5 Big News Stories Overnight - Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Mamdani's Big Night

New York Headlines:

Mamdani Emerges as Kingmaker, Pushing His Slate to a Primary Sweep

"Mayor Zohran Mamdani shook the Democratic establishment by helping drive three progressive candidates to victory," New York Times.

The Hateful Slate

"Mamdani-backed lefties sweep in NYC congressional primaries — as socialist mayor’s influence grows to DC," New York Post.

Mamdani took a risk by backing left-wing allies in NY’s congressional primaries. It paid off.

"Claire Valdez resoundingly defeated Antonio Reynoso by a whopping 26 points in the 7th District. Mamdani ally Brad Lander trounced incumbent Dan Goldman in the NY-10th. And Darializa Avila Chevalier edged out Adriano Espaillat in a shocking win over the incumbent," Daily News.

Searing UK heat leaves schools, hospitals and transport networks struggling to cope

The Guardian reports:

Searing heat has swept the UK with schools, hospitals, transport networks and water companies struggling to cope with the extreme temperatures caused by climate breakdown.

Temperatures hit highs of 34.6C in Wisley in Surrey, the Met Office said, with the UN chief warning that London was “cooking”.

South-east England is expected to record temperatures of 38C on Wednesday and a maximum of 39C on Thursday. Those dizzying thermometer readings would shatter the previous June record of 35.6C, first set in in 1957 and reached again in 1976, and come close to the all-time milestone of 40.3C, reached in July 2022, which marked the first time anywhere in the UK experienced anything above 40C.

Iran refuses UN inspectors access to bombed nuclear facilities

France 24 reports:

Iran said Tuesday that the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will not be able to inspect key nuclear sites bombed by the US and Israel last year, as the first round of talks to end the Middle East war wrapped up in Switzerland.

Tehran and Washington have signed a memorandum of understanding to end a war that sowed chaos across the Middle East and rattled the global economy, embarking on a 60-day period to settle broader issues including Iran's nuclear programme and sanctions relief.

Lutnick privately warned top executives of possible action against imported Chinese robots

Politico reports:

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told executives at a closed-door meeting Monday that his department is studying state-subsidized robotics imports and signaled the administration could take strong action once the review is complete, according to three people who attended the meeting and were granted anonymity to discuss it.

Officials increasingly see China’s state-backed robotics industry as a national security threat, fearing subsidized Chinese robots could dominate global markets before U.S. manufacturers have the scale to compete.

Chinese-made robots already face U.S. tariffs, though several attendees said Lutnick’s comments suggest the administration is considering additional action.

Former NOAA Employees Revive Climate Site Shut by Trump Administration

The New York Times reports:

A small group of former government workers has recreated a valuable climate-science website that had been shuttered last year under the Trump administration.

The new site, climate.us, is an effort by former staff members at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to present climate science previously housed at climate.gov, including data, reports, articles, and congressionally mandated national climate assessments.

The new site is effectively the “first full clone” of climate.gov, said Rebecca Lindsey, managing director of climate.us. It became fully active on Tuesday morning.