First Thing: Trump critic Thomas Massie defeated in Kentucky Republican House primary
Seven-term incumbent had spoken out against Iran war, government spending and Jeffrey Epstein files. Plus, Trump’s ‘board of peace’ receives just $23m to rebuild Gaza
Good morning.
Voters in northern Kentucky on Tuesday rejected the incumbent congressman Thomas Massie, who has been critical of Donald Trump, in favor of the president’s hand-picked candidate.
Ed Gallrein, a retired navy Seal and farmer who was recruited into the race by Trump, defeated the seven-term incumbent in a primary election in Kentucky’s fourth congressional district, in what the president’s allies framed as a win for Maga’s hold over the Republican party.
Where else held primaries on Tuesday? Pennsylvania, Georgia, Alabama, Oregon and Idaho. Georgia also delivered a defeat to a prominent Trump critic, while a Trump ally won in Alabama, too.
How significant was Kentucky? Massie, a seven-term incumbent, has been an outspoken GOP opponent to Trump – repeatedly clashing with the president over Iran, government spending and the Jeffrey Epstein files. In response, Trump treated the primary as a personal vendetta.
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin meet in Beijing less than a week after Trump visit
Xi Jinping welcomed the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, with a ceremony featuring a military band in central Beijing on Wednesday, days after the Chinese leader hosted Donald Trump.
The pair held talks in the Great Hall of the People on Wednesday morning, as Xi did with Trump last week, when the leaders discussed issues including trade, the Iran war and Taiwan.
What is at the top of the agenda? For Putin, it is likely to be reciprocal trade and investment, as Russia’s economy continues to suffer over the cost of its war in Ukraine and related sanctions. China, Russia’s largest trading partner, buys almost half of Moscow’s oil exports.
What about foreign policy? Xi said the world was in danger of returning to the “law of the jungle”, adding that further hostilities in the Middle East were “inadvisable”, and calling for a ceasefire, state media reported.
US Senate votes to advance resolution to curb Trump’s Iran war powers
The Senate voted on Tuesday to advance a war powers resolution aimed at forcing Donald Trump to end the war in Iran unless he receives congressional authorization to continue it.
Tuesday’s 50-47 vote marks the first time the chamber has advanced the bill, the eighth attempt at doing so since the conflict began in February.
The Senate’s vote marks just the first step toward full passage of the resolution, which Trump will almost certainly veto even if advances through both the Senate and the House.
How did the vote pass this time? Four Republicans crossed the floor to join all but one of the Senate’s Democrats in voting to pass the bill. Senator Bill Cassidy, of Louisiana, joined Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine in voting for the bill. The latter three did so in previous votes, too. Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman was the sole Democrat to vote against it.
If Trump vetoes it, what is the point? Democrats see it as a way to force Republicans to take a stance on Trump’s unpopular war.
For the latest updates on the Iran war, head to our liveblog.
In other news …
The World Health Organization is considering the use of experimental vaccines and medicines could be used to fight Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as deaths rise.
The NAACP is urging Black athletes, their families, alumni and fans to boycott college sports in southern states that “have moved to limit, weaken or erase Black voting representation”.
The justice department has permanently barred the IRS from auditing the tax returns of Donald Trump, his family, company and “related companies”.
More than 17,000 people were under evacuation orders in southern California on Tuesday as a wind-driven wildfire threatened homes.
Stat of the day: Efforts to rebuild Gaza have received $1.75 for every $100 pledged
Nine countries pledged $7bn (£5bn) to a “Gaza relief” package at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, which Trump chaired – but just the United Arab Emirates and Morocco have sent funds, according to a source familiar with its operations. So far, it has received $23m to fund its operations, and $100m to fund a future Palestinian police force – amounting to just $1.75 for every $100 promised.
Well actually: The pros and cons of popular protein sources
Most Americans are trying to eat more protein, research shows – but since it comes in all sorts of forms, which types should people be aiming to eat more of? From the cholesterol content of different cuts of beef to getting more fibre through eating pulses, here is your guide.
Don’t miss this: Real or AI: can a photographer and internet addict spot fake portraits?
Distinguishing between a real and an AI image is becoming increasingly tricky. After the University of New South Wales launched an AI faces test, a photographer and a self-described internet addict took up the challenge to see: is there a science to knowing when a photo is genuine – or is it just vibes?
Climate check: Rainforests pushed to breaking point by new demands for resources, report says
The growing extraction of resources is pushing the Amazon and other rainforests towards breaking point, analysis has shown. Growing demand for critical minerals, biofuels and pulp – used in fast fashion, processed food and packaging – are adding to longstanding negative impacts from cattle ranching, monocrops, oil and logging.
Last Thing: Exhibition displays Nina Simone’s chewing gum – and other objects of extreme pop fandom
An entire room of a new exhibition celebrating extreme pop fandom is dedicated to a piece of gum chewed by Nina Simone and rescued from the stage of the Royal Festival Hall by Warren Ellis, of Nick Cave’s Bad Seeds. With fans becoming “citizen curators”, it features everything from a Dolly Parton shrine to cans of soft drinks endorsed by the Spice Girls.
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