<p>New York has become the latest Democratic-run state to roll back its protective mask law, as health officials increasingly talk about America moving towards a phase where COVID-19 doesn't disrupt daily lives.</p>

<p>As the country gears up for key midterm elections later this year that could shape Joe Biden's second half of presidency, masks remain a hot political issue in the United States.</p>

<p>Democrats have led the enforcement of mask mandates, while Republican-led states such as Texas and Florida have gone as far as banning the mandatory wearing of face coverings.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beyond-tragic-who-reports-130-million-cases-and-500000-deaths-linked-to-omicron-451604" hreflang="en">'Beyond tragic': WHO reports 130 million cases and 500,000 deaths linked to Omicron</a></strong></p>

<p>Citing a 96 per cent decline in the number of reported infections since early January, New York governor Kathy Hochul announced that she would not renew an indoor mask mandate for businesses when it expires on Thursday.</p>

<p>Rather, it will be up to each city and business to decide whether to require masks.&nbsp;Hochul however, added&nbsp;that face coverings in schools would remain compulsory until she reviews it next month.</p>

<p>Hochul said the state was "trending in a very, very good direction."</p>

<p>"That is why we are now approaching a new phase in this pandemic," she told reporters. Broadway said it would require masks inside all theatres until April 30.</p>

<p>Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker said masks would no longer be required indoors in most public places by February 28; schools will, however, remain subject to the rule.</p>

<p>As Coronavirus infections fall in the US, several states announced plans Monday to lift mask requirements in indoor places and schools.</p>

<p>This easing of restrictions is also a response to an increasingly pandemic-weary public, occurring at a time when northern neighbour, Canada, is battling trucker-led protests against Covid rules, which have paralysed its capital, Ottawa.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-fda-poised-to-tap-brakes-on-china-made-cancer-drugs-451741" hreflang="en">United States: FDA poised to tap brakes on China-made cancer drugs</a></strong></p>

<p>Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced that vaccinated residents of California will no longer be required to wear masks indoors as of February 15. However, unvaccinated residents will be required to do so.</p>

<p>The mask requirement in Oregon will be lifted no later than March 31, and the mask requirement in Delaware will end on Friday, with mask usage in classrooms ending by March 31.</p>

<p>Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey led the rollbacks, announcing that children and staff would no longer need to wear masks in schools starting March 7.</p>

<p>Connecticut followed suit, with Ned Lamont saying that he was recommending that schools stop wearing masks after February 28.</p>

<p>In addition, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced Wednesday that his state's mask requirement for schools will end on February 28.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Canada truckers' protest against COVID mandates enters the second week</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/canada-truckers-protest-against-covid-mandates-enters-the-second-week-450819/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>School boards still have the option of requiring masks if they so desire despite the lifting of the mandates.</p>

<p>With these changes, a shift is taking place towards learning to live with COVID-19 on an everyday basis.</p>

<p>CDC officials still mandate face masks at federal buildings, train stations, airports and airport terminals. However, its officials are upping their rhetoric about normalizing life.</p>

<p>"We're moving toward a time when Covid won't disrupt our daily lives. A time when Covid won't be a constant crisis, but rather will be something we can protect against and treat," White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said Wednesday.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


New York has become the latest Democratic-run state to roll back its protective mask law, as health officials increasingly talk about America moving towards a phase where COVID-19 doesn't disrupt daily lives.

New York has become the latest Democratic-run state to roll back its protective mask law, as health officials increasingly talk about America moving towards a phase where COVID-19 doesn't disrupt daily lives. As the country gears up for key midterm elections later this year that could shape Joe Biden's second half of presidency, masks remain a hot political issue in the United States. Democrats have led the enforcement of mask mandates, while Republican-led states such as Texas and Florida have gone as far as banning the mandatory wearing of face coverings. Also read | 'Beyond tragic': WHO reports 130 million cases and 500,000 deaths linked to Omicron Citing a 96 per cent decline in the number of reported infections since early January, New York governor Kathy Hochul announced that she would not renew an indoor mask mandate for businesses when it expires on Thursday. Rather, it will be up to each city and business to decide whether to require masks. Hochul however, added that face coverings in schools would remain compulsory until she reviews it next month. Hochul said the state was "trending in a very, very good direction." "That is why we are now approaching a new phase in this pandemic," she told reporters. Broadway said it would require masks inside all theatres until April 30. Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker said masks would no longer be required indoors in most public places by February 28; schools will, however, remain subject to the rule. As Coronavirus infections fall in the US, several states announced plans Monday to lift mask requirements in indoor places and schools. This easing of restrictions is also a response to an increasingly pandemic-weary public, occurring at a time when northern neighbour, Canada, is battling trucker-led protests against Covid rules, which have paralysed its capital, Ottawa. Also read | United States: FDA poised to tap brakes on China-made cancer drugs Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced that vaccinated residents of California will no longer be required to wear masks indoors as of February 15. However, unvaccinated residents will be required to do so. The mask requirement in Oregon will be lifted no later than March 31, and the mask requirement in Delaware will end on Friday, with mask usage in classrooms ending by March 31. Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey led the rollbacks, announcing that children and staff would no longer need to wear masks in schools starting March 7. Connecticut followed suit, with Ned Lamont saying that he was recommending that schools stop wearing masks after February 28. In addition, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced Wednesday that his state's mask requirement for schools will end on February 28. Watch | Canada truckers' protest against COVID mandates enters the second week School boards still have the option of requiring masks if they so desire despite the lifting of the mandates. With these changes, a shift is taking place towards learning to live with COVID-19 on an everyday basis. CDC officials still mandate face masks at federal buildings, train stations, airports and airport terminals. However, its officials are upping their rhetoric about normalizing life. "We're moving toward a time when Covid won't disrupt our daily lives. A time when Covid won't be a constant crisis, but rather will be something we can protect against and treat," White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said Wednesday. (With inputs from agencies)

New York, Illinois latest to announce an end to mask mandates. These US states are also ending mask mandates

New York's Governor on Wednesday announced to put an end to mandatory masking mandate in most of the indoor places in the city, but ruled out schools for now. The Governor added that the decline in infection rates and hospitalisations have led to rescind the order.

New York to lift mandatory masking law, rules out schools

<p>The New York City Council held a hearing on Tuesday to consider a plan to make sidewalk dining - first allowed in 2020 as a temporary measure to help blunt economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic - part of the new normal.</p>

<p>The plan to give permanent status to thousands of "streateries" outside of restaurants and bars has the support of Mayor Eric Adams and the New York Hospitality Alliance, an industry association.</p>

<p>Opponents say outside dining has created unsanitary conditions, helped draw more rats to sidewalks, drawn noise complaints in some neighborhoods and reduced the number of available parking spaces.</p>

<p>The Uniformed Firefighters Association has complained the sheds have narrowed streets so much as to delay their response and prevent them from safely raising ladders to windows.</p>

<p>The Coalition United for Equitable Urban Policy, an alliance of local businesses and residents, held a "Chuck the Sheds" protest rally over the weekend.</p>

<p>The 51-member council body will vote on the bill at a later date if it makes it through a committee vote.</p>

<p>The outdoor cafes were first permitted on a temporary basis under an “Open Restaurants” initiative to help offset the closure of indoor dining because of the pandemic, and later when severe capacity restrictions were imposed.</p>

<p>Restaurants were quick to set up makeshift structures of plywood and plastic sheeting, and many later installed more elaborate structures, some with heaters, suggesting they hoped the program was here to stay.</p>

<p>City officials and the restaurant industry have lauded the initiative for saving thousands of restaurants from closing permanently and enabling tens of thousands of workers to keep their jobs.</p>

<p>More than 12,000 restaurants and bars across New York, once the pandemic epicenter, take part in the program and 360 streets have been shut down to cars to expand space for outdoor restaurant eating, according to an online tracker.</p>

<p>Council member Marjorie Velázquez, who sponsored the bill, said the temporary program saved more than 100,000 jobs citywide.</p>

<p>"Beyond its positive economic impact, outdoor dining reimagined what the city could do with our streets," said Velázquez, who chaired the committee holding the hearing.</p>

<p>Council members at Tuesday's hearing questioned whether the city transportation department had the capacity to oversee such a program.</p>

<p>Some, concerned about the thousands of complaints logged against some restaurants, questioned what standards and enforcement measures would be put in place to ensure safety and cleanliness.</p>


The New York City Council held a hearing on Tuesday to consider a plan to make sidewalk dining - first allowed in 2020 as a temporary measure to help blunt economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic - part of the new normal.

The New York City Council held a hearing on Tuesday to consider a plan to make sidewalk dining - first allowed in 2020 as a temporary measure to help blunt economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic - part of the new normal. The plan to give permanent status to thousands of "streateries" outside of restaurants and bars has the support of Mayor Eric Adams and the New York Hospitality Alliance, an industry association. Opponents say outside dining has created unsanitary conditions, helped draw more rats to sidewalks, drawn noise complaints in some neighborhoods and reduced the number of available parking spaces. The Uniformed Firefighters Association has complained the sheds have narrowed streets so much as to delay their response and prevent them from safely raising ladders to windows. The Coalition United for Equitable Urban Policy, an alliance of local businesses and residents, held a "Chuck the Sheds" protest rally over the weekend. The 51-member council body will vote on the bill at a later date if it makes it through a committee vote. The outdoor cafes were first permitted on a temporary basis under an “Open Restaurants” initiative to help offset the closure of indoor dining because of the pandemic, and later when severe capacity restrictions were imposed. Restaurants were quick to set up makeshift structures of plywood and plastic sheeting, and many later installed more elaborate structures, some with heaters, suggesting they hoped the program was here to stay. City officials and the restaurant industry have lauded the initiative for saving thousands of restaurants from closing permanently and enabling tens of thousands of workers to keep their jobs. More than 12,000 restaurants and bars across New York, once the pandemic epicenter, take part in the program and 360 streets have been shut down to cars to expand space for outdoor restaurant eating, according to an online tracker. Council member Marjorie Velázquez, who sponsored the bill, said the temporary program saved more than 100,000 jobs citywide. "Beyond its positive economic impact, outdoor dining reimagined what the city could do with our streets," said Velázquez, who chaired the committee holding the hearing. Council members at Tuesday's hearing questioned whether the city transportation department had the capacity to oversee such a program. Some, concerned about the thousands of complaints logged against some restaurants, questioned what standards and enforcement measures would be put in place to ensure safety and cleanliness.

New York considers making outdoor dining a permanent fixture

<p>A life-sized bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalised in a New York City neighbourhood on Saturday, an act strongly condemned as 'despicable' by the Consulate General of India here.</p>

<p>The 8-foot-high statue, located in Manhattan's Union Square, was defaced by some unknown persons, the Consulate General of India said.</p>

<p>"The Consulate condemns this act of vandalism in the strongest terms,"&nbsp;it said, adding that the matter has been taken up with local authorities.</p>

<p>"The matter has also been taken up with the US State Department for immediate investigation and urged appropriate action against those responsible for this despicable act,"&nbsp;it said.</p>

<p>The incident has shocked the Indian-American community here.</p>

<p>The statue was donated by the Gandhi Memorial International Foundation, and was dedicated on October 2, 1986 to mark the 117th birth anniversary of Gandhi.</p>

<p>American civil rights leader Bayard Rustin had delivered a keynote speech at the ceremony.</p>

<p>Incidentally, the statue was removed in 2001, conserved and reinstalled in a landscape garden area in 2002.</p>

<p>This is not the first time a statue of Gandhi has been desecrated in the US.</p>

<p>In January last year, unknown miscreants had vandalised, broken and ripped from the base a statue of Gandhi in a park in the US state of California, evoking a strong response from India which sought a thorough investigation and appropriate action against those responsible for the "despicable act."</p>

<p>The 6-ft tall, 650-pound (294 kg) bronze statue of Gandhi, in the Central Park of the City of Davis in Northern California, had been sawed off at the ankles and half its face was severed and missing.</p>

<p>The vandalised statue of Gandhi was found by a park employee in the early hours of morning of January 27, 2021, the police had said.</p>

<p>In December 2020, Khalistani-supporters had desecrated a Gandhi statue in Washington, DC in front of the Indian Embassy.</p>

<p>The then White House Press Secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, had termed the incident as "terrible".</p>

<p>"No statue or memorial should be desecrated and certainly not one like that of Gandhi, who really fought for the values that America represents of peace, justice, and freedom.&nbsp;It is appalling that it has happened more than once and we believe the reputation of Mahatma Gandhi should be respected, especially here in America's capital,"&nbsp;she had said.</p>

<p>Also in June 2020, some unknown miscreants vandalised the statue of Gandhi outside the Indian embassy in the US with graffiti and spray painting, prompting the mission to register a complaint with the local law enforcement agencies.</p>

<p>Vandalism of the statue of the apostle of peace happened during the week of nationwide protests against the custodial killing of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.&nbsp;</p>


A life-sized bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalised in a New York City neighbourhood on Saturday, an act strongly condemned as 'despicable' by the Consulate General of India here.

A life-sized bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalised in a New York City neighbourhood on Saturday, an act strongly condemned as 'despicable' by the Consulate General of India here. The 8-foot-high statue, located in Manhattan's Union Square, was defaced by some unknown persons, the Consulate General of India said. "The Consulate condemns this act of vandalism in the strongest terms," it said, adding that the matter has been taken up with local authorities. "The matter has also been taken up with the US State Department for immediate investigation and urged appropriate action against those responsible for this despicable act," it said. The incident has shocked the Indian-American community here. The statue was donated by the Gandhi Memorial International Foundation, and was dedicated on October 2, 1986 to mark the 117th birth anniversary of Gandhi. American civil rights leader Bayard Rustin had delivered a keynote speech at the ceremony. Incidentally, the statue was removed in 2001, conserved and reinstalled in a landscape garden area in 2002. This is not the first time a statue of Gandhi has been desecrated in the US. In January last year, unknown miscreants had vandalised, broken and ripped from the base a statue of Gandhi in a park in the US state of California, evoking a strong response from India which sought a thorough investigation and appropriate action against those responsible for the "despicable act." The 6-ft tall, 650-pound (294 kg) bronze statue of Gandhi, in the Central Park of the City of Davis in Northern California, had been sawed off at the ankles and half its face was severed and missing. The vandalised statue of Gandhi was found by a park employee in the early hours of morning of January 27, 2021, the police had said. In December 2020, Khalistani-supporters had desecrated a Gandhi statue in Washington, DC in front of the Indian Embassy. The then White House Press Secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, had termed the incident as "terrible". "No statue or memorial should be desecrated and certainly not one like that of Gandhi, who really fought for the values that America represents of peace, justice, and freedom. It is appalling that it has happened more than once and we believe the reputation of Mahatma Gandhi should be respected, especially here in America's capital," she had said. Also in June 2020, some unknown miscreants vandalised the statue of Gandhi outside the Indian embassy in the US with graffiti and spray painting, prompting the mission to register a complaint with the local law enforcement agencies. Vandalism of the statue of the apostle of peace happened during the week of nationwide protests against the custodial killing of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.

Mahatma Gandhi's statue vandalised in New York

<p>People taking a stroll at New York’s Central Park in the early morning were shocked when they saw the presence of a massive security team closely guarding a giant cube.</p>

<p>But that giant cube weighing 186 kilograms was not made of any ordinary metal. It was reportedly made from pure 24-karat gold, and it has been positioned in the middle of the park’s Naumburg Bandshell venue.</p>

<p>The main brain behind this artwork is a German artist named Niclas Castello.</p>

<p>“Never before in the history of humanity has such an enormous amount of gold been cast into a single, pure object. Gold — the eternal metal. Symbol of the sun, of light, of the good,” he said in the description of his artwork.</p>

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<p>Although the artist isn’t interested in selling, the cube has been valued at about $11.7 million, as the gold was purchased at $1,788 per ounce.</p>

<p>But as per reports, the artwork was merely a sideshow to draw the people’s attention to the artist's own cryptocoin known a ‘Castello Coin’.</p>

<p>And he also plans to launch a related NFT that is set to go on auction later this month, the Daily Mail reported.</p>

<p>According to New York Times, 43-year-old Castello showcased the gold cube for only one day in order to emphasise the rarity of the artwork.</p>

<p>Giving shape to the giant piece of structure was no mere feat.</p>

<p>Castell’s team said that a special handmade kiln was created to accommodate the volume of the gold. The kiln was heated up high enough to melt gold bars at 1,100 degrees Celsius for it to be recast.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Castello CUBE was manufactured in the Art Foundry H. Rüetschi in Aarau, Switzerland.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


People taking a stroll at New York’s Central Park in the early morning were shocked when they saw the presence of a massive security team closely guarding a giant cube.

People taking a stroll at New York’s Central Park in the early morning were shocked when they saw the presence of a massive security team closely guarding a giant cube. But that giant cube weighing 186 kilograms was not made of any ordinary metal. It was reportedly made from pure 24-karat gold, and it has been positioned in the middle of the park’s Naumburg Bandshell venue. The main brain behind this artwork is a German artist named Niclas Castello. “Never before in the history of humanity has such an enormous amount of gold been cast into a single, pure object. Gold — the eternal metal. Symbol of the sun, of light, of the good,” he said in the description of his artwork. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Niclas Castello (@niclas.castello) × Although the artist isn’t interested in selling, the cube has been valued at about $11.7 million, as the gold was purchased at $1,788 per ounce. But as per reports, the artwork was merely a sideshow to draw the people’s attention to the artist's own cryptocoin known a ‘Castello Coin’. And he also plans to launch a related NFT that is set to go on auction later this month, the Daily Mail reported. According to New York Times, 43-year-old Castello showcased the gold cube for only one day in order to emphasise the rarity of the artwork. Giving shape to the giant piece of structure was no mere feat. Castell’s team said that a special handmade kiln was created to accommodate the volume of the gold. The kiln was heated up high enough to melt gold bars at 1,100 degrees Celsius for it to be recast. The Castello CUBE was manufactured in the Art Foundry H. Rüetschi in Aarau, Switzerland. (With inputs from agencies)

Pure gold cube worth $11 mn appears in New York, and it has a crypto connection

<p>In a horrifying incident, the skeletal remains of a person were found inside Central Park on Friday afternoon, reports police. It happened when a jogger came across a tent in a wooded area behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He immediately informed the Parks department workers. The incident took place at 79th Street and East Drive just before 12:30 pm.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per New York Police Department, the city medical examiner said that the remains were in a “highly decomposed state” and mostly skeletal. &nbsp;</p>

<p>An investigation is still ongoing as it is not yet clear how long the tent had been at the location or when the individual died.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/21-year-old-hiker-dies-while-trying-to-take-a-selfie-from-mountain-top-448603"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;21-year-old hiker dies while trying to take a selfie from mountain top</strong></a></p>

<p>Meanwhile, a 21-year-old hiker named Richard Jacobson died after he slipped from the top of an Arizona mountain while taking a selfie. His body was recovered after a fellow hiking companion called 911 at 12:45 am on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the call, Arizona Department of Public Safety sent out a helicopter to carry forward the late-night rescue effort.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sergeant Doug Peoble with Pinal County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue, while speaking to local media said, "Mr. Jacobson went to go take a photograph with himself and the city skyline in the background, and he lost his footing, and he slipped, and he fell."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In a horrifying incident, the skeletal remains of a person were found inside Central Park on Friday afternoon, reports police. It happened when a jogger came across a tent in a wooded area behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In a horrifying incident, the skeletal remains of a person were found inside Central Park on Friday afternoon, reports police. It happened when a jogger came across a tent in a wooded area behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He immediately informed the Parks department workers. The incident took place at 79th Street and East Drive just before 12:30 pm. As per New York Police Department, the city medical examiner said that the remains were in a “highly decomposed state” and mostly skeletal. An investigation is still ongoing as it is not yet clear how long the tent had been at the location or when the individual died. Also read | 21-year-old hiker dies while trying to take a selfie from mountain top Meanwhile, a 21-year-old hiker named Richard Jacobson died after he slipped from the top of an Arizona mountain while taking a selfie. His body was recovered after a fellow hiking companion called 911 at 12:45 am on Monday. After the call, Arizona Department of Public Safety sent out a helicopter to carry forward the late-night rescue effort. Sergeant Doug Peoble with Pinal County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue, while speaking to local media said, "Mr. Jacobson went to go take a photograph with himself and the city skyline in the background, and he lost his footing, and he slipped, and he fell." (With inputs from agencies)

Skeleton remains found inside a tent in Central Park in New York

<p>New York Mayor Eric Adams called the recent attack on police officers an attack on the entire city. The shooting in the Harlem neighbourhood left one police officer dead and another in critical condition on Friday (January 21).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jason Rivera, who lost his life was a 22-year-old rookie officer. The gravely injured officer is fighting for his life in hospital. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The person who was&nbsp;accused of the shooting has been identified by the police as LaShawn McNeil, 47. Police informed that he was also shot but so far, his condition was not known.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-trump-campaign-adviser-boris-epshteyn-was-part-of-the-process-of-alternate-electors-plot-446819">Former Trump campaign adviser Boris Epshteyn was 'part of the process' of 'alternate electors' plot</a></strong></p>

<p>During an emotional address, Adams said, "This was an attack on the city of New York. It is an attack on the children and families of this city."&nbsp;</p>

<p>When he was running for office, the cop-turned mayor had promised to improve public safety in America's largest city as gun violence is rising.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Adams also urged federal action on gun control while calling on New Yorkers to work with cops to stem the violence. "No matter how painful this moment is, don't give up on these people in this city," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It is our city against the killers!" he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We are not going to win this battle by dividing lines between us,” he said. “We must save this city together," he said.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tonight, we mourn Officer Jason Rivera. We pray for Officer Wilbert Mora. And we stand united as a city to end gun violence and make our streets safe for every New Yorker. <a href="https://t.co/hJwV3RpGW1">pic.twitter.com/hJwV3RpGW1</a></p>
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/1485049472900083714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is a painful moment for our city. An 11-month-old baby shot in the face. A 22-year-old NYPD officer killed. I meant what I said last night: It will take all of us to stop this crisis. The work our violence interrupters are doing in the Bronx is critical to this fight. <a href="https://t.co/TLHlp0juCR">pic.twitter.com/TLHlp0juCR</a></p>
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/1485046862608535555?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/1485040519436722177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>The latest incident means a total of four New York City police officers have been shot this week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In recent days, there is a spike in violent crime during the pandemic is an early challenge for Adams, who took over the helm of the city on January 1.&nbsp;</p>


New York Mayor Eric Adams called the recent attack on police officers an attack on the entire city. The shooting in the Harlem neighbourhood left one police officer dead and another in critical condition on Friday (January 21).

New York Mayor Eric Adams called the recent attack on police officers an attack on the entire city. The shooting in the Harlem neighbourhood left one police officer dead and another in critical condition on Friday (January 21). Jason Rivera, who lost his life was a 22-year-old rookie officer. The gravely injured officer is fighting for his life in hospital. The person who was accused of the shooting has been identified by the police as LaShawn McNeil, 47. Police informed that he was also shot but so far, his condition was not known. ALSO READ | Former Trump campaign adviser Boris Epshteyn was 'part of the process' of 'alternate electors' plot During an emotional address, Adams said, "This was an attack on the city of New York. It is an attack on the children and families of this city." When he was running for office, the cop-turned mayor had promised to improve public safety in America's largest city as gun violence is rising. Adams also urged federal action on gun control while calling on New Yorkers to work with cops to stem the violence. "No matter how painful this moment is, don't give up on these people in this city," he said. "It is our city against the killers!" he added. “We are not going to win this battle by dividing lines between us,” he said. “We must save this city together," he said. Tonight, we mourn Officer Jason Rivera. We pray for Officer Wilbert Mora. And we stand united as a city to end gun violence and make our streets safe for every New Yorker. pic.twitter.com/hJwV3RpGW1 — Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) January 23, 2022 × This is a painful moment for our city. An 11-month-old baby shot in the face. A 22-year-old NYPD officer killed. I meant what I said last night: It will take all of us to stop this crisis. The work our violence interrupters are doing in the Bronx is critical to this fight. pic.twitter.com/TLHlp0juCR — Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) January 23, 2022 × pic.twitter.com/3bZwRdn1hY — Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) January 23, 2022 × The latest incident means a total of four New York City police officers have been shot this week. In recent days, there is a spike in violent crime during the pandemic is an early challenge for Adams, who took over the helm of the city on January 1.

'It's our city against killers': New York mayor furious, makes plea after cop killed in shooting

New York Mayor Eric Adams has pledged to tackle the rising gun violence in the city. This comes a day after a New York city police officer was killed and another was injured in a Harlem apartment.

New York Mayor pledges to tackle rising gun violence day after city police officer gets killed

Mayor of New York has pledged to tackle rising gun violence in the city. This comes a day after a New York city police officer was killed and another was injured in a Harlem apartment.

Mayor of New York pledges to tackle rising gun violence in city

At least one New York city police officer has been killed and another injured after a gunman opened fire at them near Harlem neighbourhood.

At least one New York city police officer killed after gunman opens fire at them

After decades of protest the removal of New York City's controversial monument the statue of former American president Theodore Roosevelt began this week. The Roosevelt statue outside of the American museum of natural history was commissioned back in 1925 and it depicts a former president on a horse with a native American man and also an African man on foot at his side, the monument has long been criticized as being a racist and also a colonialist symbol.

Theodore Roosevelt statue removed from outside New York museum

Thousands of New Yorkers gathered in Times Square for a mass vigil in memory of random subway-shove victim Michelle Go.

New Yorkers organises a vigil for subway crime victim in Times Square

<p>American billionaire Daniel Och recently sold his four-bedroom penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park for $190 million. This is being termed as one of the most expensive sales in New York real estate history.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to reports by the Wall Street Journal, Och purchased the house two years ago for half the price at $93 million. When he purchased the penthouse in 2019, he had changed his state of residence to Florida. This was done for tax reasons.</p>

<p>However, he planned to use the New York apartment as his "pied-a-terre."</p>

<p>According to WSJ, he still owns another luxury apartment around the corner, which he listed for $57.5 million in 2019. However, it was removed from the listing five months ago.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/single-page-of-1984-spider-man-comic-sells-for-record-336-million-at-auction-444822"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Single page of 1984 Spider-Man comic sells for record $3.36 million at auction</strong></a></p>

<p>WSJ states that the recent purchase has been made by an anonymous buyer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Och has a net worth of around $4.1 billion. He is the founder of New York-based investment firm Och-Ziff Capital Management. The firm changed its name in September 2019 to Sculptor.</p>

<p>According to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Och has been involved in bribery scandals that authorised two corrupt transactions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


American billionaire Daniel Och recently sold his four-bedroom penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park for $190 million. This is being termed as one of the most expensive sales in New York real estate history.

American billionaire Daniel Och recently sold his four-bedroom penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park for $190 million. This is being termed as one of the most expensive sales in New York real estate history. According to reports by the Wall Street Journal, Och purchased the house two years ago for half the price at $93 million. When he purchased the penthouse in 2019, he had changed his state of residence to Florida. This was done for tax reasons. However, he planned to use the New York apartment as his "pied-a-terre." According to WSJ, he still owns another luxury apartment around the corner, which he listed for $57.5 million in 2019. However, it was removed from the listing five months ago. Also read | Single page of 1984 Spider-Man comic sells for record $3.36 million at auction WSJ states that the recent purchase has been made by an anonymous buyer. Och has a net worth of around $4.1 billion. He is the founder of New York-based investment firm Och-Ziff Capital Management. The firm changed its name in September 2019 to Sculptor. According to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Och has been involved in bribery scandals that authorised two corrupt transactions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (With inputs from agencies)

In one of the priciest real estate sales, New York apartment sells for $190 million

<p>Walking into Dress Shoppe II is like walking into an emporium of colour and cloth. The shelves are overflowing with hand-embroidered fabrics and saris, the racks are tightly packed with kurtas and salwar suits, and even the ceilings are covered in intricate tapestries. Below the main floor of the shop, there are two storage floors packed with piles of additional product. All of it needs to go by Jan. 31.</p>

<p>After nearly 50 years of business, the treasured East Village store is shutting down. Following nearly two years of pandemic-related struggles, combined with a landlord dispute, the loss of her husband and her own health problems, Saroj Goyal, the owner, decided that closing the store was the best choice.</p>

<p>“Every moment is special here,” said Goyal, 72, as she sat sipping hot tea on a December afternoon. Every so often, she paused the conversation to help a customer who had wandered in, sharing suggestions and telling them to check out the shop’s Instagram.</p>

<p>Goyal and her husband, Purushottam Goyal, emigrated from Delhi, India, in the 1970s. It was his idea to open the business in 1977; the shop soon became a slice of South Asia in Manhattan.</p>

<p>For decades, the couple would travel to India to find one-of-a-kind objects to sell. “My husband walked from village to village to collect all these things. He had a very unique taste,” Saroj Goyal said, picking up a hand-beaded textile.</p>

<p>In September 2019, Purushottam Goyal died, a loss that still pains Saroj Goyal every day. The store now holds several mementoes of his life. “My husband made me laugh so much in this room. All day every day, we were together for 50 years in this shop,” Goyal said, tearing up.</p>

<p>There’s a portrait of Purushottam Goyal hung high on the back wall and a book filled with handwritten tributes to him from customers on the checkout counter. “The world is a little less good with his passing,” one person wrote. Another: “Your presence is missed physically, but your spirit is all around this place.”</p>

<p>On top of grieving his loss, Saroj Goyal had to figure how to keep the store running; administrative matters had been her husband’s domain.</p>

<p>In February 2020, she called up her landlord, the Cooper Square Mutual Housing Association II, to discuss rent. Cooper Square manages low-income housing co-ops on the Lower East Side; rents in those buildings are subsidized by income from the company’s commercial properties. Goyal set up an appointment over the phone with someone from the office, but when the time came, she said, no one showed up.</p>

<p>Later that month, a representative from Cooper Square came to the shop unannounced and demanded a lump-sum payment of all the missed rent, Goyal said. Soon after, the pandemic arrived, and it was difficult for the shop to rake in any sales at all for several months. Then, in February 2021, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. About four months later, in June, Cooper Square sued her for more than $265,000.</p>

<p>“We’re sad to see Dress Shoppe go, but we have to remain a fiscally solvent project,” said Dave Powell, the executive director of Cooper Square. “We respectfully but categorically dispute Ms. Goyal’s characterizations of the interactions that she’s had with staff.” Powell added that the Dress Shoppe occupies their largest commercial space. “So not having a rent-paying tenant at that storefront was a significant blow to our co-op’s financial health,” he said.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Goyal’s story caught the attention of the internet.</p>

<p>In December 2020, Nicolas Heller paid the shop a visit and posted about it on his Instagram page, @newyorknico, which has more than 760,000 followers. “When I do these posts, the reaction is always positive, but some businesses resonate more than others. With this one, there were so many people commenting with memories shopping there, of Saroj’s husband, just beautiful anecdotes about the shop,” he said.</p>

<p>Supermodel Bella Hadid reposted Heller’s photos, writing, “please please please Let’s go visit @dressshoppenyc &amp; Mrs. Saroj Goyal to show her some loving support !!! She has devoted her life to this business and we need to remind her of how important she is!”</p>

<p>Brandon Stanton, the creator of the blog Humans of New York, which has more than 17 million followers on Facebook, wrote a post on Goyal in July. “When I met her, I was very moved by her story and her kindness,” he said. Goyal being kept out of the loop on the inner workings of the business left her in a vulnerable situation, Stanton added, which was something that his readers empathized with. “A lot of people recognized similarities in their own cultures, or the interactions between their own older parents or women in their lives.”</p>

<p>He said he also helped mediate a deal between Goyal and the landlord, and they came to the agreement that Goyal would pay Cooper Square $130,000 and give up the shop by the end of January. Stanton started a GoFundMe to collect donations for Goyal, which raised nearly $500,000.</p>

<p>For the shop’s many loyal customers, the news of its closing is emotional.</p>

<p>Nadine Hanson, 30, first discovered Dress Shoppe II in 2014, the year she had moved to New York. “I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin, and I was exposed to very little South Asian culture there,” she said. Hanson, a waitress, eventually became close to Goyal, and the two even spent Christmas Eve together in the store in 2020. “I feel like she’s family now,” Hanson said.</p>

<p>“The East Village is changing so much, has changed so much, and this is another nail in the coffin,” said Jenny Goldberg, a 39-year-old therapist. “Dress Shoppe is a place I could always walk in and be greeted with love and stories, offerings of tea. It was a little sanctuary in the middle of the busy city.”</p>

<p>Kate Mueller, 28, a graduate student who worked in the store part time, said that her favourite memories there were the long chats she had with Goyal. “In between helping organize things, we would just sit and talk about life,” she said. “It’s these types of stores that are the lifeblood of this city.”</p>

<p>Now, Goyal’s focus is on selling as much of her stock as possible before she has to vacate the property at the end of the month. She has an Etsy store, which Hanson helped her set up, and she’s planning to create her own online shop to keep the business alive.</p>

<p>But Goyal will miss the brick-and-mortar shop. “I love talking to the customers and dealing with them directly,” she said. “I’m very grateful for the East Village, for my customers for giving me all of their love and support.”</p>


Walking into Dress Shoppe II is like walking into an emporium of colour and cloth. The shelves are overflowing with hand-embroidered fabrics and saris, the racks are tightly packed with kurtas and salwar suits, and even the ceilings are covered in intricate tapestries.

Walking into Dress Shoppe II is like walking into an emporium of colour and cloth. The shelves are overflowing with hand-embroidered fabrics and saris, the racks are tightly packed with kurtas and salwar suits, and even the ceilings are covered in intricate tapestries. Below the main floor of the shop, there are two storage floors packed with piles of additional product. All of it needs to go by Jan. 31. After nearly 50 years of business, the treasured East Village store is shutting down. Following nearly two years of pandemic-related struggles, combined with a landlord dispute, the loss of her husband and her own health problems, Saroj Goyal, the owner, decided that closing the store was the best choice. “Every moment is special here,” said Goyal, 72, as she sat sipping hot tea on a December afternoon. Every so often, she paused the conversation to help a customer who had wandered in, sharing suggestions and telling them to check out the shop’s Instagram. Goyal and her husband, Purushottam Goyal, emigrated from Delhi, India, in the 1970s. It was his idea to open the business in 1977; the shop soon became a slice of South Asia in Manhattan. For decades, the couple would travel to India to find one-of-a-kind objects to sell. “My husband walked from village to village to collect all these things. He had a very unique taste,” Saroj Goyal said, picking up a hand-beaded textile. In September 2019, Purushottam Goyal died, a loss that still pains Saroj Goyal every day. The store now holds several mementoes of his life. “My husband made me laugh so much in this room. All day every day, we were together for 50 years in this shop,” Goyal said, tearing up. There’s a portrait of Purushottam Goyal hung high on the back wall and a book filled with handwritten tributes to him from customers on the checkout counter. “The world is a little less good with his passing,” one person wrote. Another: “Your presence is missed physically, but your spirit is all around this place.” On top of grieving his loss, Saroj Goyal had to figure how to keep the store running; administrative matters had been her husband’s domain. In February 2020, she called up her landlord, the Cooper Square Mutual Housing Association II, to discuss rent. Cooper Square manages low-income housing co-ops on the Lower East Side; rents in those buildings are subsidized by income from the company’s commercial properties. Goyal set up an appointment over the phone with someone from the office, but when the time came, she said, no one showed up. Later that month, a representative from Cooper Square came to the shop unannounced and demanded a lump-sum payment of all the missed rent, Goyal said. Soon after, the pandemic arrived, and it was difficult for the shop to rake in any sales at all for several months. Then, in February 2021, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. About four months later, in June, Cooper Square sued her for more than $265,000. “We’re sad to see Dress Shoppe go, but we have to remain a fiscally solvent project,” said Dave Powell, the executive director of Cooper Square. “We respectfully but categorically dispute Ms. Goyal’s characterizations of the interactions that she’s had with staff.” Powell added that the Dress Shoppe occupies their largest commercial space. “So not having a rent-paying tenant at that storefront was a significant blow to our co-op’s financial health,” he said. Meanwhile, Goyal’s story caught the attention of the internet. In December 2020, Nicolas Heller paid the shop a visit and posted about it on his Instagram page, @newyorknico, which has more than 760,000 followers. “When I do these posts, the reaction is always positive, but some businesses resonate more than others. With this one, there were so many people commenting with memories shopping there, of Saroj’s husband, just beautiful anecdotes about the shop,” he said. Supermodel Bella Hadid reposted Heller’s photos, writing, “please please please Let’s go visit @dressshoppenyc & Mrs. Saroj Goyal to show her some loving support !!! She has devoted her life to this business and we need to remind her of how important she is!” Brandon Stanton, the creator of the blog Humans of New York, which has more than 17 million followers on Facebook, wrote a post on Goyal in July. “When I met her, I was very moved by her story and her kindness,” he said. Goyal being kept out of the loop on the inner workings of the business left her in a vulnerable situation, Stanton added, which was something that his readers empathized with. “A lot of people recognized similarities in their own cultures, or the interactions between their own older parents or women in their lives.” He said he also helped mediate a deal between Goyal and the landlord, and they came to the agreement that Goyal would pay Cooper Square $130,000 and give up the shop by the end of January. Stanton started a GoFundMe to collect donations for Goyal, which raised nearly $500,000. For the shop’s many loyal customers, the news of its closing is emotional. Nadine Hanson, 30, first discovered Dress Shoppe II in 2014, the year she had moved to New York. “I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin, and I was exposed to very little South Asian culture there,” she said. Hanson, a waitress, eventually became close to Goyal, and the two even spent Christmas Eve together in the store in 2020. “I feel like she’s family now,” Hanson said. “The East Village is changing so much, has changed so much, and this is another nail in the coffin,” said Jenny Goldberg, a 39-year-old therapist. “Dress Shoppe is a place I could always walk in and be greeted with love and stories, offerings of tea. It was a little sanctuary in the middle of the busy city.” Kate Mueller, 28, a graduate student who worked in the store part time, said that her favourite memories there were the long chats she had with Goyal. “In between helping organize things, we would just sit and talk about life,” she said. “It’s these types of stores that are the lifeblood of this city.” Now, Goyal’s focus is on selling as much of her stock as possible before she has to vacate the property at the end of the month. She has an Etsy store, which Hanson helped her set up, and she’s planning to create her own online shop to keep the business alive. But Goyal will miss the brick-and-mortar shop. “I love talking to the customers and dealing with them directly,” she said. “I’m very grateful for the East Village, for my customers for giving me all of their love and support.”

After nearly 50 years, a beloved East Village Indian boutique is closing

In an unfortunate incident, at least 19 people have died and, dozens have been injured after a massive fire tore through a high-rise residential building in new york city. The victims also include nine children.

US: Apartment fire in New York City kills 19, including 9 children

<p>US State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs on Sunday (January 9) said that they are "deeply disturbed" by the reports of an attack on a Sikh cab driver at John F Kennedy airport in New York City.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We are deeply disturbed by reports of an attack on a Sikh cab driver at John F. Kennedy airport, captured on video last week. Our diversity makes the US stronger, and we condemn any form of hate-based violence," the State Department said in a tweet.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chinese-propaganda-continues-pla-looks-to-present-galwan-valley-stones-to-netizens-on-february-1-443084">Chinese propaganda continues, PLA looks to present Galwan Valley stones to netizens on February 1</a></strong></p>

<p>The video of the incident went viral on social media after it was first posted on January 5. However, more details are awaited to know when and why the incident exactly happened.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the viral video, a man can be seen throwing punches at a Sikh cab driver; assaulting him and knocking off his turban. He was using abusive words against him. The video caused an uproar among the Indian communities based in the US.&nbsp;</p>

<p>State Department also stressed that the country has the responsibility to hold perpetrators of hate crimes accountable for their actions.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-ready-to-talk-missiles-and-military-exercises-in-ukraine-with-russia-official-443265">US ready to talk missiles and military exercises in Ukraine with Russia: Official</a></strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It’s not enough to say that we need to fight AAPI hate. We actually need our elected officials to get involved with consequences for those who commit acts of violence against our community. <a href="https://twitter.com/GregMeeksNYC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GregMeeksNYC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYCMayor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AdrienneToYou?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AdrienneToYou</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/yuhline?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@yuhline</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/rontkim?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rontkim</a> <a href="https://t.co/Dkk23lQw0g">pic.twitter.com/Dkk23lQw0g</a></p>
— Navjot Pal Kaur (@navjotpkaur) <a href="https://twitter.com/navjotpkaur/status/1478480628165271554?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">2/2 We all have a responsibility to hold perpetrators of hate crimes accountable for their actions, no matter where such crimes occur.</p>
— State_SCA (@State_SCA) <a href="https://twitter.com/State_SCA/status/1480005849988874241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<p>The US reacted after the Indian Consulate General in New York raised the issue on Saturday (local time), terming the assault on a Sikh taxi driver as "deeply disturbing".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The assault against a Sikh taxi driver in New York is deeply disturbing. We have taken up the matter with US authorities and urged them to investigate this violent incident," tweeted the Consulate General of India in New York.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"For those who aren't&nbsp;Sikh, I can't put into words what it means to have your turban knocked off — or to see someone else's turban knocked off. It’s visceral and gut-wrenching and just so disheartening to witness," Simran Jeet Singh, author and Director for the Aspen Institute's Inclusive America Project, tweeted.</p>


US State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs on Sunday (January 9) said that they are "deeply disturbed" by the reports of an attack on a Sikh cab driver at John F Kennedy airport in New York City.

US State Department's Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs on Sunday (January 9) said that they are "deeply disturbed" by the reports of an attack on a Sikh cab driver at John F Kennedy airport in New York City. "We are deeply disturbed by reports of an attack on a Sikh cab driver at John F. Kennedy airport, captured on video last week. Our diversity makes the US stronger, and we condemn any form of hate-based violence," the State Department said in a tweet. ALSO READ | Chinese propaganda continues, PLA looks to present Galwan Valley stones to netizens on February 1 The video of the incident went viral on social media after it was first posted on January 5. However, more details are awaited to know when and why the incident exactly happened. In the viral video, a man can be seen throwing punches at a Sikh cab driver; assaulting him and knocking off his turban. He was using abusive words against him. The video caused an uproar among the Indian communities based in the US. State Department also stressed that the country has the responsibility to hold perpetrators of hate crimes accountable for their actions. ALSO READ | US ready to talk missiles and military exercises in Ukraine with Russia: Official It’s not enough to say that we need to fight AAPI hate. We actually need our elected officials to get involved with consequences for those who commit acts of violence against our community. @GregMeeksNYC @NYCMayor @AdrienneToYou @yuhline @rontkim pic.twitter.com/Dkk23lQw0g — Navjot Pal Kaur (@navjotpkaur) January 4, 2022 × 2/2 We all have a responsibility to hold perpetrators of hate crimes accountable for their actions, no matter where such crimes occur. — State_SCA (@State_SCA) January 9, 2022 × The US reacted after the Indian Consulate General in New York raised the issue on Saturday (local time), terming the assault on a Sikh taxi driver as "deeply disturbing". "The assault against a Sikh taxi driver in New York is deeply disturbing. We have taken up the matter with US authorities and urged them to investigate this violent incident," tweeted the Consulate General of India in New York. "For those who aren't Sikh, I can't put into words what it means to have your turban knocked off — or to see someone else's turban knocked off. It’s visceral and gut-wrenching and just so disheartening to witness," Simran Jeet Singh, author and Director for the Aspen Institute's Inclusive America Project, tweeted.

'Deeply disturbed': US condemns attack on a Sikh cab driver at JFK airport

<p>New York state on Saturday added more hospitals to its list of those ordered to postpone elective surgeries for at least two weeks as the surge in COVID-19 cases threatens to overwhelm hospitals.</p>

<p>The list now includes 40 hospitals that have “met the state’s threshold for ‘high risk regions’ or low-capacity facilities,” the Department of Health said in a statement Saturday.</p>

<p>All 31 hospitals in the Mohawk Valley, Finger Lakes and Central regions are now included on the list, and the nine others are scattered throughout the state, according to the statement. None are in New York City. The hospitals must cancel procedures starting Thursday.</p>

<p>The size of the list has fluctuated since early December, when an executive order issued by Gov. Kathy Hochul went into effect to limit elective surgeries before another spike in cases. There were 28 hospitals on the list as recently as December 20.</p>

<p>“We will use every available tool to help ensure that hospitals can manage the COVID-19 winter surge,” Dr. Mary T. Bassett, the acting health commissioner, said in a statement Saturday. “I want to remind New Yorkers that getting vaccinated and boosted remain the best way to protect against serious illness and hospitalisation from COVID-19. Vaccination also protects our hospital system. We cannot return to the early months of the pandemic when hospitals were overwhelmed.”</p>

<p>As the Omicron variant of the coronavirus sweeps through New York, many hospitals are being pushed to their limits by the twin challenges of soaring new cases and growing shortages of nurses, doctors and technicians.</p>

<p>New York state reported a record 90,132 daily new cases, Hochul’s office said Saturday. In the past three days, 439 people have died from the virus, an 80% increase from the same period a week earlier. Two hundred of those deaths were in New York City, more than doubling the number from last week.</p>

<p>While the latest virus wave appears to be less deadly than earlier ones, with far fewer patients on ventilators, even large hospitals with empty intensive care unit beds are straining to handle the rise in caseloads because so many workers are out, health care officials said.</p>

<p>Under Hochul’s executive order, hospitals must stop elective procedures when certain metrics are reached, including:</p>

<p>At least 90% of the beds in a region’s hospital system are filled based on the seven-day average.</p>

<p>The seven-day average hits 85% to 90% and the COVID-19 admission rate for the region is greater than 4%.</p>

<p>While none of the hospitals on the state’s list are in New York City, the Greater New York Hospital Association said that five of the teaching hospitals in the area will increase support to independent hospitals and safety net facilities that are overwhelmed. They include Montefiore Health System, Mount Sinai Health System, NewYork-Presbyterian, Northwell Health and NYU Langone Health.</p>


New York state on Saturday added more hospitals to its list of those ordered to postpone elective surgeries for at least two weeks as the surge in COVID-19 cases threatens to overwhelm hospitals.

New York state on Saturday added more hospitals to its list of those ordered to postpone elective surgeries for at least two weeks as the surge in COVID-19 cases threatens to overwhelm hospitals. The list now includes 40 hospitals that have “met the state’s threshold for ‘high risk regions’ or low-capacity facilities,” the Department of Health said in a statement Saturday. All 31 hospitals in the Mohawk Valley, Finger Lakes and Central regions are now included on the list, and the nine others are scattered throughout the state, according to the statement. None are in New York City. The hospitals must cancel procedures starting Thursday. The size of the list has fluctuated since early December, when an executive order issued by Gov. Kathy Hochul went into effect to limit elective surgeries before another spike in cases. There were 28 hospitals on the list as recently as December 20. “We will use every available tool to help ensure that hospitals can manage the COVID-19 winter surge,” Dr. Mary T. Bassett, the acting health commissioner, said in a statement Saturday. “I want to remind New Yorkers that getting vaccinated and boosted remain the best way to protect against serious illness and hospitalisation from COVID-19. Vaccination also protects our hospital system. We cannot return to the early months of the pandemic when hospitals were overwhelmed.” As the Omicron variant of the coronavirus sweeps through New York, many hospitals are being pushed to their limits by the twin challenges of soaring new cases and growing shortages of nurses, doctors and technicians. New York state reported a record 90,132 daily new cases, Hochul’s office said Saturday. In the past three days, 439 people have died from the virus, an 80% increase from the same period a week earlier. Two hundred of those deaths were in New York City, more than doubling the number from last week. While the latest virus wave appears to be less deadly than earlier ones, with far fewer patients on ventilators, even large hospitals with empty intensive care unit beds are straining to handle the rise in caseloads because so many workers are out, health care officials said. Under Hochul’s executive order, hospitals must stop elective procedures when certain metrics are reached, including: At least 90% of the beds in a region’s hospital system are filled based on the seven-day average. The seven-day average hits 85% to 90% and the COVID-19 admission rate for the region is greater than 4%. While none of the hospitals on the state’s list are in New York City, the Greater New York Hospital Association said that five of the teaching hospitals in the area will increase support to independent hospitals and safety net facilities that are overwhelmed. They include Montefiore Health System, Mount Sinai Health System, NewYork-Presbyterian, Northwell Health and NYU Langone Health.

Number of New York state hospitals that must cancel elective surgeries grows to 40

Winter snowstorm known as a ' bomb cyclone ' has pounded the U.S. East coast from Tennessee to New York. All these major regions--- are currently witnessing a wave of intense weather event. Nearly 100 million Americans across the country have been placed under weather alerts.

Winter snowstorm pounds US East coast from Tennessee to New York

'No one does it like New York': Here are few stunning images from season's first snow storm

Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo won't face criminal prosecution over allegations of groping, as Albany DA asks judge to dismiss criminal complaint.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo won't face criminal prosecution over allegation of groping

<p>New York’s prison system unjustly penalized more than 1,600 incarcerated people based on faulty drug tests, putting them in solitary confinement, delaying their parole hearings and denying them family visits, the New York state inspector general said in a damning report released Tuesday.</p>

<p>The arbitrary penalties were meted out across the state over an eight-month period in 2019, while the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision relied on improperly administered drug tests made by the company Microgenics, the report found. The tests led to “rampant false positive” results for buprenorphine, an opioid used to treat addiction, as well as synthetic cannabinoids.</p>

<p>“This stands as a heartbreaking example of how the absence of transparency can undermine due process and basic human rights,” Lucy Lang, the inspector general, said at a news conference Tuesday.</p>

<p>The department started using the tests in January 2019, the report found. The manufacturer’s directions specified that a positive result should be confirmed with a second, more sensitive test, but officials neglected to do so as a matter of policy. Instead, they simply carried out the same test a second time to confirm the results.</p>

<p>The rate of positive tests immediately spiked, but the department failed to address widespread concerns among prisoners, their families and advocates that many of the results were false positives, the report found.</p>

<p>The report cited several examples of the grave consequences the tests had for prisoners. One woman at Albion Correctional Facility, near Rochester, New York, who had never tested positive for drug use during her two years in jail, suddenly tested positive for synthetic cannabinoids.</p>

<p>As punishment, she was confined to her cell for 40 days and placed in solitary confinement for 45 days. She lost her prison job and privileges like recreation time, receipt of packages and phone use for months. She was also denied visits with her three children.</p>

<p>The report also accused Microgenics representatives of presenting false or misleading information to prison officials. A review of internal company documents revealed that even ingesting over-the-counter antacids and the sweetener Stevia could potentially lead to false positives, but the company failed to disclose those possibilities, the report said.</p>

<p>The report faulted department officials for deciding to forgo the second test and found that a sales representative from Microgenics had exerted undue influence over the process.</p>

<p>It also found that the contract with the company most likely violated procurement guidelines and that the department “did not perform due diligence when contracting with Microgenics for its drug-testing systems, failing to understand that such tests were merely preliminary screening tests.”</p>

<p>During the eight-month period, more than 1,600 prisoners were punished over drug tests statewide, including 140 who were subjected to solitary confinement, leading to complaints from inmates across the state, Lang said.</p>

<p>Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York, an advocacy group, brought the concerns of four incarcerated people who said they had been disciplined based on false positives to the department in June 2019. Later that summer, the department sent six positive test samples from other prisoners to another company for retesting, and five came back negative.</p>

<p>The department then brought its findings to the office of the inspector general. It later moved to expunge more than 2,500 disciplinary records that were based on the faulty drug tests.</p>

<p>Karen L. Murtagh, executive director of Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York, said the impact of the penalties was difficult to overstate.</p>

<p>“The psychological and physical damage caused by solitary confinement, the loss of family visitation, the lack of proper programming, lost work-release and educational opportunities, all of which help combat recidivism, adds to the ledger for which we as a society need to take account,” she said.</p>

<p>Bianca Tylek, executive director of Worth Rises, an advocacy group that seeks to dismantle the prison industry, said the report illustrated the problems inherent in allowing private companies to profit from incarceration. She called for further review of prison contracts.</p>

<p>In a statement Tuesday, the department noted that its staff had cooperated with the inspector general’s investigation and adopted all its recommendations, which included ending solitary confinement in response to drug tests and improving drug test training and data collection.</p>

<p>Microgenics is a subsidiary of Thermo Fisher Scientific, a Massachusetts-based company. In a statement Tuesday, Ron O’Brien, a spokesperson for the company, said the instructions clearly state that the drug tests are only preliminary and that a more specific, alternative chemical method must be used to obtain a confirmed result.</p>

<p>“We have complete confidence in our product and, when it is used as directed, have no reason to believe there is any issue with its accuracy,” O’Brien said.</p>

<p>He added that the company had conducted its own investigation and did not believe that any Microgenics representatives provided “any intentionally false or misleading testimony” at disciplinary hearings, as alleged in the report.</p>

<p>The drug tests have spurred several lawsuits, including a federal class-action suit filed by Prisoners’ Legal Services and the law firm Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward &amp; Maazel in 2019. The following year, Letitia James, the New York attorney general, filed suit on behalf of the Department of Corrections against Microgenics in Albany, alleging breach of contract. The lawsuit is pending.</p>

<p>The department now uses a preliminary drug-screening test known as the Premier Biotech Bio-Cup, and positive results are confirmed using a second method.</p>

<p>Lang, who was appointed inspector general in the fall, said that more than half the complaints her office receives involve the prison system.</p>

<p>“We are directing resources toward addressing those complaints as proactively as possible,” she said.</p>


New York’s prison system unjustly penalized more than 1,600 incarcerated people based on faulty drug tests, putting them in solitary confinement, delaying their parole hearings and denying them family visits, the New York state inspector general said in a damning report released Tuesday.

New York’s prison system unjustly penalized more than 1,600 incarcerated people based on faulty drug tests, putting them in solitary confinement, delaying their parole hearings and denying them family visits, the New York state inspector general said in a damning report released Tuesday. The arbitrary penalties were meted out across the state over an eight-month period in 2019, while the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision relied on improperly administered drug tests made by the company Microgenics, the report found. The tests led to “rampant false positive” results for buprenorphine, an opioid used to treat addiction, as well as synthetic cannabinoids. “This stands as a heartbreaking example of how the absence of transparency can undermine due process and basic human rights,” Lucy Lang, the inspector general, said at a news conference Tuesday. The department started using the tests in January 2019, the report found. The manufacturer’s directions specified that a positive result should be confirmed with a second, more sensitive test, but officials neglected to do so as a matter of policy. Instead, they simply carried out the same test a second time to confirm the results. The rate of positive tests immediately spiked, but the department failed to address widespread concerns among prisoners, their families and advocates that many of the results were false positives, the report found. The report cited several examples of the grave consequences the tests had for prisoners. One woman at Albion Correctional Facility, near Rochester, New York, who had never tested positive for drug use during her two years in jail, suddenly tested positive for synthetic cannabinoids. As punishment, she was confined to her cell for 40 days and placed in solitary confinement for 45 days. She lost her prison job and privileges like recreation time, receipt of packages and phone use for months. She was also denied visits with her three children. The report also accused Microgenics representatives of presenting false or misleading information to prison officials. A review of internal company documents revealed that even ingesting over-the-counter antacids and the sweetener Stevia could potentially lead to false positives, but the company failed to disclose those possibilities, the report said. The report faulted department officials for deciding to forgo the second test and found that a sales representative from Microgenics had exerted undue influence over the process. It also found that the contract with the company most likely violated procurement guidelines and that the department “did not perform due diligence when contracting with Microgenics for its drug-testing systems, failing to understand that such tests were merely preliminary screening tests.” During the eight-month period, more than 1,600 prisoners were punished over drug tests statewide, including 140 who were subjected to solitary confinement, leading to complaints from inmates across the state, Lang said. Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York, an advocacy group, brought the concerns of four incarcerated people who said they had been disciplined based on false positives to the department in June 2019. Later that summer, the department sent six positive test samples from other prisoners to another company for retesting, and five came back negative. The department then brought its findings to the office of the inspector general. It later moved to expunge more than 2,500 disciplinary records that were based on the faulty drug tests. Karen L. Murtagh, executive director of Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York, said the impact of the penalties was difficult to overstate. “The psychological and physical damage caused by solitary confinement, the loss of family visitation, the lack of proper programming, lost work-release and educational opportunities, all of which help combat recidivism, adds to the ledger for which we as a society need to take account,” she said. Bianca Tylek, executive director of Worth Rises, an advocacy group that seeks to dismantle the prison industry, said the report illustrated the problems inherent in allowing private companies to profit from incarceration. She called for further review of prison contracts. In a statement Tuesday, the department noted that its staff had cooperated with the inspector general’s investigation and adopted all its recommendations, which included ending solitary confinement in response to drug tests and improving drug test training and data collection. Microgenics is a subsidiary of Thermo Fisher Scientific, a Massachusetts-based company. In a statement Tuesday, Ron O’Brien, a spokesperson for the company, said the instructions clearly state that the drug tests are only preliminary and that a more specific, alternative chemical method must be used to obtain a confirmed result. “We have complete confidence in our product and, when it is used as directed, have no reason to believe there is any issue with its accuracy,” O’Brien said. He added that the company had conducted its own investigation and did not believe that any Microgenics representatives provided “any intentionally false or misleading testimony” at disciplinary hearings, as alleged in the report. The drug tests have spurred several lawsuits, including a federal class-action suit filed by Prisoners’ Legal Services and the law firm Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel in 2019. The following year, Letitia James, the New York attorney general, filed suit on behalf of the Department of Corrections against Microgenics in Albany, alleging breach of contract. The lawsuit is pending. The department now uses a preliminary drug-screening test known as the Premier Biotech Bio-Cup, and positive results are confirmed using a second method. Lang, who was appointed inspector general in the fall, said that more than half the complaints her office receives involve the prison system. “We are directing resources toward addressing those complaints as proactively as possible,” she said.

New York prisons punished 1,600 based on faulty drug tests, report finds

The resumption of school after the holidays in the US is leading to concerns about a further spread of the Coronavirus. Starting yesterday, students resumed in-person learning in many school districts.

United States: New York schools reopen amid Covid surge

A few dozen people lined up to shred things they want to forget about 2021. The event took place in New York City's Times Square and is known as "Good Riddance Day"

'Good Riddance Day': New Yorkers Say Goodbye To 2021

As the Omicron COVID-19 variant rages across the United States Apple has closed its stores to indoor customer traffic at its New York City retail locations.

Apple closes New York City stores amid surge in Omicron COVID-19 variant

<p>Coronavirus pandemic has changed the world to a great extent. Now, it seems the issues brought in due to the crisis seems to have been threatening the New York’s famed $1 street pizza in the US. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The rising costs of the rent, cheese, oil, wheat and meat coupled with scarcity of pizza boxes and spotty deliveries have forced the owners of eateries to consider hiking the price of the offering.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/on-christmas-50-vehicles-pile-up-in-major-crash-at-snowy-us-stretch-say-reports-440111" hreflang="en">On Christmas, 50 vehicles pile-up in major crash at snowy US stretch, say reports</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>In the city, there are around 1,700 pizzerias. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The existence of the $1 street pizza outlets has always been dependent on fast and high-volume trade. But it is being threatened due to the pandemic. &nbsp;</p>

<p>It seems to be a cause of concern for many New Yorkers, who earn low-income in the costly city. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/santa-clauss-house-in-north-pole-goes-under-hammer-gets-listed-for-1-million-440134" hreflang="en">Santa Claus's 'house' in North Pole goes under hammer, gets listed for $1 million</a></strong></p>

<p>Abdul Muhammad, owner, 99 Cent Fresh Pizza, which is an eight-location chain in Manhattan, said for the first time since opening in 2001, he may have to raise the price of the slice if costs continue to increase. “I have to think about it because my customers, many of them unemployed and struggling to make rent, can’t afford to pay more,” Muhammad added. &nbsp;</p>

<p>“People in New York love dollar-slice pizza because they’re everywhere around the city and they’re open late. Whenever you need to grab a bite, and don’t know what to have, you can have a slice and you’re good to go,” said NYU data science graduate Bishank Gaglani. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Coronavirus pandemic has changed the world to a great extent. Now, it seems the issues brought in due to the crisis seems to have been threatening the New York’s famed $1 street pizza in the US.

Coronavirus pandemic has changed the world to a great extent. Now, it seems the issues brought in due to the crisis seems to have been threatening the New York’s famed $1 street pizza in the US. The rising costs of the rent, cheese, oil, wheat and meat coupled with scarcity of pizza boxes and spotty deliveries have forced the owners of eateries to consider hiking the price of the offering. Also Read: On Christmas, 50 vehicles pile-up in major crash at snowy US stretch, say reports In the city, there are around 1,700 pizzerias. The existence of the $1 street pizza outlets has always been dependent on fast and high-volume trade. But it is being threatened due to the pandemic. It seems to be a cause of concern for many New Yorkers, who earn low-income in the costly city. Also Read: Santa Claus's 'house' in North Pole goes under hammer, gets listed for $1 million Abdul Muhammad, owner, 99 Cent Fresh Pizza, which is an eight-location chain in Manhattan, said for the first time since opening in 2001, he may have to raise the price of the slice if costs continue to increase. “I have to think about it because my customers, many of them unemployed and struggling to make rent, can’t afford to pay more,” Muhammad added. “People in New York love dollar-slice pizza because they’re everywhere around the city and they’re open late. Whenever you need to grab a bite, and don’t know what to have, you can have a slice and you’re good to go,” said NYU data science graduate Bishank Gaglani. (With inputs from agencies)

Rising costs may slide New York’s famed $1 street pizza off table in US

<p>With their family Christmas celebration canceled for the second straight year, Robert Valley and Alexis Pagan sought some holiday cheer in Manhattan, inside the F.A.O. Schwarz toy store at Rockefeller Center.</p>

<p>There, with the famous Christmas tree towering over the bustling plaza outside, the specter of the pandemic seemed to fade a little.</p>

<p>“This is what we’ve got, this is what we’re holding on to,” Valley, 55, said through a mask emblazoned with the image of Santa Claus. “I said, ‘Let’s go see the tree, it will give us a little joy.’”</p>

<p>Pagan, 47, chimed in from behind her Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer mask. “Like there is a Christmas,” she said.</p>

<p>This year’s holiday season has been accompanied by an extraordinary surge in coronavirus cases linked to the fast-spreading omicron variant, which has proved capable of bypassing vaccines and has infected tens of thousands of people, ruining countless plans for a normal Christmas.</p>

<p>On Friday, New York state reported 44,431 new virus cases out of about 360,000 people tested, an increase of nearly 5,600 new cases day over day and the highest single-day figure since the pandemic began. A great number of those were in New York City.</p>

<p>But amid the spike — and the postponed parties, wrecked travel plans and interminable lines at overburdened testing sites — there were glimmers of the season to be found among New Yorkers brimming with determination to salvage what they could of Christmas.</p>

<p>On Thursday, on Frances Sacks’ 10th day of isolating after contracting the virus, she emerged from her apartment in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood to search for a test. The goal: a negative result that would ensure that it was safe for her to spend Christmas in East Hampton, on Long Island, with her family.</p>

<p>After stopping at three pharmacies (rapid tests sold out), two urgent care centers (no tests available) and two testing sites (waits of at least three hours) — at one point crossing the Williamsburg Bridge into Manhattan — she lined up at a pop-up testing site in the West Village.</p>

<p>Whatever the result, she still faced a dilemma.</p>

<p>“I don’t have any holiday gifts,” Sacks, 23, who works at a restaurant, said, shivering as she waited. “I have a lot of ‘the thought that counts’; but, hey, I had COVID.”</p>

<p>Sacks was just one of many who waited for hours this week, hoping for an answer that could make the difference between the warmth of a holiday with family or one more special occasion canceled — while understanding that the pandemic has done much more serious harm.</p>

<p>Candace Forbes, 32, a nurse from Brooklyn, waited eight hours with her children, ages 2 and 4, and her husband, Andre Forbes, at a pop-up testing site at a Canarsie playground. She left anxiously awaiting results, as well as feeling colder and wiser from the experience.</p>

<p>“If they’re coming out and they have toddlers, dress them overly warm,” she said. “If you have to bring a chair, bring a chair. If you have to bring a snack, bring a snack.”</p>

<p>Hanging in the air was the painful memory of similar lines in the pandemic’s early stages, when the virus was new and tests were scarce.</p>

<p>At Travers Park in Jackson Heights, Queens, Tommy Campos, a footwear designer who lives nearby, stood in a line of 30 people at a testing site that opened recently with federal support. He expressed disbelief at what he was seeing.</p>

<p>“We felt like we were at the finish line, we felt like things were good a couple of weeks ago,” Campos said as he waited. “And I guess it just got out of hand and went crazy.”</p>

<p>As if to underscore his concerns, the state health department issued an advisory Friday warning of an increase in the number of children being hospitalized in connection with the virus, particularly in the New York City area.</p>

<p>About half the children who were hospitalized were younger than 5, or too young to be vaccinated, health officials said. Most of the older children who were hospitalized had not been fully vaccinated.</p>

<p>In New York City alone, hospitalizations of children linked to the virus had risen “fourfold,” the advisory said. The health department did not provide total numbers of pediatric hospitalizations, but the upward trend mirrored reports of a growing number of coronavirus cases among children in South Africa after the omicron variant emerged there.</p>

<p>The rising number of cases overseas further complicated a travel landscape, threatening to unravel hoped-for holiday visits. As of Friday, 3,800 flights that had been scheduled for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day had been canceled, according to the flight-tracking website Flight Aware.</p>

<p>Some of those seeking tests, including Rica Ciocio, 52, of Long Island, had planned to fly to Romania, her homeland, with her family on Christmas to celebrate with her parents. She said she had not visited them in more than two years. But the surge in cases and vast backlog in testing made her worry they would not get results in time to go.</p>

<p>And so, on Thursday, Ciocio and her family made a pilgrimage from testing site to testing site across Manhattan, each getting tested several times and hoping that one location would deliver a result in time to save Christmas.</p>

<p>“It’s unsettling,” she said. “You never know what’s the right thing to do.”</p>

<p>To address the testing backlog, the city began distributing free at-home test kits at five locations, one in each borough, on Thursday morning, two days before Christmas. Two-thousand kits were supposed to be available at each.</p>

<p>On 18th Avenue at 65th Street in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, a line began to form two hours before distribution began. It would later wrap around the block.</p>

<p>As has been the case throughout the pandemic, access to speedy testing appeared to split along economic fault lines. There were no lines at all at MedRite Urgent Care on Chambers Street in lower Manhattan, where people could avoid the typical waiting period of 48 hours or more to get results from a PCR test and learn their status in three hours it they paid $225 out of pocket.</p>

<p>In one quadrant of the Upper East Side, there appeared to be a testing tent, van or table on nearly every block — and even more on others. People passing unexpectedly empty sites jumped at the opportunity to get tested while knowing that the rest of the city was scrambling for tests.</p>

<p>“I saw this table and made my mom stop the car so I could get tested,” said Hannah Gelb as she stood waiting for a test at a PacGenomics site at the corner of 85th Street and Third Avenue.</p>

<p>Roberto Felix, a construction worker, stood nearby. He had been waiting in a long testing line elsewhere when his boss called and told him there was no line at PacGenomics. Felix hustled over.</p>

<p>“Because of Christmas, I wanted to make sure that I don’t have COVID,” he said.</p>

<p>For Marcone Santos, no test or line or fear could stand in the way of his joy.</p>

<p>Santos, a resident of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was at John F. Kennedy Airport on Friday, waiting for his mother and father to arrive from Brazil. It would be the first time they had seen one another in three years.</p>

<p>Despite his fears that the omicron wave would cancel their trip, his parents had just landed and were making their way through customs.</p>

<p>“Everybody is tired of this pandemic and being apart from family, from friends,” said Santos, 37, a carpenter. “For me, waiting for three years to see my family, this is a great time."</p>

<p>“It’s the holidays,” he added, craning his neck to peer down the arrivals hall. “It’s Christmas tomorrow.”</p>


With their family Christmas celebration canceled for the second straight year, Robert Valley and Alexis Pagan sought some holiday cheer in Manhattan, inside the F.

With their family Christmas celebration canceled for the second straight year, Robert Valley and Alexis Pagan sought some holiday cheer in Manhattan, inside the F.A.O. Schwarz toy store at Rockefeller Center. There, with the famous Christmas tree towering over the bustling plaza outside, the specter of the pandemic seemed to fade a little. “This is what we’ve got, this is what we’re holding on to,” Valley, 55, said through a mask emblazoned with the image of Santa Claus. “I said, ‘Let’s go see the tree, it will give us a little joy.’” Pagan, 47, chimed in from behind her Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer mask. “Like there is a Christmas,” she said. This year’s holiday season has been accompanied by an extraordinary surge in coronavirus cases linked to the fast-spreading omicron variant, which has proved capable of bypassing vaccines and has infected tens of thousands of people, ruining countless plans for a normal Christmas. On Friday, New York state reported 44,431 new virus cases out of about 360,000 people tested, an increase of nearly 5,600 new cases day over day and the highest single-day figure since the pandemic began. A great number of those were in New York City. But amid the spike — and the postponed parties, wrecked travel plans and interminable lines at overburdened testing sites — there were glimmers of the season to be found among New Yorkers brimming with determination to salvage what they could of Christmas. On Thursday, on Frances Sacks’ 10th day of isolating after contracting the virus, she emerged from her apartment in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood to search for a test. The goal: a negative result that would ensure that it was safe for her to spend Christmas in East Hampton, on Long Island, with her family. After stopping at three pharmacies (rapid tests sold out), two urgent care centers (no tests available) and two testing sites (waits of at least three hours) — at one point crossing the Williamsburg Bridge into Manhattan — she lined up at a pop-up testing site in the West Village. Whatever the result, she still faced a dilemma. “I don’t have any holiday gifts,” Sacks, 23, who works at a restaurant, said, shivering as she waited. “I have a lot of ‘the thought that counts’; but, hey, I had COVID.” Sacks was just one of many who waited for hours this week, hoping for an answer that could make the difference between the warmth of a holiday with family or one more special occasion canceled — while understanding that the pandemic has done much more serious harm. Candace Forbes, 32, a nurse from Brooklyn, waited eight hours with her children, ages 2 and 4, and her husband, Andre Forbes, at a pop-up testing site at a Canarsie playground. She left anxiously awaiting results, as well as feeling colder and wiser from the experience. “If they’re coming out and they have toddlers, dress them overly warm,” she said. “If you have to bring a chair, bring a chair. If you have to bring a snack, bring a snack.” Hanging in the air was the painful memory of similar lines in the pandemic’s early stages, when the virus was new and tests were scarce. At Travers Park in Jackson Heights, Queens, Tommy Campos, a footwear designer who lives nearby, stood in a line of 30 people at a testing site that opened recently with federal support. He expressed disbelief at what he was seeing. “We felt like we were at the finish line, we felt like things were good a couple of weeks ago,” Campos said as he waited. “And I guess it just got out of hand and went crazy.” As if to underscore his concerns, the state health department issued an advisory Friday warning of an increase in the number of children being hospitalized in connection with the virus, particularly in the New York City area. About half the children who were hospitalized were younger than 5, or too young to be vaccinated, health officials said. Most of the older children who were hospitalized had not been fully vaccinated. In New York City alone, hospitalizations of children linked to the virus had risen “fourfold,” the advisory said. The health department did not provide total numbers of pediatric hospitalizations, but the upward trend mirrored reports of a growing number of coronavirus cases among children in South Africa after the omicron variant emerged there. The rising number of cases overseas further complicated a travel landscape, threatening to unravel hoped-for holiday visits. As of Friday, 3,800 flights that had been scheduled for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day had been canceled, according to the flight-tracking website Flight Aware. Some of those seeking tests, including Rica Ciocio, 52, of Long Island, had planned to fly to Romania, her homeland, with her family on Christmas to celebrate with her parents. She said she had not visited them in more than two years. But the surge in cases and vast backlog in testing made her worry they would not get results in time to go. And so, on Thursday, Ciocio and her family made a pilgrimage from testing site to testing site across Manhattan, each getting tested several times and hoping that one location would deliver a result in time to save Christmas. “It’s unsettling,” she said. “You never know what’s the right thing to do.” To address the testing backlog, the city began distributing free at-home test kits at five locations, one in each borough, on Thursday morning, two days before Christmas. Two-thousand kits were supposed to be available at each. On 18th Avenue at 65th Street in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, a line began to form two hours before distribution began. It would later wrap around the block. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, access to speedy testing appeared to split along economic fault lines. There were no lines at all at MedRite Urgent Care on Chambers Street in lower Manhattan, where people could avoid the typical waiting period of 48 hours or more to get results from a PCR test and learn their status in three hours it they paid $225 out of pocket. In one quadrant of the Upper East Side, there appeared to be a testing tent, van or table on nearly every block — and even more on others. People passing unexpectedly empty sites jumped at the opportunity to get tested while knowing that the rest of the city was scrambling for tests. “I saw this table and made my mom stop the car so I could get tested,” said Hannah Gelb as she stood waiting for a test at a PacGenomics site at the corner of 85th Street and Third Avenue. Roberto Felix, a construction worker, stood nearby. He had been waiting in a long testing line elsewhere when his boss called and told him there was no line at PacGenomics. Felix hustled over. “Because of Christmas, I wanted to make sure that I don’t have COVID,” he said. For Marcone Santos, no test or line or fear could stand in the way of his joy. Santos, a resident of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was at John F. Kennedy Airport on Friday, waiting for his mother and father to arrive from Brazil. It would be the first time they had seen one another in three years. Despite his fears that the omicron wave would cancel their trip, his parents had just landed and were making their way through customs. “Everybody is tired of this pandemic and being apart from family, from friends,” said Santos, 37, a carpenter. “For me, waiting for three years to see my family, this is a great time." “It’s the holidays,” he added, craning his neck to peer down the arrivals hall. “It’s Christmas tomorrow.”

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