Two New York City progressives have emerged as national political forces, but allies of one say the other has received a far more forgiving reception.

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have publicly presented a united front, frequently joining forces as they build their national profiles.

Behind the scenes, however, Mamdani’s swift rise has created tensions among some Ocasio-Cortez supporters. The New York Times reported that it has “long grated on some Ocasio-Cortez allies that the new mayor seems to be given more deference from more of the base than she was ever afforded,” even though Mamdani has not won over the entire political left.

People in Ocasio-Cortez’s orbit have taken particular notice of the patience and respect progressive activists have shown Mamdani—an approach they believe the congresswoman rarely received as her own influence expanded.

The disparity has become a point of growing frustration, especially because Ocasio-Cortez faced relentless scrutiny after entering the national spotlight by defeating longtime Democratic incumbent Joe Crowley in 2018 at just 28 years old.

New York Rep. Nydia Velázquez told The Times that Ocasio-Cortez has matured since her first election, but said she would still expect the congresswoman to be “vilified” if she met with “Bloomberg or some of the other corporate type guys.”

Mamdani’s reception has underscored the contrasting standards applied to two rising figures within the Democratic Party’s progressive wing. Polling has also indicated that the mayor is more popular than the congresswoman.

Mamdani, a self-described Democratic Socialist, rose rapidly from relative obscurity to City Hall with strong support from progressive and pro-Palestinian factions of the left.

His standing with some pro-Palestinian activists was tested in October, when protesters called him a “traitor” as he held a candle at a Union Square vigil commemorating the third anniversary of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

The following day, protesters confronted Mamdani as he discussed ICE’s shooting of 28-year-old Oscar Bergal, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, in Marble Hill, a neighborhood in northern Manhattan.

“Mamdani is complicit,” protesters shouted, repeatedly interrupting the mayor and making it difficult to hear his remarks.

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During the event, Mamdani called for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

At the same time, some of Mamdani’s supporters have questioned his repeated meetings with President Donald Trump, including their most recent encounter at Gracie Mansion in September.

Mamdani told The New York Times last month that he met with Trump “to ensure that we’re using every opportunity we have to deliver for this city.”

Despite making several calls to Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Mamdani was unable to persuade the president to release Bergal, according to the outlet.

Trump and Mamdani have maintained a complicated relationship since taking office in their respective positions.

In September, Trump criticized both Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez over their conduct at a New York City ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez were caught laughing together at the 9/11 25th anniversary memorial service while the names of victims were being read out by their relatives.

The Democrats were seen bursting into laughter at the solemn Ground Zero event in lower Manhattan, at the same moment that mourners stood silently around them.

Trump described the reaction as ‘terrible,’ adding that the Ground Zero Memorial is not a place to be laughing, ‘particularly in that case.’

‘The fact that they were laughing together at a very important part of the ceremony was inappropriate,’ Trump told reporters on his way back to the US from attending the Irish Open at his Doonbeg golf club on the banks of the Atlantic Ocean earlier this fall.

A relative of a victim was seen weeping on the memorial seconds before the camera cut to Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez, while victims’ loved ones stood on stage reading the names of the deceased.

The moment quickly went viral across social media, with viewers commenting that their jovial reactions were ‘a slap in the face’ to victims.

A private jet carrying nine people crashed just eight miles from Mar-a-Lago in Florida, triggering a massive fire and sending a thunderous boom across the area.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the $2 million Learjet 60 plunged 32,000 feet in about a minute. The impact sparked a fierce amber blaze, while thick smoke rose from the scorched roadside in Greenacres, Palm Beach County.

The crash left a large crater in the ground, with pieces of debris scattered across the surrounding area.

The twin-engine business jet came down near South Military Trail and Marilyn Drive at approximately 12:50 p.m. The identities of those aboard have not been released.

Flight data showed the aircraft had departed Austin, Texas, and was heading to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas when its journey ended abruptly near West Palm Beach.

Donald Trump had been at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday night for a Halloween party. However, he is understood to have left for Iowa before the explosion occurred.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office told the Daily Mail that it was responding to a “mass casualty aircraft-related incident,” but released no further details.

Dramatic dashcam footage recorded by drivers appeared to show the jet plunging toward the ground before erupting in a huge fireball.

Several local reports posted online described hearing a powerful boom before the ground began to shake and flames broke out.

One person said they were “lifted from the ground,” while another compared the deafening impact to the sound of a missile.

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The crash occurred roughly eight miles from the President’s lavish estate and was powerful enough to bring down power lines.

Officials have not determined what caused the crash, nor have they confirmed whether anyone was injured or killed. The site is close to several businesses and mobile-home communities.

Military Trail was closed in both directions between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, with the restrictions remaining in place until further notice.

The FAA said: “A Learjet 60 crashed in a residential area near Cresthaven, Florida, around 12:50 p.m. local time on Sunday, November 1. Nine people were on board.”

‘The aircraft departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. 

‘The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide all updates.’ 

Trump was in Palm Beach at his resort overnight, celebrating the holiday by hosting hundreds of friends at a jungle-themed Halloween party.

The President made an appearance, dressed as himself. ‘I’ve spent nine hours getting ready,’ he joked. ‘I had ten minutes, so I came as Donald Trump tonight! Hello everybody.’

Today, he made his way to Iowa for the final leg of his midterm campaign.  

This is a breaking news story.  

Hollywood’s biggest stars brought their boldest looks to Heidi Klum’s iconic Halloween party on Saturday night.

The annual fright-night celebration featured daring red-carpet outfits, elaborate transformations and eye-catching celebrity tributes, as A-list guests battled to deliver the most memorable costume of the evening.

The barely-there arrivals gave photographers plenty to capture, but the spotlight was always destined to fall on one guest in particular.

Klum, who was marking the 25th anniversary of her legendary Halloween bash, lived up to her reputation with a stomach-churning transformation that was, quite literally, a bloody handful.

Model Vanessa Fuchs made one of the night’s boldest entrances, channeling Natalie Portman’s character Alice from Closer in a pink wig, purple lingerie-inspired outfit with white fringe and a dramatic white fur coat.

Haley Kalil brought comic-book glamour to the red carpet as the famously curvaceous Jessica Rabbit. Model Kim Hnizdo opted for a metallic silver corset and matching briefs, finishing the daring look with white body paint.

Brazilian transgender model Valentina Sampaio embraced the comic-book world as Poison Ivy, adding a seductive touch of green glamour to the star-studded party.

Laura Abla recreated Madonna’s famous MTV Video Music Awards kiss with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. She wore a striking black corset-style outfit, while two companions flanked her in tribute to the pop stars’ iconic performance.

Samuel Williamson and his date, Alexa Hendricks, brought Disney nostalgia to the event as Hercules and Megara. Their coordinated costumes paid tribute to the animated classic with a romantic twist.

Taylor Momsen took a rock ’n’ roll approach, dressing as AC/DC guitarist Angus Young. Her companion, Steph Gomez, completed the musical pairing as frontman Brian Johnson.

Neil Patrick Harris and his husband, David Burtka, looked to classic horror for inspiration, arriving as the eerie twin girls from Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.

Even with so many elaborate costumes competing for attention, there was only ever going to be one undisputed star of the night.

Klum, who celebrated the 25th anniversary of her annual Halloween extravaganza, arrived at New York’s Cathédrale restaurant in one of her most bizarre getups yet.

The German supermodel became a gigantic, gruesome replica of her own severed left hand, complete with enormous fingers, long red nails, dangling tendons and blood dripping from her mouth.

Only her eyes and mouth were visible through the elaborate prosthetics, while assistants dressed in blood-stained hazmat suits helped bring the disturbing vision to life.

The look was masterminded by her longtime special-effects collaborator Mike Marino, with the elaborate costume taking months of planning and around four months to make.

The star later stripped away her costume’s outer layer and unveiled a second look that was just as horrific, pairing gory face prosthetics and a blonde wig with her existing set of massive, finger-like leg prosthetics.

Heidi revealed that getting into the creation took approximately five to six hours, admitting that carrying the enormous costume was particularly challenging.

Even her wedding jewelry was recreated as part of the look, with replicas of her engagement and wedding rings and the tattoo of husband Tom Kaulitz’s name on her ring finger.

The host’s children also joined the celebrations, with Leni dressing as Miss Piggy, Johan as Michael Jackson from Thriller and Lou as Starfire from Teen Titans.

Other famous faces at the bash included Paris Jackson, Questlove, Ice-T and Coco Austin, Andrew Rannells, Tuc Watkins, Madelaine Petsch and Lux Pascal.

Klum also shared her look via her Instagram, writing: ‘TALK TO THE HAND ✋ #HeidiHalloween 2026 HERE WE GO.’

And ahead of the event, which she’s been hosting since 2000, the star teased her costume on social media.

She engaged her 12.7 million followers by sharing tidbits of footage that included props covered in fake blood, and clips of her makeup team getting ready to apply special effects.

On the red carpet, a member of Klum’s entourage hilariously kept her hydrated with a syringe of liquid shot into her gaping, bloody mouth. 

The model’s legs were hidden in the hand’s middle and ring fingers, while she was able to slide one arm into the thumb. 

Meanwhile, her daughter Leni put on a pig nose and ears with long blond hair and a pale-pink robe to become Miss Piggy of The Muppets fame. 

Lou rocked a purple superhero outfit while Johan dressed as a zombie. 

Over the past few years, Klum has become known for the legendary looks that she wears during her iconic Halloween party in New York City each holiday.

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Last year, Klum arrived at her party dressed as Medusa from Clash of the Titans.

In past years, Klum’s other costumes have included transforming into E.T., a peacock, an alien and Princess Fiona from Shrek.

However, her most famous costume of all might have been the one that she wore in 2022.

At the time, Klum arrived as a worm, slithering around on the floor.

She was totally transformed, and you could barely recognize that it was the supermodel underneath the thick layers. 

The costume was so realistic that it instantly went viral, lighting up the internet. 

To make the costume come to life, she worked with Mike Marino, owner of Prosthetic Renaissance, a special effects company that has made tons of realistic-looking Halloween costumes over the years.

Her husband, Tom Kaulitz, completed the other half of her costume as a fisherman.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter at the time, Klum admitted that she felt ‘claustrophobic’ while wearing the elaborate costume.

‘I was so claustrophobic in that costume,’ Klum shared.

‘It is one thing to add prosthetics to your body — but to be stuck inside the worm body and not really be able to use my arms or feet was not very comfortable,’ she said.

Joining Klum on the red carpet were Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, both of whom looked creepy as they haunted twins from Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of The Shining (1980).

Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet star Kyle MacLachlan’s costume was a nod to his role as the villain in the 1994 live-action Flintstones movie, while his wife Desiree Gruber appeared to be dressed as a pirate in pink. 

The Sex and the City star’s son, Callum Lyon MacLachlan, joined his parents in a varsity letter jacket and carrying a vintage-looking baseball. 

The Roots drummer Questlove was outfitted in San Francisco 49ers gear, including a bedazzled jersey with Ricky Pearsall’s number 14. 

Will & Grace star Eric McCormack was dressed as Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. 

He wore a fake mustache along with a black leather jacket, white tank top and dark jeans to transform into the iconic singer.

The influencer and singer Chase Hudson, who performs as Huddy, looked chilling in a costume inspired by Patrick Bateman of American Psycho fame. 

He wore a pinstriped suit jacket with dark trousers and a pale blue button-up shirt with a contrasting white collar and burgundy tie, while he had fake blood dripping down his temples and cheeks. 

The French influencer and model Bach Buquen had his face and torso covered with red paint to transform him into Hellboy. 

He had shaved-down horns on his forehead and wore a leather duster and matching leather pants to match the look created in the iconic comics series and its film adaptations. 

Singer Jade Thirlwall wore one of the evening’s more intricate costumes to transform into a stone angel or gargoyle.

She had her face painted gray, and she wore a gray bodysuit that made her look as if she were made of stone, along with a pair of angelic wings.

Francesca Scorsese, the daughter of legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese who became a social-media sensation before following her father’s steps into the film industry, put on a busty display in a gray-and-blue corset-style dress. 

Makeup influencer James Charles was unrecognizable as the villain Yzma from The Emperor’s New Groove. 

Alexis Stone was dressed as Michael Jackson in his later years. 

Jonathan Goldsmith, the longtime Dos Equis pitchman who starred as The Most Interesting Man in the World, hit the red carpet as his character.

Fashion photography icon Ellen von Unwerth looked elegant in a spooky black lace dress with a matching black feathered hat. 

Girls star Andrew Rannells and his partner Tuc Watkins both looked as if they were sailors who had risen from their watery graves with nets and chains hanging from them. 

The photographer Antoine Verglas was dressed in a white suit with a matching white cowboy hat, large white-frame sunglasses and a pink feather boa around his neck.

The model Shaun Ross wore a black leather jumpsuit and sported blood dripping down from his mouth. 

German model Rebecca Mir appeared to be dressed like a character from The Matrix with a shiny black duster and matching all-black ensemble. 

The actress Luise Grossmann had the same idea as Eric McCormack. For her Freddie Mercury costume, she ditched the jacket and just wore a white tank top and high-waisted jeans, along with a black fake mustache. 

Transgender actress and activist Lux Pascal looked like a mime with a white-and-black painted face that she paired with a black lace dress.

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Poundland sales are reportedly surging, even as the discount retailer’s owners move towards appointing administrators.

Investment firm Gordon Brothers, which took control of Poundland last year, has already closed more than 100 stores and two warehouses across South Yorkshire and the Midlands.

As many as 12,000 jobs may now be threatened after the budget chain approached the High Court on Thursday with notice of its intention to enter administration.

Poundland has ten days to secure a buyer. However, Gordon Brothers has come under fire after turning down a proposed takeover by Martin Property Group.

In a statement, Poundland indicated that the business could instead be split up and sold in parts. The retailer said it had received formal proposals from “several established retail operators” covering a “significant part of the business”.

The development comes despite a recent improvement in trading, with bosses describing the chain as having returned to profitability, according to The Times.

A message sent to suppliers and seen by the newspaper showed that sales climbed 8.4 per cent in the three weeks to October 18.

Sales, margins and gross profits were reportedly “running comfortably ahead of expectations”, while one source said the business was “flying”.

Gordon Brothers is facing mounting scrutiny over its decision not to accept the rescue offer from Martin Group. Unions have accused the investment firm of being “determined” to allow Poundland to descend into disarray.

Negotiations broke down after Gordon Brothers insisted that the prospective buyer take on a £30 million loan inherited when the firm acquired Poundland for a nominal £1 in June 2025.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has called on Gordon Brothers to explain its decision. Speaking to the BBC, he said: “If there is a potential owner that can continue that progress, obviously that naturally sounds like the best way forward. So if that hasn’t been accepted, I want to know why that is the case.”

Poundland founder Steve Smith, who launched the business in 1990, has also criticised its current owners, accusing them of being “greedy” in a statement issued this weekend.

Mr Smith warned that a collapse could result in the loss of as many as 30,000 jobs across the wider supply chain and related businesses.

“If Gordon Brothers are being greedy then it is going to cost thousands of jobs, in the newspapers it says 12,000 jobs are at risk. My estimate is more like 30,000 jobs,” he wrote in a lengthy LinkedIn post.

“It is not just the people that work for Poundland it is also their suppliers they have thousands of suppliers, some that just serve them, therefore these suppliers will suffer or be at risk of going into administration.”

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He added that taxpayers could ultimately bear the cost of supporting thousands of unemployed workers if Poundland enters administration, while liquidators would “make a lot of money”.

Mr Smith also said he had tried “several times” to contact the current owners, but claimed they had “never returned my call”.

If Poundland fails, it would be one of the biggest high street collapses since Debenhams shut its stores in 2021. The department store chain’s closure resulted in the loss of about 12,000 jobs.

The Prime Minister, whose Makerfield constituency includes a Poundland distribution centre where 270 jobs could be affected, said last month that protecting employment was a priority when questioned about the retailer’s future.

‘We want to see jobs protected. If there was a potential owner to avoid this that hasn’t been accepted, then the Business Secretary [Jonathan Reynolds] and I want to know why that is the case,’ said Andy Burnham. 

In a social media post, Reform’s Robert Jenrick claimed that should the company collapse it would be an example of ‘crony capitalism’.

He said: ‘People have attacked me for taking up this fight, saying: “Businesses go under all the time, that’s just the free market”.

‘Sure, but this is crony capitalism and the 12,000 workers deserve better.’

Poundland has struggled in recent years after ‘straying from the single £1 price point that defined its core identity’ and expanding into selling clothes and frozen food, said retail expert Jonathan De Mello.

Retailers are also battling higher costs, following Government moves to hike wages and employer National Insurance contributions, while shoppers have been lured in by online giants Amazon and Temu.

Other firms thought to be hoping to buy shops include rival Poundstretcher, which is owned by US investment group Fortress, and retailers including Iceland and Lidl.

CDS Superstores, the group behind The Range, Homebase and Wilko, is also thought to be interested. The group is owned by Chris Dawson, known as Britain’s ‘Del Boy Billionaire’.

Modella Capital, which bought WH Smith on the High Street and rebranded under TG Jones, has also been rumoured to be involved in talks.

Bally Auluk, national officer for the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, said this week has been ‘incredibly distressing’ for Poundland staff and accused Gordon Brothers of attempting to ‘jeopardise their livelihoods’.

He urged its owners to ‘reconsider and to prioritise a unified buyer’.

The Daily Mail has approached Gordon Brothers and Pepco for a comment.

A delegation that included Scottish politicians was refused entry to the West Bank after Israeli officials accused its members of planning “intentional provocation for social media clout” in areas experiencing heightened tensions.

SNP MP Lara Bird and Green MSP Kate Nevens were among those turned away by Israeli border officials as they attempted to enter the territory.

The Israeli Embassy in the UK, which said last week that the group had failed to co-operate and supplied false information, has now given the Mail further details about the decision to deny them entry.

The embassy said the delegation had misrepresented its plans, with the itinerary submitted before the trip differing from the activities the group actually intended to undertake. It also raised concerns that members planned to heighten tensions through social media footage.

Progressive International, which organised the delegation, again declined yesterday to say whether public money had been used for the cancelled trip. It said, however, that participants would make parliamentary declarations in the normal way.

An SNP source said Progressive International had paid for Ms Bird’s entire trip and that no public funds had been used.

A spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in the UK said: “The group, which included MPs and an MSP, did not coordinate its visit in advance and, upon arriving at the border, provided misleading information about the purpose of the trip.

“Routine questioning by border agents revealed that the itinerary initially provided did not reflect the group’s actual plans, which included political activities and intentional provocation for social media clout. The group was therefore refused entry to Israel.

“Israel welcomes dialogue, open communication and constructive engagement. However, such engagement must be based on honesty and transparency, rather than misrepresentation. Like any sovereign state, Israel has the right and responsibility to verify the identity, intentions and activities of people seeking to enter its territory, and to refuse entry when there are reasonable grounds to do so.

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“It is therefore misleading to describe this incident as an arbitrary attempt to silence foreign politicians or stop them from hearing different perspectives. The issue was not their political views, but the lack of transparency surrounding the visit and the discrepancies between the purpose initially declared and the activities the group intended to carry out.”

It is understood that the itinerary submitted to Israeli authorities initially indicated that the delegation would be based mainly in the Jerusalem area. Officials later learned that the group intended to visit areas of heightened tension, including olive farms.

Earlier last month, New York Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander was among those detained after working with olive harvest groups in the West Bank in an incident described as a “calculated political stunt”.

Ms Bird, who was elected earlier this year for the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry constituency, said on social media that she had intended to “stand alongside Palestinians being attacked for harvesting olives on their own land”. She said the group had been turned away “with no reason given”.

A spokesman for Progressive International said: “Israeli authorities prevented the delegation from bearing witness to its occupation of the West Bank.

“The claim that ‘Israel welcomes dialogue, open communication and constructive engagement’ is laughable when it denies access to international observers to its ethnic cleansing of the West Bank and genocide in Gaza.”

Progressive International declined to confirm whether it had covered the delegation’s travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses, saying only that delegates would make declarations to their respective parliaments in the usual manner.

However, when asked about Ms Bird’s costs, an SNP official said Progressive International had paid for the entire trip and that no public money had been spent.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton last week accused Ms Bird and Ms Nevens of “political grandstanding”. She said their “posturing” was “an insult to their constituents, who expect their elected representatives to be doing their job at home”.

Reform MSP Angela Ross also condemned ‘performative grandstanding’ and ‘misplaced priorities’.

The Scottish Greens have been asked for comment.