Headline News

Mike Johnson says Trump administration has ‘every right’ to move around ‘duly appropriated dollars from Congress to Department of Defense’

China has hit back at accusations from the US that it is trying to hurt the world economy, as the trade war between the world’s two biggest economies appeared to re-escalate, amped up by aggressive rhetoric on both sides.

China’s commerce ministry said on Tuesday that the US was “threatening to intimidate” with the prospect of new tariffs on Chinese exports, “which is not the right way to get along with China”. Its spokesperson said that China would “fight to the end” in trade talks.

Brandon Dawson’s gourd that weighs as much as a small sedan was crowned winner after he lost by 6lb last year

A California engineer and gardening enthusiast won the top prize at an annual pumpkin-weighing contest in northern California after growing a giant jack-o’-lantern gourd weighing 2,346lbs (1,064kg).

Brandon Dawson, of Santa Rosa, California, clinched the victory Monday at the 52nd World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco.

Brandon Dawson’s gourd that weighs as much as a small sedan was crowned winner after he lost by 6lbs last year

A California engineer and gardening enthusiast won the top prize at an annual pumpkin-weighing contest in northern California after growing a giant jack-o’-lantern gourd weighing 2,346lbs (1,064kg).

Brandon Dawson, of Santa Rosa, California, clinched the victory Monday at the 52nd World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco.

Cody Balmer admitted to setting the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion ablaze, causing millions in damage

A man who scaled an iron security fence in the middle of the night, eluded police and used beer bottles filled with gasoline to ignite the occupied mansion of Pennsylvania governor, Josh Shapiro, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to attempted murder and other charges.

Cody Balmer, 38, also entered pleas to terrorism, 22 counts of arson, aggravated arson, burglary, aggravated assault of Shapiro, 21 counts of reckless endangerment and loitering on 13 April. The fire resulted in millions of dollars in damage to the state-owned brick building.

Guardian staff contributed reporting

Former president urges support for the ballot measure Democrats say could add up to five US House seats

In a new ad released Tuesday, Barack Obama urged California voters to support Proposition 50, a November ballot measure that could reshape the state’s congressional map and deliver up to five new Democratic seats in the US House.

“California, the whole nation is counting on you,” the former two-term Democratic president says in the video. “Democracy is on the ballot.”