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‘Shawarma law’: Abdul El-Sayed never shied away from Islamophobic provocations
The successful Democratic contender for a Michigan Senate seat parried the many insinuations lobbed by Republicans Abdul El-Sayed said he did not expect to be “a main character of this midterms”, but the first Muslim elected to the US Senate in history will take his seat in January after a vitriolic campaign that cast him as the central villain of the president and his party. By October he told the Associated Press he was “not shying away” from those rightwing fixations. “What are you implying?” El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, replied when a town hall attender asked if he would disavow the Muslim Brotherhood, in a now-viral exchange. Continue reading...
Most Europeans want action to tackle climate crisis but not at any cost, poll shows
YouGov survey finds support for tree planting and emissions taxes but opposition to air travel and fuel levies Europe live – latest updates Europeans believe human-made climate change is real, a survey has shown, with most feeling action must be taken soon – as long as they do not have to sacrifice too much to achieve it. The YouGov poll of six European countries showed between 69% (Germany) and 80% (France) of respondents believed the climate was changing, with few (1%-4%) denying it and 14-20% believing it was changing, but not as a result of human activity. Continue reading...
‘An abomination’: Idaho hunters earned thousands of dollars to kill newborn wolf pups, records reveal
Wildlife advocates incensed as documents show state paid out $2,000 per kill in effort to shrink state’s wolf population Idaho officials paid hunters thousands of dollars for killing a dozen newborn wolf pups this spring, including what appears to be at least one full litter killed in or near its den, according to state records shared with the Guardian and Public Domain. The wolf pup killings have incensed wildlife advocates in Idaho, where state wildlife officials have been ordered to take extraordinary measures to shrink the state’s re-introduced wolf population amid complaints from the livestock industry and big game hunting outfitters. Continue reading...
Weeks before rape conviction, Russell Brand was featured speaker for Maha group allied with RFK Jr
Brand has been supported by Tony Lyons, who runs Maha Action, and has appeared on stage with Mehmet Oz Weeks before Russell Brand ’s conviction for rape and sexual assault by a court in the UK, he appeared as a featured speaker on a video call for Maha Action, an American group closely allied with the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr . It was a reflection on the warm embrace Brand, a comedian and actor, has received from prominent Trump administration officials and other leaders in Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” (Maha) movement, where Brand has used his star status to criticize vaccines and vaccine mandates, junk food, and pharmaceutical companies. He has also heaped praise on Kennedy and other members of the Trump administration. Continue reading...
Democrats finally decided to take rural America seriously – and won big | Anthony Flaccavento and Erica Etelson
Democrats won over rural voters from Maga in the midterms by focusing more on working people and less on culture wars Long before Jamie Ager entered politics, he was making a name for himself in a very different place: the meat counter of a grocery store in Boone, North Carolina. It was the early 2000s, and Ager owned and operated Hickory Nut Gap, a regenerative farm near Asheville. Over the next 20 years, he helped build a regional food system that delivered healthier food to thousands of people, improved land stewardship and made farming a bit more profitable. Continue reading...
First Thing: Global tech stocks wobble over AI regulation fears after midterms
Anticipation that Democrats’ ‘blue wave’ will lead to tighter rules on AI and datacenters sends tech stock plunging. Plus a big eight-legged surprise for customs officials in Peru Good morning. Stock markets around the world have fallen sharply as a rout in US tech stocks spread across the Atlantic after the Democrats’ midterms victory led to fears of a slowdown in the AI industry. A sell-off on Wall Street on Thursday was followed by sharp falls in Asian stocks markets on Friday morning. The dip in investor sentiment has also reached London. Susannah Streeter, the chief investment strategist at Wealth Club, said: “The tech sell-off has intensified. Big worries are colliding – the build-out of datacenters looks set to slow, which risks shredding the spending spree underpinning the boom, right at the time that investors have become super nervous about returns on this massive investment.” What happened to the Nasdaq? The Nasdaq share index had its worst day in 19 months after slumping 5.5% on Thursday amid growing signs that the AI industry will face tougher regulation. Continue reading...
After the midterms, the global right is reeling. But the danger of Trumpism will never be gone | Jonathan Freedland
Yes, the Republicans suffered humiliating defeat. But the fact that a Trump presidency was even possible means something like it could happen again He’s down, but not quite out. Barring divine or other intervention, Donald Trump will remain in the Oval Office for a further two years and 10 weeks. Or, as the White House put it in a plaintive social media post brimming with neediness: “PSA [Public Service Announcement]: Trump is still your president.” But that’s not the only reason why the global celebrations that greeted the Democratic tidal wave that swept Republicans out of even their deepest heartlands should be tempered, if only a tad. Don’t get me wrong, the results of Tuesday’s midterm elections are cause for genuine international jubilation. The defeats of Trump allies in Serbia and Brazil were delicious appetisers, but this was the feast. No mere electoral setback in line with midterm tradition, this was a thorough repudiation of the second Trump presidency and of Trumpism. The 16% swing to Democrats in the popular vote for the House of Representatives was greater even than the 11.2% swing recorded in the Watergate midterms of November 1974, following the resignation in disgrace of Richard Nixon. Trump had worked hard for many months to undermine these elections , either by gerrymandering districts in his favour or preparing the ground for a later claim the vote was rigged, but to no avail: the democratic system proved too resilient, and the American public too determined to have their say. And have it they did, in a voice loud and clear. Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
Commuters and shoppers face disruption from tube driver strikes in run-up to Christmas
RMT union calls eight 24-hour strikes on London Underground in opposition to plans for four-day week Tube train drivers in the RMT union have called eight 24-hour strikes running over 16 days – including six in the lead-up to Christmas – that threaten to bring transport chaos to the capital. The drivers will start another series of 24-hour strikes in late November in opposition to plans for a four-day week – a proposal that has been warmly welcomed by the majority of London Underground drivers represented by the Aslef union. Continue reading...
Major League Rugby could get Buffalo team amid talks with 17 other locations
Buffalo Thunderbolts would enter league in 2028 League could expand in time for 2031 World Cup Major League Rugby will play with just five teams in 2027 but has signed a letter of intent with the Buffalo Thunderbolts regarding a bid for entry in 2028 and is in discussions with 17 groups regarding future expansion. MLR was formed in 2018, and by 2022 the competition supported 13 teams. In 2025, teams in Utah, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston and New Orleans dropped out. Continue reading...
How a ‘flaming liberal’ podcast host won a US House seat in conservative Missouri
Fred Wellman, host of the progressive podcast On Democracy, defeated longtime incumbent Republican Ann Wagner Fred Wellman’s victory in Missouri’s second congressional district on Tuesday was such a surprise that NBC News’s star data analyst Steve Kornacki didn’t even have a graphic prepared, he told supporters on election night. Longtime Republican incumbent Ann Wagner, who had been widely expected to hold her seat, was swept aside as part of a broader wave of Democratic victories across the country. Continue reading...
There is a showdown looming in the Democratic party over support for Israel | Moustafa Bayoumi
Even Donald Trump has acknowledged that support for Israel is increasingly a political liability in US politics. Will the Democratic leadership listen? Abdul El-Sayed’s victorious path to the US Senate must become a wake-up call to the Democratic party . It shows us, yet again, that Democratic voters care about Gaza , that Palestinian demands for freedom are increasingly connected to American demands for freedom, and that the old smears and accusations against Palestinians and their supporters are fast losing potency. Even Donald Trump has acknowledged that support for Israel is increasingly a political liability in American politics. Will Chuck Schumer and the rest of the Democratic leadership listen? Continue reading...
‘Everything is so out of whack’: UK trees experience spring six months early
Mild autumn temperatures causing premature flowering and raising concerns for pollinators, say experts Trees are experiencing an “early spring” because of mild UK temperatures this autumn, with experts warning this could cause long-term harm to pollinators. Last month was warmer than average across all parts of the UK, with October marking the ninth consecutive month with above-average mean temperatures. Continue reading...
Nigel Farage's exit from the Telegraph may be cause for cheer. But there’s a sobering side to this story | Jane Martinson
The clear-out at the newspaper seems driven less by politics than by a shift towards AI – and journalism will pay the price Nigel Farage has been writing columns for the Daily Telegraph since 2016 , most of which have promoted the previously Brexit and now Reform UK party he leads, or accused his rivals of going soft on immigration . For this privilege the paper’s cash-strapped bosses paid him around £4,000 a month , adding up to nearly half a million pounds over the past decade. News broke this week that Farage’s services are no longer required by the Telegraph’s new German owners, Axel Springer, though sources close to Farage say that he resigned. The paper is also reported to be negotiating the exit of Allison Pearson, who has been complimentary of far-right activist Tommy Robinson’s “ rough-diamond charisma ”, which together have prompted rumours that Springer has called a halt to the paper’s rightwards shift, calling it back to the basics of its Conservative party bible past. Jane Martinson is an academic and Guardian columnist. She is a board member of the Scott Trust, which owns the Guardian Media Group, and writes in a personal capacity Continue reading...
Trump signs order to make gold-decorated Oval Office a national monument – video
Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Thursday that he says will prevent future administrations from changing his design of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, spaces he declared to be national monuments that should be preserved. Since returning to office, the US president has transformed the Oval Office with gold accents and statuettes, portraits of famous Americans pulled from storage and a copy of the Declaration of Independence that hangs on the wall. The redesign has drawn criticism, including from the former president Barack Obama, who recently joked that 'he’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory. Just gold everywhere.' Trump signs proclamation to try to prevent changes to gold-covered Oval Office Continue reading...
‘Clicky Ponting’ cheating scandal cricketer banned and club relegated
Brian Devine, 38, banned from all cricket for two years Saltburn 2nd XI relegated and club fined by ECB The club cricketer dubbed “Clicky Ponting” in response to accusations of cheating during the English summer has been handed a two-year ban from the sport. His team, Saltburn CC’s 2nd XI, have also been relegated. Brian Devine earned online notoriety back in July after footage from Division Two of the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cricket League went viral. In the clip, Devine was seen clicking his fingers in the field and successfully tricking the umpire into believing a Norton CC batter had edged a catch behind. Devine is now banned from all cricket under the auspices of the England and Wales Cricket Board until the end of the 2028 season. The ban covers “playing, coaching, umpiring, scoring and managing junior teams”. After an appeal against their sanction, Saltburn CC have been fined £300 and their 2nd XI has been relegated to Division Three of the NYSDCL. The 2nd XI will also start the 2027 season with 60-point deduction, while previously relegated Middlesbrough CC have retained their place in Division Two. Continue reading...
Hockey’s streaming spree means there’s one fewer thing holding Canada together
A shared joy of the sport has united Canada for much of its history. But it’s becoming increasingly difficult – and expensive – to watch games on television The Oilers lost to the Detroit Red Wings on 26 October, but Edmonton captain Connor McDavid got an assist anyway. He’s been doing that a lot lately. Just 16 games into the year, McDavid has 31 assists. It’s the fastest anyone has ever hit that milestone in any NHL season. But on that night in late October, many fans in Edmonton were unable to see McDavid’s feats – including patrons of a local bar – because it was one of nine Oilers games this season that are only available via a subscription to a premium streaming service. It’s the same story in every Canadian NHL city, thanks to changes to broadcasts that have meant that a handful of games for each team are now only available with a $12.99 per month subscription to Sportsnet+, a streaming channel owned by Canadian telecom juggernaut – and owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs – Rogers Communications Inc. But it’s not just Sportsnet+. The NHL also expanded its broadcast deal with Amazon, so when, two nights after the game against Detroit, the Oilers played their provincial rival, the Calgary Flames, only Amazon Prime subscribers could watch (true to form, McDavid got two assists in that one). Continue reading...
Trump wooed Latino voters, but his ICE tactics sent them back to the polls: ‘They’re taking our neighbors’
Texas business owner says he expected ICE raids to focus on those with criminal records not his relatives and employees Tuesday night’s explosive rout of the Republican party was supercharged by the fury of Hispanic Americans who turned out in record numbers in key battlegrounds to protest the Trump administration ’s anti-immigrant assault on their communities. “Trump went against us,” said Benny Melendez from Weslaco, Texas. “He made us the target of ICE operations, so we decided to punish him by voting against his party. That’s what happened.” Continue reading...
We’ve just seen a transformative moment in America’s death penalty history | Austin Sarat
Gavin Newsom’s decision to empty California’s death row saves hundreds of lives and signals a national shift Gavin Newsom’s decision to empty his state’s death row is a truly remarkable moment in the US’s death penalty history. Not only will it free hundreds of people from the threat of execution, but coming from a politician seemingly looking to run for the presidency, it sends an important signal that America’s attachment to capital punishment is weakening, and opposing the death penalty is no longer a third rail in US politics. Continue reading...
Denmark’s top court to rule on ‘parallel societies’ after ‘non-western’ people evicted
Government claims removal of former residents of housing complex in Helsingør is unrelated to their ethnicity Denmark’s supreme court is expected to rule on whether the state’s classification of residents with “non-western” backgrounds is covered by racial discrimination law. The appeal by residents who were evicted from Nøjsomhed-Sydvej in Helsingør, a city north of Copenhagen, could have far-reaching implications for others who have been forced out of their homes by the controversial legislation previously known as the “ghetto law”. The government now refers to affected neighbourhoods as “parallel societies”. Continue reading...
US midterm elections 2026 live: Democrats exceed 250 House seats as blue wave sweeping Congress grows
Democrats widen gap in House chamber by flipping more seats, including in Ohio, Arizona and North Carolina; Ted Cruz calls election a ‘Watergate-level repudiation’ Live results | Q&A: Ask your questions about Democrats’ win Sign up for Breaking News US email Welcome to our live coverage of the US midterm elections – here are some of the latest key developments. A number of closely watched contests in the midterms are still to be called, including the final two US Senate races – in Mississippi and Alaska. The Democratic candidates are hoping to oust Republican incumbents to bolster their new majority in Congress. Right now, Democrats have a 106-seat majority as we await final results. Democrats flipped another eight House seats , strengthening their majority in the lower chamber. Democrats are now leading Republicans 253 to 157, with 25 races left to call, as a number of GOP representatives felt the weight of the blue wave that has swept their party out of power. Republicans held on to two House seats in the west as congressman Mike Kennedy won re-election in Utah and Amanda McKinney won in Washington. Democratic socialist Nithya Raman was elected to serve as the mayor of Los Angeles , eking out a narrow win over incumbent Karen Bass, in a major shake-up in local politics that reflects the growing dissatisfaction with the direction of the city. The progressive urban planner had served on LA’s city council since 2020. Continue reading...
Low pressure in US midwest brings unseasonable heat to New York and Boston
Further south this week, severe thunderstorms affect midterms voting in Florida, Oklahoma and Colorado Despite the rapid descent into autumn in the northern hemisphere, parts of eastern North America have experienced an exceptionally late taste of summer in recent days. Temperatures approached 23C (73.4F) in New York and Boston, about 7-10C above what is expected in early November. The unseasonable warmth also spilled into parts of eastern Canada, with temperatures exceeding 20C, about 10-15C above normal for the time of year. The balmy conditions were the result on an area of low pressure in the US midwest, dragging up exceptionally warm air from the Gulf of Mexico along its eastern flank. This area of low pressure will gradually drift eastwards, allowing temperatures to fall closer to the average. Further south in the US, severe thunderstorms have resulted in numerous flood warnings and evacuation warnings being issued this week across many states, with disruptive weather impacting polling stations in states such Florida, Oklahoma and Colorado. The powerful thunderstorms this week even resulted in a tornado touching down in Keyes, Oklahoma, forcing a relocation of the polling station. The tornado left extensive damage across the town, although no causalities have been reported. Officials across many states impacted by the severe weather have requested federal funding assistance after extreme weather resulted in widespread damage to homes and infrastructure. Continue reading...
Burnham to force employers to publish salaries on job ads in latest government ‘small fix’ – UK politics live
Prime minister said his government would bring in legal requirement for companies to say what they pay when listing new jobs Hello and welcome to the UK politics live blog. Employers will be forced to publish salaries on job adverts, Andy Burnham has announced, in the government’s latest “small fix” to help improve people’s lives. Whether you’re a young person starting out or a parent trying to support your family, you should know what a job pays before spending your time and effort applying for it. That’s why we will make it a legal requirement for all employers to say what you pay. Andy Burnham has said he wants to “recast” the UK’s deal to cede control of the Chagos Islands after resistance from Washington, which said the agreement could instead be modelled on America’s Greenland deal with Denmark. Shabana Mahmood’s changes to the migration system could harm women and children, a Labour MP has warned, as members of her own party continue to raise concerns with the home secretary’s proposals. The EU is seeking a firmer pledge from the British government to guarantee European students discounted rates on university tuition fees before a much-anticipated summit this month. Continue reading...
European skies on high alert after hoax bomb threats this week – Europe live
Hoax bomb threats targeted commercial flights this week leaving at least 35 planes searched or diverted Airlines and airports across Europe are on high alert after a wave of hoax bomb threats targeted commercial flights this week, leaving at least 35 planes searched or diverted. Authorities will be hoping to see a quieter day today after yesterday’s disruptions. Continue reading...
Global stocks plunge amid AI slowdown fears after Democrats’ midterm triumph
Sell-off on Wall Street followed by sharp fall in Asian and European markets, with FTSE down 1.5% Business live – latest updates European stock markets have fallen sharply as a rout in US tech stocks spread across the Atlantic, after the Democrats’ midterms victory sparked fears of a slowdown in the AI industry. A sell-off on Wall Street on Thursday was followed by sharp falls in Asian stocks markets on Friday morning. The investor sentiment then reached London, with the FTSE 100 index, which tracks blue-chip shares listed in London, down 1.5%, or 166 points, at the start of trading to 10,615. Continue reading...