 players, allowing its members to enjoy playing soccer without anyone querying their Muslim dress code or asking why they refrain from socializing in a pub after their games. More from Reuters U.S. Midterms COP27 Disrupted Legal News Breakingviews Thanks for spending part of your day with us. 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