Obama, Biden praise Mamdani in post-election calls, signaling key Democratic Party support

NEW YORK — Although neither endorsed Zohran Mamdani’s run for mayor, former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden praised his “moral compass” and influence on the party in congratulatory calls after his win Tuesday, a source briefed on both conversations told The New York Daily News.

The congratulatory messages from the two ex-presidents, who are among the Democratic party’s most popular national figures, appear to be a signal mainstream Democratic heavyweights are warming up to Mamdani as the party continues to regroup following staggering losses nationally in 2024.

A democratic socialist, Mamdani has unnerved some of his party’s more moderate members, who fear his tax-the-rich agenda could backfire and benefit Republicans in next year’s congressional midterms and beyond.

But Mamdani also successfully mobilized a large cohort of younger voters, a demographic key to the party’s future success.

—New York Daily News

Senate rejects Schiff bid to force Trump to consult with Congress on Venezuela

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted 51 to 49 Thursday against requiring President Donald Trump to get congressional consent to use U.S. military forces for what Sen. Adam Schiff called “an unauthorized war against Venezuela.”

Schiff, D-California, and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, aim to halt any Trump administration action within Venezuela unless Congress agrees. “We should have a say in this before we go to war with Venezuela,” Schiff told reporters.

For weeks, the military has been an increasing presence in the Caribbean, with troops, drones, warships and other equipment and personnel.

While Trump has said he wants President Nicolas Maduro out, he also has been reluctant recently to say he wants a war.

—The Sacramento Bee

Supreme Court rules Trump may remove transgender markers from new passports

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has cleared the way for President Trump to remove transgender markers from new passports and to require applicants to designate they were male or female at birth.

By a 6-3 vote, the justices granted another emergency appeal from Trump's lawyers and put on hold a Boston judge's order that prevented the president's new passport policy from taking effect.

"Displaying passport holders' sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth," the court said in an unsigned order. "In both cases, the Government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment."

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson filed a dissent, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. She said there was no emergency, and the change in the passport policy would pose a danger for transgender travelers.

—Los Angeles Times

Body recently handed over by Hamas is student from Tanzania

TEL AVIV, Israel — The body recently handed over by the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement is that of a student from Tanzania, according to official Israeli information.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday confirmed the identity of the young man, who was abducted to the Gaza Strip during the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum stated that the agricultural student had only arrived in Israel just under three weeks before the attack to gain practical experience in agriculture.

Hamas handed over the remains to staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross on Wednesday evening. The body was then brought to Israel for forensic examination.

—dpa