Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Wednesday.
Democrats looked for lessons in New York City’s mayoral upsetZohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who only recently emerged from obscurity, is now all but certain to be the Democratic mayoral nominee to lead the nation’s largest city. He appears to have cruised to a surprisingly comfortable victory by energizing young and progressive New Yorkers with promises to address affordability. The election results are not yet final, but Mamdani’s main rival, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, conceded. Now, attention has begun to turn to November’s general election and to the impact a far-left Democratic mayoral nominee could have on midterm races across the country. In an interview today with my colleague Emma Fitzsimmons, Mamdani said he co-opted some of the talking points that President Trump used to secure re-election, including a focus on grocery prices. Here are five things to know about Mamdani. Top New York Democrats like Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Hakeem Jeffries congratulated Mamdani, but stopped short of outright endorsements. Other party leaders urged Cuomo to end his campaign rather than running as a third-party candidate in the general election. Nationally, some party members pushed back against Mamdani’s democratic socialism and harsh criticism of Israel. He vowed to work to win over Jewish and Black voters who supported Cuomo, and he received an endorsement from Representative Jerrold Nadler, one of the city’s most prominent Jewish leaders. Republicans sought to use Mamdani’s ascent to bludgeon national Democrats as extreme leftists. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Mamdani’s voice was “grating” and called him a “Communist Lunatic.” For more: Mamdani’s success was built on a novel coalition. Take a look at how every neighborhood voted here and learn more about Mamdani’s background.
Trump said the U.S. would soon meet with IranThe president announced today that U.S. officials would hold talks next week with Iran, though he downplayed the importance of striking a nuclear deal. “To me, I don’t think it’s that necessary,” he said at a news conference at the conclusion of the NATO summit. Trump also aggressively pushed back against a U.S. intelligence report that said that the American bombings in Iran had only set back Tehran’s nuclear program by a matter of months. He attacked media outlets for reporting on the document’s existence and insisted, without providing more evidence, that Iran’s nuclear sites had been “obliterated.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a more detailed argument for why the U.S. attacks had been successful: He said that a “conversion facility,” which is required for making a nuclear weapon, had been destroyed.
Kennedy intensified scrutiny of childhood vaccinesThe U.S. is planning to end its financial support for Gavi, the global organization that helps purchase vaccines for children in poor countries. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the change in a video sent to the group today. He accused Gavi of having “ignored the science.” Kennedy’s handpicked group of vaccine advisers also met today for the first time. It became clear within minutes that the panel — which has a major impact on the availability of vaccines — intended to renew scrutiny of the shots recommended to Americans, particularly childhood vaccines. In other Trump administration news:
NATO agreed to a big increase in military spendingNATO leaders agreed today to a goal of spending 5 percent of their gross domestic product on defense. And Trump, who has long insisted that Europe needs to pay more for its own defense, praised the commitment. But that doesn’t mean each member nation will actually spend that much. The difference lies in a bit of vague diplomatic language. The unanimously approved agreement said that “allies” — not “all allies” — had committed to the 5 percent figure. More top news
‘The Bear’ is backFX will release all 10 episodes of Season 4 of the kitchen dramedy “The Bear” later tonight. It’s a moment many fans are eagerly anticipating, after Season 3 — by far the most divisive of the acclaimed series — ended on a cliffhanger. Viewers will return to the vibrant Chicago food scene and the struggling restaurant at the heart of the story, the Bear. At the end of last season, Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) had just received a review that could determine whether or not the Bear would stay open. Viewers still don’t know what it says. Here’s what else to remember. Related: Check out our updated Chicago dining guide.
Find (all) of your selves in this sci-fi adventureWhy are you who you are? What choices and events create the you that exists, and determine how you agonize over small decisions or handle excuses or burdens? The Alters is a sci-fi video game about a man physically confronted with such questions. To survive on a remote planet, the main character must learn to live with the other selves he might have been. Our reviewer, Christopher Byrd, found the game to be “extraordinary” and “rewardingly stressful.”
Dinner table topics
Cook: If you find yourself with too much zucchini, this salad can save the day. Watch: “Baby Farm” is a harrowing Nigerian drama. Read: These are the books that Times readers are most excited about. Plan: The American Ballet Theater opened its season with an astounding debut. Listen: My colleague picked out eight rising Pop Girls you should look out for. Tend: These are Wirecutter’s favorite potted plants. Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. |
