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.

David Attenborough has spent more than seven decades bringing the natural world into our living rooms, becoming one of the first truly recognisable faces on television.

From his seminal 1950s series Zoo Quest to the groundbreaking Life on Earth documentaries of the 80s and 90s, and more recently his hard hitting explorations of the climate crisis, including Ocean, Attenborough has left an indelible mark on film and TV

• Happy centenary, David! Attenborough’s 100 most spectacular TV moments

• ‘The greatest ambassador for life on Earth’: Tributes paid to David Attenborough on his 100th birthday

• ‘A true pinch-me moment’: memories of David Attenborough as he turns 100

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

Warning: this video contains footage that may be distressing to some viewers.

In October 2025, 122 people were killed in what would become Rio’s deadliest police operation. ‘Operation Containment’ was designed to arrest members of one of Brazil's most powerful organised crime groups, the Red Command.

Three months after the police raid many questions still remain, but the Guardian's investigation found that at least one person killed was not a gang member. Police chiefs and conservative politicians have hailed it as a historic blow to organised crime but activists, security experts, the families of the dead, and even Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, have called a disastrous and futile massacre.

A team of journalists across the Guardian has pieced together police body-camera footage, satellite imagery and pictures and video posted to social media to get the clearest picture to date of what happened that day.

• Rio’s bloodiest day: the untold story of Brazil’s most deadly police raid