The director of national intelligence was sidelined as the president abandoned his pose as the candidate of peace'Tulsi Gabbard, the US director of national intelligence, stayed loyal to Donald Trump until the end - and nurtured the president's grievances against his political enemies. Last year, she accused Barack Obama and several of his top national security officials of leading a treasonous conspiracy" to highlight Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. In January, Gabbard showed up at the scene of an FBI raid in Georgia where officials sought ballots from the 2020 election, even though her role is mainly focused on foreign intelligence.On Friday, Gabbard submitted her resignation to Trump, saying she would leave her post on 30 June, so she could support her husband after he was recently diagnosed with cancer. News reports quickly emerged that the White House had forced Gabbard to resign. The Guardian reported last month that Trump had privately asked cabinet members whether he should replace her from the post that oversees 18 US intelligence agencies.Mohamad Bazzi is director of the Center for Near Eastern Studies, and a journalism professor, at New York University Continue reading...

Ohio State is grappling with sexual abuse allegations and questions over donor influence as financial pressures mount across higher educationWhen Rocky Ratliff transferred to Ohio State University in Columbus to study political science and wrestle for the college in the mid-1990s, he soon found himself being sexually abused by a prominent member of the university athletic department's medical staff.At the time, Dr Richard Strauss, who is believed to have abused hundreds of student athletes over a period of decades at Ohio State, and who killed himself in 2005, would subject young men to intense abuse, including rape. Continue reading...

Global Pepfar program has long had Republican leadership and bipartisan support, but initiative is under fireUS midterm voters overwhelmingly support Pepfar, an initiative to end HIV/Aids that also has strengthened health systems against other infectious disease threats but has come under fire from the Trump administration.About three in four (74%) likely voters in the US midterm elections say they support funding the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar), with voters more likely to back candidates who support Pepfar, according to a recent poll. Four in five (80%) of the voters said there is a moral argument for supporting lifesaving treatment for people at risk for or living with HIV/Aids, regardless of their personal choices. Continue reading...

Global prices are approaching a tipping point that could trigger inflation, shortages and, over time, recessionIf a US-Iran deal is about to be reached, three months on from the launch of Donald Trump's Operation Epic Fury, it will not be a day too soon for oil markets, which are approaching a dangerous tipping point.The cost of a barrel of crude on the spot market - for immediate purchase, effectively - has bounced about $100 since Iran predictably responded to the onslaught from the US and Israel by closing the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...

His recent concerts are a thunderous call to fight for democracy. The nation could use more like himThe Bruce Springsteen concert I went to in Brooklyn last week was unlike any concert I've attended in decades. It was far more than a fabulous, joyous concert; it was also an inspiring resistance event.From the get-go, the Boss made clear that this concert would be part of the anti-Trump resistance. It was a three-hour-long ode to the resistance and a thunderous call to Springsteen fans to step up and do more to fight for democracy and against authoritarianism. In this way, Springsteen is serving as a model for how celebrities can stand up against Trump and fight for what's right.Oh, our Minneapolis, I hear your voiceSinging through the bloody mistSteven Greenhouse is a journalist and author, focusing on labor and the workplace, as well as economic and legal issues Continue reading...

Andrew Weissmann argues for new law to hold political liars like US president accountable for harming democracyPoliticians must be held accountable if their lies damage democracy, according to a former US federal prosecutor and FBI general counsel who was pursued by Donald Trump.The US must be as creative as possible" and introduce sweeping structural reforms if it escapes its current mess", said Andrew Weissmann, laying out a proposal for a legislative crackdown on election deceit.Liar's Kingdom: How to Stop Trump's Deceit and Save America is out now Continue reading...

Proposed framework hinges on a 60-day truce, reopening strait of Hormuz, and revived talks on limiting Iran nuclear programme Middle East crisis: live updatesDonald Trump has said a memorandum of understanding" in talks to end the US-Israel war on Iran has been largely negotiated".Official details of the deal remain scant and it remains possible some aspects of the memo could change, but here is what we know so far about the potential agreement that could bring an end to the war. Continue reading...

US secretary of state tells reporters peace talks with Iran have progressed but cautions that a deal not 'final' at this stage Continue reading...

President's claim is tempered by Pakistani PM's hopes of hosting more talks very soon', and Iran's Fars news agency saying strait of Hormuz will remain under Iranian control

Suspect dies after firing upon agents at White House checkpoint, Secret Service says, with a bystander also injuredA gunman has been shot dead after approaching a White House security checkpoint and firing at officers, federal officials have said.The White House, where Donald Trump was present, was briefly locked down on Saturday as the sound of a sustained volley of gunshots rang out, sending journalists in the area running for cover. Continue reading...

Donald Trump appeared upbeat about the prospects of an imminent deal with Tehran, although Iran and mediators Pakistan appear slightly less sure - key US politics stories from Saturday 23 MayDonald Trump appeared hopeful of an end to his war on Iran, saying the final aspects and details" of a deal were being discussed and would be announced shortly.An agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries," Trump posted. Continue reading...

Order facilitates support for 40,000 people told to evacuate Orange county as responders try to divert explosionCalifornia's governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday in response to the looming threat of chemical disaster in Orange county.The proclamation directs the governor's office of emergency services and other state agencies to provide additional support to Orange county responders. The governor's office is also making state-owned properties available to shelter the 40,000 people ordered to evacuate from the area. Continue reading...

George Russell backed up his fractious sprint race win in Montreal with pole position in qualifyingOuch. Lance Stroll's car is in pieces. Suspension problem, Collins diagnoses.Lewis Hamilton zooms by on a scooter, setting a good example to any watching kids by wearing a helmet. Continue reading...

Order aimed at preventing spread of Ebola to US affects travelers who have visited three countries in last 21 daysUS authorities have temporarily banned green-card holders from entering the country if they have traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda or South Sudan in the last 21 days.The order issued on Friday is part of an expanding attempt to prevent Ebola from entering US borders. A previously announced travel restriction blocked only people without US passports who had visited those countries from entering but exempted US citizens and lawful permanent residents. Continue reading...

A Mad Men-style steakhouse break would be welcome. But I've had it with the Lunch Industrial ComplexIt's 12.30pm as I write this. My mind is preoccupied with moving my fingers from key to key on my ageing laptop, a task I paused briefly to remove a hair from the screen. Then, I scratched my leg again, which kicked up another hair. I should get back to work, but I can't concentrate. Why? Because I'm incredibly hungry. It is, after all, lunchtime - the most worthless part of any work day.It is not that there's shame in lunch. It's just that we're not programmed to eat at a certain time. We're all different and the whole concept of the office lunch is obsolete nonsense in 2026. Let it go.Dave Schilling is a Los Angeles-based writer and humorist Continue reading...

SpaceX launched its biggest, most powerful Starship yet on a test flight on Friday. It was an upgraded version of the spacecraft Nasa is counting on to land astronauts on the moon. It blasted off from the southern tip of Texas, carrying 20 mock Starlink satellites that were released midway through the hour-long flight that stretched halfway around the world. Despite some engine trouble, the spacecraft reached its final destination in the Indian Ocean where it erupted into flames on impact. The fire was not unexpected, according to SpaceX

With razor-thin majorities in Congress, the US president needs the votes of the very people whose careers he has destroyedAs Abba's Dancing Queen played, Donald Trump walked across a lawn featuring cornhole, oversized Connect Four, a ferris wheel and a food tent offering short ribs, mac and cheese and apple pie. Members of Congress and their families had come for the annual White House picnic. But not every member of Congress.Missing the fun was Thomas Massie, a longtime thorn in the US president's side. Massie was at home in Kentucky, suffering a primary election defeat that made him the latest victim of Trump's revenge tour. We won the Massie thing," the president told guests at the picnic on Tuesday evening. He was a bad guy. He deserves to lose." Continue reading...

Figures from around the American men's soccer scene agree that the talent level is rising, but much work remains to improve the US men's national teamThe US men's national team roster for the 2026 World Cup will be unveiled on Tuesday, and according to head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the team is suffering from a talent deficit.We are USA," he said after a 2-0 loss to Portugal in March, which followed a 5-2 loss to Belgium three days earlier. And we are competing against Belgium, Portugal. I think for sure Belgium and Portugal have in the top 100 players, few or some players playing in that top 100. I think we don't have [that]." Continue reading...

Millions are being dragged into starvation, while people everywhere pay a Trump war tax. But there are plenty of powers who could bring him to heelWith the deadlocked war in Iran about to enter its fourth month, loose comparisons with previous US quagmires in Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam are bandied about. When the conflict began, warnings of another forever war" seemed exaggerated. No longer. As matters stand, the negative international humanitarian, economic and geopolitical fallout from this fiasco looks set to prove more permanently globally damaging than any of those past US-made disasters.That being the case, an urgent question arises, not least today as reports suggest the US president and his secretary of war are planning to rain more bombs on Iran: who will stop Donald Trump?Simon Tisdall is a Guardian foreign affairs commentator Continue reading...

Authorities in Orange county say tank holding methyl methacrylate actively in crisis' and urge residents to leaveAuthorities in Orange county, California have ordered the evacuation of 40,000 people over concerns about a chemical leak that threatened to spill or explode.The problem arose on Thursday at a facility owned by GKN Aerospace in the town of Garden Grove, where a storage tank holding methyl methacrylate began off-gassing and threatened to fail. The chemical, which is highly flammable, is used to fabricate resins and plastics. Continue reading...

Gabbard leaves after tumultuous stint during which she was largely left out as Donald Trump launched attacks on Venezuela and Iran - key US politics stories from Friday 22 May at a glanceTulsi Gabbard is leaving her post as US director of national intelligence following a tumultuous stint in which she was largely sidelined as Donald Trump launched attacks on Venezuela and Iran.In a letter to the US president, she said she would resign and leave her post on 30 June. While we have made significant progress ... I recognize there is still important work to be done," she wrote. Continue reading...

Phone company launched by Donald Trump's family says names and contact details appear to be affected, but not credit card or banking informationA phone company launched by Donald Trump's family business is investigating a potential security flaw on its website that appears to have exposed the personal details of an estimated 27,000 people who sought to buy a gold-coloured smartphone.Trump Mobile said in a statement that it was investigating the issue - with the assistance of independent cybersecurity professionals" - in which the full names, addresses and phone numbers of people who filled out preorder forms appeared to be exposed. Continue reading...

Over 15 months, the ex-Democrat without an intelligence background took actions seemingly meant to flatter TrumpTulsi Gabbard's tumultuous 15-month tenure as the nation's top intelligence official ended Friday, when she submitted her resignation as director of national intelligence.Gabbard was an unconventional choice for the role: the former Democrat lacked an intelligence background and her foreign policy views at times diverged with Donald Trump, particularly on questions of overseas military intervention. And yet she also took unusual measures to ingratiate herself to the president by vowing to root out politicization across US spy agencies and embracing his agenda of election denial. Continue reading...

Change criticized by advocates marks the latest significant move by the Trump administration on immigration policyForeigners seeking to adjust their immigration status in the United States to secure green cards will have to do so from outside the country via the state department, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said on Friday, in a move criticized by aid groups, policy analysts and immigration attorneys.USCIS announced the move in a policy memo, which directed officers to consider relevant factors and information on a case-by-case basis when determining whether extraordinary relief is warranted. Continue reading...

Former Wall Street banker takes over amid growing concern over cost of living - and disapproval of Trump's agenda

Judge said Trump administration would not have prosecuted Abrego had he not challenged his high-profile deportation

White House reportedly forced Gabbard to resign after she was sidelined from Iran and Venezuela operations and becomes fourth woman to depart Trump's cabinet

The Ebola outbreak, Israeli strikes in Gaza, Putin in Beijing and Arsenal win the Premier League - the past seven days as captured by the world's leading photojournalists Continue reading...

US president previously said he would try and make' Donald Trump Jr's nuptials but timing is not good' for himGet Me to the Church on Time, sang Alfred Doolittle in the musical My Fair Lady. But for Donald Trump, attending a wedding is not simple - even when it's that of his son.The US president will not attend Donald Trump Jr's nuptials, he confirmed on Friday, blaming circumstances pertaining to Government, and my love for the United States of America". Continue reading...

Officials seized guns from Caleb Vazquez's father last year amid alarm over teen's views on mass shooters and NazismOne of the two white supremacist shooters who attacked a mosque in California on Monday and killed three people had already been on law enforcement officials' radar, according to US media reports.Local officials were so alarmed by Caleb Vazquez's idolization of mass shooters and Nazism that they seized his father's guns a year before the shooting, the New York Times reports. Similarly, Bloomberg reports that Vazquez had already been flagged by the FBI as a potential threat" last year. Continue reading...

Democrats allege that conservative groups may be propping up campaign of Maureen Galindo for House seat

Laura Clery says she was able to call 911 and have the fridge lifted off her by firefighters after she was pinned under itUS comedian Laura Clery has described how she almost died when her 600lb fridge fell on her while she was at home with her two young children and found herself pinned under the massive appliance and struggling to breathe.In an Instagram post on Thursday, Clery said the experience was the most terrifying night of my life as a single mom". Continue reading...

Everlane CEO confirms sale in letter to employees and says it will stay true to sustainability' commitmentsEverlane, the retailer that bucked the fast-fashion industry by promising affordable ethically sourced and sustainable clothing, is being acquired by the king of fast fashion, China's Shein.A letter to Everlane employees from CEO Alfred Chang confirming the deal was obtained by the Associated Press on Friday. Continue reading...

Sue Jacquot was taking part in fundraiser when police swarmed her home after someone falsely reported a crimeAn Arizona grandmother has said someone subjected her to a so-called police swatting call while she was taking part in a Minecraft fundraiser to raise financial support for her grandson's cancer treatment medical bills.The bizarre turn of events is the latest high-profile instance in the US of an act of criminal harassment which involves prank-calling emergency operators to get a heavily armed police response sent to a target's home. Continue reading...

US secretary of state's campaign of maximum pressure' is culmination of a personal pursuit spanning decades Cubans outraged at US charges against Raul CastroMarco Rubio's moment has finally arrived. The outcome of the Trump administration's efforts to exert maximum pressure" on Cuba may topple the 67-year-old communist government in Havana and direct the future of the US's sway over the western hemisphere.For Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who serves as both secretary of state and national security adviser, the US campaign marks his ascendancy in an administration where he has established himself as a trusted aide to Donald Trump and manoeuvred that position to advance a key goal: Washington's right to assert its authority across Latin America. Continue reading...

Amazon opens an inquiry into Nicole Saphier's product compliance following Guardian inquiry. White House says she will be a powerful asset' for Maha agendaDonald Trump's nominee for surgeon general sells an herbal supplement that contains an ingredient prohibited by the US military and which health experts have warned can cause liver damage.Dr Nicole Saphier's record of selling dietary supplements, which are only loosely regulated in the US, has raised concern among doctors and consumer advocates, some of whom allege she sells snake oil". Continue reading...

Key sticking point to building beauty powerhouse was level compensation demanded by Charlotte Tilbury

Prosecutors may face sanctions over redactions to grand jury transcripts linked to four of Broadview Six' defendantsFederal prosecutors have decided to drop all remaining criminal charges against four people indicted in October after protesting outside a suburban Chicago immigration detention center in the latest such case to unravel for the Trump administration.Andrew Boutros, a US attorney, made the announcement on Thursday after a meeting about redactions made by prosecutors to a set of grand jury transcripts.Reuters contributed reporting Continue reading...

Biologist was fired by a state agency for criticizing Charlie Kirk on social media after his shooting deathFlorida officials have agreed to pay nearly half a million dollars to a biologist who was fired by a state agency for criticizing conservative political activist Charlie Kirk on social media after his shooting death.The state's fish and wildlife conservation commission (FWC) fired biologist Brittney Brown in September after she reposted a meme on her personal Instagram account that claimed Kirk wouldn't care about children being shot in their classrooms. She filed a lawsuit seeking reinstatement, saying she struggled to find other work because the state agency is the regulatory body for her research specialization in bird conservation. Continue reading...

This week, Donald Trump dropped a personal $10bn lawsuit he had against the Internal Revenue Service in exchange for a so-called anti-weaponisation fund. The $1.8bn fund will be used to compensate those who think they have been unfairly investigated by the government in the past. Jonathan Freedland speaks to the legal analyst Kristy Greenberg about why critics are calling this fund corruption on steroids' Continue reading...

President says reality star a big Maga person' but backing may prove more hindrance than help in deep-blue bastion

Senate will not pass $70bn homeland security bill that includes $1bn for security measures for controversial project - key US politics stories from Thursday, 21 MayA bid to restore funding to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and border patrol has been derailed by rows over a $1bn proposal for security measures tied to Donald Trump's White House ballroom and controversial plans to create a $1.8bn anti-weaponization" fund.The US Senate will not pass the $70bn legislation ahead of a 1 June deadline set by the US president, Republican senators told reporters on Thursday, as lawmakers leave Washington for the Memorial Day recess. Continue reading...

Cancellation, which avoids embarrassment for Trump, is latest signal of diminishing congressional support for warHouse Republicans canceled a scheduled Thursday vote on a war powers resolution aimed at ending the US war with Iran, a measure that likely would have advanced had the vote been held.The cancellation, which avoided political embarrassment for Donald Trump, is the latest signal that congressional support for the US president's war is diminishing. Continue reading...

Nascar says it is heartbroken' to share news of Busch's death after he was hospitalized with a severe illnessTwo-time Nascar Cup Series champion Kyle Busch has died at 41 after being hospitalized with a severe illness, Nascar said in a Thursday statement.We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sport's greatest and fiercest drivers. He was 41 years old," the racing organization wrote on social media. We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community." Continue reading...