NYC Mayor-elect Mamdani unveils 400-person transition team

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Monday unveiled his transition team committees, which included former members of the Adams administration who were pushed out or resigned under the current mayor.

Former Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi, ex-Fire Department Commissioner Laura Kavanagh and Hassan Naveed, Adams’ former hate crimes chief who accused him of anti-Muslim bias after being fired, are all working on the transition team. Arva Rice, who chaired the Civilian Complaint Review Board until Adams asked her to step down, is also on the team.

In total, Mamdani has 400 people on his transition team across 17 committees. In comparison, Adams had about 700 people on his transition team, while Mayor de Blasio had just 60.

The members of the team, who serve in unpaid roles, will work to prepare for the start of Mamdani’s term on Jan. 1. Their work includes sifting through some 70,000 job applicants for potential roles in the administration.

—New York Daily News

Federal agents seize thousands of 7-OH products from Kansas City’s American Shaman

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Federal authorities have seized thousands of bottles, shots, tablets and packets containing 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, from two facilities owned by CBD American Shaman founder Vince Sanders, The Kansas City Star has learned.

Rumored for weeks, the seizure was confirmed in a civil forfeiture case filed Friday in the U.S. District Court of Western Missouri.

According to the court filing, investigators with the Food and Drug Administration made unannounced visits to 1501 Iron St. in North Kansas City and 2461 NW Tullison Road in Riverside on Nov. 12.

Investigators subsequently issued detention orders for products containing 7-OH — a legal step that bars the seized items from being moved, sold or distributed while the government pursues forfeiture. In effect, the products are frozen in place as potential evidence of violations of the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

—The Kansas City Star

International student enrollment declines at nearly 2 dozen Illinois universities

CHICAGO — International enrollment dropped at nearly two dozen Illinois universities this fall, with some seeing dramatic declines after the Trump administration tightened student visa policies.

A Tribune analysis of 27 of the state’s largest universities found that foreign enrollment dipped at all but four institutions, including the University of Chicago and a handful of liberal arts colleges.

The data shows the sweeping scope of President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape higher education: While the decline in international enrollment hit large, urban schools such as DePaul University, it also reached rural colleges downstate, enrolling just a few thousand students.

Many institutions are feeling the pinch. DePaul, which saw a 62% drop in new international graduate students, announced a string of budget cuts last month. Lewis University, which saw a 37% drop in foreign students, is cutting dozens of staff positions.

—Chicago Tribune

Airlines halt Venezuela flights as US military buildup triggers FAA warning

A growing number of international airlines suspended flights to and from Venezuela over the weekend after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued an advisory Friday warning of a “worsening security situation and heightened military activity” in and around the country’s airspace.

The FAA cited increased U.S. military operations in the Caribbean — most notably the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group and additional warships — as creating risks to civilian aircraft “at all altitudes.” In response, at least seven airlines have halted service to Venezuela, with most suspensions listed as indefinite.

Marisela de Loaiza, president of the Venezuelan Airlines Association, confirmed the measures, saying carriers are prioritizing passenger safety amid rapidly shifting conditions. Flight-tracking data from the weekend shows widespread rerouting as international flights sought to avoid Venezuelan airspace.

Several other carriers — including Copa Airlines (Panama), Air Europa (Spain) and PlusUltra (Spain) — continue operating in Venezuelan airspace for now, though analysts warn the situation remains fluid as geopolitical tensions escalate under the Trump administration.

—Miami Herald