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‘Dirty looks?’ VP Vance Criticizes Mamdani’s 9/11 Remarks About Muslim Aunt
US Vice President JD Vance delivers remarks at the Wilshire Federal Building in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 20, 2025. Phone: REUTERS/Daniel Cole/File Photo
i24 News – Vice President JD Vance sharply criticized mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani after Mamdani shared a personal story about his Muslim aunt during a speech at the Islamic Cultural Center of the Bronx.
Mamdani recounted how his aunt, who wears a hijab, felt threatened on the subway in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, describing her as a “true victim” of the discrimination American Muslims faced during that period.
Vance took to X (formerly Twitter) to mock Mamdani’s remarks, writing: “According to Zphran, the ‘true’ victim of September 11 is his aunt, who was subjected to (alleged) dirty looks.”
Mamdani defended his comments, stating that his aunt’s experience reflects broader challenges faced by the American Muslim community after 9/11.
He reiterated his commitment to representing that community and to being open about his identity and faith.
The exchange comes amid a heated New York mayoral race, in which Mamdani faces scrutiny from rivals including former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Critics have accused him of extremism and antisemitism over his pro-Palestinian positions, as well as for his past associations with Islamist figures and his hardline stances on Israel.
Despite the controversy, early voting has begun, and Mamdani is considered a frontrunner in the mayoral race.
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American Airlines to Resume Flights to Israel Amid Gaza Ceasefire
American Airlines planes sit on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York City, U.S., July 30, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kylie Cooper.
American Airlines said on Sunday it would resume flights to Israel in March, after the US carrier halted the New York JFK to Tel Aviv route following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the two-year war in Gaza.
American said it would re-launch its flights from JFK on March 28.
US rivals Delta and United have already resumed flights to Israel.
Many foreign carriers halted flights to Tel Aviv after October 7 and stayed away for long stretches during the past two years due to intermittent missile fire from Iran and Yemen.
That largely left flag-carrier El Al Israel Airlines, and smaller Israeli airlines Arkia and Israir, operating international routes, but with demand far higher than supply, airfares soared.
In the wake of a US-brokered ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, many foreign airlines have restarted flights to Tel Aviv. British Airways, SAS, Iberia and Swiss are slated to resume flights this week.
When American resumes flights, it will become the fifth carrier to fly nonstop to Israel from the United States, along with El Al, Arkia, Delta and United.
In addition to daily flights from Newark, United later is expected to also add flights to Tel Aviv from Washington (November 2) and Chicago (November 1).
Passenger traffic at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv was up 25% over the first nine months of 2025 to 13.6 million, according to the Israel Airports Authority. El Al’s market share dropped to 32.5% from 44% a year earlier.
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Israel Allows Red Cross, Egyptian Teams into Gaza as Search for Hostage Bodies Widens
Palestinians gather around a Red Cross vehicle transporting hostages as part of a ceasefire and hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in the southern Gaza Strip, October 13. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Red Cross and Egyptian teams have been permitted to search for the bodies of deceased hostages beyond the “yellow line” demarcating the Israeli military’s pullback in the Gaza Strip, an Israeli government spokesperson said on Sunday.
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Abbas Names Hussein al-Sheikh as Temporary Successor for PA Presidency
Hussein Al-Sheikh, former Secretary General of the Executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), speaks during an interview with Reuters, in Ramallah in the West Bank December 16, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad
i24 News – Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) issued a statement on Sunday outlining the succession process should the chairman’s position become vacant.
According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, Deputy Chairman Hussein al-Sheikh will temporarily assume leadership of the PA in the absence of the Palestinian Legislative Council.
The decree stipulates that al-Sheikh’s interim term would last up to 90 days, during which direct elections must be held to select a new chairman, in accordance with Palestinian election law.
If elections cannot be conducted within this period due to exceptional circumstances, the Palestinian Central Council may authorize a one-time extension.
Hussein al-Sheikh, born in 1960 in Ramallah, has a long history in Palestinian politics. As a teenager, he was sentenced to prison in Israel for terrorist activity and was incarcerated from age 18 until 1989. In the past year, he was appointed Deputy Chairman and designated successor by Abu Mazen after the Palestinian Central Council approved the creation of the position.
The announcement is seen as a move to formalize the line of succession and ensure stability within the PA amid ongoing political uncertainty and the absence of a functioning Legislative Council. Analysts say the decree clarifies leadership procedures in case of incapacity or vacancy, reflecting Abu Mazen’s efforts to maintain continuity and prevent a leadership vacuum in the Palestinian territories.