Swing State Primaries, Tropical Storm Bertha & Coffee's Benefits - Tuesday, July 21, 2026

**Erica Mandy** (0:00)
Today is Tuesday, July 21st. We'll tell you what to expect from today's primaries in a key swing state, and how the war in the Middle East may have just taken a new turn. Also, why imports from Canada might be getting more expensive. Plus, where flooding, toxic air and a tropical storm could impact Americans today, how five cups of coffee a day could actually be good for some people, and which new song just tied Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You on the charts. No stories and even more news coming up.
Welcome to The NewsWorthy, all the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica Mandy. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this.
The Battlegrounds state of Arizona is holding closely watched primaries today. In the governor's race, two congressmen and two businessmen are competing for the Republican nomination. Whoever wins will go up against current Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs in November's midterms, since she's running unopposed in the primaries. And that November race is expected to be close. In fact, Hobbs is considered the most endangered Democratic governor this cycle. Today, voters across Arizona will also set the midterm matchups for competitive seats in the US House, as well as a full range of state and local offices. Speaking of the midterms, new US Senator Darlene Graham announced she is going to seek a full term in November. She's already finishing out the current term of her late brother, Senator Lindsey Graham. He had already secured the Republican nomination for what would have been his fifth term representing South Carolina in the Senate, so the Republican candidate in the race will now be determined by a special primary election next month. Darlene Graham will be on the ballot, along with two US congressmen and a businessman, and maybe more candidates since they still have another week to file. The new Senator Graham already has President Trump's endorsement since he actually urged her to join the race a few days ago.
There are now just 105 days until the 2026 midterm elections.
An explosion and large fire was ignited in lower Manhattan this week. It happened outside a federal building that houses an immigration court, along with dozens of federal agencies and thousands of employees in New York City. Now a US Army veteran is in custody. The FBI says he approached the building yesterday with two pellet guns, a hammer, a machete, and three knives, before using fireworks and gasoline to spark the fire. Two private security contractors detained him, they and another person got some minor injuries, but otherwise everyone is okay. Now the FBI is describing the suspect as an anti-ice rioter. Officials say they found a possible manifesto that backs that up. This comes after at least two other attacks outside of ice facilities in the last year, as the Trump administration carries out its mass deportation efforts. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is now investigating this latest case, as prosecutors consider possible charges.
The man who founded one of the most dominant criminal organizations in Mexico has now apologized for his four-decade reign of brutal violence. We're talking about the drug lord Ismael Zambada, known as El Mayo. He appeared in a New York courtroom yesterday for a sentencing hearing, where he said he was sorry for the harm he caused and that he wanted the next generation to choose another path besides violence. Then he was sentenced to life in prison. He was also ordered to forfeit $15 billion, though it's unlikely the US government will actually ever recoup that amount. El Mayo already pleaded guilty to helping run the Sinaloa Cartel from 1989 to his arrest in 2024 The US Justice Department says it's one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking groups in the world, known for pushing fentanyl, meth, and heroin into the US. It says El Mayo and his partner, El Chapo, expanded their power through widespread political corruption and an army of white men who were ready to assassinate, torture, and kidnap anyone who got in their way.
Now it's believed the cartel has broken into smaller factions, with El Chapo and El Mayo's relatives competing with each other for territory and influence. And by some accounts, the violence has only increased.
Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen may have just opened a new front of war in the Middle East. They announced yesterday they were imposing a blockade on ships from Saudi Arabia, a move that analysts say is closely tied to Iran's interests. It could spark more conflict since the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it would respond with force. It could also make the global fuel crisis worse, since if the Houthis follow through, it would cut down the world's oil supply by another 7%.