Here are today's featured stories, posted by DU members and curated by the Administrators. More news items can be found in our Latest Breaking News forum, and for all the most up-to-the-minute stories that are being talked about by DU members, visit the Latest Discussions page.
June 25, 2025
Mamdani Stuns Cuomo in N.Y.C. Mayoral Primary, as Ex-Governor Concedes
(NY Times) Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman, built a significant lead over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who conceded the race. Mr. Cuomo left the door open to running in the general election. At a moment when Democrats are searching for an answer to President Trump, Mr. Mamdani ran on an unabashedly progressive agenda, promising to make buses free, freeze the rent on rent-stabilized apartments and raise taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers. His promise of generational change appears to have resonated with large numbers of voters.
Go to discussionCDC vaccine report cites study that does not exist, says scientist listed as author
(The Guardian) A review on the use of the preservative thimerosal in vaccines slated to be presented on Thursday to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) outside vaccine committee cites a study that does not exist, the scientist listed as the study’s author said. The report, called Thimerosal as a Vaccine Preservative published on the CDC website on Tuesday, is to be presented by Lyn Redwood, a former leader of the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense.
Go to discussionTrump posts video with 'Bomb Iran' song amid ceasefire
(The Hill) President Trump posted a new video on Truth Social featuring a compilation of videos of B-2 stealth fighter jets dropping bombs along with the 1980 song "Bomb Iran" by Vince Vance & the Valiants. The song, a parody of the 1961 song "Barbara Ann" by the Regents, plays over a video of various B-2 stealth fighter jets, which were used to drop 14 GBU-57 bunker busters bombs in Iran.
Go to discussionEarly intel assessment says Iran's nuclear program was only set back 'a few months'
(NPR) A U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly has confirmed early intelligence assessments by the Defense Intelligence Agency saying that the massive U.S. air campaign against three Iran nuclear sites on Saturday night did not "obliterate" Iran's nuclear enrichment program as President Trump claimed but instead set it back "a few months." CNN first published news of the DIA assessment.
Go to discussionDOGE cuts to the IRS will cost $500 billion in lost revenue, watchdog finds
(The Independent) The so-called Department of Government Efficiency’s efforts to bulldoze federal agencies and slash the federal workforce will ultimately cost American taxpayers billions of dollars, according to a watchdog group. At the Internal Revenue Service, more than 11,000 people were either fired or took buyouts. Just this year, it’s estimated that roughly $500 billion in revenue will be lost because of the cuts, according to the report from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
Go to discussionThune Expects Grueling 'Vote-a-Rama' Through Weekend
(Mediaite) Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told senators to buckle up for a long weekend of votes on the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” Act — and has enlisted the help of President Donald Trump to lobby Republicans to get on board with the controversial legislation. The “Big, Beautiful Bill” is facing some fierce headwinds and is polling poorly across the board. It passed the House and was put forward under the reconciliation process to avoid getting blockaded by a filibuster in the Senate, but is still struggling to get the support of enough senators to pass.
Go to discussionTrump administration is preparing to test budget law, U.S. officials say
(Washington Post) The Trump administration is preparing to test a 1974 budget law by refusing to spend congressionally mandated funds, senior federal officials say — an escalation that could change the balance of power between Congress and the White House. In both internal communications and interviews, more than two dozen current and former employees across multiple agencies said the administration appears to be readying to push the boundaries of the law meant to prevent the president from unilaterally overturning spending decisions made by Congress.
Go to discussionTens of thousands of women forced to travel out of state for abortion care after Roe v Wade was overturned in 2022
(The Independent) Tens of thousands abortion patients have been forced to leave their home states to seek abortion care three years after the end of constitutionally protected abortion access in America. One out of every seven abortion patients, or roughly 155,000 people, left their home state for abortion care last year, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research group.
Go to discussionTrump denies 9 former Biden aides executive privilege
(Axios) The Trump White House has decided that nine former senior Biden aides won't be protected by executive privilege during their interviews for a congressional probe into Joe Biden's mental fitness for office. The White House's move means the former Biden aides will have to answer questions about their private conversations with Biden, unless they or Biden try to challenge the decision in court. Republicans have launched four separate investigations into Biden, 82.
Go to discussionTrump is angry with a world that won't give him easy deals
(The Guardian) Volatile inconsistency is a trait of the presidential personality, but also a learned management technique. Keeping everyone around you guessing, lurching from charm to menaces, swapping and dropping favourites on a whim – these are methods of coercive control. They generate disorientation and vulnerability. People who are braced for sudden mood swings must hang on the leader’s every word, looking for cues, awaiting instruction. Individual agency is lost, dependency is induced. It is something cult leaders do.
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