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Graham Platner's Senate campaign is over ... the embattled Democratic nominee has officially stepped aside amid a growing misconduct scandal, he announced Wednesday night.

Platner's withdrawal comes just days after multiple misconduct allegations rocked his campaign ... leaving Democrats scrambling to salvage the race.

Platner posted an emotional video on Wednesday officially announcing that he will be filing the paperwork to drop out of the race. Platner teared up as he told Mainers that he was suspending his campaign and to "keep fightin'" because "we're gonna win someday."

10:48 AM PT -- Jack Antonoff was just spotted wearing his wedding ring today.

Margaret Qualley and Jack Antonoff have separated after 3 years of marriage, according to a new report.

The high-profile couple called it quits after hitting a rough patch, PEOPLE reported.

It seems pretty clear now this is why Margaret was MIA from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding, because TMZ learned she was not filming any project last weekend.

Missing 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells' body has been found off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, according to local authorities.

Officials tell local outlets the body was discovered Monday morning around 8:45 AM in the water near the northwest end of Horn Island after a park ranger made the grim find.

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said the remains matched the description of Wells, who had been the subject of a search effort.

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is facing a new sexual assault allegation from a woman he previously dated ... an accusation he strongly denies.

Jenny Racicot -- a 41-year-old Maine woman -- tells Politico she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner for more than two years before he allegedly entered her home uninvited one night in late 2021 while deeply intoxicated. She claims Platner forced himself on her despite repeatedly being told to stop.

Platner doubled down on his denial in a video Monday ... while revealing he's taking time to consider the best path forward for his campaign in light of the allegation.

11:13 AM PT -- The Unites Cajun Navy posted a message on Facebook saying they have called off the search for Nolan Wells.

8:32 AM PT -- A body has been found on Horn island according to Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter ... the identity of the body is still unknown at this time.

A massive search is underway for a Mississippi teenager who vanished during a Fourth of July trip to a popular island ... and authorities are asking anyone who spent the holiday on the water to help bring him home.

Eighteen-year-old Nolan Wells was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday on Horn Island -- off the Mississippi coast, Ocean Springs -- according to the Jackson County Sheriff's Department. He was wearing black shorts and sunglasses when he disappeared.

Authorities say Nolan had traveled to the island by boat with friends ... but it's unclear whether he ever made it back to the mainland.

The FBI is giving it to us straight from the horse's mouth ... telling TMZ some of the Nancy Guthrie ransom notes might be legit, but others not so much.

FBI Phoenix tells us ... “The FBI and its task force partners have received several ransom notes over the course of this investigation. Some have been deemed to be extortion attempts without legitimacy. Other ransom demands may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such."

The statement goes on, saying ... "This case continues to be investigated as a kidnapping for ransom case. The FBI has and will continue to offer all assistance possible in the investigation -- however local authorities remain the lead."

NPR may have jumped the gun on one of the biggest political scoops of the year ... reporting that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is retiring, only to quickly reverse course and retract their story.

The Alito retirement story, written by prominent SCOTUS reporter Nina Totenberg, was published Tuesday morning before quickly disappearing from NPR's website. In its place now sits a brief editor's note that reads, "This story has been taken down. It was published in error."

The report spread quickly because the stakes couldn't be much higher. If Alito steps down, President Trump would get the chance to nominate a fourth Supreme Court justice -- further cementing his influence over the nation's highest court for years to come.

The twist here is who's behind the scoop ... Totenberg has spent decades covering the Supreme Court and is widely regarded as one of the best-sourced reporters on the beat -- having broken countless major stories involving the justices. That's already fueled speculation the underlying reporting may be sound and the story simply went live before NPR intended.

A jury couldn't reach a decision in the federal arson trial against Jonathan Rinderknecht -- the man accused of starting the Palisades fire in L.A. last year -- and the judge declared a mistrial.

It was 10-2 vote in favor of a not guilty verdict, but the 2 outliers weren't budging.

The jury started deliberations on Wednesday after about a 2-week trial, and initially indicated they'd unanimously reached verdicts in Rinderknecht's 3 arson charges before changing course.

Mackenzie Shirilla isn't getting her day in court ... because her latest appeal was denied, TMZ has learned.

According to new court docs obtained by TMZ, Mackenzie's appeal was not accepted for review.

The papers say the judge dissented and the court declined to accept jurisdiction over the case. Basically ... they declined to hear the case and it was dismissed.

Clive Davis -- the legendary music mogul who helped launch the careers of icons like Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Kelly Clarkson, and more -- is dead ... TMZ has confirmed.

Clive died Monday at his home in New York City ... as the New York Times first reported.

The cause of death is unclear ... but as we reported, there were concerns about his health just weeks ago when he was hospitalized in New York with an upper respiratory infection. He was later discharged on June 4 and returned home ... with a rep telling TMZ he was in good spirits and recovering.

Elena Katherine Moore -- a personal trainer in South Carolina who had been missing since last Thursday -- is confirmed to be dead, authorities announced Friday.

According to Lexington officials ... the body found on Wednesday had been officially identified as Moore. An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday ... and authorities anticipate a cause and manner of death to be released on Monday.

Police said Wednesday ... the clothing on the body matched what Moore was wearing when she went missing ... but the coroner would need to identify if it was her.

Rapper Mystikal was just sentenced to 20 years behind bars ... after pleading guilty to raping a woman.

The victim in the case described how the musician -- born Michael Lawrence Tyler -- brutally sexually assaulted her in his Louisiana home in 2022 ... and she asked the judge to levy the maximum sentence, according to WBRZ.

As we reported ... the rapper was originally arrested back in 2022 ... and entered a guilty plea to third-degree rape in a Louisiana courtroom last month, under a deal with prosecutors.

After the victim told the court Mystikal choked her, punched her and forcibly raped her, he stood up and said ... "If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence."

Oliver Tree has died after a tragic helictoper crash in Brazil ... according to local authorities.

CNN Brazil -- citing Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro -- reported Tree and 5 others were killed after two helicopters collided above an electric vehicle yard in Southwest Rio de Janeiro Sunday morning.

According to reports ... Tree and four others were in one helicopter -- while only a pilot flew the other. An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the crash.

Tree was in his helictoper with 4 other people: passengers Lucas Vignale, Gaspar Prim, Lucas Brito Chaves and pilot Alexandre Souza, according to local outlet Metróples. Pilot Charles Marsillac was in the other helicopter alone.

Karmelo Anthony has officially traded county jail for state prison ... and the convicted killer posed for a new mug shot after being transferred into the Texas prison system to begin serving his 35-year sentence for murdering Austin Metcalf.

The 19-year-old appears with a shaved head and wearing a sleeveless prison tunic in the new booking photo taken after his move into state custody Wednesday morning. Anthony spent Tuesday night in county jail before being transferred to the Wallace Pack Unit near Houston.

Anthony was convicted and sentenced on Tuesday for Austin's murder ... meaning he only spent one night in jail following the guilty verdict before going to prison.

Karmelo Anthony's mom took the stand to plead with the jury set to determine her son's fate, TMZ has learned. 

Kala Hayes testified minutes after her son was found guilty of murdering Austin Metcalf. She told the 12-person jury she knows her son is very sorry for what he did. 

Prosecutors asked Kala if she still had love for her son. 

President Trump says the United States is preparing to respond after Iran shot down a U.S. military helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump made the announcement Tuesday in a Truth Social post ... claiming Iranian forces brought down a "highly sophisticated Apache Helicopter" during an overnight patrol mission.

POTUS say two American pilots were aboard the airship ... and, fortunately, both escaped unharmed.

Trump says he's already been briefed by military officials .. and it sounds like retaliation is squarely on the table.