roots

NEW DELHI — Indians lit up social media on Wednesday to celebrate Zohran Mamdani’s election win as New York City mayor after he thanked his Indian-born parents, quoted a historic speech by India’s first prime minister and turned the victory rally into a Bollywood-style street party.

“We are proud of him. He has done a great job,” Mamdani’s maternal uncle Vikram Nair told the Associated Press. He said he was flooded with requests from friends and families to throw celebratory parties.

“We will plan it soon,” he said, adding that the family would love to have Mamdani take part.

The 34-year-old, Ugandan-born Mamdani is set to be New York’s youngest mayor in more than a century — and the first Muslim one — when he takes office on Jan. 1.

At a boisterous victory rally late Tuesday, Mamdani addressed supporters with a speech inspired by Jawaharlal Nehru’s iconic “Tryst with Destiny” address, delivered on the eve of India’s independence in 1947.

“Standing before you, I think of the words of Jawaharlal Nehru: ‘A moment comes, but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation long suppressed finds utterance.’ Tonight, we have stepped out from the old into the new,” Mamdani said.

The title track of 2004 Bollywood blockbuster “Dhoom” played as Mamdani concluded his speech, flanked by his parents and wife Rama Duwaji.

Mamdani’s mother, Mira Nair, is an award-winning Indian filmmaker whose credits include “Monsoon Wedding,” “The Namesake” and “Mississippi Masala” and whose work has been nominated for an Academy Award. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is an anthropology professor at Columbia University.

After his victory, Nair shared Bollywood film maker Zoya Akhtar’s Instagram story that was captioned “Zohran you beauty,” with heart emojis.

Winking references to his Indian heritage figured in Mamdani’s buzzy campaign videos, with many social media posts using dialogues from classic Bollywood movies.

While there was no official Indian government reaction to Mamdani’s win, Shashi Tharoor, a senior leader of the opposition Congress party, hailed his “spectacular victory,” calling it “wonderfully apt!” in his post on social media.

Mamdani’s multi-racial outreach and embrace of his Indian and Muslim identity won him support, but his past remarks about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he publicly called a “war criminal,” had many expressing concern and anger.

Rights groups have accused Modi’s government of widespread attacks and discrimination against India’s Muslims and other minorities. As chief minister of the state of Gujarat, Modi was accused of not acting to stop communal violence during 2002 anti-Muslim riots that left more than 1,000 people dead. An investigation approved by the Indian Supreme Court later absolved him.

Not everyone in India was enthused Wednesday by Mamdani’s historic win, which made headlines.

“It’s that season again, when India’s self-proclaimed urban intelligentsia will obsess over Zohran Mamdani’s New York mayoral win, yet have no clue who their own city’s mayor is!,” Indian lawmaker Milind Deora wrote on social media.

Roy writes for the Associated Press.

Don’t call him a traveler. Chad Baker-Mazara said that his journey through four universities allowed him to land in the place he had been looking for since the beginning of his college basketball adventure.

Baker-Mazara, 25, arrived at USC in May. The veteran is hoping to help lead young players in the locker room and on the court after joining his fifth team since 2020.

He began his journey with at Duquesne in 2020-21, then moved on to San Diego State for the 2021-22 season in search of a better fit on the roster. He fell behind academically in San Diego and was dismissed from the team when he couldn’t catch up on classwork. Baker-Mazara then traveled to the East Coast to play for Northwest Florida State College during the 2022-23 season while getting back on track academically before landing a spot on the Auburn roster during the 2023-25 seasons.

It has been a unique journey, but he is confident that he will write the most important chapter of his basketball career with the Trojans during the upcoming season.

USC’s Chad Baker-Mazara, center, shouts from the sideline during a workout at the Galen Center.

(Ringo Chiu/Los Angeles Times)

Born in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, he grew up under the influence of his father, who played basketball for the Dominican national team and in several international leagues. From a young age, Baker-Mazara knew he wanted to play basketball.

“My dad was my first coach, my role model. Watching him play left a lasting impression on me,” Baker-Mazara told L.A. Times en Español.

Although he tried other sports, including soccer and baseball, basketball was his favorite. His dream of playing at higher levels began to pick up momentum as a teenager when he moved to New Jersey. He played at Colonia High School and later at SPIRE Academy, where he began to gain national recognition.

His college career has been anything but linear. He started at Duquesne, where as a freshman he averaged 9.5 points per game and had some outstanding performances. Then came his stint at San Diego State, where he was Sixth Man of the Year in the Mountain West Conference. He then dropped down to the junior college level with Northwest Florida State College and was instrumental in the team winning the NJCAA national championship. There, he exploded offensively, averaging over 15 points per game and shooting 46.9% from the three-point line.

His performance opened the door to Auburn. In two seasons with the Tigers, he established himself as a starter and key player. He contributed defense, maturity and efficiency from the perimeter. In his second year, he averaged 12.3 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, helping Auburn reach the Final Four. During the semifinals against Michigan State, a hand injury temporarily halted hims plans to jump to the professional level.

“I was going to declare for the draft this year, but with the injury, I wouldn’t be able to show my best,” he said.

Baker-Mazara, a versatile 6-foot-7 athlete who can play guard and forward, decided to recover completely and give college basketball one last shot.

After Auburn reportedly offered Baker-Mazara’s teammate nearly twice as much as his name, image and likeness deal, he entered the transfer portal. USC coach Eric Musselman landed a player widely regarded as the biggest loss from an SEC roster during the offseason.

USC’s Chad Baker-Mazara, right, drives to the basket during a practice at the Galen Center.

(Ringo Chiu/Los Angeles Times)

“He’s a proven winner and will be a player that we can play all over the floor,” Musselman said shortly after Baker-Mazara signed with USC. “… Chad plays with incredible passion and emotion that can lift a home crowd.”

Baker-Mazara considers his arrival at USC the symbolic end of a cycle.

“When I was younger, I came to visit the university with my aunt, who graduated from here,” he said. “I saw Nikola Vucevic walking around campus and said to myself, ‘I want to play here someday.’”

Now that dream is a reality.

He is being mentored by Musselman, who previously was an NBA head coach. Baker-Mazara is pursuing a degree in interdisciplinary studies with minors in sports coaching, Spanish and sociology.

“He pushes us to be united on and off the court,” Baker-Mazara said of Musselman. “He wants there to be a real connection between us as a group. And you can tell that the guys want to compete and win together.”

Baker-Mazara is working to thrive in the spotlight, not only for himself and his family but for others who might be inspired by his journey. He is proud to be a high-profile Dominican player at an American college, a space with limited Latino representation.

“Every year there are more Latinos knocking on doors,” he said. “The important thing is that when you get there, you’re not just representing your country, but the entire Latino community. I want people to understand that I’m not the same on and off the court. Out there, on the court, we are rivals. My dream is at stake, and I’m going all out. … Many may not like my mentality because I believe that if you and I are fighting for that plate of food, I will do everything possible to prevent you from taking that plate. On the court, we are enemies.”

With the unrest created by immigration raids in Southern California, Baker-Mazara wants to serve as an example of an immigrant who makes positive contributions.

“When I got here, they made it very difficult for me,” he said of his arrival in the U.S. “They didn’t want to let me play or anything like that. And I, naturally, lowered my head, focused and set my sights on myself, and look where I am now, thank God. So I tell everyone, even if it’s more difficult, even if it seems impossible, try. Impossible is just a word, that’s if you put it there yourself.”

One of the role models Baker-Mazara admires is Hansel Emmanuel, the young Dominican who lost his left arm in an accident at the age of 6 when a wall of concrete blocks collapsed on him. Today, he competes at the highest level of college basketball.

“It was a shock to the whole country when that happened, because Hansel was always a talented kid. That accident caused a lot of noise there. From a young age, you could tell he was different,” said Baker-Mazara, who has known Emmanuel since childhood because their parents were friends.

Emmanuel was not selected in the NBA draft, but he signed a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets.

USC’s Chad Baker-Mazara shoots during a practice at the Galen Center.

(Ringo Chiu/Los Angeles Times )

“What I admire most about him is his mindset,” Baker-Mazara said of Emmanuel. “He never let what might seem like a disadvantage get him down. He pushed forward and kept working. Today he is where he is because he never took no for an answer. And even though I’m older than him, I often look up to him as an example, as someone whose footsteps I want to follow.”

Their relationship remains strong even though they don’t talk every day.

“He’s like a little brother to me,” said Baker-Mazara. “We live 15 minutes away from each other when we’re at home. He knows that with one phone call, he can count on me.”

Baker-Mazara also counts Kobe Bryant as a major source of inspiration.

“Kobe died the day before my birthday,” Baker-Mazara said. “Since that year, I haven’t even celebrated that day. It was like losing a family member.”

Bryant’s No. 24 jersey had a profound impact on Baker-Mazara’s life.

USC’s Chad Baker-Mazara, center, extends his arm in the air while playing defense during a workout at the Galen Center.

(Ringo Chiu/Los Angeles Times)

“Apart from my dad, Kobe was one of the reasons I took up basketball,” Baker-Mazara said. “It was one of my dreams for him to come and see me play. It didn’t happen, but I feel like he’s here in spirit. This is his city. This is Kobe Bryant.”

Baker-Mazara tries to emulate the Mamba Mentality in his daily routine, in the way he competes and faces challenges.

If he doesn’t make it to the NBA, Baker-Mazara plans to seek professional playing opportunities internationally.

“I come from Santo Domingo. I’m not afraid to play in any country,” he said. “As long as I can feed my family and set an example for my little sister, I’ll keep going.”

This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.

One of India’s greatest adversaries has shown up at Lord’s and given England the edge on the first day of the third Test.

As England’s best batter, Joe Root has had a middling impact on the tied Test series so far. But grafting for more than five hours on a roasting pitch on Thursday earned him an unbeaten 99 that was easily beaconed in a total of 251-4 at stumps.

Root fought for almost the entire first day to vindicate captain Ben Stokes’s decision to bat first. Stokes was with him at stumps, on 39, but struggling with a groin or adductor issue that may affect whether he bowls. He had a chance in the last over to run a second single to give Root his century but declined.

Root’s grit typified an approach by England that was more caution than aggression, unconventional in the team’s three years under coach Brendon McCullum and Stokes, the “Bazball” era.

“Slightly different to the way we usually put together an innings but we’ll take it,” batter Ollie Pope told the BBC radio broadcast. “We want to be a team that is positive and entertaining, but we want to play to the situation. Our order is pretty fast scoring on our good days. We all know we can score hundreds off 120 balls, but we need to dig in off this sort of surface.”

Bazball takes a break at Lord’s

Despite hardly a cloud in the sky over Lord’s, usually a template for a great batting day, England displayed its slowest scoring in the first session of a Test and reached 100 at its second slowest pace under Bazball. The run rate dropped to 2.75 in the afternoon.

India’s fearsome pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj squeezed the scoring. India’s fielding was tight, and the green-tinged pitch became sluggish enough for spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar to bowl 20 of the day’s 83 overs and take one wicket.

Root was slow but steadfast without offering India a single chance.

In the process, he became the first batter to hit 3,000 Test runs against India. He reached his 23rd half-century in 33 Tests against India – he’s averaging 58 – and was one run away from his 11th Test hundred against India, which would tie Steve Smith’s record.

His only previous half-century in the series held together the successful last day run chase in the Leeds opener when England was four down and still 118 runs behind.

This time, he fought for almost the entire day to glue England’s first innings in two big partnerships of 109 with Pope and an unbeaten 79 with Stokes. Root has set the platform for England to rack a big total on Friday while India will be pleased it has not been “Bazballed”.

“Joe Root has inspired everyone in the changing room and in this country,” Pope said. “Fingers crossed he can make it a massive one tomorrow.”

England was more “Bazbore” for a long time in the afternoon as Root and Pope grinded out a sleepy wicketless session, including 28 straight dot balls.

There also was a lengthy delay to treat India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant’s index finger, which was damaged while half-stopping leg byes. He didn’t return for the last half of the day.

Pant’s replacement, Dhruv Jurel, excelled, however.

After Root and Pope scored only 70 runs in 24 overs in the middle session, the tea interval broke Pope’s focus. In the first ball after tea, Pope went after Jadeja, and Jurel produced a brilliant reflex catch at the stumps. Pope left for 44 off 104 balls.

Harry Brook was then castled on 11 by Bumrah, who grabbed his first wicket in 35 overs stretching back to the Leeds Test. He was rested at Edgbaston.

England captain hit by leg injury

Stokes joined Root and was playing fluidly until he called for the England medic. He has 39 off 102 balls. Root has 99 off 191, including nine boundaries.

Root came into the game just after the first drinks break in the morning.

Opening batters Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley wobbled during the first hour when the pitch was at its most wicked. But they survived even Bumrah, who found more movement off the pitch than anyone else in the series so far and got a breather at the drinks break. And then they were gone.

The unassuming Nitish Kumar Reddy came into the series only in the second Test for his batting and bowled six expensive overs at Edgbaston. On Thursday, he changed in for Bumrah, and his medium pace lulled Duckett, Crawley and Pope into errors in the same over.

Duckett pulled, Crawley drove and both edged behind. Pope edged to gully, but India captain Shubman Gill couldn’t pull off a stunning one-handed catch.

England were 44-2, but Pope and Root came together and led England safely to lunch and tea.

Joe Root became England’s leading run-scorer in one-day internationals as his sparkling unbeaten 166 secured a three-wicket win over West Indies in Cardiff.

Root, who is also his country’s highest run-scorer in Tests, finished with 166 from 139 balls as England reached their target of 309 with seven balls remaining to take the three-match series with a game to spare.

He surpassed World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan’s tally of 6,957 runs on the way to his highest ODI score, leading England’s recovery from 93-4 which included ducks for Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett and Jos Buttler.

Root combined with Harry Brook for a third-wicket stand of 85, before a masterful partnership of 143 with Will Jacks put England within touching distance of victory.

A fierce spell from Alzarri Joseph, who finished with 4-31, accounted for Jacks for 49 and Brydon Carse for two to keep West Indies interested, but Root and Adil Rashid calmly ticked off the remaining 21 runs, sealed in style by a classical Root drive down the ground.

Earlier, West Indies’ 308 was set up by Keacy Carty’s 103, bookended by half-centuries from Brandon King and Shai Hope – and with plenty of assistance from England’s sloppy fielding.

Carty and King added 141 for the second wicket but the former was put down on by Duckett on one and Saqib Mahmood on 41, while Duckett also dropped King on 11 and somehow squandered a run out opportunity when both batters were stranded in the middle of the pitch in the 21st over.

The innings fell away from 205-2 when Carty fell three balls after reaching his century, with Rashid taking 4-63 and Mahmood’s three late wickets mopping up the tail.

The visitors were left to rue wasting 14 balls of their innings as the last five wickets fell for 50 runs, the lower order offering Hope little support as he was last to depart for 78 from 66 balls.

The third and final ODI takes place at The Oval on Tuesday.

Its been over 20 years since the first Unity Cup and since then it has yet to return however this year that all changed – The friendly competition is back but this time starring more countries than before.

This week, four nations with deep roots in the UK brought community, culture and football to Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium for the long-awaited return of the Unity Cup.

From steel pans and DJs to flags waving proudly in every direction, this was more than a football cup, it was a full on cultural link up and one that had been missing from the scene for twenty one years.

On Tuesday 27th May, Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz beat Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors in a fierce Caribbean clash. The following day, Nigeria’s Super Eagles edged past Ghana’s The Black Stars, securing their place in the final. With the third-place match and final showdown happening on Saturday , fans showed up not just to support their teams but to celebrate community, culture and shared roots.

What is the Unity Cup?

The Unity Cup is an international friendly football tournament originally launched in 2004, when teams from Nigeria, Jamaica and Ireland faced off at Charlton Athletic’s ground. Then it was a moment, now it’s a movement.

Two decades later, the tournament returned with clearer purpose: to celebrate the cultural impact of African and Caribbean communities in the UK, particularly in London. Where those communities have helped shape the city’s identity through food, music, language and history.

This year’s line-up features Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Nigeria and Ghana – four nations chosen for their heritage, their undeniable pride and their presence in the UK’s multicultural landscape.

From the food we eat, to the rhythms we dance to each of these cultures have left a mark in British identity in countless ways. The Unity Cup is a tribute to that legacy.

Why Brentford?

It’s no coincidence that the tournament was hosted by Brentford FC. West London is known for its multicultural spirit, and Brentford’s commitment to inclusion made it the perfect stage.

Just weeks ago, the club was awarded the Premier League’s Intermediate Level for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (PLEDIS), highlighting their work both on and off the pitch – the decision to bring the Unity Cup her shows this wasn’t just a football event – it was a celebration designed to reflect the city.

From start to finish, the vibes were immaculate. On one end, a steel pan band played sweet melodies throughout the match. On the other, artist performances and DJs kept the energy high, soundtracking the day with bashment, afrobeats, gospel and everything in between.

Crowds were filled out in jerseys and flags, the crowd came with whistles ready. It wasn’t just a game – it felt like a mini carnival, with football as the headliner.

But beyond the party, there was a powerful undercurrent of unity. Because although every player on that pitch shares a Black identity, the cultural nuances between African and Caribbean communities are deep but the Unity Cup created space for both and what came from that space was a beautiful sight.

Brentford FC and NHS Blood & Transplant also used the event to host a ‘Bee A Hero’ blood donor drive – encouraging attendees to get their blood type tested and sign up as donors. This wasn’t a side initiative. It was central part of what made the Unity Cup feel different and deeply necessary.

This is especially important for Black communities, where conditions like sickle cell disproportionately affect lives. It the fastest-growing genetic condition in the UK. It causes excruciating pain, organ damage, and in many cases, lifelong complications. Treatment often relies on blood transfusions – but only 2% of donors in the UK are Black, even though over 55% of Black Londoners have the rare Ro subtype, which is crucial for sickle cell patients.

The Unity Cup didn’t just bring people together. It reminded them how they can help keep each other alive.

Before the big final, the third-place playoff saw Ghana beat Trinidad & Tobago 4-0, securing the bronze position after dominating both halves. But what most people really came to see is the fight for the first place title – Jamaica vs Nigeria.

The first half saw both teams scoring once, but in the final half the pressure was evident, the tackles were fiercer, the chants were louder – both teams were battling for the crown. The friendly competition started to look not so friendly.

But when the final whistle came, both teams had scored twice. Which left no option, but a penalty shootout – all eyes were peeled. In a tense final few minutes, Nigeria came out on top, edging past Jamaica after the Reggae Boyz missed a crucial spot-kick.

Whether it was the Reggae Boyz or the Super Eagles lifting the trophy, or you call it plan-tain or plan-tin, the real win was seeing the stands full of colour, culture, and connection in Brentford FC.

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