Top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas has been forced to cancel the launch of a high-level group made up of former political and military leaders following pressure from EU member countries, in what could prove another blow to the former Estonian prime minister- POLITICOEurope

Top Overnight News US Secretary of War Hegseth will extend troop deployments in the Middle East through 2027, increasing strain on US forces: WSJ. The US and Iran have intensified tit-for-tat military strikes, with Iran hitting merchant vessels and the US striking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sites: BBG Trump aides seek 'quiet' in Iran war but say attacks may intensify after November elections: RTRS Putin cites chance of peace deal, Ukraine sees 'new dynamic': RTRS The Bank of Japan is leaning toward raising its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point this month in response to upward price risks: BBG Nvidia Corp. has agreed to acquire artificial intelligence startup Hugging Face in a transaction valued at about $13 billion. A lender alleged in a filing to Singapore's High Court that iron ore trader Radiant World used Glencore invoices that had already been paid, supported by fake contracts, to raise $31.7 million: BBG Norway seizes Russian ship to enforce $4.2 billion claim by Ukrainian energy firm: RTRS Chinese Warships Are Cruising Too Close for Comfort Off Japan’s Shores: WSJ A US judge blocked the Trump administration from enforcing the executive order restricting birthright citizenship. UK Business Secretary Reynolds seeks to quell fears of an exit tax on companies spun out from UK universities that move abroad: FT. Kennedy asked to remove Pennsylvania measles death from CDC tally: RTRS White House confirmed that US President Trump signed a stopgap funding bill into law, funding the government to December 11th. Hundreds of Colleges Are Sending Acceptance Letters to Kids Who Didn’t Even Apply: WSJ

Top aides to Trump are pushing to keep the Iran war from escalating before November's midterm elections to staunch Republican electoral losses, people familiar with the discussions said, a strategy that is already under strain as the US and Iran resume attacks