New York’s mayors are an eclectic bunch: from uniters to heroes-turned-villains and those accused of corruption.Here is what to know about five of the most high-profile mayors of The Big Apple as the city prepares to pick its 111th leader on November 4:- Fiorello La Guardia (1934-1945) -La Guardia lends his name to New York’s first major airport, inaugurated in 1939, a recognition of his role as the builder of modern New York.He remains the preferred mayor of present-day candidates Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo.Born in New York to Italian parents and raised between the United States and Italy, La Guardia was one of many city leaders of immigrant descent.A progressive Republican, he was elected by opposing Tammany Hall, the Democratic hub that had controlled the city for a century. Nicknamed “the Little Flower,” he led the city during the Great Depression, collaborating with president Franklin Roosevelt.Under La Guardia’s administration, New York developed public housing, a modernized subway system, new parks and two airports, and reformed its welfare system.- The Orator: Ed Koch (1978-1989) -Koch famously described himself as “the sort of person who will never get ulcers. Why? Because I say exactly what I think.”Born in New York in 1924 to Polish Jewish parents, he studied law before entering politics. The city faced high crime and a financial crisis when he took office.The Democrat, who described himself as “liberal with sanity,” imposed austerity while renovating thousands of abandoned homes. He famously pounded the sidewalks, asking passersby “How’m I doin’?” His tenure ended marred by corruption scandals involving close associates, the closure of a hospital serving Black residents, and criticism of his AIDS policy.- Diversity champion: David Dinkins (1990-1993) -New York’s first African American mayor championed diversity, calling it a “gorgeous mosaic.” Born in neighboring New Jersey, Dinkins served in the military before studying mathematics and law.His marriage to the daughter of a New York State Assembly member propelled him into politics.He was unable to secure re-election after battling rising crime and racial tensions.This culminated in 1991’s Brooklyn riots after a rabbi’s motorcade hit two Black children, killing one. Dinkins strengthened police and supported community mediation and racial integration, laying the groundwork for a sustained drop in crime and more inclusive policies. – ‘America’s mayor’: Rudy Giuliani (1994-2001) -The first Republican mayor in 20 years in true-blue New York, Giuliani cut spending and cracked down on crime. He pushed controversial “broken windows theory,” insisting on zero tolerance for low-level lawbreaking. Critics accused him of ignoring police brutality, noting crime was declining nationwide anyway.Giuliani’s management of the September 11, 2001 attacks aftermath earned him the nickname “America’s Mayor” — and Time magazine’s Person of the Year.After an unsuccessful 2008 Republican presidential run, he joined Donald Trump’s campaign to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential victory. Ex-attorney Giuliani has since been repeatedly sued for defamation and disbarred in New York.- The Progressive: Bill de Blasio (2014-2021) -This Democratic outsider courted voters emphasizing the city’s economic divisions after 12 years under independent Michael Bloomberg’s leadership.His progressive wins included universal pre-kindergarten and a reduction in police stop-and-frisk actions.But de Blasio’s policies aimed at promoting affordable housing failed to curb rising rents, and homelessness.His attempt to introduce a “millionaire’s tax” to fund his social programs was blocked by state legislators. He struggled to engage police unions following the Black Lives Matter protests in 2014 and 2020, and is remembered for a stuttering response to the Covid-19 pandemic. He abandoned his presidential ambitions in 2020 amid a lack of support.

The US military on Wednesday struck another boat in the eastern Pacific it claimed was trafficking drugs, killing four people, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said, bringing the death toll from Washington’s controversial anti-narcotics campaign to at least 62.The strike occurred in international waters, Hegseth announced on X, and a video accompanying his post showed a boat floating stationary in the water before a large explosion and subsequent fire.Like previous videos released by the US government, areas on the boat are obfuscated, rendering it impossible to verify how many people were on board.”This vessel, like all the others, was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics,” Hegseth said.Experts say the attacks, which began in early September, amount to extrajudicial killings even if they target known traffickers, and Washington has yet to make public any evidence that its targets were smuggling narcotics or posed a threat to the United States.Wednesday’s deadly attack comes two days after multiple strikes on four boats killed 14 people in the eastern Pacific and left one survivor.The United States asked Mexico to attempt to rescue the survivor, but Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that search efforts had failed.Earlier Wednesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said his country had intercepted three planes allegedly used for drug trafficking, as tensions mount over the US boat strikes and its military deployment in the region.”The day before yesterday…a drug-trafficking plane entered through the Caribbean. Our aviation detected it in a second,” Maduro said at an official event. “Today, two drug-trafficking aircraft entered from the north. And in accordance with our law, we have an interception law…bam, boom, bang!”It was not immediately clear if this meant the planes were shot down.Maduro said the action was taken “to make them respect Venezuela…what is that called? Exercising sovereignty.”Caracas has sought to showcase anti-drug efforts in the face of a massive US military deployment within striking distance of the country.The United States has deployed seven US Navy warships as well as F-35 stealth warplanes, and ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group to the region, bringing a massive increase in firepower.Washington calls its deployment an anti-drug operation, but Caracas fears it is a guise for military action to oust Maduro.US President Donald Trump’s administration says Maduro is a drug lord, an accusation he denies, and has issued a $50 million reward for information leading to his capture.Maduro insists there is no drug cultivation in Venezuela, which he says is used as a trafficking route for Colombian cocaine against its will.