Election

• Oklahomans voted in a special election on Tuesday, deciding the outcomes of runoff races, local elections, and various ballot initiatives. • The election included the resolution of two specific state questions, though the provided text does not detail the specific results or topics. • The coverage coincided with reports on other regional issues, including ongoing parasitic outbreaks and the upcoming Oklahoma sales tax holiday.

• The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has announced 23 titles for its "Vision" sections, showcasing independent cinema from Korea and across Asia. • Featured films include "1982" by Vietnamese director Nguyen Hoang Diep, "After the Song Ends" by Ryohei Kumamoto, and "Dead End," the feature debut of Hong Kong's Isabella Lam Lok-hin. • These selections highlight diverse narrative themes, ranging from psychological anxiety and family confusion to the search for missing parents and inner emotional scars.

The incumbent senator Dan S Sullivan has condemned ex-school teacher Dan J Sullivan, claiming he is running at the behest of Democrats to confuse supportersRepublican senator Dan S Sullivan will be joined on the November ballot in Alaska by a challenger with a nearly identical name from the same party, election officials confirmed on Tuesday, adding a twist to what is expected to be one of the most hotly contested races of the midterms.The Republican senator is running for a third term against Democrat Mary Peltola, a former US House representative whom polls show is neck-and-neck with him in a state that hasn’t sent a Democrat to the Senate since 2008. Continue reading...

• The Supreme Court issued an order requiring the United States Postal Service (USPS) to initiate a proposed rulemaking process regarding election-related procedures. • The ruling clarifies that the president lacks the legal authority to unilaterally change election laws, countering various misconceptions circulating on the internet. • This decision matters because it reinforces the separation of powers and ensures that changes to election protocols follow established administrative and legal channels.

• The Supreme Court issued a ruling regarding the limits of mail-in voting, sparking concerns over potential voter confusion ahead of the November election. • While the ruling establishes new legal boundaries, some states have vowed to sue to prevent these limits from taking effect before the upcoming vote. • Legal experts and state officials warn that shifting rules this close to an election could disenfranchise voters or lead to administrative errors.

• The Supreme Court issued a ruling on Monday regarding a voting order initiated by Donald Trump, though the court refrained from declaring the order lawful. • Election officials have expressed significant concern that the ruling's lack of clarity could lead to widespread chaos during upcoming voting processes. • The decision is critical as it leaves the legal status of the voting order in limbo, potentially impacting election administration and voter access.

• The Supreme Court issued a narrow ruling on August 24, 2026, regarding mail-in voting, though it stopped short of addressing the constitutionality of a specific executive order from Donald Trump. • Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, warning that the decision creates a "Kafkaesque nightmare" by injecting unnecessary chaos and uncertainty into the electoral process. • Election law scholar John J. from Quinnipiac University suggests the ruling leaves critical legal questions unanswered, potentially complicating voting procedures for the upcoming midterms.

• The Supreme Court has issued a decision regarding mail-in voting that has sparked widespread questions and confusion. • The ruling remains ambiguous as to whether its mandates will be implemented in time for the upcoming midterm elections. • Political experts suggest it is very unlikely that the decision will be in effect for the midterms, though uncertainty persists.

Anthony Seldon’s book alleges Badenoch asked fellow Tory ministers ‘if anyone was interested in changing the captain’Kemi Badenoch plotted with fellow Conservative cabinet ministers to remove Rishi Sunak as prime minister months before the general election, it has been claimed.Anthony Seldon, who has written political biographies of every prime minister since John Major, has alleged in a new book that Badenoch, who was business secretary at the time, phoned several other cabinet ministers to ask “if anyone was interested in changing the captain”. Continue reading...

House Democratic leader meets with president’s son-in-law has ignited fury amongst own party Democrats incredulous over Hakeem Jeffries and Jared Kushner meetingHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries’ meeting with Jared Kushner, the president’s influential son-in-law, has sparked backlash from his own party and other Donald Trump critics.Throughout this Congress, Republicans have adopted a my-way-or-the-highway approach to governing that has failed the American people. To stop the madness, we have repeatedly made clear that an extremist approach will not work and will be met with forceful opposition.The American people want bold change and that’s what House Democrats will deliver. In every conversation that we have with the Trump administration, we will continue to make it explicitly clear that the affordability crisis is not a hoax and nothing short of transformational policy change is acceptable. We are fighting for an affordable America. The question is whether Republicans will join us.Tim Scott defended fellow US South Carolina Republican senator Darline Graham’s knowledge of national security issues ahead of their state’s runoff election on Tuesday. Graham, who was appointed to fill the Senate seat held by her brother Lindsey Graham after his sudden death in July, is in a Republican primary runoff against South Carolina congressman Ralph Norman.Dan Sullivan supports Dan Sullivan against Dan Sullivan in Alaska’s US Senate election, says a former Alaska mayor who recently backed the race’s Republican incumbent over a challenger sharing their name. That development provided another of multiple absurd elements to Dan S Sullivan’s campaign for a third term in the US Senate, which – beside Mary Peltola, a former Alaska Democratic congresswoman – has drawn opposition from Dan J Sullivan.The Donald Trump aide Natalie Harp flooded a since-disabled social media account with pro-Trump posts on the day that the president’s supporters attacked the US Capitol in early 2021, years before she went to work for him and developed an extraordinary close relationship with him, a new report has revealed.A series of moves by Donald Trump’s administration to sow doubt in the integrity of US elections has intensified concern among voting experts – and sparked hope among election deniers – that it could declare a national emergency. The White House and US federal agencies have released a string of documents this summer – including disputed analyses of alleged voting by noncitzens and historical intelligence memos – stoking expectations that the US president could move to exert greater control over November’s US midterm elections.Iran’s foreign minister has dismissed the threat of a fresh round of US economic sanctions as a “desperate” ploy, even as its president acknowledged that the Iranian people are facing “many problems” amid Washington’s efforts to isolate and debilitate the country’s economy. Continue reading...

President sharply criticises proposal, saying ‘elections right now are a tsunami for the state that will split Ukraine’Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said holding elections in Ukraine during wartime would risk splitting the country at a time when Russia is amassing ballistic missiles and considering whether to mobilise an extra 300,000 soldiers.The Ukrainian president, responding for the first time to a demand made by the sacked former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, sharply criticised an idea that he said was impractical given that Russia appeared to have no interest in a ceasefire. Continue reading...

President’s speech, declassification of documents and heightened claims of noncitizen voting have experts concernedA series of moves by Donald Trump’s administration to sow doubt in the integrity of US elections have intensified concern among voting experts – and sparked hope among election deniers – that it could declare a national emergency.The White House and US federal agencies have released a string of documents this summer – including disputed analyses of alleged voting by noncitzens and historical intelligence memos – stoking expectations that the US president could move to exert greater control over November’s US midterm elections. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Postal Service has finalized new election plans under the Trump administration that allow the agency to refuse delivery of ballots from states that fail to comply with updated procedures. • USPS describes these changes as a "neutral administrative check" intended to strengthen election confidence, despite receiving over 200,000 public responses containing both support and opposition. • Critics argue the rule has legal deficiencies and could create significant implementation difficulties, potentially impacting the broader political and social landscape of voting.

• Anita Earls and Sarah Stevens are competing for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court in a high-stakes election. • The candidates hold opposing judicial philosophies, with Earls arguing that the court must enforce constitutional educational rights while Stevens labels Earls an "activist judge." • A key point of contention involves the stability of legal precedents, as Earls argues against overturning rulings within the same case to avoid confusing litigants.

• Thai shares trended sideways down this week, characterized by mild selling pressure and frequent sector rotation. • Investors engaged in periodic buy-backs, notably with TTB shares following a big-lot sale by ING Bank that caused a slight price dip. • The current market environment emphasizes that careful sector and stock selection are now the primary drivers for achieving investment success.

• Rahil Prakash, a 21-year-old, admitted to running a website that published fake election polls to test how easily misinformation could penetrate the political ecosystem. • The fabricated data influenced several races, including the LA mayoral contest between Karen Bass and Nithya Raman, and a Wisconsin governor's primary where candidate Francesca Hong was falsely reported to lead by over 20 percentage points. • The incident highlights a critical vulnerability in the political press, as some California media outlets picked up and shared the fake polls without verification.

First Muslim woman and Afghan American elected to California legislature held lead throughout race over main opponent Melissa HernandezSign up for the US Breaking News emailHello and welcome to our live coverage of US politics.Following a bitter intra-party battle, progressive Aisha Wahab has been elected to Congress in a special election to fill the seat formerly held by Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April after facing sexual misconduct allegations (he has denied the allegations).Trump’s former fixer, Michael Cohen, who turned on the president in 2019, when he compared him to a mobster during congressional testimony, executed another 180-degree turn, showering the president with praise during a friendly conversation between the two men on Cohen’s New York City radio show.The White House faced fresh questions over whether Donald Trump’s closest aide, Natalie Harp, had access to US government secrets without security clearance.At a Rose Garden event to promote Melania Trump’s advocacy for foster children, the first lady opened with a joked about her lack of recent public appearances, as her husband looked on with something less than rapt attention.One week after Trump ordered his navy secretary to redesign a new aircraft carrier, the USS Doris Miller - to scrap the modern electromagnetic system used to launch fighter jets, and install old-fashioned steam-powered catapults instead - CNN reports that the navy is considering another change to the same ship: removing the name of Miller, a Black sailor known for his heroism during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, and naming it instead the USS Donald Trump.The non-partisan Cook Political Report updated its midterm election forecast to rate the US Senate races in both Texas and Iowa, which had leaned in favor of Republicans, as toss ups that could break for Democrats. Continue reading...

Church director tells parliamentary inquiry reporting by Nine newspapers a ‘complete lie’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Plymouth Brethren Christian Church has denied it secretly paid far-right influencers to stage stunts targeting Anthony Albanese and other politicians during an appearance at a parliamentary inquiry into the 2025 election.The church also refuted claims it had coordinated hundreds of volunteers to support Liberal candidates, including at polling booths across the country. Continue reading...

Progressive wins bitter fight for seat formerly held by congressman who quit amid sexual misconduct claimsProgressive Aisha Wahab was elected to Congress in a special election on Tuesday following a bitter intra-party battle over the seat formerly held by Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April after facing sexual misconduct allegations. Swalwell has denied the allegations.Wahab, a state senator, was widely considered the frontrunner in the district in California’s East Bay and had the backing of the state Democratic party as well as Our Revolution, labor unions, local officials and the state’s attorney general, Rob Bonta. She won the primary for the special election for the final months of Swalwell’s term by more than 20 points over Hernandez, the president of the board of directors for the Bay Area Rapid Transit (Bart) agency. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Rahil Prakash tells the Guardian: ‘I wanted to see if fake polls could penetrate the ecosystem that easily’A 21-year-old recent college graduate was behind an anonymous website that put out widely shared fake election polling in Wisconsin, Nevada and California, the Guardian can reveal.The website, Median Strategies, abruptly shut down and withdrew its polling earlier this week following questions from a reporter from the Los Angeles Times. In an unsigned statement, it described a “short-term social experiment” to examine how fake polling “could enter and spread through the political information ecosystem without independent verification”. Continue reading...

• U.S. fact-checkers have launched a first-of-its-kind joint collaboration to debunk deceptive advertisements and disinformation ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. • The initiative will utilize a newsletter to highlight common findings and track emerging election-year information trends across the United States. • This partnership was prompted by the increasing spread of false information fueled by political polarization and the rise of AI-generated content.

• US fact-checking organizations have launched a collaborative effort to combat deceptive advertisements and disinformation ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. • The partnership centers on a joint newsletter designed to analyze voting trends and debunk common false narratives across the United States. • This initiative targets media professionals, content creators, and election observers to ensure accurate information is disseminated during the election cycle.

• Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass recently promoted fake polling data on social media, claiming it showed her reelection campaign was gaining momentum. • The fraudulent data was published by Median Strategies, a mysterious organization that released fake polls across three states before shutting down its website this week. • The company admitted to the Los Angeles Times that the results were fabricated as a "social experiment" to test how unverified political information spreads through the ecosystem.

• A mysterious political firm named Median Strategies admitted to fabricating multiple election poll numbers earlier this month. • The company has since retracted the fraudulent data, which was designed to mimic legitimate election polling. • The Associated Press confirmed that none of these fake results were used in their reporting or coverage.

• A mysterious political firm called Median admitted to fabricating multiple election polls this month in an attempt to influence public perception. • The fake findings were spread via polling aggregation accounts on social media, though they were excluded from major databases like The New York Times and Real Clear Politics. • The incident highlights the significant danger of unvetted election surveys and the ease with which misinformation can be disseminated online.

• Tuesday's primary elections in Florida saw a progressive candidate secure an upset victory for the Democratic Senate nomination. • Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, endorsed by Donald Trump, won his party's nomination to become Florida's first Black governor. • These results highlight a continuing ideological divide within the Democratic party and the enduring influence of Trump over Republican nominations.

• Byron Donalds and Jolly have secured victories in the 2026 Florida primary elections, advancing to the next stage of the race. • The primary featured high-stakes contests for governor, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, and various state legislature seats. • Critics argue that Donalds' political platform prioritizes the interests of President Trump and corporate donors, specifically the data center industry, over working families.

Despite leading in the polls, Hanson is allowed to offer thought bubbles instead of actual policyFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAll sides of politics are feeling the heat from Pauline Hanson.On Tuesday, the One Nation leader pulled the rug out from under the Coalition by announcing a policy to slash tobacco excise by 75%, to deal with surging illegal sales. The policy was remarkably similar to one Liberals and Nationals have been discussing for months. Continue reading...