A new museum opening at the Statue of Liberty is giving visitors another opportunity to explore its history and the impact the iconic structure has had on the world.

New Statue of Liberty Museum set to open

Rideshare drivers are striking and protesting in major cities across the United States, with many participating in a 24-hour strike of the Uber and Lyft apps that began at midnight on 8 May.

New York: Uber, Lyft drivers hold protest

Uber and Lyft drivers in New York and Chicago participated in a series of multi-city strikes on Wednesday to protest the disparity between gig-economy conditions and the sums that investors are likely to make in Friday's blockbuster stock market debut of Uber. Watch this video to know more.

WION Wallet: Uber, Lyft drivers hold protest

Lady Gaga makes a grand entrance at New York's annual Met Gala 2019

New York's Rockefeller Center, famous for its ice rink and art deco buildings, was transformed Thursday into an art gallery housing 20 sculptures, some of them with a heavy political slant.&nbsp;

The exhibition was organized by the group Frieze and will remain up until the end of June. It is spread throughout the Rockefeller Center, which covers an area of three city blocks and was built in the 1930s in the very heart of Manhattan. It has featured artworks before, but never a full-on exhibition.

Curator Brett Littman said he had chosen artists from a variety of backgrounds, including Hispanic and African, and that he insisted on the inclusion of female artists -- four of them in total.&nbsp;

Many of the artworks play off the vertical spaces of urban architecture.

Although Littman said there was no overt theme, "one of the things that really comes through for me is that this is a fraught political time and many artists are thinking about that."

Two huge cut-out shapes are placed on either side of the entrance to the main building, one representing the sprinter Tommie Smith, famous for raising a clenched fist in a Black Power salute on the podium at the 1968 Olympic Games.

On the other side is Ruby Bridges who, at the age of six, became the first African American child to be admitted to a white elementary school in the segregated American South in 1960.

Paulo Nazareth, the Brazilian creator of the two sculptures, saw symbolism in the proximity of the Ruby Bridges statue to a toy shop on the ground floor of the center, which the little girl might well have been forbidden from entering in her own lifetime.&nbsp;

Another politically themed work is by Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama, who replaced the 192 flags of the United Nations members states that normally line the ice skating rink with flags made of jute, a cheap material used as sacks in his homeland.&nbsp;

"This is about his critique of global capitalism, his idea of the spice trade, the slave trade, even immigration in Africa," said Littman.&nbsp;

"So it represents quite a few things and also it really changes the landscape," he said.&nbsp;

New York's Rockefeller Center, famous for its ice rink and art deco buildings, was transformed Thursday into an art gallery housing 20 sculptures, some of them with a heavy political slant.

New York's Rockefeller Center, famous for its ice rink and art deco buildings, was transformed Thursday into an art gallery housing 20 sculptures, some of them with a heavy political slant. The exhibition was organized by the group Frieze and will remain up until the end of June. It is spread throughout the Rockefeller Center, which covers an area of three city blocks and was built in the 1930s in the very heart of Manhattan. It has featured artworks before, but never a full-on exhibition. Curator Brett Littman said he had chosen artists from a variety of backgrounds, including Hispanic and African, and that he insisted on the inclusion of female artists -- four of them in total. Many of the artworks play off the vertical spaces of urban architecture. Although Littman said there was no overt theme, "one of the things that really comes through for me is that this is a fraught political time and many artists are thinking about that." Two huge cut-out shapes are placed on either side of the entrance to the main building, one representing the sprinter Tommie Smith, famous for raising a clenched fist in a Black Power salute on the podium at the 1968 Olympic Games. On the other side is Ruby Bridges who, at the age of six, became the first African American child to be admitted to a white elementary school in the segregated American South in 1960. Paulo Nazareth, the Brazilian creator of the two sculptures, saw symbolism in the proximity of the Ruby Bridges statue to a toy shop on the ground floor of the center, which the little girl might well have been forbidden from entering in her own lifetime. Another politically themed work is by Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama, who replaced the 192 flags of the United Nations members states that normally line the ice skating rink with flags made of jute, a cheap material used as sacks in his homeland. "This is about his critique of global capitalism, his idea of the spice trade, the slave trade, even immigration in Africa," said Littman. "So it represents quite a few things and also it really changes the landscape," he said.

Rockefeller Center becomes art gallery for two months

This year's Earth Day is being marked Monday (April 22), and advocates of edible insects are singing the environmental benefits of sprinkling your dishes with crickets, grasshoppers and ants. Gourmands concur and say the insects are a treat.

Bite back and munch on insects, environmentalists say

A man was arrested Wednesday night after entering St Patrick's Cathedral in New York carrying two cans of gasoline, lighter fluid and butane lighters, police said, just days after a fire badly damaged the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/notre-dame-cathedral-was-probably-caused-by-accident-say-french-prosecutors-210901">Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris</a>.

New York Police Department (NYPD) deputy commissioner John Miller said the arrested man claimed he was taking a shortcut through the cathedral after his car ran out of fuel, but his answers were "inconsistent and evasive."

"We don't know what his mindset was, what his motive was," Miller told a press conference on the steps of the cathedral, a neo-Gothic structure in the heart of Manhattan.

The man was confronted by a cathedral security officer and was told he cannot go inside carrying those items, according to the police.

"At that point, some gasoline apparently spills out onto the floor as he's turned around," Miller said.

After an alarm was raised, officers from the NYPD's counter-terrorism bureau caught up to the man and arrested him after questioning.

"His basic story was he was cutting through the cathedral... that his car had run out of gas," Miller said.

"We took a look at the vehicle. It was not out of gas and at that point he was taken into custody."

Miller said the 37-year-old suspect was "known to police," who are currently looking into his background.

Construction first started on St Patrick's Cathedral in the mid-1880s and was completed in 1878, although extensions have been added over the years and a major restoration was completed in 2015.

A man was arrested Wednesday night after entering St Patrick's Cathedral in New York carrying two cans of gasoline, lighter fluid and butane lighters, police said, just days after a fire badly damaged the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

A man was arrested Wednesday night after entering St Patrick's Cathedral in New York carrying two cans of gasoline, lighter fluid and butane lighters, police said, just days after a fire badly damaged the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. New York Police Department (NYPD) deputy commissioner John Miller said the arrested man claimed he was taking a shortcut through the cathedral after his car ran out of fuel, but his answers were "inconsistent and evasive." "We don't know what his mindset was, what his motive was," Miller told a press conference on the steps of the cathedral, a neo-Gothic structure in the heart of Manhattan. The man was confronted by a cathedral security officer and was told he cannot go inside carrying those items, according to the police. "At that point, some gasoline apparently spills out onto the floor as he's turned around," Miller said. After an alarm was raised, officers from the NYPD's counter-terrorism bureau caught up to the man and arrested him after questioning. "His basic story was he was cutting through the cathedral... that his car had run out of gas," Miller said. "We took a look at the vehicle. It was not out of gas and at that point he was taken into custody." Miller said the 37-year-old suspect was "known to police," who are currently looking into his background. Construction first started on St Patrick's Cathedral in the mid-1880s and was completed in 1878, although extensions have been added over the years and a major restoration was completed in 2015.

New York Police Department arrest man carrying gasoline into St Patrick's Cathedral

Tornadoes, wind gusts of up to 70 mph and pounding hail remained threats early on Monday from eastern New York and into New England, as the remnants of a deadly storm push out to sea, the National Weather Service said.

More than 79,000 homes and businesses were without power in Virginia, according to the tracking site PowerOutage US, with 89,000 more outages reported across Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Maryland and New York.

The affected areas will get heavy rains, winds with gusts of up to 70 mph (110 kph) and the possibility of hail, NWS Weather Prediction Center in Maryland said.

"This is an ongoing threat," said Brian Hurley, from the centre.

"There are short spin-ups, pockets of heavy rain and damaging winds that can still hit before this pushes offshore."

The weekend's storm brought tornadoes that killed at least five people, including three children, in the US South, officials said.

The massive storm system sped from Texas eastward with dozens of twisters reported as touching down across the South from Texas through Georgia into Pennsylvania.

Nearly 2,300 US flights were cancelled by Sunday evening, more than 90 per cent of them at airports in Chicago; Houston, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; Pittsburgh; Columbus, Ohio and a dozen major airports on the Eastern Seaboard, according to FlightAware.com.

But no major flight delays were reported on the east coast before 6 am Monday.

The storm's cold front brought snow to Chicago on Sunday, with 1 to 3 inches (2.5-7.6 cm) reported in central Illinois.

Two children, siblings aged three and eight, were killed on Saturday when a tree fell on the car in which they were sitting in Pollok, Texas, said a spokeswoman for the Angelina County Sheriff's Department.

A third child, Sebastian Omar Martinez, 13, drowned late on Saturday when he fell into a drainage ditch filled with flash floodwaters near Monroe, Louisiana, said Deputy Glenn Springfield of the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office.

In another storm death nearby, an unidentified victim's body was trapped in a vehicle submerged in floodwaters in Calhoun, Louisiana, Springfield said.

In Mississippi, Governor Phil Bryant said one person was killed and 11 injured over the weekend as tornadoes ripped through 17 counties and left 26,000 homes and businesses without electricity.

In addition, three people were killed when a private jet crashed in Mississippi on Saturday, although Bryant said it was unclear whether it was caused by the weather.

Soaking rains could snarl the Monday morning commute on the East Coast before the storm moves off to sea.

"The biggest impact rush hour-wise probably will be Boston, around 7 to 8 o'clock in the morning, and around New York City around 5 or 6 o'clock, before sunrise," NWS meteorologist Bob Oravec said.

Tornadoes, wind gusts of up to 70 mph and pounding hail remained threats early on Monday from eastern New York and into New England, as the remnants of a deadly storm push out to sea, the National Weather Service said.

Tornadoes, wind gusts of up to 70 mph and pounding hail remained threats early on Monday from eastern New York and into New England, as the remnants of a deadly storm push out to sea, the National Weather Service said. More than 79,000 homes and businesses were without power in Virginia, according to the tracking site PowerOutage US, with 89,000 more outages reported across Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Maryland and New York. The affected areas will get heavy rains, winds with gusts of up to 70 mph (110 kph) and the possibility of hail, NWS Weather Prediction Center in Maryland said. "This is an ongoing threat," said Brian Hurley, from the centre. "There are short spin-ups, pockets of heavy rain and damaging winds that can still hit before this pushes offshore." The weekend's storm brought tornadoes that killed at least five people, including three children, in the US South, officials said. The massive storm system sped from Texas eastward with dozens of twisters reported as touching down across the South from Texas through Georgia into Pennsylvania. Nearly 2,300 US flights were cancelled by Sunday evening, more than 90 per cent of them at airports in Chicago; Houston, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; Pittsburgh; Columbus, Ohio and a dozen major airports on the Eastern Seaboard, according to FlightAware.com. But no major flight delays were reported on the east coast before 6 am Monday. The storm's cold front brought snow to Chicago on Sunday, with 1 to 3 inches (2.5-7.6 cm) reported in central Illinois. Two children, siblings aged three and eight, were killed on Saturday when a tree fell on the car in which they were sitting in Pollok, Texas, said a spokeswoman for the Angelina County Sheriff's Department. A third child, Sebastian Omar Martinez, 13, drowned late on Saturday when he fell into a drainage ditch filled with flash floodwaters near Monroe, Louisiana, said Deputy Glenn Springfield of the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office. In another storm death nearby, an unidentified victim's body was trapped in a vehicle submerged in floodwaters in Calhoun, Louisiana, Springfield said. In Mississippi, Governor Phil Bryant said one person was killed and 11 injured over the weekend as tornadoes ripped through 17 counties and left 26,000 homes and businesses without electricity. In addition, three people were killed when a private jet crashed in Mississippi on Saturday, although Bryant said it was unclear whether it was caused by the weather. Soaking rains could snarl the Monday morning commute on the East Coast before the storm moves off to sea. "The biggest impact rush hour-wise probably will be Boston, around 7 to 8 o'clock in the morning, and around New York City around 5 or 6 o'clock, before sunrise," NWS meteorologist Bob Oravec said.

Deadly storms leave thousands without power in eastern US

An idea floated by President <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-threatens-tariffs-if-mexico-does-not-help-with-immigration-drugs-208019&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwitipTO_87hAhWBknAKHQPAD6kQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0OzfMD1fWS1tC5U77aCgTx">Donald Trump</a> to send immigrants from the border to "sanctuary cities" to exact revenge on Democratic foes could end up doing the migrants favour by placing them in locations that make it easier to put down roots and stay in the country.

The plan would put thousands of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-changes-mind-and-extends-liberians-immigration-protections-in-us-206411&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwitipTO_87hAhWBknAKHQPAD6kQFggOMAM&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0OdhGsoUZ43CDmNs3XNEt1">immigrants</a> in cities that are not only welcoming to them but also more likely to rebuff federal officials carrying out deportation orders.

Many of these locations have more resources to help immigrants make their legal cases to stay in the United States than smaller cities, with some of the nation's biggest immigration advocacy groups based in places like San Francisco, New York City and Chicago.

The downside for the immigrants would be a high cost of living in the cities. The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University announced this week that an analysis found that immigrants in sanctuary cities such as New York and Los Angeles are 20 per cent less likely to be arrested out in the community than in cities without such policies.

"With immigrants being less likely to commit crimes than the US-born population, and with sanctuary jurisdictions being safer and more productive than non-sanctuary jurisdictions, the data damn this proposal as a politically motivated stunt that seeks to play politics with peoples' lives," said George Gascon, district attorney for San Francisco.

Trump has grown increasingly frustrated over the situation at the border, where tens of thousands of immigrant families are crossing each month, many to claim asylum.

His administration has attempted several efforts to stop the flow, and he recently shook up the top ranks of the Department of Homeland Security.

The idea to ship immigrants to Democratic strongholds was considered twice in recent months, but the White House and Department of Homeland Security said the plan had been rejected.

But Trump said Friday he was still considering the idea. "Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities only," Trump tweeted.

He added that "The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy - so this should make them very happy!" Wilson Romero is an immigrant from Honduras who chose to settle in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Romero, 27, was separated from his daughter, now 7, by federal authorities at the US border at El Paso, Texas, last year and jailed for three months before being released and making his way to live with his mother in San Jose, California.

There he was reunited with his daughter, who attends public kindergarten. Romero says he goes about daily errands in public without worry of discrimination.

His daughter has made friends and has playdates with the children of Mexican American families.

It's a far cry from his hometown in the violence-plagued outskirts of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, that he fled after his brother-in-law was killed. To him, the biggest problem with being in the Bay Area is the high cost of living.

The former textile factory worker relies on his mother's income from waitressing for food and clothing, and he's started thinking about asking legal permission to move to North Carolina, where an uncle resides and says it's cheaper to live and work.

"To tell the truth, it's a little tight now, financially speaking," said Romero, a former textile factory worker, who said he doesn't know of any charities that may be willing to help. The plan discussed by Trump would also have financial, logistical and legal issues.

The transportation of immigrants who are arrested at the border to large and faraway cities would be burdensome and costly at a time when Immigration and Customs Enforcement is already stretched thin, having released over 125,000 immigrants into the country pending their immigration court since Dec. 21. They are currently being released mainly in border states.

Flights chartered by ICE cost about USD 7,785 per flight hour, according to the agency, and require multiple staffers, including an in-flight medical professional. The agency also uses commercial flights.

Doing longer transports would increase liability for the agency, especially considering that many of the immigrants in its care are families with young children.

And despite the consideration given to releasing the immigrants on the streets to sanctuary cities, the Trump administration actually has plenty of jail space to detain families.

As of April 11, the nation's three facilities to detain immigrant families were nowhere near capacity, including a Pennsylvania facility housing only nine immigrants.

It's also unclear how long the immigrants would stay in these cities because they are required to provide an address to federal authorities - typically of a family member - as a condition of their release.

"It's illogical," said Angela Chan, policy director and senior attorney with the San Francisco-based Asian Law Caucus.

"It's just alarming that they are spending so much effort and so much time to engage in political theatre." The Trump administration has long pushed back against cities with sanctuary policies, which generally prohibit local authorities to cooperate with federal immigration policy, often by refusing to hold people arrested on local charges past their release date at the request of immigration officers.

Over 100 local governments around the country have adopted a variety of these policies "New York City will always be the ultimate city of immigrants - the President's empty threats won't change that," New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio said in a statement.

But Trump seemed ready to step up his fight with the cities, vowing to "give them an unlimited supply" of immigrants from the border.

An idea floated by President Donald Trump to send immigrants from the border to "sanctuary cities" to exact revenge on Democratic foes could end up doing the migrants favour by placing them in locations that make it easier to put down roots and stay in the country.

An idea floated by President Donald Trump to send immigrants from the border to "sanctuary cities" to exact revenge on Democratic foes could end up doing the migrants favour by placing them in locations that make it easier to put down roots and stay in the country. The plan would put thousands of immigrants in cities that are not only welcoming to them but also more likely to rebuff federal officials carrying out deportation orders. Many of these locations have more resources to help immigrants make their legal cases to stay in the United States than smaller cities, with some of the nation's biggest immigration advocacy groups based in places like San Francisco, New York City and Chicago. The downside for the immigrants would be a high cost of living in the cities. The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University announced this week that an analysis found that immigrants in sanctuary cities such as New York and Los Angeles are 20 per cent less likely to be arrested out in the community than in cities without such policies. "With immigrants being less likely to commit crimes than the US-born population, and with sanctuary jurisdictions being safer and more productive than non-sanctuary jurisdictions, the data damn this proposal as a politically motivated stunt that seeks to play politics with peoples' lives," said George Gascon, district attorney for San Francisco. Trump has grown increasingly frustrated over the situation at the border, where tens of thousands of immigrant families are crossing each month, many to claim asylum. His administration has attempted several efforts to stop the flow, and he recently shook up the top ranks of the Department of Homeland Security. The idea to ship immigrants to Democratic strongholds was considered twice in recent months, but the White House and Department of Homeland Security said the plan had been rejected. But Trump said Friday he was still considering the idea. "Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities only," Trump tweeted. He added that "The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy - so this should make them very happy!" Wilson Romero is an immigrant from Honduras who chose to settle in the San Francisco Bay Area. Romero, 27, was separated from his daughter, now 7, by federal authorities at the US border at El Paso, Texas, last year and jailed for three months before being released and making his way to live with his mother in San Jose, California. There he was reunited with his daughter, who attends public kindergarten. Romero says he goes about daily errands in public without worry of discrimination. His daughter has made friends and has playdates with the children of Mexican American families. It's a far cry from his hometown in the violence-plagued outskirts of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, that he fled after his brother-in-law was killed. To him, the biggest problem with being in the Bay Area is the high cost of living. The former textile factory worker relies on his mother's income from waitressing for food and clothing, and he's started thinking about asking legal permission to move to North Carolina, where an uncle resides and says it's cheaper to live and work. "To tell the truth, it's a little tight now, financially speaking," said Romero, a former textile factory worker, who said he doesn't know of any charities that may be willing to help. The plan discussed by Trump would also have financial, logistical and legal issues. The transportation of immigrants who are arrested at the border to large and faraway cities would be burdensome and costly at a time when Immigration and Customs Enforcement is already stretched thin, having released over 125,000 immigrants into the country pending their immigration court since Dec. 21. They are currently being released mainly in border states. Flights chartered by ICE cost about USD 7,785 per flight hour, according to the agency, and require multiple staffers, including an in-flight medical professional. The agency also uses commercial flights. Doing longer transports would increase liability for the agency, especially considering that many of the immigrants in its care are families with young children. And despite the consideration given to releasing the immigrants on the streets to sanctuary cities, the Trump administration actually has plenty of jail space to detain families. As of April 11, the nation's three facilities to detain immigrant families were nowhere near capacity, including a Pennsylvania facility housing only nine immigrants. It's also unclear how long the immigrants would stay in these cities because they are required to provide an address to federal authorities - typically of a family member - as a condition of their release. "It's illogical," said Angela Chan, policy director and senior attorney with the San Francisco-based Asian Law Caucus. "It's just alarming that they are spending so much effort and so much time to engage in political theatre." The Trump administration has long pushed back against cities with sanctuary policies, which generally prohibit local authorities to cooperate with federal immigration policy, often by refusing to hold people arrested on local charges past their release date at the request of immigration officers. Over 100 local governments around the country have adopted a variety of these policies "New York City will always be the ultimate city of immigrants - the President's empty threats won't change that," New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio said in a statement. But Trump seemed ready to step up his fight with the cities, vowing to "give them an unlimited supply" of immigrants from the border.

Send immigrants from the border to 'sanctuary cities': Donald Trump

Donning a hat she made out of beach chair fabric and a necklace from disposable Chinese soup spoons, artist Debra Rapoport struts down a West Village sidewalk with purpose, in search of treasure, hidden in a dumpster and piles of garbage.

NY artist Debra Rapoport turns garbage into high-end fashion

As the popular U.S. television series 'Game of Thrones' comes to an end, the creator of the show's unique languages - Dothraki and High Valyrian - is helping fans learn key phrases.

For the ultimate 'Game of Thrones' fan, how to speak Valyrian

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday pledged action to help protect religious sites worldwide, during a visit to a New York Islamic centre one week after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-muslims-will-be-safe-after-mosque-attack-foreign-minister-to-oic-204848">New Zealand mosque shootings</a> that shocked the world.

"Mosques and all places of prayer and contemplation should be safe havens, not sites of terror," Guterres said. "Worshippers must feel safe to worship."

Guterres met with worshippers at the Islamic Cultural Center's mosque in Manhattan as they gathered ahead of Friday prayers and offered "solidarity with the Muslim community from New York to New Zealand and beyond."&nbsp;

Speaking to reporters, the UN chief announced that he had tasked Spanish diplomat Miguel Moratinos with the drafting of an action plan for the United Nations to support efforts to protect religious sites.

Moratinos heads the UN Alliance of Civilisations, a group led by Spain and Turkey that seeks to foster a better understanding between cultures and societies.

The group will reach out to governments, religious leaders and organizations to explore actions to prevent such attacks as the Christchurch shooting that left 50 dead.&nbsp;

Addressing a meeting in Istanbul of Muslim countries, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the world to fight Islamophobia in the same way it fought anti-Semitism after the World War II Holocaust.

Guterres said the attack in New Zealand was "utterly appalling" but "perhaps not utterly surprising", citing the rise of anti-Muslim hatred, anti-Semitism and bigotry.

"Hate speech is spreading like wildfire," he said.&nbsp;

Social media is being exploited to spread bigotry while many political movements either openly admit to being neo-Nazi or are "lip-syncing their words," he added.

The UN chief spoke of the victims of the Christchurch shooting, some of whom lost their lives saving others, and said he was "deeply moved by the extraordinary display of leadership, love and community from the people of New Zealand."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday pledged action to help protect religious sites worldwide, during a visit to a New York Islamic centre one week after the New Zealand mosque shootings that shocked the world.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday pledged action to help protect religious sites worldwide, during a visit to a New York Islamic centre one week after the New Zealand mosque shootings that shocked the world. "Mosques and all places of prayer and contemplation should be safe havens, not sites of terror," Guterres said. "Worshippers must feel safe to worship." Guterres met with worshippers at the Islamic Cultural Center's mosque in Manhattan as they gathered ahead of Friday prayers and offered "solidarity with the Muslim community from New York to New Zealand and beyond." Speaking to reporters, the UN chief announced that he had tasked Spanish diplomat Miguel Moratinos with the drafting of an action plan for the United Nations to support efforts to protect religious sites. Moratinos heads the UN Alliance of Civilisations, a group led by Spain and Turkey that seeks to foster a better understanding between cultures and societies. The group will reach out to governments, religious leaders and organizations to explore actions to prevent such attacks as the Christchurch shooting that left 50 dead. Addressing a meeting in Istanbul of Muslim countries, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the world to fight Islamophobia in the same way it fought anti-Semitism after the World War II Holocaust. Guterres said the attack in New Zealand was "utterly appalling" but "perhaps not utterly surprising", citing the rise of anti-Muslim hatred, anti-Semitism and bigotry. "Hate speech is spreading like wildfire," he said. Social media is being exploited to spread bigotry while many political movements either openly admit to being neo-Nazi or are "lip-syncing their words," he added. The UN chief spoke of the victims of the Christchurch shooting, some of whom lost their lives saving others, and said he was "deeply moved by the extraordinary display of leadership, love and community from the people of New Zealand."

At New York mosque, UN chief Guterres pledges to help protect religious sites

Still full of Chavista paraphernalia, the Venezuelan consulate in New York is now in the hands of the head of the opposition-controlled Parliament, Juan Guaido, and his supporters, who are promising to reopen the facility as soon as possible so that their countrymen can "begin to return home."

"We have begun the recovery of the assets of the Republic, assets that belong to all Venezuelans," Gustavo Marcano, the No. 2 official in the delegation to the US named by Guaido and the head of the Monday operation to take over the consulate, said on Tuesday.

Less than 24 hours after taking control of the consulate, Marcano opened the building's doors to a group of journalists to show them the conditions inside what many consider to be the "jewel in the crown" of Venezuelan diplomacy in the US.

The deterioration of some of the floors in the consulate, which for some time has been closed to the public, is evident, with wrecked and perforated ceilings and significant damage to walls and floors.

On other floors, in much better shape and filled with symbols of the Bolivarian Revolution, one can still see drinking glasses on the tables and personal items strewn around, as if people had left the facility in a great hurry.

According to Marcano, that is indeed more or less what occurred, given that the building was being "occupied" by "officials of the Nicolas Maduro regime." 
Those people were mainly, he said, personnel accredited to Venezuela's mission to the United Nations, which remains in the control of the Maduro regime, although nobody was in the building when the diplomat and his team broke the locks on Monday afternoon.

Marcano, an opposition figure who previously served as a city mayor and lawmaker, insisted that the recovery of the consulate was "absolutely according to the laws."

The US, which was the first country to recognize Guaido as Venezuela's president after he proclaimed himself the country's interim leader on January&nbsp;23, has accredited the envoys he has named as diplomatic representatives, including Carlos Vecchio, who was tapped to be the opposition government's ambassador to Washington.

"Since yesterday, this space is being occupied by the legitimate government of Venezuela, by the diplomatic mission of the Venezuelan embassy to the United States. And, more importantly, this space soon will be open to all Venezuelans," Marcano said.

He added that this is a first step "so that we Venezuelans can begin to return home."

"When we set foot inside this consulate yesterday, we felt that the Venezuelans who have fought for freedom, ... who have suffered, who have endured all this struggle against the narco-regime that Nicolas Maduro heads, (that) we're conquering spaces, we're liberating spaces," he said.

In remarks to reporters, Marcano emphasized,&nbsp;"Here, we're beginning with spaces free of usurpation and we've convinced that sooner rather than later Venezuela's going to be free of usurpation."

At present, Guaido's representatives are focusing on taking an "inventory" of everything that they are finding inside the consulate, including the diplomatic pouch, computers and other materials with an eye toward preparing a report that they are intending to make public.

"There could be items of a criminal nature - that wouldn't surprise us," said Marcano, who also wants to assess the damage caused to state properties, including works of art that he and his colleagues say were removed to make room for portraits of the late Hugo Chavez and Maduro.

As a political gesture, on Monday a photograph of Chavez that hung on the wall was removed and replaced with a poster announcing the pending reopening of the consulate.

According to Marcano, the facility will soon be "free of any kind of political propaganda."

The downtown Manhattan consulate - a six-story building valued at millions of dollars - is a symbol for Guaido, since it is the most important diplomatic facility he controls in the US and, in contrast to others, it remains the property of the Venezuelan state.

The intention of the new landlords is to reopen the consulate within several weeks and to start providing services to Venezuelans.

The first step, they said, will be to begin registering all the Venezuelans who are in the US and to listen to their concerns.

The Maduro government, meanwhile, is denouncing the fact that the New York consulate and other diplomatic facilities are "being forcibly occupied" with the support of US authorities.

Besides the consulate, Guaido's representatives on Monday took charge of two Venezuelan Defense Ministry buildings in Washington and are intending to do the same in the near future with the embassy in the US capital and other diplomatic installations.

Still full of Chavista paraphernalia, the Venezuelan consulate in New York is now in the hands of the head of the opposition-controlled Parliament, Juan Guaido, and his supporters, who are promising to reopen the facility as soon as possible so that their countrymen can "begin to return home.

Still full of Chavista paraphernalia, the Venezuelan consulate in New York is now in the hands of the head of the opposition-controlled Parliament, Juan Guaido, and his supporters, who are promising to reopen the facility as soon as possible so that their countrymen can "begin to return home." "We have begun the recovery of the assets of the Republic, assets that belong to all Venezuelans," Gustavo Marcano, the No. 2 official in the delegation to the US named by Guaido and the head of the Monday operation to take over the consulate, said on Tuesday. Less than 24 hours after taking control of the consulate, Marcano opened the building's doors to a group of journalists to show them the conditions inside what many consider to be the "jewel in the crown" of Venezuelan diplomacy in the US. The deterioration of some of the floors in the consulate, which for some time has been closed to the public, is evident, with wrecked and perforated ceilings and significant damage to walls and floors. On other floors, in much better shape and filled with symbols of the Bolivarian Revolution, one can still see drinking glasses on the tables and personal items strewn around, as if people had left the facility in a great hurry. According to Marcano, that is indeed more or less what occurred, given that the building was being "occupied" by "officials of the Nicolas Maduro regime." Those people were mainly, he said, personnel accredited to Venezuela's mission to the United Nations, which remains in the control of the Maduro regime, although nobody was in the building when the diplomat and his team broke the locks on Monday afternoon. Marcano, an opposition figure who previously served as a city mayor and lawmaker, insisted that the recovery of the consulate was "absolutely according to the laws." The US, which was the first country to recognize Guaido as Venezuela's president after he proclaimed himself the country's interim leader on January 23, has accredited the envoys he has named as diplomatic representatives, including Carlos Vecchio, who was tapped to be the opposition government's ambassador to Washington. "Since yesterday, this space is being occupied by the legitimate government of Venezuela, by the diplomatic mission of the Venezuelan embassy to the United States. And, more importantly, this space soon will be open to all Venezuelans," Marcano said. He added that this is a first step "so that we Venezuelans can begin to return home." "When we set foot inside this consulate yesterday, we felt that the Venezuelans who have fought for freedom, ... who have suffered, who have endured all this struggle against the narco-regime that Nicolas Maduro heads, (that) we're conquering spaces, we're liberating spaces," he said. In remarks to reporters, Marcano emphasized, "Here, we're beginning with spaces free of usurpation and we've convinced that sooner rather than later Venezuela's going to be free of usurpation." At present, Guaido's representatives are focusing on taking an "inventory" of everything that they are finding inside the consulate, including the diplomatic pouch, computers and other materials with an eye toward preparing a report that they are intending to make public. "There could be items of a criminal nature - that wouldn't surprise us," said Marcano, who also wants to assess the damage caused to state properties, including works of art that he and his colleagues say were removed to make room for portraits of the late Hugo Chavez and Maduro. As a political gesture, on Monday a photograph of Chavez that hung on the wall was removed and replaced with a poster announcing the pending reopening of the consulate. According to Marcano, the facility will soon be "free of any kind of political propaganda." The downtown Manhattan consulate - a six-story building valued at millions of dollars - is a symbol for Guaido, since it is the most important diplomatic facility he controls in the US and, in contrast to others, it remains the property of the Venezuelan state. The intention of the new landlords is to reopen the consulate within several weeks and to start providing services to Venezuelans. The first step, they said, will be to begin registering all the Venezuelans who are in the US and to listen to their concerns. The Maduro government, meanwhile, is denouncing the fact that the New York consulate and other diplomatic facilities are "being forcibly occupied" with the support of US authorities. Besides the consulate, Guaido's representatives on Monday took charge of two Venezuelan Defense Ministry buildings in Washington and are intending to do the same in the near future with the embassy in the US capital and other diplomatic installations.

Venezuela's New York consulate passes from Chavista hands to Guaido

More than two dozen people were injured and at least 10 were taken to a hospital after a Turkish Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence on its approach to New York's John F Kennedy International Airport on Saturday, officials said.

The New York Fire Department said it was treating 29 passengers for "non-life-threatening injuries" at the airport, after having initially reported the number on Twitter at 32.

Most of the injuries aboard Turkish Airlines Flight 001 from Istanbul were minor, according to Steve Coleman, spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates JFK Airport.

"The majority of them were bumps, bruises and cuts," he said. "I'm not aware of any life-threatening injuries at this point."

The 10 passengers sent to a local hospital included a child and one with a possible broken leg, he said.

The airliner, carrying 326 passengers with a crew of 21, ran into "severe turbulence" about 45 minutes before landing at 5:35 pm EST, Coleman said.

The National Weather Service's Aviation Weather Center had issued an advisory for severe turbulence over New England on Saturday evening.

Turkish Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It was the second incident at a major New York-area airport on Saturday. New Jersey's Newark airport closed its runways earlier in the day after a cargo plane flying to Florida from Canada was forced to make an emergency landing.

More than two dozen people were injured and at least 10 were taken to a hospital after a Turkish Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence on its approach to New York's John F Kennedy International Airport on Saturday, officials said.

More than two dozen people were injured and at least 10 were taken to a hospital after a Turkish Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence on its approach to New York's John F Kennedy International Airport on Saturday, officials said. The New York Fire Department said it was treating 29 passengers for "non-life-threatening injuries" at the airport, after having initially reported the number on Twitter at 32. Most of the injuries aboard Turkish Airlines Flight 001 from Istanbul were minor, according to Steve Coleman, spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates JFK Airport. "The majority of them were bumps, bruises and cuts," he said. "I'm not aware of any life-threatening injuries at this point." The 10 passengers sent to a local hospital included a child and one with a possible broken leg, he said. The airliner, carrying 326 passengers with a crew of 21, ran into "severe turbulence" about 45 minutes before landing at 5:35 pm EST, Coleman said. The National Weather Service's Aviation Weather Center had issued an advisory for severe turbulence over New England on Saturday evening. Turkish Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was the second incident at a major New York-area airport on Saturday. New Jersey's Newark airport closed its runways earlier in the day after a cargo plane flying to Florida from Canada was forced to make an emergency landing.

Some 29 Turkish Airlines passengers injured by turbulence headed to New York

The owners of the Chrysler Building have reached a deal to sell the iconic New York City building for "a little more than $150 million," The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.

The sale price of the tower in midtown Manhattan considered an Art Deco masterpiece, marks a significant loss for Emirati investment firm Mubadala, which paid $800 million for a 90 per cent stake in 2008.

Real estate group Tishman Speyer, which had bought the building outright for a reported $210-250 million in 1997, retained a 10 per cent stake.

The Journal reported that the building's owners do not own the ground beneath it and pay annual rent that went up from $7.75 million to $32 million in 2018 and was set to increase again to $41 million in 2028.

Citing brokers, the newspaper said those fees "have eaten away at much if not all of the building's revenue."

The building also has some 400,000 square feet (37,160 square meters) of space that is either vacant or will become so in the coming years, the Journal said.

The Chrysler Building, which opened in 1930, stands 1,046 feet (319 meters) tall. It was the world's tallest building, but only for 11 months, after which it was dethroned by the Empire State Building, also in Manhattan.

The building was a personal project for Walter Chrysler, the founder of the car manufacturer that bears his name, but remained separate from the auto business.

The owners of the Chrysler Building have reached a deal to sell the iconic New York City building for "a little more than $150 million," The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.

The owners of the Chrysler Building have reached a deal to sell the iconic New York City building for "a little more than $150 million," The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday. The sale price of the tower in midtown Manhattan considered an Art Deco masterpiece, marks a significant loss for Emirati investment firm Mubadala, which paid $800 million for a 90 per cent stake in 2008. Real estate group Tishman Speyer, which had bought the building outright for a reported $210-250 million in 1997, retained a 10 per cent stake. The Journal reported that the building's owners do not own the ground beneath it and pay annual rent that went up from $7.75 million to $32 million in 2018 and was set to increase again to $41 million in 2028. Citing brokers, the newspaper said those fees "have eaten away at much if not all of the building's revenue." The building also has some 400,000 square feet (37,160 square meters) of space that is either vacant or will become so in the coming years, the Journal said. The Chrysler Building, which opened in 1930, stands 1,046 feet (319 meters) tall. It was the world's tallest building, but only for 11 months, after which it was dethroned by the Empire State Building, also in Manhattan. The building was a personal project for Walter Chrysler, the founder of the car manufacturer that bears his name, but remained separate from the auto business.

New York's iconic Chrysler Building to sell for $150 million: Report

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday ordered two state agencies to investigate a media report that Facebook&nbsp;may be accessing far more personal information than previously known from smartphone users, including health and other sensitive data.

The directive to New York's Department of State and Department of Financial Services (DFS) came after the Wall Street Journal said testing showed that Facebook collected personal information from other apps on users' smartphones within seconds of them entering it.

The WSJ reported that several apps share sensitive user data including weight, blood pressure and ovulation status with Facebook. The report said the company can access data in some cases even when the user is not signed into Facebook or does not have a Facebook account. In a statement Cuomo called the practice an "outrageous abuse of privacy." He also called on the relevant federal regulators to become involved.

Facebook said in a statement it would assist New York officials in their probe, but noted that the WSJ's report focused on how other apps use people's data to create ads.

"As (the WSJ) reported, we require the other app developers to be clear with their users about the information they are sharing with us, and we prohibit app developers from sending us sensitive data. We also take steps to detect and remove data that should not be shared with us," the company said.

Shares in Facebook took a short-lived hit after the newspaper report was published, but closed up 1.2 per cent. In late January Cuomo along with New York Attorney General Letitia James announced an investigation into Apple Inc's failure to warn consumers about a FaceTime bug that had let iPhones users listen to conversations of others who have not yet accepted a video call.

Facebook is facing a slew of lawsuits and regulatory inquiries over privacy issues, including a US Federal Trade Commission investigation into disclosures that Facebook inappropriately shared information belonging to 87 million users with British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica.

New York's financial services department does not traditionally supervise social media companies directly, but has waded into digital privacy in the financial sector and could have oversight of some app providers that send user data to Facebook.

In March, it is slated to implement the country's first cybersecurity rules governing state-regulated financial institutions such as banks, insurers and credit monitors.

Last month, DFS said life insurers could use social media posts in underwriting policies, so long as they did not discriminate based on race, colour, national origin, sexual orientation or other protected classes.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday ordered two state agencies to investigate a media report that Facebook may be accessing far more personal information than previously known from smartphone users, including health and other sensitive data.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday ordered two state agencies to investigate a media report that Facebook may be accessing far more personal information than previously known from smartphone users, including health and other sensitive data. The directive to New York's Department of State and Department of Financial Services (DFS) came after the Wall Street Journal said testing showed that Facebook collected personal information from other apps on users' smartphones within seconds of them entering it. The WSJ reported that several apps share sensitive user data including weight, blood pressure and ovulation status with Facebook. The report said the company can access data in some cases even when the user is not signed into Facebook or does not have a Facebook account. In a statement Cuomo called the practice an "outrageous abuse of privacy." He also called on the relevant federal regulators to become involved. Facebook said in a statement it would assist New York officials in their probe, but noted that the WSJ's report focused on how other apps use people's data to create ads. "As (the WSJ) reported, we require the other app developers to be clear with their users about the information they are sharing with us, and we prohibit app developers from sending us sensitive data. We also take steps to detect and remove data that should not be shared with us," the company said. Shares in Facebook took a short-lived hit after the newspaper report was published, but closed up 1.2 per cent. In late January Cuomo along with New York Attorney General Letitia James announced an investigation into Apple Inc's failure to warn consumers about a FaceTime bug that had let iPhones users listen to conversations of others who have not yet accepted a video call. Facebook is facing a slew of lawsuits and regulatory inquiries over privacy issues, including a US Federal Trade Commission investigation into disclosures that Facebook inappropriately shared information belonging to 87 million users with British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. New York's financial services department does not traditionally supervise social media companies directly, but has waded into digital privacy in the financial sector and could have oversight of some app providers that send user data to Facebook. In March, it is slated to implement the country's first cybersecurity rules governing state-regulated financial institutions such as banks, insurers and credit monitors. Last month, DFS said life insurers could use social media posts in underwriting policies, so long as they did not discriminate based on race, colour, national origin, sexual orientation or other protected classes.

New York governor orders probe into Facebook access to data from other apps

The sailor pictured kissing a woman in Times Square as people celebrated <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-world-war-ii-era-dakota-finally-home-bound-to-india-132589">the end of World War II</a> has died at age 95, his daughter told The Providence Journal.

George Mendonsa had a seizure Sunday after falling at an assisted living facility in Middletown, Rhode Island, his daughter Sharon Molleur said.

In the famous image, one of four taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt for Life magazine, Mendonsa is seen ecstatically bending over and kissing a woman in a white nurse's uniform.

The picture was published by Life as "V-J Day in Times Square."

Mendonsa, who served in the Pacific during World War II, was on home leave when the picture was taken.

He had long claimed to be the sailor in the picture, but it wasn't confirmed until recently with the use of facial recognition technology.

Greta Zimmer Friedman, the woman in the picture, died in 2016 at the age of age 92.

Eisenstaedt did not get the names of the kissing strangers.&nbsp;

He later described watching the sailor running along the street, and grabbing any girl in sight.

"I was running ahead of him with my Leica looking back over my shoulder but none of the pictures that were possible pleased me," he wrote in "Eisenstaedt on Eisenstaedt."

"Then suddenly, in a flash, I saw something white being grabbed. I turned around and clicked the moment the sailor kissed the nurse. If she had been dressed in a dark dress I would never have taken the picture."

The sailor pictured kissing a woman in Times Square as people celebrated the end of World War II has died at age 95, his daughter told The Providence Journal. George Mendonsa had a seizure Sunday after falling at an assisted living facility in Middletown, Rhode Island, his daughter Sharon Molleur said.

The sailor pictured kissing a woman in Times Square as people celebrated the end of World War II has died at age 95, his daughter told The Providence Journal. George Mendonsa had a seizure Sunday after falling at an assisted living facility in Middletown, Rhode Island, his daughter Sharon Molleur said. In the famous image, one of four taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt for Life magazine, Mendonsa is seen ecstatically bending over and kissing a woman in a white nurse's uniform. The picture was published by Life as "V-J Day in Times Square." Mendonsa, who served in the Pacific during World War II, was on home leave when the picture was taken. He had long claimed to be the sailor in the picture, but it wasn't confirmed until recently with the use of facial recognition technology. Greta Zimmer Friedman, the woman in the picture, died in 2016 at the age of age 92. Eisenstaedt did not get the names of the kissing strangers. He later described watching the sailor running along the street, and grabbing any girl in sight. "I was running ahead of him with my Leica looking back over my shoulder but none of the pictures that were possible pleased me," he wrote in "Eisenstaedt on Eisenstaedt." "Then suddenly, in a flash, I saw something white being grabbed. I turned around and clicked the moment the sailor kissed the nurse. If she had been dressed in a dark dress I would never have taken the picture."

'Kissing sailor' in iconic New York picture dies at 95

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-gm-in-talks-to-invest-in-electric-pickup-truck-maker-rivian-sources-197067">Amazon said on Thursday</a> it will not move forward with plans to build a headquarters in New York City after rising opposition from local politicians.

The company said it will not reopen the search process "at this time. We will proceed as planned in Northern Virginia and Nashville, and we will continue to hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the US and Canada."

The company had begun considering alternatives last week. The online retailer has not yet acquired any land for the project, which would make it easy to scrap its plans, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters on Friday.

Amazon had announced it would create 25,000 jobs and build one of two new headquarters based in the Long Island City neighbourhood in the borough of Queens, just across the East River from Manhattan.

The proposal ran into opposition from local politicians who opposed the $2.8-billion in incentives promised to Amazon in a deal secretly negotiated by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The company said, "for Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term."

Amazon said on Thursday it will not move forward with plans to build a headquarters in New York City after rising opposition from local politicians. The company said it will not reopen the search process "at this time.

Amazon said on Thursday it will not move forward with plans to build a headquarters in New York City after rising opposition from local politicians. The company said it will not reopen the search process "at this time. We will proceed as planned in Northern Virginia and Nashville, and we will continue to hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the US and Canada." The company had begun considering alternatives last week. The online retailer has not yet acquired any land for the project, which would make it easy to scrap its plans, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters on Friday. Amazon had announced it would create 25,000 jobs and build one of two new headquarters based in the Long Island City neighbourhood in the borough of Queens, just across the East River from Manhattan. The proposal ran into opposition from local politicians who opposed the $2.8-billion in incentives promised to Amazon in a deal secretly negotiated by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. The company said, "for Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term."

Amazon cancels plan to locate headquarters in New York

&nbsp;A New York City police detective was shot and killed by "friendly fire" and another officer was shot on Tuesday as they responded to an armed robbery, the city's police chief said.

The detective was identified as Brian Simonsen, 42, a 19-year veteran of the force. He was shot in the chest and declared dead at Jamaica Hospital, Police Commissioner James O'Neill told reporters.

He was the first New York police officer to die in the line of duty since July 2017.

The second detective was shot in one leg and listed as stable, police said.

The suspect, described as a 27-year-old "career criminal," was not identified by police. He was shot multiple times and taken to the hospital. An "imitation firearm" was found at the scene, O'Neill said.

"This is an absolute tragedy, the worst outcome any police officer or family of a police officer could ever imagine," O'Neill said. "Friendly fire aside, it is because of the actions of the suspect that Detective Simonsen is dead."

The detectives were responding to a call about a robbery at a cellphone store in Queens, O'Neill said. Officers responded and fired multiple rounds, during which Simonsen was hit, he said.

A New York City police detective was shot and killed by "friendly fire" and another officer was shot on Tuesday as they responded to an armed robbery, the city's police chief said.

A New York City police detective was shot and killed by "friendly fire" and another officer was shot on Tuesday as they responded to an armed robbery, the city's police chief said. The detective was identified as Brian Simonsen, 42, a 19-year veteran of the force. He was shot in the chest and declared dead at Jamaica Hospital, Police Commissioner James O'Neill told reporters. He was the first New York police officer to die in the line of duty since July 2017. The second detective was shot in one leg and listed as stable, police said. The suspect, described as a 27-year-old "career criminal," was not identified by police. He was shot multiple times and taken to the hospital. An "imitation firearm" was found at the scene, O'Neill said. "This is an absolute tragedy, the worst outcome any police officer or family of a police officer could ever imagine," O'Neill said. "Friendly fire aside, it is because of the actions of the suspect that Detective Simonsen is dead." The detectives were responding to a call about a robbery at a cellphone store in Queens, O'Neill said. Officers responded and fired multiple rounds, during which Simonsen was hit, he said.

New York detective killed by 'friendly fire' while responding to robbery

The United States last year slid down the rankings of a global corruption index as America's system of checks and balances faced growing threats on Donald Trump's watch, Transparency International said Tuesday.

The US lost four points to score 71 out of 100 on the watchdog's 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index, sending the country tumbling out of the top 20 for the first time since 2011.

"The low score comes at a time when the US is experiencing threats to its system of checks and balances as well as an erosion of ethical norms at the highest levels of power," TI said in its annual report.

The second year of Trump's presidency was a turbulent one, ranging from damaging revelations in an investigation probing links between Trump's 2016 campaign team and Russia, to his controversial backing for a Supreme Court nominee accused of sexual assault.

The US leader, who frequently rails against the media for writing "fake news", was also dogged by accusations of nepotism and conflicts of interest.

Last month, Trump agreed to close his personal charity after the New York attorney general said it had acted "as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr&nbsp;Trump's business and political interests".

Transparency International's closely-watched index ranks 180 nations according to their perceived level of public sector corruption, where a score of zero means very corrupt and 100 signifies very clean.

"The Trump presidency has illuminated the cracks in the US system for ensuring a government that is accountable to the public interest," TI's Zoe Reiter, acting representative to the US, told AFP.

"But President Trump is a symptom rather than a cause; the issues were there before he took office. For example, the Office of Government Ethics simply doesn't have the teeth to control for conflicts of interest at the highest levels," she said.

Rise of autocrats

As in previous years, New Zealand and Nordic countries were among the best in class with Denmark narrowly beating New Zealand to the top spot at 88 and 87 points respectively.

Strife-torn Somalia was once again the worst performer, below Yemen, South Sudan and Syria which all scored in the low teens.

The Berlin-based watchdog also singled out Turkey and Hungary for falling down the rankings, blaming "the deterioration of rule of law and democratic institutions, as well as a rapidly shrinking space for civil society and independent media".

"With many democratic institutions under threat across the globe — often by leaders with authoritarian or populist tendencies — we need to do more to strengthen checks and balances and protect citizens' rights," TI's managing director Patricia Moreira said.

As part of its recommendations, the group urged governments to stand up for a free press and support civil society organisations that encourage public oversight over government spending.

The index is compiled based on data from 12 international organisations including the World Bank, African Development Bank and the World Economic Forum.

The United States last year slid down the rankings of a global corruption index as America's system of checks and balances faced growing threats on Donald Trump's watch, Transparency International said Tuesday.

The United States last year slid down the rankings of a global corruption index as America's system of checks and balances faced growing threats on Donald Trump's watch, Transparency International said Tuesday. The US lost four points to score 71 out of 100 on the watchdog's 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index, sending the country tumbling out of the top 20 for the first time since 2011. "The low score comes at a time when the US is experiencing threats to its system of checks and balances as well as an erosion of ethical norms at the highest levels of power," TI said in its annual report. The second year of Trump's presidency was a turbulent one, ranging from damaging revelations in an investigation probing links between Trump's 2016 campaign team and Russia, to his controversial backing for a Supreme Court nominee accused of sexual assault. The US leader, who frequently rails against the media for writing "fake news", was also dogged by accusations of nepotism and conflicts of interest. Last month, Trump agreed to close his personal charity after the New York attorney general said it had acted "as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr Trump's business and political interests". Transparency International's closely-watched index ranks 180 nations according to their perceived level of public sector corruption, where a score of zero means very corrupt and 100 signifies very clean. "The Trump presidency has illuminated the cracks in the US system for ensuring a government that is accountable to the public interest," TI's Zoe Reiter, acting representative to the US, told AFP. "But President Trump is a symptom rather than a cause; the issues were there before he took office. For example, the Office of Government Ethics simply doesn't have the teeth to control for conflicts of interest at the highest levels," she said. Rise of autocrats As in previous years, New Zealand and Nordic countries were among the best in class with Denmark narrowly beating New Zealand to the top spot at 88 and 87 points respectively. Strife-torn Somalia was once again the worst performer, below Yemen, South Sudan and Syria which all scored in the low teens. The Berlin-based watchdog also singled out Turkey and Hungary for falling down the rankings, blaming "the deterioration of rule of law and democratic institutions, as well as a rapidly shrinking space for civil society and independent media". "With many democratic institutions under threat across the globe — often by leaders with authoritarian or populist tendencies — we need to do more to strengthen checks and balances and protect citizens' rights," TI's managing director Patricia Moreira said. As part of its recommendations, the group urged governments to stand up for a free press and support civil society organisations that encourage public oversight over government spending. The index is compiled based on data from 12 international organisations including the World Bank, African Development Bank and the World Economic Forum.

Corruption seen rising in Trump's US: Watchdog

Top US diplomat Mike Pompeo has tapped Elliot Abrams, a central figure in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/roger-stone-indictment-has-nothing-to-do-with-trump-white-house-192791">Ronald Reagan's controversial</a> anti-communist campaigns in Central America, as a new envoy to "restore democracy" in Venezuela.

Pompeo announced the appointment of Abrams on Friday, two days after Washington declared head of state Nicolas Maduro to be illegitimate and recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president of crisis-plagued Venezuela.

Pompeo said Abrams "will be a true asset to our mission to help the Venezuelan people fully restore democracy and prosperity to their country".

Abrams told reporters in brief remarks: "This crisis in Venezuela is deep and difficult and dangerous and I can't wait to get to work on it."

The veteran Republican foreign policy hand took charge of Latin America policy under Reagan, clashing with human rights groups as he channelled generous US support to anti-communist forces in Nicaragua and El Salvador.

In one notorious incident, he initially dismissed the massacre of nearly 1,000 civilians by the Salvadoran army at El Mozote in 1981. Abrams later pleaded guilty to two misdemeanour counts of withholding information from Congress during the Iran-Contra scandal, when the Reagan administration secretly funded the Contra rebels in Nicaragua through arms sales to revolutionary Iran.

Abrams later returned as a senior adviser to president George W Bush in charge of human rights and the Middle East. But when Republicans returned to the White House with President Donald Trump's election, Abrams was initially passed over as the new administration shut out critics of the unorthodox new leader.

Abrams during the 2016 election had written a piece in The Weekly Standard magazine entitled, "When You Can't Stand Your Candidate," in which he argued that Trump "cannot win and should not be president of the United States".

Pompeo, one of Trump's favourite cabinet members, assured that Abrams was on board, saying the new envoy was "eager to advance President Trump's agenda and promote the ideals and interests of the American people".

Pompeo said that Abrams would join him Saturday as the secretary of state heads to New York for a special UN Security Council session on Venezuela.&nbsp;

Top US diplomat Mike Pompeo has tapped Elliot Abrams, a central figure in Ronald Reagan's controversial anti-communist campaigns in Central America, as a new envoy to "restore democracy" in Venezuela.

Top US diplomat Mike Pompeo has tapped Elliot Abrams, a central figure in Ronald Reagan's controversial anti-communist campaigns in Central America, as a new envoy to "restore democracy" in Venezuela. Pompeo announced the appointment of Abrams on Friday, two days after Washington declared head of state Nicolas Maduro to be illegitimate and recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president of crisis-plagued Venezuela. Pompeo said Abrams "will be a true asset to our mission to help the Venezuelan people fully restore democracy and prosperity to their country". Abrams told reporters in brief remarks: "This crisis in Venezuela is deep and difficult and dangerous and I can't wait to get to work on it." The veteran Republican foreign policy hand took charge of Latin America policy under Reagan, clashing with human rights groups as he channelled generous US support to anti-communist forces in Nicaragua and El Salvador. In one notorious incident, he initially dismissed the massacre of nearly 1,000 civilians by the Salvadoran army at El Mozote in 1981. Abrams later pleaded guilty to two misdemeanour counts of withholding information from Congress during the Iran-Contra scandal, when the Reagan administration secretly funded the Contra rebels in Nicaragua through arms sales to revolutionary Iran. Abrams later returned as a senior adviser to president George W Bush in charge of human rights and the Middle East. But when Republicans returned to the White House with President Donald Trump's election, Abrams was initially passed over as the new administration shut out critics of the unorthodox new leader. Abrams during the 2016 election had written a piece in The Weekly Standard magazine entitled, "When You Can't Stand Your Candidate," in which he argued that Trump "cannot win and should not be president of the United States". Pompeo, one of Trump's favourite cabinet members, assured that Abrams was on board, saying the new envoy was "eager to advance President Trump's agenda and promote the ideals and interests of the American people". Pompeo said that Abrams would join him Saturday as the secretary of state heads to New York for a special UN Security Council session on Venezuela.

US taps controversial Abrams to 'restore democracy' in Venezuela

Actor Alec Baldwin arrived at a New York City court on Wednesday to face charges stemming from an altercation last year over a parking spot during which he is accused of punching someone, according to court officials.

The 60-year-old actor, most recently known for his impersonations of U.S. President Donald Trump on 'Saturday Night Live,' arrived alone, wearing a winter coat, scarf and glasses as he strode past waiting photographers into the courthouse.

Baldwin, who police said was arrested on Nov. 2 and charged with misdemeanour assault and harassment was released the same day and was met by a swarm of camera crews.

He last appeared in court for this incident on Nov. 26 for an arraignment hearing.&nbsp;

"Normally, I would not comment on something as egregiously misstated as today's story," a post on his foundation's Twitter account said after the incident.&nbsp;

"However, the assertion that I punched anyone over a parking spot is false. I wanted to go on the record stating as much."

Baldwin won an Emmy Award in 2017 for his scathing impressions of Trump. He is also known for portraying network executive Jack Donaghy in NBC's '30 Rock' sitcom.

Baldwin has a history of losing his temper.&nbsp;

In 2014, he was given a summons for disorderly conduct after an argument with police when he was stopped for riding his bike down a one-way street in New York. It was not clear what followed the summons notice.&nbsp;

In 2011, he was thrown off an American Airlines flight after refusing to stop playing a game on his phone before takeoff.

A year later, Baldwin denied punching a photographer who was trying to take photos of him with his then-fiancee, yoga teacher Hilaria Thomas.&nbsp;

Baldwin and Thomas married in 2012 and have four children.

Actor Alec Baldwin arrived at a New York City court on Wednesday to face charges stemming from an altercation last year over a parking spot during which he is accused of punching someone, according to court officials.

Actor Alec Baldwin arrived at a New York City court on Wednesday to face charges stemming from an altercation last year over a parking spot during which he is accused of punching someone, according to court officials. The 60-year-old actor, most recently known for his impersonations of U.S. President Donald Trump on 'Saturday Night Live,' arrived alone, wearing a winter coat, scarf and glasses as he strode past waiting photographers into the courthouse. Baldwin, who police said was arrested on Nov. 2 and charged with misdemeanour assault and harassment was released the same day and was met by a swarm of camera crews. He last appeared in court for this incident on Nov. 26 for an arraignment hearing. "Normally, I would not comment on something as egregiously misstated as today's story," a post on his foundation's Twitter account said after the incident. "However, the assertion that I punched anyone over a parking spot is false. I wanted to go on the record stating as much." Baldwin won an Emmy Award in 2017 for his scathing impressions of Trump. He is also known for portraying network executive Jack Donaghy in NBC's '30 Rock' sitcom. Baldwin has a history of losing his temper. In 2014, he was given a summons for disorderly conduct after an argument with police when he was stopped for riding his bike down a one-way street in New York. It was not clear what followed the summons notice. In 2011, he was thrown off an American Airlines flight after refusing to stop playing a game on his phone before takeoff. A year later, Baldwin denied punching a photographer who was trying to take photos of him with his then-fiancee, yoga teacher Hilaria Thomas. Baldwin and Thomas married in 2012 and have four children.

Alec Baldwin in New York court for hearing on parking spot dispute

Two Saudi sisters whose bodies were found taped together on the banks of a New York river committed suicide, the city's medical examiner said on Tuesday.

Rotana Farea, 22, and her sister Tala, 16, were found beside the Hudson River in late October with no visible signs of trauma, dressed all in black with fur-trimmed coat collars.

They were tied together at the ankles and waist by duct tape.

"My office determined that the death of the Farea sisters was the result of suicide, in which the young women bound themselves together before descending into the Hudson River," Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson said.

After their deaths, a police official appeared to confirm that the sisters had applied for asylum, but did not provide further detail.

Fatimah Baeshen, spokeswoman for Saudi Arabia's US embassy in Washington, tweeted that "Reports that we ordered anyone related to the Saudi sisters, Tala and Rotana Farea, God rest their souls, (who recently died tragically in NY), to leave the US for seeking asylum; are absolutely false."

They had run away several times from their family's home in Virginia, where they had not lived since the end of 2017.

The sisters had been placed in a shelter but left Virginia in August and set out for New York. There, they stayed in several different upscale hotels and maxed out a credit card, according to an NYPD spokesman quoted by US media.

A witness reportedly saw the two young women early on October 24 on a playground near the Hudson, where they appeared to be praying.

US media quoted police as saying the sisters had indicated that they would rather harm themselves than return to Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom is one of the world's most restrictive countries for women, a situation highlighted this month by the case of Rahaf Mohammed.

The teenager fled what she said was physical and psychological abuse from her family in the kingdom, and received asylum in Canada.

Two Saudi sisters whose bodies were found taped together on the banks of a New York river committed suicide, the city's medical examiner said on Tuesday. Rotana Farea, 22, and her sister Tala, 16, were found beside the Hudson River in late October with no visible signs of trauma, dressed all in black with fur-trimmed coat collars.

Two Saudi sisters whose bodies were found taped together on the banks of a New York river committed suicide, the city's medical examiner said on Tuesday. Rotana Farea, 22, and her sister Tala, 16, were found beside the Hudson River in late October with no visible signs of trauma, dressed all in black with fur-trimmed coat collars. They were tied together at the ankles and waist by duct tape. "My office determined that the death of the Farea sisters was the result of suicide, in which the young women bound themselves together before descending into the Hudson River," Chief Medical Examiner Barbara Sampson said. After their deaths, a police official appeared to confirm that the sisters had applied for asylum, but did not provide further detail. Fatimah Baeshen, spokeswoman for Saudi Arabia's US embassy in Washington, tweeted that "Reports that we ordered anyone related to the Saudi sisters, Tala and Rotana Farea, God rest their souls, (who recently died tragically in NY), to leave the US for seeking asylum; are absolutely false." They had run away several times from their family's home in Virginia, where they had not lived since the end of 2017. The sisters had been placed in a shelter but left Virginia in August and set out for New York. There, they stayed in several different upscale hotels and maxed out a credit card, according to an NYPD spokesman quoted by US media. A witness reportedly saw the two young women early on October 24 on a playground near the Hudson, where they appeared to be praying. US media quoted police as saying the sisters had indicated that they would rather harm themselves than return to Saudi Arabia. The kingdom is one of the world's most restrictive countries for women, a situation highlighted this month by the case of Rahaf Mohammed. The teenager fled what she said was physical and psychological abuse from her family in the kingdom, and received asylum in Canada.

Two drowned Saudi sisters committed suicide: US medical examiner

Most never needed help from a food pantry. But a month since the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/we-cant-pay-informants-fbi-on-us-government-shutdown-192096">US government shutdown</a> began, dozens of federal employees have been lining up in Brooklyn for basics.

Customs, tax and emergency management officials are all among the crowd, having gone unemployed since December 22.

Others deemed "essential" like transportation workers or prison guards are forced to continue working without pay, taking advantage of their lunch breaks to stock up.

Volunteers are manning distribution tables in the lobby of the New York borough's Barclays Center, which usually hosts concerts or sporting events rather than charity drives.

Those in need first register and then fill plastic bags with canned goods, potatoes, chicken, grapes and basic toiletries.

"I came here to grab some goods, to be honest," said Antoinette Peek-Williams, an employee of the Homeland Security Department, who came an hour by subway from Harlem.&nbsp;

"Any way I can save money and put towards something else -- that's what I am trying to do."

Since the budget impasse began, the 62-year-old lives "day to day -- watching what I eat, watching what I spend, not spending."

"Praying that they make a decision sooner than later."

She hopes to return to work on February 1 -- an optimism of which she's no longer so certain.

"I am a person where the glass is always half-full," said the mother of a college student.

"I have to stay hopeful," she said. "If you don't have hope, you don't have anything."

It's a sentiment echoed by Chante Johnson, a tax administrator.

But "it's getting rough," the 48-year-old said. "It's coming, like, to the end of everything."

'Unprecedented'

She provides for a daughter along with her mother, and says she hasn't been able to sleep or eat healthy since being out of work.

"I just want them to open it up," she said. "Start talking and open up the government."

For those federal workers forced to work without pay, the situation is even more tense.

They can only testify anonymously, sworn to confidentiality.

"It is very stressful," said one 39-year-old single mother, who works as a prison guard at Brooklyn's federal detention facility.

She came to the food pantry on her lunch break seeking enough to prepare a few meals.

Her daughter is nearing the end of high school, and as students apply for universities, she laments being unable to pay her child's application fees.

She managed to postpone the monthly bill for her cell phone -- which she needs for work -- albeit with a late penalty.

But she won't be able to make it after mid-February.

"After that I won't be able to go to work," she said, saying she won't have money to fill her car's gas tank.

The shutdown has exacerbated an already precarious situation in a city where soaring rents are pushing more and more families into poverty, said Francisco Tezen, head of development at the Food Bank for New York City.

The non-profit, the city's largest food assistance organization, hosted the distribution along with corporate sponsors.

"Something like this is unprecedented, it's almost equivalent to times when we have had to activate response and services in response to a disaster," said Tezen.

"Just the length of period of time, and the volatility and the unknowns."

Organizations like his "can be of assistance and help," he said -- "but we are not an antidote to gridlock or just bad policy."

He refrained from pointing specific blame for the political stalemate, but many in New York, a Democratic stronghold, pin culpability on Donald Trump.

In Johnson's view, the border situation is not dire enough to require the $5.7 billion the president has demanded to build a wall.

"What happened? Did a Mexican beat him up as a little boy so he is so gung-ho on this wall?" she asked. "Talk about it and get us back to work.

"Get us back the work that we love doing."

Most never needed help from a food pantry. But a month since the US government shutdown began, dozens of federal employees have been lining up in Brooklyn for basics.

Most never needed help from a food pantry. But a month since the US government shutdown began, dozens of federal employees have been lining up in Brooklyn for basics. Customs, tax and emergency management officials are all among the crowd, having gone unemployed since December 22. Others deemed "essential" like transportation workers or prison guards are forced to continue working without pay, taking advantage of their lunch breaks to stock up. Volunteers are manning distribution tables in the lobby of the New York borough's Barclays Center, which usually hosts concerts or sporting events rather than charity drives. Those in need first register and then fill plastic bags with canned goods, potatoes, chicken, grapes and basic toiletries. "I came here to grab some goods, to be honest," said Antoinette Peek-Williams, an employee of the Homeland Security Department, who came an hour by subway from Harlem. "Any way I can save money and put towards something else -- that's what I am trying to do." Since the budget impasse began, the 62-year-old lives "day to day -- watching what I eat, watching what I spend, not spending." "Praying that they make a decision sooner than later." She hopes to return to work on February 1 -- an optimism of which she's no longer so certain. "I am a person where the glass is always half-full," said the mother of a college student. "I have to stay hopeful," she said. "If you don't have hope, you don't have anything." It's a sentiment echoed by Chante Johnson, a tax administrator. But "it's getting rough," the 48-year-old said. "It's coming, like, to the end of everything." 'Unprecedented' She provides for a daughter along with her mother, and says she hasn't been able to sleep or eat healthy since being out of work. "I just want them to open it up," she said. "Start talking and open up the government." For those federal workers forced to work without pay, the situation is even more tense. They can only testify anonymously, sworn to confidentiality. "It is very stressful," said one 39-year-old single mother, who works as a prison guard at Brooklyn's federal detention facility. She came to the food pantry on her lunch break seeking enough to prepare a few meals. Her daughter is nearing the end of high school, and as students apply for universities, she laments being unable to pay her child's application fees. She managed to postpone the monthly bill for her cell phone -- which she needs for work -- albeit with a late penalty. But she won't be able to make it after mid-February. "After that I won't be able to go to work," she said, saying she won't have money to fill her car's gas tank. The shutdown has exacerbated an already precarious situation in a city where soaring rents are pushing more and more families into poverty, said Francisco Tezen, head of development at the Food Bank for New York City. The non-profit, the city's largest food assistance organization, hosted the distribution along with corporate sponsors. "Something like this is unprecedented, it's almost equivalent to times when we have had to activate response and services in response to a disaster," said Tezen. "Just the length of period of time, and the volatility and the unknowns." Organizations like his "can be of assistance and help," he said -- "but we are not an antidote to gridlock or just bad policy." He refrained from pointing specific blame for the political stalemate, but many in New York, a Democratic stronghold, pin culpability on Donald Trump. In Johnson's view, the border situation is not dire enough to require the $5.7 billion the president has demanded to build a wall. "What happened? Did a Mexican beat him up as a little boy so he is so gung-ho on this wall?" she asked. "Talk about it and get us back to work. "Get us back the work that we love doing."

After a month of shutdown, US federal workers turn to food banks

Reports of drone sightings in northern New Jersey temporarily halted arrivals at Newark Liberty International Airport on Tuesday, but normal operations had since been resumed, officials said.

A spokesman from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier said flights into Newark - the 11th busiest US airport - were briefly suspended after two drones were seen flying at 3,500 feet over nearby Teterboro Airport, a small regional airport about 17 miles away that mostly handles corporate jets and private planes.

The federal agency said information about the drone sightings was turned over to law enforcement.

The FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center briefly issued a ground stop at Newark citing "drone activity," according to a document posted on its website.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates both the Newark and Teterboro airports, later said on Twitter that normal operations had resumed and that it was coordinating with the FAA and law enforcement authorities as they investigate the incident.

United Airlines, the largest carrier at Newark, said it was aware of the reports of drone activity and was working with the airport and the FAA. It said the impact on its operations had been minimal.

The issue of drones impacting commercial air traffic has taken on new urgency after reports of drone sightings in the United Kingdom impacted air travel.

Earlier this month, flights from London’s Heathrow airport were halted for about an hour after a drone was sighted near Europe’s busiest air hub.

Gatwick Airport, London’s second busiest airport, was severely disrupted in December when drones were sighted on three consecutive days, resulting in about 1,000 flights being cancelled or diverted and affecting 140,000 passengers.

Both airports responded to the Gatwick incident by ordering military-grade anti-drone technology.

Earlier this month, the US Transportation Department proposed rules that would allow drones to operate over populated areas and end a requirement for special permits for night use, long-awaited actions that are expected to help speed commercial use.

The Trump administration noted there are nearly 1.3 million registered drones in the United States and more than 116,000 registered drone operators. But officials say there are hundreds of thousands of additional drones that are not registered.

The US Congress last year gave the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security new powers to disable or destroy threatening drones after officials raised concerns about the use of drones as potential weapons.

In September 2017, a small civilian drone struck a US Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter near Staten Island, New York. The helicopter landed safely but there was some damage.

Reports of drone sightings in northern New Jersey temporarily halted arrivals at Newark Liberty International Airport on Tuesday, but normal operations had since been resumed, officials said.

Reports of drone sightings in northern New Jersey temporarily halted arrivals at Newark Liberty International Airport on Tuesday, but normal operations had since been resumed, officials said. A spokesman from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier said flights into Newark - the 11th busiest US airport - were briefly suspended after two drones were seen flying at 3,500 feet over nearby Teterboro Airport, a small regional airport about 17 miles away that mostly handles corporate jets and private planes. The federal agency said information about the drone sightings was turned over to law enforcement. The FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center briefly issued a ground stop at Newark citing "drone activity," according to a document posted on its website. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates both the Newark and Teterboro airports, later said on Twitter that normal operations had resumed and that it was coordinating with the FAA and law enforcement authorities as they investigate the incident. United Airlines, the largest carrier at Newark, said it was aware of the reports of drone activity and was working with the airport and the FAA. It said the impact on its operations had been minimal. The issue of drones impacting commercial air traffic has taken on new urgency after reports of drone sightings in the United Kingdom impacted air travel. Earlier this month, flights from London’s Heathrow airport were halted for about an hour after a drone was sighted near Europe’s busiest air hub. Gatwick Airport, London’s second busiest airport, was severely disrupted in December when drones were sighted on three consecutive days, resulting in about 1,000 flights being cancelled or diverted and affecting 140,000 passengers. Both airports responded to the Gatwick incident by ordering military-grade anti-drone technology. Earlier this month, the US Transportation Department proposed rules that would allow drones to operate over populated areas and end a requirement for special permits for night use, long-awaited actions that are expected to help speed commercial use. The Trump administration noted there are nearly 1.3 million registered drones in the United States and more than 116,000 registered drone operators. But officials say there are hundreds of thousands of additional drones that are not registered. The US Congress last year gave the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security new powers to disable or destroy threatening drones after officials raised concerns about the use of drones as potential weapons. In September 2017, a small civilian drone struck a US Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter near Staten Island, New York. The helicopter landed safely but there was some damage.

Newark Airport resumes normal operations after drone sightings temporarily halt traffic

Three men and a teenager have been arrested after planning to bomb a Muslim community in upstate New York, and investigators have recovered three homemade bombs and nearly two dozen guns, authorities said on Tuesday (January 22).

The alleged plot was uncovered after a student at Odyssey Academy, a school in Greece, New York, showed a classmate a photograph of another student and said, "He looks like the next school shooter, doesn't he?" Greece Police Chief Patrick Phelan told reporters at a news conference.

The remark was reported to school security, which along with local police interviewed both the student who had the photograph as well as the student in the picture.

The investigation eventually led police to execute several search warrants and arrest four people, including the student who showed off the photograph.

The group had planned to attack Islamberg, a small enclave in the Catskill Mountains about 150 miles northwest of New York City. The town was founded more than three decades ago by a group of black Muslims who follow the teachings of Pakistani Sufi cleric Mubarik Ali Shah Gilani.

Brian Colaneri, 20, of Rochester; Andrew Crysel, 18, of East Rochester; and Vincent Vetromile, 19, face weapons and conspiracy charges. The student, who is 16, was charged with the same offenses but was not identified due to his age.

It was not immediately clear whether the defendants had attorneys.

The three improvised explosive devices were found at the teenager's house, Phelan said. The weapons were all legally owned shotguns and rifles.

"If they had carried out this plot, which every indication is that they were going to, people would have died," Phelan said. "I don't know how many and who, but people would have died."

Police declined to provide details about how the investigation into the student's seemingly offhand remark led to the arrests.

Three of the four defendants were in the Boy Scouts together, Phelan said.

Islamberg has been targeted in the past. Two years ago, a Tennessee man was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for plotting to attack the enclave.

Three men and a teenager have been arrested after planning to bomb a Muslim community in upstate New York, and investigators have recovered three homemade bombs and nearly two dozen guns, authorities said on Tuesday (January 22).

Three men and a teenager have been arrested after planning to bomb a Muslim community in upstate New York, and investigators have recovered three homemade bombs and nearly two dozen guns, authorities said on Tuesday (January 22). The alleged plot was uncovered after a student at Odyssey Academy, a school in Greece, New York, showed a classmate a photograph of another student and said, "He looks like the next school shooter, doesn't he?" Greece Police Chief Patrick Phelan told reporters at a news conference. The remark was reported to school security, which along with local police interviewed both the student who had the photograph as well as the student in the picture. The investigation eventually led police to execute several search warrants and arrest four people, including the student who showed off the photograph. The group had planned to attack Islamberg, a small enclave in the Catskill Mountains about 150 miles northwest of New York City. The town was founded more than three decades ago by a group of black Muslims who follow the teachings of Pakistani Sufi cleric Mubarik Ali Shah Gilani. Brian Colaneri, 20, of Rochester; Andrew Crysel, 18, of East Rochester; and Vincent Vetromile, 19, face weapons and conspiracy charges. The student, who is 16, was charged with the same offenses but was not identified due to his age. It was not immediately clear whether the defendants had attorneys. The three improvised explosive devices were found at the teenager's house, Phelan said. The weapons were all legally owned shotguns and rifles. "If they had carried out this plot, which every indication is that they were going to, people would have died," Phelan said. "I don't know how many and who, but people would have died." Police declined to provide details about how the investigation into the student's seemingly offhand remark led to the arrests. Three of the four defendants were in the Boy Scouts together, Phelan said. Islamberg has been targeted in the past. Two years ago, a Tennessee man was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for plotting to attack the enclave.

Anti-Muslim plot foiled in upstate New York, police say

A New York television meteorologist was fired after saying what many heard as a racial slur on air, which he defended on Monday evening as a slip of the tongue that he tried to quickly correct.

During his weather forecast on Rochester`s WHEC-TV channel on Friday, Jeremy Kappell could be heard referring to "Martin Luther Coon King Jr. Park," according to video of the broadcast circulated online.&nbsp;

Kappell, who is white, said in a video statement posted online that he was speaking fast and realized he had garbled "a couple of words" in the name of the slain African-American civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and so corrected himself.&nbsp;

He called King a "great man" and said he did not use a racial slur. `Coon` is a racist term used to disparage black people.

As video of the utterance circulated over the weekend, Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, who is black, decried what she said was the use of "a racial slur" and demanded in a statement that Kappell be punished.&nbsp;

The station fired Kappell soon after on Sunday.

"I apologize for our broadcast of a racial slur," Richard Reingold, the station`s vice president and general manager, said in a statement, saying the broadcast of the word "disheartens and disgusts me."

Kappell was joined by his wife in his video statement, saying he had been a meteorologist for nearly 20 years and was disappointed in the station`s decision to fire him and thanking people for support during what he called an ordeal.

"It`s a simple misunderstanding," he said, saying he realized he had misspoken but did not know how it had been heard until after the broadcast. "That was not a word I said, I promise you that."

A New York television meteorologist was fired after saying what many heard as a racial slur on air, which he defended on Monday evening as a slip of the tongue that he tried to quickly correct.

A New York television meteorologist was fired after saying what many heard as a racial slur on air, which he defended on Monday evening as a slip of the tongue that he tried to quickly correct. During his weather forecast on Rochester`s WHEC-TV channel on Friday, Jeremy Kappell could be heard referring to "Martin Luther Coon King Jr. Park," according to video of the broadcast circulated online. Kappell, who is white, said in a video statement posted online that he was speaking fast and realized he had garbled "a couple of words" in the name of the slain African-American civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and so corrected himself. He called King a "great man" and said he did not use a racial slur. `Coon` is a racist term used to disparage black people. As video of the utterance circulated over the weekend, Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, who is black, decried what she said was the use of "a racial slur" and demanded in a statement that Kappell be punished. The station fired Kappell soon after on Sunday. "I apologize for our broadcast of a racial slur," Richard Reingold, the station`s vice president and general manager, said in a statement, saying the broadcast of the word "disheartens and disgusts me." Kappell was joined by his wife in his video statement, saying he had been a meteorologist for nearly 20 years and was disappointed in the station`s decision to fire him and thanking people for support during what he called an ordeal. "It`s a simple misunderstanding," he said, saying he realized he had misspoken but did not know how it had been heard until after the broadcast. "That was not a word I said, I promise you that."

New York weatherman fired over racial slur in forecast

New York Knicks center Enes Kanter says he will not go to London for a game with his NBA team because he fears he could be assassinated for criticizing Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

Kanter, who is Turkish, expressed his fear after the Knicks' victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. A video of his remarks was posted on Twitter.

The Knicks are scheduled to play the Washington Wizards in London on Jan. 17.

“There is a chance I could get killed out there,” Kanter, a longtime critic of Erdogan, told reporters.

“It’s pretty sad that all the stuff affects my career and basketball because I want to be out there and help my team win."

A Knicks official later said that Kanter was not traveling to London because of a visa issue, the New York Times reported.

Turkey has revoked Kanter's passport, and a Turkish court has declared him a fugitive for his support of U.S-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating an attempted coup in July 2016 - an accusation Gulen denies.

Since the putsch attempt, more than 50,000 people have been jailed in Turkey pending trial and 150,000 state workers including teachers, judges and soldiers have been suspended or dismissed in a crackdown on alleged supporters of Gulen.

The Turkish state-run Anadolu news agency reported in December 2017 that a Turkish prosecutor had asked for Kanter to be jailed for up to four years for insulting Erdogan.

Kanter holds a U.S. green card that allows him to live and work in the country on a permanent basis.

New York Knicks center Enes Kanter says he will not go to London for a game with his NBA team because he fears he could be assassinated for criticizing Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

New York Knicks center Enes Kanter says he will not go to London for a game with his NBA team because he fears he could be assassinated for criticizing Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Kanter, who is Turkish, expressed his fear after the Knicks' victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. A video of his remarks was posted on Twitter. The Knicks are scheduled to play the Washington Wizards in London on Jan. 17. “There is a chance I could get killed out there,” Kanter, a longtime critic of Erdogan, told reporters. “It’s pretty sad that all the stuff affects my career and basketball because I want to be out there and help my team win." A Knicks official later said that Kanter was not traveling to London because of a visa issue, the New York Times reported. Turkey has revoked Kanter's passport, and a Turkish court has declared him a fugitive for his support of U.S-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating an attempted coup in July 2016 - an accusation Gulen denies. Since the putsch attempt, more than 50,000 people have been jailed in Turkey pending trial and 150,000 state workers including teachers, judges and soldiers have been suspended or dismissed in a crackdown on alleged supporters of Gulen. The Turkish state-run Anadolu news agency reported in December 2017 that a Turkish prosecutor had asked for Kanter to be jailed for up to four years for insulting Erdogan. Kanter holds a U.S. green card that allows him to live and work in the country on a permanent basis.

NBA: Knicks' Kanter to miss London game, says he fears for his life

In pics: Thousands brave rain in New York's Times Square to welcome 2019

A transformer explosion at an electric power substation in the New York City borough of Queens lit up the night sky with a bright blue light on Thursday, mystifying some residents, but officials said no one was injured in the incident.

"The light you have seen throughout the city appears to have been from a transformer explosion at a Con Ed facility in Queens," the New York Police Department said in an advisory on to residents on Twitter.

"The fire is under control, will update as more info becomes available," it said.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Why is the sky lit up bright blue in Queens New York City right now? Is it fireworks? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QueensNY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QueensNY</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SkyIsBeamingBrightBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SkyIsBeamingBrightBlue</a> <a href="https://t.co/4IF53UUGGG">pic.twitter.com/4IF53UUGGG</a>
— Louis Santoro (@Louis_S_Santoro) <a href="https://twitter.com/Louis_S_Santoro/status/1078474852439339014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Many social media users posted videos and photos of the night sky over New York City illuminated by a bright light.

"Why is the sky lit up bright blue in Queens New York City right now? Is it fireworks?" Louis Santoro, a New York City resident, wrote on Twitter.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a message on Twitter no one was injured and that Con Edison was evaluating the extent of power outages in the area. He said the light was caused by an electrical surge at the substation.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Blue skies in New York, what’s going on? 😱 <a href="https://t.co/yBPKeYeh44">pic.twitter.com/yBPKeYeh44</a>
— Andres Rios (@_andresrios11) <a href="https://twitter.com/_andresrios11/status/1078476299281289216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Con Edison said on Twitter an electrical fire at a substation in the Astoria section of Queens caused a transmission dip in the area. The cause of the incident was being investigated, it said.

A power outage at LaGuardia Airport, which is located in Queens, prompted flight cancellations, the New York affiliate of NBC reported earlier on Thursday. It was not immediately clear if the two events were related.

Power was returning at LaGuardia Airport, de Blasio said, but travelers could expect delays.

A transformer explosion at an electric power substation in the New York City borough of Queens lit up the night sky with a bright blue light on Thursday, mystifying some residents, but officials said no one was injured in the incident.

A transformer explosion at an electric power substation in the New York City borough of Queens lit up the night sky with a bright blue light on Thursday, mystifying some residents, but officials said no one was injured in the incident. "The light you have seen throughout the city appears to have been from a transformer explosion at a Con Ed facility in Queens," the New York Police Department said in an advisory on to residents on Twitter. "The fire is under control, will update as more info becomes available," it said. Why is the sky lit up bright blue in Queens New York City right now? Is it fireworks? #QueensNY #SkyIsBeamingBrightBlue pic.twitter.com/4IF53UUGGG — Louis Santoro (@Louis_S_Santoro) December 28, 2018 × Many social media users posted videos and photos of the night sky over New York City illuminated by a bright light. "Why is the sky lit up bright blue in Queens New York City right now? Is it fireworks?" Louis Santoro, a New York City resident, wrote on Twitter. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a message on Twitter no one was injured and that Con Edison was evaluating the extent of power outages in the area. He said the light was caused by an electrical surge at the substation. Blue skies in New York, what’s going on? 😱 pic.twitter.com/yBPKeYeh44 — Andres Rios (@_andresrios11) December 28, 2018 × Con Edison said on Twitter an electrical fire at a substation in the Astoria section of Queens caused a transmission dip in the area. The cause of the incident was being investigated, it said. A power outage at LaGuardia Airport, which is located in Queens, prompted flight cancellations, the New York affiliate of NBC reported earlier on Thursday. It was not immediately clear if the two events were related. Power was returning at LaGuardia Airport, de Blasio said, but travelers could expect delays.

Watch: Mysterious blue fire lights up New York's skyline

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/google-launches-artificial-intelligence-programme-in-thailand-to-screen-for-diabetic-eye-disease-183888">Google is investing</a> more than $1 billion on a new campus in New York, becoming the second major technology company after Amazon to pick America's financial capital to expand and create thousands of jobs.

The 1.7 million-square-foot campus, called Google Hudson Square, will include leased properties at Hudson Street and Washington Street, the company said in a blog post on Monday. The new campus will be the main location for Google's advertising sales division, the Global Business Organization.

Google hopes to start moving into two Hudson Street buildings by 2020, followed by a Washington Street in 2022 and will have the capacity to more than double its New York headcount, currently more than 7,000, in the next 10 years.

The company's plans to invest outside its home base mirror those of other US tech giants such as Apple, which said last week it would spend $1 billion to build a new 133-acre campus in Austin, Texas.

Last month, Amazon said it would open offices in New York and the Washington, DC area, creating more than 25,000 jobs.

Mountain View, California-based Google's move to invest in prime real estate on the lower west side of Manhattan also underscores the growing importance of New York as a hub for innovation and an incubator for technology companies.

With a plethora of white-collar workers and good infrastructure, the city provides a better option to other places that would require more investment.

"We're growing faster outside the Bay Area than within it," said Ruth Porat, chief financial officer of Alphabet and Google.

It is a "fairly sensible" move for Google given the amount of available talent pool, Atlantic Equities analyst James Cordwell said.

It also makes sense for Google as New York has been the centre for their core advertising business, Cordwell added.

US corporations are also under pressure from the Trump administration to create more jobs domestically. Companies that have moved jobs overseas or closed factories have drawn sharp rebukes from <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/standoff-over-trump-wall-leaves-us-govt-5-days-away-from-shutdown-184833">President Donald Trump</a>.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Google was nearing a deal to buy or lease an office building in New York City that could add space for more than 12,000 new workers.

Google's first New York office at 111 Eighth Avenue is one of the city's largest buildings that it bought in 2010 for $1.77 billion.

Earlier this year, the company announced a $2.4 billion purchase of the Manhattan Chelsea Market. It also has leased space on Pier 57 jutting into the Hudson, which will create a four-block campus.

Google shares were down 1.7 per cent at $1,032.84 amid a broader market sell-off.

Google is investing more than $1 billion on a new campus in New York, becoming the second major technology company after Amazon to pick America's financial capital to expand and create thousands of jobs.

Google is investing more than $1 billion on a new campus in New York, becoming the second major technology company after Amazon to pick America's financial capital to expand and create thousands of jobs. The 1.7 million-square-foot campus, called Google Hudson Square, will include leased properties at Hudson Street and Washington Street, the company said in a blog post on Monday. The new campus will be the main location for Google's advertising sales division, the Global Business Organization. Google hopes to start moving into two Hudson Street buildings by 2020, followed by a Washington Street in 2022 and will have the capacity to more than double its New York headcount, currently more than 7,000, in the next 10 years. The company's plans to invest outside its home base mirror those of other US tech giants such as Apple, which said last week it would spend $1 billion to build a new 133-acre campus in Austin, Texas. Last month, Amazon said it would open offices in New York and the Washington, DC area, creating more than 25,000 jobs. Mountain View, California-based Google's move to invest in prime real estate on the lower west side of Manhattan also underscores the growing importance of New York as a hub for innovation and an incubator for technology companies. With a plethora of white-collar workers and good infrastructure, the city provides a better option to other places that would require more investment. "We're growing faster outside the Bay Area than within it," said Ruth Porat, chief financial officer of Alphabet and Google. It is a "fairly sensible" move for Google given the amount of available talent pool, Atlantic Equities analyst James Cordwell said. It also makes sense for Google as New York has been the centre for their core advertising business, Cordwell added. US corporations are also under pressure from the Trump administration to create more jobs domestically. Companies that have moved jobs overseas or closed factories have drawn sharp rebukes from President Donald Trump. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Google was nearing a deal to buy or lease an office building in New York City that could add space for more than 12,000 new workers. Google's first New York office at 111 Eighth Avenue is one of the city's largest buildings that it bought in 2010 for $1.77 billion. Earlier this year, the company announced a $2.4 billion purchase of the Manhattan Chelsea Market. It also has leased space on Pier 57 jutting into the Hudson, which will create a four-block campus. Google shares were down 1.7 per cent at $1,032.84 amid a broader market sell-off.

Google to invest over $1 billion on new campus in New York

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