The Wales-filmed adaptation of Liz Jensen’s novel has wrapped up on BBC One and BBC iPlayer

BBC’s The Rapture is coming to an end after launching earlier this month.

Filmed entirely in Wales, the psychological thriller is adapted from Liz Jensen’s bestselling novel and has a star-studded cast list including Ruth Madeley, Sam Hazeldine, Jack Farthing, Stephen Campbell Moore, Ruth Jones, India Amarteifio, Iwan Rheon, Lisa Palfrey, Siena Kelly, Naby Dakhli, Richard Elis, Dean Rehman, and Robert Rhodes. You can find out more about the cast in full here.

The five-part series is about a teenager accused of killing her mother, who claims she has the ability to predict disasters. The Rapture has been described as a high-stakes drama that crackles with wit and danger, while also exploring them.

A synopsis for the series reads: “After a life-altering car accident killed her husband and left her paralysed, psychologist Dr Gabs Fox starts a new job at a psychiatric hospital where she is assigned 17-year-old inmate Bethany Krall. Two years before, Bethany was sectioned for the brutal murder of her mother, Carys Krall. The case shocked the nation, not least because Bethany’s father, Leonard Krall, is the charismatic leader of the Faith Way, a spiritual movement with millions of online followers.

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“Bethany seems to know private details about Gabs’ life and insists she can see visions of the future, which she communicates through disturbing sketches of disasters: storms, fires and floods. Bethany’s nurse Rafiq insists Bethany’s predictions always come true, but Gabs is sceptical, determined to find a clinical explanation.

“As the heat intensifies, Gabs begins to notice unsettling connections between Bethany’s prophetic drawings and the world outside, forcing Gabs to re-examine her assumptions. Could Bethany be innocent after all? If she didn’t kill Carys Krall, who did and why?

“With the help of journalist Dick Carwyn and engineer Frasier Melville, Gabs digs deeper into the history of the Kralls. As she falls further down the rabbit hole, Gabs is forced to question – is Bethany telling the truth, or is she being manipulated by a deeply troubled teenager?”

But the drama will come to an end on Sunday, August 9 at 9pm, and many people will be wondering what is replacing the series in the primetime slot on Sunday and Monday nights.

The BBC has confirmed that it will be airing coverage of the European Athletic Championships from Monday, August 10. Coverage of the Championships will start on BBC Two, before BBC One takes over at 8pm with Gabby Logan presenting coverage of the evening session on day one from Alexander Stadium.

The women’s 100m final is the concluding event of the night. The BBC said of their coverage: “Europe’s biggest athletics stars are heading to Birmingham this August for a landmark moment in British sporting history – and audiences can watch every thrilling second live across the BBC.

“For the first time ever, the European Athletics Championships will be staged in the United Kingdom, with Birmingham providing the backdrop as Team GB competes for glory in front of passionate home crowds.

“With the roar of the home support behind them, Britain’s biggest athletics stars will be aiming to create unforgettable moments on home soil against Europe’s very best.”

Comprehensive live coverage will be available across BBC One, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer between August 10 and August 16, with daily coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.

The BBC has said that fans can also follow every twist and turn via the BBC Sport website, BBC Sport app and BBC Sport’s social media channels.

The Rapture will air its final episode on Sunday, August 9 at 9pm on BBC One.

President Donald Trump spent his Saturday evening on Truth Social, releasing a series of seemingly AI-generated posts mocking up the planned White House ballroom and its rooftop “drone port.”

In three different images all titled “DronePort”, the president depicted the roof of the ballroom structure covered by numerous military drone aircraft, armed soldiers and refueling trucks, turning the placid grounds of the White House into a major military installation. The images were the same ones he originally posted in May, as he attacked a federal judge for delaying the project by ruling that the administration lacked congressional authorization.

“This great and very important military asset sits atop the heavily protected Ballroom at the White House. It provides National Security for Washington, D.C., and will protect future Presidents!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president’s focus on his ballroom is not new. His fixation on the military center and “drone port” pictured in the three images he released late Saturday evening comes, however, as he has shifted his rhetoric about the construction project to focus on its planned security features in an attempt to win further congressional support for funding and battle a court order stopping construction. Money for the ballroom was originally set to be approved by Congress as part of legislation passed earlier this year, but it was stripped out due to lack of support in the Senate.

Like his first post back in May, this latest posting by the president follows his defeat in court over the project.

A federal appeals court delivered the second blow to the project on Friday that the administration must cease construction of the project until congressional approval is gained, leaving the building process in limbo and putting another awkward test to the Republican-controlled House and Senate with just a few months to go before the midterm elections.

The president frequently veers off onto tangents about the ballroom and its construction process during unrelated events and planned remarks as the project (and the totality of his D.C. beautification efforts) have become a clear, sustained priority that at time often trumps matters that would seemingly be more important to Republican voters, to say nothing of the officials and dignitaries often in the room listening to him wander off topic and derail his own speeches.

His efforts to beautify D.C. include projects to restore fountains and other park features around the District of Columbia as well as the now heavily scrutinized effort to restore the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, fixing leaks in the structure’s base and repainting the surface with an aqua-blue swimming pool coating.

That project has also consumed his attention in recent days as his U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, dropped charges against an Olympian falsely accused by the Trump administration of vandalizing the pool’s new coating with a knife or other sharp object. Pirro admitted in court filings that the damage to the coating appeared to be the result of a faulty installation process.

Apart from the chunks of pool coating that were visible in the waters as the new surface failed, the waters of the pool turned lime-green this summer as park workers struggled to deal with a massive algae bloom which the president also previously attempted to blame on vandalism. Like the failed installation of the coating, the algae was actually thought to be the result of contractor error during the addition of new micro-bubbler devices to the structure.

The president has pivoted to describing the ballroom and “drone port” project as an issue of national security as his popularity and subsequently the appeal of his D.C. renovation projects has waned on Capitol Hill. On Friday, he attacked the appeals court that ruled against his adminsistration in court on the project for supposedly endangering the lives of current and future occupants of the White House, with his rationale being that the planned structure’s anti-drone capabilities were the only thing that could guard from such attacks.

“The Circuit Court’s decision, which is totally wrong on the vital subject of STANDING, of which the plaintiff has none, severely jeopardizes the lives and welfare of the people who work, and will be working, at the White House — including all future Presidents of the United States, and their families, as well as the lives of all those visiting,” wrote Trump.

BBC viewers saw actresses India Amarteifio and Ruth Madeley star in the dark crime thriller.

Viewers on the BBC were quick to share their thoughts on the ending.

*This article contains spoilers for The Rapture*

On Sunday night (August 9), the broadcaster’s latest psychological thriller, The Rapture, came to a dramatic conclusion. The series, which began at the end of July, focused on the complex relationship between 17-year-old Bethany Krall (India Amarteifio) and forensic psychologist Gabs Fox (Ruth Madeley).

As Gabs, who is recovering from a traumatic incident which killed her husband, starts a job at a high-security psychiatric hospital, she meets Bethany. The teen is convicted of brutally killing her mother, although she has claimed she is innocent the entire time.

As Bethany claims she has psychic powers and can predict the future with drawings, will Gabs choose to believe her? It also makes viewers wonder if she is telling the truth, so who really killed her mother?

During the tense conclusion, answers were finally revealed as viewers saw the truth come out, which proved Bethany was innocent all along.

After a series of twists and turns, it was unveiled that a man called Rob (Morgan Watkins), a member of Climate First, killed her as he was doing the bidding of oil company Trenmoor boss, Max Leland (Stephen Campbell Moore).

Her mother was sadly killed after she was about to share the shady dealings of Trenmoor, who were discrediting environmental activists and protecting oil drilling operations, which resulted in Bethany getting framed.

It wasn’t long before people shared their thoughts on the series, with many left confused as to how the characters were behaving as the show was supposed to be set in an unbearable heatwave.

On Twitter, now X, one person said: “#therapture and the clothing looks just a little too warm for those temperatures. I get inside they might have AC. But a shirt over a t-shirt outside…”

A different account wrote: “The place is roasting hot but no one looks bothered #therapture” with another viewer commenting: “#therapture is getting VERY silly now!”

Elsewhere, another show watcher added: “#TheRapture they continually sit in the sun some of the grass is still green and sun in every room. I’m in Belgium now it’s 36 degrees and we’re all sitting in dark rooms and staying inside as much as possible and it’s Code Orange” to which another fan responded: “It’s just not believable!”

However, not everyone shared the same view as some were blown away by the drama, demanding another instalment.

On X, someone commented: “Just finished watching #TheRapture and it’s safe to say I think it’s one of the most genius pieces of television I’ve seen in a long time! The whole cast was amazing, but India Amarteifio as Bethany was outstanding, brilliant!”

While another praised: “@BBC #TheRapture, love this. Excellent TV drama for now. More, please.”

The Rapture is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Plans have been submitted to South Tyneside Council to convert a unit on St Hilda’s Industrial Estate in South Shields into a family-run pet cremation centre.

The proposed facility would provide only individual cremations, one at a time, ensuring each pet is cremated separately and guaranteeing 100 per cent return of ashes.

A chapel of rest and a farewell room would give families a private and dignified space to spend time with their pet before cremation.

Planning documents state that the crematorium could carry out six to seven individual cremations per day.

Owners would have the option to bring their pets directly to the site or arrange for collection from their home or vet.

Ashes could be returned within 24 to 48 hours and the proposed opening hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 12pm on Saturdays.

A supporting statement said: “In addition, the business intends to create employment opportunities as it grows and becomes established.

“The service will operate across the North East, supporting pet owners and working alongside established veterinary practices, including those offering home euthanasia services that can be arranged through the business.

“The proposed use represents a low-impact operation generating minimal traffic, noise, waste and environmental effects, while providing a valuable and compassionate service to the local community and wider region.”

The crematorium would be regulated and subject to annual inspections to ensure compliance with government regulations and industry standards.

The facility would also offer a selection of memorial products including caskets, urns, scatter tubes and keepsakes, with a commitment to source items from local suppliers wherever possible.

Planning documents state that the proposed facility would “provide an important service for pet owners across the region, offering reassurance that their beloved pets are treated with dignity and respect through individual cremation procedures.”

A decision will be made by the council following a period of public consultation.

Wildfires burning across the western U.S. and Canada on Sunday left some residents keeping a weary eye out for possible evacuation orders while others already forced to flee their homes waited to see what would be left on their return.

In western Canada, over 20,000 people were forced to flee communities along Okanagan Lake in British Columbia over the weekend as a fast-moving wildfire destroyed homes and dozens had to be rescued by aircraft.

Anette Boulet was among residents who fled Summerland, home to about 12,000 people. As she and her family left around 4:30 a.m. Saturday, their home was shrouded in smoke.

“You couldn’t see barely. It was, it was just dark, and the ridge, the ridge of fire just coming towards you,” said Boulet, who evacuated to a center in Penticton.

“There’s no words to express it,” she said. “The fear.”

Besides the evacuations in Summerland, the Bald Range fire, first reported Friday evening, has also led to the evacuation of about 8,000 people in and around nearby Peachland. British Columbia declared a state of emergency Saturday because of the wildfires.

Eleanor Olszewski, Canada’s minister of emergency management and community resilience, said Sunday on social media that she’d approved a request for federal assistance from British Columbia to provide shelter and accommodations for those forced to flee.

Residents on edge as wildfires burn

In the U.S., residents in some areas north of Spokane, Washington, were being advised Sunday to leave their homes. Residents in the rural towns of Malden and Rosalia, located about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Spokane, saw their evacuation level downgraded Sunday after being urged to leave the previous day after two fires started nearby. The area, though, is on alert.

John Goyke, mayor of Rosalia and the water operator for Malden, said that he saw the trees on the rolling hills burning Sunday morning. He put Malden on a water restriction Saturday night so water could be saved for fire trucks, and Malden’s fire department began trucking water from Rosalia.

“The wind is fairly calm. The fire is not progressing,” Goyke said, “but we’re using social media and Facebook to keep in contact with everyone.”

In 2020, Malden was was mostly destroyed by a wildfire, losing its fire station, post office, city hall and library.

Two killed fighting wildfire when helicopter crashes

In Utah, two helicopter pilots were killed when their aircraft crashed while they were fighting a wildfire Friday morning in the Fishlake National Forest. Crews were finally able to get to the site Saturday to confirm the deaths.

Officials said Sunday that fire activity had prevented them from quickly reaching the area amid steep, rough terrain.

Boro Runners club members Ryan, Mark, and Ben pledged to run one mile for every goal scored during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, turning their love of football and running into a fundraiser for Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice in Middlesbrough.

By the end of the tournament, the trio had clocked up 308 miles and raised £752.48, easily surpassing their original £500 target.

Boro Runners were inspired by the charity thanks to Rachael Bareham – a senior fundraiser for Zoe’s Place.

Ryan said: “I came up with the idea of running one mile for every goal scored during the World Cup.

“We chose Zoe’s Place because it’s a local charity and I know Rachael through the running club.

“It seemed like a great way to support a fantastic cause while taking on a challenge that would keep us motivated throughout the tournament.”

Zoe’s Place provides specialist respite, palliative, and end-of-life care for babies and young children with life-threatening and life-shortening conditions, as well as support for their families.

The challenge came to a close with a final run from Stewart Park to Zoe’s Place on Monday, July 20, where the runners were greeted by hospice staff and some of the children and families supported by the charity.

Ben, Mark and Ryan being greeted by staff and patients at the hospice after running from Stewart Park to Zoe’s Place for their final run of the challenge. (Image: Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice)

Tracy Bowstead, community fundraiser at Zoe’s Place, said: “When Ryan approached us back in June with his idea of running one mile for every goal scored during the 2026 World Cup, we thought, ‘Wow.’ What a wonderful way to raise funds for our charity.

“They worked tirelessly on their challenge, so much so that even their families had had enough of the football.”

Tracy also said the funds raised will help the hospice continue providing care for children with complex needs in the region.

She said: “It is only through the kindness and generosity of people like Ryan, Mark, and Ben that we can continue providing this vital care and keep our doors open for the local families who need us most.”

Donations to Zoe’s Place for the World Cup run can still be made through Ryan’s JustGiving page: Ryan Chapman is fundraising for Zoe’s Place Trust – Middlesbrough

Gemma Atkinson jetted off to the Canary Islands with her partner, Gorka Marquez, and their two children, and she said the two weeks they spent on holiday flew by

Gemma Atkinson has made an honest admission while sharing some photos from her recent family holiday to Tenerife.

The 41-year-old actress jetted off to the Canary Islands with her partner, Gorka Marquez, and their two children, seven-year-old Mia and three-year-old Thiago. The family stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in Abama, a luxury coastal resort complete with an exclusive stretch of golden sands.

This weekend, the proud mum shared some snaps from the trip – and she admitted that taking a break from work was “definitely needed”. While she said she is grateful to be busy with work, Gemma said spending time with her family made time fly.

She captioned the post: “Back to work tomorrow…Gem & tonic duties, podcast recordings, hosting the radio, nursery runs and much more. The last 2 and a half weeks have flown by. As the saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun and we sure had a lot of it.

“A mental rest & switch off was definitely needed. More than I realised. I’ve been 100mph recently in the best way with work which I’m SO Grateful for, but time with the family making memories is what life’s all about…”

She added: “We stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Abama, Tenerife. We stay in the private villas on the resort. The hotel is beautiful though also, we just love the villlas.”

Among the photos Gemma shared were images of her by the pool and others of her sunbathing in a red and in a black bikini. The Hollyoaks star also shared a short snap of Gorka, 35, splashing around in the pool, as well as some images featuring their children too.

Many fans took to the comment section to praise Gemma with one writing: “Gorgeous memory making times.” Another said: “Lovely family.” A third commented: “Beautiful family! You are blessed!”

It comes just days after Gemma said Gorka will “shrink in his chair” when his daughter starts talking about certain things. She made the comments as the couple opened up about the joys of parenthood, with Gemma joking that their kids sometimes come out with a “question that blows your mind”.

When asked what she thought the “best thing” about being a parent was, Gemma pointed to the different “phases” of childhood – seeing a “podgy little thing” transform into a little human being.

She told the Lost In Translation podcast: “It’s seeing the different phases that the kids go through for me. It’s the fact that you have a baby, and they’re this little podgy little thing that can’t function at all without you.

“And it looks like they have elastic bands around their little wrists cos of the fat rolls, and you think, ‘Oh, God, bless ’em’, but then that goes. But then you have the little toddler, and every day, they ask a question that blows your mind.”

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Clarks has unveiled its new school collection ahead of the start of the new academic year

Parents hoping to avoid the back-to-school rush towards the end of the summer holidays can make a start now. Many retailers have already launched their new term collections, including Clarks.

Leaning into 200 years of renowned footwear expertise, Clarks offers an unrivalled range of precision-fit school shoes for children with growing feet. Buying an entire school uniform, plus bags and stationery, can be expensive, which is why the footwear brand promises premium footwear at an affordable rate.

Prices for school shoes start from £25. Clarks is also running a deal that lets parents buy two pairs of school shoes and get the third pair for half price.

This is ideal for families with a few children to buy for, or for little ones who easily scuff or ruin shoes throughout the school year and need a few back-up pairs. One of the collection highlights is this pair of Feather Shine Kid shoes priced between £25 and £27.

Available in sizes 1 – 13.5, they come in standard and wide fits. The Feather Shine Kid shoes blend a sporty style with classroom-ready practicality.

Feather Shine Kid shoes

£25 – £27

Clarks

Buy Now on Clarks

The unisex school shoes blend a sporty style with classroom-ready practicality.

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The Feather Shine Kid shoes feature a super-lightweight sole and a Microban odour-control lining to keep them feeling fresh. These shoes are unisex.

Clarks Feather Shine Kid shoes have a 4.5 rating based on customer reviews, with many parents and grandparents leaving comments. One buyer said: “Great shoes, my son loves them and they are comfy, plus they keep his feet dry as well in rainy conditions, would buy again.”

Someone else remarked: “Good, hard-wearing shoes, pleased with quality.” Another back-to-school shopper said: “Bought for my grandson. Nice sturdy shoe, he finds it easy to do the straps himself. Very good price. Excellent value.”

Not all the reviews are glowing, as one parent marked them down for being ‘small’ and ‘quite bulky’. An additional shopper was more pleased, saying: “My kids love the shoe.”

Another Clarks back-to-school option is the Lorcam Jane K shoes, priced between £44 and £46 (sizes 1-10, with larger options also available). They have a chunky, durable sole and a removable bow, so little ones can take them off when they want to.

Perfect for everyday wear, the Lorcam Jane K features a buckle-strap fastening, a padded collar for comfort and support, and laser-printed broguing details. They also come in standard and wide fits.

Elsewhere, Matalan has also released its back-to-school collection with uniforms and footwear on offer. These Black Scuff-Resistant Casual School Trainers are priced between £12.80 – £13.60, down from £16 – £17.

Over at Next, these Black School Leather Lace-Up Shoes cost between £28 and £45. They come in standard, wide, extra-wide, and narrow fits.

For a classic school shoe option, Clarks offers these Lorcam Lane Youth for older children. They are priced between £48 and £50 and are available in sizes 3-10, with smaller sizes available too.

The Lorcam Lane Youth are designed with a chunky, durable sole and tough leather to tackle busy school terms. Similarly, these Scala Bar shoes are priced at £32 and are for older children (sizes 13 – 2.5). They’re made from durable leather and have a slim and flexible sole.

K-pop supergroup BTS has announced that they will not be entering their music for the 2027 Grammy awards. The decision seems to be a response to the addition for 2027 of the category “best Asian pop music performance”.

The Grammy rulebook describes Asian pop as a “distinct and globally recognised form of popular music”. The new category is intended to reward recordings that make “meaningful use of one or more Asian languages”.

Announcing their withdrawal from the Grammys on their Instagram accounts, the seven members of BTS expressed a wish that “music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language”.

Looking more closely at the wording of the Grammys category, the rulebook contends that Asian pop is “characterised by integrated approach to music, performance, and presentation”, giving “K-Pop, J-Pop, and C-Pop” – all nominally east Asian genres – as examples. This “integrated approach”, is intended here to suggest the “idol” approach to production.

Originating in post-war Japan, “idols” are pop performers who commence their intensive training in singing, dancing, acting and languages in their teenage years, with some even starting work before then. All of their publishing, marketing and events are usually handled by a single agency, though the genres they perform vary by country, region and even by agency.

Idol production is especially common in Japan, China and South Korea, but not exclusively so. Filipino girl group Bini, who debuted (first performed publicly) at Coachella in 2026, are described as being an “idol group”. While K-pop as a term is fairly synonymous with idol production as something that is exported to the world, the term J-pop is less so, having originated as a phrase to distinguish Japanese-language tunes from English-language ones for Japanese radio in the 1980s.

The Japanese artists being tipped as strong contenders for the best Asian pop music performance category at the Grammy’s include singer-songwriters such as Kenshi Yonezu, who have little to do with idol production. And while Chinese contestants have featured prominently in Asia-wide talent shows to create idol bands, C-pop spans multiple regional and linguistic sub-genres with nuance that is not reflected in the wording of this new category.

Why ‘Asian pop’?

The Grammy Awards are based in the US, so the wording of “Asian pop” could also be an expression of shared diaspora identity for Asian Americans. BTS have previously expressed solidarity with Asian Americans in the wake of a series of high-profile hate crimes against these communities in the US in 2021. But the privileging of idol production implied in the category wording to the detriment of other systems of pop production, and the seeming disregard of western or South Asian popular music demonstrates what should be obvious – that the Grammys are poorly positioned to be setting out what Asian Pop is.

I was researching K-pop and J-pop artists when BTS were really beginning to gain visibility in English-speaking markets. I found that discussions of their “global” success in English-language media tended to assume that “making it” in the US was the gold standard for measuring their international achievements. Not only does this ignore the fact that Japan and China are respectively the second and third largest music markets in the world as of 2026, but it also disregards the long-standing popular musical and popular cultural exchange happening across Asia.

This phenomenon has been referred to as “inter-Asian referencing”, by cultural studies scholar Koichi Iwabuchi. Iwabuchi sees this referencing as means to question “approaches and theories that are derived from Euro-American experiences”.

One demonstration of the possibilities of letting Asian popular music performers define their own creations is demonstrated in an international project by Japanese musician Awich – a popular Japanese hip-hop artist who has also lent her voice and songwriting skills to rock and pop projects.

In 2025, she lead on a song and promotional video featuring other well-known rappers from Korea, China, India, and Cambodia titled ASIAN STATE OF MIND. Each verse features the artists exploring what motivates them to make music and how it has been shaped by the places they call home. Cambodian rapper Vannda notably utters the English lyric “I told you it’s time, I de-colonise” in his concluding verse.

The CEO of the Recording Academy (which owns, administers and presents the Grammy awards) Harvey Mason Jr. has, in recent years, been keen to defend the consultation that has gone into new award categories. For example, he has spoken of the best African music performance category as having been informed by “trips to Africa”, and an acknowledgement that African artists “weren’t being heard in our process”.

In the wake of BTS’ withdrawal of their music for consideration for the 69th Grammys, Mason Jr. announced that the Recording Academy will “continue to listen to the global music community, and work to honor and celebrate all the artists whose music moves the world”.

We are then left with a major question: who was consulted on the creation of the new Asian pop music performance category? At the very least, the discussion surrounding BTS’ non-submission to the 2027 awards has succeeded in creating a “spotlight” on Asia’s pop music – although perhaps not in the manner the Recording Academy intended.

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed addressed old comments from his Twitch-streamer ally Hasan Piker as he appeared on the Sunday show circuit to take his first questions from the national media after winning his Tuesday primary.

El-Sayed narrowly won the Democratic Michigan Senate primary over Rep. Haley Stevens, beating her by a single percentage point after being massively outspent during the race. Ahead of Tuedsay, he faced criticism from Stevens and others for campaigning with Hasan Piker, a far-left Twitch streamer whose stunning remark about the 9/11 terrorist attacks has saddled nearly every politician who has appeared with him or accepted his endorsement.

During a 2019 Twitch broadcast, Piker derisively said that America “deserved 9/11” while arguing that American foreign policy was to blame for the attack by al-Qaeda terrorists. On Sunday, El-Sayed was asked by Meet the Press host Kristen Welker, “Do you disavow those comments?”

The progressive Democrat brushed off his ally’s comments as “dumb” and claimed that even Piker had backed away from them. “Of course. Of course it was a dumb statement. I think Hasan himself would say it was a dumb statement. He disavowed it,” claimed El-Sayed. “So yes, America didn’t deserve 9/11.”

El-sayed then accused both Welker and his remaining critics on the left, some of whom linger after the vitriolic primary, of playing “gotcha politics” and engaging in “cancel culture,” which is generally a line of argument from those on the right politically.

“I want to be held accountable for what I say and do, rather than this idea that we’ve, we’re so stuck in cancel culture that we all agreed was a bad idea back in 2020 but we seem to want to bring back,” said El-Sayed.

His response closely mirrored Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s response when she was asked about Piker on ABC’s This Week. Piker himself noted on a stream Friday that he was “tired” of apologizing for the comment, something he said he’d done repeatedly to total disinterest from his critics.

“Much hay was made about the fact that we lost young men in the last election. Many of the same consultants that are wringing their hands today were the same ones talking about how we have to go on Joe Rogan and not be so willing to engage in cancel culture,” said Ocasio-Cortez.

Progressive Democratic candidates who find themselves aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America and the party’s left flank have refused to disavow Piker himself, under pressure from their centrist opponents. El-Sayed campaigned with Piker over the weekend immediately preceding his primary victory on Tuesday, and other Democrats have appeared on his stream or been the beneficiary of receiving the spotlight his Twitch stream provides over the course of this cycle.

Piker’s presence in the Michigan Senate race was possibly the greatest political test of the effect a firebrand lefty streamer could have on a candidate’s chances.

Both Stevens and El-Sayed’s other former rival, Mallory McMorrow, attacked his campaign over its association with Hasan Piker, only to face a wave of backlash of their own as progressives declared that the fixation on Piker and insinuations that his criticism of Israel were anti-Semitic were, in fact, rooted in Islamophobia. In the end, McMorrow’s campaign never recovered from the steep decline she began with progressive voters once those attacks began, and she dropped out in June.

El-Sayed is in a different position now, however, as he looks toward the general election.

His task remains to win over skeptical independent voters in a state that Kamala Harris narrowly lost in 2020 and Hillary Clinton similarly lost in 2016; he also bears the task of unifying his party after the particularly bitter primary’s conclusion. Fueled mostly by a massive surge of money from AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby, Stevens and her allies buried El-Sayed under a massive wave of negative advertising which could make his path to victory in November harder — particularly since AIPAC is likely to spend tens of millions more now in support of Mike Rogers, his Republican opponent.

Those ads accused El-Sayed of being connected to Piker, whom they described as anti-Semitic, and even disparaging Michelle Obama, whose popularity within the Democratic Party and in the majority-Black areas of Detroit and Wayne County remains sky-high. Ads even falsely insinuated that Stevens was endorsed by former President Barack Obama, though he did not weigh in on the race.

On Sunday, El-Sayed said that he’d spoken with the former president and hoped Obama would campaign with him ahead of November. The former president has not yet issued an endorsement, but El-Sayed did pick up an endorsement from another former occupant of the White House this weekend: Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Abdul knows we need bold solutions to the crises facing America’s working families, and he is ready to take on this fight. I proudly stand with him to ensure we win a Democratic Senate majority in November,” wrote Harris in a statement.