In an extraordinary development on the eve of the midterm elections, Congresswoman Haley Stevens has endorsed Republican Mike Rogers, the opponent of her former primary rival Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan's Senate race. Stevens, who lost the Democratic primary to El-Sayed, made the announcement via a video posted to X after attending an event with Rogers at the Perfecting church in Detroit on Sunday. The endorsement represents the culmination of a growing feud between the two candidates, primarily centered on their differing stances regarding support for Israel, which has intensified one of the most fiercely contested Senate races of the cycle.
The political rift had already reached a point where El-Sayed requested that Stevens refrain from attending his campaign events. Stevens's decision to back Rogers coincides with President Donald Trump unleashing what has been described as a racist tirade against El-Sayed during a rally in Iowa. The President, referring to the practicing Muslim candidate as a "jihadist lunatic," claimed that Congress would require a special metal detector for El-Sayed if he were elected. Trump further contrasted Rogers with El-Sayed by stating, "Mike Rodgers is apple pie," while warning voters against supporting "communists or jihadists" and the Muslim Brotherhood.
In other political news, a judge has dismissed a lawsuit backed by Donald Trump that sought to block the certification of Alaska's Senate race results should Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan lose. The Justice Department had filed the suit less than two weeks before Election Day, arguing that voter confusion could arise from the presence of two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot. While the department plans to appeal the ruling, a recent investigation by The New York Times suggests that aides for Democrat Mary Peltola recruited a man sharing Sullivan's name to join the race as a strategy to split votes, though Peltola has denied any knowledge of such a scheme.
Elsewhere in global affairs, investors have withdrawn $3.6 billion from the cryptocurrency exchange Binance following a record-breaking hack that stole $6.3 billion from customer accounts on Thursday. Experts have identified North Korea as the likely culprit behind what is being described as the largest heist in history. After initially freezing withdrawals to investigate the breach, Binance announced a phased reopening of its services on Sunday.
In Israel, Yousef Jabareen, leader of the main Palestinian coalition holding the balance of power after recent elections, stated that the country faces a historic opportunity to change direction. Jabareen expressed readiness to join forces with the Change bloc to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition. President Isaac Herzog is expected to summon political leaders to determine who will be given the first chance to form the next government, as Netanyahu's coalition has lost its majority.
Diplomatic tensions remain high regarding the US-Iran conflict, with officials from Gulf states bracing for potential escalation while awaiting Washington's response to an Iranian proposal that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Indirect talks in Doha entered their third day on Sunday, with UAE envoy Anwar Gargash noting that further escalation serves neither Iran nor its neighbors.
In sports and culture, Italian driver Kimi Antonelli became the youngest ever Formula 1 world champion after securing third place in the Mexican Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy was hospitalized following a stroke he suffered while attending his son's hockey game. In Florida, all nine people aboard a business jet crashed en route to the Bahamas from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport have died.
Legal and environmental developments include a lawsuit filed by the parents of a woman who died after ChatGPT allegedly provided incorrect medical advice on reducing her anti-seizure medication dosage. Additionally, Juan Atkins, a pioneer of Detroit techno known as Model 500 and half of the duo Cybotron, has passed away at the age of 64. On the economic front, nine major oil firms are projected to share over $95 billion in profits for two consecutive quarters, driven by rising fossil fuel prices due to the war in the Middle East.
In a lighter note from Australia, Matthew Maurice caught an 80cm barramundi during a competition in the Northern Territory that was tagged with a top prize of one million Australian dollars, equivalent to $700,000. Maurice expressed his disbelief at catching a fish worth such a significant sum during a press conference.
Sources: The Guardian World.