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Guardiola left to rue missed opportunities as Manchester City exit Club World Cup

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was left to rue his side’s inability to capitalise on a host of first-half chances as the Premier League side suffered a shock elimination from the Club World Cup against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal on Monday.

Marcos Leonardo scored twice, including the 112th minute winner, as the Riyadh-based outfit won 4-3 in extra-time in Orlando with the first-half performance of goalkeeper Yassine Bounou proving pivotal in Al-Hilal’s win.

“The level in this competition is a World Cup,” said Guardiola, who led City to the Club World Cup title in 2023. “The only regret I have is that we allowed them to run a little bit more than expected.

“Against a team that defended so deep, the wingers have been brilliant. The chances that we had in many, many departments. Bounou made a lot of saves and, in the end, you have to score, you have to be clinical.”

City had taken a ninth minute lead through Bernardo Silva but a string of saves from Bounou in what remained of the opening 45 minutes kept the Saudis in contention.

Leonardo and Malcom scored inside the first six minutes of the second half to turn the tables on Guardiola’s side before Erling Haaland levelled in the 55th minute, taking the game into extra-time.

Kalidou Koulibaly’s header put Al-Hilal back in front, only for Phil Foden to equalise again for City, and Leonardo eventually killed off the Premier League side eight minutes from the end of extra-time.

The win takes Al-Hilal through to a quarterfinal meeting with Brazil’s Fluminense while City return to England.

“We would have loved to continue, it’s not easy to be here once every four years,” said Guardiola.

“The team still has that feeling, that the team is doing well. But we go home and now it’s time to rest, to refresh our minds and come back for next season.”

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July 1, 2025
Rugby World Cup Weekly 10
The planet’s best female rugby players are entering the final straight ahead of Rugby World Cup 2025. Here’s what you need to know:

1. New Zealand name final pre-RWC squad

The two-time reigning Rugby World Cup holders New Zealand have named a 33-strong squad for their final warm-up matches ahead of RWC 2025.

Headlines from the group who will first play a trial match against a Black Ferns XV on 5 July before taking on Australia on 12 July include:
- Four changes from the victorious Pacific Four Series squad
- Returns for experienced backs Kelly Brazier and Renee Holmes
- Alana Bremner stepping up as co-captain alongside Ruahei Demant
- Laura Bayfield and Mia Anderson in line for possible debuts
2. Hosts England head to Italy for last training camp

England, the team New Zealand have beaten in the past two RWC finals, are also entering the very final stages of their preparations for RWC 2025.

Having been in camp in England for a month, the world No.1 ranked side is heading to Treviso, Italy for some work in the sun.

With temperatures set to rise beyond 30 degrees Celsius, head coach John Mitchell has promised the team’s “most uncomfortable training camp of all”.

3. Blow for France as Sansus suspended for RWC opener

France’s talismanic scrum-half Bourdon Sansus will miss her nation’s first Rugby World Cup 2025 match against Italy on 23 August, after being suspended for two matches following her comments on refereeing standards in France’s Elite 1 club competition.

Sansus, who was nominated for World Rugby’s 2024 Player of the year award, will also miss France’s final World Cup warm-up match versus England on 9 August.

It is a challenge for the world No.4 ranked side, with Sansus lighting up the 2025 Women’s Six Nations, not least with this magical drop goal:

Sansus will return for France’s second Pool D match against Brazil on 31 August.

4. Boost for Australia as Duck, McKenzie & Moleka star

Australia got more than just a boost in confidence from their A team completing a comfortable 50-22 RWC 2025 warm-up victory over Samoa at the weekend.

Indeed, not only did experienced duo Piper Duck and Arabella McKenzie look lively in their first international appearances of the year, but teenager Manu’a Moleka touched down twice to stake a claim for a promotion to the big time.

Former skipper Duck had not played for the Wallaroos since July 2024, while playmaker McKenzie had also been out of the international limelight all year.

Next up for Australia is a two-match home series versus Wales, starting 26 July.

5. Canada & South Africa ready for double-header

World No.2 ranked side Canada have trimmed their initial pre-RWC 2025 training squad from 38 players down to 32 for their up-coming two-match tour to South Africa.

Highlights include a first tour for sevens star Carissa Norsten – named the HSBC SVNS Series Rookie of the Year in 2024. Plus a debut for rising youngster Taylor McKnight.

South Africa meanwhile have assembled a highly experienced squad, ready to take on the in-form Canadians on 5 July, and again a week later.

Just four players (three forwards and one back) of the 26-strong squad did not travel to New Zealand for RWC 2021, with Nolusindiso Booi – South Africa’s most experienced player of all-time – captaining.

6. Kildunne & Reed deliver ultimate fan guides to York & Bristol

If you are heading to either York (six Pool stage matches) or Bristol (both semi-finals and two quarter-finals) to catch some Rugby World Cup 2025 action, we have what you need.

Check out Ellie Kildunne’s exclusive guide to hometown York.

The reigning World Rugby Player of the Year has revealed her favourite places to go pre-match, the key rugby pubs, the must-do tourist attractions and more.

And in a similar vein, Bristol Bears legend, and RWC 2014 winner Amber Reed has delivered the inside track on Bristol.

From where to watch subsequent RWC matches on TV to which community rugby clubs deserve a visit, these guides have it all.

7. Heat guidelines in place for RWC 2025

England may not always be associated with sunshine and scorching temperatures but World Rugby has made it clear, they are prepared should a heatwave hit the RWC 2025 hosts in August and September.

From introducing water breaks to extending half-time, there are a host of measures in place.

8. New docuseries on USA’s Ilona Maher

Ilona Maher’s star continues to rise.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games bronze medallist already has more than eight million followers across social media, has graced the cover of Sports Illustrated and now Maher is to feature in a docuseries, made by Hollywood star Reese Witherspoon’s documentary company, Hello Sunshine.

Next stop – she hopes – is England versus USA in Pool A on 22 August. You can be there.

9. Player spotlight: Wales’ versatile Courtney Keight

Not many players have appeared at wing, full-back and centre in the space of their first 20 international caps, but Wales’ Courtney Keight has always been a bit different.

A former netballer, the 27-year-old did not discover her true rugby skills until her university days. But she has been making up for lost time since and is now hungrily eying up her first Rugby World Cup appearance.

Not even a mega sand dune can stop her…

10. Team spotlight: fast-rising Ireland

Ireland were not even at RWC 2021. Now, the emerald green team sit fifth in the world rankings – behind only the four semifinalists from three years ago – have a recent victory over six-time world champions New Zealand in their back pocket and boast 2024’s World Breakthrough Player of the Year, Erin King, in their ranks.

It is a remarkable story.

Not many are going to fancy facing the Pool C team, who appear to be speeding through the gears.

11. Rugby World Cup Replay: Woodman-Wickliffe’s first and last

It is a stunning 20 Rugby World Cup tries and counting for New Zealand’s Portia Woodman-Wickliffe.

Seen by many as the GOAT, Wales fans might want to look away as here is her first ever effort, recorded at RWC 2017 and her most recent, in the RWC 2021 quarter-finals. Both were against the women in red.

How many more will she get?
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July 1, 2025
PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra suspended over leaked phone call

Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who has come under mounting pressure to resign over her leaked phone conversation with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.

The clip, in which Paetongtarn called him “uncle” and criticised a Thai military commander, sparked public anger and a petition for her dismissal, which the court is now considering.

That could make Paetongtarn the third politician in the powerful Shinawatra clan – which has dominated Thai politics for the past two decades – to lose power before completing their term.

Her ruling coalition is already teetering with a slim majority after a key conservative ally abandoned it two weeks ago.

The Constitutional Court voted 7-2 to suspend her while they consider the case for her dismissal and she has 15 days to present her defence.

In the meantime the deputy PM will serve as the country’s acting leader. Paetongtarn, however, will remain in the cabinet as culture minister, a new appointment following a cabinet reshuffle that was endorsed hours before she was suspended.

On Tuesday, Paetongtarn apologised again, adding that the purpose of her phone call with Hun Sen was “more than 100%… for the country”.

The call was about the border dispute between the two countries – although it’s decades old, tensions have risen again since late May when a Cambodian soldier was killed.

The leaked audio especially angered conservative lawmakers who accused her of appeasing Hun Sen and undermining Thailand’s military.

But she defended herself on Tuesday, saying, “I had no intent to do it for my own interest. I only thought about how to avoid chaos, avoid fighting and to avoid loss of lives.

“If you listened to it carefully, you’d understand that I didn’t have ill intentions. This is what I’ll focus and spend time on explaining thoroughly.”

If she is eventually dismissed, Paetongtarn will be the second prime minister from the Pheu Thai party to be removed from premiership since August last year.

At that time, her predecessor Srettha Thavisin was dismissed, also by the constitutional court, for appointing to his cabinet a former lawyer who was once jailed.

Days later, Paetongtarn – whose father is Thailand’s deposed leader Thaksin Shinawatra – was sworn in as prime minister.

Tuesday’s decision once again underscores the constitutional court’s power to unmake governments, which critics say can be weaponised to target political opponents.

This court has dissolved 34 parties since 2006, including the reformist Move Forward, which won the most seats and votes in the 2023 election but was blocked from forming the government.

“This has become a pattern in Thai politics… a part of the Thai political culture, which is not what a true political process is supposed to be,” said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political science lecturer at Ubon Ratchathani University.

“The suspension by court order shouldn’t have happened but most people could see its legitimacy because the leaked conversation really made people question if the PM was genuinely defending the interest of the country.”

Paetongtarn, 38, remains the country’s youngest leader and only the second woman to be PM after her aunt, Yingluck Shinawatra.

Already struggling to revive a weak economy, Paetongtarn saw her approval rating fall to 9.2% last weekend, down from 30.9% in March.

The court’s decision comes on the same day as Paetongtarn’s father, who was seen as the driving force behind her government, battles his own political troubles.

Thaksin is fighting charges of insulting the monarchy over an interview he gave to a South Korean newspaper nine years ago. His trial started on Tuesday.

The controversial political leader, who returned to Thailand in 2023 after 15 years in exile, is the most high-profile figure to face charges under the country’s notorious lese majeste law.

Thaksin’s return was part of a grand compromise between Pheu Thai and its former conservative foes.

They include the military, which deposed two Shinawatra governments in coups, and groups close to the monarchy.

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July 1, 2025
The ITA Academy to Support High-Quality and Harmonised Training for Anti-Doping Workforce
Through its training and certification programs, the ITA Academy plays an essential role in protecting athletes and supporting their right to fair competition. By ensuring that doping control officers, blood collection officers, chaperones, educators, and other clean sport professionals are thoroughly trained and up to date with international standards and best practice, the ITA Academy helps build an environment where athletes can trust the processes that govern clean sport. Well-prepared anti-doping personnel are crucial to delivering testing, education and other clean sport activities that are reliable, respectful, and consistent across borders.

Over 3,300 professionals from 157 countries and 95 anti-doping and academic organisations have already completed ITA Academy training programs. As such, the ITA’s training programs are already embedded as essential training and development for the workforce of many anti-doping organisations. Through live and virtual formats, the ITA Academy supports National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs), Regional Anti-Doping Organisations (RADOs), International Federations (IFs), Major Event Organisers (MEOs) and individual professionals with a growing portfolio of training and certification programs.

“The ITA Academy is a service to the global anti-doping community, offering harmonious education and training designed to strengthen clean sport globally, as well as certification to build and uphold trust in the implementation of anti-doping programs,” said Benjamin Cohen, ITA Director General. “By recognising completion of our programs under the ITA Academy, we aim to provide even greater recognition to the achievements of our graduates and practical opportunities for them at the many sporting events under ITA’s supervision. Our training programs now cover training for all core professional roles when it comes to on-the-ground delivery of anti-doping programs, providing a trusted framework of training that can be adopted by all anti-doping organisations.”

The ITA Academy currently offers a range of training opportunities to individuals and organisations, including:
- The International Doping Control Officer (IDCO) Training Program
- The International Blood Collection Officer (IBCO) Training Program
- The Doping Control Officer (DCO) Foundation Training Program
- The Anti-Doping in Sport Foundation Course (ADSF)
- The International Clean Sport Educator Program (ICSE)
- The International Chaperone Training Program (ICT)
The ITA Academy also serves to facilitate and coordinate research projects undertaken in collaboration with the ITA in areas related to the implementation of anti-doping programs. As part of the launch, the ITA is pleased to confirm the renewal of its partnership with Berlinger Special, a leading manufacturer of doping control equipment. Berlinger becomes the Official Partner of the ITA Academy, supporting its broader mission to strengthen anti-doping training and professional development.
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July 1, 2025
MHRA to investigate links between genetics, GLP-1 drugs and pancreatitis : Clyde & Co
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has launched an investigation into whether an individual’s genes may increase their risk of developing acute pancreatitis when taking GLP-1 drugs for weight loss and Type 2 diabetes.
The investigation follows reports submitted to the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme purportedly linking GLP-1 drugs to numerous deaths, and adverse reactions, the bulk of which were comprised of gastrointestinal disorders. The reports break down as follows:
- Semaglutides (with brand names including Ozempic and Wegovy): 18,046 adverse reactions, 1,765 serious reports and 16 fatal outcomes.
- Tirzepatides (with brand names including Mounjaro): 20,882 adverse reactions, 3,116 serious reports and 21 fatal outcomes.
- Liraglutide (with brand names including Saxenda and Victoza): 2,905 adverse reactions, 688 serious reports and 18 fatal outcomes.
Extracted from Yellow Card website, 27 June 2025 – What is being reported | Making medicines and medical devices safer

Whilst it should be stressed that these reports are unverified, reflecting suspected or potential links between GLP-1 drugs and adverse outcomes, the reports raise necessary questions in the context of the risk/benefit of GLP-1 drugs and broader risk landscape, which includes:
- A huge increase in the use of GLP-1 drugs, with estimates suggesting that 1.5M people in the UK may be taking privately funded weight loss injections, with a further 220,000 expected to receive Mounjaro, after it recently became available via the NHS.
- The suggestion of a causative relationship between GLP-1 drugs and pancreatitis, including:
  
  A research paper published in the BMJ linking GLP-1 drugs to an increased risk of gastrointestinal events, including pancreatitis, gastroparesis, and bowel obstruction.
  
  The US Food and Drug Administration’s Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) receiving 908 reports of Ozempic users developing pancreatitis.
- The developing litigation in the US, which is centred around a large multi-district litigation against Eli Lilly (the manufacturer of Trulicity and Mounjaro) and Novo Nordisk (the manufacturer of Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus) in relation to alleged personal injuries. Whilst the alleged injuries include pancreas damage, the litigation is more strongly focused on other injuries, chiefly, gastroparesis, bowel blockage and vision problems. The claims comprise various causes of action, including failure to warn, negligence, misrepresentation and breaches of consumer protection legislation/unfair trade practices.
- The extent to which, if at all, the MHRA’s investigation might impact clinical trials, including an ongoing NHS trial, which seeks to measure the “real-world” public health impact of weight loss drugs, including their impacts on prospects of employment and number of sick days taken. The trial involves around 3,000 people in the Greater Manchester area, and is set to take place over a 5 year period.
Pending further clarification of the role (if any) that an individual’s genetics may play in the development of pancreatitis, there would be no obvious need for any or any immediate change in underwriters’ approach to GLP-1 drugs. The Market will, no doubt, be monitoring the position with interest.

Further detail on the MHRA’s investigation is available here: If you take a GLP-1 medicine and have been hospitalised by acute pancreatitis, the Yellow Card Biobank wants to hear from you – GOV.UK

View all our ‘weight loss drugs’ content here
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July 1, 2025
Trump’s aid cut risks causing 14 million deaths, report finds

President Donald Trump’s move to cut most of the US funding towards foreign humanitarian aid could cause more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030, according to research published in The Lancet medical journal.

A third of those at risk of premature deaths were children, researchers projected.

Low- and middle-income countries were facing a shock “comparable in scale to a global pandemic or a major armed conflict,” said Davide Rasella, who co-authored the report.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in March that over 80% of all programmes at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) had been cancelled. The Trump administration has taken aim at what it sees as wasteful spending.

The controversial cutbacks – which were condemned around the world by humanitarian organisations – were overseen by Elon Musk. The billionaire was then leading an initiative to shrink the federal workforce.

During his second term, Trump has repeatedly said he wants overseas spending to be closely aligned with his “America First” approach.

The USAID funding cuts “risk abruptly halting – and even reversing – two decades of progress in health among vulnerable populations,” said the statement from Rasella, a researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health.

In their report, Rasella and his fellow researchers estimated that USAID funding had prevented more than 90 million deaths in developing countries between 2001 and 2021.

They modelled the potential impact on death rates with an assumption that funding would be cut by 83% – the figure provided by Rubio in March.

The researchers suggested that the cuts could lead to a “staggering” number of more than 14 million avoidable deaths by 2030.

That would include the deaths of more than 4.5 million children under the age of five, they added.

The Lancet report was published as dozens of world leaders meet in the Spanish city of Seville this week for a United Nations-led aid conference, the biggest of its kind in a decade. The US is not expected to attend.

The US, by far the world’s largest humanitarian aid provider, has operated in more than 60 countries, largely through contractors. According to government data, it spent $68bn (£55bn) on international aid in 2023.

USAID was seen as integral to the global aid system. After Trump’s cuts were announced, other countries followed suit with their own reductions – including the UK, France and Germany.

The moves have been widely condemned by humanitarian organisations. Last month, the United Nations said it was dealing with “the deepest funding cuts ever to hit the international humanitarian sector”.

According to Rubio’s statements in March, there were still approximately 1,000 remaining US programmes that would be administered “more effectively” under the US State Department and in consultation with Congress.

Still, the situation on the ground has not been improving, according to UN workers.

Last month, a UN official told the BBC that hundreds of thousands of people were “slowly starving” in Kenyan refugee camps after US funding cuts reduced food rations to their lowest ever levels.

At a hospital in Kakuma, in northwestern Kenya, the BBC witnessed a baby who could barely move and was showing signs of malnutrition, including having parts of her skin wrinkled and peeling.

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July 1, 2025
Govt unveils plan to expand Gwadar Port’s capacity, introduce ferry service to GCC countries

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs on Tuesday revealed a strategic initiative to expand Gwadar Port’s operational capacity by introducing additional shipping lines and launching a ferry service connecting Pakistan with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

The announcement was made during a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, in Islamabad. The minister stated that this initiative is part of the government’s broader strategy to enhance regional connectivity and position Gwadar as a key transshipment and logistics hub in the Arabian Sea.

Chaudhry emphasized that with Gwadar Port now fully operational, the government is focused on accelerating its integration into international maritime networks to increase its commercial activity. “The goal is to facilitate trade with Central Asia and the Middle East, reduce pressure on existing ports, and improve cargo handling efficiency,” he said.

The plan includes the introduction of new shipping routes aimed at enhancing the movement of goods through Gwadar, thereby bolstering Pakistan’s position in regional trade. Furthermore, the government has proposed a ferry service that will provide direct maritime links to GCC countries, offering an affordable and efficient transport option for both passengers and cargo. This service is expected to benefit expatriate communities and traders while contributing to tourism and local economic growth in Balochistan.

Chaudhry also highlighted the importance of improving supporting infrastructure and attracting private sector participation, especially in areas like ship services, hospitality, and transportation.

The maritime ministry is currently in discussions with shipping companies, maritime authorities, and port operators to finalize the technical, legal, and logistical frameworks for these initiatives. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to unlocking the full potential of Gwadar Port as a strategic asset for Pakistan and the region.

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July 1, 2025
Atos successfully supported UEFA Under21 Championship 2025™
Next-Gen technologies for Next-Gen players

Paris, France – July 1st, 2025

Atos, the Official Information Technology Partner of UEFA National Team Football, has delivered key IT services and applications support for the UEFA Under21 Championship 2025, that took place from June 11 to June 28, 2025, in Slovakia. This championship, which brings together 16 European teams, is the tournament where countless football legends started their journey on the global stage.

Atos supported a total of 31 matches in 17 days, taking place across 8 cities Slovakia. The services provided included:
- Event Management systems including accreditation, access control solutions, competitions solutions, radio communication and service desk services.
- Diffusion system like the football service platform, the mobile app, the website including some embedded gaming functionalities such as match predictor and quiz about competitions.
- End-to-end cybersecurity services, from compliance and threat intelligence to on-the-ground and hybrid-cloud security.
This year’s championship has proven to be an immense popular success, establishing new records regarding physical attendance with a total of 244,866 spectators, as illustrated by Atos employees that enthusiastically attended the games. The final broke the record for stadium attendance at over 18,000 fans watching in Bratislava. TV audiences set a new standard for the competition, with a cumulated audience of over 100 million. Ahead of the final, across all competing markets domestic match audiences have seen a 7% increase, and across the Top 6 markets domestic audiences have increased by 55%, thanks to strong audiences in Germany and UK. Digital audience, page views and applications visits, are also expected to establish new heights for the tournament.

In addition to the key services provided, Atos is proudly supporting the next generation of players and rising stars of European Football with advanced technologies that can be used by coaches to further develop their players and teams’ skills and abilities. The data collected during the tournament are, for example, consolidated through AI to extract and define main strategies and new trends that appeared during the competition, allowing for a deeper understanding of the players and game’s evolution.

“We feel privileged to have witnessed first-hand the emergence of the next football stars at the UEFA Under21 Championship in Slovakia. We made sure to deliver best-in-class IT services during the tournament to allow these young players to enter the global stage and express their incredible potential in the best possible conditions” said Nacho Moros, Head of Atos Major Events.

In addition to marking a coming-of-age moment for some of the most exceptional playing careers, the Under21 championship is also the gateway to the Olympic Games men’s tournament.

Since the beginning of their collaboration in 2022, Atos and UEFA have established a strong partnership. Atos has been supporting UEFA daily in managing, enhancing, and optimizing its complex technology ecosystem while helping it navigate emerging technological challenges. Atos has also been instrumental in making the UEFA EURO 2024™ a tremendous success, as well as most recently in successfully delivering IT services for the UEFA Nations League Finals™ 2025 in Germany.

Atos has been serving its partners and customers through a dedicated in-house sports and major events division (“Major Events”) for over 3 decades, giving it an unmatched experience and the experience and flexibility to serve its customers regardless of their exposure, size and scale. From global events to local competitions, Atos consistently strives to deliver technology excellence to its entire customer base.

Atos has been involved with the Olympic Movement since 1992 and the Paralympic Movement since 2002 and is the official Digital partner for Special Olympics International. Most recently, Atos has been instrumental in delivering successful leading-edge IT services for iconic events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 or inspiring events such as the Invictus Games Vancouver 2025 or the Special Olympics Torino Winter Games 2025.

To learn more about Atos solutions for sporting events and major events, visit Atos Major events.

Download the PDF document

***

About Atos Group

Atos Group is a global leader in digital transformation with c. 72,000 employees and annual revenue of c. € 10 billion, operating in 68 countries under two brands — Atos for services and Eviden for products. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, Atos Group is committed to a secure and decarbonized future and provides tailored AI-powered, end-to-end solutions for all industries. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea) and listed on Euronext Paris.

The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

Press contact

Laurent Massicot – laurent.massicot@atos.net – 33 (0)7 69 48 01 80
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July 1, 2025
What to expect from New York City’s ranked-choice vote results

CNN
—

Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani could clinch victory Tuesday when the New York City Board of Elections releases the first look at the ranked-choice voting results from the June 24 primary.

The board’s report will also provide more data on how primary voters viewed Mamdani’s candidacy after a week of conversations about what his performance means for the party and the city.

Under the city’s ranked-choice voting rules, if no candidate wins a majority of the first-choice votes, the race is decided by how voters ranked other candidates on their ballots.

Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assemblyman and democratic socialist, emerged on Election Night with 43.5% of the first-choice votes and a significant lead over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The results Tuesday made clear that Mamdani would be heavily favored to cross 50% once ranked-choice tabulation was complete. Mamdani had a cross-endorsement with the only other candidate who won more than 10% of the vote, city Comptroller Brad Lander. And much of the rest of the field had encouraged voters to leave Cuomo off their ballots entirely. Cuomo saw that writing on the wall and conceded the race on Election Night (although he will still be included in today’s results).

The New York City Board of Elections will release a full, but unofficial, look at the ranked-choice tabulation based on all the ballots processed so far.

In the ranked-choice voting process the city is using, the results are tabulated in rounds with the candidate with the fewest votes being eliminated and people who ranked that candidate first having votes reallocated to their next-highest choice still in the running.

That process continues until only two candidates are left and there’s a winner.

Election officials will run that tabulation on the more than 990,000 ballots the city released last Tuesday, plus any additional ballots processed since then (mail ballots that arrived after Friday weren’t included in the Election Night report).

However, these results won’t be final. There will still be a small number of ballots added to the count between now and when the board certifies the election on July 15. While these ballots could shift the order in which lower-rated candidates are eliminated, it’s highly unlikely they’ll have any impact on the final results.

There’s very little reason to think the results won’t show Mamdani beating Cuomo in the final round.

About 20% of voters ranked someone other than Mamdani or Cuomo first. Without accounting for the additional ballots that will be added to the count, that means that for Mamdani to win, he needs to be ranked ahead of Cuomo on only about one-third of ballots for that went for other candidates in the first round.

Realistically, an even smaller number would secure his victory since a sizable number of votes will drop out of the calculation as voters’ top choices are eliminated, reducing the number of votes required to win a majority.

Because of these “exhausted” ballots, Mamdani’s percentage of the vote in the final round will be higher than it is now, even before accounting for other voters who had ranked him lower on their ballots.

All that being said, it’s theoretically possible Cuomo wins. Until the board releases the results, there’s no way to know for certain how that 20% of the vote breaks down.

The ranked-choice system will give a rare peek at how voters who supported lower-ranking candidates feel about their likely nominee.

If a large share of those 20% ranked Mamdani ahead of Cuomo, it could demonstrate Mamdani’s ability to expand his coalition beyond his core supporters. On the other hand, if many voters are more supportive of Cuomo or left both men of their ballots, it could indicate wider uncertainty about the progressive candidate.

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July 1, 2025
Webb telescope offers a look at one of the universe’s most chaotic crashes

The Bullet Cluster, named for its distinctive shape, has long been considered a smoking gun for the existence of dark matter in space.

(Sorry, couldn’t resist the pun.)

But the James Webb Space Telescope, a partnership of NASA and its European and Canadian counterparts, has now traced that hidden material with unprecedented precision. In new images, such as the one displayed at the top of this story, scientists have obtained the most detailed information yet on the notorious cosmic collision between two massive groups of galaxies, 3.8 billion light-years away in the Carina constellation.

What makes this cluster famous isn’t the violence of it all. It’s that the crash stripped the visible matter, such as hot gas, from the dark matter, a mysterious-yet-abundant substance that doesn’t shine or interact with light. This unseen material stealthily shapes galaxies.

“Webb’s images dramatically improve what we can measure in this scene — including pinpointing the position of invisible particles known as dark matter,” said Kyle Finner, a Caltech scientist involved in the research, in a statement.

SEE ALSO:

Rubin Observatory’s first images flaunt millions of galaxies. Take a look.

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With Webb, astronomers have discovered thousands of previously unknown faint and distant galaxies and used the data to map the region’s total weight.

Long ago when the two galaxy groups slammed into each other at ultra high speeds, the visible gas clouds slowed down and got dragged behind, while the dark matter kept going. This separation was partly captured in earlier images by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, but the latest Webb data reveals more subtle details.

Mashable Light Speed

In the new study, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, researchers combined measurements of strong and weak “gravitational lensing” to create a high-resolution mass map.

When a massive object like a galaxy cluster sits in the foreground of a more distant galaxy, it bends and magnifies the background light in a process called gravitational lensing. NASA often uses the analogy of a bowling ball placed on a foam mattress or trampoline to illustrate how the fabric of spacetime bends: Light that would otherwise travel straight curves as it passes through the warped spacetime. The natural phenomenon creates a magnifying glass in the sky, allowing scientists to then see even more distant objects than would ordinarily be possible.

The new map doesn’t assume that light and mass must go hand in hand — a crucial consideration because dark matter doesn’t shine. It instead tracks how the background galaxies appear warped.

A new James Webb Space Telescope study of the Bullet Cluster has revealed unprecedented detail that could help scientists trace dark matter.
Credit: NASA GSFC / CIL / Adriana Manrique Gutierrez illustration

To understand gravitational lensing and dark matter, James Jee, a professor at Yonsei University, says to think of a pond filled with clear water and pebbles. The water, in this case, is dark matter, and the pebbles are background galaxies.

“You cannot see the ‘water’ unless there is wind, which causes ripples,” he said. “Those ripples distort the shapes of the pebbles below, causing the water to act like a lens.”

The real surprise was seeing a faint trail of mass extending from the subcluster — a possible “bridge” of material that could tell a deeper story about the cluster’s past. In that trail, researchers also found what’s called intracluster light — stars that have been stripped from their home galaxies and now drift freely, bound only by the cluster’s gravity.

These stars seem to follow the dark matter closely. The researchers found the light and mass were aligned within just about 20,000 light-years. This means wandering stars could give scientists a new way to map invisible matter in future galaxy collisions.

The findings hint that the Bullet Cluster’s history may be messier than scientists thought. Rather than a simple two-object collision, the evidence points to a more complex chain of events, with other previous smashups. And even with all this new detail, researchers still haven’t captured the whole picture — Webb’s field of view only includes the “head of the giant,” as one scientist put it.

“Webb’s initial images allow us to extrapolate how heavy the whole ‘giant’ is,” Jee said, “but we’ll need future observations of the giant’s whole ‘body’ for precise measurements.”

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July 1, 2025