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Ballot box shocker: Progressive backed by Sanders, AOC on verge of upset in Dem congressional primary

Ballot box shocker: Progressive backed by Sanders, AOC on verge of upset in Dem congressional primary

A progressive candidate backed by champions of the left, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is close to pulling off an upset victory with votes still being counted in a Democratic congressional primary for a blue-leaning seat in New Jersey. Analilia Mejia, a progressive organizer, has a slight lead – 486 votes out of more than 61,000 counted – over former Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski in the battle for their party’s nomination in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District. Mejia and Malinowski are the leaders among a field of 11 Democratic candidates in the race to fill the seat left vacant after now-Gov. Mikie Sherrill stepped down after winning November’s gubernatorial election in the Garden State. ” I do think that we have emerged victorious, but I want to first make sure that every voter, every voter’s voice is heard,” Mejia said Friday at a news conference. HOUSE GOP MAJORITY SHRINKS TO JUST ONE VOTE AS JOHNSON SWEARS IN NEW HOUSE DEMOCRAT Thursday’s primary was closely watched by Democrats as an early testing ground in the debate between progressives versus the more mainstream elements of the party. And a victory by Mejia, who worked as political director on Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, would be another major boost for the left against the establishment. She told supporters on primary night, “We have to rebuild our party, we have to rebuild what is happening in our nation. We have to reclaim our democracy. We know that our economy is rigged to suit the billionaires.” And Mejia, who during her primary campaign took aim at President Donald Trump’s unprecedented crackdown on illegal immigration, reiterated on Friday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal agency most visible in the aggressive tactics used in the administration’s massive deportation effort, “is completely overreaching.” “I think the fact that I was bold and unafraid to speak the truth was incredibly important. I think voters feel that they want to have a representative that actually represents them, and they cannot watch what’s happening in Minnesota, what happened in Chicago, what happened in California, what happened in Morristown across this district,” she told reporters. Malinowski, an assistant secretary of state in former President Barack Obama’s administration who later represented a neighboring congressional district in northern New Jersey from 2018 to 2022 before losing re-election, was considered the front-runner in the race heading into primary day. But Malinowski was the target of a slew of attack ads put out by a group affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which opposed Malinowski because he said he supports conditions on aid to Israel. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) jumped the gun on Thursday night, congratulating Malinowski in an email release. “Tonight, Democrat Tom Malinowski clinched victory in the New Jersey District 11 special election Democratic primary,” the DNC’s release read. Later in the evening, after taking a slight lead in the vote count over Malinowski, Meija put out a social media post showing the famous photo of then-President Harry Truman, during his 1948 election victory, holding up a newspaper with the erroneous banner headline: “Dewey Defeats Truman.” The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) a leading group on the left, said in a statement that “Analilia Mejia’s momentous showing proves that voters, when given a choice, want Democrats with an inspiring vision who will boldly challenge powerful interests on behalf of working families.” “This is the second big congressional primary in two weeks where voters chose the more progressive candidate and made clear they want Democrats who will shake up a broken political and economic system – not just be anti-Trump,’ added PCCC co-founder Adam Green, a New Jersey native who knocked doors for Mejia and spoke at a rally with Mejia and Sanders on primary eve. The winner will face off with Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway, the only Republican to file for the special election, which will be held on April 16. Hathaway will be considered the underdog in the race. Sherrill won re-election in the district in 2024 by 15 points, the same margin by which she carried the district in November’s gubernatorial showdown. But then-Vice President Kamala Harris won the district by just eight points in the 2024 presidential election, giving the GOP some hopes of possibly flipping the seat. The special election comes as Republicans cling to a razor-thin 218-214 majority in the House of Representatives. But the GOP may land a reinforcement in the House before the general election for the open seat in New Jersey is held. JOHNSON WARNS HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO ‘STAY HEALTHY’ AS GOP MAJORITY SHRINKS TO THE EDGE That’s because a special election is scheduled on March 10 in Georgia’s solidly red 14th Congressional District, in the race to succeed former GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. The MAGA firebrand and one-time top Trump House ally in early January stepped away from Congress a year before her term ended. A whopping 22 candidates, including 17 Republicans, are running in the Georgia showdown. According to Georgia state law, all the candidates will run on the same ballot. If no contender tops 50% of the vote, a runoff election between the top two finishers will take place on April 7. WHO TRUJMP IS BACKING IN RACE TO REPLACE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE Trump on Wednesday endorsed Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney Clay Fuller, a Republican, in the race. Greene won re-election in 2024 to the seat by nearly 30 points, and Trump carried the district, which is located in northwest Georgia, by 37 points. There’s one more vacant seat in Congress, in California’s 1st Congressional District, following the recent unexpected death of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa. A primary in the race to fill LaMalfa’s seat will be held on June 2, which is primary day in California. And the special general election will be held on Aug. 4. The district, in northeastern California, is solidly Republican. Fox News’ Paul Conner contributed to this story

Hegseth says US strikes force some cartel leaders to halt drug operations

Hegseth says US strikes force some cartel leaders to halt drug operations

War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that some cartel drug traffickers operating in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility have halted narcotics activity following recent U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean. “WINNING: Some top cartel drug-traffickers in the @SOUTHCOM AOR have decided to cease all narcotics operations INDEFINITELY due to recent (highly effective) kinetic strikes in the Caribbean,” Hegsth wrote in a post on X. Hegseth credited President Donald Trump with directing the military actions, calling the effort a lifesaving deterrent. HEGSETH SAYS DEPARTMENT OF WAR ‘WILL BE PREPARED TO DELIVER’ WHATEVER TRUMP WANTS FOLLOWING IRAN WARNING “This is deterrence through strength. @POTUS is SAVING American lives,” he wrote. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina praised the military action, writing on X, “Well done @SecWar and to all under your command. We must continue to verify and monitor. We can’t trust drug cartels.” PENTAGON WATCHDOG WARNS DRONE INCURSIONS REQUIRE ‘IMMEDIATE ATTENTION’ AT US MILITARY BASES The Trump administration has been pursuing a policy of conducting deadly attacks against vessels of alleged “narco-terrorists.” SOUTHCOM announced a strike that killed two on Thursday. US FORCES KILL TWO SUSPECTED NARCO-TERRORISTS IN EASTERN PACIFIC LETHAL STRIKE OPERATION “On Feb. 5, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations. Two narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” Southern Command noted in a post on X.

Senior Russian officer shot in Moscow in apparent assassination attempt

Senior Russian officer shot in Moscow in apparent assassination attempt

An unidentified individual has shot Lieutenant General Alekseyev in the Russian capital before fleeing the scene, authorities say. Listen to this article Listen to this article | 2 mins info Published On 6 Feb 20266 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share A senior Russian military official has been hospitalised after being shot several times in Moscow, according to state media quoting Russian officials. An unknown assailant carried out a gun attack on Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev, deputy chief of Russian military intelligence, in a residential building, Svetlana Petrenko, spokesperson for the Russian Investigative Committee (ICR), said on Friday. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Alekseyev is deputy chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff at the Defence Ministry. Petrenko told reporters that a criminal investigation has been opened for attempted murder, and illegal trafficking in firearms regarding the incident, according to the Interfax news agency. She said that the shooting attack took place in a building at Volokolamsk Highway in Moscow and the suspect fled the scene. “The victim was hospitalised in one of the city hospitals,” Petrenko said, adding that investigators and forensic experts are currently working at the scene of the incident, reviewing CCTV footage, and questioning witnesses. Alekseyev was one of the officials sent to negotiate with the late leader of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who led a rebellion against Moscow in 2023 and the was killed in a plane crash which many observers blamed on President Vladimir Putin. Series of assassinations Several senior Russian officers have been assassinated since the start of the war in Ukraine four years ago, with Moscow blaming the attacks on Kyiv. In some cases, Ukrainian military intelligence has claimed responsibility. Advertisement The most recent officer to be killed was the head of the General Staff’s army training directorate, Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, who was killed by a bomb under his car on December 22. Last month a Russian court sentenced an Uzbek man to life in prison for the 2024 killing of the head of the Russian army’s radiological, chemical and biological defence forces. The general, Igor Kirillov, was killed when a booby-trapped scooter exploded as he left an apartment block in Moscow, in an attack Kyiv said it had orchestrated. Adblock test (Why?)

NBA roundup: Lakers stop 76ers despite Luka Doncic’s injury exit

NBA roundup: Lakers stop 76ers despite Luka Doncic’s injury exit

Lakers beat 76ers 119-115 in NBA, as Spurs, Wizards, Raptors, Hornets, Magic, Hawks and Warriors also record victories. Listen to this article Listen to this article | 6 mins info Austin Reaves scored 35 points off the bench, LeBron James added 17 points with ‌10 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame the loss of Luka Doncic to earn a 119-115 victory over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday. Jake LaRavia and Rui Hachimura each scored 14 points as the Lakers won in their return from a 5-3 road trip. Doncic left the game late in the second quarter with left leg soreness after scoring 10 points. He will undergo an MRI, according to coach JJ Redick. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The Lakers came back from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter and won after not taking their first lead until the fourth quarter. Joel Embiid scored 35 points and Tyrese Maxey added 26 points with 13 assists as the 76ers saw their season-high five-game winning streak come to an end. ⁠VJ Edgecombe produced 19 points and 10 rebounds. Spurs 135, Mavericks 123 Victor Wembanyama dominated with 29 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots to carry the visiting San Antonio past Dallas. Harrison Barnes had 19 points, Keldon Johnson 18 and De’Aaron Fox 17 for the Spurs, who have won three in a row. Mavericks star Cooper Flagg had 32 points and became the youngest player in NBA history with 30 or more points in four consecutive games. Naji Marshall also scored 32 as Dallas took its sixth straight loss. Wizards 126, Pistons 117 Will Riley led eight Washington players in double figures with 20 points as the undermanned Wizards surprised host Detroit. Riley added six rebounds and five assists for the Wizards, who had only 10 players available after trade deadline moves yet still won for the fourth time in six games. Sharife Cooper supplied ⁠a career-high 18 points. Advertisement Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Duncan Robinson had 21 points. Jalen Duren missed the second half due to right knee soreness. Another Detroit starter, Tobias Harris, sat out due to left hip soreness. Raptors 123, Bulls 107 Brandon Ingram scored 22 of his 33 points in the first half as Toronto defeated visiting Chicago, which completed seven trades before the deadline. The Bulls featured two new players in their starting lineup and three overall. Immanuel Quickley added 24 points for the Raptors, who have won two of three to open a five-game homestand. Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Murray-Boyles each put up 17 points. Chicago’s new backcourt of Anfernee Simons and Jaden Ivey logged 22 and 13 points, respectively. Guerschon Yabusele had 15 points and 11 rebounds in his Bulls debut off the bench. Hornets 109, Rockets 99 Rookie Kon Knueppel scored 24 points, LaMelo Ball added 20, and visiting Charlotte extended its winning streak to eight games by defeating Houston. Miles Bridges added 18 points while Josh Green tallied 14 ‌on 4-for-4 shooting for the Hornets, whose winning streak is the franchise’s longest since the 1998-99 season. Kevin Durant scored a game-high 31 points for the Rockets, who have split their past six games and dropped both contests of a home back-to-back. Jabari Smith Jr. chipped in 17 points and seven rebounds. Magic 118, Nets 98 Jalen Suggs registered his first career triple-double as Orlando opened a four-game homestand with a win over Brooklyn. Suggs, in his fifth year with the Magic, finished ‌with 15 points, 11 assists, 11 rebounds, four blocks and three steals in just 29 minutes. Desmond Bane notched 23 points and Paolo Banchero added 22 for the Magic, who never trailed. Rookie Egor Demin made six 3-point attempts on the way to a career-high 26 points for the Nets, who ‌dropped their ninth straight against Orlando. Rookie Nolan Traore matched his career high with 21 points. Hawks 121, Jazz 119 Jock Landale ⁠equalled his season high with 26 points in his Atlanta debut, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23, including the game-winning basket with 1.3 seconds left, as the Hawks beat visiting Utah. Landale was acquired by Atlanta from the Grizzlies on Wednesday, drove from Memphis to Atlanta for the Thursday morning shootaround and was in the starting lineup later that day. He shot 10-for-14 from the field, tied his season high with 11 rebounds, matched his career high with five assists and had a season-best four ‌blocked shots. Advertisement Atlanta also got 22 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists from Jalen Johnson, his 10th triple-double of the season. Isaiah Collier totalled 25 points and 11 assists while Kyle Filipowski amassed 15 points and 17 rebounds for the Jazz. Warriors 101, Suns 97 Pat Spencer produced career highs of 20 points and six 3-pointers, and Golden State scored the final 10 points to edge host Phoenix despite playing its second straight game without Stephen Curry (knee). Gui Santos contributed 18 points, and his breakaway layup with 28.7 seconds remaining put the Warriors up 99-97. After Phoenix’s Dillon Brooks missed a 3-point attempt, the Warriors came up with a loose ball, and De’Anthony Melton made a layup at the buzzer. Brooks scored 24 points, and Grayson Allen had 21 points and five 3-pointers for the Suns, ‌who had won four of their previous five games. Adblock test (Why?)

Blast rocks mosque in Pakistan’s Islamabad

Blast rocks mosque in Pakistan’s Islamabad

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY, Rescue teams reach the site after blast reported at a mosque in Tarlai Kalan during Friday prayers. Listen to this article Listen to this article | 1 min info Published On 6 Feb 20266 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share A blast has been reported at a mosque in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. The explosion occurred at Khadija Tul Kubra mosque, in southeastern Islamabad’s Tarlai Kalan area, during Friday prayers. Rescue teams have reached the site of the explosion. There was no immediate information on casualties, but there were fears of a high death toll. In November last year, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance of the Islamabad District Judicial Complex, killing at least 12 people and wounding dozens. More to come … Adblock test (Why?)