New York City

New York woman set on fire inside metro car, attacker arrested

The attacker approached the victim as the train was approaching the station, used a lighter to ignite her clothing, and within seconds, she was engulfed in flames

UnitedHealthcare CEO murder: Gun found on suspect matches shells at scene

The gun found on the suspect in the killing of United Healthcare's CEO matched shell casings found at the site of the shooting, New York City's police commissioner said Wednesday. Suspect Luigi Mangione's fingerprints also matched a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper that police found near the scene and that officials say the gunman purchased at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target, Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at an unrelated news conference. The 26-year-old Mangione's was charged with murder in the shooting last week in midtown Manhattan of Brian Thompson, who led the United States' largest medical insurance company. Authorities have said that writings found in Mangione's possession hinted at a hatred of corporate greed. They've recovered a spiral notebook that Mangione kept, along with a three-page handwritten letter found when he was arrested, a law enforcement official said Wednesday. Police have not disclosed what was in the notebook. The letter, found when

Police find bag carried by gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO

The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest US health insurer likely left New York City on a bus soon after the brazen ambush that has shaken corporate America, police officials said Friday. But he left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Three days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still did not know the gunman's name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters. Investigators were looking at whether the shooter may have been a disgruntled employee or client of the insurer, he said. The FBI announced Friday night it was offering a USD 50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Video of the gunman fleeing Wednesday's shooting showed him riding a bicycle into Central Park and later taking a taxi to a bus terminal that offers commuter service to New Jersey and Greyhound routes to Philadelphia, Boston and Washington, DC, according to Kenny. Police

NYC's mayor Eric Adams warms to Trump, doesn't rule out becoming Republican

New York City Mayor Eric Adams appears open to switching parties to become a Republican, as he declined to rule out a future change in political allegiances during a pair of interviews on Friday that came as he has increasing warmed to President-elect Donald Trump. The comments from Adams, the top Democrat in one of the country's most liberal cities, riled critics who have grown concerned over the mayor's increasing willingness to throw his support behind Trump and his hardline immigration policies. Adams, who faces federal corruption charges, was a registered Republican in the 1990s and early 2000s but has spent his political career as a Democrat. In a Friday morning interview with the local cable news station NY1, Adams was asked if he would consider a return to the GOP. The Democrat appeared to leave open the possibility of a switch. The party that's the most important for me is the American party, he said. I'm a part of the American party. I love this country. This is the home

Harvey Weinstein in hospital after 'alarming blood test', says attorney

Harvey Weinstein was hospitalised Monday following an alarming blood test, his attorney said, less than a week after the disgraced movie mogul filed a legal claim alleging substandard medical care at New York City's notorious jail complex. Weinstein, 72, was sent to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan for an emergent treatment due to an alarming blood test result that requires immediate medical attention, his attorney, Imran Ansari, said in a statement. It is expected that he will remain there until his condition stabilises, the statement continues. "His deprivation of care is not only medical malpractice, but a violation of his constitutional rights. A spokesperson for New York City's Department of Correction did not immediately respond to an email. The agency's inmate database confirmed that Weinstein had been transferred from Rikers Island to the Bellevue Hospital Prison Ward in Manhattan. Weinstein has been in city custody since earlier this year after the New York Court of Appeals

NYC pays $220 mn to rent Pak govt-owned hotel, Ramaswamy calls deal 'nuts'

In 2023, Pakistan government leased out Roosevelt Hotel, a property of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to the New York City Administration for three years against $ 220 million

Harvey Weinstein files claim alleging lack of medical care at Rikers jail

Harvey Weinstein's lawyers filed a legal claim against New York City, alleging that he is receiving substandard medical treatment in unhygienic conditions while in custody at the notorious Rikers Island jail complex. The Tuesday's notice of claim, which is the first step in filing a lawsuit against the city, accuses the facility of failing to manage the former movie mogul's medical conditions, which include chronic myeloid leukemia and diabetes, and negligence ranging from freezing conditions to a lack of clean clothes. The city's law department and Department of Correction did not immediately respond to requests for comment. When I last visited him, I found him with blood spatter on his prison garb, possibly from IV's, clothes that had not been washed for weeks, and he had not even been provided clean underwear hardly sanitary conditions for someone with severe medical conditions, Weinstein's attorney, Imran H Ansari, said in a statement, comparing the facility to a ...

Trump may pick Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick for Commerce chief

The Donald Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

NYC issues first drought warning in 22 years, pauses aqueduct repairs

New York City on Monday issued its first drought warning in 22 years after months of little rain -- and will restart the flow of drinking water from an out-of-service aqueduct as supplies run low. Dry conditions across the northeast have been blamed for hundreds of brush fires. They had already prompted New York City and state officials to implement water-conservation protocols when Mayor Eric Adams upgraded the drought warning and temporarily halted a USD 2 billion aqueduct repair project that had stopped drinking water from flowing from some reservoirs in the Catskill region. Last week, a park on the northern tip of Manhattan caught fire, sending smoke billowing across the city -- less than a week after a brush fire in Brooklyn's Prospect Park. "New Yorkers should not under estimate the dry weather and what it means," Adams said at a news conference, noting the recent fires. "The fire risk is high and the fire risk is real." The city may elevate the warning to an emergency if dry

Two killed, 1 critically injured in NY knife attack; suspect in custody

A man carried out a string of stabbings across a swath of Manhattan on Monday morning, killing two people and critically wounding a third without uttering a word to his victims, officials said. The 51-year-old suspect was in police custody after being found with blood on his clothes and the two kitchen knives he was carrying, authorities said. The suspect's and victims' names weren't immediately released. Three New Yorkers. Unprovoked attacks that left us searching for answers on how something like this could happen, Mayor Eric Adams said at a news conference. He called the violence a clear, clear example" of failures in the criminal justice system and elsewhere. The suspect, apparently homeless, had been sentenced in a criminal case a few months ago, the Democratic mayor said, without giving further details. The attacks happened within 2 1/2 hours, said Joseph Kenny, police chief of detectives. The first, on West 19th Street, killed a construction worker who was standing by his w

New York eyes reviving congestion pricing toll before Trump takes office

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is considering ways to revive a program that would have charged drivers a new USD 15 toll to enter certain Manhattan neighbourhoods before President-elect Donald Trump takes office and can block it. In the days since Trump's election, Hochul and her staff have been reaching out to state lawmakers to gauge support for resuscitating the plan known as congestion pricing with a lower price tag, according to two people familiar with the outreach. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were revealing private conversations. Hochul, a Democrat, hit the brakes on the plan just weeks before it was set to launch this summer, even with all the infrastructure already in place. She said at the time she was worried it would cost motorists too much money, but it was also widely seen as a political move to help Democrats in closely watched congressional races in the city's suburbs. The fee would have come on top of the already ..

New York City declares a 'drought watch', asks residents to conserve water

New York's mayor urged residents to take shorter showers, fix dripping faucets and otherwise conserve water, issuing a drought watch Saturday after a parched October here and in much of the United States. A drought watch is the first of three potential levels of water-saving directives, and Adams pitched it in a social media video as a step to try to ward off the possibility of a worse shortage in the United States' most populous city. Mother Nature is in charge, and so we must make sure we adjust, said Adams, a Democrat. He ordered all city agencies to get ready to implement their water conservation plans. He asked the public to do its part by, for example, turning off taps while brushing teeth and sweeping sidewalks instead of hosing them down. The mayor also exhorted residents to report opened-up fire hydrants and other street leaks. The recommendation comes days after the city fixed a leaky Brooklyn hydrant that fed a homespun goldfish pond on the sidewalk. Just 0.01 inches (0

About 200 Palestinian protesters arrested outside NY stock exchange

About 200 demonstrators protesting Israel's war in Gaza were arrested in a sit-in outside the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, police said. The protesters chanted Let Gaza live!" and Up up with liberation, down down with occupation!" in front of the stock exchange's landmark building in lower Manhattan. The reason we're here is to demand that the US government stop sending bombs to Israel and stop profiting off of Israel's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, said Beth Miller, political director of Jewish Voice for Peace, the group that organised the demonstration. Because what's been happening for the last year is that Israel is using US bombs to massacre communities in Gaza while simultaneously weapons manufacturers on Wall Street are seeing their stock prices skyrocket. A handful of counterprotesters waved Israeli flags and tried to shout down the pro-Palestinian chants. None of the pro-Palestinian protesters got inside the exchange, but at least 200 made it inside a securit

Prosecutors say they may bring additional charges against NY City mayor

Federal prosecutors said on Wednesday they are pursuing "several related investigations" that could lead to additional corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams and indictments for people in his orbit. Prosecutors made the disclosure as the first-term Democrat appeared in court for the first time since his arraignment last week on charges that he accepted about USD 1,00,000 worth of free or deeply discounted international flights, hotel stays, meals and entertainment, and sought illegal campaign contributions from foreign interests. The allegations span nearly a decade, dating to when Adams was Brooklyn's borough president. US District Judge Dale Ho didn't immediately set a trial date. Adams' lawyer, Alex Spiro, asked that it be held in March, before an important mayoral election deadline. Prosecutors say Adams' travel perks were arranged by a senior Turkish diplomatic official in New York and Turkish businesspeople who wanted to gain influence with Adams. The ...

Harvey Weinstein to be arraigned on additional sex crimes charges in NY

Harvey Weinstein is expected to be arraigned Wednesday in Manhattan on a new indictment charging him with up to three additional sex offenses, his lawyer said. Weinstein's lawyer Arthur Aidala said the jailed ex-movie mogul will appear in court in person to face his latest legal hurdle after he was excused from a hearing last week while recovering from emergency heart surgery. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office disclosed at the September 12 hearing last week that a grand jury had returned a new indictment charging Weinstein with previously uncharged offenses. The indictment will remain under seal until Weinstein is arraigned. Prosecutors have said that the grand jury heard evidence of up to three alleged assaults: in the mid-2000s at the Tribeca Grand Hotel, now known as the Roxy Hotel, and a Lower Manhattan residential building, and, in May 2016, at a Tribeca hotel. At the same time, Weinstein is awaiting retrial in his landmark #MeToo case after New York's highest .

US lawmakers, officials condemn vandalism of BAPS temple in New York

Bipartisan lawmakers across the US have strongly condemned the vandalism at a Hindu temple here and called for an investigation into the incident, asserting that America must stand together against all forms of hate. The road and the signage outside the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Melville, New York, were sprayed with expletives on Monday, according to footage shared online. The BAPS Public Affairs said in a post on X that it was deeply saddened by the desecration of the temple, calling it an act aimed at inciting hatred against Hindus". "Today, local, state & federal leaders gathered to promote peace, respect and unity. Guided by our faith, we stand united against hate with compassion and solidarity, it said. Melville is located in in Suffolk County, on Long Island and is about 28 kilometres from the 16,000-seater Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a mega community event on September 22. US lawmakers across party lines ...

NYC mayor mixes up India with Pak in remarks at Independence Day event

In a gaffe, New York City Mayor Eric Adams referred to India and its diaspora community as Pakistan' in his remarks at an Indian Independence Day celebration in Queens. Adams was addressing members of the Indian-American community at the Queens 9th India Day Parade on Saturday. The stage from where he addressed the diaspora was decorated with Indian flags, balloons in hues of the tricolour and banners that read Mayor Adams Celebrates the Indian Community'. Adams himself was holding the Indian tricolour and the American flag and was surrounded by members of the Indian diaspora waving Indian flags, wearing tricolour sashes and tricolour-themed attire. However, during his remarks, as he spoke about the diaspora community, Adams mixed up India with Pakistan thrice. "We raised the flag earlier this week at Bowling GreenAnd I think no greater symbol of what you offer to this community than the men and women who are part of the law enforcement community, who are here, the Pakistani office

India's Independence Day celebrated with enthusiasm across New York City

The hues of the Indian tricolour, India's rich cultural heritage and strong bilateral relations with the US resonated across the city as the country's 78th Independence Day was celebrated here with patriotic fervour. A slew of events commemorating India's Independence Day were held across the city on Thursday highlighting the strong people-to-people ties between India and the US as well as India's rich heritage. Flag hoisting ceremonies were held at the Consulate General of India in New York, Permanent Mission of India to the UN, Times Square and lower Manhattan in the presence of members of the Indian diaspora and city officials. Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita, who was in the city before travelling on to Latin America, addressed members of the diaspora at the flag hoisting ceremony in the Consulate and Times Square. Leading diaspora organisation Federation of Indian Associations NY-NJ-CT-NE (FIA) held a special Independence Day celebration at the iconic N

Trump's lawyers urge NY appeals court to overturn civil fraud verdict

Fresh off victories in other legal cases, Donald Trump on Monday pressed a New York appeals court to overturn the nearly USD 500 million New York civil fraud judgment that threatens to drain his personal cash reserves as he campaigns to retake the White House. In paperwork filed with the state's mid-level appeals court, the former president's lawyers said Manhattan Judge Arthur Engoron's Feb. 16 finding that Trump lied to banks, insurers and others about his wealth was erroneous and egregious." Trump's appeal arguments echoed many of the gripes he delivered during his trial to TV cameras outside the courtroom. His lawyers argued that New York Attorney General Letitia James' lawsuit should have been promptly dismissed, the statute of limitations barred some allegations, that no one was harmed by Trump's alleged fraud and that James' involvement in private business transactions threatens to drive business out of the state. Trump's lawyers contend that Engoron's decision, if upheld, .

Weinstein scheduled to appear in NYC courtroom for upcoming retrial heaing

Harvey Weinstein is scheduled to appear in a New York court Friday ahead of a planned retrial on rape and sexual assault charges. The former Hollywood movie mogul's pretrial hearing in Manhattan criminal court will address issues related to evidence in the case, including text messages. At a hearing last week, prosecutors said they anticipate a November retrial. They told Judge Curtis Farber they are still actively pursuing new claims against Weinstein, though the prosecutors conceded they hadn't yet brought any findings to a grand jury. Weinstein's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, argued the investigation was simply a delay tactic. New York's highest court threw out Weinstein's 2020 conviction earlier this year, ruling that the original trial judge unfairly allowed testimony against him based on allegations that weren't part of the case. The conviction had been considered a landmark in the #MeToo movement, an era that began in 2017 amid numerous allegations of sexual misconduct against the