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Chief executiveMelanie Perkins describes job cuts as without doubt the hardest moment in our thirteen-year history' in email to staff

Voters say the economy and state of democracy are crucial issues for them as Americans decide the direction of Congress for remainder of Trump's term

Party hopes disapproval with Trump's presidency gives them advantage as Republicans defend slim majorityRepublicans are defending their majority in the US Senate against resurgent Democrats, who believe voters' dissatisfaction with Donald Trump will put them back in control of Congress' upper chamber just two years after being driven into the minority.The first race results have begun trickling in, with the Associated Press calling the Virginia Senate election for Democratic incumbent Mark Warner, who was expected to win. Continue reading...

Voting machine issues affected Westchester county, New York, but emergency ballots were provided to voters

Report says cost of maintenance could soon reach 2m a week, including 24-hour patrols to avert fire riskThe Palace of Westminster will be at risk of a Notre Dame-style fire or a similar catastrophic event if MPs do not tackle the issue of funding refurbishments, a parliamentary committee has said.Decisions about how and when to begin a full restoration of the building, which is Grade I-listed and a Unesco world heritage site, have been repeatedly delayed amid disagreement over how it should be done and spiralling costs. Continue reading...

The US has been voting for senators, members of the House of Representatives and state governors in the midterm elections. Here are the results in full

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Australia's worst products and services for the year have been named by consumer advocacy group Choice

Midterms didn't appear to have huge impact, though predicted wins for Democrats could mean more regulationUS tech stocks made a recovery Tuesday afternoon after a selloff spooked investors over AI spending.The impact of Tuesday's midterm elections didn't appear to have a huge impact on Wall Street, though investors are predicting Democrats get at least a majority in the House and potentially gain seats in the Senate, which could lead to more AI regulation. Continue reading...

Speaking in Antigua, the king did not give explicit support for reparations but said he wanted to address past wrongs'King Charles has said that deepening his understanding of the horrors of slavery has made him more determined to address the wrongs of the past, as Caribbean leaders and campaigners intensified demands for an apology and reparations from Britain.We cannot change the actions of those who came before us," Charles told leaders at the opening of the Commonwealth summit in Antigua and Barbuda on Tuesday. We can, however, learn from the past. Continue reading...

Top election lawyer and lawmakers received notes over alleged scheme to confuse voters with two Dan SullivansThe justice department has sent letters to a top Democratic election lawyer and other Democrats informing them they could be targets in a federal investigation into efforts to get an Alaska man with the same name as Republican senator Daniel Sullivan on to the ballot.The decision to send the letters is very unusual. The justice department has long avoided taking actions that could affect an election close to election day. It is also not common to send out target letters so early in an investigation; receiving a target letter does not mean that a person will be charged with a crime. Continue reading...

The incident took place in the same province where a grizzly attacked a group of schoolchildren last NovemberA mother is dead and her daughter is missing in western Canada after a suspected grizzly bear attack in the same community where a bear attacked a group of schoolchildren earlier in the year.On Tuesday, the British Columbia conservation officer service said in a social media post that it had launched a search for the two missing people on the weekend, and that during the search on Sunday an officer found the mother's body. The search for her 19-year-old daughter is ongoing. Continue reading...

George Madgwick, party leader on Hampshire county council, faces charges related to four teenagers between 2008 and 2021Reform UK's leader on Hampshire county council has been charged with 12 counts of rape and one of distributing indecent images of a child.George Madgwick, 37, who is a councillor in Portsmouth and leads the Reform group on the council, was a prominent voice linked to recent protests in the town connected to the arrival of asylum seekers on small boats. Continue reading...

Triumphal arch continues to face legal challenges as government says DC area project will take up to 39 monthsThe US justice department said on Tuesday that Donald Trump's proposed 250ft (76 meter) triumphal arch in Washington would not be completed until after the end of his second term.If it is given the go-ahead, the justice department said it expected an initial six to eight months of construction focused on excavation and foundation work that could begin as soon as Thursday, with above-ground construction beginning in May 2027 at the earliest. Total construction is anticipated to take 33 to 39 months, the government said. Continue reading...

In announcement geared to schools, tech giant showed how entwined AI is with the world's most popular websiteGoogle just acknowledged that you can't use Google Search without using artificial intelligence.The search giant announced a slate of new AI products for classrooms and schools on Tuesday as well as more ways for teachers and schools to limit or restrict use of those AI tools. The company said the schools should have control over whether students use AI in the classroom. There's one catch, though: if a school or teacher blocks the use of Google's AI features, students won't be able to use Google Search. Continue reading...

Legal body handling identification says three latest victims include two Australians and a Japanese citizen

Agriculture, youth visas and emissions agreements nearly tied up under PM's plan for a much closer relationship with Brussels

Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere Wednesday, burning up in the processNasa's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which has spent two decades studying the most powerful explosions in the cosmos, is expected to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere on Wednesday, burning up in the process.The satellite, which was designed to operate with its three telescopes for just two years, is no longer able to steer or observe, and its re-entry is uncontrolled. Continue reading...

Anonymity of individual, whose lawyers had sought injunction citing suicide risk, remains in place subject to any appealA well-known individual" has failed in his attempt to stop two media organisations from publishing allegations of inappropriate sexual activities towards young women, the high court has ruled.The legal team for the anonymous individual, known in court only as PPT, had claimed he was highly likely" to attempt suicide if the Guardian and ITN published the allegations, which he denies. Continue reading...

Jacob Morley, serving a life sentence for killing a co-worker, slipped through a prison fence last weekA man convicted of murder who escaped from a Tennessee prison was recaptured on Tuesday in Missouri after more than a week on the run, authorities said.Jacob Morley, who was serving a life sentence for killing a co-worker four years ago, was apprehended outside Kansas City, Missouri, before midday by the state highway patrol. Continue reading...

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

A Court of Splintered Harmony also records biggest single week of sales since Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman in 2015Sarah J Maas's long-awaited return to her bestselling romantasy series has smashed UK sales records, with A Court of Splintered Harmony becoming the fastest-selling adult fantasy novel since accurate records began in 1998.The novel, the sixth in Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses (Acotar) series and her first return to it in more than five years, sold 188,914 copies in the UK between publication day on 27 October and 31 October, according to NielsenIQ BookData. That also makes it the fastest-selling hardback novel since Dan Brown's Inferno, which sold 229,000 copies in its first week in 2013. Continue reading...

Bomb threats were made on routes involving a number of airlines, including Ryanair and WizzAirBack to Poland, Warsaw Modlin airport says it has resumed operations after an earlier bomb threat - but a part of the airport where the London flight was parked remain closed and is being checked by security forces.Ukraine's Zelenskyy has said his talks with Merz and Germany's president Steinmeier will focus on diplomatic coordination" on air defence and energy sector.These will be the priorities of today's talks. We all have an interest in security, stability, and protecting the rules-based international order. And we must work together to turn these principles into concrete decisions and actions." Continue reading...

Party leader Ed Davey disappointed and upset' at decision by independent panel after claims original investigation was flawedThe Liberal Democrat peer Chris Rennard has been told there will be no further investigation into sexual harassment allegations made against him, after an independent panel concluded it could not reopen the claim.The party leader, Ed Davey, said he was disappointed and upset" by the conclusion, having suspended Rennard from the party after an investigation was reopened earlier this year amid claims a previous inquiry was flawed. Continue reading...

Oklahoma man accused of sending letters with white nonhazardous powder before 2024 and 2026 electionsFederal authorities have charged an Oklahoma man with sending hundreds of letters containing nonhazardous white powder to public officials before the 2024 and 2026 elections.The powders turned out to be yeast or flour, though not all letters had been fully tested, the FBI said in a court filing made public on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Nations in the group fare worse than others, with funding for nature projects especially hard hit even as climate crisis intensifies global needThe UK government has slashed overseas aid to Commonwealth countries, the Guardian can reveal, in contrast to the warm words for the group from King Charles and the prime minister, Andy Burnham, this week.Amid sharp cuts in the UK's aid budget overall, the Commonwealth has fared poorly, an analysis of the most recent and projected aid figures, seen by the Guardian, has shown. Continue reading...

Nine men stand trial in Manchester accused of participating in abuse at couple's home in Stockport, or encouraging it onlineThe Stockport man who drugged, raped and sexually assaulted his wife personally found a large number of the many, many men whose fantasy is an unconscious and unresponsive woman", a court has heard.Nine men are on trial at Manchester Minshull Street crown court, accused of either participating in the abuse, which took place at the couple's home, or encouraging it online. Continue reading...

Budget retailer and 12,000 jobs at risk after US owner fails to accept buyout offersMPs have called on the government to protect Poundland and other high street stores from predatory capitalism" and asset-stripping.The fate of the retail chain and its 12,000 staff remains uncertain after it filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators at the high court last Thursday. The US restructuring specialist Gordon Brothers, which controls Poundland, has lined up the advisory company AlixPartners to run the process. Continue reading...

Speech by Charles marks formal opening of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) in AntiguaQ: Do you think the UK should reconsider Commonwealth membership, given other countries just keep asking us for slavery reparations?Badenoch said she did not agree with that because most Commonwealth countries aren't doing this".China did all sorts of things. It's not out there apologising.The purpose of the apology is to make us look weak. It is to make this country look weak. And once we start looking weak, then we have every man and his dog making demands and sending us an invoice, which the British taxpayer has to pay. Continue reading...

A previously unseen family archive offers a glimpse into the Indian Nobel prize winner's artistic process and personal relationships in his final years

Experts say very dangerous' move diverts attention from violence driven by far-right extremist ideologiesThe US Department of Justice is funding research aimed at exploring whether there is a link between gender dysphoria and violent crime.Last month, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research arm of the justice department, said it would grant up to $1m for studies into the frequency and type of violence committed by people who have been diagnosed and treated for gender dysphoria. Continue reading...

Strikes on eve of US midterms reportedly target surface-to-air missiles being used against US assetsThe US launched limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island late on Monday, hours after the vice-president, JD Vance, said he was optimistic that diplomatic efforts to end the war were moving in the right direction.The strikes, disclosed by Iranians on social media and confirmed by US Central Command (Centcom), came on the eve of crucial midterm elections in which Donald Trump's Republican party is expected to be punished by voters. Diplomatic mediators believe it will be clear within two days whether the basis for continued indirect talks between the US and Iran exists. Continue reading...

Demand for individual applicant records as part of purported civil rights review fails on procedural groundsA federal district court judge dismissed a lawsuit on Monday filed by the Trump administration seeking individual applicant records from Harvard, finding the government failed to meet procedural requirements before filing the lawsuit against the university.Judge Myoung J Joun did not rule on the merits of the case, rather he granted a request from Harvard to dismiss the case on procedural grounds, finding that the justice department failed to demonstrate it took necessary steps to seek voluntary compliance before moving for judicial enforcement. Continue reading...

Bank to make early settlement' offers before outcome of legal battle, with those who accept likely to get money before Christmas

Beijing launches diplomatic salvo to woo Gulf leaders and bolster its influence in the regionChina has held a flurry of meetings with Gulf leaders in a sign that Beijing is stepping up its diplomatic efforts in the Middle East.The diplomatic salvo comes before a highly anticipated meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping when the US president is expected to attend the Apec conference in Shenzhen, China, on 18 and 19 November. Continue reading...

Up to 25% of 16,000 workforce could go as telecoms group says it will increase use of AI in areas including customer service

The children's author claims he experienced trauma in childhood as he begins seven-month sentence for possessing depraved material

Volodymyr Zelenskyy says attack in Komyshuvakha was vile' and shows Putin does not want to de-escalateRussia has bombed an aid distribution centre and neighbouring shelter in southern Ukraine, killing at least 29 people, with 48 still missing, as a wave of overnight strikes targeted power plants across the country, damaged hospitals and wounded scores of people.Russia had launched 289 attack drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles across nine regions, triggering emergency power cuts, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an online post that noted the barrage coincided with US elections. Continue reading...

The children's author says he experienced trauma in childhood as he begins seven-month sentence for possessing depraved material

Prime minister says he is committed to manifesto red lines and public need to be the boss' on future relationship

David Potts to take over immediately as executive chair Allan Leighton steps back to non-executive strategic role

Australia says easing of rules has led to surge in British visitor numbers, putting pressure on local workforceThe Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has told Andy Burnham he is looking at changing rules for British backpackers in Australia, after an increase in the number of travellers visiting popular hotspots such as Sydney.Albanese, who met Burnham on Monday evening at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (Chogm) in the Caribbean, told reporters he wanted to discuss changing the agreement between the UK and Australia that removes a regional work requirement for British travellers. Continue reading...

Parents of teenager stabbed in Southampton last year hit out at political game' played with son's murderHenry Nowak's family said he would have hated" the riots that followed his death as they accused some politicians of playing a game" with their son's murder.Nowak, who was fatally stabbed by Vickrum Digwa last year, was handcuffed by police as he lay dying when his attacker falsely accused him of racial abuse. Continue reading...

About 400 staff affected by closure at both Mater's Brisbane and Springfield hospitals, with financial sustainability of pathology business a factor

Collection gems include 1605 Thanksgiving Act passed after Guy Fawkes's failure and the longest act in the archivesAs Bonfire Night approaches and firework displays light up the UK, in a file on a shelf in the labyrinthine National Archives can be found a flat vellum page, inscribed in exquisite calligraphy, and the origin of this week's explosive celebrations.The 1605 Thanksgiving Act was passed by James I after Guy Fawkes's failure to assassinate the king, the Lords and the Commons, at the opening of parliament that year. Continue reading...

Reserve Bank of Australia increases official cash rate to 4.85%, bringing it to highest level since 2008

Reddit challenges ban on grounds it impinges implied freedom of political communications for teens

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Jones, a former radio broadcaster, has pleaded not guilty to 21 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching

Minister says government will work towards banning fast-growing breed across country and throughout EUThe Danish government is pursuing a national ban on turbo chickens" and is calling for the fast-growing breed to be prohibited across Europe.The move comes amid widespread outrage over allegations of lawbreaking by one of Denmark's big chicken producers. Continue reading...