Results for “oval office”

Top aides to Paraguayan President Santiago Peña have resigned as the Senate resumed an impeachment trial Friday that could remove him from office

The Wall Street Journal reviewed the correspondence between shippers and the Yemeni militant group’s little-known clearance office.

In today’s newsletter: From diverted airliners to hacked ​fridges, a string of disruptive incidents has exposed the ​vulnerabilities of modern ​life. ​There is now an increasingly blurred space between peace and conflict, the grey zone. Good morning. A multiplicity of hoax bomb threats divert passenger flights across Europe. A malign cyber-attack targets supermarket fridges in Belgium, Sweden, the UK and – in a sickening escalation – the cold storage facilities of France’s national blood service. The actors behind this week of chaos and disruption, be they hostile states or criminal gangs – or even enterprising teenagers – are yet to be identified. But what is certain is that they operate in a context of deepening global conflicts, building national threat and an accompanying, pervasive sense of vulnerability. UK news | Russell Brand has been found guilty of raping a woman and sexually assaulting three others over the course of five years of his show business career. US politics | Donald Trump signed a proclamation that he says will prevent future administrations from changing his design of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, spaces he declared as national monuments that should be preserved. UK politics | Andy Burnham has said he wants to “recast” the UK’s deal to cede control of the Chagos Islands after resistance from Washington. Health | Cancer diagnoses in England have hit record highs , with more than 1,000 people a day diagnosed, NHS figures show. World news | The UN-recognised government of Yemen has shaken up its political and military leadership in an attempt to regain territory lost to the Houthis in September. Continue reading...

Following election losses, the signing marks Trump's third event of the week focused on signature renovation projects.

Anthony Albanese’s government has taken a blow due to Iran war but voter anxiety around cost of living and datacentres may hit harder Get our daily political email , free app or daily news podcast The Democrats’ stunning midterm victory should broaden Australia’s alliance with the US, observers say, even as a new power base emerges in Washington, affecting Aukus, datacentre development and relations with China. Cabinet ministers, diplomats and Australia’s defence industrial sector closely watched the results this week, with control of the US Congress flipping to the Democrats and the outlook for Donald Trump’s final two years in office badly dinted. Continue reading...

The order comes after Trump made a series of big changes the Oval Office decor and launched landmark construction projects across Washington.

President seeks to make Oval Office a national monument to ensure designs are not ‘ripped down by stupid people’ 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 which he declared as national monuments that should be preserved. In the days since his party suffered historic defeats in the midterm elections, the president has seemingly turned his attention to the many renovation projects he has begun across the nation’s capital. Sitting behind the Resolute Desk on Thursday, Trump declared the Oval Office a “national monument”. Continue reading...

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday said he would commute all 548 death sentences in the state to life in prison without parole, marking a major step away from capital punishment as he prepares to leave office after eight years.

New Democratic Congress expected to probe Trump Justice Department office's handling of Epstein files and ICE killings.

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...

Foreign Office says 10-year sentence shows city’s security law is being used to ‘target individuals for political expression’ Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong sentenced to 10 years in prison in national security case The UK and the US have condemned the 10-year sentence given to Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong under a controversial national security law. Wong, 30, was sentenced on Thursday after pleading guilty to “foreign collusion” under the law. He is the only person to have been prosecuted twice under the legislation that critics say has been used to silence political opposition in the city. Continue reading...

Bank’s decision goes contrary to analysis from Office for Budget Responsibility that predicts lower inflation and little impetus for wage growth Bank of England raises interest rates to 4% Business live – latest updates An interest rate rise by the Bank of England to 4% is a big call when households are suffering from a second cost of living crisis in four years. Many people will be incredulous when they hear of the decision to increase the cost of borrowing by 0.25 percentage points, looking around their neighbourhood for signs of a booming economy. Continue reading...

Japanese electronics and entertainment company Sony has reported a 44% surge in its profit in July-September, largely on the box office success of its movie, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”

An Airbus A320 bound for Rome has made an emergency landing in Evreux, France. The prime minister's office said it was diverted after receiving a bomb threat. It's the latest of several similar cases in recent days.

An Airbus A320 ​flying from Dublin to Rome was diverted to France's Evreux airbase ​following a ‌bomb threat, ⁠the French prime minister's office said Thursday, in the latest in a series ‌of threats targeting flights in Europe.

French prime minister’s office says Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome now heading to military base in Evreux Flightradar24, one of the largest flight tracker websites in the world, also said that “no aircraft have departed from Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) in the past 30 minutes.” The plane crossed the English Channel on a normal flight path to Rome before veering south-west of Paris and circling Chartres airport and diverting towards Évreux. Continue reading...

Netanyahu's rivals say US midterm results show Israel 'cannot afford' to have the prime minister remain in office.

Hospital workers, air traffic and rail staff expected to join strikes amid renewed protests over education and rising living costs Hundreds of thousands are expected to march in demonstrations across France as trade unions call for a nationwide strike expected to extend to hospital workers, air traffic control, the post office, teachers and rail staff. President Emmanuel Macron’s final months in office continue to be marred by domestic crises, as high school students protesting over poor teaching conditions have been joined by workers in weekly protests over the cost of living. Meanwhile, the government is struggling to pass a belt-tightening budget in a divided parliament as public debt approaches 120% of economic output. Continue reading...

Trump Media stock and WLFI coin saw declines but he is still $2.7bn wealthier than when he won election in 2024 Trump’s wealth is falling along with his political fortunes. Tradeable investment assets that helped make Donald Trump over $2bn during his first year in office are collapsing in value the day after the Democrats trounced the Republicans in the midterm elections. Trump Media and Technology Group stock, which trades on the Nasdaq exchange, was priced at just over five dollars Tuesday morning – its lowest mark ever, and down from an all-time high of $101. It lost 11% overnight, dropping from $5.90 once the election returns started coming in. Trump has reported he owns 114m shares of DJT. Continue reading...

Jacqueline Kelly, who took part in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs case, will head criminal inquiry into 2024 incident at university The New York attorney general, Letitia James, has tapped a former prosecutor involved in the Sean “Diddy” Combs case to head a criminal investigation into 2024 sexual assault allegations at Cornell University. On Wednesday, James appointed Cornell alum Jacqueline Kelly to serve as outside counsel and lead a “fair and comprehensive criminal investigation”. Kelly, formerly chief of the civil rights unit in the US attorney’s office for the southern district of New York, will report directly to James’s office. Continue reading...

Following a resounding Midterm election defeat, Is MAGA Losing Its Grip on the Republican Party? Erin Ogunkeye is pleased to welcome Bryan Lanza, Republican strategist and Partner in Mercury's Washington DC office. "The big thing about MAGA was confrontation, in your face," explained Lanza. But following a veritable blue wave, he believes the electorate has delivered a warning: "We need to move beyond that." While Donald Trump has acknowledged the Democratic victory, at times combative, at times conciliatory, Lanza argues that the president must begin his final two years in office reversing damaging tariffs, addressing widespread dissatisfaction with immigration enforcement and navigating a highly unpopular Iran war.

Following the US midterms, US President Donald Trump could face a turbulent final two years in office. From budget battles to potential impeachment proceedings, what does the new political balance of power mean for his presidency? FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Philip Turle breaks it down. 

Jason Beer KC will examine ‘policies and procedures’ in tragic case of the university’s youngest black professor The lead barrister for the Post Office Horizon inquiry has been appointed to head an independent review into the death of Cambridge academic Jason Arday. Jason Beer KC will examine the handling of allegations of “research and other misconduct” made against Arday before his resignation as well as the university’s recruitment and support for him as its youngest-ever black professor at the age of 37. Continue reading...

Charities say government ‘must act now’ with cocaine-specific deaths eight times higher than in 2010 Cocaine has overtaken heroin as the biggest cause of drug deaths in England and Wales, figures from the Office for National Statistics show. The government “must act now to reverse this deadly trend”, charities have said, with 1,233 deaths caused by cocaine last year. Continue reading...

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood maintains rigorous rules for those who arrive on small boats UK politics live – latest updates The United Nations refugee agency has said a government plan to make refugees wait up to 30 years before they get permission to settle in the UK “raises significant concerns”. The strategy was unveiled earlier this week by Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, as she announced a softening of aspects of her immigration plans, but kept some of the rigorous rules drawn up by her office last year. Continue reading...

Documents show Home Office developing programme to use technology for general immigration enforcement The Home Office is preparing to deploy facial recognition technology at transport hubs and public events as part of the biggest immigration enforcement crackdown in British history. Policy documents show the government has been developing a programme to deploy live facial recognition (LFR) cameras for “general immigration enforcement”, including non-criminal immigration offences. Continue reading...

Blocking Swedish writer’s entry for event with Palestine Action co-founder is attack on free expression, letter says More than 900 academics have voiced their opposition to the government’s decision to block the climate academic Andreas Malm from entering the UK, warning that the move represents “a grave violation of academic freedom and freedom of expression”. Malm, the author of How to Blow Up a Pipeline and a leading climate scholar, was prevented from entering the UK last week by the Home Office after being told that his presence in the UK “may not be considered to be conducive to the public good”. Continue reading...

Both the House and Senate will be under Democratic control for the rest of Donald Trump’s term in office. Plus, the French Homer and Marge who found true love in real life Continue reading...

Concern over greater AI regulation, while investors move into US treasuries as Trump faces political gridlock Business live – latest updates US midterm elections – live updates The US dollar has fallen sharply after the Democrats won control of the Senate and the House in the midterm elections, sparking fears that greater regulation of AI could slow economic growth. The dollar hit a one-month low on Wednesday while coming under pressure from falling bond yields, as investors moved into US treasuries, viewed as a safe haven from the political gridlock anticipated during the rest of Donald Trump’s final term in office. Continue reading...

PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, November 4: US papers react to the results of the midterm elections, with Democrats retaking control of Congress and the headlines running from a "repudiation" of US President Donald Trump to a "blue tsunami". We also look at the historic firsts celebrated by the local press, the blame game already under way, and what the results mean for Trump's final two years in office.

Democrats easily hold on to governor's office and are on track to notch up wins in key congressional races.

Oscar Puente says he could not 'continue in office' after two major train accidents in less than a year.

Democratic doctor wins over Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur endorsed by Donald Trump US midterm elections – live updates Track live results from all 50 states Amy Acton was elected governor of Ohio on Tuesday – a rare victory for the Democratic party in a state that Donald Trump carried three times. Acton, 60, led Ohio’s health department through the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic. She will become the first woman to serve as Ohio’s governor. Her defeat of Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur endorsed by Trump, also ends 16 years of Republican control of the governor’s office. She is the first Democrat to win the post since Ted Strickland in 2006. Continue reading...

Donalds, who billed campaign as ‘a continuation of the DeSantis-era of success’, becomes state’s first black governor Republican Byron Donalds will be the next governor of Florida, and its first Black leader, after defeating Democrat David Jolly in one of the country’s most-watched midterm races. Donalds was endorsed by Donald Trump and appeared twice with the president at rallies in the campaign’s closing days despite previously appearing to distance himself . He will succeed Ron DeSantis, the former presidential candidate who will be termed out of office in January. Continue reading...

Results will determine makeup of Congress and other key offices and could define president’s final two years in office US midterms 2026 live – latest updates US midterm elections 2026: live results from Senate, House and governor races in all 50 states Donald Trump faced a political reckoning on Tuesday as millions of Americans voted in midterm elections that could shift the balance of power in Washington and define the final two years of his divisive presidency. Based on consistently favourable opinion polls, Democrats were optimistic about regaining control of the House of Representatives and potentially also the Senate, although the party has suffered enough anguish during the Trump era to remain wary. Continue reading...

Donald Trump promised Americans a “Golden Age” when he returned to the White House in January 2025. Since then, his administration has slashed government spending through DOGE, ramped up mass deportations, expanded ICE operations and pursued an aggressive crackdown on DEI programmes and transgender rights. But how much has he actually achieved, and at what cost? Vedika Bahl examines Trump's domestic agenda since returning to office.

500-plus-day search for Kylie Arellano ends as FBI warns of ‘gore groups’ targeting and exploiting children A 17-year-old girl who disappeared last year from Garden City, Utah, has been found in Oregon, and a 39-year-old man has been taken into custody. The recovery of the teenager took place last Sunday, following a 500-plus day search involving Oregon law enforcement, the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office and the Rich county sheriff’s office in Utah. Continue reading...

Democrats are preparing to launch a flurry of investigations into President Donald Trump’s administration and business dealings if they retake one or both chambers of Congress, devising strategies to circumvent obstruction from the White House and avoid the impeachment deadlock that consumed the US legislature during Trump’s first term in office.

How powerful is US President Donald Trump? That’s the question pollsters have been asking in the lead-up to the midterm elections. Polls have opened in dozens of US states in what is widely considered a referendum on Donald Trump. Most polls suggest Democrats will take back the House of Representatives, but could they also take the Senate and stymie Trump’s agenda during his final two years in office?

Republicans made a final push to avoid a predicted thumping in the US midterm elections, as Democrats seek to win control of Congress. A Democratic-controlled House would impose the first real political constraints on President Donald Trump since he returned to office in 2025. Polls show the Republican to be the most unpopular president in modern US history. FRANCE 24 International Affairs Editor Kethevane Gorjestani reports from Washington, DC.

Latest arrests come after DoJ unsuccessfully fought to force state election officials to set aside about 20,000 ballots The US Department of Justice (DoJ) in California has charged six more people with alleged voter fraud crimes, an escalation of the Trump administration’s campaign against the state’s election processes on the eve of the midterms. Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles and a close ally of the president , announced on Monday that his office was prosecuting six lawful permanent residents accused of unlawfully registering to vote and casting fraudulent ballots. The DoJ filed similar charges against 28 people across California last month and arranged for a dramatic on-camera arrest of one 72-year-old defendant, editing the footage into a DoJ promotional video. Sam Levine contributed reporting Continue reading...

Donald Trump promised an “America First” foreign policy and pledged to keep the US out of foreign wars. But since returning to the White House, his administration has been deeply involved in conflicts around the world. From the war in Ukraine and threats to Greenland and Canada, to the US intervention in Venezuela, Trump's shifting approach to the Middle East and war with Iran, Vedika Bahl examines his foreign policy record since returning to office.

The Jojo Rabbit director blamed the dismal numbers for his film of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel on ‘obsolete’ reviewers’ notices, adding that he works ‘for the people’ – whose Rotten Tomatoes ratings are much higher Taika Waititi has launched a furious broadside at “critics” following the disastrous commercial performance of Klara and the Sun, his new film adapted from a Kazuo Ishiguro novel. In a post on social media , Waititi wrote: “This Halloween, let’s spare a thought for those sad lost souls who couldn’t achieve their dreams of becoming artists, and thus settled, and became critics.” Continue reading...

Marko Kricak, an Aleksandar Vucic loyalist, is accused of suppressing and manipulating an investigation into a gangland murder. Prosecutors say the arrest is not linked to Vucic's recent election defeat.

Marko Kricak, an Aleksandar Vucic loyalist, is accused of suppressing and manipulating an investigation into a gangland murder. Prosecutors say the arrest is not linked to Vucic's recent election defeat.

Belgrade's chief prosecutor says arrest of Marko Kricak 'has no link' to elections that saw Aleksandar Vucic step down.

One of the most famous addresses in the world, 10 Downing Street in London, is home not just to prime ministers, but also to a 19-year-old tabby cat named Larry. Correspondent Holly Williams looks at how the official pet of the British leader's residence and Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office has become a favorite of the press – and a political fixture whose nine lives have so far outlasted six prime ministers.

Guardian understands Home Office continues to detain dozens of people, with one group forcibly removed this week The Home Office is still putting asylum seekers on to planes to France weeks after the controversial scheme to remove them ended, the Guardian has learned. The “one in, one out” scheme was announced by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the former prime minister Keir Starmer in July 2025. It aimed to deter small boats crossing the Channel to the UK from northern France, with some asylum seekers arriving here forcibly returned to France while a similar number in northern France were brought legally to the UK. Continue reading...

Flavio Bolsonaro failed to gain power, Aleksandar Vucic was voted out of office, and even Benjamin Netanyahu's position has weakened. An unhappy US President Trump is crying electoral fraud.

Shift in dealings with Washington not likely to reset once Trump leaves Oval Office, former PM says The UK and other European nations must draw closer together as the US becomes a less-reliable partner, Keir Starmer has said in his first significant political intervention since leaving No 10. The former prime minister warned European leaders of the threat posed by Russia, among others, and said the shift in relations with Washington during Donald Trump’s presidency was not likely to reset once he leaves the Oval Office. And he accused them of being caught out by these new realities twice already. Continue reading...