Progressive physician Abdul El-Sayed — backed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — narrowly defeated incumbent Rep. Haley Stevens by less than one percentage point in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, despite pre-election polls showing him ahead by fifteen. Republicans are openly celebrating, viewing El-Sayed as far easier to defeat than the more moderate Stevens in November. If elected, he would be the nation's first Muslim senator; he'll face Republican Mike Rogers in one of the cycle's most watched races.
Voters in Michigan, Virginia, Kansas, Missouri, and Washington headed to the polls Wednesday in key 2026 midterm primaries. In Missouri, Rep. Wesley Bell defeated progressive firebrand Cori Bush for the second consecutive time, handing the Democratic establishment a rare win over its left flank. Jocelyn Benson claimed Michigan's Democratic gubernatorial nod, setting up another competitive fall matchup.
A new Washington Examiner midterm analysis finds Republican confidence quietly ticking upward as far-left candidates continue to topple moderate Democrats in primaries — a dynamic analysts say could backfire on Democrats in November swing districts. Trump's endorsement record in GOP primaries remains strong, adding to the picture. Electoral math in several competitive districts is being scrambled by the progressive surge.
Adam Candeub, Trump's pick to lead the Justice Department's Antitrust Division, testified before the Senate Wednesday in a hearing with major stakes for ongoing cases against Google over search dominance and Apple over its App Store. How Candeub steers those suits will define the administration's relationship with Silicon Valley for years. His confirmation remains uncertain given bipartisan cross-pressures from both tech-friendly and tech-skeptic lawmakers.
The U.S., Iran, and Oman were on the verge of a deal Wednesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after days of intense negotiations, with a proposed 60-day interim arrangement separating tanker traffic lanes and mine clearing to follow within 30 days. Trump told Fox News bluntly: "The Strait is going to be open very soon, or they're going to get hit very hard." Gas prices have remained elevated nationwide throughout the closure of the critical oil chokepoint.
U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and Lebanon broke down in Rome on Tuesday, with negotiators citing "events on the ground," as the IDF simultaneously launched what it called precise strikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. Lebanon's defense minister had already counted nearly 3,500 Israeli strikes since the ceasefire was supposed to have begun. The collapse marks the most serious test yet of Trump's broader Middle East framework.
Spain's interior minister denied receiving any intelligence warning before tens of thousands of migrants stormed the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in what is being called the largest illegal migration event in EU history — at least 72 people died in the crossing. Investigators confirmed that at least ten individuals with prior jihadism convictions were among the crowd. In a stunning secondary development, Spain's socialist government fired a national security staffer for publicly disclosing real-time migration numbers during the crisis.
The United States became the first nation in history to achieve criticality in three distinct advanced microreactor designs within a single month, capping a federal pilot program at Idaho National Laboratory. The three reactors — Antares Nuclear's Mark-0, Valar Atomics' Ward 250, and Deployable Energy's Unity — all hit the milestone, fulfilling Trump's July 4 nuclear energy deadline. Experts are calling it the most significant domestic nuclear development since 1973.
NASA astronaut Chris Williams held a post-flight news conference Tuesday following his 241-day mission aboard the International Space Station — one of the longer continuous stays in station history. Williams covered mission science results and the physical realities of readjusting to gravity after nearly eight months in microgravity. Under Administrator Jared Isaacman, NASA is highlighting long-duration missions as proof points for upcoming lunar and Mars programs.
Barry Manilow abruptly cancelled a show in Lexington, Kentucky just 45 minutes before the curtain was set to rise, citing unforeseen circumstances tied to his ongoing lung cancer recovery — fans were already seated in the arena. Manilow was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer in late 2025, underwent a lobectomy, and beat the disease, but has been openly struggling to reclaim his voice and stamina for live performance. The 82-year-old has cancelled several dates throughout his recovery tour.
