Senate committee set to vote on holding Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress – US politics live

• Tensions are escalating in Lebanon, causing the second day of diplomatic talks to end prematurely due to volatile events on the ground. • U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed optimism that a deal to resolve the conflict could be reached in the near future.

• Two Israeli soldiers were killed in Lebanon, marking the first Israeli fatalities since a ceasefire was established with Hezbollah in June. • The deaths occurred during an escalation of tensions despite the existing truce intended to stabilize the border region.

• Prof. Michel Chossudovsky reports on a secret U.S. War Department "Doomsday Blueprint" dated September 15, 1945, which allegedly planned a nuclear strike to "wipe the Soviet Union off the map." • The article asserts that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki served as a "dress rehearsal" for this larger strategic objective.

Programme aiming to stop people turning to terrorism sees 39% rise in referrals in year to September 2025 – the highest number on recordA record number of people have been referred to the government’s anti-terror programme, with a 39% rise over the last year, including a 20% rise in referrals for extreme rightwing ideology, according to official data released on Thursday.A total of 10,293 referrals – up from 7,408 – were made to the Prevent programme in the year to September 2025, which is the highest number since records began 11 years ago. Continue reading...

Fires have destroyed about 850 buildings and forced about 67,000 people to evacuate since they erupted last weekendFirefighters have taken advantage of cooler weather to begin getting a handle on wildfires that have displaced tens of thousands of people around Washington state’s second-largest city, but hotter, drier and breezier days lie ahead.Officials reported Wednesday that firefighters had established containment lines around the perimeters of all three fires affecting Spokane and that they were focused on reinforcing those lines. Temperatures were expected to climb from the 80sF the past two days into the upper 90sF (36C), with less humidity, late this week. Continue reading...

Teenagers must make oral defence of essays and schools will monitor computers during exams under crackdownDanish teenagers will have to make an oral defence of their written essays to combat AI cheating, the government has announced.Pupils aged 16 to 19 at upper secondary school (known in Denmark as gymnasiet) will also be encouraged to do written assignments at school under controlled conditions, including monitoring of their computer screens, rather than at home. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Louisiana firm awarded tender to build rudimentary outpost to house Moroccan troopsDonald Trump’s Board of Peace, which was set up in January to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza, has finally issued its first construction contract in the devastated territory: a project to build a rudimentary 150-person military outpost to house Moroccan troops, a source familiar with the matter told the Guardian.The contract, which has not yet been finalised, was awarded to Arkel International, a Louisiana-based firm that has previously carried out work with the US government in countries such as Iraq. Continue reading...

Plans involve dredging and expanding the docks to allow larger cruise ships to visit with up to 200,000 passengers annuallyJanavi Kramer had just enjoyed a swim with friends and was sitting on a bench taking in a wonderful Cornish view – headlands plunging into deep water, bobbing boats, a bustling harbour town.“We’re lucky to have this space,” said Kramer, who is an artist and scientific illustrator. “We use it for work, recreation and pleasure and it’s so scary to think that this could all be harmed. I worry about what we may be living with soon and what we’ll be leaving for future generations.” Continue reading...

Ex-Tesco boss known as ‘Drastic Dave’ for his cost-cutting zeal pledges more of the same at flagging Guinness ownerShares in Diageo have bounced after the Guinness owner’s chief executive, “Drastic Dave” Lewis, passed the first big test of his plan to revive the flagging fortunes of the UK-based drinks company.Lewis, a former Tesco boss known in the City for his cost-cutting zeal, promised to deliver $1bn of savings over two years through a “significant” restructuring aimed at making the company more agile. Continue reading...

Experts say growing trend on sites such as Polymarket and Kalshi could motivate people to start fires to win moneyA group of US lawmakers is sounding the alarm over prediction market platforms that allow users to bet on wildfires, as experts warn the emerging trend could raise the risk of arson.Democratic senators from six states sent a letter this week to the chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), an independent government agency regulating platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi, urging it to rein in the practice. Continue reading...

When asked to detail what would make a better life in three to five years, 60% of US adults said greater financial securityAmericans may seem increasingly divided on beliefs and values, but in a new survey of more than 30,000 adults from across the country spanning generations and economic classes, a majority of Americans agree there’s a significant barrier to achieving a better life: the rising cost of living.When asked to describe what a better life in three to five years would look like, 60% of Americans said they wanted greater financial security, according to a survey that was conducted by the McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility and the WK Kellogg Foundation in mid-April. Continue reading...