Today's Headlines: Mamdani Reflects on His Astonishing Rise and the Challenges Ahead
Rubio Fleshes Out Trump’s Case That Iran Nuclear Capacity Was Eliminated
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The New York Times
Today's Headlines

June 26, 2025, 6:15 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

Mamdani Reflects on His Astonishing Rise and the Challenges Ahead

In a post-election interview, Zohran Mamdani, the likely winner of the Democratic primary for mayor of New York, said he took some lessons from Donald Trump’s focus on the cost of living.

Rubio Fleshes Out Trump’s Case That Iran Nuclear Capacity Was Eliminated

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said U.S. strikes had destroyed a facility that is key to turning highly enriched nuclear fuel into a working bomb. He railed against a less optimistic U.S. intelligence report.

Kennedy’s New Advisers Promise Closer Scrutiny of Childhood Vaccines

The reconstituted C.D.C. panel will revisit the standard vaccination schedule. The former head of an anti-vaccine group is now a special federal employee.

Editors’ Picks

Why Did the Novel-Reading Man Disappear?

Men are leaving fiction reading behind. Some people want to change that.

Opinion | The Anatomy of Mamdani’s Political Earthquake

The 33-year-old State Assemblyman just achieved one of the greatest political upsets in New York City history.

World

With Bezos Wedding, Venice Braces for Love in the Time of Tech Billionaires

The celebration of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez has divided a city that centuries ago set the standard for opulence.

In a Win for Trump, NATO Agrees to a Big Increase in Military Spending

President Trump has long pushed the European allies to be more self-sufficient on defense, relying less on American protection. NATO committed to a major increase over the next decade.

At Least 8 Killed as Protesters Battle Police in Kenya

Demonstrators joined antigovernment marches across the country a year after huge rallies against a contentious tax plan left more than 60 people dead.

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U.S.

How a Birthday Boat Ride on Lake Tahoe Turned Tragic

Eight people died when a surprise storm caused dangerous waves on the lake along the California-Nevada border, upending boats and tossing passengers into the frigid water.

Trump Administration Says California’s Trans Sports Policies Discriminate Against Girls

The Education Department cited Gov. Gavin Newsom’s own words questioning transgender girls in female sports, and said the state had violated federal civil rights law.

U.S. Is Creating 2 New Expanded Military Zones Along Border With Mexico

The plans for strips of land in Texas and Arizona are the latest step to militarize the boundary to stem an already dwindling number of migrant crossings.

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Politics

Trump’s Name Could Adorn Tel Aviv Hotel, Becoming a Symbol or a Target

The Trump Organization’s preliminary talks this spring about affixing its brand to a tower near a recent missile strike highlight the complexities of its international deal-making.

Usha Vance’s New Life in Trump’s Washington

Old friends are bewildered by the turn taken by the second lady, a onetime Democrat and former litigator for a San Francisco firm. Others say she’s happy in the role.

Zohran Mamdani Says He’s a Democratic Socialist. What Does That Mean?

The term has no singular definition. But simply put, it’s an ideology rooted in its opposition to capitalism and wanting to shift power from corporations to workers.

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Business

Mideast Conflict Imperils a Tiny Waterway Vital to the World Economy

Every day, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply squeezes through a narrow waterway on Iran’s southern border. It is one of the energy industry’s most important trading routes — and one of its most vulnerable.

The Washington Post Will Ask Some Sources to Annotate Its Stories

The program, called From the Source, will start with articles from the publication’s climate team. It could provide readers with more viewpoints but would also require moderation and vetting.

U.S. Textile Makers, Feeling Forgotten by Trump, Hope Boom Days Are Ahead

The Trump administration faces hard choices in determining what industries to protect as it uses tariffs to construct an industrial policy.

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Technology

Why Does Every Commercial for A.I. Think You’re a Moron?

Ads for consumer A.I. are struggling to imagine how the product could improve your day — unless you’re a barely functioning idiot.

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Arts

A Film About a Murdered Russian Activist Takes Its Own Risks

The widely condemned killing of Natalya Estemirova is the subject of a documentary that those involved say needed to take heed of the dangers of speaking out.

5,000 Sondheim Sketches and More Head to Library of Congress

The musical theater titan left behind material from beloved shows like “Sweeney Todd” and “Sunday in the Park With George.”

The Edge, U2’s Guitarist, Becomes Irish Citizen After 62 Years There

The musician born David Evans was one of more than 7,500 people who became citizens in a series of ceremonies in southwest Ireland this week.

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New York

As Donors Work Against Mamdani, Top Democrats Stop Short of Backing Him

After Zohran Mamdani’s performance in the New York City mayoral primary, Republicans and suburban Democrats attacked him, and party leaders seemed to be hedging their bets.