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    US midterms: what are they and why do presidents dread them? – explainer

    The US midterms may not be as much of a spectacle as the presidential elections, but they are just as important and can completely change not just the course of a presidential term, but federal legislation for years to come. The Guardian unpacks how these elections work, what the results mean and how they affect American life Continue reading… More

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    Skepticism mires Trump’s Iowa steel plant project: ‘Promises are not the same as jobs’

    The project has sparked doubts over whether the plant will be built and delivered as promised, given Trump’s recordDonald Trump has long sought to portray himself as a man of steel, from the White House photoshopping Trump to look like Superman, to enacting tariffs on steel and approving the sale of US Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel with a ”golden” share given to the US government.Most recently, the Trump administration announced plans to construct the largest steel plant in the US, a $15bn plant in Lee county, Iowa, to be built by India-based Mesabi Metallics. Continue reading… More

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    Democrats now favored in key midterm races that could give them control of US Senate, new projections find – as it happened

    This live blog is now closed.Sign up for Breaking News US emailTwo media giants, Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery, have completed their $110bn merger, creating a new entertainment powerhouse, Skydance.The deal, fiercely contested by several state attorneys general over potential antitrust concerns, formally closed on Tuesday. Continue reading… More

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    ‘Not exactly his favorite senator’: Susan Collins distances herself from Trump in Maine debate

    Republican challenged by Democrat Troy Jackson in critical Senate race says she opposes Iran war and Canada tariffsSusan Collins, the Republican senator for Maine, pointedly distanced herself from Donald Trump in a televised debate with Democratic challenger Troy Jackson on Tuesday, as she sought to present an image of independence in a state that has voted against Trump three times.Proclaiming herself as not the US president’s “favorite senator”, Collins made the highly unusual boast for a Republican that she had voted with Joe Biden, a Democrat, more than 90% of the time when he was president. She also emphasized her differences with her fellow Republicans, saying she voted against her own party more than any other senator. Continue reading… More

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    JD Vance and Ted Cruz are fighting for control of the GOP. The problem? Neither is called Trump | Arwa Mahdawi

    Having seemingly written off the midterms, the Republican bigwigs are making their pitches for 2028. But the current commander-in-chief could be looking closer to homeThe US midterm elections are a month away and it’s looking rough for the Republicans. I wouldn’t discount devious schemes behind the scenes, but, on the face of it, the president and his entourage seem to be flailing. Donald Trump is desperately dangling money in front of voters and promising “a big surprise”. Meanwhile, the vice-president, JD Vance, and the GOP senator Ted Cruz seem more concerned with fighting over who will be Trump’s heir than with the midterms.If the polls are to be believed, Vance is the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028. But while he may have great name recognition, Vance is also unlikable. According to the CNN analyst Harry Enten, he is one of the least popular vice-presidents in history. He’s also apparently made enemies within his own party, largely because of his scepticism about the Iran war. His detractors include Cruz, who told MS Now in August that Vance wasn’t a shoo-in for the nomination. The party, Cruz said, was still figuring out the best candidate and needed “to decide who we are, what do we believe”. Continue reading… More

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    I witnessed the Pinochet regime’s fall. It offers hope – and a warning – for the US | Ariel Dorfman

    November’s midterms bring parallels with a moment in October 1988. But Pinochet’s exit wasn’t the end of his influenceA malignant, monomaniacal president, deeply unpopular, faces an election that could restrict his power and end his domination of his country.It is true that, to influence the outcome, he counts on a supine supreme court and his ability to legislate through executive decrees, as well as an onslaught of fake news accusing his opponents of being unpatriotic communists, true that he has colossal financial support from an entrenched oligarchy that has thrived thanks to his rightwing neoliberal policies, true that he has gone out of his way to limit the freedom of those who vote and true that he has absolute command of the armed forces. Continue reading… More

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    Trump claims he’s ‘doing great’ as his approval rating sinks to record low – as it happened

    This live blog is now closed.Sign up for the Breaking News US emailAsk our reporters your questions about the Iran war and the US midtermsAs the supreme court hears oral arguments this morning, it’s worth noting that if the justices side with Boulder or decide that the case is not in their jurisdiction, then it would continue in state court.But if the fossil fuel industry convinces the justices, the decision could apply not only to the Boulder case, but also to the many other climate cases brought by state and local governments around the US that we mentioned earlier. Continue reading… More

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    The Iran war is unpopular, but will it cost Trump the midterms? Our reporters answer your questions

    The war with Iran is reshaping America ahead of the midterms – how will it affect US voters at the polls? Join us for a live conversation on 6 October at 12pm ET with political and global correspondentsSign in or sign up to join the conversationWelcome to our latest US midterms live Q&A – just over a month away from election day on 3 November.The war with Iran has had major implications for Americans’ wallets, government spending and US foreign policy. It’s has also been an important factor in reshaping the political landscape as the war enters its eighth month, with the 2026 US midterms quickly approaching.The makeup of the Democratic party, plus key races to watchWho are the groups financially backing the candidates in the midterms? Continue reading… More