HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — It looked like progressive Chris Rabb had a mountain to climb to win the Democratic nomination for a congressional district in Philadelphia.

The mayor and the city’s Democratic Party had endorsed another candidate in this week’s primary. So had members of Pennsylvania’s delegation in the U.S. House. One Rabb rival was backed by millions of dollars. A second benefited from a get-out-the-vote operation run by the influential local building trades unions.

But Rabb finished 15 percentage points ahead of his closest competitor in Tuesday’s election, and the state representative is likely on his way to Washington because no Republican sought the GOP nomination.

Rabb was propelled by a constellation of progressive groups, charting a path to victory partly by assailing his own party as listening more to donors than voters. He credited a grassroots movement inspired by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, alarmed by Republican President Donald Trump and hungry for a government responsive to their needs.

“That was at the heart of why I was running and that is what I built my campaign around and that, I believe, is a chord we struck in this electorate that showed up and came out like gangbusters,” Rabb said in an interview with The Associated Press.

The progressive left counts Rabb’s success as one of its biggest victories of the year and the latest warning sign that Democratic voters see the party’s leadership as weak and feckless in countering Trump. Progressives are also running for House seats in New York, California and Michigan where they are challenging Democratic incumbents or aiming to take on vulnerable Republicans.

Rabb, 55, is a self-described Democratic socialist and “proud troublemaker” who reliably supported the most progressive causes in the state House during his five terms. His backers said voters sent an important signal this week.

“They want someone who knows what they stand for and is ready to fight, whether it’s fighting Donald Trump now or fighting an economy and political system rigged for billionaires in years ahead,” said Adam Green, a co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.

Progressives are finding their footing in midterms

Traction by progressives in midterm races has stoked concerns from moderates that far-left candidates will alienate middle-of-the-road voters and squander a politically advantageous year to unseat Republicans, retake control of Congress and block Trump’s agenda during his last two years in office.

Mike Mikus, a Pittsburgh-based Democratic strategist, said progressives could be a problem down the road for the Democratic Party, but not this year.

“Regardless of who we nominate, gas prices are still too high, grocery prices are too high and people generally think the economy is not in a good place,” Mikus said. “And voters will vote for change.”

Perhaps Rabb’s biggest supporter was the Working Families Party, which says the Democratic and Republican establishments have sold out to powerful interests. The organization has backed several members in Congress, and Analilia Mejía became the newest addition after winning a special election in New Jersey on April 16.

Rabb does not know what he might be able to expect in Washington. “Will we have a razor-thin majority? Will we be in a razor-thin minority?”

He sees Congress as a place where most are not willing to take bold steps because of money in politics. In his victory speech, Rabb showed the fire that his progressive backers say helped win over voters.

“I have been critiqued along this campaign for being too radical, too bold,” Rabb told the crowd. “They ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Rabb’s positions on many issues raised during the campaign were not dramatically different from his rivals’, such as supporting Trump’s impeachment, abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, imposing a moratorium on data centers or championing “Medicare for All.”

He was distinct in stressing his support for government-run grocery stores — to wipe out “food deserts” — and an expansive minimum wage law that eliminates a lower tipped minimum wage and covers independent contractors such as gig workers.

Perhaps most notably, Rabb was a strident critic of establishment politics, including his own party’s.

He said people are sick of insider politicians and big-donor politics. That leads to lackluster voter turnout, even while Trump is president and there is strong antipathy against “MAGA extremism and corporate greed,” he said, referring to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.

“We can learn lessons from this victory because, if establishment politics was as effective and productive as people would have us think, then I would have been blown out of the water,” Rabb said.

Campaign spending and surrogates

Sharif Street, a state senator and former state party chair, finished second on Tuesday. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker campaigned for him and building trades unions kicked in more than $600,000.

Dr. Ala Stanford was third, getting support from the retiring incumbent, Dwight Evans, and $3.5 million in spending by 314 Action, a left-leaning political action committee aimed at electing scientists to Congress.

The state’s most prominent Democrat, Gov. Josh Shapiro, did not endorse a candidate. He did call after the election to congratulate Rabb.

Rabb was boosted by at least $1.8 million in spending help by allied progressive groups, according to federal campaign disclosures. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., campaigned for him four days before the primary date.

Backers celebrated his triumph over the city party’s “machine.”

“The fact that Chris was able to win in machine territory is significant and should send a shock wave to the Democratic establishment that base voters are upset and want transformational change,” said Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of Our Revolution, which was founded by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

While progressive groups are making deeper inroads into Philadelphia, some Democrats pointed out that Rabb captured just 45% of the vote, meaning that perhaps a candidate with unified establishment backing could have prevailed. Others suggested Rabb was helped by a low-turnout election in which fewer than one-third of registered Democrats voted.

“Momentum, the vibes, how people feel about a candidate are going to make a difference,” said Mustafa Rashed, a Democratic political consultant in Philadelphia.

Rabb said he almost didn’t see the race to its conclusion and considered quitting after reporting his campaign treasurer for stealing money.

He felt such a sense of betrayal, combined with the stress of being outspent by his rivals, that he worried it would derail his candidacy.

“There was a lot of internal talk about what is the path forward for me,” Rabb said. “I had to dig down and just reaffirm that I’m walking in my purpose and this is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing, irrespective of the adversities.”

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Follow Marc Levy at http://twitter.com/timelywriter

Rounds

There is nothing unusual with regards to the rules for this fight. The contest will be contested over 12 three-minute rounds – something Usyk is very much used to. The 39-year-old has gone the distance nine times in his career – and will no doubt have the edge should the fight head into the later rounds. Verhoeven, on the other hand, may struggle. Throughout his career as a kickboxer, the 37-year-old was used to fighting five three-minute rounds. Those extra 21 minutes could be a cause for concern for Team Verhoeven on fight night.

Gloves

Similar to the rounds, there are no differences regarding the gloves ahead of this professional, sanctioned heavyweight bout. Both men are set to wear 10 oz gloves – as is the standard for heavyweight fights. Both men are used to wear 10 oz mitts, therefore, there should be no issues come fight night.

Belts

Of all of Usyk’s three titles – the WBC, WBA and IBF belts – on the line on fight night, Verhoeven can only win the WBC gold strap. The boxing organisation granted the two-time undisputed heavyweight champion a voluntary title defence Verhoeven, however, he must take part in a WBC mandatory defence next – or will be stripped of the title.

Soon after, the WBA permitted Usyk to defend the title, but states Verhoeven cannot win it if he pulls off a monumental upset. Now, the IBF have had their say. In a statement released last week, it read: “On April 16, 2026, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) received a letter from John Hornewer on behalf of IBF/WBA/WBC Unified Heavyweight Champion Oleksandr Usyk requesting that the IBF permit Usyk to participate in an unsanctioned contest against Rico Verhoeven on May 23, 2026, in Giza, Egypt.

“Pursuant to IBF Rule 5.H., ‘An unsanctioned contest is a fight which the IBF has not formally approved for sanction or where sanction has been formally withdrawn. If a Champion participates in an unsanctioned contest within his prescribed weight limit, the title will be declared vacant whether the Champion wins or loses the bout.’

“The World Boxing Council (WBC) has sanctioned the Usyk vs. Verhoeven bout and indicated that it will enforce its mandatory bout next. Based on the rotation system, the World Boxing Association (WBA) mandatory bout would follow the WBC mandatory. Accordingly, the IBF determined that there are no affected boxers, as the IBF acknowledges the rotation system among the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO.

“On April 29, 2026, the IBF Board of Directors convened by video conference and determined that Usyk’s exception request should be granted, subject to the following conditions: If Usyk loses, the IBF Heavyweight title will be declared vacant immediately. If Usyk wins, the IBF will acknowledge the WBC’s position in the rotation and order the IBF mandatory bout for 180 days thereafter. If the WBA grants a special permit, the IBF will acknowledge the WBA’s position in the rotation and order the IBF mandatory bout for 180 days thereafter.”

The 39-year-old, therefore, will be ordered to defend his IBF strap 180 days after his WBC mandatory defence or 180 days after a WBA mandatory defence. As of right now, the specific scenarios remain up in the air and will become clearer after next weekend’s dust-up. Agit Kabayel – who has long called for a showdown with Usyk – is the WBC’s mandatory challenger, while Murat Gassiev is currently ranked number one with the WBA.

Oleksandr Usyk’s record

Usyk coincidentally made his professional boxing debut a year before his upcoming adversary. The Ukrainian enjoyed a glittering amateur which was capped off in 2012 when he struck gold at the London Olympic Games. He won the WBO cruiserweight title in just his 10th fight – a decision win over Krzysztof Glowacki over in Poland.

The 39-year-old would go on to defend the title multiple times before winning the WBC strap in 2018 against Mairis Briedis. But perhaps his proudest achievement in his early days came a fight later when he won the undisputed cruiserweight title with a staggering win over Murat Gassiev.

A win over Tony Bellew followed before eventually making the decision to move up to heavyweight. Usyk was quick to make his mark, defeating Derek Chisora before winning the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles against Anthony Joshua in 2021. Nearly a year later, the heavyweight icon picked up his second win over ‘AJ.’ A win over Daniel Dubois followed before back-to-back wins over Tyson Fury. Usyk’s last fight came back in July when he triumphed over Dubois for a second time.

Usyk holds a professional record of 24-0 – with 15 of those victories coming by way of knockout.

Rico Verhoeven’s record

While Verhoeven does have some slight experience in the boxing ring, he is largely known for his work in the world of kickboxing. The Dutch veteran’s only professional boxing bout came back in 2014 – a second round knockout win over Janos Finfera in Germany.

The 37-year-old enjoyed a career in kickboxing which spanned over 20 years. He held GLORY Kickboxing’s heavyweight title for longer than any other fighter – making a record 13 defences. Verhoeven engaged in many rivalries during his time against the likes of Daniel Ghita, Errol Zimmerman and Benjamin Adegbuyi. After 20 years as a kickboxer, Verhoeven retired last year with a professional record of 66-10 – with 21 of his wins coming by way of TKO.

A man was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs after armed police shot a suspect in Manchester, with a firearm and significant quantity of drugs later recovered

A gun and drugs were discovered by police, after a suspect was shot by armed police.

Officers tried to stop a car on Bury New Road in Whitefield, Manchester at around 3pm on Friday, May 23.

Police say the motorist “failed to stop and drove at officers to get away”. A firearms officer from Greater Manchester Police subsequently fired a shot.

The driver was transported to hospital with an arm injury, where he remained on Saturday. The injury was described as ‘neither life-threatening nor life-changing’.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police watchdog, confirmed the suspect sustained a suspected broken elbow. The 20-year-old “white British man” was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs at the scene, reports the Manchester Evening News.

In a fresh update, GMP confirmed its investigation is continuing. The force revealed officers searched a property in Radcliffe overnight and discovered a firearm alongside a ‘significant’ quantity of both class A and class B drugs. No additional arrests have been made. Enquiries remain ongoing.

Detective Superintendent Joe Harrop, from GMP’s Serious Crime Division, said: “Our officers were met with an extremely dangerous situation on Bury New Road yesterday.

“Thankfully no members of the wider public, or officers were harmed in the incident. Despite this, our team has acted swiftly and professionally, and our investigation has progressed at pace.

“Overnight searches have led to the recovery of a firearm and a significant quantity of class A and B drugs. This is a substantial find and it in turn prevents a potentially dangerous weapon and a significant amount of drugs from reaching our streets.

“Our investigation will progress, and we will continue to target those involved in serious and organised crime to keep our communities safe for all those who live and work across the whole of Greater Manchester.”

In a statement released this morning, the IOPC confirmed: “We are independently investigating following a non-fatal police shooting in Bury.

“We were made aware by Greater Manchester Police, who advised that a man was shot in the arm after a vehicle failed to stop for officers. He was taken to hospital with a suspected broken elbow.

“While firearms incidents like this are, thankfully, rare, it is important for there to be independent scrutiny to fully understand what has happened.

“IOPC investigators attended the scene and to the police post-incident procedures to begin gathering evidence.”

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The BBC, like Channel 4, is a public service broadcaster – and it too is no stranger to controversy. In the past 12 months, barely a month has gone by when TV crews haven’t been huddled outside Broadcasting House because of various crises, from Scott Mills’ sacking to the Panorama Trump edit. It’s also faced criticism about the handling of its own controversies.

Monday is forecast to be the hottest May day on record with temperatures reaching 33C in south-east England.

There is a small chance of the mercury could peak at 34C.

By surpassing 32.8C, it will break the May temperature record set on the Late May Bank Holiday in 1944.

But take note if you are planning to visit the east coast of England – you may come across some mist.

By Tuesday then across Wednesday and Thursday, temperatures which have been fairly muted for Scotland and Northern Ireland begin to rise. Glasgow could reach the low to mid 20s. Western Northern Ireland could also see the warmth approaching the mid 20s.

The UK weather varies a lot naturally, but this early season heat is consistent with the long-term trend of rising temperatures as a result of human-caused climate change.

What is extraordinary about this heatwave is not only the level of heat but its duration.

The current forecast points to another hot day on Tuesday with highs up to 33C. After a breaking in the heat at midweek, temperatures will rise once again potentially reaching the high 20s or even 30C.

The demonstrators gathered in St Helen’s Square on Saturday afternoon (May 23) before marching through York city centre holding banners and chanting.

Organiser Chris Brace, from the York Palestine Assembly, said the group had gathered because they are “absolutely appalled” at the government for “failing to live up to its international obligations and simply observe a genocide, ethnic cleansing and displacement of people from their own homes in Palestine”.

He accused leaders of allowing international law to “decay”.

Pro-Palestinian activists in York on Saturday (May 23) (Image: Dylan Connell)

Chris Brace, from the York Palestine Assembly, who helped organise the protest in York on Saturday (May 23) (Image: Dylan Connell)

Gaza has seen near-daily Israeli fire with more than 850 people being killed since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect in October, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The ministry is part of Gaza’s Hamas-run government, but staffed by medical professionals who maintain and publish detailed records, viewed as generally reliable by the international community.

The October 7 attacks killed some 1,200 people in Israel and saw more than 250 taken hostage into Gaza.

Israel’s retaliatory strikes have killed more than 72,700 people, according to the Gaza health ministry.

The protest in York on Saturday comes as pro-Palestine campaigners in the UK have said they believe tougher action may be taken to control demonstrations.

It follows concerns about the growing threat to British Jews after the Golders Green stabbing resulted in the UK terror threat being raised to severe.

Professor Mohamed El-Gomati, one of the founders of York Mosque and its spokesperson, marches through York on Saturday (May 23) during the pro-Palestinian demonstration (Image: Dylan Connell)

Pro-Palestinian activists march through York on Saturday (May 23) (Image: Dylan Connell)

However, Professor Mohamed El-Gomati, one of the founders of York Mosque and its spokesperson, said peaceful pro-Palestinian demonstrations must be allowed to continue.

“It’s our freedom of speech,” he said. “It’s our freedom of expression. We have to practice that. And if anybody has done anything wrong, he or she should be tried under the law.

“But we cannot ban peaceful protests like this. Because it’s my freedom, and I’m not doing anything against the laws.”

Pro-Palestinian activists march through York on Saturday (May 23) (Image: Dylan Connell)

Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central, speaks during the pro-Palestinian protest in St Helen’s Square on Saturday (May 23) (Image: Dylan Connell)

York Central MP Rachael Maskell was among those who spoke during the demonstration in St Helen’s Square.

The Labour MP called for “unity, not division”, telling the crowd: “It is right that we don’t trade in arms. It is right that we don’t trade in goods. And it is right that instead, we trade in the language of peace and unity – because that is our future.”

Ms Maskell said the response from leaders to the war in the Middle East felt “too slow”, as she urged the government “step up on the international stage” and to “ensure that the United Nations and also the courts are doing their jobs”.

She also said she would be “pressing on the new prime minister, when they come into office, for a fresh approach, a new direction, a new community, a new leadership to take the world by storm and say it doesn’t have to be this way”.

Ms Maskell said she backed Andy Burnham to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister, telling The Press: “I’ve got great hope that [the next prime minister] will be Andy Burnham. We see the unity he has brought across Manchester and I want to see that across our nation.

“Where he is divisions fall – and that really is the hope I have for the country that I want to build, but also to lead on the world stage.”

The James Young High School S2 rugby team won the East Region Schools Rugby Championship recently.

A team of talented rugby stars from a Livingston school are celebrating an outstanding season.

The James Young High School S2 rugby team won the East Region Schools Rugby Championship recently.

The team of talented young players capped off an extraordinary season with a victory over Berwickshire, Preston Lodge and Trinity at Peffermill playing fields in Edinburgh on Finals Day.

The team’s campaign began in October 2025 with a dominant opening round against Leith, Broughton, Musselburgh, and Armadale.

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James Young High School scored an astonishing 240 points while conceding only 15, impressing not only with their rugby ability but also with their sportsmanship and professionalism throughout the tournament.

Promoted for the second round in March 2026, the team continued their remarkable form with victories over Eyemouth, Trinity “A”, and Preston Lodge. Once again, they dominated the scoreboard, scoring 140 points and conceding just 25.

Their success earned them a place at the East Region Schools Rugby Championship Finals Day, where they completed their incredible journey by lifting the title.

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James Young High School headteacher Tricia Gallagher said: “We are hugely proud of our fantastic S2 rugby team for winning the East Region Schools Rugby Championship, less than a year after the squad was formed in September 2025.

“Staff, families, and the wider James Young High School community have praised the players for their talent, teamwork, and dedication, with the squad becoming a source of immense pride for everyone.”

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Improved rainfall, cooler temperatures, and reduced demand have all contributed to the boost, reaching 86.4 per cent, compared to just 66 per cent at the same point in 2025.

Average water usage in May was also down by 80 million litres per day compared to last year.

Andy Shaw, head of water quality and production at Yorkshire Water, said: “We’re in a much better position with our water resources in 2026, with reservoir levels at 86.4 per cent, much higher than the 66 per cent they were at this time last year.

“Groundwater and river levels are also healthy in the region, which we rely on for water supplies for parts of the north and east of our region.”

However, with warmer weather expected over the Bank Holiday weekend, the company is reminding customers to use water wisely.

Mr Shaw added: “We’re expecting warmer temperatures in the coming days and would advise all customers to use water wisely, as we urge them to do all year round.

“This includes small measures like using a watering can rather than a hose to water gardens, and if watering is required, to do it in the mornings or evenings to reduce evaporation during higher temperatures in the day.”