Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ed Markey defeated a much younger primary rival on Tuesday, reinforcing the staying power of veteran lawmakers in one of the nation’s most reliably blue states.

Markey, 80, was declared the winner of the U.S. Senate primary Tuesday evening after a contentious race against Rep. Seth Moulton, 47.

Early results showed Markey holding a commanding lead of more than 35 points over Moulton.

Moulton centered his campaign on a call for generational change, arguing that long-serving politicians in Washington have produced too few meaningful wins for their constituents.

But that message failed to gain traction in Massachusetts, where Markey leaned on his decades-long reputation as a progressive standard-bearer and drew a sharp contrast with Moulton’s more moderate record.

Ro Khanna, one of the most progressive members of the US House caucus who has complained about the ‘old guard’ of his party but endorsed Markey, told CNN State of the Union host Dana Bash last Sunday that,’ Markey, on the other hand, has been a champion for working-class values.’ 

‘He’s been a critic of globalization and wealth inequality. So, to me, it’s not about just your age, though I think that is a relevant factor. It’s also your platform,’ Khanna noted. 

Markey’s other progressive backers include Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pramila Jayapal. 

He heralded his progressive platform before the vote was even tallied, championing Medicare for All, abolishing ICE and ‘taxing the rich.’ 

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Tuesday’s result also marks the end of another unsuccessful bid for higher office from Moulton, who also ran for Democratic nomination for president during the 2020 cycle, aged just 40 years old at the time.

His long-shot bid ended early in the primary cycle in 2019, after he failed to gain viability in a field that at the time had over 20 candidates.

Incumbents have fallen in other primaries this year – at the hands of progressives. 

Three candidates backed by socialist New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani won their primaries in June, among them Brad Lander, who once ran against Mamdani for mayor and who ousted Representatibve Dan Goldman as the congressman sought a third term.

Adriano Espaillat, the 71-year-old chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, was toppled by Mamdani-backed Darializa Avila Chevalier.

In Colorado, 29-year-old Democratic socialist Melat Kiros unseated Diana DeGette after nearly 30 years in Congress.

Republicans face an uphill battle to keep their sweeping power as the November midterm general elections quickly approach.

An exclusive Daily Mail/JL Partners poll in July showed that voters said they’d vote for a Democratic candidate in the upcoming November midterm elections – by nine points.

And even Trump himself has cast doubt on the GOP’s chance at success with concerns about whether conservative voters will show up to vote this fall – especially because he’s not on the ballot.

Despite close races in other states across the country, the US Senate seat in Massachusetts is all but set to remain in Democratic hands. John Deaton, a lawyer and Marine veteran, is the Republican nominee.

Donald Trump has set the stage with the spotlight firmly on Hollywood.

Now the question is whether Congress is ready to deliver the next act.

On Monday, the Trump administration urged federal lawmakers to help revive American film and television production by approving nationwide tax credits designed to keep more projects shooting in the United States.

Such tax breaks are not a flawless cure for the entertainment industry’s deeper challenges, and they will not solve every problem facing studios, crews and the broader Hollywood economy.

Still, they are a practical move in the right direction. If Washington wants to strengthen domestic production and protect U.S. entertainment jobs, lawmakers should get behind Trump’s proposal.

Ironic, isn’t it, that Trump would play a starring role in reviving an industry whose denizens mostly revile him?

But it just goes to show how fundamental show biz is to the health, success and creative vitality of California –– and the nation.

Tax credits to select industries are generally not ideal as policy; government, as a rule, should not pick winners and losers. But in this case they’re the better option: a key tool toward part of what ought to be a larger effort to revitalize Tinseltown.

Hollywood’s under duress for a range of reasons, including industry labor strife; lower production costs abroad; better tax credits in other states; and years of woke content, changing viewer habits and the growth of AI.

But it’s not scene over.

Instead, it’s time for reinvention.

The storied hub of glitz, glamor and (some) great stories can rebound. 

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The federal tax relief can help –– and we credit Trump and his allies, including former LA mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt and actor and Hollywood ambassador Jon Voigt, for bringing them closer to screen. 

Heck, even California Sen. Adam Schiff backs the proposed production incentives. When’s the last time we saw Trump and Schiff agree on something? 

They have the right idea. 

Hollywood’s health is key to the broader story. The entertainment biz supports more than 325,000 jobs in the Los Angeles region –– and generates an estimated tens of billions of dollars a year for LA County’s economy.

The region is also a creative engine for California –– and the state and nation need the innovation that sectors like Hollywood and Silicon Valley deliver.

But, as we have noted, California needs more than federal support.

It needs a culture change.

The state and its regions need to curb regulations, restrain taxes, support business, quash crime and deal far more seriously with homelessness –– moves that would help all state industry flourish.

And Hollywood itself, and its unions, need to be realistic about what audiences want and what the industry can sustain in a world of AI, streaming, YouTube and more.

The lights and camera are set. 

Now comes the hard part: the action. Let’s get cracking.

Germany has accused Russia of orchestrating a failed drone sabotage plot at Leipzig/Halle Airport, announcing Tuesday that it will shut down Russian diplomatic facilities in response. The move marks a sharp escalation in already strained relations after investigators said Moscow was connected to last month’s attack.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin will close Russia’s consulate in Bonn and end the contract for the Russian House cultural center in Berlin. The decision follows German authorities’ conclusion that Moscow was responsible for the Aug. 4 incident.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said forensic evidence and intelligence assessments pointed to Russian involvement. Authorities discovered a drone fitted with an explosive device next to a Ukrainian Antonov cargo aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport, one of Germany’s key freight hubs.

Officials said the explosive device did not go off because its detonator was defective.

German officials also said they believe a second drone struck a nearby cargo aircraft. Dobrindt linked the episode to what he called Russia’s “well-established pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe,” underscoring growing concerns over sabotage and security threats across the continent.

Russia has denied the allegations.

The Russian Embassy in Berlin called the accusation “absurd,” while Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would respond in a “mirror-image” fashion to Germany’s actions. The embassy later described Berlin’s measures as an “unprecedented escalation in Russian-German relations.”

In addition to closing Russian diplomatic facilities, Wadephul announced tighter entry restrictions for Russian nationals and additional measures targeting Russia’s shadow fleet. He also said he had summoned Russia’s ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechayev.

The announcement marks Germany’s first public attribution of responsibility for the airport attack. Until now, Berlin had said only that “foreign powers” may have been involved, though U.S. media previously reported American officials believed Russia was responsible.

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Leipzig/Halle Airport is one of Europe’s largest cargo hubs and serves as a logistics center for Germany’s military and NATO allies. It is also home to Ukrainian Antonov transport aircraft, making it a strategically important hub supporting Ukraine’s cargo operations.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte backed Germany’s findings, writing on X that the alliance “stands in full solidarity with Germany.”

“The evidence is clear. And I welcome the measures announced by Germany in response,” Rutte wrote.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union was preparing additional sanctions against Russia, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused Moscow of escalating tensions across the region.

The developments come as Germany has warned it faces an increasing campaign of hybrid threats targeting military, transportation and critical infrastructure. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last week those responsible for hostile acts against Germany would “pay a price.”

German police separately said Tuesday they were investigating improvised explosive and incendiary devices discovered at a power substation in the eastern state of Brandenburg after a damaged power line caused a temporary outage. Authorities have not identified who planted the devices.

Arthur Fery’s Wimbledon high gave way to a bruising New York reality check, as the British No1 saw his US Open debut end in little more than two hours with a 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 defeat to Lorenzo Musetti.

Fery had been agonisingly close to earning a seeded place at Flushing Meadows, but instead found himself handed one of the toughest first-round assignments possible. Across the net stood world No14 Musetti, who navigated the oppressive conditions with ease and rarely looked troubled.

Heavy rain pushed the start time back by around four hours, yet it offered little relief from the dense, muggy atmosphere hanging over Grandstand. The heat clung to the court, Fery’s shirt was drenched almost immediately, and with the balls becoming heavier in the humidity, the Briton struggled to land his attacking shots with any real consistency.

His sharpest spell came early, during a smart and purposeful opening six games in which he used his range to unsettle Musetti and apply pressure. Fery repeatedly backed himself at the net, rushing forward to mix in deft drop shots and punchy volleys as he tried to disrupt the Italian’s rhythm.

But that bold approach carried a cost. Musetti regularly punished Fery’s eagerness to close the court, floating delicate chips over the Briton’s 5ft 9in frame and dropping them safely inside the lines. Even a desperate tweener, whipped between Fery’s legs after he scrambled back towards the baseline, could not alter the direction of the second set.

For the crowd, the early contest was good-looking. Like clever movement? Watch Fery slide up the court to stretch and delicately feed back a sliced volley. More into backhands? Marvel at Musetti’s, a one-handed holdout, struck down the line sumptuously to bring up set point in the first.

But the two men were only level for so long. Musetti missed the last two majors due to injury, but his stronger service game allowed him to remain a cut above Fery. When it dipped briefly in the second set, the Briton failed to pounce, squandering four break points with a string of nervous unforced errors. 

A late comeback in the third saw Fery claim two breaks of Musetti’s serve, but each one was chased by his own faltering service game. Fery’s code violation for audible obscenity as he went 6-5 down was understandable, at least.

‘Today, (my serve) really let me down,’ Fery agreed after the match. ‘That was the biggest difference (between us) I think. In the rally, I was going toe to toe, especially towards the end. I was starting to dominate the rallies from the back, and once the play got started, I felt better and better. 

‘So it’s positive that I’m starting the rally down a lot of the time because of the serve. He was serving well. He was serving fast and quite accurate. But even in the rally, I felt like I can do things better, even though I’m already I’d say almost 50-50 with a guy who’s top 15 and who has that resume, but yeah, lots of things to work on. They’re still fresh.’ 

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Catapulted into the top 40 just two months ago, Fery has close to zero experience managing his calendar. This week, he arrived as a Winston-Salem Open finalist, and his run of five consecutive matches two days before his first match in Flushing Meadows may have delivered a lesson about what he can handle before a Grand Slam. At this stage in his career, Fery has everything to learn. What Musetti has taught him will sting regardless.

For now however, Fery believes he made the right decision in playing Winston-Salem, in itself, a valuable experience. 

‘The Grand Slams are the biggest tournaments, and everyone has their eye on them,’ Fery conceded. ‘But at the same time, would I sign for these past two weeks right now? Yeah, probably. 

‘To be honest, it’s a lot of ranking points. It’s a first ATP final, so it’s good. Even though it meant that my preparation for US Open was not great in terms of practicing on site and resting.’ 

Next, focus will shift to leading his country in Davis Cup tennis on home soil against Ecuador in two weeks time, and then the Asian swing, with events in Tokyo and Shanghai to come. Having only played a small Challenger tournament outside the Chinese city, Fery is looking forward to the likely polar opposite experience of the player-favourite Masters event. 

The 24-year-old is also revelling in the new path his career has taken on. Gone are the days of small tournaments, smaller paychecks, and a nervous wait to see if you might make the cut for a draw. 

‘It helps a lot,’ Fery admitted. ‘I know that I’m not going to play qualifying events pretty much anywhere. I know that I’m going to be main draws in pretty much every ATP tournament. 

‘For clarity, it’s great to be where I’m at in the rankings right now, and it helps to plan. I know I’m going to go to Australia (next January). I know that I’ll be playing these main draws in Asia. The only kind of one that’s up in the air is Davis Cup (Finals), and that will affect the rest of the schedule towards the end of the year.’ 

While Fery’s race is run in New York, qualifier Toby Samuel has his own chance to go toe-to-toe with a seed when he meets world No19 Jiri Lehecka on Wednesday. Ranked 1,871st in the world as recently as January 2025, victory against Lehecka’s fellow Czech Tomas Machac sent him into the top 100.

‘I knew that I had the level to jump up and play here, but obviously not this fast,’ he said. ‘I’ve always believed in myself and obviously now it’s paid off.’

Katie Boulter is another Briton hoping to avoid early Czech-out in the Big Apple with her match-up against Wimbledon finalist Karolina Muchova, while remaining first-round Brits Jan Choinski and Francesca Jones have seen their Tuesday matches delayed by rain.

With NHL training camp approaching fast, the New York Rangers have moved to add another intriguing option to their forward group.

The Blueshirts were nearing an agreement Tuesday with Finnish winger Eeli Tolvanen, The Post confirmed. PuckPedia reported that the expected contract is a one-year deal worth $1.5 million.

Tolvanen, selected 30th overall in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft, brings a scorer’s profile and should have a real chance to battle for a role in the Rangers’ middle six. He has recorded at least 35 points in each of the last three seasons with the Seattle Kraken, highlighted by a career-best 23-goal campaign in 2024-25.

The 27-year-old forward offers lineup flexibility, with experience on both wings, though much of his eight-year NHL career has been spent playing the right side as a left-shot winger.

Tolvanen’s history as a power-play contributor, dating back to his time with the Nashville Predators, could also make him a useful addition to the Rangers’ second unit — an area that has struggled to provide consistent impact in recent seasons.

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Last season, he registered the fourth-most power-play points (14) on the Kraken while primarily skating with their second unit. 

Seattle — which claimed Tolvanen off waivers from the Predators in December 2022 — integrated the Finn into its penalty-killing rotation throughout his tenure. His PK responsibilities steadily increased each campaign, which culminated in him registering the seventh-most shorthanded minutes (80:53) on the team last season. 

While Tolvanen somewhat fell short of his pure sniper reputation coming into the league, the 5-foot-10, 182-pounder developed a sneaky physical game. 

Since he joined the Kraken, Tolvanen has led the entire club in hits (703) by a considerable margin. His 256 blocks over the past three seasons were good for the fourth most on the team, as well. 

Tolvanen comes to New York with more than 400 regular-season games and 21 playoff games of experience.

In a separate case, federal officials said Tuesday they arrested an undocumented immigrant accused of strangling a woman to death inside her home in Massachusetts.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement identified the suspect as Flavio Alcantara Dias, 43, a Brazilian national who officials say was living in the United States unlawfully. ICE said Alcantara Dias had been released into the country during former President Joe Biden’s administration despite earlier arrests involving DUI and aggravated assault.

“Alcantara Dias illegally entered the United States in April 2019. In October 2024, an immigration judge granted Alcantara Dias’ motion to terminate his immigration hearings based on a technicality, bringing his immigration case to an end despite his criminal history and unlawful presence in the United States. He was then released into the country by the Biden administration,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

“The safest way to arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our streets is by lodging arrest detainers. 7 of the top 10 safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE. We are urging the Framingham Police Department to participate in a controlled transfer of this criminal illegal alien to get him out of our communities once and for all,” the statement continued.

“Our message is clear: if you come into our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you,” DHS added.

Middlesex County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Brandt recounted a 911 call Dias made after an altercation with the 33-year-old Brianna Connolly in her home last week.

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“He states very clearly, ‘Can I have police? A homicide just happened here right now,’” Brandt told the courtroom, according to Boston 25 News.

“He then states, ‘I ended up killing a woman by mistake.’ He says, ‘I went crazy and suffocated her later on, says that he strangled her,’” Brandt said, noting that Dias had been speaking Portuguese.

Brandt said Dias had told police on the call that he and Connolly had been doing drugs inside her home and got into an argument because he wanted to have sex and she did not.

Dias claimed he fell asleep and woke up to find Connolly not breathing. Brandt added that police observed that Connolly had “blood marks on her forehead and also on the back of her head,” in addition to a “fabric-y cord around her neck.”