Republican challengers in New Jersey and Virginia have bested their Democrat opponents in elections for governor, while in New York, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent, narrowly maintainted his job over Democrat challenger, Bill Thompson, in elections 3 November.

In Virginia, Bob McDonnel easily beat his Democrat opponent to become the first Republican governor there in 12 years. In New Jersey, Chris Christie edged out billionaire first-term governor Jon Corzine. Congressional elections in New York and California are not yet decided.

The elections are seen by many as a referendum on US President Barack Obama’s first eight months in office. BBC, CNN,NPR, Reuters

Four men have been arrested in New York, USA, after they agreed to buy missiles in an undercover operation. The men are being charged with conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against the United States. The FBI (US Federal Bureau of Investigation) says the men were plotting to leave a bomb at the Riverdale Synagogue in the Bronx, then travel 85 km north of New York City to aim missiles at military planes. One of the men is the son of immigrants from Afghanistan. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement that their arrest shows that “homeland security threats against New York City [are] sadly all too real”. Al Jazeera, BBC, CNN, New York Times, Xinhua

In related FBI news a Canadian citizen, originally from Somalia and resident in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the US, pleaded guilty to charges of providing material support to Al Qaeda.