Former House speaker says ex-president has ‘cemented his legacy of shame’ over January 6 attack, prompting bizarre riposte from Trump

• Trump serenaded by Republicans on Capitol visit

Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic former House speaker, mounted a forceful denunciation of Thursday’s first visit to the US Capitol by Donald Trump since he incited a mob to attack it on January 6 2021, accusing him of returning with “the same mission of dismantling our democracy”.

In remarks that triggered a fresh war of words between the pair, Pelosi said the former president’s visit to discuss strategy with congressional Republicans in advance of the election amounted to a symbolic return to the scene of a crime that he deliberately initiated.

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© Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

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© Photograph: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

Democrats only need to flip a handful of seats to get back control of the lower chamber – here’s what to keep an eye on

Much attention has been paid to the rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in November, but the results of down-ballot elections will determine whether the victor in the presidential race will actually be able to implement his legislative agenda next year.

With Republicans defending a narrow majority in the House of Representatives, Democrats only need to flip a handful of seats to wrest back control of the lower chamber, and both parties are going all out to secure a majority.

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© Illustration: Guardian Design

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© Illustration: Guardian Design

Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs ordered the operation, which used fake social media accounts urging U.S. lawmakers to fund Israel’s military, according to officials and documents about the effort.

© Gabriela Bhaskar for The New York Times, Kenny Holston/The New York Times

The decision came after a scorching hearing in which lawmakers barraged EcoHealth Alliance’s president with claims of misrepresenting work with Chinese virologists.

© Ting Shen for The New York Times

While Congress says the social app is a security threat, critics of the law targeting it say it shows how out of step lawmakers are with young people.

© Kent Nishimura for The New York Times

A tiny group of lawmakers huddled in private about a year ago, aiming to keep the discussions away from TikTok lobbyists while bulletproofing a bill that could ban the app.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times