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My dad, my brother and I maxed out the credit cards and went to the Serengeti, working through our grief amid the animalsThe summer after my mum died, my brother came up with a plan. Rather than mark the first anniversary of her death in London, where we had all lived together, we should take ourselves on the most extravagant holiday possible. Why cry at home, he reasoned, when we could cry on the beach in luxury?It was June 2014 and I was 20, on summer break from my second year at university. For the previous four years, I had been living with the fear and understanding that my mum's death was imminent. She had been diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoma in 2009 and only given six months to live. Thankfully, a brutal surgery and experimental dose of chemotherapy helped her into remission before the cycle began again: surgery, chemo, recovery, fear.Ammar Kalia is a writer and author of A Person is a Prayer Continue reading...

Ukrainians are determined to fight on whatever the result, but without US support their position would be perilousIt's a safe bet that no leader outside the United States is following its current election more closely than Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy - and with good reason. If Kamala Harris wins the US presidential election in November, she will almost certainly continue Joe Biden's policy toward Ukraine, but if Donald Trump returns to the White House on 20 January, he could cease military support for Ukraine, meaning it would eventually run out of the weaponry it needs to resist Russia.Or Trump could continue arming Ukraine for a while, but as a segue to a settlement - ideally one presided over by him. During his speech accepting the Republican party's presidential nomination, Trump vowed to end the war in Ukraine. In a phone call with Zelenskiy the next day, he pledged to achieve a just peace", but Kyiv has good reason to fear that he would, at a minimum, allow Russia to retain the Ukrainian territory it holds and also shut Nato's door on Ukraine. Continue reading...

Many sub-Saharan Africans feel they have no choice but to leave home, myself included. I wanted them to know that their lives - and stories - matterI knew of the global migration crisis involving crossings of the Sahara long before I wrote a novel about it. Military dictatorships, interventionist policies by foreign governments, poverty, corruption, hunger and violence have left many sub-Saharan Africans feeling they have no choice but to abandon their home in search of perceived safety and prosperity in Europe or the US.The continent's many problems have instilled a sense of desperation among its youth. There is also the perception that anything western is superior due to a deeply ingrained colonial worldview. Continue reading...

In a speech marking both the conclusion of his re-election campaign and the beginning of the end of his more than five decades in politics, Joe Biden warned America that the fight for democracy was far from finished. 'Now, in just a few months, the American people choose the course of America's future,' the US president said Continue reading...

In Oval Office address, Biden said it was time for fresh voices', emphasized his track record and endorsement of Kamala HarrisJoe Biden addressed the nation Wednesday to explain his historic decision to withdraw from the presidential race, delivering a reflective and hopeful message about the need to begin a new chapter in America's story.I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America's future all merited a second term, but nothing - nothing - can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition," Biden said in the Oval Office. Continue reading...

In the 1970s, David Duke was grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. In the 80s, he was elected to Louisiana's house of representatives - and the kinds of ideas he stood for have not gone awayOn 21 January 1989, the day after George HW Bush's inauguration, David Duke, the former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, a neo-Nazi, and the head of an organisation called the National Association for the Advancement of White People, finished first in an open primary for the 81st legislative district of the Louisiana house of representatives. Running as a Republican, he came out ahead of the state party's preferred candidate, John Treen. Republican National Committee staff members went to Louisiana to bolster Treen's faltering campaign and work against Duke. We will do anything to defeat this man," the Bush campaign manager and then RNC chief Lee Atwater declared to the Wall Street Journal.The former and current Republican presidents endorsed Duke's opponent and made advertisements on his behalf, to little avail: Duke would go on to win the runoff vote a month later and enter the state legislature. Over the next three years, Duke would aspire to higher and higher office. These subsequent campaigns, unsuccessful though they were, garnered Duke an ever-expanding platform for himself and his cause, bedevilled the establishment, and suggested deep structural failures in American society and its political system. But how did Duke, previously an abject failure in personal and political life, come to defy the direction of his chosen party and represent the crack-up of an old order? Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. You can read our full story on Biden's address at the link below:

Biden called for generational change and buried his resentments, but not without a pointed comment about his qualificationsThere was 6 January 2021, and a violent coup attempt by a president desperately trying to cling to power. Then there was 24 July 2024, and a president explaining why he was giving up the most powerful job in the world.Joe Biden's address on Wednesday night was a moving piece of political theatre, the start of a farewell tour by a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings" who entered politics in 1972 and made it all the way to the Oval Office. For diehard Democrats it was a case of: if you have tears, prepare to shed them now. Continue reading...

I've decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,' Biden said in a speech from the Oval OfficeJoe Biden has explained his decision to drop out of the presidential race, saying it was the best way to unite our nation".The US president's remarks were broadcast from the Oval Office, his first televised appearance since announcing he would end his bid for re-election, and conveyed a reflective and hopeful message.My fellow Americans, I'm speaking to you tonight from behind the resolute desk in the Oval Office. In this sacred space, I'm surrounded by portraits of extraordinary American presidents.Thomas Jefferson wrote the immortal words that guide this nation. George Washington showed us presidents are not kings. Abraham Lincoln, who implored us to reject malice. Franklin Roosevelt, who inspired us to reject fear. Continue reading...

Bill passes 416-0 in favor of bipartisan group to look at security failings surrounding Pennsylvania rally shootingThe House voted on Wednesday to form a taskforce to investigate the security failures surrounding the assassination attempt against Donald Trump earlier this month.The vote underscores the bipartisan outrage over the shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump came within inches of losing his life. One rally-goer was killed and two others severely injured. Lawmakers have responded quickly with hearings and widespread calls for accountability. Continue reading...

Joe Biden gave his first speech since quitting the race - here's what to know from the roughly 10-minute addressJoe Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office on Wednesday night in an emotional speech that encompassed some of the reasons that led him to withdraw from the presidential race. This was the first speech Biden has made since he announced his withdrawal from the race on Sunday.Most notably, the 81-year-old president, who was recovering from Covid-19 this week, highlighted the importance of passing the torch to a new generation, referring to his endorsement for Kamala Harris as the new contender for November's elections. Continue reading...

President to speak from White House during prime time, days after announcing he will not seek re-election

Party will legally nominate their candidate, presumably Vice-President Kamala Harris, as early as 1 AugustThe Democratic National Committee's rule-making group established procedures for candidates to contest the primary nomination ahead of the convention in Chicago next month, largely eliminating any chance of a 1960s-style floor fight.Democrats will legally nominate their candidate - presumably Vice-President Kamala Harris - as early as 1 August through a virtual roll call vote, the first time Democrats have used such a process. Continue reading...

We factcheck the Israeli prime minister's statements about letting aid trucks into Gaza, safeguarding civilians and negotiations with HamasBenjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress was filled with combative remarks, as well as claims about the war in Gaza, now almost in its tenth month.Israel's assault on the territory was triggered by the 7 October Hamas attacks on southern Israel, and has so far killed more than 39,000 people, with thousands more believed to be buried underneath the rubble. Continue reading...

Sole Palestinian American in Congress protests as other progressives call for Israel arms embargo and Gaza ceasefireBenjamin Netanyahu's visit and address to a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday was met with a personal protest in the chamber by the sole Palestinian American member of Congress, while some lawmakers gave the Israeli prime minister a standing ovation, others stayed away, and demonstrations by thousands of protesters took place outside.The Michigan representative Rashida Tlaib, a leading progressive Democrat and fiercely outspoken opponent of Israel's war in Gaza, held up a sign that said war criminal" as Netanyahu was speaking. She also wore a Palestinian flag pin and a keffiyeh, the black and white scarf that has been linked with the Palestinian struggle for over half a century. Continue reading...

At event with 6,000 Black women in Indianapolis, vice-president urges voter mobilizationOn the fourth day, Kamala Harris spoke, again.Following Joe Biden's Sunday withdrawal from the presidential race and endorsement of Harris as the Democratic nominee, she delivered what has become the core of her stump speech to more than 6,000 members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated. Continue reading...

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday, amid widespread protests in Washington. Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the US capital, calling on the US to end arms sales to Israel and to implement an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.As Netanyahu entered the chamber to address Congress, he was welcomed with a standing ovation from US lawmakers. Netanyahu thanked the US for its support for Israel and laid out his vision for a post-war Gaza, amid growing pressure on his government to wind down and end the war. The Israeli leader said his country did not seek to resettle the territory, but that a future Gaza would have to be 'demilitarised' and 'de-radicalised'

Case, brought after host George Stephanopoulos said Trump had been found liable for rape', allowed to proceedA federal judge in Miami has denied a motion to dismiss Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit against the ABC News TV network and one of its star journalists, George Stephanopoulos, concerning remarks made by the anchor in March that the former president had been found liable for rape".In a 21-page ruling issued on Wednesday, the judge, Cecilia Altonaga of the US district court for the southern district of Florida, rejected arguments brought by the news division and its host. She said that a reasonable jury" could conclude that Trump had been defamed, and, as a result, dismissal is inappropriate". Continue reading...

Israeli prime minister gives fiery speech praising US support for Gaza war and calling protesters Iran's useful idiots'

Tech-focused Nasdaq retreats 3.6% and S&P 500 also down in wake of lacklustre results from big-tech companiesWall Street suffered its worst day of trading in 19 months as disappointment around earnings from Tesla and Google challenged the recent big-tech rally.The benchmark S&P 500 index dropped 2.3% as a sell-off triggered its biggest single-day fall since December 2022. Continue reading...

Republican VP nominee introduces book by Kevin Roberts, head of rightwing plan that Trump has tried to disavowThe Republican senator and vice-presidential nominee JD Vance has written the foreword to a forthcoming book by the head of Project 2025, the vast rightwing plan for a second Trump administration Democrats say shows the authoritarian threat posed by the GOP - and which Donald Trump has tried to disavow.In publicity material for the book, Vance says of Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation: Never before has a figure with [his] depth and stature within the American Right tried to articulate a genuinely new future for conservatism." Continue reading...

Containing Brenda Banda will be the USWNT's biggest challenge in Nice. But Naomi Girma leads a group capable of shutting down the most potent attacksWhile Paris prepares for the official Olympic kickoff on Friday, an immovable object will collide with an unstoppable force.The venue is Nice, the coastal city that hosted the final stage of the Tour de France a few days ago and is one of the hosts for the Olympic soccer tournament. On Thursday, that's where the enigmatic US women's soccer team will face an upstart team from Zambia. Continue reading...

Hawarden fire in Riverside county burned 527 acres, injured two people and destroyed six homesIllegal fireworks ignited a blaze in southern California over the weekend that destroyed six homes and caused $10m in damages, officials said this week.The Hawarden fire in Riverside county has scorched 527 acres, damaged seven homes and cost the county more than $1m in emergency response, Patricia Lock Dawson, the city's mayor, said at a press conference on Monday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Fred C Trump III shares story of presidential nominee using N-word and describes Trump's attitude on raceIn a new book, Donald Trump's nephew recalls the future US president, at the start of his New York real estate career, surveying damage to a beloved car and furiously using the N-word.The shocking scene appears in All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got This Way by Fred C Trump III, which will be published in the US next Tuesday. The Guardian obtained a copy. Continue reading...

The latest from Paris as the first events began, with chaos and drama in the men's football

Former US president has tried to distance himself from conservative guide for a second term. Here's what it is about and his links to itHeavyweight conservatives joined together to create a roadmap for a potential second Trump presidency, and they are working to recruit and train the people who would work in an incoming conservative administration.Project 2025 details across more than 900 pages how Trump and his allies could dismantle and disrupt the US government. It suggests ridding the federal ranks of many appointed roles and stacking agencies instead with more political appointees aligned with and more beholden to Trump's policy prescriptions. Continue reading...

Kristen Marie Battocletti, 35, used funds from her Tuscaloosa church to send digital gifts to content creatorsA former employee at an Alabama church has pleaded guilty to stealing $300,000 from the church to purchase gifts for content creators on TikTok.Between April and October 2023, Kristen Marie Battocletti stole approximately $300,000 from St Francis of Assisi University Parish church in Tuscaloosa, according to a release from the US attorney's office in the northern district of Alabama. Continue reading...

Christopher Wray testified on Wednesday before House judiciary committee on Capitol HillThe FBI director told the House judiciary committee that the shooter who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump just 11 days ago searched online for information about the 1963 assassination of John F Kennedy.Christopher Wray testified before the committee on Capitol Hill, at the House of Representatives, where the Republicans are in the majority. Continue reading...

Musk is determined to help Trump win. Perhaps it's no surprise that both men believe democracy can be bought off

Kamala Harris has become the face of the White House's fight over abortion rights. It is one of the 2024 presidential election's biggest issues, and one of the few where Democrats have the advantage.Within hours of Joe Biden's announcement that he was dropping out of the presidential race and endorsing the vice-president, a series of abortion rights activists spoke out to back Harris.She has visited abortion clinics on the campaign trial and described the 2022 overturning of Roe v Wade as a healthcare crisis'. The Guardian's Carter Sherman explains how, if at all, Harris could change abortions rights on a national level if the Democrats were to secure the Oval Office in November. Continue reading...

Decades ago, I got a job as a scaffolder - and I was a total liability. I'd have been even more useless if mobile phones had been aroundYou are bloody useless," the erection manager said to me. He was referring to my proficiency at scaffolding. His name was Alan and that was his job title. And he was making a fair point. We were on a housing estate somewhere on the blurred line between Birmingham and the Black Country, putting up rigs for the council's painters. And I had just dropped a steel coupler through someone's veranda roof.This was 1985. When Doves Cry by Prince was getting a lot of radio play and I was on a gap year working for the family firm. Even though I was the boss's son, my colleagues felt free to point out my limitations, which were many. Continue reading...

We ask ourselves whether the world is too dark now for something so wholesome. Then the torch is lit, and there's magic in the airIt feels a little embarrassing to be a grown adult excited for the Olympics. I am not sure why. Perhaps it's the unequivocal joy. That feels childish. Why would I believe something good could happen? When was the last time something good happened?Oh, it's so easy to be cynical about things. I'm really good at it too. If I were to play to my strengths, I should go on about how devastating the Olympics is to the economy of the host nation, how commercial elements have hijacked every last corner of the games, and I could maybe even make some vague reference to the carbon emissions required to get all the athletes to Paris, but not in such a way that would necessitate me actually looking up statistics.Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...

Growing number of antisemitic, misogynistic posts reveal far right's anxieties as Harris's candidacy solidifiesAs Donald Trump's campaign shifts his focus to presumptive Democratic nominee, Vice-President Kamala Harris, the online ecosystem of the far right has responded in lockstep with racist insults, misogynistic tropes, antisemitic conspiracy theories and viral memes against her. Some of those attacks, common throughout her vice-presidency, are directly targeting her Jewish husband and second gentleman, Doug Emhoff.After Joe Biden's stunning decision to step down as the Democratic candidate in this year's presidential election to then endorse Harris, Republicans as high ranking as Trump were quick to decry the switch as tantamount to a coup" attempt - a dangerous allegation with no factual basis. Continue reading...

A whale breached and landed on a 23ft boat, sending the men into the water, who were rescued by a nearby shipTwo fishers were rescued on Tuesday after a whale breached and capsized their boat off the shore of New Hampshire, according to the US Coast Guard.In a series of statements posted on X, the Coast Guard said that they received a mayday call stating that a 23ft center console boat had capsized due to a whale breach near Odiorne Point state park in Rye, New Hampshire. Continue reading...

Two-time Democratic candidate writes in New York Times that she is excited' about vice-president taking on TrumpHillary Clinton has issued an impassioned call for Americans to rally around the presumptive Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris, saying that the time for hand-wringing is over" and the challenge now is to mobilize around her unifying vision".Writing in the New York Times, the former US secretary of state and two-time Democratic presidential candidate said she was excited" about the prospects of Harris taking on and defeating Donald Trump in the November election. Continue reading...

Criminal justice activists hope for a reset' in fresh race and urge the vice-president to embrace progressive reformsWhen Kamala Harris ran for president in 2019, criminal justice reform leaders closely scrutinized her career as a prosecutor, with some advocates branding her a top cop" who lacked a strong progressive record.Five years later, with the vice-president on track to become the Democratic nominee, the dynamics have fundamentally shifted. Harris' prosecutorial history, once something of a liability among some Democrats, is now seen as a key asset as she prepares to take on Donald Trump, the ex-president convicted of 34 felonies. Continue reading...

The GOP wants to focus on Kamala Harris's record, not her ethnicity or gender - but who will tell Trump?Republican leaders are warning party members against using overtly racist and sexist attacks against Kamala Harris, as they and Donald Trump's campaign scramble to adjust to the reality of a new Democratic rival less than four months before election day.At a closed-door meeting of House Republicans on Tuesday, the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Richard Hudson, urged lawmakers to stick to criticizing Harris for her role in Biden-Harris administration policies. Continue reading...

In thrall to the oil and gas industries, wealthy nations are backing calamitous projects. But the tide is turning

State law let the agency refuse to work with the Rutan-Rams - which would be more common with the conservative plan were implementedIn 2021, Liz and Gabe Rutan-Ram decided to take the next step toward growing their family and applied to foster a child. After identifying a three-year-old in Florida who they hoped to ultimately adopt, the Rutan-Rams turned back to their home state of Tennessee to start training to become foster parents.But their plans quickly fell apart when the Christian state-funded foster care placement agency informed them by email that they only provide adoption services to prospective adoptive families that share our belief system". The Rutan-Rams, who are Jewish, were out of luck. Continue reading...

Young US voters weigh in on why they like or dislike the VP as a candidate and if they think she could beat TrumpAmerican gen Z voters share how they feel about Kamala Harris's presidential bid, why they like or dislike her as a candidate and whether they think she could beat Donald Trump, as the vice-president races towards winning the Democratic nomination for November's election. Continue reading...

Vice-president makes fiery speech in the battleground state of Wisconsin. Plus, Zosia Mamet on Girls and nepo babies

It does not matter who is up and who is down in the polls. It's about if Democrats turn outNow that Kamala Harris is the presumptive Democratic nominee, you'll be hearing a lot of speculation about how she might poll against Trump. What if I told you that the polls are almost immaterial to the final election result? Instead of making much ado about who is up and who is down, let's keep our eyes on a different question - in October, what will voters think this election is about?The evidence of voter behavior over the last eight years paints a clear picture of what lies ahead. Critically, we can't use polls today to predict this outcome. That's because the winner in November will be determined by what, to most voters, the election seems to be about" by the time voting starts. This will determine whether the voters Democrats need to win will turn out, or stay home.Michael Podhorzer, the former longtime political director of the AFL-CIO, is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, the chair of the Analyst Institute, the Research Collaborative and the Defend Democracy Project and writes the Substack Weekend Reading. Continue reading...