Term

• The White House has delayed the release of a U.S. government report detailing significant vulnerabilities in the nation's voting machines. • The report has been withheld for several months, coinciding with the approach of the November midterm elections. • This delay is critical as it obscures known security flaws in the infrastructure used to conduct national elections.

• Former EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier suggested that the UK could potentially rejoin the European Union under "special" terms. • This proposal comes roughly a decade after the UK's referendum decision to leave the bloc, highlighting a possible path for future reintegration. • A key point of negotiation would be currency, as current EU law requires member states to adopt the euro, with Denmark being the only permanent exception.

• President Trump has met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, signaling a potential strategic reset in U.S.-India relations. • The meeting occurs as India seeks to regain diplomatic momentum while attempting to isolate Pakistan on the global stage. • This shift is driven by evolving geopolitics that have recently elevated Islamabad's diplomatic profile and regional influence.

Exclusive: Former chief Brexit negotiator says staying out of euro and Schengen area would be ‘perfectly possible’Michel Barnier has said Britain could regain its special terms if it rejoined the EU and claimed it was becoming clearer every day to the British people that they would be stronger in Europe.In an interview before the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum next week, the EU’s former chief Brexit negotiator said he could not see any obstacle to the UK keeping the pound and remaining outside the passport-free Schengen travel area should the country rejoin. Continue reading...

Andy Burnham hopes a successful byelection will mean he can encourage Keir Starmer to step aside as prime ministerReform UK’s candidate Robert Kenyon has visited St Aidan’s Parish Centre in Wigan, accompanied by party leader Nigel Farage, to cast his vote in today’s byelection.Kenyon was pictured wearing a replica England shirt (looks like Italia 90 to me, most closely associated with Gazza blubbing at the end of a hard-fought contest…), following last night’s World Cup win for Thomas Tuchel’s men. Continue reading...

Republican primary runoff voters chose US representative Mike Collins to face Ossoff in November Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Donald Trump’s pick to face rising Democratic star Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s midterm election for senator later this year swept to victory last night.Donald Trump laid into Benjamin Netanyahu, telling a news conference at the G7 summit in France that the Israeli prime minister “has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon”.The Republican-led US Senate on Tuesday narrowly failed to advance a war powers resolution introduced by Democrats that would have directed the president to end hostilities with Iran, by a vote of 48-47.The justice department announced charges against five men for an alleged plot to carry out an attack to kill government officials at the White House UFC event on Sunday.Kash Patel, the FBI director, reportedly surprised and angered US Secret Service officials by announcing an alleged plot to attack the White House UFC event on social media early Tuesday before about 10 suspects had been arrested. Continue reading...

• Oklahoma voters headed to the polls on Tuesday for state primary elections to fill numerous open federal and state seats. • Vacancies for positions including U.S. senator, representative, governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general were triggered by retirements, term limits, and a presidential appointment. • In addition to selecting nominees and deciding on incumbent renomination, voters are considering a statewide ballot measure regarding the minimum wage.

Voters have also been casting ballots in Alabama and Washington DC, where for the first time in over 10 years, the city will elect a new mayor in NovemberDonald Trump has a strong record in this year’s primaries so far – with many of his preferred candidates winning their primaries.But none have faced a self-funded rival with Rick Jackson’s spending power, the AP reports. Trump has backed Burt Jones, who, as lieutenant governor, was part of Trump’s attempt to overturn his 2020 defeat to Joe Biden, and the president has repeatedly praised Jones’ loyalty. Continue reading...

Charging industry and electric vehicle manufacturers say measure could cost jobs and harm UK automotive sectorThe UK government’s plans to further weaken electric car targets have provoked a furious backlash from the charging industry and the electric car brand Polestar, which would lose out from the changes.The Labour government is expected to dilute rules known as the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate. Government sources have said it will reduce a target for pure electric cars from 80% of all sales by 2030 to 50%. Continue reading...

Vice-president says he tries not to make decisions until he ‘absolutely must’ but has ‘no doubt’ Trump will support himJD Vance said that he will discuss a 2028 US presidential run with his wife after the 2026 midterms.The US vice-president gave insight into his ongoing decision on whether to run during an interview with CBS Sunday Morning where he spoke on his new memoir, Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, which details his conversion to Catholicism. Continue reading...

• President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the outcome of the conflict with Russia will determine the future of Europe as he prepares for the upcoming G7 Summit. • Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is fighting for its statehood, independence, and the fundamental right to choose its own sovereign path. • The statement underscores the geopolitical stakes of the war, framing Ukraine's struggle as a critical defense of European stability and democratic values.

• IN-SPACe has selected three high-potential startups—Astrobase, SatSure, and TM2SPACE—as the first beneficiaries of its newly launched Technology Adoption Fund. • The initiative provides direct financial backing to private companies to develop advanced space technologies, marking a shift from policy reform to active investment. • This move aims to strengthen India's competitive position in the global space economy by fostering innovation in launch services, satellites, and AI-driven infrastructure.

Agents seized phones and laptops of Ohio Organizing Collaborative, a group that does voter registration workThe FBI raided the office of a voting rights group in Ohio on Thursday, prompting immediate concerns the Trump administration is cracking down on such organizations ahead of the midterm elections.FBI agents raided the Cleveland office of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, a grassroots group that does voter registration work, said Prentiss Haney, a board member of the group. Agents seized computers and phones, he said, and also showed up at homes of people affiliated with the group throughout the state and interviewed them. Continue reading...

• General Atlantic Co-President Martin Escobari discussed India's economic trajectory during a conversation with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath on June 11, 2026. • Escobari, representing a firm that has invested over $5 billion in India, urged the nation to be patient and avoid simply replicating China's development model. • He emphasized that India must develop a unique growth strategy tailored to its own specific strengths and systemic complexities to ensure sustainable success.

Report says confidence among 16- to 21-year-olds has fallen sharply as they doubt hard work will be rewardedYoung people in England are increasingly “losing faith in their futures” according to a report, as record numbers fear long-term unemployment.Analysing survey data, including from the Office for National Statistics, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said 16- to 21-year-olds were less confident about being successful than a decade ago. Continue reading...

The Democrats are wargaming messaging strategies over fears that Donald Trump may try to influence the midterm electionsAs the 2024 election approached, advertisements began popping up in key swing states suggesting local officials had discretion not to certify elections.The advertisements, reported at the time by ProPublica and Wisconsin Watch, were misleading. Certification is not optional, and officials are required to certify the vote once the proper process for any election challenges are complete and an official challenge is complete. The warnings, nonetheless, arrived at a moment when Donald Trump and allies seemed to be gearing up to contest the election results if he lost.Trump has talked about stealing the election, violating the election, perverting the election, over and over again.And woe be us, and woe be anyone who believes in free elections, who doesn’t take that seriously.Donald Trump demanded that Republicans in Congress provide an additional $350bn in funding for the Pentagon, by passing a third reconciliation bill.Trump brushed off concerns about new data showing that inflation jumped to an annual rate of 4.2% in May by saying “I love the inflation”, but US House speaker Mike Johnson, accused a CNN journalist of taking the president’s comment “totally out of context”. “What he was saying is: ‘It’s going to be great to have that number and compare it to what comes next, when we get these situations resolved, that’ll be a fun thing to consider.’”As Trump appeared unwilling to back off his plan to install as acting director of national intelligence an unqualified political “attack dog”, federal mortgage director Bill Pulte, Senate Democrats said they would not vote to reauthorize a warrantless surveillance law that expires on Friday.Trump told Fox News the US had fired 49 Tomahawk missiles at Iran on Wednesday, and would “bomb the shit out of them again on Thursday” if Iran’s leaders do not sign a peace agreement. Continue reading...

• Senators Alex Padilla, Dick Durbin, and Sheldon Whitehouse have issued a warning regarding the Trump administration's potential use of election crimes prosecutions to interfere in the 2026 midterm elections. • The lawmakers are specifically criticizing the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the "quiet removal" of a long-standing manual that provides guidelines for election-related prosecutions. • This action is viewed as a significant risk to democratic integrity, as removing established protocols could allow for the selective or politically motivated prosecution of election officials and voters.

David Ronald Mobbs, who had motor neurone disease, had said he didn’t want to live if his illness became intolerable, court hearsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA woman who gave a lethal cocktail of medication to her husband who was dying from motor neurone disease has been granted bail after being charged with murder.Kylie Ellina Truswell‑Mobbs was granted bail on Tuesday after being charged with murdering her 56-year-old husband, who was dying from motor neurone disease. Continue reading...

• Primary election races are currently unfolding across six states, including New Jersey, California, and Iowa, as candidates advance toward midterm battles. • In separate political developments, Senator Marco Rubio is engaging with lawmakers to answer critical questions regarding government policy. • The Trump administration is weighing a decision to relocate certain groups to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite the region's severe humanitarian crisis.

Democrats seek to oust Republicans in New Jersey and Iowa, while other major races remain up in the airHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.California’s crowded primary for governor remains up in the air after three leading candidates tested voters’ appetites for an experienced politician or promises of sweeping change.Karen Bass came out ahead in Tuesday’s heated primary for Los Angeles mayor, but with less than 50% of the vote will have to defend her seat in November’s general election. She’ll likely run against either Spencer Pratt, a former reality TV star, or city council member Nithya Raman.Iowa state representative Josh Turek won the Democratic nomination for the state’s open US Senate seat – setting him up to face off against Ashley Hinson in the November general election. A former television anchor turned state senator, Hinson was endorsed by Donald Trump and retiring senator Joni Ernst.Adam Hamawy won the Democratic nomination for New Jersey’s 12th congressional district, teeing the army doctor and political newcomer up to face off against Republican Gregg Mele in November’s general election. Hamawy decided to run for office after returning from a medical mission in Gaza in 2024 and meeting congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, who announced her retirement in November 2025.Deb Haaland won the Democratic nomination for governor in New Mexico. If elected in the November general election, Haaland would become the first Native American woman governor elected in the country.Christina Bohannan won the Democratic nomination for Iowa’s 1st congressional district. She will compete against incumbent Republican congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the November general electionZach Lahn narrowly won the Republican nomination for governor, and will face off against Democrat Rob Sand in Iowa’s general election this November. Five Republicans competed for the nomination to replace retiring Republican governor Kim Reynolds.Former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Benett won the Democratic nomination for New Jersey’s 7th congressional district, and will challenge Republican congressman Tom Kean Jr. in the general election. Kean, who’s been absent from Congress, citing a health issue, since March shared a statement on social media saying he’s “more energized than ever” and will “be completely transparent as to the nature of my medical condition” when he returns to work in “a matter of weeks”. Continue reading...

Democrats seek to oust Republicans in New Jersey and Iowa, while other major races remain up in the airVoters in Tuesday’s primary elections across the US chose candidates who could flip critical districts in the US House and Senate in November, setting up a series of high-stakes general election contests in a midterm year expected to favor Democrats.Among the most watched races are: a New Jersey Democrat who could oust a Republican incumbent absent with a mystery medical issue for months; several Iowa Democrats hoping to flip their red-leaning state; and California’s redrawn maps that have given Democrats an advantage in the heavily blue state. Continue reading...

All the latest results and updates as New Jersey, South Dakota, New Mexico and Montana also vote in primariesCalifornia elections: governor, LA mayor and Congress at stakeSign up for the Breaking News US emailVoters in six states have been casting their ballots in the US midterm election primaries. Here are some of the images from polling stations that have dropped on the news wires today:A wave of Democratic doctors, scientists and public health professionals across the country are seeking office in the midterm elections in a rebuke to Donald Trump and Robert F Kennedy Jr’s health policies. Continue reading...

• Cybersecurity firm Check Point detected a surge in election-related web activity in January, with approximately 1,300 new domains containing "election" and 2,957 containing "vote." • A new report warns that the upcoming U.S. midterm elections will lead to "elevated" cyber threats targeting media platforms, fundraising sites, and political organizations. • Experts caution that this trend indicates the groundwork for widespread misinformation and disinformation campaigns is already being established.

• SCOTUSblog says several of the term’s most important cases remain undecided as the Supreme Court heads into its final stretch. • The article highlights the legal fight involving Cook, who is challenging Trump’s mortgage fraud allegations after lower courts required the dispute to proceed in federal court. • The remaining decisions matter because they could shape executive power, financial regulation and other high-stakes policy questions before the Court.

Trump’s pursuit of policies that drive up prices, including tariffs and war, might be punished in November’s electionsFor such an uncannily successful politician, Donald Trump exhibits a perplexing political myopia. His most recent own-goal was endorsing Ken Paxton, a state attorney general, against four-term senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary for Senate in Texas. Trump’s endorsement helped push the ethically compromised Maga firebrand over the top, to run against popular Democrat James Talarico in November, complicating the Republicans’ chances to keep the seat.But what truly screams “I want us to lose the midterms” is what Trump is doing about inflation, which is becoming his most vulnerable issue. According to a New York Times/Siena poll of registered voters earlier in May, Trump’s approval on handling the cost of living is underwater by 42 percentage points, poorer than his rating on handling the economy (minus 31 points) and the unpopular war in Iran (minus 34 points). Continue reading...

• India is introducing the new Industrial Production Index (IIP) Series 2026, which shifts the base year to 2022-23 to better reflect the current economic landscape. • The updated index expands its scope to include modern sectors and products such as vaccines, aircraft parts, gas supply, and rare earth minerals. • These changes are designed to provide policymakers with deeper, more accurate insights into trends within the energy and industrial sectors.

Trump administration in a bind as it faces mounting economic costs ahead of midterms from Iran warThe terms of a purported 60-day deal to negotiate peace in the Iran war have trapped the Trump administration between mounting economic costs ahead of midterm elections and anger from Republican hawks who accuse the US government of surrendering to Iran.The public rift between Trump and Senate Republicans over his shift toward diplomacy with Iran has also been matched within his administration, where the dovish JD Vance and traditional neoconservative Marco Rubio have been forced to pirouette between Trump’s policies as he shifts to exit the war as soon as possible. Continue reading...

• The Supreme Court, in a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, upheld the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise for voter rolls. • The court ruled that the SIR is constitutional and cannot be termed "ultra vires" or illegal simply because it employs a process distinct from routine statutory voter revisions. • This decision validates the ECI's authority to implement a more rigorous rehaul of electoral rolls to ensure accuracy and legitimacy in the voting process.