New Delhi, on Thursday (Nov 30) reiterated that it will be guided by the results of a high-level panel set up as the United States charged an Indian national with conspiring to assassinate Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who has been designated as a terrorist in India.&nbsp;

During a press conference, Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), called linking of 52-year-old Nikhil Gupta, who has been accused of orchestrating the attempted murder of Pannun, with an Indian government employee&nbsp;a “matter of concern.”

“The nexus between organised crime, trafficking, gunrunning and extremists at an international level is a serious issue for the law enforcement agencies and organisations to consider and it is for that reason that a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted and we will be guided by its results,” said the MEA spokesperson, in response to the question about the case.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-charges-indian-national-with-conspiracy-to-assassinate-sikh-separatist-664387">US charges Indian national with conspiracy to assassinate Khalistani separatist Pannun</a>

He also called the issue a “matter of concern” and “contrary to government policy.”&nbsp;

<h2>Indian national charged by US</h2>

The statement by the MEA comes a day after the 52-year-old was charged with conspiring to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Pannun, who says he is a dual citizen of the US and Canada, on American soil.&nbsp;

The Financial Times, citing anonymous sources, earlier this month reported that US authorities had thwarted a plot to assassinate Pannun and issued a “warning” to the Indian government over concerns it was linked to the plot.

Following the allegations, Bagchi said the Indian government set up a high-level inquiry committee on November 18 to look into “all the relevant aspects” of the matter. “The Government of India will take necessary follow-up action based on the findings of the Enquiry Committee,” he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sfjs-pannun-takes-a-u-turn-says-never-claimed-to-bomb-air-india-only-boycott-663929">SFJ's Pannun takes a u-turn, says never claimed to ‘bomb’ Air India, only called for ‘boycott’</a>

Gupta was arrested by Czech authorities in June and is awaiting extradition. “The defendant conspired from India to assassinate, right here in New York City, a US&nbsp;citizen of Indian origin who has publicly advocated for the establishment of a sovereign state for Sikhs,” said Damian Williams federal prosecutor in Manhattan.&nbsp;

While prosecutors did not name the target of Gupta’s alleged plot, they described him as a vocal critic of the Indian government who leads a US-based organisation that advocates for the secession of India’s Punjab state.&nbsp;

<h2>How did Gupta agree&nbsp;to the assassination plot?</h2>

A report by news agency PTI citing the superseding indictment unsealed Wednesday (Nov 29) said that the 52-year-old agreed to the plot after being assured that a criminal case against him in the Indian state of Gujarat would be dismissed.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/piggybacking-on-usas-allegations-trudeau-urges-india-to-take-canadas-claims-seriously-664458">Piggybacking on USA's allegations, Trudeau urges India to take Canada's claims seriously</a>

The prosecutors in the indictment also outline how Gupta agreed to the plot saying that it was following a “series of telephonic and electronic communications” between an Indian official only identified as “CC-1” over encrypted applications.&nbsp;

“CC-1 asked Gupta to arrange the murder of the Victim in exchange for CC-1’s assistance in securing the dismissal of a criminal case against Gupta in India,” the indictment, as per PTI, said.&nbsp;

It added, “In addition to their electronic communications, Gupta also met CC-1 in person in New Delhi in furtherance of the plot.”&nbsp;

The planning was said to have taken place in May and following CC-1’s “assurances, GUPTA pressed forward to arrange the murder,” the indictment said.

(With inputs from agencies)

New Delhi, on Thursday (Nov 30) reiterated that it will be guided by the results of a high-level panel set up as the United States charged an Indian national with conspiring to assassinate Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who has been designated as a terrorist in India.

New Delhi, on Thursday (Nov 30) reiterated that it will be guided by the results of a high-level panel set up as the United States charged an Indian national with conspiring to assassinate Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who has been designated as a terrorist in India. During a press conference, Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), called linking of 52-year-old Nikhil Gupta, who has been accused of orchestrating the attempted murder of Pannun, with an Indian government employee a “matter of concern.” “The nexus between organised crime, trafficking, gunrunning and extremists at an international level is a serious issue for the law enforcement agencies and organisations to consider and it is for that reason that a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted and we will be guided by its results,” said the MEA spokesperson, in response to the question about the case. ALSO READ | US charges Indian national with conspiracy to assassinate Khalistani separatist Pannun He also called the issue a “matter of concern” and “contrary to government policy.” Indian national charged by US The statement by the MEA comes a day after the 52-year-old was charged with conspiring to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Pannun, who says he is a dual citizen of the US and Canada, on American soil. The Financial Times, citing anonymous sources, earlier this month reported that US authorities had thwarted a plot to assassinate Pannun and issued a “warning” to the Indian government over concerns it was linked to the plot. Following the allegations, Bagchi said the Indian government set up a high-level inquiry committee on November 18 to look into “all the relevant aspects” of the matter. “The Government of India will take necessary follow-up action based on the findings of the Enquiry Committee,” he added. ALSO READ | SFJ's Pannun takes a u-turn, says never claimed to ‘bomb’ Air India, only called for ‘boycott’ Gupta was arrested by Czech authorities in June and is awaiting extradition. “The defendant conspired from India to assassinate, right here in New York City, a US citizen of Indian origin who has publicly advocated for the establishment of a sovereign state for Sikhs,” said Damian Williams federal prosecutor in Manhattan. While prosecutors did not name the target of Gupta’s alleged plot, they described him as a vocal critic of the Indian government who leads a US-based organisation that advocates for the secession of India’s Punjab state. How did Gupta agree to the assassination plot? A report by news agency PTI citing the superseding indictment unsealed Wednesday (Nov 29) said that the 52-year-old agreed to the plot after being assured that a criminal case against him in the Indian state of Gujarat would be dismissed. ALSO READ | Piggybacking on USA's allegations, Trudeau urges India to take Canada's claims seriously The prosecutors in the indictment also outline how Gupta agreed to the plot saying that it was following a “series of telephonic and electronic communications” between an Indian official only identified as “CC-1” over encrypted applications. “CC-1 asked Gupta to arrange the murder of the Victim in exchange for CC-1’s assistance in securing the dismissal of a criminal case against Gupta in India,” the indictment, as per PTI, said. It added, “In addition to their electronic communications, Gupta also met CC-1 in person in New Delhi in furtherance of the plot.” The planning was said to have taken place in May and following CC-1’s “assurances, GUPTA pressed forward to arrange the murder,” the indictment said. (With inputs from agencies)

India says high-level panel to look into allegations after US charges Indian in 'plot' to kill SFJ's Pannun

Los Angeles will pay an African-American family USD 20 million nearly a century after it seized a beach from them. The land was finally returned to the descendants of the original owners who were forced by the authorities to sell the prime parcel of land they owned. This forced acquisition took place in 1920s when widespread racial segregation was a common thing in the US.

Bruce's Beach, in the desirable city of Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles county, was purchased by Willa and Charles Bruce with plans to build a resort for African-American people.&nbsp;

But the family faced strong opposition from the local community over their ownership of the land. The couple even received threats from the White Supremacist group Ku Klux Klan. When all coercive measures to wrest the land from Bruces didn't work, the government authorities moved in (1924) and invoked a law that enabled them to forcibly acquire the land under the pretext of building roads and public buildings.

The authorities maintained that a public park would be built on the land taken from the Bruce family. The park didn't come up till 1960s, nearly 40 years after the land was acquired forcibly.

"The seizure of Bruce's Beach nearly a century ago was an injustice inflicted upon not just Willa and Charles Bruce but generations of their descendants who almost certainly would have been millionaires," said Janice Hahn, chairwoman of the LA County Board of Supervisors. Hahn was quoted by the BBC

"This fight has always been about what is best for the Bruce family, and they feel what is best for them is selling this property back to the county for nearly $20m and finally rebuilding the generational wealth they were denied for nearly a century," she added.

In June last year, the county returned that land to the family. The city has agreed to keep leasing the land for USD 413,000 a year to continue operations of a county lifeguard training centre.

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Los Angeles will pay an African-American family USD 20 million nearly a century after it seized a beach from them. The land was finally returned to the descendants of the original owners who were forced by the authorities to sell the prime parcel of land they owned.

Los Angeles will pay an African-American family USD 20 million nearly a century after it seized a beach from them. The land was finally returned to the descendants of the original owners who were forced by the authorities to sell the prime parcel of land they owned. This forced acquisition took place in 1920s when widespread racial segregation was a common thing in the US. Bruce's Beach, in the desirable city of Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles county, was purchased by Willa and Charles Bruce with plans to build a resort for African-American people. But the family faced strong opposition from the local community over their ownership of the land. The couple even received threats from the White Supremacist group Ku Klux Klan. When all coercive measures to wrest the land from Bruces didn't work, the government authorities moved in (1924) and invoked a law that enabled them to forcibly acquire the land under the pretext of building roads and public buildings. The authorities maintained that a public park would be built on the land taken from the Bruce family. The park didn't come up till 1960s, nearly 40 years after the land was acquired forcibly. "The seizure of Bruce's Beach nearly a century ago was an injustice inflicted upon not just Willa and Charles Bruce but generations of their descendants who almost certainly would have been millionaires," said Janice Hahn, chairwoman of the LA County Board of Supervisors. Hahn was quoted by the BBC "This fight has always been about what is best for the Bruce family, and they feel what is best for them is selling this property back to the county for nearly $20m and finally rebuilding the generational wealth they were denied for nearly a century," she added. In June last year, the county returned that land to the family. The city has agreed to keep leasing the land for USD 413,000 a year to continue operations of a county lifeguard training centre. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

LA to pay $20 million to African-American family for forcibly acquiring land

The annual three-hour-long Thanksgiving parade is all set to kickstart in Manhattan with all its glitz and glory.&nbsp;The parade which is considered an important Thanksgiving tradition ushers people into the holiday season with glamour and enthusiasm.

The parade will be held on 24th November on the streets of New York, the event will be streamed online on Peacock and will also be&nbsp;telecast&nbsp;across the country on NBC.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
PHOTOS: Rehearsals kick off for 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC! 🦃🎉🍎<a href="https://t.co/ZaTGkKR35f">https://t.co/ZaTGkKR35f</a>
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYDailyNews/status/1595122133952184320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2>Some basics&nbsp;about the parade</h2>

The annual parade is held in New York City and is presented by the US-based department store chain Macy's. The first such parade took place in 1924, and since then it has become a tradition in New York City. It is also&nbsp;the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States with Detroit's Thanksgiving parade being the oldest.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/usa-blames-russia-for-thanksgiving-dinner-rising-prices-536335">US blames Russia over rising prices of Thanksgiving dinner</a>

The three-hour parade takes place from 9&nbsp;am to 12&nbsp;pm Eastern Standard Time in Manhattan,&nbsp;it ends outside Macy's Herald Square. The people who participate in the parade are Macy's employees&nbsp;and their friends and family, all of whom work as volunteers.

<h2>The route of the parade</h2>

The route of the parade stretches a distance of 2.5 miles starting at Central Park West and 77th Street. It will then move to&nbsp;Columbus Circle and turn onto Central Park South. The parade will then turn south and move towards 34th Street once it reaches 6th Avenue. It will then move towards Macy's Herald Square and will then finally end at 7th Avenue.&nbsp;A detailed map of the route with various other details is also shared on Macy's website.

Check here: <a href="https://www.macys.com/social/parade/where-to-watch/">Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade&nbsp;</a>

<h2>The lineup&nbsp;</h2>

This year the parade will feature 16 giant character balloons, 28 floats, 40 novelty and heritage inflatables,&nbsp;12 marching bands, 700 &nbsp;clowns, and 100 performance groups along with a Santa Claus. The parade also included some new additions&nbsp;to the balloons, BBC's Bluey and Greg Hefley from The Diary of a Wimpy Kid along with Stuart The Minion. Paula Abdul will also be making his debut this year.&nbsp;

The celeb lineup at the parade includes singers Joss Stone, Jordin Sparks, Betty Who. The parade will also witness performances by Adam Devine, Sarah Hyland and Flula Borg. Jimmy Fallon and The Roots will also be present in the event on a float celebrating Central&nbsp;Park.&nbsp;

The annual three-hour-long Thanksgiving parade is all set to kickstart in Manhattan with all its glitz and glory. The parade which is considered an important Thanksgiving tradition ushers people into the holiday season with glamour and enthusiasm.

The annual three-hour-long Thanksgiving parade is all set to kickstart in Manhattan with all its glitz and glory. The parade which is considered an important Thanksgiving tradition ushers people into the holiday season with glamour and enthusiasm. The parade will be held on 24th November on the streets of New York, the event will be streamed online on Peacock and will also be telecast across the country on NBC. PHOTOS: Rehearsals kick off for 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC! 🦃🎉🍎https://t.co/ZaTGkKR35f — New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) November 22, 2022 × Some basics about the parade The annual parade is held in New York City and is presented by the US-based department store chain Macy's. The first such parade took place in 1924, and since then it has become a tradition in New York City. It is also the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States with Detroit's Thanksgiving parade being the oldest. Also Read | US blames Russia over rising prices of Thanksgiving dinner The three-hour parade takes place from 9 am to 12 pm Eastern Standard Time in Manhattan, it ends outside Macy's Herald Square. The people who participate in the parade are Macy's employees and their friends and family, all of whom work as volunteers. The route of the parade The route of the parade stretches a distance of 2.5 miles starting at Central Park West and 77th Street. It will then move to Columbus Circle and turn onto Central Park South. The parade will then turn south and move towards 34th Street once it reaches 6th Avenue. It will then move towards Macy's Herald Square and will then finally end at 7th Avenue. A detailed map of the route with various other details is also shared on Macy's website. Check here: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The lineup This year the parade will feature 16 giant character balloons, 28 floats, 40 novelty and heritage inflatables, 12 marching bands, 700 clowns, and 100 performance groups along with a Santa Claus. The parade also included some new additions to the balloons, BBC's Bluey and Greg Hefley from The Diary of a Wimpy Kid along with Stuart The Minion. Paula Abdul will also be making his debut this year. The celeb lineup at the parade includes singers Joss Stone, Jordin Sparks, Betty Who. The parade will also witness performances by Adam Devine, Sarah Hyland and Flula Borg. Jimmy Fallon and The Roots will also be present in the event on a float celebrating Central Park.

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade 2022: The lineup, route, and everything you need to know

A woman who <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/billionaire-financier-jeffrey-epstein-found-injured-in-jail-cell-media-238325">accused Jeffrey Epstein</a> of keeping her as a sex slave said one of the financier's associates had instructed her to have sex with at least a half-dozen prominent men, according to a court filing unsealed on Friday in a civil lawsuit.

The claim by Virginia Giuffre came in a deposition that was included among roughly 2,000 pages of documents related to her defamation lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell, the associate whom Giuffre has said helped Epstein procure girls for sex.

Lawyers for Maxwell did not respond to several phone and email requests for comment.

Epstein has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking involving dozens of underage girls as young as 14, from at least 2002 to 2005. He is being held in a Manhattan jail.

Lawyers for Epstein did not respond to requests for comment outside business hours. Maxwell has not been criminally charged.

The Giuffre deposition and the other documents were released after a federal appeals court in Manhattan rejected Maxwell's bid to keep them under seal.

Giuffre claimed in a May 3, 2016, deposition that Maxwell directed her to have sex with people including former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, former US Senator George Mitchell, modelling agent Jean Luc Brunel, and financier Glenn Dubin.

It was not clear from the deposition transcript included in the court documents how old Giuffre was at the time of the alleged direction.

The transcript does not indicate whether Giuffre actually engaged in sex with the four men.

None of the four men has been criminally charged in connection with Epstein.

Richardson, Mitchell, and Dubin, or their respective representatives, all said the various allegations against them were false.&nbsp;

A lawyer for Brunel did not respond to a phone call and email seeking comment.

A spokeswoman for Richardson said the former governor had never met Giuffre.

'These allegations and inferences are completely false,' she said.&nbsp;

'To be clear, in Governor Richardson's limited interactions with Mr Epstein, he never saw him in the presence of young or underage girls.'

Mitchell said in a statement: 'The allegation contained in the released documents is false. I have never met, spoken with or had any contact with Ms Giuffre.'

A spokeswoman for Dubin said he was 'outraged' by the unsealed allegations, which he considered 'demonstrably false and defamatory,' and said that he had flight records and other evidence that 'definitively' disproved them.

The name of US President Donald Trump, who was once a friend of Epstein, appears in a Nov. 14, 2016, deposition of Giuffre, in which she said Trump and Epstein had been good friends.

In response to a question about how she knew whom Trump had sex with, Giuffre said she 'didn't physically see him have sex with any of the girls.'

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

A woman who accused Jeffrey Epstein of keeping her as a sex slave said one of the financier's associates had instructed her to have sex with at least a half-dozen prominent men, according to a court filing unsealed on Friday in a civil lawsuit.

A woman who accused Jeffrey Epstein of keeping her as a sex slave said one of the financier's associates had instructed her to have sex with at least a half-dozen prominent men, according to a court filing unsealed on Friday in a civil lawsuit. The claim by Virginia Giuffre came in a deposition that was included among roughly 2,000 pages of documents related to her defamation lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell, the associate whom Giuffre has said helped Epstein procure girls for sex. Lawyers for Maxwell did not respond to several phone and email requests for comment. Epstein has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking involving dozens of underage girls as young as 14, from at least 2002 to 2005. He is being held in a Manhattan jail. Lawyers for Epstein did not respond to requests for comment outside business hours. Maxwell has not been criminally charged. The Giuffre deposition and the other documents were released after a federal appeals court in Manhattan rejected Maxwell's bid to keep them under seal. Giuffre claimed in a May 3, 2016, deposition that Maxwell directed her to have sex with people including former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, former US Senator George Mitchell, modelling agent Jean Luc Brunel, and financier Glenn Dubin. It was not clear from the deposition transcript included in the court documents how old Giuffre was at the time of the alleged direction. The transcript does not indicate whether Giuffre actually engaged in sex with the four men. None of the four men has been criminally charged in connection with Epstein. Richardson, Mitchell, and Dubin, or their respective representatives, all said the various allegations against them were false. A lawyer for Brunel did not respond to a phone call and email seeking comment. A spokeswoman for Richardson said the former governor had never met Giuffre. 'These allegations and inferences are completely false,' she said. 'To be clear, in Governor Richardson's limited interactions with Mr Epstein, he never saw him in the presence of young or underage girls.' Mitchell said in a statement: 'The allegation contained in the released documents is false. I have never met, spoken with or had any contact with Ms Giuffre.' A spokeswoman for Dubin said he was 'outraged' by the unsealed allegations, which he considered 'demonstrably false and defamatory,' and said that he had flight records and other evidence that 'definitively' disproved them. The name of US President Donald Trump, who was once a friend of Epstein, appears in a Nov. 14, 2016, deposition of Giuffre, in which she said Trump and Epstein had been good friends. In response to a question about how she knew whom Trump had sex with, Giuffre said she 'didn't physically see him have sex with any of the girls.' The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Jeffrey Epstein accuser links powerful men to financier: Civil court filing

A wide swath of New York's Manhattan borough was plunged into darkness Saturday after a transformer explosion knocked out power to subways, stores and Broadway theatres, but the city's main utility said it had restored most power within hours.

No deaths or injuries were reported due to the blackout, which officials said began at 6:47 p.m. EDT (2247 GMT), and darkened a stretch of the city from West 42nd Street to West 72nd Street. The outage occurred 42 years to the day from a major 1970s blackout that sparked looting and rioting in the United States' most populous city.

"I just flew over the city and most of the lights are back on, that's clear. Not all of the lights are back on, that's also clear," New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo told a news conference about five hours after the outage began. "It is chaotic now on the West Side, certainly."

By midnight, power had been restored to most of the customers who had lost it, said John McAvoy, chief executive of utility Con Edison. More than 73,000 homes and businesses lost power, officials said.

Shouts of celebration could be heard in parts of Manhattan as power was restored, bringing lights and air conditioners back to life.

The cause of the outage was unclear, McAvoy said, adding, "it does not appear related to excessive load."

A Reuters witness reported hearing an explosion on the Upper West Side around 7 p.m. (2300 GMT), and a city Fire Department spokesman said firefighters were on the scene of a transformer fire.

Sidewalks in Times Square that are usually crowded with tourists on a balmy summer Saturday night were overflowing as Broadway theatres cancelled performances. The lights of nearby Radio City Music Hall were dark.

In an attempt to cheer up customers, the cast of the musical "Come From Away" performed a song in front of the stage door. Other musicals' cast members also staged street-side performances.

With traffic lights out, cars and taxis jammed intersections as emergency vehicles and fire engines with sirens blaring tried to pass. In some places, civilians stepped in to direct traffic, including one who employed a toy lightsaber.

New York has endured large-scale blackouts before, most recently following Superstorm Sandy in 2012 as well as the widespread 2003 blackout across the U.S. Northeast that left most of the city without power for a day.

A New York blackout that crippled the city during a heatwave on July 13, 1977, sparked rioting and looting. Power was not restored until the next day.

'ARE YOU OK?'

Memories of the violence during the 1977 blackout spooked some tourists visiting the city, including Dave and Dara Campbell, of Gilbert, Arizona.

"People from home were texting us, asking, 'Are you OK?'" said Dara Campbell, 40.

Cuomo sent 100 State Police officers and some National Guard troops to help with traffic control.

As darkness fell just before 9 p.m. (0100 GMT), people on the Upper West Side had to use their mobile phone flashlights to negotiate normally brightly lit streets. There were reports of people trapped in building elevators without power.

Subways throughout the city were affected by the outage, with some lines skipping stations that lacked power and even lines in other boroughs diverted.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, who was in Iowa campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination when the outage struck, told CNN said he had spoken with the police commissioner and the deputy commissioner responsible for counterterrorism.

"From what we're seeing at this moment, this is simply a mechanical problem," de Blasio said.

With some stations and traffic lights dark, many residents and visitors alike took to the streets and walked, according to social media posts, many of which had the hashtag #blackoutnyc.

Emerging from a subway station next to Central Park, Jeff O'Malley, a consultant who lives in Manhattan, said he was stuck in a subway car for more than an hour.

"We were stuck for about 75 minutes," said O'Malley, 57. "It's completely dark. People had to use the flashlights on their phones to see their way out."

A wide swath of New York's Manhattan borough was plunged into darkness Saturday after a transformer explosion knocked out power to subways, stores and Broadway theatres, but the city's main utility said it had restored most power within hours.

A wide swath of New York's Manhattan borough was plunged into darkness Saturday after a transformer explosion knocked out power to subways, stores and Broadway theatres, but the city's main utility said it had restored most power within hours. No deaths or injuries were reported due to the blackout, which officials said began at 6:47 p.m. EDT (2247 GMT), and darkened a stretch of the city from West 42nd Street to West 72nd Street. The outage occurred 42 years to the day from a major 1970s blackout that sparked looting and rioting in the United States' most populous city. "I just flew over the city and most of the lights are back on, that's clear. Not all of the lights are back on, that's also clear," New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo told a news conference about five hours after the outage began. "It is chaotic now on the West Side, certainly." By midnight, power had been restored to most of the customers who had lost it, said John McAvoy, chief executive of utility Con Edison. More than 73,000 homes and businesses lost power, officials said. Shouts of celebration could be heard in parts of Manhattan as power was restored, bringing lights and air conditioners back to life. The cause of the outage was unclear, McAvoy said, adding, "it does not appear related to excessive load." A Reuters witness reported hearing an explosion on the Upper West Side around 7 p.m. (2300 GMT), and a city Fire Department spokesman said firefighters were on the scene of a transformer fire. Sidewalks in Times Square that are usually crowded with tourists on a balmy summer Saturday night were overflowing as Broadway theatres cancelled performances. The lights of nearby Radio City Music Hall were dark. In an attempt to cheer up customers, the cast of the musical "Come From Away" performed a song in front of the stage door. Other musicals' cast members also staged street-side performances. With traffic lights out, cars and taxis jammed intersections as emergency vehicles and fire engines with sirens blaring tried to pass. In some places, civilians stepped in to direct traffic, including one who employed a toy lightsaber. New York has endured large-scale blackouts before, most recently following Superstorm Sandy in 2012 as well as the widespread 2003 blackout across the U.S. Northeast that left most of the city without power for a day. A New York blackout that crippled the city during a heatwave on July 13, 1977, sparked rioting and looting. Power was not restored until the next day. 'ARE YOU OK?' Memories of the violence during the 1977 blackout spooked some tourists visiting the city, including Dave and Dara Campbell, of Gilbert, Arizona. "People from home were texting us, asking, 'Are you OK?'" said Dara Campbell, 40. Cuomo sent 100 State Police officers and some National Guard troops to help with traffic control. As darkness fell just before 9 p.m. (0100 GMT), people on the Upper West Side had to use their mobile phone flashlights to negotiate normally brightly lit streets. There were reports of people trapped in building elevators without power. Subways throughout the city were affected by the outage, with some lines skipping stations that lacked power and even lines in other boroughs diverted. Mayor Bill de Blasio, who was in Iowa campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination when the outage struck, told CNN said he had spoken with the police commissioner and the deputy commissioner responsible for counterterrorism. "From what we're seeing at this moment, this is simply a mechanical problem," de Blasio said. With some stations and traffic lights dark, many residents and visitors alike took to the streets and walked, according to social media posts, many of which had the hashtag #blackoutnyc. Emerging from a subway station next to Central Park, Jeff O'Malley, a consultant who lives in Manhattan, said he was stuck in a subway car for more than an hour. "We were stuck for about 75 minutes," said O'Malley, 57. "It's completely dark. People had to use the flashlights on their phones to see their way out."

Blackout disrupts Manhattan, darkens Broadway theatres

manhattan-0

Manhattan, News on Manhattan, stories on Manhattan, articles on Manhattan, Manhattan stories at Wion, Manhattan news, Manhattan latest news

manhattan 0

India says high-level panel to look into allegations after US charges Indian in 'plot' to kill SFJ's Pannun

LA to pay $20 million to African-American family for forcibly acquiring land

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade 2022: The lineup, route, and everything you need to know

Jeffrey Epstein accuser links powerful men to financier: Civil court filing

Blackout disrupts Manhattan, darkens Broadway theatres