<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taliban-indicated-a-willingness-to-strike-a-peace-deal-khalilzad-240391">The Taliban</a> governed Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, imposing strict Islamic sharia law before being ousted and launching an insurgency.</p>

<p>Here is some background:</p>

<p><strong>Religious students</strong></p>

<p>The Taliban originated among young Afghans who studied in Sunni Muslim schools called madrassas in Pakistan after fleeing Afghanistan during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation.</p>

<p>They are named from Talib, the Arabic word for a student.</p>

<p>In the early 1990s, with Afghanistan in the chaos and corruption of civil war, the Taliban grouped in the southern province of Kandahar under the leadership of one eyed warrior cleric Mullah Omar.</p>

<p>Omar, who led them until his death in 2013, was from the area, a stronghold of the powerful Pashtun ethnic group from which come most Taliban fighters.</p>

<p>Haibatullah Akhundzada is now the insurgents' top leader, while Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar heads the political wing.</p>

<p><strong>Dramatic rise to power</strong></p>

<p>Promising to restore order and justice, the Taliban rose dramatically.</p>

<p>They drew substantial support from Pakistan and initially had the tacit approval of the United States.</p>

<p>In October 1994 they seized the southern capital of Kandahar, almost without a fight.</p>

<p>Equipped with tanks, heavy weapons and the cash to buy the support of local commanders, they steadily moved north, before capturing the capital on September 27, 1996.</p>

<p>President Burhanuddin Rabbani had already fled.</p>

<p>Taliban dragged former communist president Mohammed Najibullah from the United Nations office where he had been sheltering and hanged him on a public street.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>A regime of terror</strong></p>

<p>The Taliban government imposed the strictest interpretations of sharia, establishing religious police for the suppression of "vice".</p>

<p>Music, television, and pastimes such as kite flying were banned. Girls schools were closed; women were prevented from working and forced to wear an all-covering burkha in public.</p>

<p>Taliban courts handed out extreme punishments including chopping off the hands of thieves, public executions and stoning to death women accused of adultery.&nbsp;</p>

<p>By 1998 they had control of 80 per cent of the country but were only recognized as the legal government by Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.</p>

<p>In March 2001 they blew up 1,500-year-old giant statues of the Buddha in the central Bamiyan valley, considered anti-Islamic.</p>

<p>Mullah Omar was based mostly in Kandahar where he lived in a house reportedly built for him by the chief of the Al-Qaeda jihadist group, Saudi billionaire Osama bin Laden.</p>

<p>The Taliban allowed Afghanistan to become a sanctuary for Al-Qaeda, which set up training camps.</p>

<p><strong>Taliban toppled</strong></p>

<p>The September 11, 2001 attacks that killed 3,000 people in New York and Washington were immediately blamed on Al-Qaeda.</p>

<p>Accusing the Taliban of refusing to hand over Bin Laden, the United States and its allies launched airstrikes on Afghanistan in October.</p>

<p>By early December the Taliban government had fallen, its leaders fleeing to their strongholds in the south and east or back across the border into Pakistan's tribal zone.</p>

<p><strong>Bloody insurgency</strong></p>

<p>At first, written off as a spent force, the Taliban rebuilt and re-emerged to lead an insurgency against the new Western-backed government.</p>

<p>Making heavy use of improvised bombings and suicide attacks, they labeled as "crusaders" the tens of thousands of foreign troops deployed into the country as part of a US dominated NATO force.</p>

<p>But the NATO combat mission in December 2014 ended and the bulk of Western forces withdrew.</p>

<p>In July 2015 Pakistan hosted the first direct talks between Afghan and Taliban leaders, with support from China and the US, but they collapsed after Mullah Omar's death was revealed.</p>

<p>The rival Islamic State jihadist group emerged in Afghanistan in 2015, launching its own series of devastating attacks, mainly in Kabul.</p>

<p>A UN tally found that 2018 was the deadliest year on record for Afghans, with at least 3,804 civilian deaths caused by the war -- including 927 children.</p>

<p>Direct talks between the US and the Taliban started last year, with the effort led since September by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, a previous ambassador to Afghanistan.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The Taliban governed Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, imposing strict Islamic sharia law before being ousted and launching an insurgency. Here is some background: Religious students The Taliban originated among young Afghans who studied in Sunni Muslim schools called madrassas in Pakistan after fleeing Afghanistan during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation.

The Taliban governed Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, imposing strict Islamic sharia law before being ousted and launching an insurgency. Here is some background: Religious students The Taliban originated among young Afghans who studied in Sunni Muslim schools called madrassas in Pakistan after fleeing Afghanistan during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation. They are named from Talib, the Arabic word for a student. In the early 1990s, with Afghanistan in the chaos and corruption of civil war, the Taliban grouped in the southern province of Kandahar under the leadership of one eyed warrior cleric Mullah Omar. Omar, who led them until his death in 2013, was from the area, a stronghold of the powerful Pashtun ethnic group from which come most Taliban fighters. Haibatullah Akhundzada is now the insurgents' top leader, while Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar heads the political wing. Dramatic rise to power Promising to restore order and justice, the Taliban rose dramatically. They drew substantial support from Pakistan and initially had the tacit approval of the United States. In October 1994 they seized the southern capital of Kandahar, almost without a fight. Equipped with tanks, heavy weapons and the cash to buy the support of local commanders, they steadily moved north, before capturing the capital on September 27, 1996. President Burhanuddin Rabbani had already fled. Taliban dragged former communist president Mohammed Najibullah from the United Nations office where he had been sheltering and hanged him on a public street. A regime of terror The Taliban government imposed the strictest interpretations of sharia, establishing religious police for the suppression of "vice". Music, television, and pastimes such as kite flying were banned. Girls schools were closed; women were prevented from working and forced to wear an all-covering burkha in public. Taliban courts handed out extreme punishments including chopping off the hands of thieves, public executions and stoning to death women accused of adultery. By 1998 they had control of 80 per cent of the country but were only recognized as the legal government by Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. In March 2001 they blew up 1,500-year-old giant statues of the Buddha in the central Bamiyan valley, considered anti-Islamic. Mullah Omar was based mostly in Kandahar where he lived in a house reportedly built for him by the chief of the Al-Qaeda jihadist group, Saudi billionaire Osama bin Laden. The Taliban allowed Afghanistan to become a sanctuary for Al-Qaeda, which set up training camps. Taliban toppled The September 11, 2001 attacks that killed 3,000 people in New York and Washington were immediately blamed on Al-Qaeda. Accusing the Taliban of refusing to hand over Bin Laden, the United States and its allies launched airstrikes on Afghanistan in October. By early December the Taliban government had fallen, its leaders fleeing to their strongholds in the south and east or back across the border into Pakistan's tribal zone. Bloody insurgency At first, written off as a spent force, the Taliban rebuilt and re-emerged to lead an insurgency against the new Western-backed government. Making heavy use of improvised bombings and suicide attacks, they labeled as "crusaders" the tens of thousands of foreign troops deployed into the country as part of a US dominated NATO force. But the NATO combat mission in December 2014 ended and the bulk of Western forces withdrew. In July 2015 Pakistan hosted the first direct talks between Afghan and Taliban leaders, with support from China and the US, but they collapsed after Mullah Omar's death was revealed. The rival Islamic State jihadist group emerged in Afghanistan in 2015, launching its own series of devastating attacks, mainly in Kabul. A UN tally found that 2018 was the deadliest year on record for Afghans, with at least 3,804 civilian deaths caused by the war -- including 927 children. Direct talks between the US and the Taliban started last year, with the effort led since September by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, a previous ambassador to Afghanistan.

The rise and rise of Afghanistan's Taliban movement

The New York congresswoman who sponsored a bill to permanently fund healthcare costs for people sickened by toxic fumes on the site of the 9/11 attacks says she feels "great relief" after President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on Monday.

Maloney: 'relief' as Trump signs 9/11 victims bill

<p>Former world number one Andy Murray is considering returning to singles action at Cincinnati next month, saying he is "closer than he thought" to be ready.</p>

<p>The 32-year-old has not played singles since losing in the first round of the Australian Open in January to Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut, after which he underwent hip resurfacing surgery in a bid to salvage his career.</p>

<p>He returned to doubles action at Queen's Club this year, winning the title with Spain's Feliciano Lopez, and also played men's doubles with Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert and mixed with Serena Williams at Wimbledon.</p>

<p>Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray had previously said it was extremely unlikely he would be ready to play singles at the US Open but now believes a return on the Cincinnati hardcourts in two weeks' time is possible.</p>

<p>"I'm closer than I thought," Murray said at the Citi Open in Washington where he is playing doubles with brother Jamie.</p>

<p>"Best case scenario probably would be Cincinnati," he said.</p>

<p>"And then if I wasn't able to play in Cincinnati, there's a good chance I would probably wait until after New York, because I wouldn't want my first tournament, either, to be playing best-of-five sets."</p>

<p>Murray said he is practising singles in Washington and is also lined up to play doubles at the Rogers Cup next week in Toronto with Lopez.</p>

<p>"In terms of moving and feeling and waking up the next day, I'm feeling good," Murray said. "I'm quite close but there's stuff that would need to get better.</p>

<p>"I could (play singles), but to get where I would want to be I'd have to get back in the gym and get my cardio better."</p>


Former world number one Andy Murray is considering returning to singles action at Cincinnati next month, saying he is "closer than he thought" to be ready. The 32-year-old has not played singles since losing in the first round of the Australian Open in January to Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut, after which he underwent hip resurfacing surgery in a bid to salvage his career.

Former world number one Andy Murray is considering returning to singles action at Cincinnati next month, saying he is "closer than he thought" to be ready. The 32-year-old has not played singles since losing in the first round of the Australian Open in January to Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut, after which he underwent hip resurfacing surgery in a bid to salvage his career. He returned to doubles action at Queen's Club this year, winning the title with Spain's Feliciano Lopez, and also played men's doubles with Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert and mixed with Serena Williams at Wimbledon. Three-time Grand Slam champion Murray had previously said it was extremely unlikely he would be ready to play singles at the US Open but now believes a return on the Cincinnati hardcourts in two weeks' time is possible. "I'm closer than I thought," Murray said at the Citi Open in Washington where he is playing doubles with brother Jamie. "Best case scenario probably would be Cincinnati," he said. "And then if I wasn't able to play in Cincinnati, there's a good chance I would probably wait until after New York, because I wouldn't want my first tournament, either, to be playing best-of-five sets." Murray said he is practising singles in Washington and is also lined up to play doubles at the Rogers Cup next week in Toronto with Lopez. "In terms of moving and feeling and waking up the next day, I'm feeling good," Murray said. "I'm quite close but there's stuff that would need to get better. "I could (play singles), but to get where I would want to be I'd have to get back in the gym and get my cardio better."

Andy Murray closer than he thought to singles return

Fortnite World Cup success: How women, teenagers are changing the billion dollar worldwide gaming industry

16-year-old Kyle Giersdorf, who’s known by his video gaming handle “Bugha,” won the $3 million grand prize at the Fortnite World Cup held Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.

Fortnite World Cup: 16-year-old wins ultimate battle royale, gets $3 million prize money

<p>At least one person is feared dead and at least 11 others, including a child, have been injured in a shooting incident at an outdoor gathering in Brooklyn here on Saturday night, local media reported.</p>

<p>The shooting was reported at 11 pm, close to the intersection of Hegeman and Christopher avenues in Brownsville, according to the New York Daily News.</p>

<p>At least one child is amongst the injured while one person has lost their life.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The exact casualty count is yet to be confirmed by the authorities.</p>

<p>Investigations into the shooting are currently underway.</p>


At least one person is feared dead and at least 11 others, including a child, have been injured in a shooting incident at an outdoor gathering in Brooklyn here on Saturday night, local media reported.

At least one person is feared dead and at least 11 others, including a child, have been injured in a shooting incident at an outdoor gathering in Brooklyn here on Saturday night, local media reported. The shooting was reported at 11 pm, close to the intersection of Hegeman and Christopher avenues in Brownsville, according to the New York Daily News. At least one child is amongst the injured while one person has lost their life. The exact casualty count is yet to be confirmed by the authorities. Investigations into the shooting are currently underway.

New York: At least one dead, 11 injured in Brooklyn shooting

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/judge-dismisses-epsteins-bail-plea-in-child-sex-trafficking-case-236986">Jeffrey Epstein</a>, the financier facing charges of sex trafficking involving dozens of underage girls, was found unconscious in a Manhattan jail cell with injuries to his neck, media reported late on Wednesday, citing unidentified sources.</p>

<p>Epstein was found by guards sprawled on the floor of a cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center on Wednesday, media reported. Some media reported that his face appeared blue.</p>

<p>The billionaire financier was taken to hospital, the New York Post reported, but it was unclear where he was taken or what his condition was.</p>

<p>It was not clear how he suffered his injuries.</p>

<p>Neither a representative for the correctional centre nor Epstein's attorney returned calls or email inquiries from Reuters.</p>

<p>Epstein was recently denied bail, a move his lawyers plan to appeal according to a court notice made public on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Epstein was expected to ask the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the judge's July 18 rejection of his request to remain under house arrest in his $77 million mansions on Manhattan's Upper East Side.</p>

<p>Epstein has pleaded not guilty to the charges and the appeal for bail was expected. His lawyer Reid Weingarten did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for US Attorney Geoffrey Berman in Manhattan declined to comment.</p>

<p>The charges, concerning alleged misconduct from at least 2002 to 2005, were announced more than a decade after Epstein pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges in Florida.</p>

<p>In denying him bail, US District Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan said the government had shown by clear and convincing evidence that Epstein would pose a danger to the community if released pending trial.</p>


Jeffrey Epstein, the financier facing charges of sex trafficking involving dozens of underage girls, was found unconscious in a Manhattan jail cell with injuries to his neck, media reported late on Wednesday, citing unidentified sources.

Jeffrey Epstein, the financier facing charges of sex trafficking involving dozens of underage girls, was found unconscious in a Manhattan jail cell with injuries to his neck, media reported late on Wednesday, citing unidentified sources. Epstein was found by guards sprawled on the floor of a cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center on Wednesday, media reported. Some media reported that his face appeared blue. The billionaire financier was taken to hospital, the New York Post reported, but it was unclear where he was taken or what his condition was. It was not clear how he suffered his injuries. Neither a representative for the correctional centre nor Epstein's attorney returned calls or email inquiries from Reuters. Epstein was recently denied bail, a move his lawyers plan to appeal according to a court notice made public on Tuesday. Epstein was expected to ask the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the judge's July 18 rejection of his request to remain under house arrest in his $77 million mansions on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Epstein has pleaded not guilty to the charges and the appeal for bail was expected. His lawyer Reid Weingarten did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesman for US Attorney Geoffrey Berman in Manhattan declined to comment. The charges, concerning alleged misconduct from at least 2002 to 2005, were announced more than a decade after Epstein pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges in Florida. In denying him bail, US District Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan said the government had shown by clear and convincing evidence that Epstein would pose a danger to the community if released pending trial.

Billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein found injured in jail cell: Media

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-heat-wave-breaks-across-us-northeast-thousands-left-without-power-237885">Severe wind and rain in the northeastern United States</a> left thousands without power on Tuesday, as a record-breaking heatwave ebbed and a flash flood threat moved south with the storm.</p>

<p>Up to 4 inches (10 cm) of rain-drenched New York's eastern Long Island suburbs, while the widespread storm dumped as much as 8 inches (20 cm) of wetness on Port Arthur, Texas, said meteorologist David Roth of the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center.</p>

<p>Airlines cancelled more than 300 flights in the United States, with the most affected airports throughout the New York area as well as North Carolina, according to FlightAware.com.</p>

<p>"Today we are expecting the flash flood risk to shift to North Carolina, Virginia, anywhere in the Southeast as the front continues to shift southward," Roth said, noting the storm was likely to dry out by evening.</p>

<p>Late Monday and early Tuesday, flash floods swamped Long Island and other <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/american-islamic-state-sniper-charged-in-new-york-justice-department-237202">New York</a> urban areas drenched by the storm, he said.</p>

<p>"It hits the pavement and it runs off. Asphalt is not known for absorbing water," Roth said.</p>

<p>Further north, the National Weather Service confirmed a rare tornado touched down in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod.</p>

<p>Utilities were scrambling to restore electricity to hundreds of communities where torrential weather downed tree limbs, knocking out power.</p>

<p>Overnight, more than 600,000 customers were out in Michigan and more than 200,000 lost power in New Jersey. Utility DTE in Michigan said more than 100,000 remained out on Tuesday, but it would restore 90 per cent of all storm-related outages by the end of the day.</p>

<p>New Jersey's hardest hit utility, FirstEnergy, was still assessing the situation and did not have an estimated return to service time for all its customers without power.</p>

<p>New York City experienced its second successive weekend of blackouts after a July 13 outage left more than 73,000 homes and businesses without power for about three hours.</p>

<p>The weekend heatwave that blanketed about a third of the US population brought thunderstorms along with cooling rain when it burst on Monday, the National Weather Service said.</p>

<p>Some winds gusted up to 80 mph (129 kph), said meteorologist Bob Oravec of the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center in Maryland.</p>

<p>"The good news is that the heatwave is over," Oravec said. "It's cooled down."</p>


Severe wind and rain in the northeastern United States left thousands without power on Tuesday, as a record-breaking heatwave ebbed and a flash flood threat moved south with the storm.

Severe wind and rain in the northeastern United States left thousands without power on Tuesday, as a record-breaking heatwave ebbed and a flash flood threat moved south with the storm. Up to 4 inches (10 cm) of rain-drenched New York's eastern Long Island suburbs, while the widespread storm dumped as much as 8 inches (20 cm) of wetness on Port Arthur, Texas, said meteorologist David Roth of the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center. Airlines cancelled more than 300 flights in the United States, with the most affected airports throughout the New York area as well as North Carolina, according to FlightAware.com. "Today we are expecting the flash flood risk to shift to North Carolina, Virginia, anywhere in the Southeast as the front continues to shift southward," Roth said, noting the storm was likely to dry out by evening. Late Monday and early Tuesday, flash floods swamped Long Island and other New York urban areas drenched by the storm, he said. "It hits the pavement and it runs off. Asphalt is not known for absorbing water," Roth said. Further north, the National Weather Service confirmed a rare tornado touched down in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. Utilities were scrambling to restore electricity to hundreds of communities where torrential weather downed tree limbs, knocking out power. Overnight, more than 600,000 customers were out in Michigan and more than 200,000 lost power in New Jersey. Utility DTE in Michigan said more than 100,000 remained out on Tuesday, but it would restore 90 per cent of all storm-related outages by the end of the day. New Jersey's hardest hit utility, FirstEnergy, was still assessing the situation and did not have an estimated return to service time for all its customers without power. New York City experienced its second successive weekend of blackouts after a July 13 outage left more than 73,000 homes and businesses without power for about three hours. The weekend heatwave that blanketed about a third of the US population brought thunderstorms along with cooling rain when it burst on Monday, the National Weather Service said. Some winds gusted up to 80 mph (129 kph), said meteorologist Bob Oravec of the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center in Maryland. "The good news is that the heatwave is over," Oravec said. "It's cooled down."

Pounding rains, flash floods drench northeastern United States

<p>Severe wind and rain in the northeastern United States left thousands without power on Monday and into early Tuesday, even as a record-breaking heatwave ebbed.</p>

<p>The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/end-in-sight-for-us-heat-wave-that-set-temperature-records-237573">heatwave blanketing about a third of the US population</a> brought thunderstorms along with cooling rain when it burst on Monday, the National Weather Service said.</p>

<p>The hardest-hit area was New Jersey, with about 300,000 customers still without power early on Tuesday, tracking site PowerOutage.us showed.</p>

<p>"There are numerous reports of wind damage from downed trees hitting powerlines and transformers, through New Jersey and southern New York," said Bob Oravec of the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center in Maryland.</p>

<p>Some winds gusted as high as 80 mph (129 kph), he added.</p>

<p>"The good news is that the heatwave is over," Oravec said. "It's cooled down. Today it'll be about 76 degrees Fahrenheit (24.4°C) in New York City and roughly in the high 70s to low 80s through New Jersey and the northeast."</p>

<p>Many New Yorkers experienced their second successive weekend of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-150-million-people-sweltering-through-deadly-us-heatwave-237355">blackouts</a> after a July 13 outage left more than 73,000 homes and businesses without power for about three hours.</p>

<p>About 18,000 customers were without power in New York City, media said, for a total of 22,000 in the metro area by early Tuesday.</p>

<p>Some residents have been without power since Sunday night when Con Edison shut off the supply to about 50,000 customers in New York City and Westchester to avert strain on the system, even as temperatures soared to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8°C).&nbsp;</p>

<p>The shutdown was necessary for repairs by Con Edison to prevent a bigger outage, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter at the time, tasking city personnel to take generators to nursing homes and open cooling centres for residents.</p>

<p>On Monday, he criticized Con Edison for not taking preventive measures before the latest outrage, telling a news conference the forecast of a heatwave meant the situation had been predictable, and therefore preventable.</p>

<p>In Michigan, about 150,000 homes and businesses were still without power early on Tuesday after weekend thunderstorms knocked out power in much of the metro Detroit area.</p>

<p>Temperatures in the Detroit area are forecast at about 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.6°C).</p>

<p>On Saturday, at least half-a-dozen locations saw one-day temperature records, including a high of 99 F (37.2°C) at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and a high of 97 F (36.1°C) at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.</p>


Severe wind and rain in the northeastern United States left thousands without power on Monday and into early Tuesday, even as a record-breaking heatwave ebbed. The heatwave blanketing about a third of the US population brought thunderstorms along with cooling rain when it burst on Monday, the National Weather Service said.

Severe wind and rain in the northeastern United States left thousands without power on Monday and into early Tuesday, even as a record-breaking heatwave ebbed. The heatwave blanketing about a third of the US population brought thunderstorms along with cooling rain when it burst on Monday, the National Weather Service said. The hardest-hit area was New Jersey, with about 300,000 customers still without power early on Tuesday, tracking site PowerOutage.us showed. "There are numerous reports of wind damage from downed trees hitting powerlines and transformers, through New Jersey and southern New York," said Bob Oravec of the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center in Maryland. Some winds gusted as high as 80 mph (129 kph), he added. "The good news is that the heatwave is over," Oravec said. "It's cooled down. Today it'll be about 76 degrees Fahrenheit (24.4°C) in New York City and roughly in the high 70s to low 80s through New Jersey and the northeast." Many New Yorkers experienced their second successive weekend of blackouts after a July 13 outage left more than 73,000 homes and businesses without power for about three hours. About 18,000 customers were without power in New York City, media said, for a total of 22,000 in the metro area by early Tuesday. Some residents have been without power since Sunday night when Con Edison shut off the supply to about 50,000 customers in New York City and Westchester to avert strain on the system, even as temperatures soared to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8°C). The shutdown was necessary for repairs by Con Edison to prevent a bigger outage, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter at the time, tasking city personnel to take generators to nursing homes and open cooling centres for residents. On Monday, he criticized Con Edison for not taking preventive measures before the latest outrage, telling a news conference the forecast of a heatwave meant the situation had been predictable, and therefore preventable. In Michigan, about 150,000 homes and businesses were still without power early on Tuesday after weekend thunderstorms knocked out power in much of the metro Detroit area. Temperatures in the Detroit area are forecast at about 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.6°C). On Saturday, at least half-a-dozen locations saw one-day temperature records, including a high of 99 F (37.2°C) at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and a high of 97 F (36.1°C) at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

As heat wave breaks across US northeast, thousands left without power

<p>The United States <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-150-million-people-sweltering-through-deadly-us-heatwave-237355">sweltered in dangerously hot weather</a> on Sunday, with major cities including New York, Philadelphia and Washington broiling in temperatures that rose into triple digits.</p>

<p>An oppressive heatwave stretching from the Midwestern plains to the Atlantic coast had nearly 150 million people struggling to stay cool in stifling heat that set records in a handful of states.</p>

<p>By Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service (NWS) said the high temperatures would soon be over, but the severe weather would continue.</p>

<p>"The dangerous heat wave which enveloped much of the Midwest to the East Coast this weekend should finally break by Monday as a cold front drops southward," the agency said.</p>

<p>However, it warned that "showers and thunderstorms... with heavy to excessive rainfall and severe weather possible" were expected across a swath of the east coast, and flash floods were a risk.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Around 95 million people were under a heat warning or advisory for Sunday, down from Saturday's 157 million.</p>

<p>Earlier in the day, the NWS said "numerous stations" stretching from Massachusetts in the north to North Carolina in the south "were reporting heat index values between 100-110" degrees, with the highest values found in the southeast of the state of Virginia.</p>

<p>Authorities urged people on Sunday to stay hydrated, watch out for the sick and elderly, stay inside as much as possible and not leave children or animals in cars.</p>

<p>"We're almost near the end of the heat emergency. Temperatures will start to go back down tonight," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted, asking the city's residents to "keep hydrated and keep cool."</p>

<p>The NWS said it had recorded all-time high temperatures on Saturday in seven places in the US including Manchester, New Hampshire, Atlantic City, New Jersey and New York's JFK airport.</p>

<p>US media has blamed the heatwave for at least six deaths, including a hiker who had been found unconscious on a trail outside Washington on Saturday and two people who died earlier in the week in the eastern state of Maryland.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In Arkansas, 32-year-old former NFL player Mitch Petrus died of heatstroke Thursday after working outside his family's shop.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-welcomes-construction-of-kartarpur-corridor-236559">New York City</a> Triathlon, which had been scheduled for Sunday, was cancelled for the first time since its founding in 2001.</p>

<p>Life Time, which produces the race, donated more than 12 tons of water and Gatorade Endurance drink meant for competitors to be distributed to New Yorkers in need, CBS reported.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the two-day OZY Fest a food, comedy and music festival set for Central Park was also called off.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In Washington, a popular weekly outdoor summer jazz concert at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden was cancelled.</p>

<p><strong>'Deadly conditions'&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>"Sunday has been cancelled. Stay indoors, nothing to see here. We got this," The New York City Police Department wrote on Twitter.</p>

<p>The city had opened 500 cooling centres for residents.</p>

<p>At least three public defenders said on Twitter that inmates in New York's notorious Rikers Island jail complex were suffering from no air conditioning and that some guards had turned off fans as punishment, resulting in "deadly conditions."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Brooklyn Defender Services legal aid group said some inmates didn't have summer clothing, only long underwear provided by the group last winter.</p>

<p>Top officials from the city's Department of Corrections were at the facility monitoring the response to the heatwave to "protect health and safety of everyone in the facility," de Blasio wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The department said in a statement to AFP that extra staff were on hand to distribute summer clothing, and clinics were open around the clock to treat heat-related symptoms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Those in units without air conditioning were given access to fans, ice, water and "multiple cool showers."</p>

<p>Earlier in the week, the National Weather Service office in the Midwestern city of Omaha baked a tray of biscuits savoury breakfast bread similar to scones on the dashboard of a parked car.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After nearly eight hours and with temperatures in the pan reaching 185 degrees, the pastries were almost fully cooked.</p>

<p>Climate data showed June was the hottest month on record worldwide, with a heatwave across Europe smashing national records.</p>


The United States sweltered in dangerously hot weather on Sunday, with major cities including New York, Philadelphia and Washington broiling in temperatures that rose into triple digits.

The United States sweltered in dangerously hot weather on Sunday, with major cities including New York, Philadelphia and Washington broiling in temperatures that rose into triple digits. An oppressive heatwave stretching from the Midwestern plains to the Atlantic coast had nearly 150 million people struggling to stay cool in stifling heat that set records in a handful of states. By Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service (NWS) said the high temperatures would soon be over, but the severe weather would continue. "The dangerous heat wave which enveloped much of the Midwest to the East Coast this weekend should finally break by Monday as a cold front drops southward," the agency said. However, it warned that "showers and thunderstorms... with heavy to excessive rainfall and severe weather possible" were expected across a swath of the east coast, and flash floods were a risk. Around 95 million people were under a heat warning or advisory for Sunday, down from Saturday's 157 million. Earlier in the day, the NWS said "numerous stations" stretching from Massachusetts in the north to North Carolina in the south "were reporting heat index values between 100-110" degrees, with the highest values found in the southeast of the state of Virginia. Authorities urged people on Sunday to stay hydrated, watch out for the sick and elderly, stay inside as much as possible and not leave children or animals in cars. "We're almost near the end of the heat emergency. Temperatures will start to go back down tonight," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted, asking the city's residents to "keep hydrated and keep cool." The NWS said it had recorded all-time high temperatures on Saturday in seven places in the US including Manchester, New Hampshire, Atlantic City, New Jersey and New York's JFK airport. US media has blamed the heatwave for at least six deaths, including a hiker who had been found unconscious on a trail outside Washington on Saturday and two people who died earlier in the week in the eastern state of Maryland. In Arkansas, 32-year-old former NFL player Mitch Petrus died of heatstroke Thursday after working outside his family's shop. The New York City Triathlon, which had been scheduled for Sunday, was cancelled for the first time since its founding in 2001. Life Time, which produces the race, donated more than 12 tons of water and Gatorade Endurance drink meant for competitors to be distributed to New Yorkers in need, CBS reported. Meanwhile, the two-day OZY Fest a food, comedy and music festival set for Central Park was also called off. In Washington, a popular weekly outdoor summer jazz concert at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden was cancelled. 'Deadly conditions' "Sunday has been cancelled. Stay indoors, nothing to see here. We got this," The New York City Police Department wrote on Twitter. The city had opened 500 cooling centres for residents. At least three public defenders said on Twitter that inmates in New York's notorious Rikers Island jail complex were suffering from no air conditioning and that some guards had turned off fans as punishment, resulting in "deadly conditions." The Brooklyn Defender Services legal aid group said some inmates didn't have summer clothing, only long underwear provided by the group last winter. Top officials from the city's Department of Corrections were at the facility monitoring the response to the heatwave to "protect health and safety of everyone in the facility," de Blasio wrote on Twitter. The department said in a statement to AFP that extra staff were on hand to distribute summer clothing, and clinics were open around the clock to treat heat-related symptoms. Those in units without air conditioning were given access to fans, ice, water and "multiple cool showers." Earlier in the week, the National Weather Service office in the Midwestern city of Omaha baked a tray of biscuits savoury breakfast bread similar to scones on the dashboard of a parked car. After nearly eight hours and with temperatures in the pan reaching 185 degrees, the pastries were almost fully cooked. Climate data showed June was the hottest month on record worldwide, with a heatwave across Europe smashing national records.

US heatwave: High temperatures soon be over, severe weather would continue, says National Weather Service

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-defiant-as-lawmakers-blast-his-racist-attacks-on-four-congresswomen-236257">US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez</a> said on Saturday that President Donald Trump relished a chant by the crowd at a campaign rally this week that called for a Democratic congresswoman to be sent back where she came from.</p>

<p>Trump renewed his criticism of four minority women lawmakers on Friday, saying that they had said horrible things about the United States, and defended himself from criticism over his comment that they should leave the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-weekly-jobless-claims-fall-to-three-month-low-235066">United States</a> if unhappy.</p>

<p>A day after saying his audience in North Carolina went too far when they chanted "Send her back!" about Somalia-born Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, on Friday he defended the crowd members as "incredible patriots."</p>

<p>Appearing before her constituents in New York City for the first time since the latest flare-up between Trump and the four Democratic congresswomen, Ocasio-Cortez rejected the president's statement that he had tried to quiet the crowd, saying he had egged them on instead.</p>

<p>"Rollback the tape ... He relished it. He took it in and he's doing this intentionally," the freshman US lawmaker told about 200 constituents gathered for a town hall meeting on immigration at a school in the Corona section of Queens.</p>

<p>Video of the crowd in North Carolina shouting "Send her back!" shows Trump pausing his speech and looking around the arena for about ten seconds.</p>

<p>The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p>

<p>The president's attacks on the four <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-tells-democratic-congresswomen-to-go-back-to-fix-countries-they-came-from-235979">congresswomen</a> - known on Capitol Hill as "the squad" - have been condemned by Democrats as racist, while many Republicans have shrugged them off.</p>

<p>Last weekend Trump ignited a firestorm by tweeting the four should "go back" to where they came from if they do not like the United States.</p>

<p>All four are American citizens. Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan were born in the United States while Omar came as a refugee from Somalia and is a naturalized citizen.</p>

<p>All four are known as sharp critics of Trump's policies as well as the Democratic leadership in the US House of Representatives.</p>

<p>Ocasio-Cortez said the president's comments had been hurtful, but "men like him" have been telling women like her to go back to their own country for a long time.</p>

<p>"We're gonna stay right here," she said to applause "That's where we're gonna go," she said. "We're not going anywhere."</p>


US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on Saturday that President Donald Trump relished a chant by the crowd at a campaign rally this week that called for a Democratic congresswoman to be sent back where she came from.

US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on Saturday that President Donald Trump relished a chant by the crowd at a campaign rally this week that called for a Democratic congresswoman to be sent back where she came from. Trump renewed his criticism of four minority women lawmakers on Friday, saying that they had said horrible things about the United States, and defended himself from criticism over his comment that they should leave the United States if unhappy. A day after saying his audience in North Carolina went too far when they chanted "Send her back!" about Somalia-born Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, on Friday he defended the crowd members as "incredible patriots." Appearing before her constituents in New York City for the first time since the latest flare-up between Trump and the four Democratic congresswomen, Ocasio-Cortez rejected the president's statement that he had tried to quiet the crowd, saying he had egged them on instead. "Rollback the tape ... He relished it. He took it in and he's doing this intentionally," the freshman US lawmaker told about 200 constituents gathered for a town hall meeting on immigration at a school in the Corona section of Queens. Video of the crowd in North Carolina shouting "Send her back!" shows Trump pausing his speech and looking around the arena for about ten seconds. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The president's attacks on the four congresswomen - known on Capitol Hill as "the squad" - have been condemned by Democrats as racist, while many Republicans have shrugged them off. Last weekend Trump ignited a firestorm by tweeting the four should "go back" to where they came from if they do not like the United States. All four are American citizens. Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan were born in the United States while Omar came as a refugee from Somalia and is a naturalized citizen. All four are known as sharp critics of Trump's policies as well as the Democratic leadership in the US House of Representatives. Ocasio-Cortez said the president's comments had been hurtful, but "men like him" have been telling women like her to go back to their own country for a long time. "We're gonna stay right here," she said to applause "That's where we're gonna go," she said. "We're not going anywhere."

Donald Trump relished rally chant, Ocasio-Cortez tells constituents in Queens

Protesters marched through the streets of lower Manhattan on Wednesday (July 17), calling for justice five years after Eric Garner died while being arrested by New York City Police officers.

Protests in New York on 5th anniversary of death of Eric Garner

<p>The United States has tightly restricted the travel of more than a dozen Iranian diplomats and their families living in New York, according to a US diplomatic note sent to the Iran Mission to the United Nations and seen by Reuters on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The diplomats are subjected to the same rules imposed by the United States on Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who arrived on Sunday amid heightened tensions between the two countries.</p>

<p>They may only travel between the United Nations, the Iranian UN mission, the Iranian UN ambassador's residence and John F. Kennedy airport. There is also a carve-out for the six blocks surrounding Queensboro Plaza in Long Island City in the borough of Queens. It was not immediately clear why.</p>

<p>Longtime US-Iran strains have worsened since US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-human-rights-minister-deletes-tweet-criticising-trump-236553">Donald Trump</a> last year quit a 2015 international agreement to curb Iran's nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. Trump has imposed more sanctions on Iran.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Washington and Tehran sent mixed signals on Tuesday about resolving their disputes as Iran's supreme leader threatened to further breach the nuclear deal while Trump cited "a lot of progress."</p>

<p>The July 12 diplomatic note said the open-ended travel rules, apply to "all members of the permanent mission of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-says-uks-seizure-of-oil-tanker-will-not-go-unanswered-236651&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi--aGj7rvjAhWJMI8KHdXYCuQQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw17zG9ROyh3jjMutN9uGfHS">Iran</a> to the United Nations, their immediate family members, and representatives of the Iranian government to the United Nations."</p>

<p>It said a waiver would be required from US State Department Office of Foreign Missions for any other travel and requests must be made at least five days in advance. The Iranian UN mission is also required to submit residential and hotel accommodations for approval.</p>

<p>The Iranian UN mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday Zarif's work in New York was unaffected.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The United Nations said on Monday that it told the United States it was concerned by the new tight travel restrictions. A US State Department official said the United States had acted "in a manner that is fully consistent" with its obligations under a 1947 agreement with the United Nations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before the new rules, Iranian diplomats - like envoys of North Korea, Syria and Cuba - were already confined to a radius of 25 miles from Columbus Circle in Midtown Manhattan. According to the UN Blue Book, which lists diplomats of each mission to the world body, there are 13 Iranian diplomats in New York.</p>

<p>Under the 1947 UN "headquarters agreement," the United States is generally required to allow access to the United Nations for foreign diplomats. But Washington says it can deny visas for "security, terrorism, and foreign policy" reasons.</p>

<p>The US diplomatic note said Zarif was "being admitted to the United States for the sole purpose of attending UN meetings" and that "he should restrict his activities to UN-related business only.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Zarif is due to attend a ministerial meeting at the UN on Wednesday on sustainable development goals, which aim to tackle issues including conflict, hunger, equality and climate change by 2030. On Monday, he did interviews with British and US media at the residence of the Iranian UN ambassador.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The United States has tightly restricted the travel of more than a dozen Iranian diplomats and their families living in New York, according to a US diplomatic note sent to the Iran Mission to the United Nations and seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

The United States has tightly restricted the travel of more than a dozen Iranian diplomats and their families living in New York, according to a US diplomatic note sent to the Iran Mission to the United Nations and seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The diplomats are subjected to the same rules imposed by the United States on Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who arrived on Sunday amid heightened tensions between the two countries. They may only travel between the United Nations, the Iranian UN mission, the Iranian UN ambassador's residence and John F. Kennedy airport. There is also a carve-out for the six blocks surrounding Queensboro Plaza in Long Island City in the borough of Queens. It was not immediately clear why. Longtime US-Iran strains have worsened since US President Donald Trump last year quit a 2015 international agreement to curb Iran's nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. Trump has imposed more sanctions on Iran. Washington and Tehran sent mixed signals on Tuesday about resolving their disputes as Iran's supreme leader threatened to further breach the nuclear deal while Trump cited "a lot of progress." The July 12 diplomatic note said the open-ended travel rules, apply to "all members of the permanent mission of Iran to the United Nations, their immediate family members, and representatives of the Iranian government to the United Nations." It said a waiver would be required from US State Department Office of Foreign Missions for any other travel and requests must be made at least five days in advance. The Iranian UN mission is also required to submit residential and hotel accommodations for approval. The Iranian UN mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday Zarif's work in New York was unaffected. The United Nations said on Monday that it told the United States it was concerned by the new tight travel restrictions. A US State Department official said the United States had acted "in a manner that is fully consistent" with its obligations under a 1947 agreement with the United Nations. Before the new rules, Iranian diplomats - like envoys of North Korea, Syria and Cuba - were already confined to a radius of 25 miles from Columbus Circle in Midtown Manhattan. According to the UN Blue Book, which lists diplomats of each mission to the world body, there are 13 Iranian diplomats in New York. Under the 1947 UN "headquarters agreement," the United States is generally required to allow access to the United Nations for foreign diplomats. But Washington says it can deny visas for "security, terrorism, and foreign policy" reasons. The US diplomatic note said Zarif was "being admitted to the United States for the sole purpose of attending UN meetings" and that "he should restrict his activities to UN-related business only. Zarif is due to attend a ministerial meeting at the UN on Wednesday on sustainable development goals, which aim to tackle issues including conflict, hunger, equality and climate change by 2030. On Monday, he did interviews with British and US media at the residence of the Iranian UN ambassador.

Iranian diplomats, families living in New York face US travel curbs

Police arrested multiple people in New York on Monday as demonstrators protested the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and called for its closure.

US Immigrant Raids: Over 40 protesters arrested in New York

Four minority US congresswomen known as the "the squad" accused President Donald Trump of trying to sow division and distract attention from what they characterized as failed policies on immigration, health care and taxation on Monday.

Congresswomen call Trump's attack an attempt to distract from his policies

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-workers-in-germany-strike-over-pay-verdi-union-says-236173/amp">Amazon.com</a> Inc's &lt;AMZN.O&gt; Prime Day is now a major marketing opportunity and shopping event in the annual calendar for other US <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/us-delegation-to-discuss-indias-new-e-commerce-rules-during-trade-talks-235262&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj0oZi0gbnjAhUMr48KHXruCrEQFjAEegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3a1jsroKojRA5VApIzrXx-">retail companies</a>, rivalling the Thanksgiving holiday's Black Friday as a driver of sales.</p>

<p>Walmart Inc &lt;WMT.N&gt;, Target Corp &lt;TGT.N&gt; and eBay Inc &lt;EBAY.O&gt; all run their own special promotions to coincide with the annual sale, which this year Amazon has stretched to two days.</p>

<p>Target announced deal days which will run on the same days like Prime Day - July 15 and 16. Walmart offered promotions from July 14th-17th, while eBay announced a July 15 "crash sale."</p>

<p>"As the awareness of this shopping moment continues to build, we see this as a great opportunity to showcase our competitive advantage on price and inventory," an eBay spokesperson said.</p>

<p>Amazon's break-neck pace of growth, which has seen increasing numbers of shoppers ordering online instead of going to brick-and-mortar stores, is pushing other retailers to respond as they seek to remain competitive.</p>

<p>"There is this enormous halo effect to Prime Day," said Jaysen Gillespie, head of analytics and data science at ads firm Criteo, adding that non-Amazon retailers should experience large increases both in traffic to their websites and in sales.</p>

<p>"The rest of the industry is taking advantage of the free marketing that Jeff Bezos is providing, and they should really send him a thank you card saying, 'Hey, thanks for the awareness marketing - we'll take care of the conversion and close the deal now on our websites.'"</p>

<p>Some retailers also flaunted no membership fees.</p>

<p>Customers have to join Amazon Prime to get discounts during the 48-hour event. US members of the club pay $119 per year for benefits including one-day shipping, and they tend to buy more goods, more often from the Seattle-based retailer.</p>

<p>The mid-summer shopping event is estimated to bring in $5.8 billion in sales this year for Amazon globally, compared to $3.9 billion last year, according to Coresight Research. Amazon does not disclose figures for revenue generated during Prime Day shopping events.</p>

<p>Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group &lt;BABA.N&gt; reported sales of $30.8 billion during its 24-hour online retail frenzy Singles' Day in 2018.</p>

<p>Last year, when Prime Day lasted 36 hours and faced technical glitches, online shoppers bought more than 100 million products worldwide, at the time recording the largest daily sales for Amazon's own brand of Echo smart speakers, while the Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote and Echo Dot were the best-selling devices.</p>

<p>Other top-selling products around the world were table salt in India, Coke Zero and Kleenex tissues in Singapore and electric toothbrushes in China.</p>

<p>Pop star Lady Gaga announced a line of beauty products exclusively for sale on Amazon last week, which is available for pre-order during the promotional event.</p>

<p>"It's Christmas in July," said Tom Caporaso, chief executive of loyalty platform Clarus Commerce, citing company research that shows roughly 50% of consumers say they search other retailers to find the best price on Prime Day.</p>

<p>"That's telling you that consumers are definitely in the buying mode but are not 100% loyal to Amazon," he said.</p>

<p>To coincide with Prime Day, more than 2,000 workers at seven Amazon sites across Germany went on strike over pay and conditions for logistics workers for at least two days, labour union Verdi said on Monday.</p>

<p>Other protests have been planned across Europe and the United States, including at an Amazon warehouse in Shakopee in Minneapolis, where workers have scheduled a work stoppage and are demanding improved work conditions.</p>

<p>Employees are also calling on the company to do more to combat climate change and cut alleged business dealings with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).</p>

<p>"Events like Prime Day have become an opportunity for our critics, including unions, to raise awareness for their cause, in this case, increased membership dues," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement on Monday.</p>

<p>"These groups are conjuring misinformation to work in their favour, when in fact we already offer the things they purport to be their cause — industry leading pay of $15 per hour, benefits, and a safe workplace for our employees."</p>

<p>Democratic presidential candidates and US Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren on Twitter threw their support behind the striking workers.</p>

<p>Shares of Amazon edged up 0.4% on Nasdaq shortly before the close of trading.</p>


Amazon.com Inc's <AMZN.O> Prime Day is now a major marketing opportunity and shopping event in the annual calendar for other US retail companies, rivalling the Thanksgiving holiday's Black Friday as a driver of sales.

Amazon.com Inc's <AMZN.O> Prime Day is now a major marketing opportunity and shopping event in the annual calendar for other US retail companies, rivalling the Thanksgiving holiday's Black Friday as a driver of sales. Walmart Inc <WMT.N>, Target Corp <TGT.N> and eBay Inc <EBAY.O> all run their own special promotions to coincide with the annual sale, which this year Amazon has stretched to two days. Target announced deal days which will run on the same days like Prime Day - July 15 and 16. Walmart offered promotions from July 14th-17th, while eBay announced a July 15 "crash sale." "As the awareness of this shopping moment continues to build, we see this as a great opportunity to showcase our competitive advantage on price and inventory," an eBay spokesperson said. Amazon's break-neck pace of growth, which has seen increasing numbers of shoppers ordering online instead of going to brick-and-mortar stores, is pushing other retailers to respond as they seek to remain competitive. "There is this enormous halo effect to Prime Day," said Jaysen Gillespie, head of analytics and data science at ads firm Criteo, adding that non-Amazon retailers should experience large increases both in traffic to their websites and in sales. "The rest of the industry is taking advantage of the free marketing that Jeff Bezos is providing, and they should really send him a thank you card saying, 'Hey, thanks for the awareness marketing - we'll take care of the conversion and close the deal now on our websites.'" Some retailers also flaunted no membership fees. Customers have to join Amazon Prime to get discounts during the 48-hour event. US members of the club pay $119 per year for benefits including one-day shipping, and they tend to buy more goods, more often from the Seattle-based retailer. The mid-summer shopping event is estimated to bring in $5.8 billion in sales this year for Amazon globally, compared to $3.9 billion last year, according to Coresight Research. Amazon does not disclose figures for revenue generated during Prime Day shopping events. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group <BABA.N> reported sales of $30.8 billion during its 24-hour online retail frenzy Singles' Day in 2018. Last year, when Prime Day lasted 36 hours and faced technical glitches, online shoppers bought more than 100 million products worldwide, at the time recording the largest daily sales for Amazon's own brand of Echo smart speakers, while the Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote and Echo Dot were the best-selling devices. Other top-selling products around the world were table salt in India, Coke Zero and Kleenex tissues in Singapore and electric toothbrushes in China. Pop star Lady Gaga announced a line of beauty products exclusively for sale on Amazon last week, which is available for pre-order during the promotional event. "It's Christmas in July," said Tom Caporaso, chief executive of loyalty platform Clarus Commerce, citing company research that shows roughly 50% of consumers say they search other retailers to find the best price on Prime Day. "That's telling you that consumers are definitely in the buying mode but are not 100% loyal to Amazon," he said. To coincide with Prime Day, more than 2,000 workers at seven Amazon sites across Germany went on strike over pay and conditions for logistics workers for at least two days, labour union Verdi said on Monday. Other protests have been planned across Europe and the United States, including at an Amazon warehouse in Shakopee in Minneapolis, where workers have scheduled a work stoppage and are demanding improved work conditions. Employees are also calling on the company to do more to combat climate change and cut alleged business dealings with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "Events like Prime Day have become an opportunity for our critics, including unions, to raise awareness for their cause, in this case, increased membership dues," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement on Monday. "These groups are conjuring misinformation to work in their favour, when in fact we already offer the things they purport to be their cause — industry leading pay of $15 per hour, benefits, and a safe workplace for our employees." Democratic presidential candidates and US Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren on Twitter threw their support behind the striking workers. Shares of Amazon edged up 0.4% on Nasdaq shortly before the close of trading.

Amazon rivals ride on Prime Day marketing as protests unfold

<p>When a massive blackout plunged much of Manhattan into darkness on Saturday evening, a choir and the casts of Broadway musicals entertained tourists with impromptu performances in the street.<br />
<br />
The outages struck at around 7 p.m, just as many shows were starting at theatres in Midtown and at the Lincoln Center Plaza on New York City's Upper West Side.<br />
<br />
With subway stations and traffic lights suddenly dark, thousands of people spilt outside on a hot summer's night.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Choir singing "I believe in Christ" during <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/blackout?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#blackout</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYCblackout?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYCblackout</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Christ?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Christ</a> <a href="https://t.co/YJTB8kkxu9">pic.twitter.com/YJTB8kkxu9</a></p>
— Tony Mecham (@TonyMecham) <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyMecham/status/1150273740816683009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Some were surprised by what they found, including writer Briallen Hopper, who had been trapped on a subway train for an hour.<br />
<br />
"I guess this is what they call a New York moment," she wrote on Twitter with a video of a choir singing at sunset.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
"I emerged to see dark restaurants &amp; traffic lights, civilians directing traffic, &amp; an evacuated Carnegie Hall concert happening in the street."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I guess this is what they call a New York moment. After being trapped on the F for an hour because of the power outage I emerged to see dark restaurants &amp; traffic lights, civilians directing traffic, &amp; an evacuated Carnegie Hall concert happening in the street. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nyc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nyc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blackout?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Blackout</a> <a href="https://t.co/3p9UWtRrel">pic.twitter.com/3p9UWtRrel</a></p>
— Briallen Hopper (@briallenhopper) <a href="https://twitter.com/briallenhopper/status/1150198299254767616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Another Twitter user, Caryn Ross, agreed, posting a video of the street concert by the Millennial Choirs and Orchestras with the hashtag #BeautifulSoundsDuringBlackout: "Now this is what turning lemons into lemonade is about!" she wrote.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Now this is what turning lemons into lemonade is all about! We can hear singing from the streets below...the entire <a href="https://twitter.com/carnegiehall?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@carnegiehall</a> choir including conductor are putting on an impromptu concert by singing outside during the blackout! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYCBlackout?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYCBlackout</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeautifulSoundsDuringBlackout?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeautifulSoundsDuringBlackout</a> <a href="https://t.co/ll5ocnGYvc">pic.twitter.com/ll5ocnGYvc</a></p>
— Caryn Ross (@SuperSassyMama) <a href="https://twitter.com/SuperSassyMama/status/1150193426618572801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Also unexpected were scenes of multiple civilians who stepped into always-busy intersections to help direct traffic snarled by the lack of traffic lights.<br />
<br />
One middle-aged man in shorts and a red tank-top managed the flow of vehicles at one junction for at least 45 minutes, drawing plaudits on social media.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
In a photo on Twitter taken after darkness fell, civilians were&nbsp;seen directing traffic in the Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood with a toy lightsabers.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Directing traffic with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/lightsabers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#lightsabers</a> during the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nyc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nyc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/blackout?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#blackout</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/blackoutnyc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#blackoutnyc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/maytheforcebewithyou?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#maytheforcebewithyou</a> <a href="https://t.co/nE8HPmz1tF">pic.twitter.com/nE8HPmz1tF</a></p>
— Pamela Chasek (@paminnyc) <a href="https://twitter.com/paminnyc/status/1150234152685441026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>At Madison Square Garden, the blackout put a sudden stop to a Jennifer Lopez concert, plunging the arena into darkness.<br />
<br />
"I am obviously heartbroken and devastated," Bronx native Lopez said in a video clip she sent in a Twitter post for her fans. "I love you. I am so sorry this happened in the middle of our moment, at our show"</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Devastated and heartbroken that I can’t perform for all of you tonight. We will make this up to you, I promise! I love you!! ❤️❤️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ItsMyPartyTour?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ItsMyPartyTour</a> <a href="https://t.co/PZhFoPkeeM">pic.twitter.com/PZhFoPkeeM</a></p>
— Jennifer Lopez (@JLo) <a href="https://twitter.com/JLo/status/1150222803863404544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>All Broadway theatres were closed due to the blackout except for the Winter Garden Theater, Nederlander Theater, and Lyceum Theatre, authorities said.<br />
<br />
But among those who entertained theatre goers with off-the-cuff performances nonetheless were the casts of the musicals 'Waitress',&nbsp;'Hadestown',&nbsp;'Come From Away',&nbsp;and 'Rock Of Ages'.</p>

<p>Carnegie Hall was having a concert that was moved outside:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">New York having a New York moment. New York had a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/blackout?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#blackout</a> affecting 42,000 people in midtown Manhattan.<br />
<br />
Carnegie Hall was having a concert that was moved outside. The seats were about $1000. <a href="https://t.co/PMQWU2Te55">pic.twitter.com/PMQWU2Te55</a></p>
— Ponce’sPoint (@PoncesPoint) <a href="https://twitter.com/PoncesPoint/status/1150260282016579584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>By midnight, power had been restored to most of the customers who had lost it.&nbsp;Shouts of celebration could be heard in parts of Manhattan as power was restored, bringing lights and air conditioners back to life.</p>


When a massive blackout plunged much of Manhattan into darkness on Saturday evening, a choir and the casts of Broadway musicals entertained tourists with impromptu performances in the street.

When a massive blackout plunged much of Manhattan into darkness on Saturday evening, a choir and the casts of Broadway musicals entertained tourists with impromptu performances in the street. The outages struck at around 7 p.m, just as many shows were starting at theatres in Midtown and at the Lincoln Center Plaza on New York City's Upper West Side. With subway stations and traffic lights suddenly dark, thousands of people spilt outside on a hot summer's night. Choir singing "I believe in Christ" during #blackout #NYCblackout #Christ pic.twitter.com/YJTB8kkxu9 — Tony Mecham (@TonyMecham) July 14, 2019 × Some were surprised by what they found, including writer Briallen Hopper, who had been trapped on a subway train for an hour. "I guess this is what they call a New York moment," she wrote on Twitter with a video of a choir singing at sunset. "I emerged to see dark restaurants & traffic lights, civilians directing traffic, & an evacuated Carnegie Hall concert happening in the street." I guess this is what they call a New York moment. After being trapped on the F for an hour because of the power outage I emerged to see dark restaurants & traffic lights, civilians directing traffic, & an evacuated Carnegie Hall concert happening in the street. #nyc #Blackout pic.twitter.com/3p9UWtRrel — Briallen Hopper (@briallenhopper) July 14, 2019 × Another Twitter user, Caryn Ross, agreed, posting a video of the street concert by the Millennial Choirs and Orchestras with the hashtag #BeautifulSoundsDuringBlackout: "Now this is what turning lemons into lemonade is about!" she wrote. Now this is what turning lemons into lemonade is all about! We can hear singing from the streets below...the entire @carnegiehall choir including conductor are putting on an impromptu concert by singing outside during the blackout! #NYCBlackout #BeautifulSoundsDuringBlackout pic.twitter.com/ll5ocnGYvc — Caryn Ross (@SuperSassyMama) July 14, 2019 × Also unexpected were scenes of multiple civilians who stepped into always-busy intersections to help direct traffic snarled by the lack of traffic lights. One middle-aged man in shorts and a red tank-top managed the flow of vehicles at one junction for at least 45 minutes, drawing plaudits on social media. In a photo on Twitter taken after darkness fell, civilians were seen directing traffic in the Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood with a toy lightsabers. Directing traffic with #lightsabers during the #nyc #blackout #blackoutnyc #maytheforcebewithyou pic.twitter.com/nE8HPmz1tF — Pamela Chasek (@paminnyc) July 14, 2019 × At Madison Square Garden, the blackout put a sudden stop to a Jennifer Lopez concert, plunging the arena into darkness. "I am obviously heartbroken and devastated," Bronx native Lopez said in a video clip she sent in a Twitter post for her fans. "I love you. I am so sorry this happened in the middle of our moment, at our show" Devastated and heartbroken that I can’t perform for all of you tonight. We will make this up to you, I promise! I love you!! ❤️❤️ #ItsMyPartyTour pic.twitter.com/PZhFoPkeeM — Jennifer Lopez (@JLo) July 14, 2019 × All Broadway theatres were closed due to the blackout except for the Winter Garden Theater, Nederlander Theater, and Lyceum Theatre, authorities said. But among those who entertained theatre goers with off-the-cuff performances nonetheless were the casts of the musicals 'Waitress', 'Hadestown', 'Come From Away', and 'Rock Of Ages'. Carnegie Hall was having a concert that was moved outside: New York having a New York moment. New York had a #blackout affecting 42,000 people in midtown Manhattan. Carnegie Hall was having a concert that was moved outside. The seats were about $1000. pic.twitter.com/PMQWU2Te55 — Ponce’sPoint (@PoncesPoint) July 14, 2019 × By midnight, power had been restored to most of the customers who had lost it. Shouts of celebration could be heard in parts of Manhattan as power was restored, bringing lights and air conditioners back to life.

Broadway casts, choir perform in the street during a blackout in Manhattan

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on July 10 signed a law guaranteeing equal pay before the ticker-tape parade for the championship U.S. women's national soccer team.

Cuomo signs law guaranteeing equal pay

<p>New York state on Monday cleared the way for Democrats in the US Congress to obtain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-seeks-to-override-supreme-court-ruling-on-census-233448">President Donald Trump's state tax</a> returns, raising the possibility of fresh avenues of inquiry for lawmakers investigating his finances.</p>

<p>Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an amendment to a tax law that would require the commissioner of the Department of Taxation and Finance to share state income tax returns and reports when certain congressional committees request them.</p>

<p>"This bill gives Congress the ability to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities, strengthen our democratic system and ensure that no one is above the law," said Cuomo, a Democrat.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trump's attorney Jay Sekulow responded to the law by calling it an example of "more presidential harassment."</p>

<p>"We will respond to this as appropriate," he said in a statement.</p>

<p>The law, effective immediately, opens a new avenue for the Democratic majority in Congress to investigate <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-rally-trump-says-russia-probe-backers-tried-to-steal-power-illegally-206396">Trump's business affairs</a>.</p>

<p>New York's state legislature has had a Democratic majority in both the House and the Senate since Democrats won control of the Senate in 2018.</p>

<p>US congressional Democrats have pushed for the release of Trump's tax returns since he took office.</p>

<p>In May, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin denied the House Ways and Means committee's request that the Internal Revenue Service turn over six years of Trump's federal tax returns, citing his belief that the committee did not have a legitimate legislative reason for the request.</p>

<p>The committee sued Mnuchin and the Treasury Department last week to appeal to Mnuchin's decision.</p>


New York state on Monday cleared the way for Democrats in the US Congress to obtain President Donald Trump's state tax returns, raising the possibility of fresh avenues of inquiry for lawmakers investigating his finances.

New York state on Monday cleared the way for Democrats in the US Congress to obtain President Donald Trump's state tax returns, raising the possibility of fresh avenues of inquiry for lawmakers investigating his finances. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an amendment to a tax law that would require the commissioner of the Department of Taxation and Finance to share state income tax returns and reports when certain congressional committees request them. "This bill gives Congress the ability to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities, strengthen our democratic system and ensure that no one is above the law," said Cuomo, a Democrat. Trump's attorney Jay Sekulow responded to the law by calling it an example of "more presidential harassment." "We will respond to this as appropriate," he said in a statement. The law, effective immediately, opens a new avenue for the Democratic majority in Congress to investigate Trump's business affairs. New York's state legislature has had a Democratic majority in both the House and the Senate since Democrats won control of the Senate in 2018. US congressional Democrats have pushed for the release of Trump's tax returns since he took office. In May, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin denied the House Ways and Means committee's request that the Internal Revenue Service turn over six years of Trump's federal tax returns, citing his belief that the committee did not have a legitimate legislative reason for the request. The committee sued Mnuchin and the Treasury Department last week to appeal to Mnuchin's decision.

New York clears way for release of Donald Trump's state tax returns

<p>A hedge fund billionaire has been arrested on sex trafficking charges in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rainbows-fill-new-yorks-streets-as-gay-pride-parade-celebrates-50-year-anniversary-of-stonewall-riots-231855">New York area</a>, after having long been followed by accusations of molesting young girls, US media reported.</p>

<p>Jeffrey Epstein, who is expected to appear before a federal magistrate on Monday, was arrested Saturday at a New Jersey airport after arriving from Paris in his private jet, CBS Miami reported.</p>

<p>A source familiar with the case told the television station Epstein was charged with one count of sex trafficking and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.</p>

<p>Epstein had long been the subject of accusations of paying young girls for sexual massages at his Palm Beach, Florida mansion.</p>

<p>A police investigation found that he had engaged in sex with underage girls, some as young as 13, according to reporting by the Miami Herald.</p>

<p>But Epstein avoided federal prosecution in those cases with a 2007 plea deal negotiated by R&nbsp;Alexander Acosta, now the US labour secretary and at the time the top federal prosecutor in Miami.</p>

<p>Under the deal, he pleaded guilty to a state charge of soliciting prostitution from a minor and was sentenced to 18 months in the county jail.</p>

<p>The Miami Herald investigation found that Epstein was granted work release privileges that allowed him to leave jail for 12 hours a day, six days a week, and that he was released after 13 months.</p>

<p>The revelations threw a spotlight on Epstein, a well-connected financier whose friends included US President Donald Trump and former president Bill Clinton.</p>

<p>It also drew attention to Acosta's role in negotiating the plea deal.</p>


A hedge fund billionaire has been arrested on sex trafficking charges in the New York area, after having long been followed by accusations of molesting young girls, US media reported.

A hedge fund billionaire has been arrested on sex trafficking charges in the New York area, after having long been followed by accusations of molesting young girls, US media reported. Jeffrey Epstein, who is expected to appear before a federal magistrate on Monday, was arrested Saturday at a New Jersey airport after arriving from Paris in his private jet, CBS Miami reported. A source familiar with the case told the television station Epstein was charged with one count of sex trafficking and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. Epstein had long been the subject of accusations of paying young girls for sexual massages at his Palm Beach, Florida mansion. A police investigation found that he had engaged in sex with underage girls, some as young as 13, according to reporting by the Miami Herald. But Epstein avoided federal prosecution in those cases with a 2007 plea deal negotiated by R Alexander Acosta, now the US labour secretary and at the time the top federal prosecutor in Miami. Under the deal, he pleaded guilty to a state charge of soliciting prostitution from a minor and was sentenced to 18 months in the county jail. The Miami Herald investigation found that Epstein was granted work release privileges that allowed him to leave jail for 12 hours a day, six days a week, and that he was released after 13 months. The revelations threw a spotlight on Epstein, a well-connected financier whose friends included US President Donald Trump and former president Bill Clinton. It also drew attention to Acosta's role in negotiating the plea deal.

United States billionaire Jeffrey Epstein arrested on sex trafficking charges: Reports

Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass (DUMBO) in Brooklyn, the faithful for England and the U.S. women's World Cup sides came out Tuesday (July 2) for a watch party in which the home team triumphed.

Brooklyn watch party celebrates U.S. World Cup win over England

<p>Rainbow-colored flags, balloons, feathers and fringe filled the streets of New York on Sunday as the city commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots with its annual gay pride parade.</p>

<p>Thousands turned out for the event, cheering on LGBTQ activists as they passed in elaborates floats and costumes.</p>

<p>This year's parade marks the 50th anniversary of the LGBTQ rights movement, which began in 1969 with the so-called Stonewall uprising.</p>

<p>Early on June 28, 1969, patrons of a Greenwich Village gay bar called the Stonewall Inn rose up in defiance of police harassment, triggering days of rioting. Their resistance gave birth to the national and global movement for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other queer people.</p>

<p>Gay pride activists and supporters all over the world have been celebrating the day with parades and events during the month of June, which is known as LGBT Pride Month.</p>


Rainbow-colored flags, balloons, feathers and fringe filled the streets of New York on Sunday as the city commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots with its annual gay pride parade.

Rainbow-colored flags, balloons, feathers and fringe filled the streets of New York on Sunday as the city commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots with its annual gay pride parade. Thousands turned out for the event, cheering on LGBTQ activists as they passed in elaborates floats and costumes. This year's parade marks the 50th anniversary of the LGBTQ rights movement, which began in 1969 with the so-called Stonewall uprising. Early on June 28, 1969, patrons of a Greenwich Village gay bar called the Stonewall Inn rose up in defiance of police harassment, triggering days of rioting. Their resistance gave birth to the national and global movement for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other queer people. Gay pride activists and supporters all over the world have been celebrating the day with parades and events during the month of June, which is known as LGBT Pride Month.

Rainbows fill New York's streets as gay pride parade celebrates 50 year anniversary of Stonewall riots

<p>Former Trump campaign chairman <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-ex-lawyer-michael-cohen-begins-3-year-jail-term-says-still-much-to-be-told-216528">Paul Manafort</a>, who was convicted of numerous federal crimes last year, is expected to plead not guilty on Thursday to residential mortgage fraud and other New York state charges, setting the stage for a showdown over whether those charges amount to double jeopardy.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-ex-campaign-chief-paul-manafort-jailed-for-43-more-months-203163">Manafort</a>, 70, is scheduled to appear before Justice Maxwell Wiley of the state Supreme Court on Thursday at 2:15pm &nbsp;EDT (1815 GMT) to face an indictment with 16 felony charges disclosed by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance in March.</p>

<p>The charges include mortgage fraud, conspiracy and falsifying records related to Manafort's efforts to obtain millions of dollars in loans on New York properties between 2015 and 2017. He served as chairman of US President Donald Trump's presidential campaign for three months until August 2016.</p>

<p>Todd Blanche, Manafort`s lawyer, told Reuters his client would plead not guilty. Blanche said he planned to bring a motion to dismiss the case on double jeopardy grounds, given that the charges centre on mortgage applications to two banks that were also at issue in Manafort`s federal trial last year.</p>

<p>Under New York law, a person can only be prosecuted twice for the same act if it meets certain exceptions such as at least one element of the crimes is distinct and the statutes address "very different kinds of harm or evil." Vance's office will likely argue an exception to New York`s double jeopardy protections is warranted in Manafort`s case.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Manafort is serving a 7-1/2-year sentence for tax fraud, bank fraud and other charges stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s federal investigation into Russia`s interference in the 2016 presidential election.</p>

<p>Federal prosecutors accused him of hiding $16 million from US tax authorities that he earned as a consultant for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine and then lying to banks to obtain loans to maintain a luxury lifestyle.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The New York state charges have been widely seen as an attempt to ensure Manafort serves significant prison time even if Trump grants him a pardon, a prospect the president has not ruled out. US presidents have the power to pardon people for federal but not state crimes.</p>

<p>Manafort faces up to 25 years in prison in New York on the top state charges.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Manafort's legal woes in New York have attracted the attention of the US Justice Department, which earlier this month decided to keep him in federal custody while the state proceedings take place out of concern for his health and safety.</p>

<p>The intervention, which legal experts said was unusual and raised concerns of special treatment, ensured that Manafort would not be placed in New York`s Rikers Island jail complex pending trial.</p>

<p>Manafort was instead transferred to a federal facility in Manhattan on June 13 ahead of his arraignment. He had been housed at a low-security federal prison in Pennsylvania before the move.</p>


Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was convicted of numerous federal crimes last year, is expected to plead not guilty on Thursday to residential mortgage fraud and other New York state charges, setting the stage for a showdown over whether those charges amount to double jeopardy.

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was convicted of numerous federal crimes last year, is expected to plead not guilty on Thursday to residential mortgage fraud and other New York state charges, setting the stage for a showdown over whether those charges amount to double jeopardy. Manafort, 70, is scheduled to appear before Justice Maxwell Wiley of the state Supreme Court on Thursday at 2:15pm EDT (1815 GMT) to face an indictment with 16 felony charges disclosed by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance in March. The charges include mortgage fraud, conspiracy and falsifying records related to Manafort's efforts to obtain millions of dollars in loans on New York properties between 2015 and 2017. He served as chairman of US President Donald Trump's presidential campaign for three months until August 2016. Todd Blanche, Manafort`s lawyer, told Reuters his client would plead not guilty. Blanche said he planned to bring a motion to dismiss the case on double jeopardy grounds, given that the charges centre on mortgage applications to two banks that were also at issue in Manafort`s federal trial last year. Under New York law, a person can only be prosecuted twice for the same act if it meets certain exceptions such as at least one element of the crimes is distinct and the statutes address "very different kinds of harm or evil." Vance's office will likely argue an exception to New York`s double jeopardy protections is warranted in Manafort`s case. Manafort is serving a 7-1/2-year sentence for tax fraud, bank fraud and other charges stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller`s federal investigation into Russia`s interference in the 2016 presidential election. Federal prosecutors accused him of hiding $16 million from US tax authorities that he earned as a consultant for pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine and then lying to banks to obtain loans to maintain a luxury lifestyle. The New York state charges have been widely seen as an attempt to ensure Manafort serves significant prison time even if Trump grants him a pardon, a prospect the president has not ruled out. US presidents have the power to pardon people for federal but not state crimes. Manafort faces up to 25 years in prison in New York on the top state charges. Manafort's legal woes in New York have attracted the attention of the US Justice Department, which earlier this month decided to keep him in federal custody while the state proceedings take place out of concern for his health and safety. The intervention, which legal experts said was unusual and raised concerns of special treatment, ensured that Manafort would not be placed in New York`s Rikers Island jail complex pending trial. Manafort was instead transferred to a federal facility in Manhattan on June 13 ahead of his arraignment. He had been housed at a low-security federal prison in Pennsylvania before the move.

Ex-Trump aide Manafort to plead not guilty in New York

'Climate apartheid' between rich and poor looms, United Nation expert warns

<p>The American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA) apologised on Friday for previously treating homosexuality as a mental illness, saying its past errors contributed to discrimination and trauma for LGBTQ people.</p>

<p>It may be the first US medical or mental health organisation to issue such an apology.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Although psychiatrists declassified homosexuality as a disorder in 1973 and psychoanalysts came around nearly 20 years later, the APsaA says it is unaware of any related professional group that had apologised.</p>

<p>"It is long past time to recognise and apologise for our role in the discrimination and trauma caused by our profession and say, 'We are sorry,'" said a statement by Dr Lee Jaffe, president of APsaA. The group uses that abbreviation to distinguish it from the American Psychiatric Association (APA).</p>

<p>Jaffe announced the apology on Friday at the opening session of the group's 109th annual meeting in San Diego, drawing a standing ovation from about 200 people present, witnesses said. Jaffe said his group has long been active in promoting LGBTQ rights but had yet to put its contrition into words.</p>

<p>"It's hard to admit that one has been so wrong," Jaffe said.</p>

<p>One Los Angeles-based analyst said the audience interpreted the moment as significant.</p>

<p>"As someone who comes from a long line of analysts who have been fighting for LGBT people, this felt like a watershed moment," Dr Justin Shubert said.</p>

<p><strong>Stonewall Uprising</strong></p>

<p>The change in the medical community's thinking about homosexuality and Friday's apology both stem from a seminal event in LGBTQ history 50 years ago: the Stonewall uprising.</p>

<p>Patrons of a New York City gay bar called the Stonewall Inn fought back against police harassment in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, triggering the start of the modern movement for the rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people.</p>

<p>New York police recently apologised for the raid and discriminatory laws of the time, which prompted APsaA to issue its apology, said Dr Jack Drescher, an APsaA member and leading authority on the history of psychiatric and psychological treatment of LGBTQ people.</p>

<p>New York is expecting as many as 4 million people for the 50th anniversary of Stonewall next week, and gay pride parades will be celebrated around the world on June 30.</p>

<p>LGBTQ activists disrupted the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in 1970 in San Francisco. The protests upended the convention so much, Drescher said, that by December 1973 the APA's board removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).</p>

<p>But APsaA did not change its position until 1991 when, under threat of an anti-discrimination lawsuit, it allowed the training of gay and lesbian psychoanalysts, Drescher said.</p>

<p>APsaA went on to become an early supporter of same-sex marriage and opponent of "conversion therapy" aimed at changing a person's sexual orientation.</p>

<p>In 2012, psychiatrist Dr Robert Spitzer on his own apologised for authoring an influential study 11 years earlier that supported reparative therapy to "cure" homosexuality.</p>

<p>Today, APsaA and other professional organisations view being gay as a normal variant of human sexuality, but until now have yet to express how wrong they were before, Drescher said.</p>

<p>"They did the work of apologising but they did not say the words," Drescher said. "If the police commissioner of New York City could do it, why couldn't we do something similar?"<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA) apologised on Friday for previously treating homosexuality as a mental illness, saying its past errors contributed to discrimination and trauma for LGBTQ people.

The American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA) apologised on Friday for previously treating homosexuality as a mental illness, saying its past errors contributed to discrimination and trauma for LGBTQ people. It may be the first US medical or mental health organisation to issue such an apology. Although psychiatrists declassified homosexuality as a disorder in 1973 and psychoanalysts came around nearly 20 years later, the APsaA says it is unaware of any related professional group that had apologised. "It is long past time to recognise and apologise for our role in the discrimination and trauma caused by our profession and say, 'We are sorry,'" said a statement by Dr Lee Jaffe, president of APsaA. The group uses that abbreviation to distinguish it from the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Jaffe announced the apology on Friday at the opening session of the group's 109th annual meeting in San Diego, drawing a standing ovation from about 200 people present, witnesses said. Jaffe said his group has long been active in promoting LGBTQ rights but had yet to put its contrition into words. "It's hard to admit that one has been so wrong," Jaffe said. One Los Angeles-based analyst said the audience interpreted the moment as significant. "As someone who comes from a long line of analysts who have been fighting for LGBT people, this felt like a watershed moment," Dr Justin Shubert said. Stonewall Uprising The change in the medical community's thinking about homosexuality and Friday's apology both stem from a seminal event in LGBTQ history 50 years ago: the Stonewall uprising. Patrons of a New York City gay bar called the Stonewall Inn fought back against police harassment in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, triggering the start of the modern movement for the rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. New York police recently apologised for the raid and discriminatory laws of the time, which prompted APsaA to issue its apology, said Dr Jack Drescher, an APsaA member and leading authority on the history of psychiatric and psychological treatment of LGBTQ people. New York is expecting as many as 4 million people for the 50th anniversary of Stonewall next week, and gay pride parades will be celebrated around the world on June 30. LGBTQ activists disrupted the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in 1970 in San Francisco. The protests upended the convention so much, Drescher said, that by December 1973 the APA's board removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). But APsaA did not change its position until 1991 when, under threat of an anti-discrimination lawsuit, it allowed the training of gay and lesbian psychoanalysts, Drescher said. APsaA went on to become an early supporter of same-sex marriage and opponent of "conversion therapy" aimed at changing a person's sexual orientation. In 2012, psychiatrist Dr Robert Spitzer on his own apologised for authoring an influential study 11 years earlier that supported reparative therapy to "cure" homosexuality. Today, APsaA and other professional organisations view being gay as a normal variant of human sexuality, but until now have yet to express how wrong they were before, Drescher said. "They did the work of apologising but they did not say the words," Drescher said. "If the police commissioner of New York City could do it, why couldn't we do something similar?"

United States psychoanalysts apologise for labeling homosexuality an illness

How cities around the globe fight rising rents

Dozens of installations depicting caged children appeared throughout New York on Wednesday (June 12), as part of the #NoKidsInCages campaign to highlight child separations at the U.S. border.

NY street art highlighting child detentions are 'absolutely heartbreaking,' says passerby

<p>A<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-killed-in-un-helicopter-crash-in-disputed-region-196377"> helicopter crashed </a>onto the fog-shrouded roof of a midtown Manhattan skyscraper on Monday, killing at least one person and unnerving a city still scarred by memories of September 11, 2001, airplane attacks on the World Trade Center.</p>

<p>The crash occurred shortly before 2 pm&nbsp;(1800 GMT) on a rainy, grey day atop the 750-foot (229m) AXA Equitable Center at 787 Seventh Avenue, a few blocks north of Times Square. Dozens of emergency vehicles swarmed the area, shutting down traffic and evacuating offices in one of the city`s busiest areas.</p>

<p>The person killed is "presumed" to be the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/video-pilot-steered-helicopter-from-crowds-before-beijing-crash-155750">pilot</a>, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference. No injuries, either to people in the building or on the ground, have been reported.</p>

<p>"The helicopter is pretty obliterated at this point. It was obviously a very hard hit," de Blasio said during the briefing.</p>

<p>He said the cause was unknown but that there was no indication the crash was an "act of terrorism." It was not clear if limited visibility due to the weather was a contributing factor.</p>

<p>Nicolas Estevez was standing across the street from the building when a 12-inch (30 cm) piece of metal that appeared to be from the helicopter landed on the pavement just feet away.</p>

<p>The crash, which sent people streaming out of the building within seconds, reminded him of Sept. 11, Estevez said.</p>

<p>"I saw the explosion and the smoke coming out," he said.</p>

<p>The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the aircraft was an Agusta A109E, a twin-engine, lightweight helicopter. The pilot was the only person aboard, and FAA air traffic controllers did not handle the flight, according to the agency.</p>

<p>The chopper took off from a heliport on Manhattan`s east side at 1:32 p.m. and crash-landed on the building 11 minutes later, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished by responding firefighters, officials said.</p>

<p>The site is about half a mile from Trump Tower, where US&nbsp;President Donald Trump maintains an apartment. The area has been under a temporary flight restriction since his election in November 2016.</p>

<p>The pilot would have required permission from air control at La Guardia Airport in New York, and investigators are trying to determine if the pilot was in contact with the tower there or at any other airport, de Blasio said.</p>

<p>Nathan Hutton, who works in information technology for the French bank BNP Paribas on the 29th floor, said the building shook when the helicopter slammed into the roof.</p>

<p>"It felt like you were just standing there, and someone takes their hand and just shoves you," he said. "You felt it through the whole building."</p>

<p>Trump called New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was at the scene soon after the crash, to offer assistance if needed, the governor`s office said.</p>

<p>"Phenomenal job by our GREAT First Responders who are currently on the scene," Trump said on Twitter after being briefed on the crash. "The Trump Administration stands ready should you need anything at all."</p>

<p>Cuomo told reporters shortly after the incident that there was no indication of terrorism, while acknowledging that it likely stirred memories of Sept. 11 for many city residents.</p>

<p>"If you`re a New Yorker, you have a level of PTSD from 9/11," he said.</p>

<p>The AXA Equitable Center was built in 1985 and includes more than 50 floors.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In addition to BNP Paribas, the building houses offices for a number of other corporate tenants, including law firms Willkie Farr &amp; Gallagher and Sidley Austin and investment manager New Mountain Capital. Le Bernardin, one of New York City`s most celebrated restaurants, is also located in the AXA building.</p>

<p>The skyscraper is managed by the Los Angeles-based CommonWealth Partners. Reached by telephone, LeAnn Holsapple, the office manager for CommonWealth, said the company had "no comment at this time."</p>

<p>Manhattan has three heliports in operation. Rooftop helipads were banned in New York City in 1977 after a rotor blade snapped on a helicopter on the top of the former Pan Am building, killing five people.</p>

<p>Helicopters are a regular sight in the air around Manhattan, and they have occasionally been involved in crashes.</p>

<p>Nearly a month ago, a chopper crashed into the Hudson River in New York City shortly after taking off from Manhattan, injuring two people. A sightseeing helicopter went down in New York City`s East River in March 2018, killing five passengers.</p>


A helicopter crashed onto the fog-shrouded roof of a midtown Manhattan skyscraper on Monday, killing at least one person and unnerving a city still scarred by memories of September 11, 2001, airplane attacks on the World Trade Center.

A helicopter crashed onto the fog-shrouded roof of a midtown Manhattan skyscraper on Monday, killing at least one person and unnerving a city still scarred by memories of September 11, 2001, airplane attacks on the World Trade Center. The crash occurred shortly before 2 pm (1800 GMT) on a rainy, grey day atop the 750-foot (229m) AXA Equitable Center at 787 Seventh Avenue, a few blocks north of Times Square. Dozens of emergency vehicles swarmed the area, shutting down traffic and evacuating offices in one of the city`s busiest areas. The person killed is "presumed" to be the pilot, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference. No injuries, either to people in the building or on the ground, have been reported. "The helicopter is pretty obliterated at this point. It was obviously a very hard hit," de Blasio said during the briefing. He said the cause was unknown but that there was no indication the crash was an "act of terrorism." It was not clear if limited visibility due to the weather was a contributing factor. Nicolas Estevez was standing across the street from the building when a 12-inch (30 cm) piece of metal that appeared to be from the helicopter landed on the pavement just feet away. The crash, which sent people streaming out of the building within seconds, reminded him of Sept. 11, Estevez said. "I saw the explosion and the smoke coming out," he said. The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that the aircraft was an Agusta A109E, a twin-engine, lightweight helicopter. The pilot was the only person aboard, and FAA air traffic controllers did not handle the flight, according to the agency. The chopper took off from a heliport on Manhattan`s east side at 1:32 p.m. and crash-landed on the building 11 minutes later, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished by responding firefighters, officials said. The site is about half a mile from Trump Tower, where US President Donald Trump maintains an apartment. The area has been under a temporary flight restriction since his election in November 2016. The pilot would have required permission from air control at La Guardia Airport in New York, and investigators are trying to determine if the pilot was in contact with the tower there or at any other airport, de Blasio said. Nathan Hutton, who works in information technology for the French bank BNP Paribas on the 29th floor, said the building shook when the helicopter slammed into the roof. "It felt like you were just standing there, and someone takes their hand and just shoves you," he said. "You felt it through the whole building." Trump called New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was at the scene soon after the crash, to offer assistance if needed, the governor`s office said. "Phenomenal job by our GREAT First Responders who are currently on the scene," Trump said on Twitter after being briefed on the crash. "The Trump Administration stands ready should you need anything at all." Cuomo told reporters shortly after the incident that there was no indication of terrorism, while acknowledging that it likely stirred memories of Sept. 11 for many city residents. "If you`re a New Yorker, you have a level of PTSD from 9/11," he said. The AXA Equitable Center was built in 1985 and includes more than 50 floors. In addition to BNP Paribas, the building houses offices for a number of other corporate tenants, including law firms Willkie Farr & Gallagher and Sidley Austin and investment manager New Mountain Capital. Le Bernardin, one of New York City`s most celebrated restaurants, is also located in the AXA building. The skyscraper is managed by the Los Angeles-based CommonWealth Partners. Reached by telephone, LeAnn Holsapple, the office manager for CommonWealth, said the company had "no comment at this time." Manhattan has three heliports in operation. Rooftop helipads were banned in New York City in 1977 after a rotor blade snapped on a helicopter on the top of the former Pan Am building, killing five people. Helicopters are a regular sight in the air around Manhattan, and they have occasionally been involved in crashes. Nearly a month ago, a chopper crashed into the Hudson River in New York City shortly after taking off from Manhattan, injuring two people. A sightseeing helicopter went down in New York City`s East River in March 2018, killing five passengers.

Helicopter pilot presumed killed in crash atop fog-shrouded Manhattan skyscraper

<p>Protesters chanting "black trans lives matter" and "we will not be erased" on Friday demanded an end to the killings of black transgender women in the United States and decried the Trump administration`s proposals to reverse transgender rights.</p>

<p>Three black transgender women died of gunshot wounds within five days this month in Cleveland, Dallas and Philadelphia, and five total have been killed this year. Transgender advocates complain that police often give such cases insufficient priority or they go unreported when police identify victims by their gender assigned at birth rather than the person`s gender identity.</p>

<p>By coincidence, President Donald Trump`s administration took action this week that would deny or reduce services to transgender people.</p>

<p>Five silent protesters in New York stood veiled and dressed in white on Friday, holding portraits of the five transgender women killed this year, while the crowd sang protest verses, chanted slogans and hoisted signs demanding "Justice!" and "Speak out, stand up for black trans women."</p>

<p>"I am tired of my sisters being killed," protest leader Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker of the New York Transgender Advocacy Group told about 200 demonstrators in Washington Square Park.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The three shot dead most recently were Claire Legato, 21, in Cleveland, who died on May 15 from gunshot wounds a month earlier; Muhlaysia Booken, 23, in Dallas on Saturday; and Michelle Washington, 40, in Philadelphia on Sunday. In April, Booken was beaten in an attack caught on video that was widely shared on social media.</p>

<p>Dallas police said they are investigating a 2018 murder and an April 2019 aggravated assault of transgender women under similar circumstances but have not established a link. Police in Philadelphia and Cleveland have arrested suspects in each of those cases but say they are not treating them as hate crimes.</p>

<p>At least 26 transgender women were reported killed in 2018 and 29 in 2017, according to the Human Rights Campaign, the largest US advocacy group for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/cuban-lgbt-activists-plan-alternate-parade-in-defiance-of-government-217929">lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender </a>(LGBT) people.</p>

<p>Among the measures taken by Republican Trump`s administration this week to curtail LGBT rights was the US&nbsp;Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Friday proposing a rule that would roll back protections for transgender patients under Obamacare. The HHS under Trump said protections against discrimination on the basis of sex did not apply to transgender people.</p>

<p>On Wednesday, the Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed a new rule allowing homeless shelters to turn away transgender people for religious reasons.</p>

<p>Earlier this month, HHS released a final rule allowing healthcare providers to opt out of procedures with which they disagree, such as abortions and treatment for gay and transgender patients.</p>

<p>The policies are meant to appeal to Trump`s conservative and religious supporters who helped get him elected in 2016 and who have kept his approval ratings above 40 per cent.</p>


Protesters chanting "black trans lives matter" and "we will not be erased" on Friday demanded an end to the killings of black transgender women in the United States and decried the Trump administration`s proposals to reverse transgender rights.

Protesters chanting "black trans lives matter" and "we will not be erased" on Friday demanded an end to the killings of black transgender women in the United States and decried the Trump administration`s proposals to reverse transgender rights. Three black transgender women died of gunshot wounds within five days this month in Cleveland, Dallas and Philadelphia, and five total have been killed this year. Transgender advocates complain that police often give such cases insufficient priority or they go unreported when police identify victims by their gender assigned at birth rather than the person`s gender identity. By coincidence, President Donald Trump`s administration took action this week that would deny or reduce services to transgender people. Five silent protesters in New York stood veiled and dressed in white on Friday, holding portraits of the five transgender women killed this year, while the crowd sang protest verses, chanted slogans and hoisted signs demanding "Justice!" and "Speak out, stand up for black trans women." "I am tired of my sisters being killed," protest leader Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker of the New York Transgender Advocacy Group told about 200 demonstrators in Washington Square Park. The three shot dead most recently were Claire Legato, 21, in Cleveland, who died on May 15 from gunshot wounds a month earlier; Muhlaysia Booken, 23, in Dallas on Saturday; and Michelle Washington, 40, in Philadelphia on Sunday. In April, Booken was beaten in an attack caught on video that was widely shared on social media. Dallas police said they are investigating a 2018 murder and an April 2019 aggravated assault of transgender women under similar circumstances but have not established a link. Police in Philadelphia and Cleveland have arrested suspects in each of those cases but say they are not treating them as hate crimes. At least 26 transgender women were reported killed in 2018 and 29 in 2017, according to the Human Rights Campaign, the largest US advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Among the measures taken by Republican Trump`s administration this week to curtail LGBT rights was the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Friday proposing a rule that would roll back protections for transgender patients under Obamacare. The HHS under Trump said protections against discrimination on the basis of sex did not apply to transgender people. On Wednesday, the Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed a new rule allowing homeless shelters to turn away transgender people for religious reasons. Earlier this month, HHS released a final rule allowing healthcare providers to opt out of procedures with which they disagree, such as abortions and treatment for gay and transgender patients. The policies are meant to appeal to Trump`s conservative and religious supporters who helped get him elected in 2016 and who have kept his approval ratings above 40 per cent.

Protesters demand end to killings of transgender women, Trump rollbacks

Democratic presidential candidates are aligning with liberal advocacy groups for a day of nationwide rallies against a series of recent state laws significantly restricting abortion. In New York, Democratic mayor and presidential candidate Bill De Blasio spoke at a rally attended by hundreds of protesters against the new laws.

DeBlasio joins Stop Abortion Ban Rally in NY

<p>Business tycoon Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani visited veteran actor Rishi Kapoor who has been seeking medical treatment in New York.</p>

<p>His wife Neetu Kapoor took to Instagram to share the selfie with the power couple. "Some pple just come to give you Assurance n Mental peace !!! Thank you mr and mrs Ambani for all the support," she captioned the pictures.</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxoUQzrg_At/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Some pple just come to give you Assurance n Mental peace !!! Thank you mr and mrs Ambani for all the support 💕🥰#love #grateful</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/neetu54/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> neetu Kapoor. Fightingfyt</a> (@neetu54) on <time datetime="2019-05-19T04:01:14+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">May 18, 2019 at 9:01pm PDT</time></p>
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<p>In the pictures, the four of them are seen striking a perfect pose in colour coordinated outfits while Neetu seems to click the picture.</p>

<p>In another image, Nita and Mukesh are seen posing with Neetu and Rishi Kapoor and their family members.</p>

<p>The 66-year-old actor also posted the pictures on his Twitter handle and wrote, "Thank you for seeing us Mukesh and Neeta. We also love you."</p>

<p>Earlier, Shahrukh Khan who was in New York to be a part of David Letterman's show also paid a visit to the couple.</p>

<p>Happy with the surprise visit of Bollywood's Badshah, Neetu on her Instagram account wrote, "To make pple feel good about themselves is a rare quality!!! Shahrukh is all of that his love care is so so genuine !!! besides his amazing work I admire him as a very good and a real human being," she wrote.</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxhuHERgCoO/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">To make pple feel good about themselves is a rare quality!!! Shahrukh is all of that his love care is so so genuine !!! besides his amazing work I admire him as a very good and a real human being 🥰</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/neetu54/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> neetu Kapoor. Fightingfyt</a> (@neetu54) on <time datetime="2019-05-16T14:32:25+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">May 16, 2019 at 7:32am PDT</time></p>
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<p>Apart from Shahrukh and Ambanis, over the past few months, several other celebrities including Deepika Padukone, Vicky Kaushal, Boman Irani Aamir Khan, Alia Bhatt, Anupam Kher, Priyanka Chopra, Sonali Bendre, and Javed Akhtar also paid a visit to the veteran actor.</p>

<p>Rishi has been in New York since last year to seek medical treatment for an unknown health condition.</p>

<p>He is frequently visited by his children Ranbir and Riddhima.</p>

<p>On the work front, Rishi Kapoor last appeared in 'Mulk'&nbsp;and 'Rajma Chawal'.&nbsp;<br />
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Business tycoon Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani visited veteran actor Rishi Kapoor who has been seeking medical treatment in New York. His wife Neetu Kapoor took to Instagram to share the selfie with the power couple.

Business tycoon Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani visited veteran actor Rishi Kapoor who has been seeking medical treatment in New York. His wife Neetu Kapoor took to Instagram to share the selfie with the power couple. "Some pple just come to give you Assurance n Mental peace !!! Thank you mr and mrs Ambani for all the support," she captioned the pictures. View this post on Instagram Some pple just come to give you Assurance n Mental peace !!! Thank you mr and mrs Ambani for all the support 💕🥰#love #grateful A post shared by neetu Kapoor. Fightingfyt (@neetu54) on May 18, 2019 at 9:01pm PDT × In the pictures, the four of them are seen striking a perfect pose in colour coordinated outfits while Neetu seems to click the picture. In another image, Nita and Mukesh are seen posing with Neetu and Rishi Kapoor and their family members. The 66-year-old actor also posted the pictures on his Twitter handle and wrote, "Thank you for seeing us Mukesh and Neeta. We also love you." Earlier, Shahrukh Khan who was in New York to be a part of David Letterman's show also paid a visit to the couple. Happy with the surprise visit of Bollywood's Badshah, Neetu on her Instagram account wrote, "To make pple feel good about themselves is a rare quality!!! Shahrukh is all of that his love care is so so genuine !!! besides his amazing work I admire him as a very good and a real human being," she wrote. View this post on Instagram To make pple feel good about themselves is a rare quality!!! Shahrukh is all of that his love care is so so genuine !!! besides his amazing work I admire him as a very good and a real human being 🥰 A post shared by neetu Kapoor. Fightingfyt (@neetu54) on May 16, 2019 at 7:32am PDT × Apart from Shahrukh and Ambanis, over the past few months, several other celebrities including Deepika Padukone, Vicky Kaushal, Boman Irani Aamir Khan, Alia Bhatt, Anupam Kher, Priyanka Chopra, Sonali Bendre, and Javed Akhtar also paid a visit to the veteran actor. Rishi has been in New York since last year to seek medical treatment for an unknown health condition. He is frequently visited by his children Ranbir and Riddhima. On the work front, Rishi Kapoor last appeared in 'Mulk' and 'Rajma Chawal'.

Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani visit Rishi Kapoor in New York to show support

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