A fake poll made real news. What does that say about political polling? - Poynter

• Median Strategies has shut down after admitting that its polling data for the Los Angeles mayoral race and the Wisconsin gubernatorial primary were fabricated. • The firm claimed the fake polls, which involved candidates Karen Bass and Francesca Hong, were conducted as a "social experiment."

• Polling firm Median Strategies has shut down and retracted previous polls that showed wide leads for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and former Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong. • The company claimed its data collection was part of a "social experiment" rather than legitimate political polling.

• Median Strategies admitted to releasing a fake Los Angeles mayoral poll, claiming the stunt was a "social experiment" to see how misinformation spreads through political ecosystems. • Legal analysts state that the firm's actual motive will be the decisive factor in determining if the phony poll violated any election laws.

• The United Arab Emirates has suspended all trade with Iran, citing regional escalations and a deadlock in diplomatic talks between Tehran and the United States. • Turkey has dismissed claims made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "untenable," suggesting his policies are driven by the upcoming October elections in Israel.

• Jacob Smith, the former deputy legislative director for Senator John Cornyn, has joined the Talarico campaign as deputy political director. • Smith brings experience from the House Science Committee, where he worked for Representative Mike Collins (R-Georgia), as well as a role as a legislative aide.

• A mysterious political firm called Median admitted to fabricating multiple election polls this month in an attempt to influence public perception. • The fake findings were spread via polling aggregation accounts on social media, though they were excluded from major databases like The New York Times and Real Clear Politics.

• A mysterious political firm named Median Strategies admitted to fabricating multiple election poll numbers earlier this month. • The company has since retracted the fraudulent data, which was designed to mimic legitimate election polling.

• Tuesday's primary elections in Florida saw a progressive candidate secure an upset victory for the Democratic Senate nomination. • Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, endorsed by Donald Trump, won his party's nomination to become Florida's first Black governor.

• Pakistan's Supreme Court has ruled that former Prime Minister Imran Khan must be moved from prison to a hospital for medical treatment. • The decision follows the submission of medical records to the court indicating that Khan has been suffering from anxiety and palpitations.

• Iran and the United States are engaged in an evolving military and political standoff centered on the control and accessibility of the Strait of Hormuz. • Tehran has explicitly linked the full reopening of the strategic maritime corridor to the United States lifting sanctions and altering its broader approach toward Iran.

• Circuit Judge J. Kennedy Peabody warned against using government authority to punish dissent, criticism, or perceived political disloyalty during the opening of the 15th Judicial Circuit in River Gee County. • The judge argued that public institutions "bleed" and suffer significantly when administrative decisions are driven by personal interests, resentment, or revenge rather than the law.