Trump Says U.S. Will Send More Weapons to Ukraine
Today, I instructed the minister of defence and the commander in chief to intensify all contacts with the American side, Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington would send more weapons to Ukraine.
We currently have all the necessary political statements and decisions and me must implement them as quickly as possible to protect our people and positions … These are critical deliveries that mean saving lives and protecting Ukrainian cities and villages.
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In his campaign videos, Mamdani underscored his own multicultural background and that of New York by speaking in fluent Hindi and Spanish and urging South Asians and Hispanics to register and vote for him. South Asians instantly connected with Mamdani over his video clips referencing Indian superstar Amitabh Bachchan and Bollywood films. A three-term assemblyman, Mamdani's campaign promised New Yorkers affordable child care, free bus service, city-owned grocery stores, and fixed housing rents. It resonated with American working-class concerns, especially those of immigrants. His Democrat-socialist policies, disparagingly labelled 'Leftist' by his detractors, struck a chord with youth and first-time voters in New York. Indians in India usually respond to any person of Indian origin, however distant the link might be, if they makes it big in politics, business or entertainment in the West. Mamdani has evoked a response as well. 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Kangana Ranaut, a parliamentarian representing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said that 'He [Mamdani] sounds more Pakistani than Indian… whatever happened to his Hindu identity or bloodline,' she posted on X, adding that 'now he is ready to wipe out Hinduism.' The Hindu right-wing are upset with Mamdani's pride in his Gujarati Muslim identity and his outspoken criticism of Modi. They are unwilling to celebrate his rise in American politics. This is in contrast to the response of Modi supporters to Indian-origin politicians who are staunch Hindus. When Rishi Sunak, who wears his Hinduism on his sleeve, became prime minister of the United Kingdom, right-wing Indians celebrated him as one of their own. However, with Mamdani, instead of pride at his Indian roots, there is angry censure of his politics from the Hindu right-wing, those in India as well as in the U.S. Al Jazeera reported that a New Jersey-based group called Indian Americans for Cuomo spent $ 3,570 for a plane to fly a banner over New York City with the message, 'Save NYC from Global Intifada. Reject Mamdani.' Mamdani's radical positions have shaken up the status quo in the U.S. and rattled politicians across the board. U.S. President Donald Trump labelled him a '100% Communist Lunatic.' When Mamdani said he wouldn't allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in New York should he become mayor, Trump threatened to deport him. 'Well then, we'll have to arrest him,' he said. 'Look, we don't need a communist in this country …' Trump questioned Mamdani's citizenship and claimed he would verify if it was illegal. Mamdani became a naturalized citizen in the U.S. in 2018. Mamdani hit back at Trump, stating he would 'not be intimidated.' He cautioned voters that Trump was trying to divert attention away from the core issue that mattered to New Yorkers — affordable living in the city. Consequently, Mamdani's fight has found support among South Asians wary of Trump's anti-immigrant policies. Mamdani's victory in the primaries on June 25 was hailed by the Communist Party of India on its official X handle @cpimspeak. Congratulating Mamdani, the CPI-M retweeted a Mamdani tweet from way back in December 2020, when he had noted the victory of 21-year-old woman Arya Rajendran as mayor of Thiruvananthapuram, the youngest mayor of a major Indian city till then. Alongside a picture of Rajendran, Mamdani had tweeted, 'so what kind of Mayor does nyc need right now? me:' Mamdani's dream of five years ago seems close to fruition.
