Mamdani era officially begins during midnight ceremony at historic location
New York City socialist mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani was officially sworn in as mayor in a midnight ceremony by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
“This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said in a brief speech.
The early Thursday morning event was a private ceremony where Mamdani was accompanied by family members at the Old City Hall Station, a decommissioned subway station with deep historical roots.
In his first speech as mayor, Mamdani called the historic subway station a “testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city.”
He also announced the appointment of Mike Flynn as his new Department of Transportation commissioner.
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In a press release, the Mamdani transition team said the midnight swearing was chosen to be at a location symbolizing how the subway system is the “lifeblood of New York” and a “reminder of the city Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is fighting for: a city built by and for New Yorkers.”
“When Old City Hall Station first opened in 1904 — one of New York’s 28 original subway stations — it was a physical monument to a city that dared to be both beautiful and build great things that would transform working peoples’ lives. That ambition need not be a memory confined only to our past, nor must it be isolated only to the tunnels beneath City Hall: it will be the purpose of the administration fortunate enough to serve New Yorkers from the building above,” Mamdani said in the press release.
Before the ceremony, he stated that apron taking his oath, “from the station at the dawn of the New Year, I will do so, humbled by the opportunity to lead millions of New Yorkers into a new era of opportunity, and honored to carry forward our city’s legacy of greatness.”
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Mamdani used a Quran during his swearing-in ceremony, according to his campaign, making him the first Muslim mayor of NYC and the first to be sworn in using a Quran.
On Thursday afternoon, Mamdani will be sworn in publicly by Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders after opening remarks are delivered at his 1 p.m. inauguration by another progressive ally, Dem. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Typically, inauguration tickets are given out to roughly 4,000 people but the Mamdani transition team says all New Yorkers will be invited to the inauguration and a block party immediately following.
The 1 p.m. inauguration will take place on the steps of City Hall.
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Mamdani soundly defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in early November, capping off a rapid political ascent that started with single-digit support when he announced his mayoral campaign in October 2024.
The new mayor closed the ceremony with a smile, telling those gathered, “Thank you all so much, now I will see you later,” before heading up a flight of stairs.
ICE responds to reporter who said MN daycares may invoke ‘stand-your-ground laws’
ICE accused Politico reporter Josh Gerstein of “inciting violence against federal agents” following a Monday night post on X in which he suggested that “at some point, the amateur effort to knock on doors” of home daycare centers in Minnesota would intersect with what he erroneously deemed the state’s “robust stand-your-ground laws.”
In a pointed Tuesday post on X, ICE told Gerstein, Politico’s senior legal affairs reporter, that someone with his title should know better than to make social media posts that could incite violence against federal agents.
“You would think a ‘Senior Legal Affairs Reporter’ for POLITICO would know better than to tweet something inciting violence against federal agents,” ICE wrote.
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Gerstein’s post appeared to reference an investigation by independent journalist Nick Shirley on alleged widespread fraud at Minnesota daycare centers, which went viral earlier this week.
In the 42-minute video posted to X and YouTube, Shirley documented visits to several daycare centers in the blue state, many of which appeared largely inactive despite continuing to receive state funding.
Gerstein faced widespread criticism on social media after posting the comment, with users accusing him of calling for violence and mocking his understanding of Minnesota’s gun laws.
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After the reporter’s post had gone viral, Gerstein clarified his statement, commenting under his original post, “To observe that something is likely to happen or there’s a serious risk of it happening is not to advocate for it happening.”
Although Gerstein explained that his post was not an endorsement of violence against journalists, others did not see it the same way.
One commenter slammed Gerstein for “inciting people to shoot journalists investigating fraud,” while keeping the threat “veiled enough” to avoid legal consequences.
Other X users called out the senior legal affairs reporter for failing to understand the difference between stand-your-ground laws — which Minnesota does not have — and Castle Doctrine.
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While Minnesota is not a stand-your-ground state, the state does follow the Castle Doctrine at home — so a person is not required to retreat from an intruder in their house — but outside the home, Minnesota law generally requires individuals to retreat if it is safe to do so before using force.
“Shouldn’t a legal affairs reporter know the difference between stand-your-ground law and castle doctrine?” asked WTB radio host Pete Kaliner on X, adding that neither of which “apply to someone knocking on a commercial business’s door.”
A community note was eventually added to Gerstein’s post, correcting him on the specifics of stand-your-ground laws and how they can be exercised.
“Stand-your-ground laws remove the duty to retreat from a threat when a person is in a place they have a legal right to be. Knocking on the door of a supposedly public business does not constitute a threat, so stand-your-ground could not be invoked as a defense,” the community note read.
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Gerstein did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
Missing 19-year-old’s Christmas Eve disappearance ends in tragedy
Texas authorities confirmed on Thursday a missing San Antonio teen who vanished on Christmas Eve took her own life.
Camila Mendoza Olmos, 19, was last seen alive at about 7 a.m. on Dec. 24, walking a few blocks from her home.
Olmos’ body was found Tuesday in a field just a few hundred yards from her home, next to a gun, according to a report from affiliate FOX 7 Austin.
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The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the body as Olmos on Wednesday, determining the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and ruling the manner of death a suicide, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office previously said Olmos had a history of suicidal ideation and depression, noting there were no signs of foul play.
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The body appeared to have been in the location where it was found for several days, according to authorities.
In a Facebook post Wednesday afternoon, family members thanked the community for their support.
“In the name of the Olmos family, we want to give a humble and heartfelt thank you to all the news reporters, churches, friends, families, and communities for your support and prayers,” Nancy Olmos wrote in the post. “Our beloved Camila Mendoza Olmos is now with the Good Lord.”
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“We kindly ask that you please respect our pain and, most importantly, keep my cousin Rosario—Camila’s mom—and my nephew Carlos—Camila’s brother—in your prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” she added. “Thank you, and God bless you all.”
MS NOW contributor faces backlash after denying human genetic diversity
Elon Musk criticized MS NOW contributor Paola Ramos after she went viral last week for a clip in which she repeatedly denied there are any genetic differences between groups of different ancestry.
Ramos shared a clip on her Instagram from an interview she did with pronatalist activists. The pronatalist movement believes modern civilization is undergoing a destructive decline in the birthrate, which must be undone by encouraging people to have more children. In her Instagram caption, Ramos warned, “A movement that encourages people to have more babies is once again gaining momentum in the far right. Remember, Trump said he wants to be the ‘president of fertility.’”
Ramos, the daughter of Telemundo journalist and prominent Trump critic Jorge Ramos, spoke with neuroscientist Malcolm Collins and his wife Simone Collins. The couple wrote “The Pragmatist’s Guide” series and are advocates of maintaining healthy cultures and birthrates to uphold civilization.
In the interview clip, which went viral, Ramos challenged Malcolm, saying, “Malcolm, you’ve said things like, ‘Black women are biologically different than White women.’”
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“They, yes, they have different fertility windows. They have a higher rate of fertility complications,” he began.
“But there’s no scientific evidence to prove that a Black woman and a White woman are genetically different, right? This is like …,” Ramos said.
“What are you talking about!?” the neuroscientist shouted. “Like, literally, there are genes that code for their skin color.”
“This is like, government data. This isn’t me. This is the National Institute of Health. This is the American Medical Association. There is no scientific evidence to prove that,” Ramos claimed.
Malcolm rejected this claim.
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“What you’re stating is just factually incorrect,” Malcolm said. “Humans are genetically diverse. It’s not a bad thing that humans are genetically diverse.”
“I’m not saying it’s a bad or a good thing. I’m saying there is no scientific evidence,” Ramos said.
“There is scientific evidence. There is overwhelming scientific evidence,” Malcolm said. “This is like saying the sky is not blue. Like, it is genes that code their skin color, right? Those genes are obviously different in them than they are in us. How is that not science? That’s just, like, a basic fact. The genes that code their skin color, their level of melanin production, are different from my genes.”
“And that’s precisely why I was asking this question,” Ramos answered. “Because I think for some people that do believe, like you, that people are genetically different, that has historically been used to promote racial hierarchies, right? And that’s why I’m asking you.”
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Musk, another advocate of pronatalism who has warned low birthrates are “one of the biggest risks to civilization,” responded to the clip of Ramos with a laughing emoji. Others on social media compared her interview to something the “Borat” satirical troll personality would do, while others were baffled she chose to share the clip in the first place.
Ramos didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
College Football fans fume over penalty flag graphic as Miami takes on Buckeyes
College football fans were locked into the playoff matchup between the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes and the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes on Wednesday night.
The Hurricanes took a two-score lead with a clever touchdown pass from Carson Beck and a pick-six from Keionte Scott.
On social media, college football fans were upset with a different issue.
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The ESPN score bug appeared to distract viewers, and they let it be known on X. As teams pick up first downs in the game, the middle part of the bug flashes a gold indicator to signify the accomplishment. But college football fans were irked that it looked like a penalty flag was thrown on the play.
There were no penalties called in the first half of the game as Miami took a 14-0 lead into the locker room.
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Beck found Mark Fletcher Jr. for a 9-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. The score rectified Fletcher’s fumble from the previous possession.
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin tried to respond with a touchdown of his own. Instead, Sayin threw an interception to Scott, who returned the ball for a touchdown.
The Buckeyes were moving the ball well on their final drive of the half. It appeared Sayin was finally starting to find his rhythm. The drive ended with a missed 49-yard field goal attempt.
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Ohio State was on the ropes going into the second half.
Deadly New Year’s inferno engulfs packed Swiss ski resort bar with ‘many dead’
An explosive fire at a bar in the Swiss Alps killed dozens of people and injured at least 100 others during New Year’s celebrations, police said.
The blaze happened in the Alpine ski resort municipality of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, police said.
“The fire started around 1:30 a.m. this morning in a bar called ‘Le Constellation,'” police spokesperson Gaëtan Lathion said. “More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead.”
Swiss police later said “several tens of people” are presumed dead and that around 100 people had been injured – many of them seriously. Authorities could not immediately provide more precise casualty figures.
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Investigators were working to determine the cause of the fire, police said.
Valais Canton Attorney General said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire but authorities have ruled out terrorism.
“We’re just at the beginning of our investigation, but this is an internationally renowned ski resort with lots of tourists,” Lathion said.
The number of injured overwhelmed medical resources, with intensive care unit and operating theater at the regional hospital reaching full capacity. Victims were transferred to other nearby hospitals, officials said.
A reception center and helpline have been established for impacted families, Lathion said.
Authorities urged local residents and visitors to exercise caution in the coming days to avoid accidents that could further strain emergency medical services during the busy ski season.
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The community is in the heart of the Swiss Alps, about 25 miles north of the Matterhorn.
San Francisco creates path for $5 million payouts to Black residents
The mayor of San Francisco signed an ordinance that creates a “Reparations Fund” that could one day grant each of the city’s eligible Black residents up to $5 million in reparations for alleged historic discrimination and displacement.
The ordinance, which was passed by the Board of Supervisors earlier this month, was signed by Democrat Mayor Daniel Lurie two days before Christmas. It establishes the legal framework for the fund but does not allocate funds or guarantee payments. The fund can be financed with private donations, foundations and other non-city sources.
Any taxpayer-funded reparations payouts would require separate legislation, an identified funding source and mayoral approval. Lurie told Fox News Digital that no taxpayer money would be paid into the potential pot, given the city’s $1 billion budget deficit.
“I was elected to drive San Francisco’s recovery, and that’s what I’m focused on every day,” Lurie said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “We are not allocating money to this fund — with a historic $1 billion budget deficit, we are going to spend our money on making the city safer and cleaner.”
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“The Reparations Plan outlines a variety of methods to provide restitution, compensation and rehabilitation to individuals who are Black and/or descendants of a chattel enslaved person and have experienced a proven harm in San Francisco,” the ordinance reads, in part.
The ordinance specifically cites a 2023 policy report and recommendation document produced by the San Francisco African American Reparations Advisory Committee (AARAC), a city-appointed advisory committee.
The report, which is nonbinding, studied harms to Black residents and proposed remedies, including a recommendation of a $5 million payment. Around 46,000 Black residents live in San Francisco, according to U.S. Census data.
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It argued that Black San Franciscans are victims of decades of city-driven “residential displacement” and “racial discrimination,” particularly during the urban renewal era — the period from the mid-1940s through the 1970s.
“The City and County of San Francisco and its agencies should issue a formal apology for past harms and commit to making substantial ongoing, systemic and programmatic investments in Black communities to address historical harms,” the report states in its executive summary.
It proposed that the city “[p]rovide a one-time, lump sum payment of $5 million to each eligible person.”
The report also recommended a guaranteed annual income tied to area median income and the creation of new city agencies, including an Office of Reparations, to administer programs. It also called for major housing interventions, such as rental assistance, homeownership support and city-backed funds to purchase property along Black business corridors, as well as multi-million-dollar investments in Black-owned businesses.
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The California Legislature has attempted to pass specific reparations bills but has so far failed to do so. Several proposals stalled or were rejected after the state’s Reparations Task Force, which was set up in 2020 to study and recommend reparations proposals.
‘Arc de Trump’ monument to start construction within 2 months, president says
President Donald Trump revealed Wednesday how soon an Arc de Triomphe-style monument will be constructed in the nation’s capital to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
Trump on Wednesday said the construction of the monument, nicknamed the “Arc de Trump,” will begin “sometime in the next two months,” according to a report from Politico.
“It hasn’t started yet. It starts sometime in the next two months. It’ll be great. Everyone loves it,” Trump reportedly told the outlet during a phone call from Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. “They love the ballroom too. But they love the Triumphal Arch.”
The newest monument, which resembles Paris’ historic Arc de Triomphe, will be bankrolled privately, with funds left over from the new White House ballroom project, Fox News Digital previously reported.
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The exact location of the new landmark has not yet been confirmed, though the report notes it may be situated near the Lincoln Monument.
Details about the amount of time it will take to build, the cost of construction, the funding amount and who is heading the project have not yet been released by the White House.
Trump signed Public Law 116-217 in December 2020 authorizing the Women’s Suffrage National Monument to be built on federal land in Washington, D.C., leading to the subsequent signing of the Women’s Suffrage National Monument Location Act during former President Joe Biden’s final week in office.
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The Women’s Suffrage National Monument Foundation (WSNMF) announced Dec. 4 it received final and unanimous approval from the National Capital Planning Commission for a permanent two and a half acre site on the National Mall in Constitution Gardens, according to the foundation’s website.
Foundation leaders noted the women’s suffrage monument went through a “multi-step, rigorous review process,” including gaining approval from the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts.
The foundation also completed a public comment period with the National Park Service as part of the public scoping process, according to its website.
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It is unclear if Trump’s newest proposed monument received similar approval.
The Women’s Suffrage National Monument will be located at the intersection of 19th St. and Constitution Avenue NW, and the next project phase will focus on creative development and design.
“The enthusiasm behind this project has been inspiring,” WSNMF President and CEO Anna Laymon wrote in a Dec. 4 statement announcing final approval. “We are so grateful for the dedicated support from so many who made this possible, including President Trump; President Biden; our honorary chairs Mrs. Melania Trump, Dr. Jill Biden, Mrs. Michelle Obama, Mrs. Laura Bush, and Secretary Hillary Clinton; our bipartisan and bicameral Congressional sponsors, Senator Blackburn, Senator Baldwin, Congresswoman Lesko, Congressman Neguse and their dedicated staffs; our incredible Board of Directors; and all our partners and supporters.”
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The most recent major monument built on the National Mall was the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, which was completed in 2011.
The granite memorial was inspired by a line from King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered nearby on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom” in 1963.
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The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.