Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner announced he is stopping his campaign after a woman accused him of sexual assault during their past relationship. Platner denied the accusation but said pressure from Democrats made continuing impossible. The Maine Democratic Party will choose a new candidate before the July 27 deadline.
Key Facts
Graham Platner is a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Maine.
A woman accused Platner of sexually assaulting her in 2021 during their past dating relationship.
Platner strongly denies the accusations, calling them false and politically motivated.
Due to the allegations and loss of support from Democratic leaders, Platner is suspending his Senate campaign.
He plans to officially withdraw from the race by the state deadline of Monday 5 p.m.
The Maine Democratic Party will hold a convention to pick a replacement candidate by July 27.
National Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, urged Platner to withdraw.
Some prominent Democrats withdrew their endorsements after the allegations surfaced.
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New video reveals that a toddler in Arizona was mistakenly declared dead by hospital staff. Hours later, hospital workers found the child was still alive in the morgue.
Key Facts
The incident happened in Arizona involving a toddler.
Hospital staff declared the child dead.
Hours after the declaration, morgue workers discovered the child was alive.
New video footage shows what happened during the event.
Police officers tried to inform the doctor about the situation.
The case raised questions about hospital procedures and communication.
CBS News reported and shared the new video and details.
The toddler's condition after being found alive is not specified in the article.
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Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner from Maine has stopped his campaign after a former girlfriend accused him of sexual assault. Platner denies the allegation but said he is withdrawing from the race to allow the voters and party to decide the next steps.
Key Facts
Graham Platner, a Democrat running for Senate in Maine, suspended his campaign following sexual assault accusations.
The allegation came from Jenny Racicot, a former girlfriend, claiming Platner forced sex without consent five years ago.
Platner denied the claims and stated they are false in public statements.
Democratic leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, urged him to leave the race.
Platner was set to run against Republican Senator Susan Collins in the November election.
He had until July 13 to withdraw officially, allowing the Maine Democratic Party to select a replacement candidate by July 27.
Platner is an oyster farmer and military veteran with little prior political experience.
His campaign focused on opposing wealth inequality and criticizing Senator Collins.
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On Wednesday, powerful storms affected 30 million people across the United States from the Rocky Mountains to the Carolina Coast. At the same time, many western states faced extreme heat and firefighters worked to control about 36 large wildfires.
Key Facts
Powerful storms hit parts of the U.S. from the Rockies to the East Coast.
Around 30 million Americans were affected by these storms.
Temperatures reached over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas.
Nearly 36 large wildfires burned in western states.
Firefighters are actively working to control these wildfires.
Extreme heat added challenges to the situation.
Weather updates were reported by CBS News.
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A hot air balloon flew very low and hit a car in East Texas. A mother recorded the event while she was on her way to take a balloon ride with her son but decided not to go after seeing the incident.
Key Facts
The incident happened in East Texas.
A hot air balloon flew unusually low.
The balloon collided with a car.
A mother captured video of the event.
She was traveling to book a balloon ride with her son.
After seeing the crash, they decided not to take the ride.
The event was reported on July 8, 2026.
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Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and Democratic candidate in Maine, ended his campaign for the U.S. Senate on Wednesday night. His withdrawal leaves the Democratic Party without a candidate to run against Senator Susan Collins in the upcoming election.
Key Facts
Graham Platner ran in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Maine.
He is known as an oyster farmer and ran on a populist platform.
Platner won the Democratic primary easily.
His campaign faced several controversies and scandals from his past.
He decided to quit the race on Wednesday night.
Senator Susan Collins is the Republican incumbent for the Maine Senate seat.
With Platner quitting, Democrats have no nominee to challenge Collins this fall.
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A judge in Utah is deciding if Tyler Robinson, age 23, should go to trial for the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The judge is also considering whether to make public a recorded interview with Robinson’s former roommate and girlfriend.
Key Facts
The case involves Tyler Robinson, who is 23 years old.
He is suspected in the killing of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist.
The judge is deciding if Robinson will face a trial.
There is a recorded interview with Robinson’s former roommate and romantic partner.
The judge is also considering whether this interview should be publicly released.
The events are taking place in Utah.
The news was reported by Carter Evans for CBS News.
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An 18-year-old named Nolan Wells went missing after attending a party on a Mississippi island on July 4th. His family is seeking answers after his body was found.
Key Facts
Nolan Wells is 18 years old.
He went missing on July 4th after going to a party on a Mississippi island.
He was with some friends at the party.
Wells did not return home after the event.
His body was later discovered.
The family is demanding information about what happened.
Local news reported the situation and investigation.
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Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for the US Senate in Maine, has ended his campaign after a woman accused him of sexual assault. Platner denied the claim but chose to suspend his campaign due to political pressure and calls from Democratic leaders.
Key Facts
Graham Platner was the Democratic nominee for the US Senate seat in Maine.
He suspended his campaign following an allegation of sexual assault made by a woman who had dated him.
Platner denied the accusation, saying it was false and politically motivated.
The allegation led Democratic leaders, including Senate leader Chuck Schumer, to urge Platner to drop out.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said it would stop spending money on Platner’s campaign if he did not withdraw.
Platner had faced previous controversies, including racist and sexist online posts and past relationship allegations.
He won the Democratic primary after Governor Janet Mills dropped out.
The Maine Senate race is important for Democrats who want to gain control of the US Senate, as Platner would face Republican incumbent Susan Collins.
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NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman flew private military jets over Washington, D.C., on July 4th despite the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) raising safety concerns. The jets were transferred to NASA’s control to bypass the FAA's denial, allowing the flyover to proceed during the America 250 celebrations with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as a passenger.
Key Facts
Jared Isaacman is the NASA Administrator and co-founder of a private military jet company, Draken International.
Isaacman sought FAA approval to fly four Northrop F-5 Tiger II fighter jets over the National Mall for July 4th celebrations.
The FAA denied the request because the fighter jets were considered high-risk to fly over crowded areas.
NASA reclassified the jets as government aircraft, which are not under FAA's operational control.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche flew as a passenger in one of the jets.
The White House and NASA sponsored the flyover event.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was not involved in the FAA review or approval process.
Other invited guests originally planned to fly in the jets did not participate.
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A public transit bus crashed into a building in Pikesville, Maryland, injuring 28 people. The crash involved seven other vehicles, including one that flipped over.
Key Facts
The crash happened in Pikesville, just outside Baltimore city limits.
A Maryland Transit Administration bus hit a building.
Seven other vehicles were involved in the crash, including one that rolled over.
A total of 28 people were injured, with one person critically hurt.
Two people were temporarily trapped—one in the bus and another in a vehicle.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore is monitoring the situation and praised first responders.
Emergency teams acted quickly to ensure safety and provide help on the scene.
The incident is still under investigation and updates may follow.
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Democrats are using the Republican "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" against Republican candidates in close elections. They want to make it harder for these candidates to win by focusing voters' attention on this bill.
Key Facts
The bill is called the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."
Republicans created and pushed the bill last year.
Democrats target Republican candidates who hold jobs in districts where the races are very competitive.
Democrats want voters to view the bill as a negative issue for those candidates.
This strategy aims to make it more difficult for Republican incumbents to get re-elected.
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Brig. Gen. Eric Widmar, the lead lawyer for the Joint Chiefs of Staff chair, Gen. Dan Caine, is leaving his job almost one year earlier than planned. He said he is stepping down for personal reasons. This departure is among several high-level Pentagon officials exiting since President Donald Trump began his second term.
Key Facts
Brig. Gen. Eric Widmar serves as the senior legal counsel to Gen. Dan Caine, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chair.
Widmar is leaving his position about a year before his scheduled end date.
He cited personal reasons for his early departure.
Several senior Pentagon officials have left or been pushed out since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term.
The Pentagon is the U.S. Department of Defense headquarters.
The article was reported by ProPublica, a news organization.
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Progressive and moderate Democrats debated in Michigan’s Senate primary race. Congresswoman Haley Stevens and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed exchanged personal attacks during the event.
Key Facts
The debate involved two Democratic candidates: Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed.
Haley Stevens is a current member of Michigan’s state Congress.
Abdul El-Sayed is a former public health official.
They clashed over issues in the Senate primary race for Michigan.
The debate was marked by personal criticisms from both candidates.
The event took place on a Tuesday.
CBS News covered the debate and provided detailed reporting.
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Maine Democrats are asking Senate candidate Graham Platner to stop his campaign before an important voting deadline. This request follows accusations of sexual assault against Platner by a woman he previously dated, which he denies.
Key Facts
Graham Platner is a Senate nominee in Maine.
Some Maine Democrats want him to end his campaign.
The request comes before a key ballot deadline.
A woman Platner dated has accused him of sexual assault.
Platner denies the sexual assault allegations.
The situation is being reported by CBS News and The Washington Post.
The issue is affecting Platner's political campaign.
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A woman has accused Graham Platner, a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Maine, of removing a condom during sex without her consent. This claim was reported by the Washington Post and has caused problems for Platner's campaign.
Key Facts
Graham Platner is running for the U.S. Senate seat in Maine.
A woman accused him of taking off a condom during sex without her permission.
The accusation was reported by the Washington Post.
This is not the first such claim against Platner; another ex-girlfriend made similar allegations.
The news has created difficulties for Platner’s campaign.
CBS News congressional correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns reported on the situation.
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Boston joined a nationwide group of cities and school districts suing social media companies like Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. They claim these companies designed their platforms to be addictive and harmful to children’s mental health by encouraging long and frequent use. Several court cases and trials are planned over the next few years to address these claims.
Key Facts
Boston filed a lawsuit against major social media companies alleging harm to children’s mental health.
The case will join over 1,500 similar lawsuits from school districts across the country.
The lawsuits claim features like infinite scroll, autoplay videos, and notifications are designed to keep kids online longer.
Social media companies deny wrongdoing and highlight their safety tools and parental controls.
A school district in Kentucky settled for about $27 million with Meta and YouTube before trial.
Next major trials are expected in 2027, involving school districts in Tucson, Arizona, and Charleston, South Carolina.
State attorneys general will also try Meta in August 2026 for alleged addictive design of Facebook and Instagram.
Separate cases exist in other states under consumer protection laws, all focusing on similar addiction concerns.
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Maine Democrats are facing challenges as their chosen candidate for the U.S. Senate, Graham Platner, is under pressure to leave the race. Party members are looking for a new nominee, and political strategists are discussing the situation as a learning moment for everyone involved.
Key Facts
Graham Platner is the current Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Maine.
Maine Democrats want Platner to withdraw from the race.
Party leaders are searching for a replacement candidate.
Political strategists Joel Payne and Doug Heye offered their analysis on the situation.
The race’s upheaval is seen as a lesson for political parties and candidates.
The situation was covered in a CBS News report.
The focus is on the Maine Senate race ahead of upcoming elections.
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President Donald Trump said he will immediately ask the US Supreme Court to reconsider its recent decision upholding birthright citizenship. The Supreme Court ruled that children born in the US have a constitutional right to citizenship, rejecting Trump's executive order that aimed to limit this policy.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court ruled on June 30 that birthright citizenship is protected by the 14th Amendment.
The Court’s decision was by a 6-3 vote, with Chief Justice John Roberts leading the majority.
Trump’s executive order tried to restrict citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants or temporary visitors.
Five justices said the order violates the Constitution, and one justice said it also violates federal law.
Trump plans to ask the Supreme Court to rehear the case, but the Court rarely agrees to do this.
Trump also said he will push for a law through Congress to end birthright citizenship.
The US has granted citizenship to all born in the country since 1868, based on the 14th Amendment.
Civil rights groups supported the Supreme Court’s ruling protecting birthright citizenship.
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Former Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan was fined $5,000 and did not receive a prison sentence after being convicted of felony obstruction for helping a Mexican defendant avoid U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in her courtroom. The judge handling her case considered her long record of public service and decided prison was not necessary.
Key Facts
Hannah Dugan is a former Milwaukee County judge who served for nine years.
She was convicted in December of felony obstruction for guiding a Mexican defendant away from ICE agents.
The incident happened on April 18, 2025, at the Milwaukee County courthouse.
Prosecutors wanted a serious punishment, but the judge fined Dugan $5,000 instead of sending her to jail.
Dugan resigned from her judgeship in January due to threats of impeachment and said the case threatened judicial independence.
Supporters described her as a public servant and defender of oppressed people.
Dugan’s actions did not prevent ICE agents from arresting the defendant outside the courthouse.
Her lawyers plan to appeal the felony obstruction conviction.
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