AFP USA

New York mayoral election winner Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani said Wednesday that he was ready to engage with his arch-critic President Donald Trump on the issue of cost of living.The Muslim-American lawmaker, whose rapid ascent from rank outsider to mayor-elect has stunned observers, joked at a briefing that the “White House hasn’t reached out to congratulate me.””I continue to be interested in having a conversation with President Trump on the ways in which we can work together to serve New Yorkers,” he said suggesting “delivering on his campaign promises around cost of living” as one.Mamdani, like Trump, put the high cost of living, impact of inflation and elevated grocery expenses at the heart of his campaign which triumphed over former governor Andrew Cuomo’s platform.”I think the lesson for the president is that it’s not enough to diagnose the crisis in working class Americans lives. You have to deliver on addressing that crisis.”Mamdani called out Trump for his own campaign promises to address the soaring cost of groceries, but seeking to suspend food assistance while in office under the government shutdown.After winning on promises to make city bus travel free, control rents and offer free childcare, Mamdani said “what scares Republicans across the country is the fact that we will actually deliver on this agenda.”Mamdani on Wednesday introduced the five women who will co-chair his transition.Among them is Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission under Joe Biden, and Maria Torres-Springer, who resigned her post as deputy mayor under outgoing mayor Eric Adams due to his engagement with Trump.

A majority of US Supreme Court justices appeared deeply skeptical of the legality behind a swath of Donald Trump’s tariffs as they heard a landmark case Wednesday that could uphold — or upend — the president’s economic agenda.Billions of dollars in customs revenue and a key lever in Trump’s trade wars are at stake as the conservative-dominated panel again grappled with the Republican’s attempts to expand presidential powers.The high court’s nine justices are considering Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose “reciprocal” tariffs on nearly every US trade partner, as well as levies targeting Mexico, Canada and China over their alleged roles in illicit drug flows.In a hearing lasting more than two-and-a-half hours, several conservative justices, along with the three liberals, questioned whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) that Trump invoked confers the authority to impose tariffs.”The statute doesn’t use the word tariffs,” said Chief Justice John Roberts, and imposing tariffs is equivalent to taxation, which has always been a “core power of Congress.”The justices sought to clarify whether Congress has to give clear authorization for policies with significant economic or political consequences.Solicitor General John Sauer, arguing on behalf of the Trump administration, said this did not apply given the president’s inherent, broad range of authorities.”President Trump determined that our exploding trade deficits have brought us to the brink of an economic and national security catastrophe,” Sauer said.Sauer sought to frame the issue as one involving the power to regulate foreign commerce — including the ability to impose tariffs — rather than the power to tax.Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a liberal, noted that the power to impose taxes is a “congressional power, not a presidential power.””You want to say tariffs are not taxes, but that’s exactly what they are,” Sotomayor said.- ‘Simply implausible’ -Justice Neil Gorsuch, a Trump appointee, questioned if Congress could reclaim powers once it delegates them to the presidency, suggesting that “as a practical matter in the real world, it can never get that power back.”Neal Katyal, representing small businesses challenging Trump’s tariffs, charged that it was “simply implausible” that in enacting IEEPA, Congress “handed the president the power to overhaul the entire tariff system and the American economy in the process.”He contended that the word “regulate” has also not been used to impose taxes.But there were questions too surrounding refunds if Trump’s tariffs were overturned, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett saying it could be “a mess.”The court’s decision, which could take months to arrive, does not concern sector-specific tariffs Trump separately imposed, including on steel, aluminum and automobiles.Trump has brought the average effective tariff rate to its highest since the 1930s, and has repeatedly warned of calamity if his duties are overturned.A lower court ruled in May that he had exceeded his authority, with the case ultimately making its way to the Supreme Court.Trump did not attend Wednesday’s hearing but several top officials did, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.”In recent years, the court has been reluctant to overrule presidential decisions of this magnitude,” ING analysts said.But the outcome is hard to predict, they added, as “upholding Trump’s tariffs would shift the balance of power from Congress to the President.”Josh Lipsky of the Atlantic Council noted that even as justices were skeptical, they appeared concerned about fallout from overruling the tariffs.”How do the refunds work?” Lipsky asked. “What does this mean for the president’s foreign policy ability to negotiate deals?”Although Trump’s tariffs have not sparked widespread inflation, companies say they bear the brunt of higher import costs.Lawyers noted that if the top court finds Trump’s global tariffs illegal, the government can tap other laws to temporarily impose up to 15-percent duties while pursuing pathways for more lasting levies.Countries that have already struck deals with Trump may therefore prefer not to reopen negotiations.

New Yorkers voted overwhelmingly for Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani to be their next mayor, setting up a likely showdown with his political foe President Donald Trump.Here are five things to know about the Muslim candidate’s history-making victory, and what comes as he prepares to take office on January 1:- Landslide victory -Mamdani, 34, broke one million votes, earning 50 percent of ballots cast compared to his closest rival, 67-year-old former state governor Andrew Cuomo, who won just shy of 42 percent of the vote on the largest turnout since 1969.A comprehensive ground game that Mamdani claimed involved 100,000 volunteers meant his campaign touched every corner of New York and every demographic.The leftist’s overwhelmingly positive message about making New York City more livable for all its inhabitants resonated with migrant families, young progressives and working-class voters alike.- Trump on horizon -Mamdani certainly has caught the attention of the commander-in-chief after calling for people to “reject Trump’s fascism.”The president has repeatedly attacked Mamdani as a “little Communist” and threatened to cut off federal funds to the city where he made his name if he was elected.Trump has threatened to subject New York to the same immigration enforcement as Los Angeles, Chicago and other major cities.- Time to prepare -Mamdani has less than two months to prepare to run the nation’s most populous city — which is also America’s financial engine room.He will need to assemble a cabinet to deliver his ambitious promises to The Big Apple including city-run supermarkets, free daycare and free bus routes.On Wednesday he named five women to co-chair his transition team — among them Maria Torres-Springer, who resigned her post as deputy mayor under outgoing Eric Adams due to his engagement with Trump.Major issues awaiting Mamdani include efforts by Adams to hobble his ability to freeze rents, as well as the prospect of some 1.8 million New Yorkers losing food assistance under the federal government shutdown.”His vision for New York is not crazy,” said Lincoln Mitchell, a Columbia University politics professor. “It’s filling in some of the gaps in our tattered social safety net.”Mamdani would need a team capable of navigating both City Hall and the state capital Albany, Mitchell added.- Jewish outreach -New York has the largest Jewish community outside of Israel and Mamdani has emphasized the threats posed by antisemitism, particularly towards the end of his campaign.Mamdani was attacked by pro-Israel groups for his unwavering support for Palestinian rights and his criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza which he called “a genocide.”The Anti-Defamation League announced Wednesday the launch of a tracking mechanism to scrutinize Mamdani’s policies and appointments.Mamdani said he doubted the ADL’s ability “to do so honestly.””We will build a city hall that stands steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers and does not waver in the fight against the scourge of antisemitism,” Mamdani said in his victory speech.    Mayor Adams has previously said 57 percent of hate crimes in New York are against Jewish people.- End of an era -Cuomo’s loss lowers the curtain for now on the family’s long presence on the political scene as well as one-term mayor Adams’s career after he exited the race.”We have toppled a political dynasty,” Mamdani said after vanquishing the Cuomo name made famous by Andrew’s father Mario Cuomo who was also governor of New York.Mamdani’s insurgent campaign backed by leftist figures including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez relied on a fresh team raising the prospect he will sweep a broom through City Hall, bringing a new approach and fresh ideas. It marks a leftward shift for the Democratic Party brand, and Mamdani was not endorsed by some in the party center like New York’s Senator Chuck Schumer.

A majority of US Supreme Court justices appeared deeply skeptical of the legality behind a swath of Donald Trump’s tariffs, as they heard a landmark case on Wednesday that could uphold — or upend — the president’s economic agenda.Billions of dollars in customs revenue and a key lever in Trump’s trade wars are at stake, as the conservative-dominated panel once again grappled with the Republican’s attempts to expand presidential powers.The high court’s nine justices are considering Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose so-called “reciprocal” tariffs on nearly every US trade partner, as well as levies targeting Mexico, Canada and China over their alleged roles in illicit drug flows.Several conservative justices, along with the three liberals, questioned whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) that Trump invoked also confers the authority to impose tariffs.”The statute doesn’t use the word tariffs,” said Chief Justice John Roberts.The justices also sought to clarify whether Congress has to give clear authorization for policies with significant economic or political consequences.Solicitor General John Sauer, arguing on behalf of the Trump administration, said this did not apply given the president’s inherent, broad range of authorities.He added that one would expect Congress to confer major powers on the president to address foreign international crises.Sauer sought to frame the issue as one involving the power to regulate foreign commerce — including the ability to impose tariffs — rather than the power to tax.Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a liberal, noted that the power to impose taxes is a “congressional power, not a presidential power.””You want to say tariffs are not taxes, but that’s exactly what they are,” she added.- ‘Simply implausible’ -Justice Neil Gorsuch, a Trump appointee, questioned if Congress could reclaim powers once it delegates them to the presidency, suggesting that “as a practical matter in the real world, it can never get that power back.”Neal Katyal, representing small businesses challenging Trump’s tariffs, charged that it was “simply implausible” that in enacting IEEPA, Congress “handed the president the power to overhaul the entire tariff system and the American economy in the process.”The court’s decision, which could take months to arrive, does not concern sector-specific tariffs Trump separately imposed, including on steel, aluminum and automobiles.Since returning to the White House, Trump has brought the average effective tariff rate to its highest since the 1930s. A lower court ruled in May that he had exceeded his authority, with the case ultimately making its way to the Supreme Court.Trump has hyped the case as “one of the most important” in US history and repeatedly warned of calamity if his tariffs are overturned.He did not attend Wednesday’s hearing, despite floating the provocative idea, but several top officials did, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.”In recent years, the court has been reluctant to overrule presidential decisions of this magnitude,” ING analysts said in a note Wednesday.But they said this case is hard to predict, as “upholding Trump’s tariffs would shift the balance of power from Congress to the President, further enhancing his executive power.”Businesses, lawmakers and former US officials filed around 40 legal briefs against the president’s global tariffs, while only a few briefs supported his actions.Although Trump’s tariffs have not sparked widespread inflation, companies and particularly small firms say they bear the brunt of higher import costs.Lawyers note that if the top court finds Trump’s global tariffs illegal, the government can tap other laws to impose up to 15 percent tariffs for 150 days, while pursuing pathways for more lasting duties.Countries that have already struck tariff deals with Trump may therefore prefer not to reopen negotiations.

If 2024 was a dumpster fire for Democrats, then 2025 might be the firehose. Tuesday’s US elections weren’t just wins, say analysts, they offer a way forward against Donald Trump’s Republicans.Abigail Spanberger flipped Virginia’s governorship with a double-digit win, fellow moderate Mikie Sherrill took New Jersey by storm and Zohran Mamdani turned New York City into a progressive playground.These were not isolated victories, say Washington-watchers, but full-throated endorsements of a new Democratic vibe centered on the middle class.”These two candidates, in particular — in Virginia and New Jersey — showed the Democrats how to mobilize their base, how to get out the vote,” said Wendy Schiller, a political science professor at Brown University.”That is what Donald Trump has been better at nationally than the Democrats, and this is a path forward for them.”- Middle-class mojo -Democrats have long been criticized for not speaking the language of ordinary voters, but Tuesday showed a shift to kitchen-table issues as Spanberger and Sherrill talked rent, groceries and gas prices.The Democrats showed they were listening, political commentators noted, with middle-income voters swinging back to the Democrats like it was 2008.”What really stood out was not any kind of sweeping ideological shift,” said veteran election strategist Mike Fahey.”Instead, I would characterize it as a return to candidates who speak to the kinds of everyday concerns that most of us can relate to, as opposed to the kind of partisan identity drumming that we saw way too much of in 2020.”That shift also helped patch up another frayed relationship: the one with Latino voters. After drifting toward Trump in 2024, Latinos showed tentative signs of coming back.Independents, meanwhile, swung hard. In Virginia and New Jersey, they broke for Democrats by double-digit margins turning toss-ups into blowouts.Add to that the youth vote — especially in New York, where Mamdani’s grassroots campaign lit up college campuses and TikTok feeds — and you have a coalition that looks suspiciously like Barack Obama’s.Above all, Tuesdays elections confirmed that the House of Representatives is in play.With California voting in a new electoral map and momentum in swing districts, Democratic leaders were voicing confidence in the wake of election night that could make up the seats they need to flip the chamber in next year’s midterms.The Senate is a tougher nut, but party strategists are optimistic that they can keep the focus on affordability and avoid internal conflict.- Candidate chemistry -Spanberger and Sherrill are moderates with national security cred and fresh energy. Mamdani is an articulate firebrand with an everyman touch.The messaging wasn’t so much “Save Democracy” as “Save My Paycheck,” as Democrats cleaned up by focusing on cost of living and talked about trash pickups, and not just Trump.”It’s clearer than ever that affordability needs to be the centerpiece of the Democrats’ message going into the midterms,” political communications expert Andrew Koneschusky told AFP.”The affordability message cuts across demographics and highlights a major vulnerability for Republicans. Trump campaigned on bringing prices down and he hasn’t done that.”Off-year elections historically favor the party out of power, turnout is lower and the electorate skews older and whiter.But for election-watchers, this year felt different. Voters weren’t just venting — they were choosing relatable candidates. One big takeaway, says Koneschusky, is that Democrats need candidates who reflect their electorates rather than taking a “one-size-fits-all” approach.”In some cases, that may mean fielding progressive candidates. In other cases, it may mean moderate or centrist candidates,” he said.”There’s a lot of talk right now about whether Democrats should shift more to the left or more to the center. The answer is both. It depends on their constituents.”

US Supreme Court justices questioned the legality behind a wide swath of Donald Trump’s tariffs on Wednesday, as they began hearing a landmark case that could uphold — or upend — the president’s economic agenda.Billions of dollars in customs revenue and a key lever in Trump’s trade wars are at stake, while the conservative-dominated court once again grapples with the Republican’s attempts to expand presidential power.The high court’s nine justices are considering Trump’s citing of emergency powers to impose so-called “reciprocal” tariffs on nearly every US trade partner, as well as levies targeting Mexico, Canada and China over their alleged roles in illicit drug flows.Opponents argue that such broad tariffs are not permitted by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the law Trump cited in rolling out the levies.An important issue before the court is whether the “major questions doctrine” applies. Under the doctrine, Congress has to give clear authorization for policies with significant economic or political consequences. Solicitor General John Sauer, who is arguing on behalf of the Trump administration, fielded questions from several justices on the doctrine and said it did not apply given the president’s inherent, broad range of authorities.He added that one would expect Congress to confer major powers on the president to address foreign international crises.Sauer also made a case that the issue here is not the power to tax but rather, to regulate foreign commerce. The power to impose tariffs, he said, is a “core application” of such authorities.The court’s decision, which could take months to arrive, does not concern sector-specific tariffs Trump separately imposed, including on steel, aluminum and automobiles.Since returning to the White House, Trump has brought the average effective tariff rate to its highest since the 1930s. A lower court ruled in May that he had exceeded his authority, prompting the Supreme Court case.Trump has hyped the case as “one of the most important” in US history and warned of calamity if his tariffs are overturned.- ‘Ringside seat’ -The president floated the provocative idea of attending Wednesday’s court hearing himself but ultimately decided against it, saying he did “not want to distract” from the decision’s importance.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent however told Fox News he planned to “have a ringside seat,” while US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was at the court as well, his office confirmed.When Bessent was asked if his presence could be seen as an intimidation attempt, he said: “I am there to emphasize that this is an economic emergency.””In recent years, the court has been reluctant to overrule presidential decisions of this magnitude,” ING analysts said in a note Wednesday.But they said this case is hard to predict, as “upholding Trump’s tariffs would shift the balance of power from Congress to the President, further enhancing his executive power.”Trump’s administration argues that under the IEEPA, the president can “regulate” trade by unilaterally setting import tax rates.But challengers note the words “tariff” or “tax” do not appear in the statute, and that the US Constitution explicitly grants Congress the power to establish levies.Businesses, lawmakers and former US officials have filed around 40 legal briefs against the president’s global tariffs, while only a few briefs supported his actions.Although Trump’s tariffs have not sparked widespread inflation, companies and particularly small firms say they bear the brunt of higher import costs.Lawyers note that if the top court finds Trump’s global tariffs illegal, the government can tap other laws to impose up to 15 percent tariffs for 150 days, while pursuing pathways for more lasting duties.Countries that have already struck tariff deals with Trump may therefore prefer not to reopen negotiations.

The death toll from a UPS cargo plane crashing in Louisville has risen to nine with more fatalities feared, Kentucky’s governor said Wednesday, as search efforts continued and the airport resumed flights.The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 departing for Hawaii crashed at around 5:15 pm (2215 GMT) Tuesday, shortly after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.It exploded into flames as it plowed into businesses adjacent to the airport.Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear called the tragedy “heartbreaking” and “unimaginable.””The number of those lost has now risen to at least 9, with the possibility of more,” he posted on X. “Right now these families need prayers, love and support.”Beshear said in a prior post that 16 different families had reported loved ones unaccounted for.”A significant search and rescue mission was underway overnight, which is continuing this morning,” he said.UPS said in a statement that three crew members were on board the aircraft, adding that “we have not confirmed any injuries/casualties.”Tuesday’s crash reportedly was the deadliest in the global package delivery giant’s history. Its main hub, Worldport, is in Louisville, where it employs thousands of people.UPS has halted package sorting operations at their facility.Video shared by local broadcaster WLKY showed the aircraft’s left engine on fire as it tried to lift off.By early Wednesday, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said on X that aviation officials had reopened the runway.A spokesman for the airport, Jonathan Bevin, said the cargo flight “went down three miles (five kilometers) south of the airfield” after taking off. UPS travels to more than 200 countries via nearly 2,000 daily flights, with a fleet of 516 aircraft. It owns 294 of those planes and hires the rest through short-term leases or charters.Aerial footage of the crash site showed a long trail of debris as firefighters blasted water on the flames, with smoke billowing from the area.Beshear said the aircraft hit a petroleum recycling facility “pretty directly.”The cause of the crash was under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. The crash comes amid the longest government shutdowns in US history. Earlier Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of “mass chaos” due to a lack of air traffic control staff.”You’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace, because we just cannot manage it because we don’t have the air traffic controllers,” Duffy told reporters.In January, an American Eagle airliner hit a military Black Hawk helicopter outside Washington’s Ronald Reagan National airport, killing all 67 people on both aircraft.That crash, which ended the country’s 16-year streak of no fatal commercial air crashes, has added to concerns about the US air traffic control system, which some regard as an understaffed operation beset by problems with old equipment.

New Yorkers elected leftist Zohran Mamdani as their next mayor, while Democrats won two key state governor races sending an early warning signal to Republican President Donald Trump ahead of the 2026 midterms.The clean sweep among several ballots nationwide on Tuesday has boosted morale among Democrats bruised by Trump’s return to the White House and has set alarm bells ringing among Republican circles.Mamdani, 34, is the city’s first Muslim mayor and the youngest to serve in more than a century.The Democratic socialist’s victory came in the face of fierce attacks on his policies and his Muslim heritage from business elites, conservative media commentators and Trump himself.”If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him,” Mamdani said in a victory speech to supporters.”In this moment of political darkness, New York will be the light.”Mamdani’s win, as well as the Democratic Party’s victories in the governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey, suggest a shift in the political mood across the United States as it looks to next year’s midterm elections when control of Congress will be up for grabs.In another significant win for Democrats, voters in California also approved a proposition to redraw electoral districts in a bid to neutralize gerrymandering efforts ordered by Trump in other states.Trump refused to take any blame for Tuesday’s results and tried to make an eleventh-hour intervention in the race, calling Mamdani a “Jew hater.”In a post on his Truth Social network, he also cited anonymous “pollsters” suggesting the Republican defeats were down to the government shutdown and the fact that his own name wasn’t on the ballot.- ‘Next stop City Hall’ -Mamdani, a state lawmaker for New York’s Queens borough, appealed to voters by pledging to tackle the soaring cost of living, offering free city bus travel, childcare and city-run grocery stores.He focused on living costs facing ordinary New Yorkers, building support through his informal personal style, social media savvy and a massive canvassing ground game.”The next and last stop is City Hall,” Mamdani said in a video posted to X after his victory was declared.Mamdani was virtually unknown before his upset victory to secure the Democratic nomination over former governor Andrew Cuomo, who he trounced again on Tuesday.When the race was called in his favor, excitement was palpable across the city.It was a “local victory” that offered a means of “resisting and pushing back” against the political establishment in Washington, Ben Parisi, 40, told AFP, adding that the night stood in stark contrast to Republican Trump’s victory a year ago.Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels citizen crime patrol group, came in third after weeks of Cuomo insisting he bow out to increase his chances.Disappointed and “heartbroken” Cuomo supporters booed as the results rolled in saying Mamdani’s victory is “not right.”Many blamed Sliwa for splitting the center-right vote while others questioned their safety in the city.”As a Jew in New York, it’s terrifying to think that we’re going to have a mayor who hates us,” Cuomo supporter Elise, 74, said.Prominent business people including Bill Ackman noisily attacked Mamdani and funnelled cash to his rivals, while conservative media including The New York Post published blanket negative coverage.Turnout was high in this year’s vote with 2.06 million ballots, or 98 percent of votes cast, counted by 12:31 am Wednesday — more than the total number of voters in the 2021 race.- Uphill struggle -Mamdani’s improbable rise highlights the Democratic Party’s debate over a centrist or a leftist future, with some leading national figures offering only tepid endorsements of Mamdani ahead of voting.Syracuse University political science professor Grant Reeher said ahead of the result mayor Mamdani would face an uphill battle.”Everybody’s got their knives out, and it’s a very difficult city to govern,” he told AFP.In New Jersey, Democratic Party candidate Mikie Sherrill beat out a Trump-backed businessman and in Virginia, Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger took back the governor’s mansion from the Republicans.Both sides wheeled out big guns, with former president Barack Obama rallying support for Spanberger and Sherrill.”We’ve still got plenty of work to do, but the future looks a little bit brighter,” Obama said in response to the wins.

Donald Trump had decisively won the US presidential election last November and very few people outside New York’s leftist circles knew Zohran Mamdani, who had just declared his longshot mayoral candidacy.What a difference a year can make.Crowds across the city chanted Mamdani’s name on Tuesday as champagne and tears flowed for the democratic socialist from Queens turned New York mayor-elect.”Mamdaniiiiii,” one group exclaimed, substituting the 34-year-old’s name for the customary “cheese” as they posed for a photo at a Brooklyn bar watch party.Voters gathered there in cautious optimism, sporting Mamdani merch as they anxiously awaited the evening’s results, classic songs such as Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” and edgier tracks from Lou Reed blasting from the speakers. “It’s like, too scary to be hopeful,” Michelle Dimuzio told AFP with a nervous laugh before the polls closed.However, Dimuzio’s trepidation proved unwarranted as early results began to roll in with Mamdani soundly in the lead.The entire bar erupted in cheers and even a toddler joined in the applause, uttering a newly learned word that met the moment — “bravo!”And when the race was called for New York’s first Muslim mayor, barely half an hour later, the excitement was palpable at bars across Brooklyn and Queens, where street parties raged, and in Manhattan, where the owner of a posh brasserie ordered celebratory glasses of champagne for everyone on the house.It was a win by New Yorkers, for New Yorkers, Ben Parisi told AFP.The 40-year-old said the night stood in stark contrast to Republican Trump’s election a year ago.It was a “local victory” that offered a means of “resisting and pushing back” against the political establishment in Washington, Parisi said.”A lot of us worked hard in one way or another to make this happen,” Parisi said, “and here we are… we get to celebrate.”- ‘We are you’ -Elsewhere in Brooklyn, a packed concert venue danced to Mamdani’s once-obscure, now-viral hip hop track “Nani”, which the young politician recorded years ago under his rap name “Mr. Cardamom.”Supporters at Mamdani HQ greeted him with a deafening ovation as their incoming mayor walked onstage, flashing his megawatt smile that has lit up the city through his nonstop campaigning.The once-improbable candidate claimed victory for his campaign but also for those who “made this movement their own” — his acknowledgements included Yemeni bodega owners, Mexican abuelas, and Uzbek nurses.He also cited Eugene Debs, who at the turn of the 20th century was one of the best-known American socialists.And he thanked young constituents who catapulted his candidacy, “the next generation of New Yorkers who refused to accept that the promise of a better future was a relic of the past.””We will fight for you,” Mamdani promised, “because we are you.”He had criss-crossed the city again and again with his relentless ground game and, in his final days on the trail, Mamdani was seen traversing the Brooklyn bridge, doing tai chi with seniors and out at clubs till dawn.Mamdani brought with him a message of affordability that 37-year-old Dimuzio said struck a chord with New Yorkers.Dimuzio described living paycheck to paycheck despite a full-time job, and said Mamdani’s focus on making New York a more financially feasible place to live spoke to her in a way she said politicians on both sides of the aisle rarely do.”He sticks to his message,” she said, and “he doesn’t just give the political tossed salad.”Mamdani repeated that message Tuesday night, leading a raucous call-and-response of his promises, which include freezing rent and institutionalizing universal child care.”Our greatness will be anything but abstract,” Mamdani told the crowd. “If tonight teaches us anything, it is that convention has held us back.”

At least seven people died and several more were injured after a UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Tuesday from Louisville International Airport in Kentucky, exploding into flames as it crashed into businesses adjacent to the airport.The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 departing for Hawaii crashed at around 5:15 p.m. local time (2215 GMT). Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear told a press briefing that he expected the number of dead and injured was going to rise.”First responders are onsite and working hard to extinguish the fire and continue the investigation,” he posted in a Tuesday night update on X.UPS said in a statement that three crew members were on board the aircraft, adding that “we have not confirmed any injuries/casualties.”Beshear said the status of the three crew members was unknown and said that he was “very concerned” for them.The cause of the crash was under investigation by the FAA and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Video shared by local broadcaster WLKY appears to show the aircraft’s left engine on fire as it tried to lift off.Officials at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport announced that all flights scheduled for departure on Tuesday evening had been cancelled, and UPS said it had halted package sorting operations at their facility.  The flight “went down three miles south of the airfield” after taking off from runway 17R, said Jonathan Bevin, an airport police spokesman. Louisville serves as the main US air hub for UPS, according to a company fact sheet. The package delivery giant travels to more than 200 countries via nearly 2,000 flights per day, with a fleet of 516 aircraft. UPS owns 294 of those planes and hires the rest through short-term leases or charters. Aerial footage of the crash site showed a long trail of debris as firefighters blasted water on the flames, with smoke billowing from the disaster area.Governor Beshear said the aircraft hit a petroleum recycling facility “pretty directly.”- Government shutdown -The crash comes amid one of the longest government shutdowns in US history, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warning of “mass chaos” earlier Tuesday due to a lack of air traffic control staff. “You’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace, because we just cannot manage it because we don’t have the air traffic controllers,” Duffy told reporters.In a statement on X, Duffy called footage of the crash “heartbreaking,” adding: “Please join me in prayer for the Louisville community and flight crew impacted by this horrific crash.”In January, an American Eagle airliner hit a military Black Hawk outside Washington’s Ronald Reagan National airport, killing 67 people.That crash, which ended the United States’ 16-year streak of no fatal commercial air crashes, has added to concerns about the US air traffic control system, which some regard as an understaffed operation beset by problems with old equipment.