Politics News: 2 November 2026

National Guard members in at least seven states will have some form of a role around Tuesday's highly charged midterm elections. Plain clothes National Guard soldiers are set to help monitor ballot boxes in seven Washington state counties, while Iowa guardsmen are tasked with monitoring and defending election networks.

A group of Democratic lawmakers urged IRS CEO Frank Bisignano on Monday to explain why the agency has delayed publishing its tax gap estimate. The lawmakers said in a letter that the IRS has not yet released data showing how much money owed by taxpayers was not paid on time.

The Justice Department called for sanctions over an outside analysis of California voter rolls that found four in 10 names flagged as noncitizens were not on the state's rolls. In a Sunday filing, DOJ defended its claim that more than 20,000 noncitizens are on California's voter rolls.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Monday Trump intends to terminate South Africa and Rwanda from the African Growth and Opportunity Act in January 2027. Greer cited practices inconsistent with eligibility criteria, including trade barriers and threats to US interests, without giving specific examples. South Africa, AGOA's largest beneficiary, said it was prepared and that AGOA exports are about 10 percent of its US exports.

President Trump delivered his final major campaign remarks from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, calling Tuesday's vote the most important midterm in a lifetime. Polls suggest his approval rating is about 37 percent, the second lowest for a president entering a midterm since World War II, and Democrats need to retain all Senate seats and flip four more to take control.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Russia could use Tuesday's US midterm election to launch a massive attack against Ukraine. He said Ukraine has intel that Russia is preparing a new massive attack, primarily targeting energy and logistics.

Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project are arguing Australia's under-16 social media ban is unconstitutional because it burdens political communication. The High Court will consider the first major challenge to the law, which took effect in December last year and has blocked nearly 5 million accounts on 10 platforms. The government says the burden is modest and justified by child protection.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani threatened to sue the Trump administration over Immigration and Customs Enforcement's alleged use of city property. He made the threat in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, acting ICE Director David Venturella and ICE New York field office Director Kenneth Genalo.

At least 24 people were killed and five injured after multiple strikes on a school in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia, that was being used to distribute humanitarian aid. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians, while regional governor Mykhailo Semikin said 27 people are missing. Zelenskyy said the attacks show Russia wants no de-escalation.

A petition urging the French government to ban the TV news channel CNews has gathered more than 500,000 signatures after a Frenchman of Congolese origin was killed in a racially motivated attack in the Paris suburbs. The channel, owned by Vincent Bollore, has been accused of giving airtime to anti-immigrant rhetoric and mimicking the far-right National Rally. Two Green lawmakers have asked the lower house to withdraw CNews accreditation.

Carla Lockhart, the DUP MP for Upper Bann, has quit the party over its response to the Drumcree parading dispute. She had called for the DUP to withdraw Stormont's deputy first minister to force First Minister Michelle O'Neill from office, saying a graduated response would be insulting. Lockhart will continue as an independent unionist, while the DUP said the only winner from further divisions within unionism is Sinn Féin.

Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said intensive indirect talks with the United States are underway to avert all-out war, with Qatar and Pakistan mediating. Oil prices fell more than six percent on optimism, even as President Trump threatened renewed strikes after this week's midterms. A senior Iranian official said Tehran could reopen Hormuz within two days if Washington accepts demands, including ending the war and lifting oil sanctions.

Actor Bill Murray walked onto a CNBC set on Monday and interrupted an interview with Kevin Hassett, President Trump's top economic adviser. The Saturday Night Live and Ghostbusters star questioned why Hassett was always smiling during his appearance on Squawk Box.

The Trump administration on Monday asked the Supreme Court to order California to set aside 20,000 mail ballots it says belong to likely noncitizens, one day before Election Day. Lower courts had rejected the request, finding the list not credible and questioning the administration's authority. The appeal puts the justices back in the center of the midterm campaign.

Dan Harrison, the Reform UK leader of Leicestershire County Council, said Monday he is standing down after leaked comments about staff redundancies. He had been recorded saying 76 council solicitors would be made redundant, calling them incompetent, before saying he wanted to look at the women. Deputy council leader Kevin Crook has taken over as acting leader, and Harrison will remain a councillor for Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has written to Reform UK after an ITV documentary showed party figures making racial and sexual remarks. The letter asks what action the party is taking to comply with the Equality Act, after complaints alleged unlawful activity under the Equality Act 2010. Footage included Solihull deputy mayor Alan Feeney calling Asian homeowners parasites and a Bromley councillor calling for King Charles to be killed.

Political analyst Nate Silver said Sunday that a blue tsunami is on the horizon after NYT/Siena released what he called their presumably final set of polls. He said the results showed strong numbers for Democrats, putting them ahead, sometimes narrowly and sometimes not, in basically every Senate battleground.

President Trump said Sunday that his administration and Canadian officials are close to reaching a deal to end their trade dispute, which has lasted months. He told reporters in Iowa that the two sides have the concept of a very good deal and are very close to an agreement.

Democratic strategist James Carville said Rep. Haley Stevens sold her soul by endorsing Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers for Senate in Michigan over her primary rival, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. Carville made the criticism on YouTube, disavowing Stevens in a battleground race that could decide control of the Senate.

A federal judge in D.C. dismissed charges against two former FBI officials accused of lying to Congress about their involvement in the Hunter Biden laptop investigation. Judge Zia Faruqui found no probable cause to support the charges against Nikki Floris and a second official.

Nigel Farage will no longer write a regular column for the Telegraph, with sources divided over whether owner Axel Springer ended the contract or the Reform UK leader resigned. The arrangement paid Farage about £4,000 a month, according to the register of MPs' financial interests. His departure follows reports that columnist Allison Pearson is in negotiations to leave and adds to questions about the paper's direction under its German owner.

Vice President Vance is hitting the campaign trail in New York and Ohio on Monday, making a final push for Republicans with the midterms one day away. He will first rally voters in Rome, New York, alongside GOP House hopeful Anthony Constantino, who is competing in a district President Trump carried by 21 points.

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed raised $1.2 million in four hours after former primary rival Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in the Michigan Senate race. The surge is El-Sayed's second-best single-day haul since winning the Democratic nomination in August.

A new NBC News poll found President Trump's disapproval rating reached a record 60 percent on Sunday, less than 48 hours before Election Day. His approval rating was 40 percent, while the disapproval figure is a new high across both of his terms as president.

Downing Street defended sending a government plane from Stansted to Manchester to collect Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his wife before a flight to Antigua and Barbuda for the Commonwealth summit. The jet left Stansted at about 6am without Burnham, landed in Manchester about 30 minutes later, and later departed via Canada for a refuelling stop. No 10 cited security and operational grounds, while critics questioned the value for money.

Los Angeles has become the largest US city to ban oil drilling after its council approved an ordinance on October 28. The measure stops new extraction and bans re-drilling or deepening wells, while existing operations must be phased out over 20 years. It affects hundreds of active wells and thousands of inactive ones, many in working class communities of color, after residents campaigned for years over pollution and health risks.

Labour has ended power-sharing with the Green Party in 11 local councils after Green members adopted a policy defining Zionism as a form of racism. The party said 11 of 18 Labour-Green authorities did not meet its demand that local Greens disown the motion, ending cooperation in areas including Sheffield, Warwick and Lewes. The split could slow budgets and policy decisions affecting hundreds of thousands of residents.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Sunday that the National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into a deadly plane crash in Florida. A Learjet 60 crashed in a neighborhood near Cresthaven, Florida, at about 12:50 p.m. Eastern after departing Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, killing all aboard.

Decision Desk HQ forecasts that Senate races in Texas, Alaska and Maine will flip toward Democrats on Tuesday, putting the party in a prime position to win back the Senate. The forecast gives James Talarico in Texas and Mary Peltola in Alaska each a 61 percent chance of winning.

Millions of Americans vote on Tuesday for all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats and governors in 36 states, deciding which party controls Congress for two years. Republicans hold narrow majorities, and Democrats need a net gain of four seats in each chamber to take control. Polls close at different times, so first results are expected after East Coast polls close and will arrive during the night for European viewers.

The Prospect union has reached an access agreement with Google UK, allowing it to organise among about 7,000 workers across the company's UK operations, including YouTube but excluding DeepMind. The deal follows a similar agreement with Meta and comes after new UK workplace rights gave unions access to workplaces. Google said it signed to comply with the legislation, while Prospect said the deal gives tech workers a stronger voice.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has softened UK settlement plans after cabinet and backbench backlash, allowing an estimated 280,000 care workers and dependants to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years. Care workers earning more than £25,000 get the five-year path, while about 100,000 more may get a new five-year visa. Most hardline plans remain, including up to 30 years for those who arrived irregularly.

Afghanistan's Taliban authorities voiced serious concern Monday over reports that the United States plans to deport more than 150 Afghan nationals via Pakistan, including relatives of former US allies. Advocacy groups warned those returnees could be endangered, although the Taliban has promised a general amnesty. The Taliban urged Washington to take a responsible and measured approach, with coordination and regard for their rights.

Germany is unveiling a plan to become a sovereign AI nation by 2030 and narrow the gap with leading AI hubs in the US and China. The report, drafted by the government's AI task force, proposes 18 measures, including expanding AI computing infrastructure and strengthening the semiconductor value chain. It says Germany will act as a strategic anchor customer through public contracts and pilot projects, while key financing details remain unclear.

Uganda said Monday it has begun pulling troops from Somalia, where it has supported counterinsurgent efforts for almost two decades. The first cohort has returned, and all Ugandan forces under the African Union mission and bilateral agreements are to be withdrawn by the close of 2027. The move comes as the UN ended its political mission and the African Union mission's future is in doubt after the US ended funding for a UN logistics office.

Iliana Yotova won Bulgaria's presidential runoff with 57.6 percent of the vote, against 39.5 percent for former caretaker prime minister Andrey Gyurov. The contest centered on Ukraine, with Yotova opposing military aid and favoring dialogue with Russia, while Gyurov was seen as pro-European and pro-Ukrainian. Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Bulgarians had chosen peace, and the result was divided by age and region.

Iran said it could reopen Hormuz in two days if the US accepts its conditions, after proposing a seven-day plan through Qatar in September. The demands include ending the war, unfreezing Iranian assets, lifting oil sanctions, ending the US naval blockade, accepting an Iran-Oman transit route, reducing US troops and removing sanctions imposed since August. Iran's deputy foreign minister travelled to Doha to help draft a preliminary agreement.

Refrigerators in dozens of supermarkets across Belgium, Sweden and Luxembourg were out of service on Monday, with temperatures reportedly spiking to up to 50 degrees Celsius. The incidents resemble cyberattacks on French supermarkets in mid-October, though it is not confirmed that they are connected or used the same vulnerabilities. Delhaize, Spar, Carrefour and ICA were affected in some stores.

Democrats are expecting to win big on Election Day, but disagreements are already erupting over how aggressively to target President Trump for what they say are abuses of power and corruption. Democratic lawmakers and strategists are divided over whether to push another impeachment against him.

Rising cancer rates and their potential link to farm pollution are causing a crisis in Iowa, throwing uncertainty into the midterm elections in the state that has shifted ruby red in recent years. Iowa suffers from the second-highest rate of new cancer cases in the U.S.

Public school closures are accelerating across the country, and voters in several states have a chance to speed up or slow down the process on Tuesday. Closures are largely determined by school board members and affected by a district's funding situation, which is downstream from state legislatures and governors' mansions.

Early voting data, polling and ad spending keep the House and Senate maps broader than expected, with the Senate described as one of the most competitive in modern history. President Trump has campaigned mainly in Republican strongholds, including Texas, where polls show a narrow Democratic lead in a state Democrats have not won a Senate seat for 33 years. Analysts say the itinerary is a defensive effort to drive turnout and protect the Senate.

The race to control Congress is in its final stretch as the historic 2026 midterms draw to a close. The Republican Party is on defense, with forecasters including Decision Desk HQ giving Democrats an 82 percent chance of flipping the House and a 62 percent chance of winning the Senate.

US climate policy has been gutted by President Trump's administration, yet Democrats are keeping quiet about global warming on the campaign trail. Candidates are packaging climate policy as an affordability issue, stressing struggles to afford gas, groceries and insurance against climate-fueled weather. Analysts say Democrats may win the House and a narrow Senate majority, but without the White House, climate policy needs bipartisan support.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever is meeting King Philippe to offer his resignation after weekend talks failed to close a 10 billion euro budget gap. His five party coalition is in crisis, with tensions between Forward and the Reformist Movement over taxes and VAT. Tuesday is seen as the deadline before parliament must pass next year's budget, and snap elections could lean toward extreme parties.

Berlin hosts a digital summit with an AI focus. Education Minister Karin Prien said the violence after Saturday's youth protests was in part an indication that integration of people of migrant background into German society could be improved. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt blamed left wing groups and migrant anarchists, while Defense Minister Boris Pistorius questioned the distinction.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he believes the next president must be a woman, after Frank-Walter Steinmeier's second term ends in March 2027. Speaking at a non-public meeting of local CDU chairs, Merz said he would propose a consensus candidate from the political center, according to participants.

The CDU's top leadership is expected to propose a candidate on November 9, with Ilse Aigner, Julia Klöckner, Karin Prien and Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer mentioned.

A Bombardier Learjet 60 crashed near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, killing all nine people aboard, authorities said. Dashcam footage captured the plane falling near a busy roadway and erupting into a fireball. The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to the Bahamas.

Rahul Gandhi pressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah at a large INDIA bloc rally in Delhi demanding the resignation of election chief Gyanesh Kumar. The rally followed protests over Kumar and a voter roll revision that removed more than 130 million names, which opposition parties say disproportionately affected Muslims and other minorities.

A survey by aChord found 71% of voters for the opposition Change bloc said Israel should adapt its settlements policy to avoid further sanctions. The UK's ban on trade in goods from illegal settlements was not decisive in the election, with three-quarters of Netanyahu bloc supporters saying it did not affect their vote. The survey showed support for sanctions on violent West Bank settlers but little support for the UK trade ban.

President Donald Trump held Sunday rallies in Dubuque, Iowa, and Salina, Kansas, as he rounded out his midterm campaign. He said Republicans are on the verge of sweeping victories, although hundreds left his Kansas speech before it ended. Divisions emerged among Democrats in Michigan after Representative Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers over the party's nominee.

Professional bodies representing UK counsellors and psychotherapists are calling for statutory regulation to protect the public from abuse and malpractice. The report says the titles are not protected, so anyone can call themselves a therapist without a qualification. It argues the profession could help fill a mental health treatment gap of about 1.8 million people on waiting lists.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said in his annual budget address that the country will invest 21.3 trillion won, about $16 billion, in AI and semiconductors, nearly twice this year's amount. The record budget proposal raises spending by 12.8% to 820.9 trillion won and includes 4.7 trillion won for frontier AI projects. It needs parliamentary approval, with Lee's Democratic Party holding the majority.

A Commons committee says the UK is making up its China policy as it goes along, missing commercial opportunities and leaving national security risks unmanaged. The report found Labour's failure to formulate a coherent strategy since 2024 combined the worst of both worlds and risks having the relationship shaped by Washington or Beijing.

Republican candidates in the 2026 midterms have struggled to find a compelling message beyond loyalty to Donald Trump. They face challenges over corruption, the economy and low presidential approval ratings ahead of the election. One House Republican said: 'There was a point earlier this year where we really felt like we could defy history. And then Trump bombed Iran.'

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to discuss tightening British backpacker visa rules with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham at CHOGM in Antigua and Barbuda. Under the UK free trade deal, British backpackers can stay up to three years without regional work requirements. UK backpacker numbers rose from about 47,000 in 2024 to nearly 80,000 last financial year, as the government faces pressure to lower net overseas migration.

New York Times and Siena University polling released Sunday shows Democrats holding an 11 point lead in the Michigan race and edging ahead in seven competitive Senate races. The majority of those races show statistical ties between the parties.

King Charles III will address Commonwealth leaders in Antigua on Tuesday about the lasting pain of the transatlantic slave trade, Buckingham Palace said. Prime Minister Andy Burnham wrote that the UK is open to formally apologising for its role in slavery, a change from previous government policy. The British government has never formally apologised for slavery or offered reparations.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said there is a chance of a massive Democratic victory, or a blue tsunami, on Election Day. He said there is momentum behind the party to reclaim one or both chambers of Congress.

Ukraine and Russia said their public emergency alert apps were hacked. Ukraine's air force said its app was hacked, and it briefly showed false warnings of nuclear, chemical and street combat threats, while Ukraine's Centre for Strategic Communications blamed Russia. Russia's emergencies ministry said its app was hit by a massive cyber attack and was being restored. It was not immediately clear whether the incidents were linked.

Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers for Senate in Michigan on Sunday, abandoning Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, who defeated her in the August primary. The move followed a feud over Israel and an outside advert Stevens called antisemitic, and it outraged Democrats while giving Republicans hope of flipping a seat that could decide control of the chamber.

A submission to Victoria's construction royal commission alleges the Labor government inflated costs and threatened to sack a senior public servant to secure its preferred Airport Rail Link route. The Age reported that between $3.8bn and $4.6bn of unnecessary tunnelling was added to an alternate Maribyrnong route to make the Sunshine route more attractive. The government declined to comment and said it would not preempt the commission's findings.

Hobart City Council has avoided an all male council after final counts elected two women, Louise Elliot and Zelinda Sherlock. Incumbent councillor Ben Lohberger, who had been elected to the deputy lord mayor position, failed to win a council seat, so councillors will elect the deputy at their first meeting. The Tasmanian Electoral Commissioner called it a rare scenario.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said Representative Haley Stevens's late endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan's Senate race was sub-optimal. He made the comment on Sunday during an interview for a midterm preview.

Tasmania's government is considering keeping public transport free indefinitely after extending the fare-free period to July 2027. Transport Minister Kerry Vincent said patronage growth has been fantastic and the government is weighing the cost of operating Metro and general access buses. A $27.7 million contract for a new electronic ticketing system has been put on hold while options are evaluated, with $11.9 million already paid.

German police are investigating after needles and other sharp metal objects were found in sweets collected by children during Halloween trick or treating. Police said most or all objects, including metal screws, were likely placed intentionally to cause harm, with incidents reported in several states. In Nuremberg, a child bit a needle in chocolate but was unharmed. Police opened investigations into attempted aggravated assault in several cases.

Cameron Bancroft says his passion for returning to the Australian Test side has faded after a disastrous Cape Town collapse, in which the team capitulated in the series decider. The Western Australian batsman scored 186 in the Sheffield Shield and is accepting that he may not play at Test level again, although Australia has used nine different opening combinations in its past 19 Tests.

Two years into Donald Trump's second term, approval ratings have fallen and support is weakening among some working class groups that elected him in 2024. His name will not appear on ballots in this week's US midterms, so voters must choose whether to back the Republican Party. A New York Times/Sienna poll gives Democrats a 30 point lead among the diverse bloc, after Trump's Latino support rose from 32 per cent in 2020 to 48 per cent in 2024.

Australia's Haftu Strintzos finished fifth at the New York City Marathon in 2:06:34, 33 seconds behind Sweden's Andreas Almgren and 14 seconds off his Australian record. A top five finish at a Platinum Label marathon during the qualifying window meets the Olympic entry standard, so the result likely secures his place at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, subject to selection by Australian Athletics. He was one of six men to break 2:07 in New York.

8,000 ATCO Australia customers in Albany must switch to electricity or gas bottles after the company will decommission the city's gas network over three years. The state's $31 million package covers bottled gas but offers up to $2,000 for electric conversions, far below the $10,000 to $12,000 one architect estimates for his refit.

Italian Kimi Antonelli became the youngest Formula 1 world champion after finishing third in Mexico City and sealing the title with four rounds left. At 20 years and 68 days, he broke Sebastian Vettel's record of 23 years and 133 days and became the first driver born in the 21st century to win the title. He also won six races before turning 20, a new mark for a teenager.