The US midterms may not be as much of a spectacle as the presidential elections, but they are just as important and can completely change not just the course of a presidential term, but federal legislation for years to come. The Guardian unpacks how these elections work, what the results mean and how they affect American life.

María del Carmen Abascal, 87, was evicted from her home, on a stretcher, after being given 30 minutes to gather her belongings.

The Guardian's European community affairs correspondent, Ashifa Kassam, explains how her eviction sparked protests across Madrid, which led to 'Maricarmen' becoming the symbol of a long-running housing rights movement

• Eviction of 87-year-old puts Spain’s deepening housing crisis in the spotlight

Houthi militants have made a lightning advance along the Red Sea coast, capturing strategically important territory in Yemen.

Hundreds of civilians have been killed and more than 100,000 people have been forced to flee their homes.

The Guardian's Oliver Holmes explains why this conflict has world governments on edge

More than 2,000 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the first case of this epidemic was recorded in May. The Guardian's global health correspondent, Kat Lay, spoke to CDC Africa's Yap Boum II to understand why health teams on the ground are struggling and what is being put in place to try to contain the spread

• Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo now deadliest in country’s history

The Earth keeps getting hotter and experts fear this year's El Niño, nicknamed 'Godzilla' because of its predicted intensity, could raise global temperatures by up to 3.6C. Environment correspondent Damien Gayle spoke to climate scientists to understand how the weather phenomenon and the climate crisis pose a huge threat to the planet

• ‘Super’ El Niño could cause global food price shock lasting into 2028, analysts say

• El Niño is back with a vengeance – and fears of ‘Godzilla’ strength may be the least of our worries

Mediating a deal at the 11th hour between Iran and the US, Pakistan has emerged as an unexpected negotiator between the two countries and is now preparing to host their delegations for peace talks. Even as the US-Iran ceasefire looked increasingly precarious amid Israel’s continued bombardment of Lebanon, Pakistani officials insisted the make-or-break peace negotiations would be going ahead over the weekend as planned. The Guardian's South Asia correspondent, Hannah Ellis-Petersen, explains how Pakistan secured what has been called its 'biggest diplomatic win' in years

• How Pakistan secured ‘biggest diplomatic win in years’ with Iran ceasefire

• Islamabad prepares to host historic negotiations between Iran and the US

The US president seems to have turned his attention to Cuba in recent weeks, saying that it was 'next'. Officials from both countries have reportedly been in negotiations since February however the content of the discussions remains unclear. The Guardian spoke with professor emeritus of international relations Dr Philip Brenner about what the US might really want with the Island

Over two days in October 2025, up to 10,000 people are believed to have been massacred; a further 40,000 civilians from the Sudanese city are still unaccounted for. This is the story of what happened

In the pistachio green Toyota Land Cruiser rattling over the desert plain, Aboud Khater pressed his foot to the floor. Behind, the sun rose above El Fasher. Smoke belched from the stricken city. Khater was driving the last vehicle of the final evacuation convoy from El Fasher.

It was 5:45am on 27 October 2025. He couldn’t have waited any longer. The historic capital of Sudan’s sprawling region of Darfur would capitulate in the next two hours.

Attacks on facilities by both sides in the conflict this week threaten grave consequences for the global economy

• Middle East crisis – live updates

The escalating attacks on key oil and gas projects in the Middle East are expected to fuel a new phase of the ongoing conflict, with profound consequences for the world’s energy supplies and the global economy.

The Iran regime has vowed to target a string of key energy infrastructure across the region after warning that an Israeli strike on a production facility for its largest gasfield at South Pars on Wednesday had ignited a “full-scale economic war”.

After the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran, Tehran has responded with retaliatory attacks across the Middle East. The Guardian's defence editor, Dan Sabbagh, explains what military capabilities Iran has and how long it might be able to sustain the war

• Iran’s Shahed drones have brought terror to Ukrainian skies – now they are being deployed in the Middle East

Streets empty as residents shield from chaos of retaliatory attacks after death of ‘El Mencho’ in federal raid

Mexico is on alert after cartel gunmen went on a violent rampage of revenge in response to federal forces killing their leader, a notorious mob boss known as “El Mencho”.

Authorities had attempted to capture Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes in the western state of Jalisco on Sunday but the raid led to a firefight that fatally wounded the infamous leader and killed six of his accomplices, according to officials.

The Syrian government has taken control of several prison camps holding Islamic State (IS) suspects in the north-east of the country. The takeover took place after the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which previously controlled the facilities, signed a ceasefire agreement with the government. Hundreds of prisoners reportedly fled the camps during fighting before the truce. Damascus claims to have recaptured most of the escapees, but the instability has reignited fears over the resurgence of IS in the region

• Concern over north-east Syria security amid fears IS militants could re-emerge

Israel military chief, Eyal Zamir, announced on Monday that the 'yellow line', drawn up by the October ceasefire plan, was a 'new border' for Israel. This line has become a lethal boundary, preventing Palestinians entering an area representing 58% of their territory. The Guardian's chief Middle East correspondent, Emma Graham-Harrison, describes life on the ground for those forced on an ever-smaller part of their land. Israeli officials claim forces are being 'deployed in Gaza in accordance with the ceasefire outline'

• ‘Yellow line’ that divides Gaza under Trump plan is ‘new border’ for Israel, says military chief

• ‘Bloodshed was supposed to stop’: no sign of normal life as Gaza’s killing and misery grind on

Nour AbuShammala has returned to her partly destroyed apartment in Gaza City. This is her story of multiple displacements, injury and devastation over the last two years

When 26-year-old Nour AbuShammala stepped back into her family’s apartment in Gaza City in October the rooms were gutted, the walls were damaged by bombing, and there was no water or electricity, but it was still home.

Since the outbreak of war in October 2023 she has been forced to flee six times. This is her story of relentless displacement, survival and loss, told using photography and videos provided by AbuShammala and satellite imagery of a ruined Gaza.

In August, Donald Trump started a campaign of aggression against Venezuela. The US president first launched airstrikes on alleged drug boats off the coast of the South American country – a move largely condemned as extrajudicial killings – then deployed US naval assets in the Caribbean. The Guardian's Latin America correspondent, Tom Phillips, explains why the claims the targeted boats were carrying drugs destined for the US are dubious and what Trump's actions could mean for the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro

• Venezuela’s Maduro urges Trump to avoid Afghanistan-style ‘forever war’