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What’s the point of being filthy rich if you can’t be petty? If I ever do scoop the US’s Powerball jackpot, my nemesis will learn to fear my racoon-based revengeThere was a one in 292m chance of it happening and it turns out … I didn’t beat the odds. I regret to inform you that I have not won the $1.9bn (£1.7bn) Powerball jackpot, the largest lottery prize in US history, despite splashing out on three $2 tickets.Some people may be of the opinion that not winning the jackpot is a blessing of sorts. There are, after all, lots of stories about people who win the lottery and find it ruins their life. Friends and family harass them for money; they burn through their winnings; life loses its meaning. While that’s all very sad, let me tell you right now: winning almost two billion dollars would not ruin my life. I wouldn’t be one of those people who squanders their money on fast cars (I can’t drive) and vintage champagne (OK, maybe I’d buy some champagne). I would use the cash wisely. Continue reading...

Doug Mastriano, extremist Republican candidate whose hardline positions failed to gain ground, was a favorite of the ex-president

While much remains unclear about Tuesday’s elections, we know that Democrats did much better than expectedIt was not supposed to be this close. Midterms are always hard for the party in power. In the past, when Democrats have faced a midterm election when they controlled both the White House and Congress, the Republicans had a blowout.Moira Donegan is a Guardian US columnistCas Mudde is a Guardian US columnist and the Stanley Wade Shelton UGAF professor in the school of public and international affairs at the University of Georgia Continue reading...

There was no Republican ‘red wave’ after all. And abortion might be the reason whyMany known unknowns remain in the US congressional elections, including the critical question of who will hold the majority in the Senate.But it’s already clear that Republicans are going to perform far worse than the typical out-party in a midterm election. Democrats appear to be on track for a result that, while certainly not spectacular if viewed in isolation, is the best midterm performance for any incumbent party since 2002. There’s nothing like the massive “wave” elections of 1994, 2006, 2010 or 2018 here, or the steady opposition gains of 2014. In 1998, Democrats did break with precedent and actually gain seats in the House and Senate, despite holding the White House. But that was a question of shrinking existing Republican majorities.Matthew Yglesias is a political commentator. He runs the SlowBoring Substack Continue reading...

Current attorney general is state’s first Democratic governor in eight years

The Twittersphere was quick to see the Times’ tweet as a sign of liberal fear and reacted with glee

The gubernatorial candidate has mirrored Trump in attacking the mainstream media despite having thrived as a career anchor

Former president says he will tell reporters unflattering ‘things’ about the Florida governor should he run

Inflation and the state of the economy are at the front of voters' minds when going out to vote in the closely fought US midterm elections, the results of which threaten to rob the Democrats of control of Congress. Abortion and the threat to democracy also figure highly.The final results, which will determine control of Congress for the remainder of Biden’s first term as president and possibly further constrain his legislative agenda, could take days or even weeks in some tight Senate races

Millions across the country vote while Florida state department tells DoJ that federal election monitors won’t be permitted

Down-ballot voting could also determine drug legalization, gun rights and education funding, even ‘involuntary servitude’

Voters across the US described a range of urgent concerns, from reproductive rights to anxieties about the economy and crime

Prominent Republican party figures have signalled they would aim to reduce military support for UkraineUkraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has urged the US to stay united in its support amid worries about the consequences of a Republican win in Tuesday’s midterm elections.If the US Democrats lose control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the colossal financial and military support provided to Ukraine under the Democrats could falter. Continue reading...

Winner of $2.04bn Powerball prize – $400m greater than previous record – not identified by nameThe largest ever lottery prize in history, the $2.04bn Powerball jackpot, has been won.The US lottery’s official website on Tuesday showed a ticket holder in California had matched the winning numbers, hours after an early Tuesday drawing that had been marred by delays. Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak reportedly poised to announce deal as Russian invasion of Ukraine threatens gas suppliesRamblers taking a stroll along the coastline of north-west Europe and the Iberian peninsula are met with a strange sight: huge tankers floating just offshore.The ships are carrying vast quantities of liquified natural gas (LNG), and are awaiting the optimum time to dock. Amid the unprecedented tumult in the gas markets, energy traders hope the more than 30 tankers – carrying a combined $2bn (£1.7bn) of LNG according to the shipping analytics firm Vortexa – can unload when the high prices of recent months return. Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak is reportedly close to signing a deal with the US to import more gas, largely extracted via fracking from its shale reserves. Here, we analyse the situation. Continue reading...

From abortion and gun control to white supremacism and the economy, these matters are top of mind in midterms

From women’s rights to the economy, hear what’s driving voters in Georgia, Nevada and Ohio to the polls

Control of the Senate could hang on results in a handful of states while votes for governor and secretary of state could affect the conduct of future elections

College-aged woman found John R Tyson, 32, asleep in her bed at her home in Fayetteville, Arkansas, police reports sayThe chief financial officer of America’s largest meat processing company is facing accusations that he drunkenly broke into the home of a woman he didn’t know and passed out in her bed over the weekend.According to reports that police provided to local media, a college-aged woman found John R Tyson – the 32-year-old CFO of Tyson Foods – asleep in her bed at her home in Fayetteville, Arkansas, at about 2.05am Sunday. She called police and told them that she didn’t know Tyson, who may have gotten in through the front door, which she may have left unlocked. Continue reading...

Timothy Griffin is at least the sixth American to die in war against Russia despite US advice to stay awayAnother American volunteer has died in combat in Ukraine, a spokesperson for the country’s International Legion confirmed on Monday, bringing the number of US fighters killed in the war against Russia to at least six.Timothy Griffin, from New York state, had been fighting alongside Ukrainians as part of their counteroffensive on the eastern front when his unit came under attack. The legion’s spokesperson, identified as “Mockingjay” to NBC News, said that Griffin was “killed in action”. Continue reading...

Florida passed a law to incrementally achieve $15 an hour by 2026, exciting workers but driving fear into small business who worry they’ll pay the costI have a question for Andrena Curtis.How much is a dollar? Continue reading...

Midterm elections tend to follow a predictable pattern – but could redistricting, restrictions and issues such as abortion change that?In the past, midterm elections have been kind of predictable. The president is slightly unpopular, his party loses some seats and most voters disappear for two years until they turn up in greater numbers for the main show. It’s been a pretty consistent pattern; since 1934, the president’s party has lost in almost every single midterm election, gaining House seats just three times and Senate seats in only six of the 22 midterm votes.This year might not buck any of those long-term trends. The Democratic president Joe Biden has watched his popularity slump from 53% to 42% over the past year. Polls suggest that Republicans will win the House of Representatives and might even win the Senate too (though if they do, it’s likely to be by a narrower margin). And even though turnout is looking set to be historically high by midterm standards, it’s unlikely to beat the numbers in 2020. So, it’s all pretty much electoral business as usual, right? Continue reading...

The Democrats could lose their majorities in both chambers today. Plus, developing countries ‘need $2tn a year in climate funding’

LeBron James’s eldest son has started on a path that may eventually lead to the NBA. His best option may be to simply enjoy the rideWhen, as a burgeoning high school basketball talent, LeBron James graced the covers of magazines and newspapers, it was the American Dream writ large: a life moving from poverty to prosperity. Those covers contained promises LeBron has since fulfilled many times over in Cleveland, Miami and Los Angeles. Now the 37-year-old seemingly has it all, from NBA titles to MVP awards to movie roles, his own production company, a reported billion dollar net worth, a wife and three children.But – speaking of those children – what does it mean for them to be the progeny of one of the most famous people in the world? Well, LeBron’s son Bronny is finding that out right now, especially when it comes to the 18-year-old’s dreams of following in his father’s footsteps as an NBA player. Bronny is the same age as his father when LeBron decided to turn pro and enter his name into the NBA draft out of high school (something no longer allowable by the league’s rules). It remains early for Bronny, of course, but the results have been mixed. And while he almost certainly will not end up one of the best players of all time like LeBron, he has already earned his fair share of accolades – something the sons of other legends like, say, Michael Jordan have been unable to achieve. Continue reading...

The former president has been dropping heavy hints that he’s going to attempt a comeback. With luck he and arch-rival Ron DeSantis will rip the Republicans apart

Operations on both sides will slow as it gets colder, but western-supplied artillery will make Russian troops a sitting targetHeavy rains in Ukraine are bringing the twice yearly rasputitsa, when mud breaks up unpaved tracks and makes many almost impassable; even tanks may be confined to the roads. Vehicle routes become predictable, and more easily targeted by artillery or drone and airstrikes. Snow and ice will follow in December, causing their own problems. Lack of foliage in wooded areas makes concealment from ubiquitous drones difficult, but by the same token, increased cloud cover will impede much aerial reconnaissance. Supplies and ammunition – including artillery shells – will take longer to arrive and will come in smaller quantities.In short, winter means everything slows down. The Ukrainian style of war, relying on speed and surprise, will lose much of its tempo. And above all, soldiers, like everyone else, focus on keeping warm. General Winter is coming. Russian troops, under new leadership, will attempt to freeze the lines in place and hold them. The Ukrainians, although they have surprised us before, will probably be unable to execute the kind of dashing operations we saw over the last eight months. Continue reading...

At Ohio rally on eve of US midterm elections, ex-president suggests reveal will come on Tuesday 15 November at Mar-a-Lago

We’re better off when people like them cannot gain such untrammeled wealth and influence. Our politics is the worst for itWe likely won’t know all the results of America’s midterm election for a while, but consider two people not on any ballot who are setting the tenor for much of what we have heard and seen.First is Elon Musk, who last Friday fired half of Twitter’s 7,500 employees, including teams devoted to combating election misinformation – and did it so haphazardly and arbitrarily that most had no idea they were fired until their email accounts were shut off.Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley, and the author of Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few and The Common Good. His new book, The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It, is out now. He is a Guardian US columnist. His newsletter is at robertreich.substack.com Continue reading...

The majority of the Republican candidates for the House of Representatives are election-deniers – and a Republican-controlled Congress might attempt to sabotage the certification of the next presidential voteMidterm elections are generally seen as less important than presidential elections. The stakes seem lower, which means fewer people turn out to vote. Most of the time the party controlling the White House takes losses, and this predictability can make midterms seem less important too: what can one voter do against the strength of the political tides? But occasionally there are midterms whose stakes rise beyond whether or not the president’s party will be able to pass new laws, and instead concern the whole future of the American republic. This year is one of them.That’s because this year, the majority of Republican candidates running for Congress, governor’s mansions, and other key statewide offices have denied or questioned the results of the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump’s attempted coup failed in 2020 because officeholders at the federal and state level refused to go along with it. This year’s midterm elections could change all of that, producing a set of Republican officials willing to extinguish American democracy.Andrew Gawthorpe is a historian of the United States at Leiden University and host of the podcast America Explained Continue reading...

The supreme court edict overturning Roe v Wade said women are ‘not without electoral and political power’. That feels almost like a dareOrganized feminism has been on the decline in the US since the 1980s, with the radicalism of the second wave giving way to a more diffuse, less focused feminist movement consisting of NGOs, campus activists, online discourse and HR inclusion initiatives. In a way, this is normal. Students of the movement have long spoken of feast and fallow years for feminism, eruptions of activism that are followed by long and virulent backlashes.But feminism has perhaps never received such a dramatic and immediate setback as it did this June. The supreme court’s decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization undid the major legal achievement of the second wave era, reversing Roe v Wade and ending the constitutional right to an abortion. Continue reading...

We may not know the winner of key races until later in the week – here’s what to look out for on election day and the days and weeks afterTuesday 8 November marks the first general election day since Donald Trump tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential race.Millions Americans will have already cast their ballots, either by mail or in person, and millions more will show up to do so in person. These votes are being cast at a moment in which the US election system has come under attack like never before. Continue reading...

37 million people are facing starvation in the Horn of Africa. Time for wealthier countries to adopt ‘loss and damage finance’In September, I travelled from my home country, Uganda, to Turkana County in Kenya, which is suffering from a historic drought. One morning, I met a boy in a hospital where doctors see patients with the worst cases of severe acute malnutrition. His family had not been able to access the treatment he needed in time. By the time the sun set that evening, he had died.The boy was one of 37 million people facing starvation in the Horn of Africa. After four failed rainy seasons, Kenya faces the acute risk of widespread famine. This suffering is set to get worse; experts predict that drought-stricken areas in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia will receive significantly below normal rainfall for the rest of the year. Continue reading...

A handful of general scenarios could play out on Tuesday, each having huge significance for Biden and Donald TrumpAs Americans go to the polls on Tuesday they are voting in what Joe Biden has framed as a vital test for American democracy in the face of a Republican party fielding candidates who buy into the big lie of a stolen 2020 election.Republicans, meanwhile, have tried to capitalize on widespread economic anxiety in the face of rising inflation as well as stoking culture war themes and fears over crime, often spilling over into racism and intolerance. Continue reading...

Users are quitting in their droves after Elon Musk’s purchase. But where else would I go to babble on?When we were young, my sister was going out with someone called Will Lee and I was going out with someone called Jon Thomas and people were like: “Why don’t you two just admit that you don’t have boyfriends, rather than put us through this farce?” And we were all: “No, no, these are real people. There genuinely are parents in the world who think nothing of calling their sons slang names for penis.” “Yeah, right,” everyone said, and we replied: “Hello? Dick much?”, and they said: “Dick Much? Is that your other ‘boyfriend’?”Anyway, I split up with Jon Thomas (lol, no, we were never really going out, he was somewhat out of my league), while my sister stayed with Will Lee and now no one ever laughs at his name. About 15 years in, we just got tired.Zoe Williams is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Former US president Donald Trump, speaking at a rally in Ohio, said he will be making a 'big announcement' on November 15, hinting he will mount a 2024 presidential run. 'I'm going to be making a very big announcement on Tuesday, November 15 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida,' Trump told supporters at the rally for Republican Senate candidate JD Vance. Trump declined to elaborate, saying he did not want to 'detract from tomorrow's very important, even critical election'.Americans are set to cast their vote in elections that could result in Republicans winning control of one or both chambers of Congress

In his final speech before election day, the president attacked Republicans on the economy but also offered a hopeful noteJoe Biden rallied with fellow Democrats on Monday night, delivering a message of optimism and determination in the face of widespread concerns about his party’s showing in Tuesday’s midterm elections.Addressing a boisterous crowd in Maryland, Biden stressed the high stakes of the races that will determine control of the US Congress for the next two years. Painting a grim picture of a Republican-controlled Congress, Biden predicted that the opposing party would use their majorities to roll back Americans’ rights and dismantle social welfare programs. Continue reading...

ACLU of Georgia, SPLC and Dechert LLP had filed an emergency lawsuit urging election officials to extend deadlineA judge has agreed to extend the deadline to return absentee ballots for voters in a suburban Atlanta county who didn’t receive their ballots because election officials failed to mail them.The move came after the ACLU of Georgia, Southern Poverty Law Center and Dechert LLP joined forces to file an emergency lawsuit urging officials to extend the deadline for these voters to return their ballots. Continue reading...

The 50-year-old, who survived the encounter, is being treated for the wounds to her upper right thighA California woman has given her first interviews about surviving a shark attack while swimming off the coast of San Diego.Lyn Jutronich, 50, said she was resting in the water during her morning ocean swim when something rammed her hard out of the water. Continue reading...

President to speak in Maryland while predecessor travels to Ohio, amid surge in early votingVolker Türk, the new United Nations high commissioner for human rights, yesterday urged Twitter owner Elon Musk to make respect for human rights central to the social media platform, amid savage cuts to the tech company’s staff under its new chief.In an open letter, Türk said that reports of the new owner laying off the platform’s entire human rights team were “not, from my perspective, an encouraging start”. Continue reading...

The US House speaker also told CNN the attack on Paul Pelosi last month would affect her decision about whether to retireHouse speaker Nancy Pelosi has for the first time described the moment US Capitol police woke her in Washington DC to say her husband, Paul Pelosi, had been attacked in their home in San Francisco.“So I run to the door and I’m very scared,” Pelosi told CNN, in an exclusive interview to be broadcast in full on Monday night. “I see the Capitol police and they say, ‘We have to come in to talk to you.’” Continue reading...

Comments from former South Carolina governor and UN envoy, seen as a potential 2024 candidate, draw widespread criticismThe former US ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina governor Nikki Haley told Republicans at a rally for Herschel Walker the Democrat in the Georgia US Senate race, the Rev Raphael Warnock, should be “deported”.“I am the daughter of Indian immigrants,” Haley said in Hiram, Georgia, on Sunday. “They came here legally, they put in the time, they put in the price, they are offended by what’s happening on [the southern US] border. Continue reading...

Polls show DeSantis positioned to win re-election on Tuesday but political opponents say his focus is locked on a White House runThe simmering animosity between Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor emerging as Trump’s most likely challenger for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, looks set to evolve into open warfare following the midterm elections.Polls show DeSantis comfortably positioned to win re-election on Tuesday but political opponents say his focus is locked on the national stage and a White House run. Continue reading...

Hurricane and storm surge watch in effect as experts warn of heavy rainfall and significant winds for south-eastern FloridaFlorida was bracing itself on Monday for the arrival of subtropical Storm Nicole, which experts said could impact the coast, potentially affecting election day on Tuesday.The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that while Nicole was still a subtropical storm, hurricane and storm surge watches were in place in parts of the state. Continue reading...

Russian businessman and founder of Wagner Group says interference will continue as midterms loom

Opinion polls suggest late surge in support for Trump-endorsed nominees who have embraced his lie about election fraudThe spectre of Donald Trump’s imminent declaration of a new White House run looms over races in several key states ahead of Tuesday’s US midterm elections, with the former president poised to seize on any success for ultra-conservative candidates as validation for his 2024 campaign.Opinion polls appearing to reflect a last-minute surge of support for Trump-endorsed nominees in a number of crucial congressional and governors’ contests came as the former president appeared at a rally for the Republican senator Marco Rubio in Florida on Sunday. Continue reading...