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American talks life on the professional circuit and those making sacrifices for a pay cheque, often compromising physical and mental welfareFor the American tennis veteran Mackenzie McDonald the players' ongoing push for greater prize money and welfare contributions from the grand slam tournaments could result in the difference between simply putting food on the table and making a decent living.After 10 years on the ATP Tour the 31-year-old is not pleading poverty but knows from personal experience that life on the professional circuit can be a hand-to-mouth existence, with players' physical and mental welfare often compromised due to their desperation to get back on court. Continue reading...

Judge rules Christian Castro, accused of shooting man and lying about it, cannot be held pending extradition requestAn Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer charged with shooting a man and lying about it during the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis was released from a Texas jail on Thursday, after a judge refused to order his return to Minnesota.Christian Castro was released at the break of dawn from a detention center in Brownsville. He motioned his hand toward a few camera operators and a reporter crowding around him and quickly got into an SUV that drove off. Continue reading...

Adam Kalkstein compared administration's order to trying to teach the law' without mentioning the constitution'The only climate scientist teaching at West Point, the US army's military academy, was fired after he resisted an order to stop teaching about the human causes of the climate emergency, a lawsuit claims.Dr Adam Kalkstein, a civilian professor of geography at the New York institution, was terminated after the spring semester this year, six months after a testy meeting with Brig Gen Shane Reeves, then dean of West Point's academic board, the court filing said. Continue reading...

Letters obtained by Guardian and AP contradict testimony that 2019 visit to Samoa had nothing to do with vaccines'Newly obtained documents indicate that the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, lied during two congressional hearings last year, when he told lawmakers who held the key to his confirmation that a 2019 visit to Samoa had nothing to do with vaccines".Letters obtained by the Guardian and the Associated Press contradict that testimony. In one he wrote to the Samoan prime minister before the trip, Kennedy explicitly said he wanted to study the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in the Pacific island nation. In it, he used the words vaccine or vaccination eight times. Continue reading...

It's about kitchen-table populism': focusing on Americans' day-to-day economic strugglesThis year's Democratic primaries look and sound a lot more populist than usual. Brian Poindexter, a union iron worker running on a workers first" message, won a House primary outside Cleveland. Sherrod Brown is mounting a Senate comeback in Ohio on the same rigged system" message that has allowed him to outshine other Democrats in Ohio. Troy Jackson, a fifth-generation logger who built his career fighting corporate landowners, is the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine. And Josh Turek, a self-described prairie populist", is on the Senate ballot in Iowa.In fact, according to research we've conducted through the Center for Working-Class Politics (CWCP), more than 70% of 2026 Democratic candidates now rely on populist rhetoric in their campaigns, laying the blame for our broken system on rich elites of one kind or another. Continue reading...

Plane was headed for airport in Seldovia from Anchorage, and was submerged in water after the crashA small plane carrying four people crashed into shallow waters next to a remote coastal town in Alaska on Wednesday, killing everyone on board, according to officials.The Piper PA-24 was headed for the airport in the small town of Seldovia after taking off from Anchorage, according to a statement from the Alaska Department of Public Safety. Seldovia's airport is about 136 miles (219 km) south-west of Anchorage. Continue reading...

Safety features including usage limits and night-time blocks to be set by default. Plus changes to famous French cheeses

Analysis by Institute for Policy Studies found that between 2019 and 2025, CEO compensation increased 41.4%The average CEO of the US's 100 largest, lowest-paying corporations earned 614 times more than their average worker last year, according to an analysis by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS).IPS's latest executive excess report analyzed compensation at the 100 S&P 500 corporations with the lowest median worker pay. Between 2019 and 2025, CEO compensation increased 41.4%, unadjusted for inflation, twice as much as the median worker pay increased at these firms during the same period, at 20.7%. Continue reading...

The senator's remarks reflect a turning point in Democrats' attacks on the president. What should we make of them?Apparently, he likes to say her name with a French accent. Na-tah-lee!" the president cries out, in that affected tone of faux-formality that one might use with a person they love but do not quite respect, and she comes running, her thin legs teetering on her heels.Natalie Harp, Trump's 35-year-old executive assistant", was an odd recurring character in the latest blockbuster Trump administration book, Regime Change, by the New York Times' Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. In the book, Harp features like a silent sentinel, ever present but eerily quiet as Trump rants and raves. It's not exactly clear what the scope of her responsibilities are; though, as Jamelle Bouie points out, the fact that she evidently helps run the president's social media accounts, which can sway markets and influence his foreign counterparts, makes her one of the most powerful people in the federal government. Continue reading...

Ryan Mackenzie, running for re-election, is accused of fabricating' a career in the real estate industryThe Republican congressman Ryan Mackenzie has been accused of embellishing his resume with private sector experience in real estate sales amid an acrimonious showdown over his Pennsylvania seat.Mackenzie, who has previously been accused of lying about his age on Tinder, was a real estate salesperson licensed in PA", according to his LinkedIn profile, and biographies have consistently listed it has his former profession. Continue reading...

The race was at its peak when American riders were regularly challenging for titles. Its return could help prompt a revivalAfter a decade-long absence, the beloved Philadelphia International Cycling Classic is set to return this weekend, with some of the world's best bike-racing teams taking to the famous circuit around the city's leafy Art Museum, Manayunk, and Roxborough areas on Sunday.The race is one of just a handful of events on American soil sanctioned by UCI, cycling's international governing body, and will feature squads such as EF Education EasyPost, Lidl-Trek, Lotto-Intermarche, and Jayco AlUla in the men's race, and powerhouses CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto and Human Powered Health in the women's event. It is classified as a 1.1 race, meaning it's two levels below the top-flight WorldTour, whose races include the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.The Philadelphia Cycling Classic will be livestreamed on Channel 6 ABC, with the women's race kicking off at 8.30am Eastern. The men will follow at 12.30pm. Of course, you could always trek to Philly and become part of the party yourself. I highly recommend snagging a spot somewhere along The Wall. Continue reading...

Tim Curry was a versatile performer on stage and screen who made his name as the flamboyant Dr Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Curry's best-known roles often required a considerable physical transformation, to the extent that he was unrecognisable in some of them. As Frank-N-Furter, Rocky Horror's eccentric scientist, he was daubed in garish makeup and dressed in stockings and suspenders. In Ridley Scott's fantasy Legend, he sported giant horns and scarlet skin as the Lord of Darkness, and, in 1990, Curry was transformed with full-face clown makeup to play Pennywise in the TV miniseries It, based on Stephen King's novel

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Jes Staley told US House committee he also was at one point named a trustee of convicted sex offender's estateFormer JPMorgan Chase executive Jes Staley told US lawmakers he repeatedly shared confidential and market-sensitive bank information with Jeffrey Epstein and was at one point named as a trustee of his estate, according to a transcript released by the House oversight committee on Wednesday.These admissions come as lawmakers investigate the late convicted sex offender's ties with political and business elites. Staley appeared before the committee in July as part of its investigation into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Transcripts from the meeting were released on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Democrat Eric Hafner, to be released in 2036, also ran for seat in 2024, securing spot on that general election ballotA man who is serving time in a federal prison in New York advanced on Wednesday from the primary for Alaska's lone US House seat.Eric Hafner, a registered Democrat, also ran for the seat in 2024 and secured a spot on the general election ballot that November despite a challenge brought by the Alaska Democratic party. Continue reading...

Then House candidate joined Democratic Socialists of America in 2018 but didn't renew membership after a yearAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez has rejoined the Democratic Socialists of America after not renewing her membership for seven years, amid speculation that she might run for president in 2028.The 36-year-old New York representative and one of the country's most prominent democratic socialists renewed her membership in the group's national organization after reports emerged earlier this month that it had lapsed. Ocasio-Cortez initially joined the group in 2018. Continue reading...

FBI psychiatrist Gregory Saathoff says he has treated only two women with postpartum psychosis, both decades earlierTestimony finished in the Lindsay Clancy trial on Wednesday, as a final witness for the prosecution laid out that he believed the Massachusetts mother knew right from wrong when she took the lives of her three young children before attempting to commit suicide in 2023.Closing arguments are expected to begin on Thursday. The jury will then start deliberating. Continue reading...

Christian Castro charged with assault after allegedly shooting Venezuelan man and remains in custody in Texas

Victoria Hicks, mother of Alexandra Hicks, told reporters that she feels 'justice is possible' after Meta settled in its US trial over teen addiction. On 26 August in a Oakland, California, federal courtroom, Meta agreed to establish safeguards for teenagers and pay up to $17bn. Dozens of US states had accused the tech giant of addicting and harming children with dangerous products Continue reading...

President denies visit was to gain support for Iran sanctions or due to fears that Putin plans to test Nato resolve'

The US president expected Ottawa to bow to tariff demands, but Canada is striking back - and it could cost Americans

US labels group global terrorist' as Palestine Action challenge against proscription in UK nears supreme court hearingThe US has issued sanctions against the UK-based direct action organisation Palestine Action, describing it as a transnational terror group".The US Department of the Treasury labelled Palestine Action a specially designated global terrorist on Wednesday, which allows the US to freeze the assets of foreign individuals and entities. Continue reading...

Tributes have poured in for Dolly Parton, the pioneering country music singer, songwriter and actor, who has died aged 80. Stars including Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Oprah Winfrey and Paul McCartney have paid tribute to one of the world's greatest music artists, with many praising her lifelong philanthropy and advocacy for literacy and LGBTQ+ rights. Lucy Hough speaks to Guardian deputy features editor Jenny Stevens Continue reading...

We need some new leadership,' says the Democratic nominee for governor in Iowa, Rob Sand

Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Wesley Bell to join as Jared Moskowitz becomes ranking member on sub-committeeThree pro-Israel Democrats have been given key roles on a powerful congressional body overseeing US foreign policy in a move rounding sharply counter to popular sentiment within the party and likely to anger leftwing activists.The appointments to the US House of Representatives foreign affairs committee follow a succession of wins in party primaries for progressive candidates who put criticism of Israel and its actions in Gaza at the core of their campaign messages. Continue reading...

This is a profoundly flawed decision that endangers our children and is an affront to Texas values,' Ken Paxton saysA federal judge has, for a second time, struck down a Texas state law banning drag performances in settings where children may be present.In a ruling issued on Tuesday, US district judge David Hittner said Texas cannot enforce its drag show ban. He said that the measure improperly restricts speech and violates the first amendment of the US constitution. Continue reading...

After the musician and philanthropist died at age 80 on Tuesday, people came out in droves to celebrate her life Continue reading...

In this episode of Guardian Australia's US politics podcast Decoding America, co-hosts Jonathan Yerushalmy and Reged Ahmad explore why datacentres in the US have provoked such anger - and whether that could harm Republicans in the midterms given Donald Trump is such a supporter of the growing industry.They also look at why the US and Canada are fighting over tariffs. The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, is pushing back and both countries could be on the cusp of a full-blown trade war.Finally: why does the Trump administration's secretary of transportation Sean Duffy have his very own YouTube show - and is he the only one?Read more:Canada announces retaliatory tariffs on wide range of US goodsTrump-backed Ken Paxton unveils Texas first' datacenter plan aimed at negative impact' Continue reading...

In states like Montana, range riders can play a key role in a wild landscape where livestock and predators navigate life togetherFor most people, the word cowboy" still summons a figure from Western folklore - a rough rider with a weathered face and a steely gaze, a self-reliant loner who answers to nobody, is fearless in the face of danger, and protects his lands from predators - animal and human alike.But over the past 15 years, a new range rider has emerged in the American West, one that is out on a wholly different mission: to live in a wild landscape where livestock and predators can co-exist. Continue reading...

World No 10 is one of the best players yet to win a major and heads to Flushing Meadows in fine form after learning to embrace being uncomfortableAmanda Anisimova can see the signs now. It is just over three years since the American announced she would be taking an indefinite break for mental health reasons. A brilliant junior, she was a semi-finalist at the French Open in 2019 and seemingly destined for the top, only for her world to be rocked by the sudden death of her father, Konstantin, a few months later. Struggling for motivation and burned out, in May 2023, she revealed she would be stepping away from the sport.It turned out to be the best decision she ever made. I learned how important it is to have a great balance on and off the court," Anisimova says in an interview from New York, ahead of the US Open, where she will try to go one better than last year and win her first grand slam title. Continue reading...

All US immigrant visa applications halted as state department moves to tighten restrictions and limit access. Plus tributes pour in for Dolly Parton, who has died aged 80Good morning. All US immigrant visa applications have been paused by the Trump administration as the state department moves to tighten restrictions and limit access to applicants whom they deem could need US assistance. The agency launched the initiative at all embassies and consulates in early August.Applicants with scheduled interviews were sent emails that their appointments had been canceled. Agency officials claim this will ensure visa applicants will not end up relying on US public benefits. This week the Trump administration also announced plans to revoke visas from asylum seekers who had initially entered the US for tourism or business. Up to 200,000 people seeking asylum could be affected.Is the move lawful? The court made clear that immigration laws cannot be used to justify discrimination," Joanna Cuevas Ingram, a senior staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center, said. In February, a federal judge overturned the president's attempt to suspend the US refugee system entirely.Why are the states suing Meta? The lawsuit centers on the allegations that Meta deliberately designed addictive products that hooked young people, leading to mental health issues, including anxiety, depression and suicide. Meta has denied all allegations, saying the states are chasing an outlandish payout". Continue reading...

A magical corner of Oregon has the highest US rate of wildfire smoke deaths. How do residents live with the haze - and grief?Driving into the county, you can't miss the sign.IT'S THE CLIMATE". Continue reading...

Dolly Parton was one of the greatest singer-songwriters in country music and a pioneer for women throughout her career. The Guardian US's deputy arts editor Owen Myers reflects on a career and legacy whose impact transcends generations

Exposure to two compounds approved can result in sudden death' and range of other serious health risks, lawsuit warnsThe Trump administration has approved two new datacenter chemicals to which exposure can result in sudden death" and a range of other serious health risks, like cancer, eye corrosion, neurological damage and reproductive harm, a new lawsuit warns.The two compounds approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for import and immediate use in facilities across the US are photoacid generators that also appear to be Pfas forever chemicals", though it is unclear because much of the EPA documents are redacted. Some Pfas are commonly used in the production of semiconductors. Continue reading...

The Portland Thorns midfielder fills a role few in the US player pool can match, and she's in a race against time to be fit for BrazilOlivia Moultrie is no stranger to setting her own timeline. Half a decade ago, her desire to go pro at age 15 helped change NWSL rules, which previously forbade teams from signing players under the age of 18. The ensuing half-decade has seen her go from one of the nation's top prospects to a proven high-level midfielder, a developmental success with the Portland Thorns.Today, Moultrie instead finds herself in a race against time. The 2027 World Cup kicks off in just over 300 days, and her recovery from a torn ACL suffered at the start of this month has only just begun. Moultrie may not be among the biggest stars in the United States' player pool, but her recovery from this injury should be closely monitored. Simply, there are few like-for-like alternatives who operate in possession as tidily and dangerously as she does. Continue reading...

They should ask the question Reagan asked at the end of his debate against Jimmy Carter: Are you better off now than you were before this presidency?'The midterm elections are already upon us, and every Democrat and Independent running against a Republican should ask voters the question Ronald Reagan asked on 28 October 1980, at the end of his televised debate against Jimmy Carter: Are you better off now than you were before this presidency?"Unless you're very, very rich, the answer is obviously: No, I'm worse off."Energy bills have increased three times faster than the rate of inflation while Trump has been president. The national average monthly utility bill reached $280 in early 2026, a 12% increase since the end of 2024, just before the second Trump administration took office. Continue reading...

Trump administration has moved away from high-profile, militarized raids as its deportation spree has ramped upThe Trump administration arrested and deported a record number of immigrants in July, according to newly released government data - apprehending an average of 1,500 people and removing 1,100 people daily.This latest data confirms what attorneys and immigrant advocates have been seeing across the US - although the administration has moved away from the high-profile, militarized raids that came to define its immigration enforcement approach last year, it is quietly ramping up its operations. Continue reading...

The quiet-spoken Canadian prime minister has spoken unutterable truthsIs it perhaps a sign of the times that Mark Carney, the prime minister of Canada, has become a thrilling orator? A sober banker, he speaks calmly, without many vocal inflections. We expect Canadians to be somewhat flat; even a little boring, and yet Carney has already delivered two remarkable speeches in 2026, and the year is far from over.The first, at Davos, described a rupture in the world order", and the end of a pleasant fiction". By that, he meant that the world could no longer depend on the United States to lead the Pax Americana that has largely kept the peace since the end of the second world war. Continue reading...

Jack Klein takes heat readings, gives fans to overheated passengers and lugs big jugs of water into the stationsOn a recent August day in the subterranean furnace of New York City's subway, one bearded, curly haired man was studying his phone for different reasons than the other wilting passengers - to track the soaring temperatures and ponder how underground train stations can cool down in an era of climate crisis.Jack Klein, a 31-year-old construction site manager, has in the past two years taken it upon himself to become a sort of guerrilla subway heat operative, sticking teardrop-shaped thermometers to steel beams in seven of the hottest Manhattan stations and posting social media videos of the hades-like summer temperatures that commuters have to endure. Continue reading...

The star known as Bayou Barbie is shining in Atlanta. The longer her haters dwell on her lowlights, the more they miss her transformation into an all-around forceOn 16 August, the Atlanta Dream faced the Indiana Fever in the WNBA's showcase matchup, and Angel Reese had a chance to don the cape. Tied at 81, the Dream had possession with five seconds left in regulation when Rhyne Howard launched a deep three-pointer. Reese was perfectly positioned under the basket, snagging Howard's air ball with an outstretched hand. But in the rush to win the game, Reese forced a shot off the backboard that caromed off the front rim - and Naz Hillmon's putback fizzled as the buzzer sounded. After Indiana escaped with a 95-91 overtime victory, Reese beat herself up over the loss.I didn't sleep," she told reporters days later. The competitor in me wanted to win that game so bad. I replayed that play so many times." Reese vowed to shrug the game off and do better. Damned if she hasn't proved herself to be a woman of her word. Continue reading...

Everyone can see that the Iran war has been a strategic disaster for the US, while a failing president pretends he is winningNow is the twilight of Donald Trump's supremacy. The US is still the richest and most heavily armed nation on Earth. That status is secure. The current president, contemptuous of law and indulged in lawlessness by a supine Congress, enjoys even greater power than the constitution allows.With those advantages it takes a special talent for incompetence to look as thwarted and impotent as Trump does with more than two years of his second term still to run.Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

With the federal deficit near 6% of GDP and the national debt over $40tn, America's fiscal position looks increasingly precarious

The incumbent senator Dan S Sullivan has condemned ex-school teacher Dan J Sullivan, claiming he is running at the behest of Democrats to confuse supportersRepublican senator Dan S Sullivan will be joined on the November ballot in Alaska by a challenger with a nearly identical name from the same party, election officials confirmed on Tuesday, adding a twist to what is expected to be one of the most hotly contested races of the midterms.The Republican senator is running for a third term against Democrat Mary Peltola, a former US House representative whom polls show is neck-and-neck with him in a state that hasn't sent a Democrat to the Senate since 2008. Continue reading...

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