Page 5 - New York

New York passes bill allowing medically assisted suicide for terminally ill

Terminally ill New Yorkers would have the legal ability to end their own lives with pharmaceutical drugs under a bill passed on Monday in the state Legislature. The proposal, which now moves to the governor's office, would allow a person with an incurable illness to be prescribed life-ending drugs if he or she requests the medication and gets approval from two physicians. A spokesperson for New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she would review the legislation. The New York Senate gave final approval to the bill on Monday night after hours of debate during which supporters said it would let terminally ill people die on their own terms. "It's not about hastening death, but ending suffering," said state Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat who sponsored the proposal. Opponents have argued the state should instead improve end-of-life medical care or have objected on religious grounds. "We should not be in the business of state-authorised suicide," said state Senator George Borrello,

Trump admin threatens to cut NY funding over Native American mascot ban

New York is discriminating against a school district that refuses to get rid of its Native American chief mascot and could face a Justice Department investigation or risk losing federal funding, President Donald Trump's top education official said Friday. US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, on a visit to Massapequa High School on Long Island, said an investigation by her agency has determined that state education officials violated Title VI of the federal civil rights law by banning the use of Native American mascots and logos statewide. The department's civil rights office found the state ban discriminatory because names and mascots derived from other racial or ethnic groups, such as the Dutchmen and the "Huguenots", are still permitted. McMahon described Massapequa's chiefs mascot as an incredible representation of Native American leadership as she made the announcement backed by dozens of students and local officials in the high school gymnasium. The Trump administration wi

Judge blocks Trump from retaliating against NY over congestion toll

A federal judge in New York has temporarily prevented US President Donald Trump from retaliating against the state over its Manhattan congestion toll. Judge Lewis Liman on Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order blocking the federal government from withholding federal funds or taking other punitive actions against the state at least until June 9 while he weighs a lawsuit the state has filed against the federal government to keep the toll in place. The toll on drivers entering the busiest part of Manhattan was approved under former president Joe Biden, but has been strongly opposed by Trump, a native New Yorker whose namesake Trump Tower and other properties are within the congestion zone. The Republican administration rescinded federal approval in February, prompting the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency overseeing the tolls, to challenge the decision. In recent months, Trump officials have issued three ultimatums to New York, even threatening to pull ...

Latest crash shows how ships have been hitting Brooklyn Bridge for 150 yrs

A Mexican navy tall ship's fatal collision with the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday highlighted a hazard that has worried seafarers for nearly 150 years. Even before construction on the bridge was finished in the late 19th century, the topmast of a passing US Navy ship hit the span's wires and vessels continued to clip the iconic New York City structure for many years. But historians say Saturday's crash appears to be the first boat collision with the bridge to take the lives of crew members. Two Mexican naval cadets died and more were injured after the training ship Cuauhtemoc's masts crashed into the bridge as dozens of sailors stood harnessed high up in rigging as part of a public display. That's the first and possibly only time where there's been a fatality onboard of a ship that struck the Brooklyn Bridge, said Dominique Jean-Louis, chief historian at the Center for Brooklyn History, part of the Brooklyn Public Library. Opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River, ..

Jet aborts takeoff to avoid runway collision at New York's LaGuardia

Federal officials are investigating why two planes got dangerously close on a runway at New York's LaGuardia Airport earlier this month despite the airport being equipped with an advanced surface radar system that's designed to help prevent such close calls. Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board said Monday that they are investigating the May 6 incident when a Republic Airways jet had to abort takeoff and slam to a stop because a United Airlines plane was still taxiing across the runway. In audio from the tower that ABC obtained from the website www.LiveATC.net, the air traffic control said to the pilot of the Republic Airways jet: Sorry, I thought United had cleared well before that. At the time that controller was directing the Republic Airways jet to takeoff, a ground controller on a different radio frequency was directing the United plane to a new taxiway after it missed the first one it was supposed to use to exit the runway. Bot

Turbulent waters may have contributed to deadly Brooklyn Bridge ship crash

When a Mexican navy tall ship crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge, it was maneuvering in turbulent waters. The tide had just turned, and a fast current was heading up the East River as a 10 mph wind set in. While such hazards are easily handled by an experienced captain, mistakes can be costly in the heavily transited New York harbor, where narrow, curvy channels, winds howling off the jagged Manhattan skyline and whirlpool-like eddies can combine to make for difficult passage. In the case of the 300-foot (90-meter) Cuauhtemoc, two sailors were killed and 19 were injured Saturday evening when the training ship struck the iconic bridge, toppling the vessel's three masts like dominoes as it drifted toward a crowded pier. It's unknown what caused the collision, and an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board is likely to take months. But footage of the collision shot by horrified onlookers show the ship hurtling into the bridge in reverse at full speed, suggesting the ...

US court sentences Salman Rushdie attacker Hadi Matar to 25 years in prison

Hadi Matar, convicted of stabbing author Salman Rushdie in 2022, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. The attack left Rushdie blind in one eye and marked a major moment in free speech debate

NYPD arrests over 70 after masked protesters seize Columbia library

The incident renewed attention from the Trump administration, which in March cancelled $400 million in federal funding to Columbia after protesters stormed a building at affiliate Barnard College

Indian celebrities, film stars and designers shine at Met Gala 2025

Shah Rukh Khan donned an all-black bespoke outfit, Dlljit Dosanjh shone in a white ensemble that honoured his Sikh roots and Kiara Advani, sporting her baby bump, combined black, white and gold too. Bejewelled and resplendent, the three showbiz stars from India made a memorable debut at the Met Gala. And then there were event regulars, actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas and entrepreneurs Natasha Poonawalla and Isha Ambani dressed in their finest. Fashion world's biggest night, held annually at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, also saw fashion designers Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra walking the blue carpet dotted with daisies on Monday night (New York time). The theme of the gala this year was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, which is a homage to Black fashion. Shah Rukh arrived for the event in a Sabyasachi design -- wearing a floor-length elongated coat in Tasmanian superfine wool with monogrammed, Japanese horn buttons. The coat is hand canvassed, single breasted with a pe

Met Gala 2025: Rihanna debuts pregnancy as stars dazzle in tailored looks

Fashion's biggest night returned to New York City on Monday, with the 2025 Met Gala celebrating Black menswear. Rihanna stole the spotlight with a surprise pregnancy reveal

NYC Mayor Adams declares April 24 as Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centennial Day

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has proclaimed April 24, 2025 as Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centennial Celebration Day' in the city, highlighting the message of selfless service for the community. The proclamation from the Office of the Mayor was presented to members of the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council by Deputy Commissioner for the New York City Mayor's Office for International Affairs Dilip Chauhan at a special event in City Hall Tuesday. Chauhan was joined by senior representatives from the Mayor's office, including Deputy Commissioner of NYC Mayor's Community Affairs Unit Christian Williams and South Asian Liaison Sookranie Dhanpat. The proclamation notes that from Abrahamic and Eastern religions to folk traditions and everything in between, our global metropolis is a multicultural mosaic of believers who are dedicated to giving back to others". Today, in that spirit, I am delighted to recognise the centennial year of Sri Sathya Sai Baba's birth and his thousands of followers who advan

Trump official urges probe of NY attorney general over mortgage transaction

In the summer of 2023, New York Attorney General Letitia James helped her niece buy a modest house in Norfolk, Virginia, by becoming a co-borrower on the mortgage loan. A top housing official in the Trump administration has now seized on a document in that transaction to argue that James should be prosecuted for bank fraud, asking the US Justice Department in a letter to open a criminal investigation into the Democrat. The request for an investigation comes as the administration has pursued a campaign of retribution against President Donald Trump's longtime foes in the legal world. James won a $454 million judgment against Trump last year in a lawsuit claiming he had lied about the value of his assets on financial statements given to banks. James called the allegations against her baseless." It is nothing more than a headline, nothing more than retaliation against all the actions I have taken successfully against Donald Trump," she said Wednesday in an interview on the New York cab

New York City announces April 14 as Dr B R Ambedkar Day in his honour

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has proclaimed April 14, 2025 as Dr B R Ambedkar Day in New York City, with its 8.5 million residents celebrating the day, a top official in the mayor's office said here. Deputy Commissioner for the New York City Mayor's Office for International Affairs Dilip Chauhan made the announcement here in the presence of Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Ramdas Athawale, who delivered the keynote address at a special event organised at the UN headquarters on Monday to commemorate Dr Ambedkar's 134th birth anniversary. A historic moment at the UN Headquarters in New York as Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's birth anniversary is officially proclaimed by the NYC Mayor's Office. My heartfelt thanks to Mayor @NYCMayor and Deputy Commissioner Dilip Chauhan for honouring Babasaheb's global legacy of justice and equality, Athawale posted on X along with photos and a video. Born on April 14, 1891, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar popular among his followers as Babasahe

At least 1 person dead after small plane crashes near New York's Copake

Two passengers were onboard the plane, a Mitsubishi MU-2B heading to Columbia County Airport near Hudson, New York

Deadly crash sparks new concerns over safety of New York's helicopter tours

A helicopter ride giving a thrilling sweep of Manhattan's iconic skyline has long been on the to-do list for New York City tourists of means. For several hundred dollars, tour companies fly passengers high above the rivers that encircle the city, showcasing a stunning, bird's-eye view of the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Centre and other monumental landmarks. But Thursday's crash that killed a family of five visiting from Spain and the helicopter's pilot, a Navy SEAL veteran, has renewed concerns about the safety of the popular sightseeing excursions. Since 2005, five helicopters on commercial sightseeing flights have fallen into the Hudson and East rivers as a result of mechanical failures, pilot errors or collisions, killing 20 people. Longtime opponents have revived calls to ban or limit nonessential helicopter flights, including the roughly 30,000 sightseeing rides over the city each year. Mayor against more restrictions Mayor Eric Adams on Friday said he doesn't support

Myntra's chief product & technology officer Raghu Krishnananda to step down

As CPTO, he has led his teams to ensure that Myntra's tech and product strategy remains agile, scalable and closely aligned with business goals, according to the internal mail sent to employees by CEO

Man uses AI avatar in court, raising fresh concerns over ethical boundaries

The use of an AI-generated avatar in a New York courtroom has sparked a debate over the ethical boundaries of artificial intelligence, raising questions about its role in legal proceedings and beyond

New York's casino sweepstakes could put $115 mn in Donald Trump's pocket

A high-stakes contest to decide who gets to build a casino in New York City could potentially result in a USD 115 million jackpot for President Donald Trump. The Republican stands to win big if state officials award one of three available gaming licenses to Bally's Corp., which wants to open a casino at a city-owned golf course that used to be run by Trump's company. In 2023, Bally's paid Trump USD 60 million for the rights to operate the public 18-hole course on the Bronx shoreline, near where the East River meets the Long Island Sound. The gaming company promptly took down the massive Trump Links sign that was, at one time, all but impossible to miss for drivers going the Whitestone Bridge, and renamed the course Bally's Golf Links at Ferry Point. But under a little-noticed side deal, Bally's promised to pay Trump another USD 115 million if Bally's were to get a license to open a casino on site. The letter disclosing that deal was included as an evidence exhibit in a trial over

NYT report on HAL re-routing restricted tech to Russia incorrect: Report

A report in The New York Times linking a company that is part of a British aerospace major to a state-run Indian defence firm claiming that the latter has ties with a Russian arms agency is "factually incorrect" and "misleading", official sources said on Monday. The report suggested that military hardware supplied by the British firm to the Indian company may have found its way to the Russian agency Rosoboronexport. The report has "tried to frame issues and distort facts to suit a political narrative", the sources said, adding the media outlet "overlooked" basic due diligence. "The Indian entity mentioned in the report has scrupulously followed all its international obligations on strategic trade controls and end-user commitments," said a source. "India's robust legal and regulatory framework on strategic trade continues to guide overseas commercial ventures by its companies," it said. "We expect reputed media outlets to undertake basic due diligence while publishing such reports,

Driver facing multiple charges in Brooklyn crash that killed mother, 2 kids

A woman is facing multiple charges after she crashed into a family out for a walk in Brooklyn, killing a mother and her two children in what New York City Mayor Eric Adams described as a tragic accident of a Shakespearean proportion. Miriam Yarimi was charged hours after the Saturday afternoon crash with three counts each of criminal negligent homicide, manslaughter and assault in the second degree as well as several other charges. Police said Yarimi was driving on a suspended license and additional charges indicated she was speeding and failed to yield after stopping at a red light when she collided with another vehicle and then into the family walking in the crosswalk. I will call it like it is. This was a horrific tragedy caused by someone who shouldn't have been on the road, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters at crash scene. A mother and two young children killed. Another child fighting for his life. A family and a neighbourhood devastated. A phone number for Yari