Sanders and Mamdani energize supporters at town hall as NYC mayor's race enters final stretch

Sanders and Mamdani energize supporters at town hall as NYC mayor's race enters final stretch

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Sen.Bernie Sandersand Zohran Mamdani rallied supporters at a town hall in Brooklyn on Saturday, slamming PresidentDonald Trumpand boosting their shared progressive message as Mamdani works to energize his base in the final weeks of the New York Citymayor's race. The crowd was friendly, and the reception was almost entirely warm. The idea of health care as a human right? Cheers. The mere mention of Trump? Heavy boos. The notion of an oligarchy? Even more boos. At one point, the crowd chanted the campaign slogans that helped Mamdani win the Democratic nomination in the race. "We will freeze the?" Mamdani asked. The booming response: "Rent!" "Make buses fast and?," he continued. "Free!," the audience yelled. The town hall — part of Sanders'"Fighting Oligarchy" tour, which has drawn massive crowds in red and blue states alike — packed an auditorium in Brooklyn as Mamdani's campaign barrels toward the November election. He is facing off against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who are both running as independents, along with Republican Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels crime patrol group. Sanders, an independent who represents Vermont, dubbed Mamdani "the future of the Democratic Party," while criticizing the state's top Democratic leaders for not endorsing him. "I find it hard to understand how the major Democratic leaders in New York state are not supporting the Democratic candidate," Sanders said. The event, which felt more rah-rah lovefest than the usual caustic questioning of most political town halls, came near the end of a chaotic week in the race. Adams has spent the last few days fending off reports that Trump intermediaries have been assessing his willingness to drop out of the contest to take a job with the federal government. At the same time, Trump has told reporters he doesn't want Mamdani, a democratic socialist, to be the city's next mayor but believes he will win unless two of the three other major candidates exit the race. Trump has also said he thinks Cuomo might be able to win in a one-on-one race, adding, "If you have more than one candidate running against (Mamdani), it can't be won." Edward Donlon, a 75-year-old Mamdani supporter who trekked from Staten Island to Brooklyn on a rainy day for the town hall, said it would be "outrageous" for the president to get involved in the race. "I want to have an honest politician," said Donlon, a retired attorney. "I'd like to have someone who you can believe what they're saying." Through the town hall, Mamdani and Sanders, an independent who represents Vermont, fielded mostly friendly questions, though there was one raucous moment where a man was removed by security. Just a few minutes into Mamdani's opening remarks, a man with a shirt that read Cuba and had a Cuban flag approached the stage and began to yell, saying you are a Communist. "You know that something has changed when it's not enough to call us democratic socialists anymore," Mamdani said as the man was removed by security.

byMario Satorik

in

September 06, 2025

Sanders and Mamdani energize supporters at town hall as NYC mayor's race enters final stretch

Sanders and Mamdani energize supporters at town hall as NYC mayor's race enters final stretch NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Sen.Bernie Sandersand...

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Trump's influence lingers as Zohran Mamdani and Bernie Sanders rally New Yorkers

Trump's influence lingers as Zohran Mamdani and Bernie Sanders rally New Yorkers

There was a single interruption at New York Democratic Mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani's campaign event with Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday in Brooklyn, N.Y. Just as the progressive heavyweights prepared to begin the latest iteration of Sander's national "Fighting Oligarchy" tour, an older gentleman, wearing a shirt bearing the Cuban flag, heckled the mayoral candidate. "You are a communist," the protestor yelled. "This is not Cuba, you fool!" The message from the protestor, who was promptly removed from the event, echoed rhetoric amplified in recent weeks by President Donald Trump, who has inserted himself as a major player in the high-stakes mayoral race. Noting the success of Mamdani's campaign, Trump has already framed him as a Democratic foil, teasing high-profile clashes with the 33-year-old progressive should he be elected. "We'll get used to a communist," Trump said at an Oval Office event on Friday. "He's going to have to go through the White House and get approvals for everything, and we're going to make sure that New York is not hurt." One day after that remark, Mamdani issued a response that could apply equally to both his heckler and Trump. "You know that something has changed when it's not enough to call us democratic socialists anymore," Mamdani said. "He knows what we know, which is that the fight for each and every person to live a dignified life is a fight that is very popular across this country." The interaction was one of several moments at the Brooklyn campaign event that portrayed how Mamdani will confront Trump, in addition to his mayoral challengers, amid his bid to lead the nation's largest city. He condemned both Trump's policies as well as the president's growing influence in the race, likening him to hedge fund manager Bill Ackman and Door Dash — both of which donated to a super PAC supporting Mamdani's rival, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. "This is a city where we will choose our own mayor," Mamdani told his audience. "It's not going to be Donald Trump, it's not going to be Bill Ackman. It's not going to be Door Dash. We will choose our mayor." The New York Timesreportedthis week that allies of Trump had sought to deepen their interference in the race by goading two of Mamdani's competitors, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams to leave the race in a bid to boost Cuomo's campaign. "I would say that Cuomo might have a chance of winning if it was a one-on-one. If it's not one-on-one, it's going to be a hard race," Trump said on Friday. Sanders took aim at Trump's involvement in the election, questioning what he and other Mamdani foes "are afraid of." "You've got people like Bill Ackman and others saying openly, front page to the newspapers, we will spend as much as it takes to defeat this guy, you have the president of the United States working to make it harder for him to get elected. So what are these people, these oligarchs, afraid of?" Sanders said. "What a radical idea to say that we should stabilize rents so the working class people can live in this city," he added. Asked about Trump's threats to deploy federal law enforcement and National Guard troops to Democratic cities, including New York, Mamdani said, "it is wrong to accept any part" of the administration's "deportation agenda" and criticized incumbent Mayor Adams for not doing more to aid residents targeted by immigration authorities. "It is wrong," Mamdani said. "It should be opposed, and we should understand that the greatest responsibility is with this administration here seeking to tear families apart across this country." Another attendee asked Mamdani how he would protect the city from a potential National Guard deployment, pointing to troop deployments to Los Angeles and Washington D.C. Mamdani said the city must "prepare for the inevitability of that deployment." "We cannot try and convince ourselves that because something is illegal Donald Trump will not do it. We have to be prepared, and we have to be clear eyed, and we have to understand that we'll take every single tool at our disposal," he said. Mamdani joined Sanders at his 35th "Fighting Oligarchy" tour event, which has also seen the 83-year-old senator rally democrats with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and according to Sanders has reached over 300,000 people. Both Sanders and Cortez endorsed Mamdani ahead of his June Democratic primary victory over Cuomo. At the event, Sanders chided top New York Democrats for not doing the same. "I find it hard to understand how the major Democratic leaders in New York State are not supporting the Democratic candidate," he said, referencing House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. "One might think that if a candidate starting at 2% in the polls gets 50,000 volunteers, creates enormous excitement, gets young people involved in the political process, gets non traditional voters to vote, Democratic leaders would be jumping up and down," Sanders added.

byMario Satorik

in

September 06, 2025

Trump's influence lingers as Zohran Mamdani and Bernie Sanders rally New Yorkers

Trump's influence lingers as Zohran Mamdani and Bernie Sanders rally New Yorkers There was a single interruption at New York Democratic ...

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Aryna Sabalenka defeats Amanda Anisimova for her 2nd consecutive US Open title and 4th at a major

Aryna Sabalenka defeats Amanda Anisimova for her 2nd consecutive US Open title and 4th at a major

NEW YORK (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka was two points away from what eventually would be a second consecutiveU.S. Opentitle when she had what should have been a routine — easy, even — overhead smash. Instead, while backpedaling, she dumped the ball into the net, giving her opponent, Amanda Anisimova, a break chance. After that excruciating miss Saturday, Sabalenka dropped her racket on the blue court and smiled a rueful smile. She began to feel the sort of emotions that got the better of her during losses in the finals at the Australian Open in January and French Open bubble up. She tried to compose herself. "I just let the doubt get into my head," Sabalenka explained. "But then I turned around and I took a deep breath in, and I was like, 'OK. It happens. It's in the past. Let's focus on the next one.'" So everything was fine from there? Well, no. "She broke me," Sabalenka said with a loud laugh. "I was like, 'OK. ... Reset." It took another 15 minutes to complete the job, but theNo. 1-seeded Sabalenkadid reset, unlike at those earlier title matches in 2025, and was able to kneel on Arthur Ashe Stadium's court while covering her face with her hands after beating Anisimova 6-3, 7-6 (3). That made Sabalenka the first woman to earn the trophy at Flushing Meadows in consecutive years since Serena Williams in 2012-14. "I truly really admire her," said No. 8 seedAnisimova, a 24-year-old American who heard raucous support from the 24,000 or so spectators. "She puts in a lot of work, and that's why she's where she is." Sabalenka, a 27-year-old from Belarus, earned her fourth Grand Slam trophy — all on hard courts — and avoided becoming the first woman to lose three major finals in a season since Justine Henin in 2006. Sabalenka was the runner-up toMadison Keys at the Australian Openin January and toCoco Gauff at the French Openin June. Those defeats helped on Saturday. "After the Australian Open, I thought that the right way would be just to forget it and move on. But then the same thing happened at the French Open," said Sabalenka, who showed up at her postmatch news conference with a bottle of Champagne and a pair of dark goggles atop her head. "So after French Open, I figured that, OK, maybe it's time for me to sit back and to look at those finals and to maybe learn something, because I didn't want it to happen again and again and again." As Anisimova kept making things close again, and the crowd kept getting loud, Sabalenka reminded herself to focus on herself. It worked. When Anisimova trailed Sabalenka 2-0, 30-love as Saturday's match began, some fans might have wondered: There's no way there's going to be a repeat of the Wimbledon, right? That's because Anisimova's first major final, in July at the All England Club, ended with a6-0, 6-0shutout against Iga Swiatek. But Anisimova grabbed the next four points to break back, capping the game with a backhand winner and a forehand winner. That got folks on their feet, shouting, and Anisimova exhaled as she walked to the sideline. Soon, she led 3-2. That was another moment that could have thrown Sabalenka. Nope. She took the next four games and that set. It began pouring before the match, so Ashe's roof was shut and its artificial lights were on. That wasa problem from Anisimova, who said she had a hard time seeing the ball during serve tosses. The setup also created windless conditions, ideal for two ball-strikers who really can bring the power with good contact. And that's what they both did. Some exchanges were breathtaking — to them, certainly, and to those in the stands who gasped at the power during longer points. The rewards can be huge, as can the risks, and Anisimova was seeking the lines with full cuts off both sides. "I think I didn't fight hard enough for my dreams today," said Anisimova, who buried her face in a towel after the match. Of Sabalenka's first 13 points, just one came via her own winner. The others? Six unforced errors and six forced errors by Anisimova. By the end, Anisimova had nearly twice as many winners as Sabalenka, 22-13, and nearly twice as many unforced errors, too, 29-15. "There was two moments where I was really close to lose control," Sabalenka said later, "but ... I told myself, 'No, it's not going to happen. It's absolutely OK.'" ___ Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here:https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich. More AP tennis:https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

byMario Satorik

in

September 06, 2025

Aryna Sabalenka defeats Amanda Anisimova for her 2nd consecutive US Open title and 4th at a major

Aryna Sabalenka defeats Amanda Anisimova for her 2nd consecutive US Open title and 4th at a major NEW YORK (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka was two po...

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Lile's tiebreaking homer, Lord's season-best 7 strikeouts lead Nationals past Cubs 2-1

Lile's tiebreaking homer, Lord's season-best 7 strikeouts lead Nationals past Cubs 2-1

CHICAGO (AP) — Daylen Lile hit a tiebreaking home run in the fourth inning and rookie Brad Lord struck out a season-best seven to help the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 on Saturday. Lile's solo shot off Matthew Boyd (12-8) gave the Nationals the lead for good. Lord (5-8) struck out the side in the third and fourth and allowed two hits, an earned run and four walks in the first 5 2/3 innings as the Nationals won for the fourth time in five tries. Cole Henry, the fourth Washington reliever, worked the ninth and earned his second save. Chicago batters drew seven walks but weren't able to capitalize. The Cubs' lone run came in the second when Carson Kelly knocked in Pete Crow-Armstrong on a ground-out. Boyd worked the first seven innings and allowed seven hits and both runs while striking out three. The Nationals started the game with three straight hits, including Jorge Alfaro's RBI single. Crow-Armstrong needed help from the training staff after fouling a ball off his right leg during a sixth-inning at-bat, and did not return to the field due to what the club called a right knee contusion. Chicago manager Craig Counsell said before the game that All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker (calf) would not need a spell on the injured list. He missed a third straight game with the injury. Key moment Lile, who tripled twice a day earlier, barely cleared the right-field basket leading off the fourth. But that was all the offense Washington's pitchers would need in the game. Key stat Boyd had a pair of successful pickoffs, including getting Abrams in the fifth inning, for his 10th of the season, setting a club season record mark and moving past the record set in 1913 by Charlie Smith. The left-hander also caught Brady House in a second-inning rundown. Up next Washington sends LHP Andrew Alvarez (1-0. 0.00 ERA) to the mound for Sunday's series finale. The Cubs have not named a starter. ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

byMario Satorik

in

September 06, 2025

Lile's tiebreaking homer, Lord's season-best 7 strikeouts lead Nationals past Cubs 2-1

Lile's tiebreaking homer, Lord's season-best 7 strikeouts lead Nationals past Cubs 2-1 CHICAGO (AP) — Daylen Lile hit a tiebreaking ...

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Trump again appears to threaten sending troops to Chicago

Trump again appears to threaten sending troops to Chicago

President Trump appeared to once again threaten sending troops toChicagofor a widespread immigration and crime crackdown similar to that seen in Los Angeles when the National Guard was recently deployed there. In apost on Truth Social, Mr. Trump shared a screenshot that reads "'I love the smell of deportations in the morning ...' Chicago about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR." The AI-generated image appears to parody the movie "Apocalypse Now." Mr. Trump has targeted Chicago and other Democrat-led cities for expanded federal intervention. His administration has said it will step up immigration enforcement in the Windy City, as he did in Los Angeles, and woulddeploy National Guard troopsto help fight crime. In addition to sending troops to Los Angeles in June, Mr. Trump deployed them last month in Washington, D.C., as part of his unprecedented law enforcementtakeoverof the nation's capital. A federal court in Californiaruled this week that the Trump administration violated federal lawwhen it deployed Guard and active-duty U.S Marines to Los Angeles. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer found that the administration violated the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the use of the military for domestic law enforcement. Although details about the promised Chicago operation have been sparse, localoppositionis already widespread and is building in the suburbs. State and city leaders have said they plan to sue the Trump administration. "We're going in. I didn't say when, we're going in," Mr. Trump said in an Oval Office event Tuesday, after a reporter asked if he plans to send the Guard to Chicago. Mr. Trump did not specify whether his administration will primarily send Guard forces or federal law enforcement agents to Chicago. On Sunday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker responded to Mr. Trump's Truth Social post, saying in apost X, "The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city." "This is not a joke. This is not normal," Pritzker wrote. "Donald Trump isn't a strongman, he's a scared man. Illinois won't be intimidated by a wannabe dictator." The city's mayor, Brandon Johnson, in apost on X, said Mr. Trump's threats are "beneath the honor of our nation." "But the reality is that he wants to occupy our city and break our Constitution," he wrote. "We must defend our democracy from this authoritarianism by protecting each other and protecting Chicago from Donald Trump." Aninternal government memoobtained by CBS News this week showed that the Department of Homeland Security asked the Pentagon to accommodate roughly 250 federal agents and 140 vehicles at the Naval Station Great Lakes – the largest military base in Illinois and the Navy's largest training station. The request was officially made last week, and Homeland Security personnel and equipment began arriving at the naval station earlier this week, a U.S. official familiar with the operation told CBS News. The naval station is located about 50 miles north of Chicago on Lake Michigan. The internal memo said Homeland Security officials would need the base for 30 days, suggesting the immigration crackdown in Chicago could last for weeks. In a statement to CBS News, DHS said it will "go to wherever these criminal illegal aliens are — including Chicago, Boston, and other cities." "Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, nowhere is a safe haven for criminal illegal aliens," the department said. "If you come to our country illegally and break our laws, we will hunt you down, arrest you, deport you, and you will never return." Activists, church groups and schools in the nation's third-largest city have been preparing for the operation. Organizers postponed a downtown Mexican Independence Day festival scheduled for later this month because of fears in the community about the planned immigration crackdown. They did not set a new date. U.S. deploying 10 fighter jets to Puerto Rico in drug cartel crackdown Chicago-area Navy base to be used for immigration operations Urban sketching movement turns sidewalks into studios around the world

byMario Satorik

in

September 06, 2025

Trump again appears to threaten sending troops to Chicago

Trump again appears to threaten sending troops to Chicago President Trump appeared to once again threaten sending troops toChicagofor a wide...

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Israel expands Gaza City operations; residents told to move to safe zone

Israel expands Gaza City operations; residents told to move to safe zone

Israel's army called Saturday on Palestinians in Gaza City to move to a humanitarian area it designated in the south as it expanded its operationsin preparation for seizingthe famine-stricken city. Parts of the city, home to nearly 1 million people, are already considered "red zones," where evacuation orders have been issued ahead of expected heavy fighting. Aid groups have repeatedly warned that a large-scale evacuation of Gaza City would exacerbate thedire humanitarian crisis. Palestinians have been uprooted and displaced multiple times during the nearly two-year-long war, with many being too weak to move and having nowhere to go. Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote in X that the army declared Muwasi — a makeshift tent camp in southern Gaza Strip — a humanitarian area and urged everyone in the city, which it called a Hamas stronghold and specified as a combat zone, to leave. The army said they could travel in cars down a designated road without being searched. The military, in a statement, provided a map showing the area in Khan Younis that the humanitarian area encompasses, which includes the block where Nasser Hospital is located. The area around the hospital has been considered a red zone, though not the medical facility itself. Last week, Israelstruck the hospital, killing 22 people, includingMariam Dagga, who worked for The Associated Press and other media outlets. The hospital was not under evacuation. The designated safe zone would include field hospitals, water pipelines, food and tents, and relief efforts "will continue on an ongoing basis in cooperation with the U.N. and international organizations," the statement said. The United Nations couldn't be immediately reached for comment. Israeli forces have struck humanitarian areas throughout the war, including Muwasi, which they previously declared a safe zone, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The evacuation order came a day after Israel struck a high-rise building in Gaza City, saying Hamas used it for surveillance, without providing evidence. The war started after Hamas-led terrorists killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people in their attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Forty-eight hostages remain in Gaza, with many released through ceasefires or other agreements. Israel believes about 20 are still alive, though thebodies of two hostages were recoveredduring a joint operation in late August. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were civilians or combatants but says women and children make up around half the dead. The U.N. and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on war casualties. Israel disputes its figures but has not provided its own. Israel says the war will continue until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is disarmed, and that it will retainopen-ended security controlof the territory of some 2 million Palestinians. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. "Lack of food, treatment and possibilities" Shamm Qudeih, a toddler who was photographed by Dagga and evacuated to Italy for treatment for severe malnutrition and a genetic metabolic disease, celebrated her second birthday in an Italian hospital this week. She was evacuated with her mother and 10-year-old sister. The Italian Foreign Ministry says 181 Palestinian children are being treated in Italy. A photo of Shamm in her mother's arms in Gaza went viral for the child's thin limbs, visible ribs and distressed face. Shamm weighed about nine pounds when she arrived at the Santobono Pausilipon Children's Hospital in Naples. The toddler was "in a serious and challenging clinical state," said Dr. Daniele de Brasi, a pediatric genetic disease specialist who is treating Shamm. De Brasi said "a big part" of her undernourishment was due to a genetic metabolic disease called glycogen storage disease, which interferes with the absorption of nutrients, particularly carbohydrates, and can cause muscle weakness and impede growth. The condition is primarily managed through a high-carbohydrate diet. Shamm's mother, Islam Qudeih, said that the family has moved more than a dozen times since the start of the war in Gaza. It has been a struggle to get proper medical care, she said. Doctors suspected Shamm had the rare condition, but could not test for it or treat it properly. Qudeih said her daughter's condition "became worse as a result of the lack of food, treatment and possibilities." Shamm now weighs just over 12 pounds, which is still no more than half of the median weight for a child her age, de Brasi said. Her current caloric intake is about 500 calories a day, which doctors are gradually increasing. A cornerstone of her diet is a carbohydrate-rich porridge. At night, a feeding tube ensures she gets the right mix of nutrients while she sleeps. Doctors hope to remove the tube in about a month. Shamm's sister Judi has also been treated by doctors after they noticed she was underweight, de Brasi said. Judi has gained about five pounds and is in condition. Qudeih said that she is allowing herself to experience relief as her daughters improve, but she can't imagine going back to Gaza, where Shamm's father remains. "Now there is no way to go back, as long as the war is going on. There are no possibilities for my daughters," Qudeih said. U.S. deploying 10 fighter jets to Puerto Rico in drug cartel crackdown Chicago-area Navy base to be used for immigration operations Urban sketching movement turns sidewalks into studios around the world

byMario Satorik

in

September 06, 2025

Israel expands Gaza City operations; residents told to move to safe zone

Israel expands Gaza City operations; residents told to move to safe zone Israel's army called Saturday on Palestinians in Gaza City to m...

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Arch Manning excels as No. 7 Texas routs San Jose State

Arch Manning excels as No. 7 Texas routs San Jose State

Arch Manning passed for 295 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another score to fuel No. 7 Texas to a 38-7 victory over San Jose State on Saturday in Austin, Texas. Texas (1-1) bounced back from a season-opening loss at now top-ranked Ohio State with a dominating performance from its ball-hawking defense, which forced three fumbles (two by preseason All-American linebacker Anthony Hill) and an interception. Manning completed 19 of 30 passes and was intercepted once. Parker Livingstone had 128 receiving yards and two touchdown catches, and Cedric Baxter added 64 rushing yards for the Longhorns. Texas finished with a 472-273 advantage in total offense. Walker Eget passed for 188 yards to pace the Spartans (0-2). The Longhorns sputtered early on until Manning hit a wide-open Livingstone for an 83-yard touchdown to go up 7-0 at the 2:52 mark of the first quarter. After an interception on the ensuing possession by Jalen Guilbeau, Manning needed just five plays to find Livingstone for their second scoring hookup. The 3-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds to play in the first quarter gave Texas a 14-0 lead. Texas added to the lead on the first play after a San Jose State fumble, with Manning finding tight end Jack Endries for a 36-yard touchdown just 15 seconds into the second quarter. Another Spartans fumble on their next possession set the table for a 16-yard Manning-to-Endries scoring connection that expanded the margin to 28-0 with 12:56 to play in the second quarter. San Jose finally got on the scoreboard with Jabari Bates' 4-yard touchdown run with 8:19 to play until halftime at the end of a 75-yard, eight-play march. Texas added to its lead on Mason Shipley's 47-yard field goal four minutes into the third quarter. Then, late in the third, Manning scrambled to his left and tiptoed down the sideline and into the end zone from 20 yards out to push the Longhorns' advantage to 38-7. --Field Level Media

byMario Satorik

in

September 06, 2025

Arch Manning excels as No. 7 Texas routs San Jose State

Arch Manning excels as No. 7 Texas routs San Jose State Arch Manning passed for 295 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another score to f...

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