Columbia application leak puts Zohran Mamdani in spotlight
The form revealed that Mamdani selected both 'Asian' and 'Black or African American' under racial identification.
In comments made to The New York Times, Mamdani explained that he marked multiple boxes to represent his background.
Born in Uganda to Indian parents, he said, 'Even though these boxes are constraining, I wanted my college application to reflect who I was".
He noted that most forms at the time did not offer a specific category for Indian-Ugandans. He also clarified that he does not identify as Black or African American, but 'as an American who was born in Africa.'
According to reports, his application was ultimately not accepted by Columbia.
Following the leak, Mamdani's name trended on X, where users reacted with a wide range of commentary. Some questioned whether the racial selections were appropriate, while others highlighted the challenges of fitting multicultural identities into standardized forms.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams responded publicly, calling the disclosure 'deeply offensive' and urging Columbia to release Mamdani's full application record.
The story continues to draw attention online and in political circles as conversations about identity, transparency, and public leadership unfold ahead of the upcoming election.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
23 minutes ago
- Express Tribune
India unveils $234m drone scheme in response to Pakistan conflict
A view shows Falcon, a surveillance drone, on display at the drone exhibition at Bharat Drone Shakti 2023 organised by the Indian Air Force and Drone Federation of India at the Hindon Airbase in Ghaziabad, India, September 25, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS Listen to article India will launch a $234 million incentive programme for civil and military drone makers to reduce their reliance on imported components and counter rival Pakistan's programme built on support from China and Turkey, three sources told Reuters. India's push to build more home-grown drones stems from its assessment of the four-day clash with Pakistan in May that marked the first time New Delhi and Islamabad utilized unmanned aerial vehicles at scale against each other. The nuclear-armed neighbours are now locked in a drones arms race. New Delhi will launch a 20 billion Indian rupees ($234 million) programme for three years that will cover manufacture of drones, components, software, counter drone systems, and services, two government and one industry source, who did not want to be named, told Reuters. Details of the programme have not been previously reported and its planned expenditure is higher than the modest 1.2 billion rupees production-linked incentive scheme New Delhi launched in 2021 to promote drone start-ups, which have struggled to raise capital and invest in research. India's civil aviation ministry, which is leading the incentives programme, and defence ministry did not immediately respond to e-mails seeking comment. Reuters previously reported that India plans to invest heavily in local industry and could spend as much as $470 million on unmanned aerial vehicles over the next 12 to 24 months, in what government and military officers said would be a staggered approach. In the past, India has mainly imported military drones from its third-largest arms supplier, Israel, but in recent years its nascent drone industry has scaled up its cost-effective offerings, including for the military, although reliance on China continues for certain components such as motors, sensors and imaging systems. Through the incentives, India is aiming to have at least 40% of key drone components made in the country by the end of fiscal year 2028 (April-March), the two government sources said. "During (the India-Pakistan) conflict there was quite a lot of use of drones, loitering munitions and kamikaze drones on both sides," Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said last week. "The lesson that we've learned is that we need to double down on our indigenisation efforts to ensure that we build a large, effective, military drone manufacturing ecosystem." India bans import of drones but not their components and the government has planned additional incentives for manufacturers that procure parts from within the country, the two government sources said. The state-run Small Industries Development Bank of India would also support the incentive programme by providing cheap loans for working capital, research and development needs for the firms, the government sources added. Currently, there are more than 600 drone manufacturing and associated companies in India, according to estimates shared by an industry source involved in the discussions for the incentives programme.
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
PM Shehbaz urges regional unity, highlights India's ‘weaponisation of water' at ECO summit
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday urged the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) member states to deepen collaboration in response to pressing regional and global challenges, particularly climate change and geopolitical instability. Addressing the 17th ECO Summit, the prime minister underscored the urgent need for collective action as ECO member states struggle with the severe consequences of climate change, from melting glaciers and desertification to extreme weather events and declining agricultural productivity. 'These challenges threaten the food security and livelihoods of millions. Pakistan remains among the top 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change,' he said, recalling the catastrophic 2022 floods that displaced over 33 million people in Pakistan. Just last week, he said several lives were tragically lost in the affected districts of Pakistan. 'Pakistan on its part has undertaken a series of climate-related policy initiatives and is aggressively pursuing of 4F plans focusing on resilience, recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction,' he added. The prime minister said in this regard Pakistan proposed the development of low emissions corridors and a regional disaster resilience system. 'A dedicated framework to mobilise climate finance along with regional clean energy corridors and eco-tourism initiatives can further drive inclusive sustainable growth, creating green jobs, especially for youth and women and supporting livelihoods,' the prime minister said. PM Shehbaz discusses trade, regional peace with Presidents of Turkiye, Iran, Uzbekistan On the economic front, Shehbaz Sharif emphasised the need to operationalise long-pending agreements under ECO Vision 2025, especially the ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA) and transport corridors connecting member states. He referenced ECO's origins as the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD), a partnership between Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey in the 1960s, as a historic blueprint for present-day integration. 'Promotion of trade and investment is key to achieving common goals of regional connectivity, energy security, and economic growth.' The prime minister thanked ECO member states for designating Lahore as the ECO Tourism Capital for 2027, inviting all delegates to experience Pakistan's rich cultural heritage. 'Lahore, the cultural heart of Pakistan, will enthral all who visit us. We extend a warm invitation to all member states.' Pakistan condemns Indian hostilities in IIOJK The prime minister said that the unprovoked and reckless Indian hostility directed towards Pakistan after an unfortunate incident in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) was yet another attempt to destabilise regional peace. 'The world witnessed the steadfast resolve of our valiant armed forces under the leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir,' the prime minister said. He also appreciated the support and solidarity extended to Pakistan by the brotherly ECO member states in the aftermath of Indian aggression earlier this year. He strongly condemned Israel's barbarism in Gaza, saying 'Pakistan stands firmly against those who perpetrated barbaric acts against innocent people anywhere in the world, whether in Gaza or IIOJK or Iran'. India's water aggression The prime minister also drew attention to what he called the 'weaponisation of water' by India, referencing New Delhi's alleged violations of the Indus Waters Treaty and the recent ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration. 'This defiance is completely unacceptable. The Indus waters are a lifeline for Pakistan's 240 million people. India's actions amount to aggression.' He made it clear that under no circumstances can India be permitted to pursue this dangerous part, which will amount to an act of aggression against the people of Pakistan. PM calls Israeli strikes on Iran 'unjustified' Condemning Israel's recent strike on Iran, the prime minister called it 'unlawful, unjustified and uncalled for,' and expressed deep condolences to the Iranian people. 'Pakistan strongly condemns this act of Israeli aggression. We pray for a speedy recovery of our injured brothers and sisters in Iran.'
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Syria to cooperate with US on 1974 disengagement deal with Israel
Israeli tanks take position on border with Syria near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights on December 8, 2024. PHOTO:AFP Listen to article Syria said on Friday it was willing to cooperate with the United States to reimplement the 1974 disengagement agreement with Israel, which created a UN-patrolled buffer zone separating the two countries' forces. In a statement after a phone call with his US counterpart Marco Rubio, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani expressed Damascus's "aspiration to cooperate with the United States to return to the 1974 disengagement agreement". Washington has been driving diplomatic efforts towards a normalisation deal between Syria and Israel, with envoy Thomas Barrack saying last week that peace between the two was now needed. Speaking to The New York Times, Barrack confirmed this week that Syria and Israel were engaging in "meaningful" US-brokered talks to end their conflict. Following the toppling of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, Israel carried out hundreds of strikes on Syria and deployed its troops into the Golan Heights buffer zone, which the UN considered a violation of the agreement. Israel has also launched hundreds of air strikes on military targets in Syria and carried out incursions deeper into the country's south. Syria's new authorities refrained from responding to the attacks and admitted to holding indirect talks with Israel to reduce tensions. The two countries have no official diplomatic relations, with Syria not recognising Israel and the two nations technically at war since 1948. Israel conquered around two-thirds of the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, before annexing it in 1981 in a move not recognised by any country other than the United States. A year after the 1973 war, the two reached an agreement on a disengagement line. As part of the deal, an 80-kilometre-long (50-mile) United Nations-patrolled buffer zone was created to the east of Israeli-occupied territory, separating it from the Syrian-controlled side. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Monday that his country had an "interest" in normalising ties with Syria and neighbouring Lebanon. He added, however, that the Golan Heights "will remain part of the State of Israel" under any future peace agreement. Syrian state media reported on Wednesday that "statements concerning signing a peace agreement with the Israeli occupation at this time are considered premature". During the call with Rubio, Shaibani received a formal invitation "to visit Washington as soon as possible", according to the foreign ministry's statement. The two men also discussed Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's participation in the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, which the UN did not confirm. Shaibani previously visited the UN headquarters in New York in April, where he raised Syria's new flag. He and Rubio talked about "the Iranian threat in Syria", with Damascus expressing "its growing concern over Iran's attempts to interfere in Syrian affairs, especially following the strikes that recently targeted Tehran", referring to last month's Iran-Israel war. Tehran used to enjoy significant political and military influence in Syria and provided key support for Assad during the Syrian civil war that erupted in 2011.
