A Democratic Senate primary in Michigan remains too close to call, with progressive former public health official Abdul El-Sayed holding a narrow lead over establishment-backed Congresswoman Haley Stevens. As of 4am local time on Wednesday, August 5th, 2026, El-Sayed had 48.7% of the vote to Stevens' 47.3%, with 95% of votes counted, according to the Associated Press.

El-Sayed addressed supporters saying, “We’re going to have to wait a little longer to see the outcome of this race, but as I look in front of me, I already see [it].” The Michigan race is critical for the Democratic Party's hopes of regaining control of the Senate in the November elections.

In Missouri, Democratic Congressman Wesley Bell won his primary, ending the comeback attempt of progressive former representative Cori Bush and dampening momentum for pro-Palestinian candidates in recent elections.

In other news, OpenAI and a subsidiary will pay $3.2 million to settle US government claims that they favored foreign workers with temporary employment visas and discriminated against US job applicants in recruiting and hiring. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon stated, “This substantial settlement ensures that OpenAI redresses harm and changes its recruitment practices so US workers receive a fair opportunity for highly sought-after technology positions.” OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, the rapidly developing El Niño weather system is forecasted to push about 50 million people into acute hunger before the end of next year. The UN’s World Food Programme warned that even a less severe El Niño than some models predict will tip many countries over the edge, increasing the number of people in acute food insecurity by more than a fifth to 225 million across 45 countries.

Additionally, the mixed martial arts event Freedom 250 held at the White House attracted 8.2 million viewers domestically and about 34 million worldwide, making it one of the most-watched events of its kind. However, the event resulted in losses of approximately $30 million, according to the company’s owners.

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