US accuses China’s Moonshot AI of stealing technology from American rival

In a dramatic outcome that has sent shockwaves through the Democratic establishment, progressive public health advocate Dr Abdul El-Sayed has secured the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate in Michigan, narrowly defeating establishment-backed Representative Haley Stevens. The contest to replace retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters had emerged as a central battleground between the party’s moderate and progressive factions. Stevens, a four-term congresswoman with deep ties to Washington leadership, had entered the primary with formidable institutional backing and substantial financial support, including over $30 million (£23.5 million) spent on her behalf by political action committees affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Despite being outspent by a margin of roughly nine to one, El-Sayed built a coalition anchored by strong turnout among young voters, working-class communities, and urban centres such as Detroit and Ann Arbor. Backed by prominent progressive figures including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, El-Sayed campaigned on a platform of universal healthcare, campaign finance reform, higher taxes on wealthy corporations, and an immediate end to foreign military aid. “We built this campaign brick by brick”, El-Sayed told cheering supporters at his election night watch party in Detroit, emphasising that grassroots engagement ultimately proved more powerful than dark-money political action committees. The progressive momentum extended down-ballot across the state. In Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, Democratic Socialist Donavan McKinney unseated incumbent Representative Shri Thanedar, an outspoken supporter of military aid to Israel, while progressive activist William Lawrence clinched the nomination in another competitive congressional district. The primary result sets up a high-stakes November general election against Republican nominee Mike Rogers, a former congressman who ran unopposed. Rogers and national Republican strategists have already signalled plans to paint El-Sayed’s left-wing platform as out of touch with Midwestern swing-state voters. For Democrats, the contest will serve as an ultimate test of whether a bold progressive message can unite the party base and retain a seat vital to determining control of the US Senate.

A US federal judge has formally dismissed criminal bribery and fraud charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, bringing an end to a high-profile prosecution while issuing a sharp rebuke over how the Department of Justice handled the case. US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis approved the Justice Department’s request to drop all charges with prejudice, permanently barring prosecutors from refiling the case. The decision closes an investigation launched in 2024 that accused Adani and senior executives of paying over $250 million in bribes to Indian officials to secure solar energy contracts while misleading American investors. In a 47-page order, Judge Garaufis voiced deep concern over procedural irregularities, noting that senior Justice Department official R. Trent McCotter negotiated the dismissal directly with Adani’s defence team without consulting the FBI agents and career prosecutors handling the investigation. The judge also scrutinized whether Adani’s public pledge to invest $10 billion in the United States and create 15,000 jobs influenced the outcome. While Garaufis ultimately concluded the investment promise did not legally dictate the government’s decision, he warned that the unusual handling of the case raised troubling questions about public perception of equal justice. The dismissal follows efforts by Adani’s legal team, led by prominent attorney Robert J. Giuffra Jr., who argued that much of the alleged conduct occurred outside US jurisdiction and no longer aligned with federal enforcement priorities. Adani, who maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, welcomed the ruling in a statement, expressing deep respect for the judicial process.

Romanian naval forces detonated 180 kilogrammes of explosives to clear a massive rock obstruction in the drought-stricken Danube River, attempting to channel essential cooling water towards the country’s sole remaining functional nuclear reactor at Cernavoda. The blast was designed to clear the riverbed and facilitate the construction of a temporary dam to boost water volume heading to the facility. The intervention follows Romania’s declaration of a nationwide state of emergency for August after record-low water levels forced one reactor to shut down entirely. Romanian Defence Minister Radu Miruta defended the costs of the operation, emphasising that maintaining operational capacity at the facility even for a few additional days far outweighs the financial expenditure. Regional energy strains are mounting simultaneously in neighbouring Hungary, where severe water depletion at the Paks nuclear power station has drastically cut output. Prime Minister Peter Magyar warned that a complete plant shutdown could occur next week without weather relief, urging regional coordination and energy restraint to avoid a wider crisis as low rainfall continues across Eastern Europe.