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The Guardian view on the midterms and foreign policy: American voters spoke, and now the world waits anxiously | Editorial
The Democrats have gained new powers to constrain Donald Trump. But the drubbing that Republicans received could yet prompt him to new excesses Donald Trump is a president without parallel, but history can still be instructive. Lame duck presidents often focus on foreign policy to escape domestic discontent and establish a legacy in an area where a hostile Congress offers less of an obstacle. Mr Trump, who was stunningly rebuffed by voters in Tuesday’s midterms , might seek satisfaction in construction projects, the 2028 presidential race and his family’s future. Or, amid the humiliation and with Republican critics growing louder, he could distract attention with fresh adventurism – perhaps escalating against Cuba – or more likely a vengeful new offensive against Iran. Mr Trump won’t put in the legwork or attention to detail demanded by, say, Bill Clinton’s push for lasting peace in the Middle East. But he loves the glitz of state visits, spectacular military action, hobnobbing with strongmen and (unearned) credit for dubious “peace deals”. With a potential three-way meeting with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping mooted for the Apec summit in China this month, Ukraine, Taiwan and others have reason to be nervous. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here . Continue reading...
NHS England cancer diagnoses at record high with 1,000 people diagnosed every day
While NHS is identifying more cases, it is failing to meet timescale targets on diagnosis and treatment, experts say Cancer diagnoses in England have hit record highs, with more than 1,000 people diagnosed every day, NHS figures show. But experts warned that although the health service is identifying more cases, it is still failing to meet timescale targets on diagnosis and treatment. Continue reading...
Paraguay’s president quits after millions of people’s savings frozen in bank crisis
Santiago Peña’s rightwing administration had authorised Ueno Bank to drastically expand operations before collapse Paraguay’s rightwing president, Santiago Peña, resigned on Thursday after a political and financial crisis collapsed the South American country’s banking system in recent days. At the centre of the crisis is Ueno Bank, which in just a few years under Peña went from an obscure digital bank to one of the country’s largest lenders, claiming to have about 60% of Paraguay’s adult population as customers. Continue reading...
The Guardian view on cocaine and domestic abuse: new links between drugs and crime need investigating | Editorial
Patterns of drug supply and use are changing and the government’s five-year-old drug strategy must evolve too A slight drop in the number of drug deaths over a year in England and Wales is the first such news since 2012. Over the past decade, the grim trajectory has been upward; the annual figure of 5,519 has more than doubled since the 1990s. Given this trend, any fall is a relief. But the spike in deaths linked to cocaine, which has overtaken heroin for the first time, as well as evidence uncovered by the Guardian of a link with domestic violence, points to the need for a drugs policy that takes account of changing usage. Nearly six in 10 drug tests on people arrested on suspicion of domestic abuse were positive for cocaine in the year to June, while a previous study found that 59% of suspects tested positive for cocaine or opiates. Links between domestic violence and alcohol have been highlighted by campaigners since the 19th century. In 2022, a UK government report found that alcohol and drug use featured in around a third of 127 domestic homicides it examined. Continue reading...
WTA apologizes after hot mic captures Pegula’s ‘diva’ remarks about Andreeva
WTA admits players were not told mics were live Pegula called Andreeva ‘diva’ who ‘needs to be humbled’ Practice livestreams to continue without audio The WTA has apologized and admitted it did not tell players their on-court conversations during practice sessions at the WTA Finals were being broadcast. A controversy has erupted in Indian Wells after Jessica Pegula was heard on the WTA’s YouTube livestream making derogatory comments about Mirra Andreeva and her coach, Conchita Martínez. Continue reading...
Putin envoy thanks Melania Trump for brokering ceasefire – video
Kirill Dimitrov, envoy to Russian president Vladimir Putin, delivered a gift to Melania Trump at the White House on Thursday to thank her for brokering a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russian forces in Oleshky, Ukraine. Russia first occupied the village during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 Continue reading...
Indiana puts man to death as three US executions to be carried out on same day
Florida set for 19th state killing of year on Thursday as death penalty under renewed focus after botched Christa Pike execution Florida and Alabama plan to execute one man each on Thursday just hours after Indiana put a prisoner to death – in the first of three lethal injections scheduled for the same day in the US. It would be Florida’s 19th execution this year under Republican governor Ron DeSantis, matching a record set by the state in 2025, and the second time this year that three people would be put to death on the same day. Continue reading...
Herzog to meet Israeli election rivals as decision nears on path to power
President calls on all parties to help avoid new election after Netanyahu and Eisenkot blocs fell short of majority Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, was due to meet Benjamin Netanyahu and his chief political rival, Gadi Eisenkot, on Thursday with less than a week left before he decides which of the two men should first try to form a government. A bitterly contested election last month, seen by many observers as one of the most consequential for Israel in many decades, ended with neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot, a former military general and chief of staff, securing a clear pathway to power. Continue reading...
Failing Grayling double reports for duty as Reform’s armed forces spokesperson | John Crace
New recruit Angus MacIntyre bears an unfortunate resemblance to little-missed ex-Tory minister Chris Grayling You can make a good case for Nigel Farage having been one of the most consequential British politicians of the 21st century. Without him there would have been no Brexit. And yet it is now beginning to look as if his time has come and gone. The narcissistic qualities that have served him so well now threaten to finish him off. His skin is becoming thinner by the day. All that’s left is reflexive lashing out. A raging against the dying of the light. You’d need to have a heart of stone not to laugh. Continue reading...
Heavy rains bring flash flooding to Georgia-Tennessee border area
National Weather Service issues flood warning: ‘Seek higher ground now!’ Severe storms brought heavy rain and flash flooding to communities across the Georgia-Tennessee border area late on Wednesday and into Thursday morning that forced dozens of rescues, despite the hazardous conditions making evacuations and efforts to save people difficult. McCaysville, in north central Georgia, was deluged with up to five inches (13cm) of rain by Thursday morning, triggering life-threatening flash flooding, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. The town lies just across the Toccoa River from Copperhill, Tennessee. Continue reading...
LIV Golf to liquidate after last-ditch financing rescue deal falls apart
Future had been in question after Saudi funding pulled ‘Orderly wind-down is most responsible path forward’ LIV Golf, which shook up world golf in 2022, will liquidate after losing big-name players and last-ditch financing it needed to stay alive, the breakaway circuit said on Thursday. Throughout the wind-down process, LIV Golf said it will remain open to, and continue to consider, any value-maximising alternatives with third parties that may arise. More details soon … Continue reading...
Concacaf revamps Gold Cup format to make tournament ‘more competitive’
Group stage to involve two groups of eight teams Change resembles model of Uefa Champions League Concacaf on Thursday announced changes to the format of the Gold Cup, the confederation’s regional championship. The move is aimed at “delivering more meaningful matches and matchups between top-ranked teams”, Concacaf said in a statement. Once the primary focus of teams in the region, the 35-year-old tournament will return for its 19th edition in 2027 having lost a bit of luster. The federation’s tweaks to the format – which center around the competition’s group stage – could help restore that. Here’s a look at the tournament, what’s at stake and what is changing. Continue reading...
Duchess of Sussex’s estranged half-brother ‘person of interest’ in child sexual abuse inquiry
Philippine official says there are ‘signs that point to Thomas Markle Jr’s involvement in crime’, but he’s not yet being treated as a suspect The Duchess of Sussex’s estranged half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, has been named as a “person of interest” in the Philippine authorities’ inquiry into child sexual abuse image allegations made against her father, Thomas Markle Sr. The country’s interior and local government secretary, Jonvic Remulla, told a press conference in Manila there were “signs that point that the son is involved in the crime as well”. Continue reading...
Nasdaq heading for worst day in 18 months as Wall Street sustains widespread losses
Share index slumps 5% amid signs AI industry will face tougher regulation after Democrats’ midterm elections success The tech-heavy US Nasdaq share index is on track for its worst day in 18 months after slumping by up to 5% on Thursday amid growing signs that the artificial intelligence industry will face tougher regulation after this week’s midterm elections . As Wall Street sustained widespread losses, the Nasdaq composite tumbled into ‘correction territory’ – more than 10% below its recent record high. The index was heading for its biggest one-day fall since Donald Trump announced his ‘liberation day’ tariffs on US trading partners in April 2025. Continue reading...
Harmeet Dhillon, controversial head of DoJ’s civil rights division, reportedly steps down
Dhillon is first high-level justice department official to leave after historic Republican defeat in 2026 midterms US midterms 2026 live – latest updates Harmeet Dhillon, a Donald Trump ally who led the justice department’s civil rights division, is reportedly leaving the position. Dhillon is the first high-ranking justice department official to leave after the midterm elections in which Democrats took control of Congress. Democrats are expected to use that power to aggressively investigate executive agencies, including the justice department. Dhillon’s departure was first reported by Bloomberg Law. Continue reading...
Beware ‘sun, sea and surgery’ cosmetic tourism packages, experts advise
British College of Aesthetic Medicine launches checklist as part of ‘vet it before you get it’ campaign Cosmetic tourism is often sold as a package of sun, sea and surgery, but experts have said travelling overseas for procedures can end in infections, disfigurement and death. Nora Nugent, a consultant plastic surgeon and former president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said travelling to countries such as Turkey for surgery came with myriad risks – and not just on the operating table. Continue reading...
K-pop group NewJeans’s contract omitted rights to ‘sleep and free choice’ – report
New report finds that record label Ador stripped child protections from group’s contracts when they were minors The superstar K-pop group NewJeans signed restrictive record label contracts that waived their right to “sleep, rest and free choice”. A new report from the New York Times found that the contracts were signed when the members of the record-breaking girl group were aged 14 to 17. Continue reading...
Washington state passes ballot measure banning trans girls from school sports
Measure in Democratic state says students must submit health documents verifying biological sex for girls’ teams Voters in Washington state have passed a ballot measure banning transgender girls from playing on girls’ sports teams, a major loss for LGBTQ+ rights in a solidly Democratic state. The measure says students in elementary, middle and high school who want to join girls’ athletics must first submit statements from their healthcare providers verifying their “biological sex”. Opponents have raised alarms the measure may force girls to endure “invasive and extreme” genital exams to participate in school sports. Continue reading...
How Democrats used the midterms to turn affordability concerns into ‘green populism’
From energy prices to datacenters, climate became a cost-of-living issue – and a winning one Climate-forward Democrats swept into power Tuesday night as a blue tsunami flipped the Senate, House and several governors’ races. Voters were laser-focused on affordability, and experts said Democrats succeeded in linking cost-of-living concerns with rising energy prices, datacenters and, to some extent, the climate crisis. They may have even created a path for a “new climate politics”. The results delivered a sharp rebuke of Donald Trump, who started a war with Iran that raised gas pump prices across the country and exposed the fragility of fossil fuels, all while the US oil industry earned $130bn in profits since the war began. Household energy costs soared, driven by various factors including constraints on renewables , climate disasters and a datacenter boom. Continue reading...
Will the UK finally pay slavery reparations? – The Latest
Andy Burnham has asked countries affected by Britain’s role in slavery to help shape a formal apology through a ‘structured dialogue’. During the prime minister’s visit to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, Downing Street said affected countries would play an indispensable role in crafting an enduring message. Though the plans for talks were received positively, the British government is still ruling out the idea of paying reparations, which for decades campaigners have been calling for. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s Caribbean correspondent, Natricia Duncan – watch on YouTube Continue reading...
Leon Black sues US congressman Robert Garcia for $7.5m over Epstein comments
Black in defamation lawsuit alleges California lawmaker made false statements about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein Billionaire Leon Black has filed a defamation lawsuit against California congressman Robert Garcia, accusing the lawmaker, who is the top Democrat on the House oversight committee, of making false statements about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and the disgraced financiers’s sex trafficking crimes. The filing, filed in federal court in New York on Wednesday, comes almost two months after the House voted to hold Black in contempt of Congress over his refusal to comply with subpoenas issued by the House oversight committee as part of the panel’s investigation into Epstein. As of 5 November, the Department of Justice has not filed contempt charges against Black. Garcia’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Continue reading...
Republicans hoping to succeed Trump in 2028 dissect midterm rout
JD Vance, Ron DeSantis and Ted Cruz all pointed to Iran war and affordability as key factors in Democratic victory US midterms 2026 live – latest updates Republican hopefuls in the race to succeed Donald Trump swiftly blamed two key pillars of his agenda – the Iran war and tariffs – for summoning the Democratic blue wave that swept the US midterm elections. JD Vance, the outgoing Florida governor Ron DeSantis and the senator Ted Cruz all pointed to frustration over cost of living amid the fallout from Republican defeats across the country, including in previous strongholds. Continue reading...
Wooden Spoon, Golden Boot and playoff spots: what to watch for on MLS Decision Day
The postseason is nearly upon us but there’s plenty to still be decided as the end of the regular season approaches Just days after millions of Americans cast their votes in the midterm elections, we will soon arrive at the second-most meaningful decider in US society: Major League Soccer’s Decision Day . With eight 4pm ET kickoffs on the east coast and another seven games kicking off hours later out west on Saturday, there’s still plenty to play for at the end of the regular season. This is an extract from Soccer Desk, a newsletter from the Guardian US. Subscribe for free here . Continue reading...
EU presses UK to guarantee discounted university tuition fees for European students
Failure to agree lower fees for EU citizens studying in UK should delay prized food and drink deal, members say UK politics live – latest updates 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. At a meeting of senior EU diplomats on Wednesday, at least six member states opposed delaying a deal on tuition fees until after the summit. Many believe a failure to reach an agreement should delay the highly prized food and drink deal to cut Brexit red tape coming into force. Continue reading...