President Trump’s summer of woes has Democrats daring to hope they might win control of Congress in less than 70 days.
On Tuesday 3 November, Americans will go to the polls and deliver their verdict on the second Trump administration. An unpopular war with Iran, a trade war with Canada, rising gas prices, stubbornly high inflation, and chaotic plans to build a new ballroom at the White House and turn the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool “American flag blue” have left Americans shaking their heads and muttering that this is not what they voted for.
Democrats were always reasonably confident they could capitalise on voters’ frustrations with the economy and win the House of Representatives. Donald Trump’s declaration in May that “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation” was a ready-made campaign advert for Democrats, delivered gift-wrapped.
Top Gear to return to BBC – everything we know
The BBC has confirmed is returning to the broadcaster. The show has been on hiatus since presenter Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff was almost killed during filming in December 2022.
What we know so far
The BBC’s director of entertainment Ed Havard confirmed the news of the return at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Thursday. He said: “There has been a lot of speculation about this and we can confirm that is coming back.”
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What happened to Flintoff?
Following the crash, the BBC announced would not be returning “for the foreseeable future”, explaining it had “decided to rest the UK show”.
Who will host now?
- Havard declined to comment on reports that Jimmy Carr is being lined up as the show’s new host.
- However, reports claim talks are underway with the comedian.
- Joe Marler, a former rugby player who appeared in last year, is also being eyed by the BBC, according to Deadline.
- No deals are thought to be in place.
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The back story
- It enjoyed a second life when Chris Harris, Paddy McGuinness and Flintoff took over hosting duties from Matt LeBlanc and Chris Evans, before the crash involving Flintoff occurred.
Liver disease cases linked to obesity up five-fold
Cases of a linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes have risen five-fold in a decade, a study has found.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) happens when in the liver and is left undiagnosed, researchers said.
What are the symptoms?
- Symptoms include feeling very tired or generally unwell, and pain in the abdomen.
- People who are overweight or not active are more likely to develop MASLD.
- Those who have type 2 diabetes, are over 50, or have high blood pressure are also more at risk.
- New diagnoses doubled from 2012 to 2022, and those diagnosed with the condition were three times as likely to have type 2 diabetes, analysis of GP records found.
A closer look at the findings
The study by researchers at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Glasgow found that 2.4 per cent of adults – 283,762 people had the disease in 2022, up from 0.02 per cent (1,300 people) in 2003.
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The expert view
The diagnostic gap remains large compared to expected rates. At-risk groups such as those living with type 2 diabetes and obesity should be identified and -finding actively pursued
researchers at Queen Mary University and University Glasgow
More on health from The i Paper
Thunderstorms expected across England and Wales
Flooding has hit part of the West Midlands as are expected across large areas of England and Wales.
A yellow thunderstorm has been issued from 5am until 10pm on Thursday.
What the warning says
The yellow warning covers swathes of the country, from Norwich and London to Cardiff and Manchester.
Some areas could see 50-75mm of rainfall on Thursday, as well as lightning and hail, which could cause disruption.
Warm temperatures with highs of 27°C or 28°C are expected, and there is a small chance some areas could see more than 75mm of rainfall.
Where the warning is in place
What happened in Birmingham?
There has been significant flooding in Birmingham. A flood warning was issued for the Perry Barr area on Wednesday night due to rising river levels.
The Environment Agency has issued 22 flooding alerts – meaning flooding is possible – in the Midlands and South East.
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The forecast for the rest of the week
- Further heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected on Friday across the UK.
- Further rain will move in on Saturday, followed by a mix of sunshine and showers on Sunday and Monday.
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Dozens of Britons missing in deadly Nepal flood
More than 160 people have died and hundreds are missing, including , after a devastating flash flood on the Nepal–Tibet border.
What happened?
- Floodwater swept along the Bhote Koshi river in Rasuwa region, in the Himalayas, at around 8.30am local time on Wednesday, destroying roads and washing away houses and bridges.
- More than 40 people were injured in the tragedy and are receiving treatment in hospital.
- Nepali officials said a further 826 people are missing, the majority of them tourists, including 33 Britons.
- Around 2,000 military personnel have been deployed by the Nepali army to assist with search and rescue operations.
What is known about the missing Britons?
Among the 33 Britons missing, 12 were with one tour company. Ram Kumar Adhikari, manager of Alpine Eco Trek, said the group included a 13-year-old girl, with the oldest member aged 65.
He said they had passed Chinese border controls to enter Tibet.
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The flood in pictures
Plug-in solar panels go on sale – what you need to know
New rules mean that people can now buy plug-in solar panels online and in shops.
Retailers will begin selling them from Thursday, meaning solar power can run into the home network using an ordinary plug.
What you need to know
A kit can produce up to 800W of power, enough to generate up to 20 per cent of an average home’s electricity, officials say.
This should equate to savings of around £110 annually on bills. As they appear on shelves, ministers say prices could start off higher, but they expect them to average out at around £400-£600.
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Who will sell them?
Argos has confirmed it will sell the kits from Thursday and Amazon is expected to follow suit soon.
Other retailers, including Currys, B&Q, Screwfix and Wickes have committed to stocking the plug-in panels.
Why are they only on sale now?
The sale of the technology was previously restricted because of safety and wiring standards.
The legal change follows rigorous, independent safety checks which show the panels are safe, according to officials.
Can everyone have one?
It depends on your property and its rules. You may still require consent from landlords, building owners, councils, freeholders, planning permission or listed building consent.
- Officials have advised people to check if any permissions are required for their home before buying or installing the techology.
The young Maga women whitewashing Trump’s presidency
The make-up of Donald Trump‘s inner circle has come under scrutiny after US Senator Jon Ossoff remarked on the President’s close relationship with his executive assistant, Natalie Harp.
The episode has highlighted how Trump has surrounded himself with young, perfectly groomed Maga women in the White House.
Leavitt has been perhaps the most prominent of these women as White House press secretary. She recently announced she would step down at the end of August to focus on her family.
- Upon her appointment to the post, she became known for her combative style, quick thinking and pushing false claims. She was often described a Trump’s “attack dog”.
Martin, communications adviser and special assistant to Trump, has been tipped as a possible replacement for Leavitt. She is the President’s leading content creator, often posting photo dumps and reels of events she has attended with Trump.
She was accused of “whitewashing and sanitising” Trump’s Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin by Azza Cohen, Kamala Harris’s official White House videographer.
Kelly is also in the running to replace Leavitt, who she has worked under as White House deputy press secretary.
The 29-year-old is a former beauty queen with a master’s in political management, and has followed Leavitt in attacking journalists and defending Trump.
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The President and Harp have a very close working relationship.
She also reportedly left him notes saying, “you are all that matters to me” and, “I want to bring you joy”.
A closer look at Ossoff’s comments
Ossoff made his comments after it emerged that Harp was one of the few aides who went with the President when he secretly switched planes after a Nato summit in Turkey last month, because of a possible Iranian threat.
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Mpox arrives in new countries – how worried should you be?
Since 2022, there have been nearly 190,000 lab-confirmed cases of mpox, but a fresh outbreak in the small West-African nation of Guinea-Bissau means the virus is back on the global agenda.
What we know about the new outbreak
Cases had not been reported in Guinea-Bissau before the latest outbreak, with 23 of the 46 reported cases being children under the age of 15.
The confirmed cases do not appear to be linked, suggesting the virus is circulating more widely and there are unidentified cases.
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Why is it spreading?
In the last major global outbreak in 2022, mpox appeared to undergo changes which meant it spread more efficiently from person to person, passing via close contact.
- This more infectious version of the disease means that it spreads more easily in places like West Africa as there are areas where many people live closely together, such as refugee camps.
Vaccines and treatments
The WHO recommends two vaccines, but the issue of availability is particularly pressing in poorer nations.
A new global stockpile is set to be launched within weeks, meaning vaccines can be deployed more quickly to stop outbreaks.
But they do not stop outbreaks alone, with experts calling for better contact tracing, early detection, strong public health surveillance and supportive care.
But as September’s Labor Day weekend fast approaches in less than two weeks, after which the midterm election campaign begins in earnest, Democrats are now daring to dream that the Senate is within reach too. The Senate map is expanding, claim Democratic strategists, who see a path to victory that could run through multiple states.
President Trump’s approval rating is well below 40 per cent, spelling trouble for Republican candidates, and the respected independent forecaster the Cook Political Report has just moved key Senate races in Texas and Iowa from leaning Republican into the toss-up column. Democrats hold 47 seats in the Senate and must win four more to become the majority party.
If Democrats took control of the House and Senate, Trump would be a lame duck president for the remainder of his term in office, unable to get legislation through Congress without the support of his opponents. Congressional oversight of the Trump administration, now almost entirely lacking, would be stepped up, with aggressive hearings in both chambers into immigration enforcement, the war with Iran, and much else besides. Control of the Senate gives the majority party the ability to confirm federal judges and cabinet nominees. Trump’s controversial nominees in the style of the Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, or Health Secretary, RFK Jr, would not have a hope of being confirmed.
And yet. Before Democrats get too excited about encouraging polling from Senate seats they hope to win in Alaska, Texas, Ohio, Iowa, North Carolina and Maine, Republican strategists are ready with the proverbial jug of cold water. The Republican senator Susan Collins in Maine has a history of outperforming her polls, and Democrats had to scramble to find a candidate to replace their nominee Graham Platner, after his campaign imploded amid a welter of accusations that he was sexually inappropriate with women – accusations he denies. So let’s say for the sake of argument that Democrats can’t win Maine or Ohio but their candidates pull off victories in Iowa, Alaska, Texas and North Carolina – wouldn’t that give the party control of the Senate?
Not so fast, say Republican operatives, who point out that Democrats are also defending seats in two states that Trump won in 2024 – Michigan and Georgia. The Democratic senator Jon Ossoff in Georgia, he who recently coined the viral phrase about President Trump “travelling with Natalie”, looks less vulnerable than he did, according to recent polling. But Michigan is shaping up to be a massive headache for Democrats – and the party’s hopes of winning the Senate may rest on their ability to successfully defend it.
After a closely fought primary election in Michigan defined by divisions over Israel, Democrats elected progressive Dr Abdul El-Sayed as their nominee. El-Sayed has been critical of Israel and appeared with the controversial streamer Hasan Piker. Piker has been accused of antisemitism – and El-Sayed is under pressure to distance himself from him. Republicans, who have more cash in hand currently than Democrats, will spend millions on advertising to make the Michigan Senate campaign a referendum on what they will say are El-Sayed’s extreme left-wing views and links to Piker.
As ’ polling sage Nate Cohn noted, there are clear signs that El-Sayed could underperform a typical Democratic candidate’s vote share by enough to endanger the party’s chances of winning the seat. Cohn says that historically, candidates of the activist left tend to fare worse than other Democrats. Republicans are determined to define El-Sayed as an activist candidate, and his past statements on defunding the police – which he now says were taken out of context – will be fodder for their ambitions.
Can Democrats really win the Senate? Summer polling always favours them in Senate races, scoff Republicans. Races tighten as polling day approaches. Yet there is real concern in Republican circles that Trump’s polling is plumbing new and alarming depths. His instinct to pick fights and double down on unpopular positions is giving his party’s candidates no cover – they must either defend and explain his positions, or break with him – which risks incurring the wrath of the still powerful Maga base.
If a week is a long time in politics, as British Prime Minister Harold Wilson famously said, then the nine-and-a-half weeks until the midterms is an eternity.