New York [US], January 2: Zohran Mamdani has been sworn in as mayor of New York City, becoming the first Muslim and the youngest person in generations to take the oath of office in the United States' biggest city.
Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in at a historic, decommissioned subway station in Manhattan just after midnight on Thursday, placing his hand on a Quran as he took his oath.
"This is truly the honour and the privilege of a lifetime," Mamdani said.
The ceremony, administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a political ally, took place at the old City Hall station, one of the city's original subway stops known for its stunning arched ceilings.
He will be sworn in again, in grander style, at a public ceremony at City Hall at 1pm (18:00 GMT) by US Senator Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor's political heroes. That will be followed by what the new administration is billing as a public block party on a stretch of Broadway known as the "Canyon of Heroes", famous for its ticker-tape parades.
Mamdani now begins one of the most unrelenting jobs in US politics as one of the country's most watched politicians.
In addition to being the city's first Muslim mayor, Mamdani is also its first of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. At 34, Mamdani is the city's youngest mayor in generations.
In a campaign that helped make "affordability" a buzzword across the political spectrum, the democratic socialist promised to bring transformative change with policies intended to lower the cost of living in one of the world's most expensive cities.
His platform included free childcare, free buses, a rent freeze for approximately 1 million households, and a pilot program of city-run grocery stores.
Source: Qatar Tribune
