American congresswoman and activist, serving since 2019 as U.S. representative for New York’s 14th district
Ed Sheeran has returned to the stage in Philadelphia and has addressed the controversy after promoter Messina Touring Group removed Macklemore from remaining US dates following his onstage 'Free Palestine' remarks. Four supporting acts have withdrawn in solidarity, ticket sales have softened and some venues warned they would cancel shows if Macklemore remained on the bill.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has used his UN General Assembly address to accuse New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani of antisemitism, of supporting Hamas and of making Jewish New Yorkers feel unsafe. Mamdani has replied that Netanyahu is repeating "baseless lies" and remains subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant; protests and walkouts have followed the speech.
Arab American and Muslim candidates have won Democratic primaries in New Jersey and Michigan, backed by a pro-Palestinian funding network. Adam Hamawy in New Jersey and Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan have secured nominations in races that could shift campaign finance and foreign-policy debate within the party. Both men would be the first Muslim members of Congress if elected.
Pro-Palestine remarks have sparked a wave of artist withdrawals from Ed Sheeran’s US Loop Tour. Macklemore has been dropped by promoters, prompting fellow acts to withdraw; Sheeran blames promoters, while venue owners cite concerns over antisemitism and hate speech. The tour resumes with an unsettled lineup and ticketing questions.
Pro-Palestinian activism has entered the spotlight on Ed Sheeran’s US tour after Macklemore used the stage to speak for Gaza and Palestine. The fallout has seen sponsors and venue owners pressure promoters to drop him, while Sheeran seeks to keep the peace amid a growing cultural backlash.
Alaska’s Senate race has intensified as candidates respond to recent disclosures about campaign conduct and staff turmoil. Voters are watching how these revelations influence the balance of power on Capitol Hill in a race that remains tight amid ranked-choice voting.
Developing contests across the U.S. see heavy spending from national committees and super PACs. Texas, North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, and Kansas are among the states where ads and funding shifts aim to influence close races. The dynamic spending reflects a broader scramble to protect or seize Senate control as Election Day approaches.
A civil suit alleging drugging and rape at Cornell University’s Chi Phi fraternity has prompted Tompkins County DA to reopen the criminal investigation and present evidence to a grand jury. Cornell has sanctioned students and supported the grand jury process as questions about campus culture and accountability intensify.
President Donald Trump has signed a voluntary accord with executives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, xAI and Nvidia committing companies to four layers of internal and external AI controls, including auditors and board oversight. The pact is non‑binding, leaves disclosure and enforcement to companies, and says the measures could later be codified into law.
Cornell University has described the past week as one of its most difficult, following allegations of sexual assault by fraternity members in 2024. The university supports an independent review of its handling, backs Gov. Hochul’s push to change New York’s intoxication-law loophole, and seeks greater transparency while engaging students and alumni on Greek-life accountability.
Democrats have intensified ads tying Republican candidates to the president as affordability and Iran policy dominate voters’ concerns. Republicans are defending deep red districts, while Democrats see opportunities in rural areas previously considered safe for the GOP.
Protests erupted in Marble Hill after an ICE shooting left a Dominican man, Oscar Belgal, wounded as NYPD and DHS agents clashed with protesters. Officials condemn the incident; activists call to abolish ICE and SRG, while tensions run high over sanctuary policies.
Around 80 international volunteers and rabbis have been detained by Israeli forces while harvesting olives near Nahalin, west of Bethlehem. Brad Lander, a Democratic congressional nominee from New York, has been released with a warning; dozens of others — including US, British and Canadian citizens — have remained held while police and the military review whether the harvest lacked required coordination.
The Federal Election Commission has identified the issue affecting its electronic filing system and is implementing a fix, but the outage continues to block 24- and 48-hour reporting windows ahead of the midterm elections. An official warns of a bad actor attempting to breach the system, while spending trackers show record political ad activity in the closing days.
Egyptian-American surgeon Adam Hamawy has won a seat in the U.S. House, becoming New Jersey’s first Muslim congressman. His campaign emphasized healthcare funding and opposition to arms funding for Gaza. His background includes Army service and humanitarian medical work in Gaza, Haiti, and other conflict zones.
Mamdani has been meeting with labor leaders to push for a left-wing or labor-aligned candidate in the 2028 race, amid uncertainties about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's plans. He is coordinating behind the scenes with unions and left figures to align momentum from the midterms with a potential challenger to moderate Democrats.