Full Story

In just a few hours, polls will close in what is being called the most consequential election in US history. With pre-polling showing the race is too close to call, it is not known whether the result will immediately be known, with some analysts saying it could take days for a winner to be declared. Reporter and live blogger Helen Sullivan tells Nour Haydar how she plans to navigate the results – and what to look out for as the count begins You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport

Americans are on the eve of election day with only hours to go until the first polls open. The race remains too tight to call and all eyes are on the seven swing states that will determine the outcome. Washington DC bureau chief, David Smith, tells Reged Ahmad about how America is poised to choose between two realities You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport

The Harris campaign is making a special effort to reach out to young voters. So how important will they be? The Guardian democracy reporter Alice Herman travels to rallies, campuses and college bars in Wisconsin to get a sense of whether young voters can swing the US election

Ahead of the 2024 US election, Madeleine Finlay speaks to climate activist and author Bill McKibben to find out what a win for Donald Trump could mean for the environment and the world’s climate goals

Just two weeks ago, the prime minister was engulfed in a crisis of optics when he purchased a $4.3m property in middle of a housing crisis. Now, he is under pressure once more for allegedly seeking free Qantas flight upgrades directly from then CEO Alan Joyce while serving as transport minister and opposition leader – allegations he has denied. Reged Ahmad speaks to political editor Karen Middleton on the politics of perks and why Anthony Albanese is facing a possible perception problem

What happens when the human body is treated like a machine – pushed to its limit – for the sake of a company’s efficiency standards? Former and current staff at Woolworths allege that the supermarket has been cracking down in a way they describe as ‘bullying’ and unsafe, something the company’s supply chain arm denies.Reged Ahmad asks investigations reporter Ariel Bogle if Woolworths’ warehouse tactics are putting their health and safety at risk

PFAS, more commonly known as “forever chemicals”, are a group of chemicals that have been used in manufacturing since the 1950s. They’re found in everything from waterproof clothing to electrical devices, and they take decades to degrade. There are thousands of different types, and now research has shown that some of them may cause cancer, prompting the government to recommend that the amount of certain chemicals allowed in our drinking water should be reduced. Matilda Boseley asks science reporter Donna Lu whether these chemicals are as scary as their name suggests and how much of a risk they pose to human health

Independent senator for Victoria, Lidia Thorpe’s protest before King Charles in the Great Hall of Parliament House last week caught news attention around the globe. While it prompted a few reactions, it also started a conversation about the British monarchy’s role in the lasting legacy of colonisation for First Nations people. Reged Ahmad speaks to political editor Karen Middleton on why Australians can’t stop talking about the royal protest and what it means for Thorpe’s role as a senator You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport

Harry Shukman of the anti-racism group Hope Not Hate went undercover to expose how some of the wealthiest and most powerful people see race. He tells Michael Safi what he found

Why is the tech billionaire owner of X spending millions on helping the Republican campaign? What does he get out of it? What’s at stake for him if Kamala Harris wins the US election on 5 November? Jonathan Freedland speaks to the Guardian US democracy reporter focused on misinformation, Rachel Leingang

Oritsé Williams of JLS and the Guardian’s head rock and pop critic Alexis Petridis reflect on the singer’s extraordinary success and his struggles with the fame that came with it

In Queensland, the state election has been dominated by one word: abortion. It follows an anti-abortion bill in South Australia that would force women seeking an abortion after 27 weeks and six days – an extremely rare occurrence – to be induced to deliver the child alive, and either to keep it or put it up for adoption. The bill was narrowly defeated by just one vote. As this conversation infiltrates state politics, conservatives have already begun putting it on the national agenda.Bridie Jabour talks to editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor and national news editor Josephine Tovey about what the consequences will be when we turn abortion into a culture war

In just under two weeks, Americans will choose their next president. Will it be Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor and the current vice-president, who would become the first woman and woman of colour to be president? Or will it be Donald Trump, a convicted felon and a legally defined sexual predator? Reged Ahmad speaks to Washington DC bureau chief David Smith about the stark choice facing voters and why no one can predict what will happen on November 5

The Shincheonji church is an international Christian sect, which started in South Korea. The group is being accused of bizarre recruitment strategies at a number of Australian universities and former members have made allegations of ‘coercive control’ tactics that include love-bombing and sleep deprivation. Medical editor Melissa Davey speaks to Reged Ahmad about the experiences of families of current members, as well as former members, about life on the inside of this alleged ‘doomsday cult’

A spate of more than a dozen separate attacks on gay men across Australia since July has sparked concern among the LGBTQ+ community. In some cases – but not all – police have alleged homophobic comments were made and several of the incidents were filmed. Reporter Josh Taylor speaks to Tamsin Rose about concerns some people online are promoting ‘methods of attack’ and how men are being targeted after agreeing to meetings via apps such as Grindr

Blue whales are the largest animals to have ever lived but they were once hunted to the brink of extinction. The international community only agreed to stop hunting them in 1965 when they numbered fewer than 200. Now scientists are using new methods to learn whether the number of blue whales in the wild is increasing – and they are seeing and hearing promising signs. Reporter Luca Ittamani speaks to marine mammal acoustician Brian Miller about the whale’s Antarctic resurgence You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport

The Harris campaign, which has been praised for how it has managed to reach out to women, is now having to balance their attention and pitch some policies that would appeal to men. But is it too little too late? Jonathan Freedland speaks to Richard Reeves, the president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, and Gloria Oladipo, a breaking news reporter for Guardian US, about why men could decide this year’s election and why both campaigns might be taking them for granted You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport

Since the beginning of its war in Gaza, Israel has been hunting one man in particular – Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar. For a year, Israeli soldiers have used drones, radar and ground troops to try to find him, while in Gaza the death toll among Palestinians grew unimaginably in the conflict Sinwar helped to ignite. Then came the news he had been killed. How could his death change the conflict in the Middle East? Julian Borger reports.

This week, news broke that Anthony Albanese purchased a slice of paradise set on the clifftops of the NSW Central Coast. Forking out $4.3m on a property created some bruising headlines for the prime minister, but did he actually do anything wrong?Bridie Jabour talks to editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor, deputy editor Patrick Keanelly and national news editor Jo Tovey about what the anger around the PM’s beach house says about the state of the housing crisis

On Friday, King Charles will touch down in Australia. The six-day tour will take in Sydney and Canberra and is the first visit by a sitting monarch in 13 years. But not everyone is excited. Reporter Kate Lyons tells Matilda Boseley on how the king’s visit has reignited the republic debate – even if the government seems to have given up on the idea