Author: Newyorki

New Yorkers will have an opportunity to witness a partial solar eclipse today, Wednesday, August 12, as the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun during one of the most anticipated astronomical events of 2026. New York City lies outside the path of totality, but residents will still see the Moon partially obscure the Sun. According to NASA timing reported by ABC7 New York, the eclipse is expected to reach its maximum in New York City at approximately 1:54 p.m. Eastern Time. The event is part of a much larger total solar eclipse sweeping across sections of the Northern Hemisphere.…

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani held a closed-door meeting with a group of prominent rabbis at City Hall as his administration faces continuing questions over relations with the city’s Jewish community, antisemitic hate crimes and his outspoken criticism of Israel. The roughly hour-long meeting brought together 10 rabbis from Reform, Conservative and Modern Orthodox communities. Participants described the conversation as candid and respectful, with several raising concerns that Mamdani’s rhetoric regarding Israel could leave some Jewish New Yorkers feeling increasingly isolated or unsafe. The discussion also focused on antisemitism and security in New York City. Rabbis pointed to recent…

A new political and legal battle is unfolding in New York City over the pied-à-terre tax, a controversial surcharge targeting luxury homes that are not used as their owners’ primary residences. The dispute intensified after Staten Island Supreme Court Justice Wayne Ozzi temporarily blocked parts of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration’s rollout of the tax following a lawsuit by three homeowners. The challenge focuses largely on how the city implemented the surcharge, rather than the underlying legality of the tax itself. The measure targets luxury second homes valued at $5 million or more and was promoted by Mamdani and New York…

A survivor of the deadly New York Harbor boat accident near Liberty Island has provided new details about the chaotic rescue, saying darkness and difficult conditions on the water complicated efforts to reach passengers after the vessel capsized. The accident occurred at approximately 10:30 p.m. on August 8, when a boat carrying 14 people overturned near the Statue of Liberty. Survivor Jorge Ortiz told CBS New York that the darkness made it difficult for rescuers and passengers to see one another as people struggled in the water. The tragedy killed 27-year-old Sara Sanchez of Queens and her five-month-old daughter, Antonella…

A New York City Council employee who spent more than five months in federal immigration detention has been granted asylum, bringing a major turn in a case that drew attention from city officials and immigration advocates. Rafael Rubio, a Venezuela-born data analyst for the City Council, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on January 12 while attending what he described as a routine asylum interview in Bethpage, Long Island. He was subsequently held at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, for more than five months. Rubio’s case initially appeared to be heading toward deportation to Venezuela. However,…

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has decided not to pursue an affordable housing development at Elizabeth Street Garden in NoLita, marking a significant turn in a years-long battle over the future of the popular Manhattan green space. Instead, the city is moving toward an alternative plan that would shift affordable housing development to a city-owned property at 22 Suffolk Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The alternative site is expected to accommodate more than 180 affordable apartments, potentially allowing the city to preserve the garden while expanding the number of affordable homes originally envisioned. The Elizabeth Street Garden…

A new development in the federal case against Luigi Mangione has fueled speculation that prosecutors and defense attorneys could be discussing a potential plea agreement ahead of his closely watched New York state murder trial. The speculation followed a joint request by federal prosecutors and Mangione’s defense team for a court hearing, an unusual development that has raised questions about whether negotiations are taking place. However, no plea agreement has been formally announced, and the purpose of the requested hearing has not been publicly confirmed. Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot outside a Manhattan…

A 34-year-old woman was shot multiple times while sitting inside her vehicle in the Throggs Neck neighborhood of the Bronx, prompting a police search for two masked suspects who fled the scene. The shooting occurred outside a residence while the woman’s son was nearby, turning what appeared to be a targeted attack into a frightening incident for the family and surrounding neighborhood. According to authorities, two masked individuals approached the woman’s vehicle and opened fire, striking her several times before escaping in an SUV. Emergency responders rushed the victim to a hospital, where she was listed in stable condition. Police…

A 17-year-old boy has died after being caught in a powerful rip current while swimming at Rockaway Beach in Queens, turning a summer outing into tragedy. The teenager, identified as Sir Audley Sykes, was pulled from the water near Beach 84th Street after getting into trouble alongside a friend. Lifeguards responded and brought the teenagers back to shore, but Sykes could not be saved. According to his mother, her son showed remarkable concern for his friend during the emergency, reportedly urging lifeguards to save his friend first. The friend survived the incident. The drowning has renewed attention on the dangers…

A five-year-old child is recovering after falling from a fifth-floor window of a residential building in the University Heights section of the Bronx, as New York City authorities continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Emergency personnel responded to the building after receiving reports that a child had fallen from an upper-floor window. The five-year-old was transported to a hospital for treatment following the fall. Authorities are now working to determine exactly how the child was able to reach the window and whether appropriate safety measures were in place at the apartment. Investigators are expected to examine the window and…