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Kevin McCarthy voted out as US House speaker

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Kevin McCarthy

Kevin McCarthy voted out as US House speaker

Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, was fired on Tuesday in a violent takeover by far-right Republican legislators enraged by his collaboration with Democrats.

The House backed a motion “to vacate the office of the speaker” with a 216-210 majority, laying the groundwork for a historic race to replace McCarthy a year before the presidential election.

McCarthy felled by his own side

Republican Kevin McCarthy rode the tiger of far-right US politics led by Donald Trump to achieve his dream of becoming House speaker early this year. Then on Tuesday, the tiger turned and ate him up.

The 55th speaker of the House of Representatives was booted out in a shock vote brought by rebels in his own party who have seethed in the nine months since McCarthy narrowly quelled their attempts to block him and managed to claim the most powerful job in Congress.

No other speaker a position second in line from the presidency in the federal hierarchy has been ousted in US history.

It was an undignified end—for now, at least—to an unstable, unauthoritative tenure by a lawmaker who made his mark as a so-called conservative “Young Gun,” only to get battered by his party’s shifting political currents.

Like many in Congress, he had berated Trump after the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riot. But the ambitious lawmaker sensed the winds changing and quickly reversed himself, making a public trip down to Florida to make peace with Trump, thereby securing crucial support for his speakership ambitions.

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Once McCarthy, 58, got what he wanted, though, he faced an uncomfortable reality: his grip on power would from then on be at the whim of his party’s burn-down-the-house hardliners.

Compromise kills

In May, he strode into a tense standoff with Democratic President Joe Biden over authorizing an extension of the national debt limit.

He struck an 11th-hour deal to avert a catastrophic US debt default, and while he hailed it as a victory for conservatives and good governance, he faced backlash from hardliners who said he had made too many concessions on spending cuts.

His limited engagement with Democrats was again the subject of the far-right’s ire last week when he used votes from the rival party to stave off a government shutdown.

The move defied hardliners—and Trump—who advocated harsh tactics in pursuit of forcing massive spending cuts and bringing down the country’s $31 trillion-plus debt burden.

Haunted from the start

McCarthy has described himself as an “optimist,” but there has been no placating the uncompromising right-wing of the Republican Party that flourished under Trump and never went away.

Simply to secure the speakership in January, it took him a record 15 rounds of voting to win, and he finally got over the line only after making concessions to a bloc of around 20 far-right Republicans.

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Analysts at the time immediately predicted this would come back to haunt McCarthy by putting the hardliners in the driving seat.

One of those concessions was a rule change that made it possible for just one disgruntled member to call a vote for a new speaker of the House, effectively dangling a sword over McCarthy.

Backbencher Matt Gaetz, a Trump loyalist and emerging face of the far-right, seized on that change and filed the so-called motion to vacate the chair, leading to McCarthy’s ouster on Tuesday.

Networker

The speaker wields huge influence in Washington by presiding over House business and is second in line to the presidency after the vice president.

Nothing prevents McCarthy from running for speaker again. But the question is: can his party overcome its internal feuds and hand him back the gavel, or will they turn to new blood?

McCarthy, who represents the conservative enclave of Bakersfield in liberal California, has been in politics for most of his adult life as a state legislator and US lawmaker in Washington.

McCarthy, the son of a firefighter and grandson of a cattle rancher, grew up in a working-class household.

He married his high school sweetheart, and the couple still lives in the first house they bought, where they raised two children.

McCarthy, first elected to Congress in 2006, has no major legislative achievements to his name and has never chaired a House committee, unlike each of the last three speakers.

However, the silver-haired, impeccably dressed lawmaker is a consummate networker, admired for his prolific fundraising and his people management.

Kevin McCarthy voted out as US House speaker

(AFP)

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Trump Makes Stunning Admission: ‘I Will Always Hate Some of My Enemies’

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Trump Makes Stunning Admission: ‘I Will Always Hate Some of My Enemies’
Donald Trump
Trump Makes Stunning Admission: ‘I Will Always Hate Some of My Enemies’

US President Donald Trump has declared that he cannot forgive some of his political enemies, even if doing so were necessary to enter heaven, insisting that he would rather be honest about his feelings than pretend to forgive them.

Trump made the remarks during an interview with CBS News’ 60 Minutes, aired on Sunday, November 8, 2026, while discussing his religious beliefs, death and political grievances.

CBS correspondent Ross Douthat asked Trump whether he would forgive political opponents, including former FBI Director James Comey and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, if forgiveness were a condition for entering paradise.

Trump questioned whether pretending to forgive people he disliked would amount to being dishonest.

“Well, then I wouldn’t be real, would I?” he asked.

Pressed for a direct answer, the president replied: “The answer is no. I want to be honest, no.”

He linked his resentment towards some political opponents to what he described as their treatment of him, including his criminal indictments and two impeachments.

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“I do hate some of my enemies. I think they’ve been terrible. Look what they’ve put me through, the weaponisation. I got indicted, I got impeached,” he said.

When Douthat asked whether his achievements and extraordinary life could help him find it in his heart to forgive his opponents, Trump maintained that he probably could not.

“I probably cannot do that, no, because I do hate some of my enemies, and I always will,” he added.

The conversation also turned to religion and life after death, with Douthat asking Trump where he believed he would go when he died.

Describing himself as a religious person, Trump said he hoped to enter heaven.

“I’m a religious person, so in theory, I go to heaven,” he said.

Douthat also referred to Trump’s remarks at the memorial service of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, where Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, spoke about the importance of Christian forgiveness.

The exchange prompted questions about whether the president could reconcile his religious beliefs with his refusal to forgive some political opponents.

Towards the end of the interview, Douthat asked how Trump wanted his presidency to be remembered 100 years from now.

Trump said he wanted to be remembered as the president who “made America great again”, a reference to his long-standing political slogan.

His comments have attracted attention because of the contrast between the Christian message of forgiveness raised during the interview and his admission that he remains unwilling to forgive some political opponents.

 

Trump Makes Stunning Admission: ‘I Will Always Hate Some of My Enemies’

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Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside

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Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside
Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside

A man who reportedly visited the headquarters of luxury car manufacturer Bugatti in search of employment allegedly drove away in the company chief executive’s £2 million sports car after discovering that its keys had been left inside.

The incident involved Mate Rimac, the Croatian businessman and chief executive of Bugatti, whose personal Bugatti Chiron was stolen from the company’s production and technology campus near Zagreb, Croatia.

The suspect, a Croatian man in his mid-30s, reportedly entered the facility looking for a job before spotting the high-performance vehicle with its keys inside and driving away.

Rimac disclosed the incident in a series of posts on Instagram, explaining that he had routinely left the keys inside his vehicles because he considered Croatia a safe place.

He admitted that the habit had continued for years without any incident until the Chiron disappeared.

The theft was discovered after an employee alerted colleagues that an unfamiliar person had driven away in the expensive vehicle.

Rimac immediately contacted the police and used the car’s built-in tracking and telemetry system to monitor its movements.

The tracking technology provided information about the vehicle’s location, speed and fuel level, allowing the Bugatti team to follow its journey and share updates with law enforcement officers.

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After discovering that the stolen vehicle was heading towards Slovenia, Rimac jumped into a Porsche 911 and pursued it.

The pursuit continued across borders, with the Chiron eventually reaching Austria. Rimac and his team maintained communication with the police through a group chat, providing updates that helped Austrian officers locate and intercept the vehicle.

The suspect was subsequently arrested in Austria, where Rimac later met him at a police station.

According to the Bugatti boss, the man explained that he had initially visited the company’s premises to seek employment but decided to take the car after noticing that its keys were inside.

Rimac said he was not planning to press charges against the suspect. However, he acknowledged that the man could still face prosecution because of the high value of the stolen vehicle.

The CEO also revealed that he had considered giving the suspect a lift home to his family but police officers did not allow him to do so.

The recovered Chiron sustained some damage during the incident, although Rimac said it could be repaired.

The businessman thanked the Austrian police for their intervention, saying he was relieved that nobody was injured during the incident.

He also admitted that the experience had taught him an expensive lesson, promising never again to leave the keys inside his vehicles.

The Bugatti Chiron, unveiled in 2016, is one of the world’s most powerful luxury hypercars. The model has a starting price of about €2.4 million, equivalent to approximately £2 million, and a manufacturer-limited top speed of 420 kilometres per hour.

Bugatti operates under Bugatti Rimac, a joint venture in which Rimac Group holds a majority stake.

The unusual theft has attracted international attention because of the vehicle’s value, the suspect’s reported reason for visiting the facility and the extraordinary cross-border pursuit involving the Bugatti chief executive.

Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside

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Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government

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Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has given opposition leader and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form the country’s next government, dealing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a major political setback after a closely contested general election.

Herzog announced his decision on Saturday, November 7, 2026, following consultations with political parties elected to the 26th Knesset, Israel’s parliament.

Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, emerged with the highest number of recommendations from lawmakers, receiving the backing of representatives from factions controlling 67 seats, compared with 46 seats for Netanyahu. Representatives of another faction controlling seven seats did not recommend either candidate.

The decision followed the October 27 general election, which left neither Netanyahu’s governing bloc nor the opposition grouping with the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition secured 53 seats, while the four-party opposition alliance led by Eisenkot won 48. The two Arab-led parties made significant gains, securing a combined 19 seats, placing them in a potentially decisive position in negotiations over the next government.

Eisenkot is expected to receive the formal mandate from Herzog at a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on Sunday, November 8.

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Under the Israeli government-formation process, he will have 28 days to negotiate a coalition, with the possibility of a further 14-day extension.

The former military chief will face difficult negotiations because his opposition alliance does not have enough seats to govern independently. Although the Arab-led parties have endorsed him, Eisenkot has previously expressed reservations about forming a coalition with them.

One possible route is to establish a minority government with support from Arab-led lawmakers on confidence votes and key legislation. Another option would involve reaching an agreement with ultra-Orthodox parties that have traditionally aligned with Netanyahu.

However, both options could create tensions within Eisenkot’s own political alliance, particularly among members who oppose relying on Arab parties or making concessions to religious parties.

A broader national unity government involving Netanyahu’s Likud party is another possibility, although the two leaders have significant disagreements over key political and security issues.

Eisenkot has previously ruled out serving in a government alongside Netanyahu, while criticising the prime minister’s handling of the war in Gaza and his reliance on far-right political partners.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, had sought to prevent an opposition-led government from emerging with the support of Arab-led parties.

Shortly before Herzog announced his decision, Netanyahu called for a national unity government and warned against the formation of an administration dependent on what he described as supporters of terrorism, referring to the Arab-led parties.

His comments drew criticism from Eisenkot’s political camp, which accused the prime minister of using divisive language to undermine the opposition’s efforts to form a government.

The Arab-led parties, which represent a significant section of Israel’s Palestinian citizens, have indicated their willingness to support efforts to end Netanyahu’s long tenure in office.

Their combined 19 seats could provide Eisenkot with the parliamentary backing needed to overcome the deadlock, although securing a workable arrangement remains uncertain.

Eisenkot, 66, served as chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces from 2015 to 2019 before entering politics in 2022. He later served as an observer in Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.

He subsequently became one of Netanyahu’s most prominent critics, particularly over the conduct of the war in Gaza, the government’s security decisions and the influence of far-right politicians.

If Eisenkot fails to form a government within the stipulated period, Herzog may give another candidate the opportunity to try. If the process remains unsuccessful, Israel could be forced into another general election.

Netanyahu will remain prime minister in a caretaker capacity until a new government is sworn in.

Herzog’s decision therefore represents an important development in Israel’s political transition, but the final outcome will depend on whether Eisenkot can overcome divisions among opposition parties and secure sufficient parliamentary support.

Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government

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