
The US Democrats have taken control of the House of Representatives in the mid-term elections. Taking control of the lower chamber of Congress for the first time in eight years will enable Democrats to thwart the president's agenda. But Mr Trump's Republicans are set to strengthen their grip on the Senate.

Communist-run Cuba’s economic growth will come in at around 1% this year, compared with the 2% previously forecast, due to a fall in exports and tourism revenue, state-run media reported over the weekend. The Caribbean island’s gross domestic product grew 1.8% last year and 0.5% in 2016.

Oil prices were mixed on Monday after a steep five-day fall, as the United States formally imposed punitive sanctions on Iran but granted eight countries temporary waivers allowing them to keep buying oil from the Islamic Republic. The sanctions are part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s effort to curb Iran’s missile and nuclear programs and diminish its influence in the Middle East.

Britain will continue to expand trade relations with Iran despite Donald Trump’s decision to re-impose sanctions on the state, Downing Street has said. The government “regrets” the US president’s move to restore restrictions on Tehran that were lifted when it signed up to a nuclear deal in 2015, and believes the agreement makes the world a safer place, No 10 insisted.

Wages in the United States grew at their fastest pace for nine years last month, the latest official figures show. The US Labor Department said wages grew at an annual rate of 3.1% in October, accelerating from a rate of 2.8% the month before. The economy also added 250,000 jobs last month, beating expectations, while the jobless rate remained at 3.7%.

The Trump administration is to reinstate all US sanctions on Iran removed under the 2015 nuclear deal. The White House said it was the toughest sanctions regime ever imposed on Iran and targeted Iran's energy, shipping and banking sectors.

A hungry American economy powered by a strong U.S. dollar saw record imports in September, driving the U.S. trade deficit to its highest level in seven months, the government reported on Friday.

Argentina, Costa Rica, Japan and the European Union are supporting a U.S. drive to enforce greater transparency and discipline at the World Trade Organization, an updated proposal published by the WTO showed on Friday.

Cuba on Friday said new sanctions planned by the United States were a futile attempt to change its policies and would only further isolate Washington internationally.

United States imposed new sanctions Thursday on Venezuela and Cuba and promised additional penalties against Nicaragua as the Trump administration laid out a hard-line policy toward countries the White House branded a troika of tyranny.