New York:

Prosecutors are preparing to retry Harvey Weinstein on rape charges after a previous conviction against the former Hollywood producer was overturned.

Weinstein, who is currently at New York’s Rikers Island prison, was rushed to Bellevue Hospital on Sunday to undergo emergency heart surgery after experiencing severe chest pains.

His lawyers are expected in court on Thursday. However, it is unclear whether he will present as his lawyers have said he has health problems.

The judge overseeing the case has set November 12 as a tentative trial date.

The 72-year-old is serving a 16-year sentence after being convicted on rape charges by a California court. He had also been found guilty of the rape and sexual assault of actor Jessica Mann and of forcibly performing oral sex on production assistant Miriam Haley by a New York court in February 2020.

But the New York Court of Appeals overturned the conviction in April, saying that Weinstein did not get a fair trial because a judge allowed testimony by accusers he was not formally charged with assaulting.

This was one of the defining cases of the Me Too movement. Weinstein has denied any non consensual sexual encounters with anyone.

At a July hearing, prosecutors with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said they intend to bring new charges for “additional violent sexual assaults” of more women who have agreed to testify.

More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct. 

Last week, British prosecutors dropped indecent assault charges against the Miramax film studio co-founder after concluding there was no realistic chance of securing a conviction.

New York:

Airbnb on Tuesday asked New York City to reconsider regulations on short-term rentals that went into effect in September 2023, citing higher prices for travelers and zero impact on the housing market.

In a blog post, Airbnb said Local Law LL18, which states hosts must be permanent occupants of the units being rented and must register with the city before posting rentals, has “failed to combat the housing crisis”.

After the implementation of the law, the number of Airbnb listings allowing stays under 30 nights has fallen 83%, according to an August report by data analytics firm Airdna.

Airbnb, citing data from Apartment List, said vacancy rates for apartments in New York City have remained virtually unchanged at 3.4% since the law took effect.

The company also said the cost of travel has increased. Hotel rates in New York City were up 7.4% year-over-year in July, compared with 2.1% across the U.S., according to data from Co-Star, Airbnb said.

“By rolling back parts of the law, the city can increase the supply of accommodations for consumers, support resident hosts and revitalize local businesses that depend on tourism dollars,” Airbnb added.

The New York City mayor’s office and the Office of Special Enforcement were not immediately available for comment.

Last year, a New York judge dismissed the company’s lawsuit against New York City over the local law.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A former aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul has been arrested today and charged with acting as an undisclosed agent of China, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said.

Linda Sun had served as the deputy chief of staff to Ms Hochul for a year. The 41-year-old has also been accused of visa fraud, alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy. 

It is alleged that while working in the state government, Ms Sun blocked Taiwanese government’s representatives from meeting officials and sought to organise a high-level New York state official’s visit to China.

“In return for these and other actions, Ms Sun received substantial economic and other benefits from representatives of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) government and the Chinese Communist Party,” the US Attorney’s Office said in a press release.

Her husband Chris Hu has also been arrested. The prosecutors said the Chinese government facilitated millions of dollars in transactions for Mr Hu, who carried out business activities in China.

Ms Sun also received several gifts, including Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a Chinese government official’s chef, prosecutors added.

Ms Sun and Mr Hu laundered the proceeds of their scheme to purchase a $4.1 million property in New York, a $2.1 million condominium in Hawaii and various luxury automobiles, including a 2024 Ferrari, the US Attorney’s Office said.

New Delhi:

One person has died after a plane, used for skydiving, crashed in Niagara County, New York on Saturday, reported CNN. Following the incident, New York officials launched an investigation on Saturday.

The single-engine Cessna 208B, a plane that was used for skydiving, crashed near Lake Road near Youngstown, New York, shortly before 1 pm, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

The aeroplane from the Skydive the Falls skydiving centre had released all divers and was heading back to land when it crashed, according to a news release from the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, as reported by CNN.

A spokesperson for the FAA, Tammy L. Jones, said that the pilot, who was the only person on board, was conducting parachute operations prior to the crash.

However, it is still unclear how many divers were on board before the crash, Niagara County Sheriff Michael Filicetti said at a news conference on Saturday.

Later, a brush fire also reportedly began around the crash site, according to the release.

The initial responding crew had to put out “a significant fire at that point,” Filicetti said.

The sheriff called the plane crash “an unfortunate incident” and added that local and federal law enforcement partners are working to determine what led to the crash.

“Well, I think this is like any other emergency-type incident…You get here, you want to try to preserve life. Unfortunately, in this case, we couldn’t do that,” Filicetti said.

A National Transportation Safety Board investigator is expected to be travelling to the crash site on Saturday, NTSB spokesperson Peter Knudson told CNN.

The investigator will further document the aeroplane wreckage, which will then be moved to a secure facility for further evaluation, Knudson mentioned.

The investigation will involve three primary areas, including, the pilot, the aircraft and the operating environment, CNN reported.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A 13-year-old boy was shot and killed by police in New York’s Utica on June 28 after he wielded a replica gun, as per a report in People Magazine. Around 10 pm, Police Officer Patrick Husnay along with two other officers were patrolling an area where “at least two” robberies had taken place recently. The cops went up to Nyah Mway and another boy, also aged 13, who “were in the immediate vicinity of the previous robbery at nearly the same time of day,” based on the traits of suspects in a June 27 crime, according to the release from the Utica Police Department.

The two teenagers were the subject of an attempted citizen stop by the authorities. However, the teen escaped and produced what appeared to be a handgun when the police attempted to frisk him, according to the preliminary information.

The press release mentioned, “In one of the incidents that occurred on June 27th, the suspects were described as one Asian male and one dark skinned male, with one being on foot and the other on a bicycle. Based on the listed identifying factors from the robbery, officers approached Nyah Mway and the other juvenile as they matched the robbery suspects’ descriptions and were in the immediate vicinity of the previous robbery at nearly the same time of day.”

It added, “When the officers asked and went to pat frisk Nyah Mway, he immediately fled on foot. While fleeing he produced a replica GLOCK pellet gun from the front of his body, and during the 51 and 53 second mark on Officer Patterson’s BWC, points the weapon directly at Officer Patterson and the other officers.”

According to the authorities, Officer Husnay then shot the teen with his duty firearm. The 13-year-old was transported to a hospital, however, he died as a result of his injuries. The Utica Police Department released bodycam footage of the incident as well as pictures of the pellet gun.

According to ABC News, all three cops have been sent on administrative leaves. Further, a vigil was organised after his death. Several people including his family members attended the event.

The 13-year-old’s sister, Thoung Oo, created a GoFundMe page to “raise funds for his funeral, legal expenses to seek justice, and family expenses including counselling.” She said that her brother “was returning home from an 8th grade graduation barbecue” at the time of the shooting. He was an outgoing kid who loved to go biking and play with his friends and family.

Ms Oo said, “He has never gotten in trouble with law enforcement before, he was a good kid. The UPD video cam, the witness testimonies, and stories they told my family don’t add up, especially when they told my parents (who don’t speak English at all) that there was a shoot out. We need answers.”

Nyah had just graduated from eighth grade two days before the tragedy, according to his sister. She continued, “Because of this tragedy, I will never get to see him grow up. Nyah leaves behind our mother, father, and 3 siblings. Our family moved to America nine years ago as refugees from Myanmar to find a better life safe from law enforcement killings and ethnic cleansing. Our parents and grandparents did not flee war & corrupt military to be persecuted by American police.”

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said she has directed state police to elevate security measures to ensure safety of the crowds.. File
| Photo Credit: AP

New York’s Nassau County will have unprecedented security arrangements in place for the T20 World Cup clash between India and Pakistan on June 9 due to the threat of a terror attack here even though state Governor Kathy Hochul insisted that it is not credible “at this time.” The Eisenhower Park Stadium at the Nassau County will host eight matches of the tournament-proper, including India’s three outings. The Indians will also play a practice game against Bangladesh here on June 1.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said she has directed state police to elevate security measures to ensure safety of the crowds.

“In preparation for the World Cup my team has been working with federal & local law enforcement to keep attendees safe. While there is no credible threat at this time, I’ve directed @nyspolice (NYPD) to elevate security measures & we’ll continue to monitor as the event nears,” Ms. Hochul said in a post on X.

A report on CNN said that New York officials are putting safety precautions in place “after terror group ISIS-K made a global threat earlier this year” against the World Cup.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said on May 29 that the event received an ISIS-K-linked threat in April.

“That was followed by more specific threats on the India versus Pakistan game, scheduled for June 9, and references to a viral video circulating online, which calls for ‘that lone wolf to act out’,” the report said.

“I can guarantee you this. This is the largest security we’ve ever had to do in this county’s history, and I can also guarantee you this – the safest place to be in Nassau County on June 9th will be inside that stadium,” Mr. Ryder said in that report.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said described the mega-event, which is likely to draw massive crowds from among the expats, as “Super Bowl on steroids”.

“There will be teams from all over the world coming in. There will be fans from all over the world coming to Nassau County…we have been meeting for well over six months on a regular basis to talk about security concerns and health care concerns, which could potentially arise at any kind of event of this magnitude”. “We take every threat seriously. There are the same procedures for every threat,” Mr. Blakeman said.

Mr. Blakeman also noted the county’s coordinated security efforts with federal partners, including the FBI, and Department of Homeland Security among others.

“To that end, we have taken many, many precautions as well as making sure that the stadium and the surrounding Eisenhower Park are safe,” he said.

The Rohit Sharma-led side will begin its campaign by taking on Ireland on June 5, followed by the high-voltage clash against Pakistan on June 9.

The team will then face hosts USA on June 12.

The terror threat to the event was first revealed by Trinidad’s Prime Minister Keith Rowley and the ICC had responded to it by asserting that a robust security cover is in place to ensure smooth conduct of the event.

“The safety and security of everyone at the event is our number one priority and we have a comprehensive and robust security plan in place.

“We work closely with authorities in our host countries and continually monitor and evaluate the global landscape to ensure appropriate plans are in place to mitigate any risks identified to our event,” the ICC had stated.

New York:

ISIS-K has called for a “Lone Wolf” attack on the India-Pakistan World Cup Cricket match here next month, a top police official has warned while putting security on high alert.

In a video that has gone global, the terror group is “calling for that ‘Lone Wolf’ to act out”, said Patrick Ryder, the Police Commissioner of Nassau County where the match is scheduled for June 6.

“Lone Wolves” are members or sympathisers of terrorist organisations who take cues from the organisations and operate independently by themselves making it more difficult to track them down.

On Wednesday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that she has “directed the New York State Police to engage in elevated security measures, including an increased law enforcement presence, advanced surveillance, and thorough screening processes”.

Bruce Blakeman, the head of Nassau County bordering New York City, said at a news conference, “We make sure that we are on top of every situation that could potentially arise. Now to that end, we have taken many many precautions.”

Additional police officers will be mobilised at the cricket stadium at Eisenhower Park, Ryder said at the news conference.

“We will go to every fine detail when it comes to the security and safety of the residents here,” he added.

Earlier there had been some ambiguity about the level of the threat posted in a chat group by ISIS-Khorasan, the offshoot of the Islamic State terrorist organisation operating in South and Central Asia.

Before the news conference by Nassau officials, Hochul had said that “there is no credible public safety threat at this time,” but added, “We continue to monitor the situation closely.”

“My administration has been working for months with federal law enforcement and Nassau County to ensure New Yorkers and visitors are safe,” she said.

Blakeman said at the news conference, “We take every threat seriously. There are the same procedures for every threat. We don’t minimise threats. We track down all of our leads.”

Ryder said, “When you have a game and a crowd as big as this, everything is credible.”

He said they had received threats starting in April “where it was a global and international style threat from what’s called ISIS-K”.

“Then it got a little bit more specific towards the actual game of India versus Pakistan but did not name the place,” he said.

“And then yesterday, you all saw the video that went global, and they are calling for that ‘Lone Wolf’ to act out.”

He was referring to a video with “an image of the cricket stadium at Eisenhower Park in Nassau County with drones flying over it showing the date, “9/6/2024”, when the India-Pakistan match, that was posted by ISIS-K on a British chat site.

With the display of drones as attack vehicles, NBC New York TV reported that county officials “say they’ve requested the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to make Eisenhower Park a no-fly zone for drones”.

ISIS-K has carried out attacks in Pakistan and has threatened terror strikes on India.

In March, ISIS-K terrorists attacked a concert hall in Moscow killing about 130 people adding gravity to the latest threat.

The World Cup Cricket stadium, which has a 30,000-capacity, was built specially for the tournament and will share the fixtures in the US with the arena in Dallas.

It will kick off on June 1 with an exhibition match between India and Bangladesh and will be followed by regular tournament matches starting on June 3, pitching India against Sri Lanka, and running till June 12 with an India vs US match.

NBC New York TV said that the security preparations for the World Cup event were the largest that Nassau County has undertaken and it is being treated on par with presidential debates.

As part of the safety precautions, it said, “Local hospitals also involved just in case they’re needed.”

The British newspaper Express first reported on the threat, which it said was also directed against sporting venues in Europe, including the Wembley Stadium.

It said that ISIS “followers are encouraged to target major events” including the Cricket World Cup.

“There were also extensive discussions on the forum as to how the terror group should use drones laden with explosives to murder civilians at major sporting events across Europe,” the Express said of the postings on a chat group posted on the British website Matrix.

The Express said, “Chat room members who shared the stadium threats listed their terror skills, including firing AK-47 rifles, and discussed sums of money in pound Sterling, suggesting some might be based in Britain.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A 43-year-old man in the United States has been arrested for allegedly pointing a gun at a 6-year-old boy over Halloween candy. According to NBC News, the incident occurred on Saturday in New York. Michael Yifan Wen was arrested and charged with menacing and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, Nassau County police said in a statement. 

The incident began when a mother drove her daughter, two sons, and a nephew to a nearby residence to drop off a goody bag. Her 10-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son rang the doorbell and dropped off a Halloween goody bag on the porch for the girl’s friend. However, when the children returned to the car, the girl told her mother the address may have been incorrect, so they drove back, and the boy went to the porch to get the bag full of candy.

This is when the man opened the door and pointed a handgun at the boy’s head, the outlet reported. The Nassau County Police Department were immediately notified of the incident and the 43-year-old suspect was arrested. 

Mr Wen’s attorney, however, said that his client is presumed innocent. “These are just allegations,” the lawyer said. He also asked the public to refrain from jumping to conclusions “before the facts come out”. 

According to ABC News, the investigation into the incident is currently ongoing. 

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Meanwhile, this comes amid a time when US is reeling under the uncontrolled and widespread use of guns across the country which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians over the years. The country has recorded over 500 mass shootings this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), a non-governmental organization that defines a mass shooting as four or more people wounded or killed.

Notably, the recent shooting in Maine left 18 dead. This attack was the deadliest mass shooting in 2023 so far, according to the GVA’s data.

An Indian-American man Jasmer Singh living in Queens, New York has died following an attack that followed moments after his car accident, as per the police, CBS News reported.

CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio service CBS.

The accident took place on Thursday while Jasmer was driving his wife home from a doctor’s appointment in preparation for a trip to India this coming week.

On the Van Wyck Expressway, Jasmer’s car bumped into another driver and that driver went on a rampage against him, according to CBS News.

On Sunday night, Jasmer’s family spoke with CBS New York, calling for hate crime charges against the suspect.

Jasmer’s son Multani while talking about his father, said, “He was educated, a very noble person, a simple person.”Singh, 68, came to the U.S. from India to raise his family.”

He was distinguished looking, with turban and all that,” Mr. Multani said. He further said, “My father’s skull was broken. Two front teeth were gone.”

Post the attack, Jasmer succumbed to his injuries. The incident has left his family traumatised.

According to investigators, the car’s driver has been caught and is now facing several charges, including manslaughter and assault, but not as a hate crime.

Mr. Multani said he is convinced his father’s appearance as a turbaned Sikh was the reason for the brutality, and wants his death to be charged as a hate crime, as per CBS News.

Mr. Multani said: “The guy was addressing my father with his costumes, with his turbans. There was no reason for someone to go in that intensity. My father was targeted and it is a possible hate crime.”

The mayor of New York City Eric Adams said, “Jasmer Singh loved his city and deserved so much more than his tragic death. On behalf of all New Yorkers, I want our Sikh community to know you have more than our condolences. You have our sacred vow that we reject the hatred that took this innocent life and we will protect you.”

Mr. Multani said, “Consider the safety of the Sikh community, please, so that nobody would lose their father, brother, or son like I did.”

It is a well-known fact that Gen Z has become a trendsetting group. From ‘quiet quitting’ to ‘bare minimum Mondays’, we have come across several of these trends in the last year. Now, another fad gaining a lot of attention on social media is ‘silent walking’. It simply means going on a stroll without phones or listening to music, podcasts, or any other technological distraction, as per News.com.au.  

Mady Maio, a podcaster, claims credit for “unintentionally starting a movement” that would “change your life.” In a TikTok video, she recounts that it was her partner who initially encouraged her to go on a stroll without any distractions. “There will be no AirPods, podcasts, or music. It’s just me, myself, and I,” she says in the video, which has almost five lakh views.

She added that she was extremely hesitant at first. “And at first I was like f*** no, my anxiety could never – which is probably what you’re thinking – but something within me was like let me just try it,” she said.

Ms Maio described her first two minutes of walking as “mayhem,” until she reached a “flow state,” when “suddenly you can… hear yourself.” “Look, the universe and your intuition comes to you through whispers, so if you’re never alone with your thoughts and you never get quiet you’re gonna miss the whispers. And those whispers are the most important to be paying attention to,” she added.

Ms Maio claimed that silent walking provided her with the “clarity” she had been seeking. She continued, “The brain fog lifted, suddenly all these ideas are flowing into me because I’m giving them space to enter. Look, if I can do it, you can do it. I promise, just try it out. … Give yourself the gift of getting quiet and listening to those whispers. I feel like when I walk in silence, my senses are on high alert. I smell everything, I hear everything, I am seeing everything, and it’s so grounding for me,” she said.

It is to be noted that the trend was invented by New York City influencer Arielle Lorre, who also promoted the benefits of silent walking on her podcast in April. However, it has now become popular after Ms Maio’s reel went viral on the internet. A lot of people found the trend very interesting but some found it hard to understand that the younger generation finds walking without a phone so innovative.

Is this real? This is just walking … like how people did it before technology,” one person wrote.

Another user added, “Gen Z just discovered walking.”

“What I don’t understand is how you can look at someone walking with no technology and go holy s***, what are they doing? That’s a new method. I haven’t seen this before,” a person wrote.