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Elon Musk’s company xAI has launched a website called Grokipedia to compete with online encyclopedia Wikipedia, which he and others on the American right wing have accused of ideological bias.The site, dubbed version 0.1, had more than 885,000 articles by Monday evening after its launch, compared to Wikipedia’s more than seven million in English. The launch came with the promise of a newer version, 1.0, which Musk said would be “10X better” than the current live site, which he claimed is already “better than Wikipedia.”Musk and the US Republican Party have frequently criticized Wikipedia, accusing a site that has become a living repository of human knowledge of being biased against right-wing ideas. Musk, the world’s richest person and owner of social media platform X, poured hundreds of millions into US President Donald Trump’s election campaign, and claimed Grokipedia would carry “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”We will never be perfect, but we shall nonetheless strive towards that goal,” he said on X following the launch.The content of Grokipedia is generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and the generative AI assistant Grok.Grokipedia’s release had been slated for the end of September, but was delayed to “purge out the propaganda,” Musk said in a separate X post.- Attacks on Wikipedia -In 2024, Musk accused Wikipedia of being “controlled by far-left activists” and called for donations to the platform to cease.In August, he stopped Twitter from using Wikipedia as a “definitive source for Community Notes, as the editorial control there is extremely left-biased.”Trump-aligned officials have also taken aim at the site since the Republican returned to power in January.In April, federal prosecutor Ed Martin, who was appointed by Trump but has since been replaced, threatened to investigate whether Wikipedia’s parent organization Wikimedia was eligible for the tax exemption granted to foundations, accusing it of carrying propaganda.And in August, two Republican members of the House of Representatives launched an investigation into “organized efforts… to influence US public opinion on important and sensitive topics by manipulating Wikipedia articles.” Created in 2001, Wikipedia is a collaborative encyclopedia managed by volunteers, largely funded by donations. Its pages can be written or edited by internet users.”Unlike newer projects, Wikipedia’s strengths are clear: it has transparent policies, rigorous volunteer oversight, and a strong culture of continuous improvement,” Gwadamirai Majange, a spokeswoman for the Wikimedia Foundation, told AFP in an email.She said the site is written to inform “billions of readers without promoting a particular point of view.”- Right-leaning content -A Grokipedia article about Musk states that the Tesla and SpaceX CEO “has influenced broader debates on technological progress, demographic decline, and institutional biases, often via X.”It said his ownership of the social media platform “has prioritized content moderation reforms amid criticisms from legacy media outlets that exhibit systemic left-leaning tilts in coverage.”Another example was the page devoted to right-wing journalist and commentator Tucker Carlson, which highlights his role in “challenging systemic biases in traditional journalism.”The citation to that claim, however, links to a Newsweek article where the only corroboration is Carlson describing himself that way. Several right-wing figures welcomed the launch of Grokipedia. Hardline Russian ideologue Alexander Dugin described the article about him as “neutral, objective, accurate,” whereas Wikipedia’s page, according to him, was, “totally biased and defamatory.”Asked about the launch of Grokipedia, Wikimedia spokesperson Majange said the organization was “still in the process of understanding how Grokipedia works.” She highlighted that Wikimedia “is — and always will be — human.””This human-created knowledge is what AI companies rely on to generate content, even Grokipedia needs Wikipedia to exist.”

Japan pulled out all stops for this week’s visit by US President Donald Trump — his first with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.The US president’s visit was a major diplomatic test for Takaichi, who has only been in office for a week.From pledges that Tokyo will spend much more on its defence to supporting Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize bid, here’s how Takaichi sought to woo the mercurial US leader:- ‘Golden Age’ and Nobel Peace Prize -“I was very impressed and inspired by you,” Takaichi told Trump as they met, calling for “a new golden age of the Japan-US alliance”.Takaichi also announced during the visit that she will nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize.Since returning to the White House for his second term in January, Trump has repeatedly insisted that he deserves the prize for his role in resolving numerous conflicts.Observers say Trump’s claims of helping bring about world peace are broadly exaggerated.But Tokyo was keen to burnish the US leader’s bid to join the ranks of former president Barack Obama and journalist Maria Ressa, praising Trump’s efforts towards a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia and his “unprecedented historic achievement” of the Gaza deal.- Baseball and slogan caps -Speaking after their meeting, Takaichi apologised for being late and explained that they had been watching a World Series baseball game — which also featured Japanese star player Shohei Ohtani.The two leaders also signed black “Japan is back” caps, reminiscent of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” hats.- US beef on the menu -Menus at summit lunches are often carefully considered with diplomatic niceties in mind.And Tokyo’s choice was no exception, deftly blending US produce with Japanese ingredients.For starters guests were served a “US rice cheese risotto with chicken”, while mains were New York strip steak with gravy and warm vegetables from the southern Japanese city of Nara — Takaichi’s hometown.Not exactly traditional Japanese fare, but tailormade to appeal to Trump’s push to sell more American agricultural products and backing for US farmers, a key support base.- Defence spending -Trump has for years grumbled that US allies in Asia including Japan do not spend enough on their own defence and urged them to pay more for US military presence on their territory.Days before Trump’s arrival, Takaichi told Japan’s parliament that Tokyo’s target of spending two percent of its gross domestic product on defence would be achieved this fiscal year — two years earlier than planned.Japan had also committed to acquiring counter-attack capabilities including Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States, part of a contract signed in January 2024.- Rare earths and shipbuilding -Tokyo signed a key deal with Washington for “securing” supplies of critical minerals and rare earths.Under the agreement, the United States and Japan would “jointly identify projects of interest to address gaps in supply chains for critical minerals and rare earths”.It comes as the United States tries to boost access to critical minerals with China tightening controls on rare earths.The world’s second-largest economy exercises a virtual monopoly on so-called “rare earth” metals, essential for everything from household appliances to cars, energy and even weapons.Another cooperation agreement was signed Tuesday between Tokyo and Washington on shipbuilding, a sector where Japan and neighbour South Korea are seeking to challenge Chinese dominance.- Golf and memories of Abe -Takaichi had another ace up her sleeve — her ties to her mentor, former premier Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in 2022 and with whom Trump became close during his first term.She thanked Trump for his “enduring friendship” with Abe and later gifted him a golf putter used by the late premier.The sport was a shared passion of Trump and Abe’s, and the two met several times on the golf course.The US president also met with the politician’s widow, Akie Abe, who said afterwards: “He still holds my husband in high regard and offered me warm words.”Another gift planned by Tokyo, according to Japanese media, is gold-plated golf balls.

Japan’s new premier Sanae Takaichi lavished US leader Donald Trump with praise and vows of a “golden age” of ties on his visit to Tokyo Tuesday, before inking a deal with Washington aimed at securing critical minerals.Takaichi, Japan’s first woman prime minister, pulled out all the stops for Trump in her opening test on the international stage, and even announced she would nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize.Trump has become increasingly focused on the Nobel since his return to power in January, and claims to have ended several conflicts around the world, a role that experts, however, downplay.In return for Takaichi’s plaudits, Trump, who was meeting the conservative premier for the first time on an Asia tour that aims for a deal with China, said Washington was an ally of the “strongest level”.”It’s a great honour to be with you, especially so early in what will be, I think, one of the greatest prime ministers,” Trump told Takaichi at the Akasaka Palace state guest house.Takaichi praised Trump’s efforts towards a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia and his “unprecedented historic achievement” of the Gaza truce deal.She also gifted him a golf bag signed by star player Hideki Matsuyama and a putter belonging to assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who had a close personal relationship with Trump, the White House said.”I would like to realise a new golden age of the Japan-US Alliance, where both Japan and the United States will become stronger and also more prosperous,” Takaichi said.- ‘Making ships’ -Speaking later alongside Trump on board the USS George Washington near Tokyo, Takaichi told a crowd of hundreds of sailors that she was “committed to fundamentally reinforce” Japan’s defence capabilities, noting her nation faces “unprecedented” security dangers.Trump, who came to the stage pumping his fist, waving and clapping as the audience cheered, said he had approved the first batch of missiles to be delivered to Japan’s Self-Defense Forces for their F-35 fighter jets and they would arrive this week.He also said the United States was going be working with Japan on “making ships”, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday signed a deal to boost cooperation in shipbuilding.China dominates the global shipbuilding industry which has been in steady decline in the United States — but Trump has promised a revival of the sector.The two sides earlier signed an agreement aimed at “achieving resilience and security of critical minerals and rare earths supply chains”, a statement said.Beijing this month announced sweeping restrictions on the rare earths industry, prompting Trump to threaten 100 percent tariffs on imports from China in retaliation.Trump also squeezed in a meeting with families of Japanese people abducted by North Korea decades ago, where he said “the US is with them all the way” as they asked for help to find their loved ones.After years of denial, North Korea admitted in 2002 that it had sent agents to kidnap 13 Japanese people who were used to train spies in Japanese language and customs. Japan says it also abducted others.- China talks -On security, long-pacifist Japan is adopting a more muscular military stance as relations with China worsen.Takaichi, a China hawk, said her government would achieve its target of spending two percent of gross domestic product on defence this year — two years ahead of schedule.The United States, which has around 60,000 military personnel in Japan, wants Tokyo to spend even more, potentially matching the five percent of GDP pledged by NATO members in June.Most Japanese imports into the United States are subject to tariffs of 15 percent, less painful than the 25 percent first threatened.But the levies still contributed to a 24-percent slump in US-bound car exports in September in value terms year-on-year.Under the terms of a July trade deal shared by the White House, Japan is expected to invest $550 billion in the United States.The two sides said several investment projects were on the table, including up to $100 billion for the construction of nuclear reactors by the American company Westinghouse, involving Japanese suppliers and operators.Trump arrived in Tokyo on Monday for a visit sandwiched between a trip to Malaysia and a meeting in South Korea with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that could ease their bruising trade war.Trump is due to meet Xi on Thursday for their first face-to-face talks since the 79-year-old Republican’s return to office in January.

Hurricane Melissa was only hours away Tuesday from expected landfall on Jamaica, bringing devastating flooding and winds that officials warn will smash the small Caribbean nation’s infrastructure.Evacuations were underway as the slow-moving Category 5 storm — potentially the biggest ever to hit Jamaica — crept forward.Four deaths — three in Jamaica and one in Haiti — have already been blamed on the deteriorating conditions but officials were concerned that many people were ignoring pleas to get to safety.In the worst-hit areas, said Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, “I don’t believe there is any infrastructure within this region that could withstand a Category 5 storm.””For Jamaica it will be the storm of the century so far,” Anne-Claire Fontan, at the World Meteorological Organization, said.The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported  early on Tuesday that Melissa was about 115 miles (185 kilometers) from the Jamaican capital Kingston, reaching maximum wind speed of 175 miles (280 kilometers) per hour.Surging ocean, together with rainfall expected to be measured in feet not inches, will likely trigger deadly floods.But officials were worried that many had refused to heed evacuation calls.Local government minister Desmond McKenzie said late Monday that many of the island’s 880-odd shelters remained empty.”I want to urge persons… to get to high ground as quickly as possible,” he said.Roy Brown, a plumber and tiler, told AFP he’d had bad experiences in government shelters during previous hurricanes and was “not moving.””I don’t believe I can run from death,” he said.- Lumbering giant -Melissa was forecasted to reach the nearby eastern end of impoverished Cuba late Tuesday after pummeling Jamaica.The Jamaican Red Cross, which was distributing drinking water and hygiene kits ahead of infrastructure disruptions, said Melissa’s “slow nature” made the anxiety worse.The hurricane was creeping along at human walking pace, meaning there will be no quick relief once it hits, likely lingering over the tropical island renowned for tourism, sprint star Usain Bolt and reggae.”You anticipate that maybe within four hours it would be gone… but Melissa is not looking like that,” Red Cross spokesperson Esther Pinnock told AFP.Up to 40 inches (one meter) of rainfall were forecasted, with flash flooding and landslides also expected in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.A “life-threatening” storm surge is likely along Jamaica’s southern coast, with waters potentially rising 13 feet (4 meters), along with “destructive waves,” the NHC said.There were fears that Melissa will wreak devastation on par with historic hurricanes, including 2017’s Maria or 2005’s Katrina, which left indelible impacts on Puerto Rico and the US city of New Orleans, respectively.Scientists say human-driven climate change has exacerbated massive storms, increasing their frequency.- Global warming -Meteorologist Kerry Emanuel said global warming was causing more storms to rapidly intensify as Melissa did, raising the potential for enormous rains.”Water kills a lot more people than wind,” he told AFP.The last major hurricane to impact Jamaica was Beryl in July 2024 — an abnormally strong storm for the time of year.”Human-caused climate change is making all of the worst aspects of Hurricane Melissa even worse,” said climate scientist Daniel Gilford.

US online retail and cloud computing giant Amazon said Tuesday that it is reducing its workforce by 14,000 posts to streamline operations as it invests in artificial intelligence, without saying where the cuts will be made.  Amazon said the reductions were a continuation of efforts “to get even stronger by further reducing bureaucracy, removing layers, and shifting resources to ensure we’re investing in our biggest bets and what matters most to our customers’ current and future needs.””While this will include reducing in some areas and hiring in others, it will mean an overall reduction in our corporate workforce of approximately 14,000 roles,” said the statement signed by senior vice-president Beth Galetti.  Galetti called AI “the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the Internet,” adding that “it’s enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before.” On Monday, American media reported had that large-scale layoffs were on the way at the online retailer, citing a worldwide total of 30,000 job cuts over several months. According to the reports, the cuts would target areas such as human resources, advertising, and management in a group that has 350,000 office positions, out of a total of more than 1.5 million employees.Warehouse workers, who make up the majority of Amazon’s workforce, will likely not be affected, according to Galetti, who indicated that Tuesday’s job cuts were just a first step.”Looking ahead to 2026, we expect to continue hiring in key strategic areas while also finding additional places we can remove layers, increase ownership, and realize efficiency gains,” she said.Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy has lauded the potential of AI to streamline workplace operations, from engaging with customers online to making offices more efficient.”Our conviction that AI will change every customer experience is starting to play out,” Jassy said during Amazon’s last quarterly earnings call.Amazon will next report earnings on Thursday, and is among the tech titans under pressure to show the merit of huge investments in AI.Amazon will also likely be pressed for details about a recent AWS outage. Popular internet services ranging from streaming platforms to messaging services to banking were offline for hours last week due to an outage in Amazon’s crucial cloud network, illustrating the extent to which internet life depends on the tech titan.

Jamaican officials urged people to get to higher ground and shelters ahead of Hurricane Melissa’s expected landfall Tuesday, with the prime minister warning it could bring massive devastation.The Category 5 storm — which could be the island’s most violent on record — is charting a painstakingly slow path through the Caribbean, and has already been blamed for three deaths in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic.The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported on early Tuesday that Melissa was about 115 miles (185 kilometers) from the capital Kingston, and reaching maximum wind speed of 175 miles (280 kilometers) per hour.Its heavy rains combined with intense winds could wreak devastation on par with historic hurricanes, including 2017’s Maria or 2005’s Katrina, which left indelible impacts on Puerto Rico and the US city of New Orleans, respectively.Scientists say human-driven climate change has exacerbated massive storms, increasing their frequency.The Jamaican Red Cross, which has already started to dispatch drinking water and hygiene kits, said Melissa’s “slow nature” was intensifying anxiety.”There’s some areas where landslides are already happening,” the Red Cross’s communications officer Esther Pinnock told AFP.”It’s looking quite eerie on the outside, and every once in a while we have some gusty winds, but the system is creeping in,” Pinnock said. Some “daredevils” have also made the choice to stay on their properties despite urgent warnings, she added.Local government minister Desmond McKenzie said late Monday that many of the island’s 880-odd shelters standing by were empty.”I want to urge persons… to get to high ground as quickly as possible,” he said.According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, some 1.5 million people may be impacted by the storm.- ‘Saving lives’ -Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the island’s western end faced the worst destruction.”I don’t believe there is any infrastructure within this region that could withstand a Category 5 storm, so there could be significant dislocation,” he told CNN.But despite pleas to evacuate, many Jamaican residents were staying put.”I am not moving. I don’t believe I can run from death,” Roy Brown told AFP in Kingston’s seaside area of Port Royal.The plumber and tiler said he was reluctant to flee because of his past experiences with the poor conditions of government hurricane shelters.Fisherwoman Jennifer Ramdial agreed, adding: “I just don’t want to leave.”Holness told a press briefing that the evacuation was about “the national good of saving lives.””You have been warned… Make the right decision.”Part of Melissa’s punch stems from its slow pace: it is lumbering along slower than most people walk, at just three miles per hour or less.That means areas in its path could endure punishing conditions for far longer than during most hurricanes.- ‘Catastrophic’ -“You anticipate that maybe within four hours it would be gone… but Melissa is not looking like that type of a storm,” said Pinnock of the Jamaican Red Cross.The NHC warned of “catastrophic” winds and flash flooding on the island on Tuesday that could cause lengthy power and communications outages, along with “extensive infrastructural damage.”Up to 40 inches (one meter) of rainfall are forecast, with flash flooding and landslides also expected in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.A “life-threatening” storm surge is likely along Jamaica’s southern coast, with waters potentially rising 13 feet (4 meters), along with “destructive waves,” the NHC said.In the farming community of Flagaman in the south, residents hunkered down in a store.Owner Enrico Coke said he opened his place for fear that his neighbors had nowhere to go: “I’m concerned about farmers, the fishermen will be suffering after this.””We’ll need help as soon as possible.”- ‘Water kills’ -After pummeling Jamaica, Melissa is forecast to cross over eastern Cuba on Tuesday night.On Monday, officials in Jamaica said three people had died while preparing for the storm, cutting tree branches and working on ladders. In the Dominican Republic, a 79-year-old man was found dead after being swept away in a stream, officials said. A 13-year-old boy was missing.Haiti’s civil protection agency said three people died in storm conditions over the weekend.Meteorologist Kerry Emanuel said global warming was causing more storms to rapidly intensify as Melissa did, raising the potential for enormous rains.”Water kills a lot more people than wind,” he told AFP.The last major hurricane to impact Jamaica was Beryl in July 2024 — an abnormally strong storm for the time of year.”Human-caused climate change is making all of the worst aspects of Hurricane Melissa even worse,” said climate scientist Daniel Gilford.

For years few issues drew more unanimity in the polarized United States than China — it was the arch-adversary, which Washington was destined to confront.President Donald Trump, as he has on so many topics, has scrambled many long-held assumptions as he plans to meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday in South Korea, their first in-person encounter since 2019.Trump, who boasts of his dealmaking prowess and has shown a fondness for strongmen, has hailed his relationship with Xi in ways that echo his warm words for Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom he has tried and failed to achieve a breakthrough on the Ukraine war.In a Fox News appearance during his campaign, Trump, despite otherwise harsh rhetoric on China, called Xi a “brilliant guy.” “He runs 1.4 billion people with an iron fist — smart, brilliant, everything perfect. There’s nobody in Hollywood like this guy,” Trump said.Trump pointed again to the power of his relationship with Xi last week as he voiced doubt China would invade Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island that it claims.Trade has been at the top of Trump’s agenda as he seeks a deal between the world’s two largest economies.The volatile US leader has ramped up and then lowered threatened tariffs on China, and both sides have signaled that a trade agreement is edging closer following weekend talks in Kuala Lumpur.Ryan Hass, who served as former president Barack Obama’s top China advisor, said there was a disconnect between the deal-seeking Trump and a US bureaucracy still focused on countering Beijing.He also doubted China had an interest in pursuing a deal with Trump to unlock some “golden era” of economic cooperation.”China is interested in centering itself and pushing the United States to the periphery, not in having the United States and China sitting in the center together,” said Hass, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.China may want a deal with Trump that for them is “potentially temporizing — playing for time — but I don’t see their interest as being advanced by unlocking some grand-bargain economic deal between the United States and China.”- Both sides transactional -Trump similarly in 2019 lauded what he called a historic trade deal with China, which was supposed to buy $200 billion in additional US exports.The deal flopped, at least partly due to the Covid pandemic. By the end of his initial 2017-2021 term, Trump was lashing out in angry terms over the “Chinese virus” which tainted his presidency.Joe Biden took over and further ramped up pressure on China, including restricting sensitive technology imports, but also seeking deals on narrow issues of concern.Yun Sun, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, said China may not be seeking a warm relationship with Trump but Beijing, like him, was transactional.”The Chinese have an issue with his style, but they see Trump as someone they can work with,” she said.”I think there’s a recognition in China that Trump has been very cooperative, or at least amicable, to a lot of the things that the previous Biden administration was not willing to make any concession on,” she said.She pointed to the Trump administration’s reported refusal to let Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te visit New York during a trip to Latin America, the type of stopover that was once routine, even if it angered China.- Sudden uncertainty on Taiwan -Henrietta Levin, a former State Department official, said she could recite by heart how China and the United States would lay out their standard positions on Taiwan during meetings and then move on.”Now I think there is an uncertainty about how President Trump will respond when President Xi inevitably presents these Taiwan demands to him,” said Levin, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.”Trump is comfortable, in a way that prior US presidents were not, connecting strategic issues to tactical economic questions and to the prospect of cooperation with China on different issues,” she said.China has long opposed US arms sales to Taiwan and has sought for Trump to state explicitly that the United States opposes Taiwan independence, going beyond the current line that Washington merely does not support it.For his part, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a staunch backer of Taiwan while a senator, told reporters Saturday that the United States was not considering “walking away from Taiwan” in exchange for a trade deal with China.

Zohran Mamdani may not solve all of the beleaguered US Democrats’ problems, but the surprise frontrunner in the race for New York mayor does offer hints on how to win back voters and power.The Democrats — shut out of power in the White House and both chambers of Congress — are seen negatively by 63 percent of US voters, according to a July poll in the Wall Street Journal, the party’s lowest approval rating in 30 years.John Kane, a professor of political science at New York University, said the party needs to reconnect with parts of their traditional base, such as lower-income Americans and young voters. Mamdani, a 34-year-old self-described democratic socialist, has developed a plan aimed at luring working-class people and young adults, for whom famously expensive New York is becoming harder and harder to call home.His platform’s highlights include a freeze on rent hikes as well as free bus service and day care.Mamdani’s virulent opposition to President Donald Trump has a strong symbolic appeal for a Democratic base “which feels almost entirely powerless in the present moment,” Kane told AFP.He has a more than 10 point lead over his main rival in the November 4 election for mayor, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, a scandal-tainted veteran Democrat who is running as an independent this time.- ‘Still has some juice’ -“Mamdani is evidence that the American left still has some juice in it in 2025,” said Daniel Schlozman, a political science professor at Johns Hopkins University.But New York — America’s biggest city, and an ethnically diverse and historically Democratic one — does not reflect the United States overall, Schlozman said.And while enthusiasm over Mamdani is one thing, his success is “a very different matter from Democrats at large winning the elections they need to win to take control of the House next year, maybe the Senate, and the presidency in 2028,” he added.Schlozman said Mamdani is a compelling leader who understands that issues of affordability in New York are critical, but cautioned that the national electorate is probably not ready for his policies.Democrats would need to address affordability in a very different way from him to satisfy voters even in other Democratic-leaning states, much less swing states that can go either way, he continued.Kane also said that outside large cities, where people are used to seeing all kinds of nationalities and heritages, Mamdani’s origin and religion and his past statements calling the police “racist” might fail to win over some voters. The candidate was born in Uganda to a Muslim family of Indian origin and became a US citizen in 2018.- ‘Right message, wrong messenger’ -Then there is also the risk of Republicans seizing on Mamdani to ridicule Democratic policies, just as Trump has dimissed him as a “little communist” who is too willing to spend taxpayer money.Many in the party “might regard Mamdani as a case of right message, wrong messenger,” said Kane in reference to Mamdani’s policies.Most moderates in the Democratic Party, such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — who is from New York — have abstained from endorsing Mamdani so far.”Some moderate Democrats may shy away from Mamdani based on policy stances, while others shy away simply because they don’t view him as an electable candidate at the national level,” said Kane.Indeed, political experts say that New York differs enough from the rest of the United States that it is not necessarily the best place for a Democrat to launch a national campaign.In any case, Mamdani could only go so high in US politics — since he was not born in the United States, he cannot run for president.

Donald Trump told Japan’s new leader Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday that Washington is an ally of the strongest level, as the US president visited Tokyo on an Asia trip taking aim at a trade deal with China.Takaichi greeted Trump at the prime minister’s residence in Tokyo, her first face-to-face meeting with the US leader just days after she took office. “We are an ally at the strongest level, and it’s a great honour to be with you, especially so early in what will be, I think, one of the greatest prime ministers,” he told Takaichi at their meeting.Takaichi also emphasized the nations’ bond, saying “I would like to realise a new golden age of the Japan-US Alliance, where both Japan and the United States will become stronger and also more prosperous.” Trump arrived in Tokyo on Monday for a visit sandwiched between a trip to Malaysia and a meeting in South Korea with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that could ease the bruising trade war between the world’s two biggest economies, sparked by sweeping US tariffs.Negotiators from Beijing and Washington have both confirmed a “framework” has been agreed.In Tokyo, Trump and Takaichi are expected to focus on security and trade between their allied countries.Takashi Ito, a 58-year-old Tokyo resident, said that “what’s important is finding some kind of middle ground” on trade.”Simply pushing to raise tariffs has already created various issues.”On security, long-pacifist Japan is adopting a more muscular military stance as relations with China worsen.Takaichi, a China hawk who last week became the first woman to serve as Japan’s prime minister, said her government would achieve its target of spending two percent of gross domestic product on defence this year — two years ahead of schedule.The United States, which has around 60,000 military personnel in Japan, wants Tokyo to spend even more, potentially matching the five percent of GDP pledged by NATO members in June.Yee Kuang Heng, a professor at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Public Policy, told AFP that in a bid to “deflect US pressure” on Japan to boost defence spending, Takaichi has “preemptively” brought forward the target.Apart from his meeting with Takaichi, Trump is due to deliver a speech on Tuesday on the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, docked at the US naval base Yokosuka.He will also have dinner with business leaders, likely including the chairman of carmaker Toyota.- ‘Phenomenal’ -Most Japanese imports into the United States are subject to tariffs of 15 percent, less painful than the 25 percent first threatened but still contributing to a 24-percent slump in US-bound car exports in September in value terms year-on-year.The car industry accounts for around eight percent of jobs in Japan.Under the terms of a July trade deal shared by the White House, Japan is expected to invest $550 billion in the United States.Takaichi will be at pains to establish a good relationship with Trump, who had a close personal relationship with assassinated former premier Shinzo Abe.Trump has said he heard “phenomenal things” about Takaichi, “a great ally and friend of Shinzo Abe, who was my friend”.”I think she’s going to be great.”Media reports said Trump is expected to ink deals on critical minerals and shipbuilding, adding to a flurry of agreements signed in Malaysia, where the president kicked off his first Asia tour since returning to office.The greatest prize for Trump — and for global markets — remains a China trade deal.Trump is due to meet Xi on Thursday in South Korea for their first face-to-face talks since the 79-year-old Republican’s return to office in January.”I have a lot of respect for President Xi and we are going to, I think… come away with a deal,” Trump told reporters en route from Malaysia, where comments from US and Chinese negotiators raised hopes of an accord.Trump also indicated he was willing to extend his trip in order to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though no such meeting has been announced.

Jamaican officials called on the public to get to higher ground and shelters on Monday evening ahead of Hurricane Melissa, with the prime minister warning it could be a massively destructive storm — the island’s most violent on record.Melissa is charting a painstakingly slow path through the Caribbean as a monster Category 5 storm, which has already been blamed for at least four deaths in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.Its heavy rains combined with intense winds — Melissa’s maximum speeds are 175 miles (280 kilometers) per hour, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest update — could wreak devastation on the scale of historic hurricanes including 2017’s Maria or 2005’s Katrina.Those massive storms, which have grown increasingly common as the climate warms, left indelible impacts on Puerto Rico and the US city of New Orleans.Local government minister Desmond McKenzie said Monday evening that of the island’s 880-odd shelters standing by, only 133 were hosting locals.They “should be seeing people now,” McKenzie said, adding “I want to urge persons in these parishes to get to high ground as quickly as possible.”Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the island’s western end faced the worst.”I don’t believe there is any infrastructure within this region that could withstand a Category 5 storm, so there could be significant dislocation,” he told CNN.But despite pleas to evacuate, many residents in Jamaica were staying put.”I am not moving. I don’t believe I can run from death,” Roy Brown, speaking from the historic seaside area Port Royal in Kingston, told AFP.The plumber and tiler cited poor conditions and bad past experiences at government hurricane shelters for not wanting to flee.Fisherwoman Jennifer Ramdial echoed that view, also adding: “I just don’t want to leave.”Holness said evacuation was about “the national good of saving lives.””You have been warned. It’s now up to you to use that information to make the right decision,” he said during a briefing.- ‘Catastrophic’ -Jamaica was expected to see deteriorating conditions through Monday night, with landfall expected early Tuesday.Part of Melissa’s punch stems from its slow pace: it is lumbering along slower than most people walk, at just three miles per hour or less.That means areas in its path could endure punishing conditions for far longer than during most hurricanes.The NHC warned of “catastrophic” flash flooding, landslides and destructive winds that could cause lengthy power and communications outages, along with “extensive infrastructural damage.”Up to 40 inches (about a meter) of rainfall were forecast, with deluges expected to bring flash flooding and landslides to Jamaica as well as Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.Storm surge was likely along Jamaica’s southern coast, with waters potentially rising some 13 feet, along with “destructive waves.”In the farming community of Flagaman in St. Elizabeth, residents hunkered down in a store.Owner Enrico Coke said he opened his place for fear that his neighbors had nowhere to go: “I’m concerned about farmers, the fishermen will be suffering after this.””We’ll need help as soon as possible, especially water for the people.”- Dangerous flooding -After pummeling Jamaica, Melissa was forecast to head north and cross over eastern Cuba on Tuesday night.The storm has already left tragic consequences.A 79-year-old man was found dead in the Dominican Republic after being swept away in a stream, officials there said Saturday. A 13-year-old boy was missing.In Haiti, the civil protection agency reported the deaths of three people in storm conditions. Meteorologist Kerry Emanuel told AFP a warming climate was causing more storms to rapidly intensify as Melissa did, and especially raises the potential for enormous rains.”Water kills a lot more people than wind,” he told AFP.The last major hurricane to impact Jamaica was Beryl in July 2024 — an abnormally strong storm for the time of year.”Human-caused climate change is making all of the worst aspects of Hurricane Melissa even worse,” said climate scientist Daniel Gilford.