Page 2 - New York City

World's worst traffic congestion is in New York and it costs $9 billion

The busiest corridor in the US last year was Interstate 4 in Orlando, Florida, between Beachline Expressway and the Western Beltway, jumping from 10th place in 2022

Consulate General of India leads Yoga session at NY's Times Square

Thousands of Yoga enthusiasts and practitioners assembled at the iconic Times Square here for day-long sessions of the ancient Indian practice on the eve of the commemoration of the International Day of Yoga. The Consulate General of India in New York along with the Times Square Alliance hosted special yoga sessions at Times Square Thursday, the day of the summer solstice, as yoga enthusiasts geared to celebrate the International Day of Yoga, marked every year on June 21. Amid heat advisories in place for the New York area, which experienced temperatures as high as 93F (33.8C) during the day, people from all walks of life and nationalities arrived early morning and rolled out their yoga mats in the heart of the popular New York City destination. Yoga instructor and Breath Meditation teacher Richa Dhekne, who has over two decades of experience as a volunteer and faculty member with the Art of Living Foundation, led the yoga and meditation session hosted by the Consulate General of ..

New York guv signs bill to limit 'addictive' social media feeds for kids

New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday signed a bill that would allow parents to block their children from getting social media posts suggested by a platform's algorithm, a move to limit feeds critics argue are addictive. Under the legislation, feeds on apps like TikTok and Instagram would be limited for people under age 18 to posts from accounts they follow, rather than content suggested by an automated algorithm. It would also block platforms from sending minors notifications on suggested posts between midnight and 6 am. Both provisions could be turned off if a minor gets what the bill defines as verifiable parental consent. The law does not take effect immediately. State Attorney General Letitia James is now tasked with crafting rules to determine mechanisms for verifying a user's age and parental consent. After the rules are finalised, social media companies will have 180 days to implement the regulations. We can protect our kids. We can tell the companies that you are not

NYC's court declines to hear Trump's appeal of gag order in hush money case

New York's top court declined on Tuesday to hear Donald Trump's gag order appeal, leaving the restrictions in place following his felony conviction last month. The Court of Appeals found that the order does not raise substantial constitutional issues that would warrant an immediate intervention. The decision is the latest legal setback for the Republican former president, who has repeatedly railed against the gag order, which prevents him from commenting on witnesses, jurors and others who were involved in the hush money case. But it could be short lived. The trial judge, Juan M Merchan, is expected to rule soon on a defence request to lift the gag order. Trump's attorneys filed a notice of appeal with the state's high court on May 15, during the former president's landmark criminal trial. They argued that the gag order restricted Trump's core political speech on matters of central importance at the height of his Presidential campaign. But the Court of Appeals disagreed. In a deci

Trump ends pre-sentencing interview after less than 30 mins of questioning

Donald Trump's mandatory pre-sentencing interview Monday ended after less than a half-hour of routine and uneventful questions and answers, a person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and did so on condition of anonymity. The former president was quizzed by a New York City probation officer for a report that will be compiled and presented to trial judge Juan M. Merchan prior to Trump's July 11 sentencing in his hush money criminal case. Merchan can use the report to help decide Trump's punishment following his May 30 felony conviction for falsifying business records to cover up a potential sex scandal. The judge has discretion to impose a wide range of punishments, ranging from probation and community service to up to four years in prison. Trump, who declined to testify at the trial, appeared for the probation interview Monday by video conference from his residence at the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, with hi

Trump to undergo probation interview Monday before his New York sentencing

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to be interviewed by New York probation officials Monday, a required step before his July sentencing in his criminal hush money case, according to three people familiar with the plan. Trump will do the interview via a computer video conference from his residence at the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, the people told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to disclose the plans publicly. One of Trump's lawyers, Todd Blanche, will be present for the interview. People convicted of crimes in New York usually meet with probation officials without their lawyers, but the judge in Trump's case, Juan Merchan, said in a letter Friday that he would allow Blanche's presence. The usual purpose of a pre-sentencing probation interview is to prepare a report that will tell the judge more about the defendant, and potentially help determine the proper punishment for the crime. Such reports are ...

T20 World Cup 2024: ICC accepts Nassau County pitch not up to the standards

The venue is scheduled to host the all-important India vs Pakistan encounter on Sunday, June 9

New York to restrict social media algorithms to control content for teens

Social media platforms have in recent years come under scrutiny for its addictive nature and impact on the youth

NY to set aside money to help local news outlets hire, retain employees

New York is offering up to $90 million in tax credits for news outlets to hire and retain journalists in an effort to help keep the shrinking local news industry afloat. The U.S. newspaper industry has been in a long decline, driven by factors including a loss in advertising revenue as outlets have moved from primarily print to mostly digital. That prompted state lawmakers to help in a measure passed in the state budget. New York's three-year program allows some news organizations to tap into refundable tax credits each year, with a single outlet able to receive tax credits of up to $320,000 annually. State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation, said preserving journalism jobs is vital for the health of democracy. As evidence, he cited the weakened New York news media's failure to research the background of George Santos, a Republican who fabricated many details of his life story, until after he had been elected to Congress. Some of my colleagues have ..

Another Indian student dies in US, this time in bike accident in NY

An Indian student died in a bike accident in New York, US, on Wednesday, the Consulate General of India informed on Thursday.Shri Belem Atchyuth was a student at the State University of New York.The Consulate General of India in New York offered condolences to the family of the deceased student, saying that they were in touch with his family members and have also called on local agencies to extend all assistance.In a post on X, the Consulate General of India in New York stated, "Saddened to learn about the untimely demise of Shri Belem Atchyuth, a student at SUNY who met with a bike accident and passed away yesterday evening; our deepest condolences to the family; @IndiainNewYork is in touch with the bereaved family & local agencies to extend all assistance including sending the mortal remains back to India."The incident comes amid a spike in the deaths of Indian-origin students in the US. Earlier, in April, an Indian student, who had been missing since March this year, was ...

India's NY consulate to remain open year-round for emergency services

The Consulate General of India in New York has announced that it will remain open throughout the year, including on all holidays, to help and facilitate people's travel to India in case of genuine emergencies. The Consulate said in a press release on Friday that it will remain open during all holidays, including Saturdays and Sundays, as well as other public holidays from 2 pm to 4 pm to address emergency requirements of the general public. The Consulate reiterated that this facility is for people with genuine emergencies and not for regular consular services. It advised applicants that before coming for any emergency service, they should call the Consulate's emergency helpline number to ascertain the per-requisite of supporting documents for these services and ensure that they fall in the category of emergency services, which cannot be postponed to its next working day. The facility, which came into effect on Friday, is only for emergency requirements of travel documents such as .

NYC to require warning labels for sugary foods, drinks in chain restaurants

New York City residents may soon see warning labels next to sugary foods and drinks in chain restaurants and coffee shops, under a law set to go into effect later this year. The rule requires food businesses with 15 storefronts or more to post a warning icon a black and white spoon loaded with sugar next to menu items containing at least 50 grams of added sugar. Businesses will also have to post the following written label to accompany the logo: Warning: indicates that the added sugar content of this item is higher than the total daily recommended limit of added sugar for a 2,000 calorie diet (50g). Eating too many added sugars can contribute to type 2 diabetes and weight gain. The city's health department posted its proposed rule language last week and set a public hearing for late May. City officials and Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, approved the law last year. The rule is scheduled to go into effect June 19 for prepackaged food items and December 1 for other items. Asked about

Earthquake centered near New York City rattles Northeast area in US

An earthquake shook the densely populated New York City metropolitan area Friday morning, the US Geological Survey said, with residents reporting they felt rumbling across the Northeast. The agency reported a quake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.7, centered near Lebanon, New Jersey, or about 45 miles west of New York City and 50 miles north of Philadelphia. The Fire Department of New York said there were no initial reports of damage. In midtown Manhattan, the usual cacophony of traffic grew louder as motorists blared their horns on momentarily shuddering streets. Some Brooklyn residents heard a booming sound and their building shaking. In an apartment house in Manhattan's East Village, a resident from more earthquake-prone California calmed nervous neighbours. People in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Connecticut and other areas of the East Coast unaccustomed to earthquakes also reported feeling the ground shake. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul posted on X that the quake was felt throughout

NYC to try gun scanners in subway system to deter violence underground

New York City officials announced a pilot program on Thursday to deploy portable gun scanners in the subway system, part of an effort to deter violence underground and to make the system feel safer. The scanners will be introduced in certain stations after a legally mandated 90-day waiting period, Mayor Eric Adams said. Keeping New Yorkers safe on the subway and maintaining confidence in the system is key to ensuring that New York remains the safest big city in America, said Adams, who also announced a plan to send additional outreach workers into subway stations to try to get people with mental health issues who are living in the system into treatment. Adams said officials would work to identify companies with expertise in weapons detection technology and that after the waiting period the scanners would be instituted in some subway stations "where the NYPD will be able to further evaluate the equipment's effectiveness. The scanner that Adams and police officials introduced during

New York to host FIFA World Cup 2026 in victory over Dallas, Los Angeles

The quarterfinals will be held in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Kansas City, Missouri

US lawmakers move to force a vote on expelling Rep. Santos from House

House lawmakers from both parties moved on Tuesday to force a vote this week on the expulsion of Rep. George Santos, a Republican from New York who was the subject of a scathing ethics investigation released earlier this month and is facing nearly two dozen charges in federal court. Santos responded to the competing expulsion resolutions by taking to the House floor and asking colleagues to understand what kind of precedent it would set for him to be removed before federal charges against him are resolved. He made clear he would not be resigning beforehand. This expulsion vote simply undermines and underscores the precedent that we've had in this chamber, Santos said. It starts and puts us in a new direction, a dangerous one. Santos has survived two prior expulsion votes. But a report released by the House Ethics Committee following a monthslong investigation has prompted new outrage. The report released November 16 was unsparing in its criticism, concluding that Santos sought to ..

Your turban does not mean terrorism: NYC Mayor Adams amid attacks on Sikhs

The Sikh turban does not mean terrorism but symbolises faith, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, as he described the recent attacks and hate crimes against the community as a stain on the country and vowed to protect its members. He also gave a clarion call for educating people about Sikhism. You are not about terror; you are about protector. That is what needs to be taught throughout this entire city. Our young people need to know that, our adults need to know that, Adams said while addressing members of the Sikh community at the Baba Makhan Shah Lubana Sikh Center in the Queens neighbourhood of South Richmond Hill. Describing the Sikh community as an anchor in the Richmond Hill neighbourhood, Adams said: Your turban does not mean terrorism. It means protecting, it means community, it means family, it means faith, it means city, it means us coming together. We will change the dialogue and narrative with you. We can do it together. Adams and New York State Assemblywoman Jenifer .

New York City streets flooded, multiple subway lines snarled by downpour

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Friday across all of New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley, saying state agencies were prepared to offer assistance

Storm floods New York City area, swamping streets in rush-hour mess

A potent rush-hour rainstorm swamped the New York metropolitan area on Friday, shutting down swaths of the city's subway system, flooding streets and highways, and cutting off access to at least one terminal at LaGuardia Airport. Up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain fell in some areas overnight, and as much as 7 inches (18 centimeters) more was expected throughout the day, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said. This is a dangerous, life-threatening storm," Hochul said in an interview with TV station NY1. "Count on this for the next 20 hours. Photos and video posted on social media showed water pouring into subway stations and basements, and reaching the top of cars' wheels in parts of Brooklyn and elsewhere. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs subway and commuter rail lines, urged residents of the nation's most populous city to stay home if they could. Virtually every subway line was at least partly suspended, rerouted or running with delays, and two of the Metro-No

Loudspeaker message outside NYC migrant shelter warns new arrivals

A New Yorker upset that the city has been housing homeless migrants on his block has set up a loudspeaker to deliver an unwelcoming message to his new neighbours: "Immigrants are not safe here. The message, recorded in six languages, blares all day from a loudspeaker on Scott Herkert's well-groomed front lawn on Staten Island, exhorting migrants to go back to another part of the city because the community doesn't want them. It urges people brought to a temporary shelter inside a long-vacant Roman Catholic high school not to get off the bus. The message also claims the building has rats and cockroaches. It is one of several ways some people have let shelter residents know they are not welcome. Hundreds of protesters have also held a large rally outside the former school, urging the city to house migrants elsewhere. The women and families placed by the city inside the former Saint John Villa Academy have heard the message loud and clear. We have to close our eyes and close our ears,