New York City Democratic mayoral primary: Mamdani declares victory, Cuomo concedes before ranked choice votes are counted

New York City Democratic mayoral primary: Mamdani declares victory, Cuomo concedes before ranked choice votes are counted
New York City Democratic mayoral primary: Mamdani declares victory, Cuomo concedes before ranked choice votes are counted
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — In the closely watched New York City Democratic mayoral primary, no candidate reached the 50% threshold needed to be declared the winner outright. But after a strong showing in the first round, state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani declared victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who conceded earlier, in what was shaping up to be a remarkable upset.

The New York City Board of Elections reported as of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday that Mamdani was leading among the candidates voters ranked first on their ballot, with 44% of the vote. Cuomo was second with about 36%. City comptroller Brad Lander followed with about 11%.

The early results amounted to a strong showing for Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, who had gained momentum in polling and fundraising in the closing weeks of the campaign and capitalized on social media virality and enthusiasm among younger voters.

In an impassioned speech to supporters shortly after midnight, Mamdani declared, “Tonight, we made history,” adding, “I will be your Democratic nominee for the mayor of New York City.”

To his cheering supporters, Mamdani said, “We have won because New Yorkers have stood up for a city they can afford, a city where they can do more than just struggle, one where those who toil in the night can enjoy the fruits of their labor in the day.”
Cuomo addressed his supporters earlier Tuesday.

“Tonight was not our night; tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani’s night, and he put together a great campaign and he touched young people and inspired them and moved them and got them to come out and vote,” Cuomo said at an event Tuesday night. He added, “Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won. We’re going to take a look and make some decisions.”

Shortly after his remarks, in a surprise announcement, Cuomo’s campaign said he was conceding the primary and “looking toward November,” indicating he was not ruling out an independent run.

Earlier this spring, Cuomo’s campaign said he would consider running on a “Fight and Deliver” ballot line in the general election that he says is meant for voters disillusioned with the Democratic Party.

Cuomo’s run for mayor was to mark his political comeback nearly four years after he resigned the governorship after several women accused him of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct. Cuomo has consistently denied the allegations.

In the mayoral race, Cuomo has campaigned on a message of being the most experienced in the race and being the candidate who has already taken on President Donald Trump during his time as governor. Mamdani has focused on a progressive, economy-focused platform that included a rent freeze for rent-stabilized apartments and eliminating fares for New York City buses.

Mamdani, who would be the city’s first Muslim mayor and its youngest mayor in a century if elected, faced skepticism over the feasibility of some of his proposals and backlash over some of his comments on Israel.

Even with Cuomo’s announcement, the race is set to proceed to a ranked-choice count since no candidate of the 11 on the ballot got more than 50%.

Tuesday’s results do not yet reflect any ranked-choice tabulation. More comprehensive results won’t be reported until July 1, when the board of elections plans to run the ranked-choice tabulations. Under the city’s ranked choice voting system, if no candidate breaks 50%, the candidate with the least amount of votes is eliminated, and the vote tabulation continues in rounds. In the second round, voters whose first-choice candidate got eliminated get their second-choice vote counted. That keeps going until only two candidates remain, and the candidate in the lead at that point wins the primary.

A spokesperson for the city’s board of elections, Vincent Ignizio, told ABC News that the week-long wait for comprehensive results is due, in part, to the time it takes to retrieve voting machine data.

The Board of Elections plans to finish counting votes over the next few weeks and will certify the results on July 15.

Nearly 1 million New Yorkers voted early or on the day of the primary, per the Board.

During the 2021 Democratic mayoral primary, which was the first time New York City used ranked-choice voting, a total of 942,031 votes were cast in the mayoral race, according to data from the New York City Board of Elections.

In heavily Democratic New York, it’s likely the Democratic primary winner in the mayoral race has the advantage in the general election in November.

Potentially complicating matters however, is the fact that incumbent Democratic Mayor Eric Adams is running as an independent in the fall.

ABC News’ Jack Moore contributed to this report.

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Alleged accomplice in California fertility clinic bombing dies in federal custody

Alleged accomplice in California fertility clinic bombing dies in federal custody
Alleged accomplice in California fertility clinic bombing dies in federal custody
David McNew/Getty Images

(PALM SPRINGS, Calif.) — The man charged earlier this month with conspiring to assist the suspected California fertility clinic bomber has died in federal custody, according to a statement from the Bureau of Prisons.

Daniel Park was found unresponsive on Tuesday at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, the federal law enforcement agency said.

“Responding employees initiated life-saving measures. Emergency medical services (EMS) were requested while life-saving efforts continued,” the statement said. “Mr. Park was transported by EMS to a local hospital and subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital personnel.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Marshals Service were notified, the Bureau of Prisons said.

Park, a 32-year-old Washington state native, was charged with conspiracy to manufacture an unregistered device and terrorism in the car bombing at a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California.
The explosion occurred on May 17 at about 11 a.m. local time, rocking nearby buildings and leading to a fire and the collapse of a building, according to authorities. The debris field covered over 250 yards.

Four people were transported to the hospital for injuries sustained in the blast but were released the following day, officials said at the time.

The clinic, the American Reproductive Center of Palm Springs, said no members of its staff were harmed, and its lab — including all eggs, embryos and reproductive materials — were undamaged in the attack.

The primary suspect in the case, 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus, was found dead next to the detonated vehicle, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s LA field office said last month.

Park was arrested at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York earlier this month after being detained in Poland on May 30, officials said at the time. Park allegedly fled to Europe four days after the bombing, officials said.

Park allegedly shipped approximately 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate, an explosive precursor commonly used to construct homemade bombs, from Seattle to Bartkus in California as part of a plot related to the pair’s nihilist beliefs, according to officials. Park also allegedly paid for an additional 90 pounds of the substance in the days leading up to the Palm Springs attack, officials said.

Federal investigators allege the materials were used in the car bombing. Park also allegedly spent two weeks visiting the main suspect’s home in late January and early February of this year, the officials said. The two are believed to have been conducting experiments together in the main suspect’s garage.

Park and Bartkus followed a “pro-mortalism, anti-natalism, and anti-pro-life ideology,” officials said in a press conference after his arrest, adding the pair believed people should not be born without their consent and “nonexistence is best.”

Park and Bartkus appeared to have found each other in chat forums online as like-minded individuals, according to officials.

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Schumer angered over postponement of Senate’s Iran-Israel conflict briefing

Schumer angered over postponement of Senate’s Iran-Israel conflict briefing
Schumer angered over postponement of Senate’s Iran-Israel conflict briefing
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — A frustrated Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the Trump administration’s postponement of Tuesday’s scheduled classified briefing on the Iran-Israel conflict “outrageous,” “evasive” and “derelict” — and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the postponement of the House’s briefing “a slap in the face to the Congress of the United States.”

“There is a legal obligation for the administration to inform Congress of what is happening. What are they afraid of? Why won’t they engage Congress in the critical details, the result of the recent strike, the scope and trajectory of the conflict, the administration’s long-term strategy to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, the potential risks facing American citizens and our service members who we all have an obligation to protect?” Schumer said while addressing reporters Tuesday afternoon.

Schumer said senators deserve transparency.

“This last-minute postponement of our briefing is outrageous, it’s evasive, it’s derelict. They are bobbing and weaving and ducking. Senators deserve full transparency,” he said.

The Senate’s classified briefing, which was set to include briefers from the Department of State as well as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan Caine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and DNI Tulsi Gabbard, had been postponed to later in the week to allow for other briefers to join.

Schumer suggested, and a GOP leadership aide confirmed, that those other briefers who are expected to join the rescheduled meeting on Thursday are Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who are currently at the NATO conference. It’s unclear whether the original slate of briefers will still attend Thursday’s briefing.

“I was given no explanation for this delay,” Schumer told reporters. “They said ‘well Hegseth and Rubio will be here Thursday.’ We are happy to hear them on Thursday in addition to this briefing, which we think will be far more valuable than hearing from Hegseth and Rubio, who are secretaries and top people and are very good at political talking points. We need facts; we need real information.”

Schumer said if Rubio and Hegseth wish to address members he’s happy to hear from them. But he also wants to hear from the original slate of briefers.

“If they want to come up on Thursday in addition — not in replacement of this hearing — that is OK,” Schumer said. “But the obstruction of this administration on a crucial issue like this where American lives and particularly the lives of American service members are at stake, is their obligation and it undermines the very principles of accountability and oversight that safeguard our democracy.”

Schumer said he has still not received a more formal briefing from the administration since he received a brief call informing him of Saturday night’s strike just before it occurred. That call, he said, lacked any specific details.

‘Slap in the face’

The House’s classified briefing set for Tuesday afternoon was postponed as well, which prompted a legislative tantrum on the floor Tuesday afternoon, with lawmakers demanding an explanation.

Democratic Rep. Yvette Clarke, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, attempted four times to seek an explanation from the chair as part of a “parliamentary inquiry.”

Clarke’s inquisition was dismissed repeatedly by the presiding chair, Republican Rep. Scott DesJarlais, who informed Clarke that she had not properly stated a parliamentary inquiry.

After some back and forth, Clarke then informed DesJarlais that without an explanation for the postponed briefing, she’d offer a motion to adjourn. That forced the lawmakers to return to the chamber for an unexpected vote to defeat the Democratic motion.

Pelosi criticized the postponement of the briefing.

“We must all exercise our best judgement in how we prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon and honor our relationship with Israel in the interest of our national security. But the unjustified cancellation of this briefing by the Trump administration is an intolerable insult to their co-equal branch of government and the constitutional requirement that the president comes to Congress before going to war,” the California Democrat said. “The president owes the American people an explanation on why his administration is keeping them and their representatives in the dark.”

It’s not yet clear when the House’s briefing will be rescheduled.

Massie considers pulling War Powers Resolution

When the meetings occur, it’s expected that lawmakers, especially Democrats, will be looking for answers and evidence at the briefings from the administration — specifically why Trump said there was an imminent threat and carried out U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend.

Their meetings come after several lawmakers on Capitol Hill argued the military action was unconstitutional. There are several bipartisan resolutions that could receive a vote in coming days that may put some lawmakers in uncomfortable positions as they consider whether Trump ignored the role of Congress in striking Tehran.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna introduced a War Powers Resolution last week to rebuke the president’s decision to launch strikes. As Massie continued to rail against Trump and his role in the conflict, the president lashed out at the Kentucky Republican, saying he was “not MAGA” and threatened to campaign for Massie’s Republican primary opponent in the next election.

Massie has now softened his approach, telling reporters at the Capitol on Monday that he’s now considering pulling the bipartisan War Powers Resolution.

“If the ceasefire holds, and we’re not engaged in hostilities, then it’s a moot point. I wouldn’t need to bring it to the floor,” Massie said.

Massie also added that he is open to patching things up with the president: “I’d like a ceasefire between me and President Trump. If I can get the same deal, after his bunker busters he dropped on me.”

Trump on Monday announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire, after more than a week of fighting following Israel’s strikes — and subsequent U.S. attacks — on Iran’s nuclear program. Hours after the ceasefire took effect, Israel said Iran violated it — which Iran denies.

Trump expressed anger at both Israel and Iran, accusing both of violating the ceasefire agreement shortly after it began.

“I’m not happy with Israel. OK, when I say now you have 12 hours, you don’t go out in the first hour and just drop everything you have on them. So I’m not happy with them. I’m not happy with Iran either,” Trump said to reporters Tuesday morning.

Speaker Mike Johnson said late Monday that he expects the House briefing to have a different “tone” in the light of the ceasefire.

ABC News’ Rachel Scott contributed to this report.

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Trump says no vacations until Congress passes his megabill

Trump says no vacations until Congress passes his megabill
Trump says no vacations until Congress passes his megabill
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday told Senate Republicans to lock themselves in a room if necessary to work out their differences and pass the megabill that will fund his second-term agenda.

“To my friends in the Senate, lock yourself in a room if you must, don’t go home, and GET THE DEAL DONE THIS WEEK,” Trump posted on his social media platform while on his way to the NATO summit in the Netherlands. “Work with the House so they can pick it up, and pass it, IMMEDIATELY. NO ONE GOES ON VACATION UNTIL IT’S DONE.”

Both the Senate and House are under pressure to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill and get it to Trump’s desk by July 4.

Speaker Mike Johnson warned House Republicans Tuesday that their Independence Day celebrations may be in jeopardy as the House waits for the Senate to complete its changes to the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act and the speaker sticks to the Fourth of July deadline.

While the House is scheduled to leave town Friday for a week back in their districts, the speaker set off his own fireworks — telling his conference that members will not be dismissed for recess until the House approves the Senate’s changes.

“I said to keep your schedules flexible. July 4 is always a district work period. This is tradition, so everybody can go home and celebrate the Fourth of July with their constituents and their families,” Johnson said. “But this — there’s nothing more important that we should be involved in, or can be involved in than getting one big, beautiful bill to the president’s desk. So if the Senate does its work on the timeline that we expect, we will do our work as well. And I think everybody’s ready for that.”

The bill would make the Trump 2017 tax cuts permanent, allocate additional funding for border security and the Department of Defense, scale back Medicaid and SNAP benefits, limit taxes on tips and overtime, change state and local tax caps, and do far more.

Republicans are attempting to pass the bill using budget reconciliation, a procedure that allows them to sidestep Senate rules that normally require 60 votes to pass legislation and to instead pass the bill with a simple majority.

A KFF poll released Tuesday suggests nearly two-thirds of the public views the One Big Beautiful Bill Act unfavorably, by nearly twice as much who view it favorably, 35% to 64% of those polled.

When those polled learned the impact the bill would have on health care — for example, increasing the number of people without insurance and decreasing funding to hospitals — support fell, even among MAGA supporters.

The poll found 83% of the public, including 74% of Republicans, have a favorable view of Medicaid, and 66% have a favorable view of the Affordable Care Act.

Senate Republicans met behind closed doors Monday night to go over the latest contours of their version of the bill as Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough continued to go through the bill to ensure provisions are within the scope of using reconciliation.

Her rulings have already rankled some Republican plans, and Monday’s meeting appeared to have focused largely on how they intend to retool their provisions for compliance.

A lot remains outstanding, but there’s general optimism in the conference that a floor vote this week is still possible.

The meeting also took into account “considerations as to what the president wants,” according to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., who said she still expects the bill to make it to the floor later this week.

Johnson said Tuesday he expects the Senate to vote on Friday or Saturday — after the lower chamber had been expected to conclude its legislative work period — potentially pushing the House’s consideration of the Senate’s changes into next week.

There remains a number of challenges that Republicans must address between now and then. Here’s where things stand on some of the key provisions:

State and local taxes

The House and Senate have been divided on this issue as Senate Republicans have made clear they want to modify language in the House bill that some House moderates could balk at.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., who has been leading negotiations over SALT said Monday that the Senate has more or less reached a place of “acceptance” on SALT. The proposal, he said, won’t touch the $40,000 cap negotiated in the House, but it will alter the income threshold.

“It’s not going to lose any votes,” Mullin said, speaking for his conference. “But, as I said, it’s not a joyful spot for any of us to be in. I’ll be happy when this is done, and then we can move on.”

But Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., told reporters Tuesday that the SALT caucus of five House Republicans has banded together to create a bloc that could defeat a vote given Johnson’s slim three-vote majority.

“I hope they recognize the reality that five very salty House Republicans will vote no if they break apart on that deal,” LaLota said.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Capito said that provisions on SNAP were the most “upended” by the parliamentarian. Her ruling threatens to lessen the savings to the federal government that Republicans are hoping the bill will achieve.

Some of Monday’s meeting focused on the parliamentarian’s ruling that a provision that would require states to share the cost of the SNAP was out of order.

Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee that has jurisdiction over SNAP, said that Republicans are aiming to retool the SNAP provision to make it compliant with Senate rules.

“What we’re trying to do is give the states more time to understand what they’re dealing with so they can respond,” Boozman said.

Rural hospitals

Perhaps the biggest thorn in the Senate’s side right now is an ongoing debate about Medicaid cuts — specifically how alterations of the provider tax rate could hamstring rural hospitals in some states.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said Tuesday that moving the Senate’s version of the bill on provider tax rates back to the House’s framework would “absolutely” solve issues on the provision.

“What needs to happen now is that the leader needs to get with the rural hospitals, and he needs to satisfy their concerns and make sure that they can stay open. I mean, that will solve the problem of the House, too. You got the House out there now saying they can’t pass the Senate version of this bill,” Hawley said.

“This is not a game of chicken. This is real now, it’s like, this is — this is not like some Model UN or student government. Like, this is a real deal. So they need to get with the House. They need to get with the speaker. Make sure that they can pass this bill,” Hawley added.

ABC News’ Lauren Peller contributed to this report.

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Trump narrates dizzying 24 hours from Iranian retaliation to fragile ceasefire: Timeline

Trump narrates dizzying 24 hours from Iranian retaliation to fragile ceasefire: Timeline
Trump narrates dizzying 24 hours from Iranian retaliation to fragile ceasefire: Timeline
Erik Marmor/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — The past 24 hours in the Israel-Iran war have been been highlighted by President Donald Trump’s whirlwind diplomatic efforts, aimed at being seen as a peacemaker amid the conflict.

The world seesawed between fears of escalation as Iran retaliated against the United States to Trump’s surprise ceasefire announcement to his angry comments about early violations from both countries.

Notably, the president narrated the fast-changing developments in real time on his conservative social media site, showing, in often personal terms, his style of dealmaking diplomacy — and his mounting frustration with both sides.

Here’s how the sometimes dizzying sequence of events unfolded.

Monday afternoon: Iran fires missiles at US military base in Qatar

Alarms were raised when when Tehran, in response to the U.S. strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities over the weekend, retaliated on Monday by firing missiles at Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military base in the region.

Reports of the attack came in around 1 p.m. ET on Monday. The U.S. shot down the missiles with assistance from Qatar. No injuries or extensive damage were reported.

Although Trump had threatened a massive response if Iran retaliated, raising fears of escalation, he issued a statement on his social media account about 4 p.m. ET calling the attack “very weak” and said it was “very effectively countered,” not mentioning any military action.

“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” the president wrote. “I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured.”

“Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he wrote.

Monday evening: Trump announces ceasefire

The, at 6:08 p.m. ET, Trump, in a bombshell post, announced a ceasefire agreement he said would end the war within 24 hours.

The agreement described by Trump involved two 12-hour ceasefire periods that would come “when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions,” Trump wrote.

Iran would start the ceasefire for the first 12 hours, Trump said, and Israel would then follow with a second 12-hour ceasefire. When that period was over, Trump said, “an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World.”

“It’s a great day for America. It’s a great day for the Middle East. I’m very happy to have been able to get the job done,” Trump told NBC News, taking credit. “I think the ceasefire is unlimited. It’s going to go forever.”

In the immediate aftermath of Trump’s announcement, however, neither Israeli nor Iranian officials publicly commented on the proposal.

At 1:08 a.m. ET, Trump posted: “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!”

Overnight: Reports Israel and Iran continue to exchange fire

In the final hours before the ceasefire was set to go into effect, Israel and Iran launched a barrage of missiles. Israel said four people were killed and 20 injured as Iranian missiles hit Beersheba. Iran said at least 15 people were killed in strikes around the country.

Then, came reports of exchanged fire in the opening hours of the ceasefire.

Israel said Iran violated the ceasefire agreement by launching missiles between midnight and 3:30 a.m. ET, which Israel said were intercepted or fell in open areas. Iran denied firing the missiles.

Israel then acknowledged its Air Force “destroyed a radar installation near Tehran” in response to the alleged violations.

Tuesday morning: Trump lashes out at Israel and Iran

In some startlingly blunt comments, Trump showed his frustration with both Iran and Israel as he departed the White House around 6:30 a.m. ET to attend a NATO summit in the Netherlands.

“Israel as soon as we made the deal, they came out and dropped a boatload of bombs the likes of which I’ve never seen before,” Trump said. “The biggest load that we’ve seen, I’m not happy with Israel. Ok, when I say now you have 12 hours, you don’t go out in the first hour and just drop everything you have on them. So, I’m not happy with him. I’m not happy with Iran either.”

While he accused both nations of violating the ceasefire, much of his ire was aimed toward Israel, in language rarely heard from a president in public.

“We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard, that they don’t know what the f— they’re doing. Do you understand that?” a visibly angry Trump told ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott when asked if both nations were committed to peace, before turning away to board his Marine One helicopter.

Soon after, he fired off a warning to Israel on social media — in all capital letters — to stop attacking Iran.

During the morning, Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sources familiar with the call told ABC News. A White House source, in a readout of the call, said Trump was firm and direct with Netanyahu about what was necessary to sustain the ceasefire.

“ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly ‘Plane Wave’ to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect!” Trump wrote.

Once aboard Air Force One, on his way to the Netherlands, he told reporters he wasn’t thinking about consequences for Israel when he warned against retaliation, claiming “they didn’t do anything” because of his post on social media.

The Israeli prime minister’s office said in a statement that Israel has “refrained from additional attacks” on Iran following the conversation between Trump and Netanyahu.

Iran said it won’t violate the ceasefire unless Israel does, according to Iran’s state-run media.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the fragile ceasefire appeared to be holding, 24 hours after Iran retaliated against the U.S.

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Dangerous heat wave invades East Coast: Latest forecast

Dangerous heat wave invades East Coast: Latest forecast
Dangerous heat wave invades East Coast: Latest forecast
ABC News

(NEW YORK) — A life-threatening heat wave has enveloped the East Coast, hitting cities with the worst of the high temperatures on Tuesday before relief moves in later in the week.

This is the first major heat wave of the season, with extreme heat warnings and heat advisories in effect for over 150 million Americans from Texas to Maine, including the entire Interstate 95 corridor.

Extreme heat warnings are in effect across the Northeast, including Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Actual temperatures are approaching 100 degrees, while the heat index — what the temperature feels like with humidity — is soaring above 100 degrees.

Philadelphia, Baltimore and Raleigh, North Carolina, all broke daily heat records on Monday with temperatures of 99 degrees, 104 degrees and 100 degrees, respectively. In New York City, the heat index on Monday reached 106 degrees — the highest in the area in four years.

Tuesday is the hottest day of the heat wave for the Northeast. Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and D.C. could break daily record highs.

Amtrak said some trains in the Northeast may be delayed due to heat-related speed restrictions. Amtrak issues these restrictions when temperatures are higher than 95 degrees and the tracks reach 128 degrees.

On Tuesday, it’ll feel like 106 degrees in Boston and Philadelphia; 102 degrees in New York City; 109 in D.C.; 107 in Charlotte, North Carolina; and 105 in Charleston, South Carolina.

The extreme heat will even reach upstate New York and New England, where the heat index is forecast to hit 102 degrees.

This kind of rare, long-duration heat with little overnight recovery can be life-threatening, especially for people without adequate cooling or hydration available.

Con Edison is urging everyone in New York City to conserve energy.

“Customers’ need to run their air conditioners to stay comfortable place stress on electric delivery equipment,” Con Edison explained. “The company asks customers to refrain from using intensive appliances such as washers, dryers, and microwaves during peak hours.”

Relief from the oppressive heat will arrive on Thursday. Temperatures will drop to 69 degrees in Boston, 78 in New York City, 91 in Philadelphia and 93 in D.C.

Click here for what you need to know to stay safe in the heat.

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2 million student loan borrowers at risk of garnished wages in July

2 million student loan borrowers at risk of garnished wages in July
2 million student loan borrowers at risk of garnished wages in July
Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Nearly two million student loan borrowers are at risk of having their wages garnished next month, credit-reporting agency TransUnion said on Tuesday.

Fresh data shows a sharp increase in the number of delinquent student loan borrowers in recent months, following the end of a pandemic-era pause on student debt payments.

Student loan borrowers are considered delinquent if they fail to make a loan payment for 90 days. When late payment stretches on for a total of 270 days, then the borrower falls into default.

Roughly 6 million student loan borrowers entered delinquency between February and April, TransUnion said, estimating that about one-third of those borrowers could enter default in July.

When a federal student loan enters default, the government can send it for collections, garnishing wages or even taking money from Social Security payments or tax refunds.

The Trump administration started collecting defaulted student loan payments in May, lifting a pause initiated in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We continue to see more and more federal student loan borrowers being reported as the 90+ days delinquent, making a larger number of consumers vulnerable to entering default and the start of collections activities,” Michele Raneri, vice president and head of U.S. research and consulting at TransUnion, said in a statement.

Some borrowers’ credit scores have also suffered. Student loan holders who have entered delinquency in recent months have suffered an average credit-score reduction of 60 points, TransUnion data showed.

Roughly one in five of the newly delinquent borrowers held relatively strong credit ratings of prime or above.

“This underscores the fact that student loan borrowers of any credit risk tier can find themselves falling behind in their payments and at risk for default, even during a time in which we’ve seen most consumers are managing their debt relatively well,” Joshua Turnbull, senior vice president and head of consumer lending at TransUnion, said in a statement.

The risk to borrowers’ credit scores dates back to policy decisions made when former President Joe Biden’s administration resumed federal student loan payments after a period of relief that had been enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the Biden administration lifted the pause in the fall of 2023, the White House set in motion a 12-month moratorium. The administration did not count late payments toward delinquency. That moratorium ended in October, meaning borrowers could be considered delinquent if they didn’t make payments for more than 90 days, returning to the way the process worked pre-pandemic.

In all, some 42 million borrowers owe more than $1.6 trillion in student debt, the Department of Education said in April.

Despite the surge in newly delinquent borrowers, many of the loan holders still have time to avert garnished wages. Just 0.3% of the newly delinquent borrowers have already entered default, TransUnion said.

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Disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner among scandal-ridden New York City candidates

Disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner among scandal-ridden New York City candidates
Disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner among scandal-ridden New York City candidates
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — New York City’s municipal races are bringing disgraced politicians back into the limelight, with multiple candidates seeking a political comeback and raising the question of whether voters will give them a second — or third — chance.

Among the slate is Anthony Weiner, the disgraced former congressman whose downfall came after a slew of sexting scandals that culminated in a 21-month federal prison sentence, who is vying for Manhattan’s City Council seat.

This comes as New York City’s mayoral race faces its share of controversy as well, with former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo continuing to deny the sexual harassment allegations that led to his resignation nearly four years ago.

And though the federal investigation into incumbent Mayor Eric Adams over fraud and bribery was dismissed earlier this year, he continues to take heat as the first sitting mayor to be indicted as he attempts to court voters running as an independent.

Yet Weiner, 60, is attempting to differentiate himself from the other candidates with checkered pasts by emphasizing accountability for his wrongdoings.

“All of that happened, and I accept responsibility for it,” he told ABC’s “The View” in May. “You won’t hear me do what some other people in public life have done — Donald Trump or Andrew Cuomo or Eric Adams: ‘I’m a victim, they persecuted me for no reason.’ I was dealing with very serious problems. I was dealing with what I now understand to be addiction.”

“I am saying ‘Yes, I did these things. I got into recovery. I tried to make my life better,'” he said. “And now I can be of service. And I’m a damn good politician.”

In 2011, Weiner resigned from his congressional seat after a sexually explicit photo was posted on his social media page — which he initially said was a hack, but later admitted was his own doing — in addition to revelations of more sexting content with various women online.

He attempted a comeback two years later in an unsuccessful New York City mayoral run. Despite his initial lead, his campaign was plagued by controversy as more sexually explicit messages and images became public, with Weiner operating under the alias “Carlos Danger.”

In 2016, new sexting allegations came to light which prompted his wife Huma Abedin to announce the couple’s split.

In 2017, Weiner was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison after one of his sexting scandals was found to involve a 15-year-old girl. Following his release, he was also designated a Level 1 registered sexual offender, classified as a low-risk to reoffend.

During his appearance on “The View,” Weiner emphasized that he was still in recovery for sex addiction.

He also recognized that he would receive blowback during his campaign, but he did not think his past should hold him back. He cited a need for change among Democratic candidates as his reason for getting back into politics.

“When I woke up in November of ’24 and saw the election results — but more than who won, I looked around New York City and saw how many fewer Democrats even turned out to vote. And I started to say to myself ‘something is seriously wrong here,'” he said. “We’re hardcore anti-Trump territory and Trump did better.”

Weiner presents a more moderate platform than some of his Democratic counterparts. According to his campaign website, some of his goals include increasing police presence, protecting undocumented immigrants but deporting violent criminals, taxing the rich, and eliminating waste.

In Tuesday’s Democratic primary, Weiner faces Assembly Member Harvey Epstein, Manhattan Community Board Chair Andrea Gordillo, nonprofit leader Sarah Batchu, and community advocate Allie Ryan. 

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Fossils from giant possum-like mammal that lived 60 million years ago found in Texas

Fossils from giant possum-like mammal that lived 60 million years ago found in Texas
Fossils from giant possum-like mammal that lived 60 million years ago found in Texas
Jon G. Fuller/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

(BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas) — Paleontologists have found fossilized remains of a giant possum-like mammal that lived 60 million years ago.

The fossils, found at Big Bend National Park in Texas, belong to a group of ancient near-marsupials from the Paleocene period that scientists call Swaindelphys, according to a paper published last week in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

The prehistoric species, called Swaindelphys solastella, was “gigantic” compared to other Swaindelphys at the time but are actually about the size of a modern hedgehog, according to the researchers.

“I compared them to a lot of other marsupials from around the same time period to see what they’re most closely related to,” said Kristen Miller, a doctoral student at The University of Kansas’ Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum and lead author of the paper, said in a statement.

At first, the paleontologists thought the fossils belonged to a group of metatherians — or marsupial-like mammals — from the Cretaceous period that survived the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction, the mass extinction event believed to have wiped dinosaurs from the planet 66 million years ago.

But additional analysis revealed that the specimens belonged to a “surprisingly large” new species of Swaindelphys.

“Not only are they the largest metatherians from this time period, but they’re also the youngest and located at the most southern latitude,” Miller said.

The new fossil is the largest marsupial — in terms of body and size — found so far in North America from the Paleocene period, Chris Beard, senior curator with KU’s Biodiversity Institute, said in a statement.

“Since everything is bigger in Texas, this is perhaps not surprising,” Beard said.

“I call them ‘primatomorphans,'” Beard said. “They’re not, technically speaking, primates, but they’re very close to the ancestry of living and fossil primates. These marsupials are probably ecological analogues of early primates.”

The researchers’ work is aimed at uncovering some of the smaller and harder-to-find fossil mammals that lived at Big Bend at the time, Beard said.

The paleontologists are also interested in the differences in the kinds of fossils found in more northern regions, such as Wyoming and Alberta, Canada.

“North of that ancient divide, we see the classic Bighorn Basin taxa in their expected time periods,” Miller said said. “But south of that, in river drainages that originate in the central Rockies and areas farther to the south, things start to go a little wacky.”

More research into Swaindelphys solastella, as well as new fieldwork in Big Bend, is planned.

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Former aide Tanden appears before House committee investigating Biden’s mental acuity

Former aide Tanden appears before House committee investigating Biden’s mental acuity
Former aide Tanden appears before House committee investigating Biden’s mental acuity
Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Families Over Billionaires

(WASHINGTON) — The House Oversight Committee’s first closed-door transcribed meeting investigating former President Joe Biden’s mental acuity began Tuesday with former White House Domestic Policy Council Director Neera Tanden appearing for questioning on Capitol Hill.

Committee Chairman James Comer is investigating Biden’s health and mental “decline,” as well as the use of an autopen for pardons and other executive actions.

“This is the first of what will be many interviews with people we believe were involved in the autopen scandal in the Biden administration,” Comer told reporters Tuesday morning. “I think the American people want to know, I think there’s a huge level of curiosity in the press corps [with] respect to who was actually calling the shots in the Biden administration.”

Following the introductory portion of the meeting, Comer said Republicans wrapped a “good hour,” while Rep. Wesley Bell, D-Mo., called it an “extraordinary waste of time.”

Tanden was nominated by Biden to be the director of the Office of Management and Budget but ultimately withdrew her nomination after facing a bruising confirmation battle and bipartisan criticism over her past tweets that attacked members of Congress.

In addition to Tanden, additional former Biden senior aides are expected to sit down for interviews in the coming weeks without being subpoenaed, including Anthony Bernal, Ashley Williams and Annie Tomasini.

Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the former White House physician for Biden, will appear under subpoena before the committee for a closed, transcribed interview on July 9, a source familiar with the committee’s plans told ABC News.

ABC News’ Lauren Peller contributed to this report.

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