Vast sums of money are being poured into November's midterms, with billionaire Michael Bloomberg spending $80m to help Democratic candidates and Donald Trump announcing he intends to spend $400m to aid Republican candidates, with $300m already disbursed.
Bloomberg's Contributions and Republican Fundraising
Bloomberg made the contributions in September and October, particularly focused on Democrats running to flip the US House of Representatives. Democrats believe they are favored to take back the House, though they have acknowledged trailing Republicans in fundraising.
Republicans are also being aided by the president's ally Elon Musk, who has spent $366m so far.
Key Issues and Voter Concerns
In an explainer, Robert Tait looks at six key issues swaying how people might vote – the economy, Iran, immigration, Trump's use of power, AI and datacenters, and the state of democracy and voter rights in the US.
The justice department's list of suspected noncitizens in California includes a "high percentage" of people born in the US, Los Angeles election officials said. The statement, made in court papers, raises further questions about the reliability of the list of 20,000 people the DoJ is demanding be investigated.
Republican Pushback on Ukraine and Other Developments
Some Republicans have spoken out against Donald Trump's softening stance on Russia, threatening to pull financial support for his agenda over his handling of the Ukraine war. Don Bacon, an outgoing congressman in Nebraska, condemned Trump's actions – which include an agreement to buy Russian diesel and pausing sanctions on Moscow – as "absolutely disgraceful" and accused the US president of cozying up to a "war criminal" in Vladimir Putin.
On Tuesday, Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said his country was again receiving advance warnings of ballistic missile attacks, which were seemingly suspended last week by the White House.
A sorority member at the University of Arizona has alleged she was sexually assaulted by two men at a fraternity house during a night of drinking in late August. The sexual assault allegations surfaced two weeks after the university had suspended activities for its 21 fraternities amid reports of misconduct, including assault, hazing and drug- and alcohol-related behavior.
The former Cornell University student who accused seven men of sexually assaulting her at a fraternity house in 2024 recently wrote a letter to campus faculty leaders saying that she felt "unsupported and disbelieved" by the Ivy League institution's president.
Musk's Merger Remarks and Other News
Elon Musk has declared his support for combining the aerospace and AI company SpaceX with his electric vehicle company, Tesla. He said both companies had created special committees to explore a potential merger, but had not reached any agreement on terms of a transaction.
"I think some people out there assume that a SpaceX and Tesla merger is a certainty and I think that would be overstating it," Musk said, adding it would require shareholder approvals and special committees at both firms.
Christina Applegate has revealed she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Having been an advocate for awareness of the condition, the actor said: "I'm back at square one – that I don't know what's going on with me."
Australian MP Helen Haines has lost both legs after an alleged vehicle attack but "her heart and mind are in good shape", her husband said. A man has been charged. A judge has dismissed a sexual abuse lawsuit from Sam Altman's sister. Ann Altman had accused the Open AI CEO of repeatedly abusing her decades ago.
The United Airlines CEO, Scott Kirby, is facing a rightwing backlash after calling for a nationwide US wealth tax. A fifth foreign company has pulled out of a plan to build a cable car to East Jerusalem that threatens to involve the seizure of land and property rights from dozens of Palestinian families. UK watchdogs have been urged to tackle suicide social media content after the death of girl, 14. Adriana Retyte took her own life after viewing "high-risk" material on TikTok.
UN Emissions Warning and Other Stories
Although the "window has closed" on holding temperature rises to 1.5C, in line with scientific advice, limiting the "overshoot" of that target is still possible, according to the UN Environment Programme (Unep), which says the world needs to cut carbon emissions by nearly a fifth in the next four years, and by close to half within a decade to meet the goal.
In Louisiana, justices of the peace pocket income directly from the filing fees charged to evict tenants. This Guardian investigation highlights an urgent, unconstitutional flaw in Louisiana's legal system during a national housing crisis.
Julian Borger reports from Belgrade, where a mass student movement represents the most serious challenge Aleksandar Vučić has faced in his 12 increasingly authoritarian years in power. In the weekend's parliamentary elections they hope to emulate the defeat of Vučić's ally, Viktor Orbán, in neighbouring Hungary.
Failed rains and a dire El Niño are threatening the waterway that sustains Panama, with farmers left selling cattle to survive. They are also now lacking fresh water in Longyearbyen in Norway, thanks to contamination, where my colleague Karen McVeigh has visited one of the fastest-warming places on Earth.
Beatlemania may have been decades ago, but the Fab Four still have a magnetic hold on popular culture, especially in their home city of Liverpool. This new museum sounds like a "must see" for every fan, even if it requires a transatlantic crossing.
