U.S. President Donald Trump had a meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at the White House on November 21. Trump congratulated Mamdani on his recent election victory and both promised to set aside their feud and cooperate on the city’s future. Here’s what they said about each other during a media interaction.

The polar vortex, a powerful upper-atmosphere phenomenon that traps cold air near the Arctic, is poised to unleash frigid conditions across the eastern United States. This comes when the vortex weakens and shifts southward, allowing cold, icy Arctic air to descend, setting temperatures close to dangerously low levels. Next week, the country’s eastern half will take the worst brunt, while in some regions temperatures could plunge up to 30 degrees below normal. That will be quite a change from the record warmth set by last year’s winter season. That has made the upcoming severe, extended cold event arrive at most parts of the nation. 

According to CNN, temperatures are shaping up to be the coldest of the winter so far and will be frigid even for what’s already typically the coldest time of the year. The cold will be pervasive-more than 70% of the country’s population will experience freezing temperatures over the next week-and stick around well into the month, increasing chances for snow.

The first push of cold air will come Wednesday for the north-central US, with high temperatures in the single digits or teens expected for parts of Montana, the Dakotas, and Minnesota. Cold air will spread south and east each day for the remainder of the week and through the weekend. The West will largely miss out on any considerable cold, as has been the trend since at least the fall.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued key messages related to climate prediction. “A significant pattern change is expected across much of the country as an Arctic Outbreak is forecast to spread from the Northern Plains to the south and east, leading to exceptionally high probabilities of below-normal temperatures expected across much of the East,” it said.

What is the Polar Vortex?

According to National Weather Service (NWS) of the United States, the polar vortex is a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles. It ALWAYS exists near the poles, but weakens in summer and strengthens in winter. The term “vortex” refers to the counter-clockwise flow of air that helps keep the colder air near the Poles. Many times during winter in the northern hemisphere, the polar vortex will expand, sending cold air southward with the jet stream (see graphic above). This occurs fairly regularly during wintertime and is often associated with large outbreaks of Arctic air in the United States. The one that occurred January 2014 is similar to many other cold outbreaks that have occurred in the past, including several notable colder outbreaks in 1977, 1982, 1985 and 1989.

A recently dismissed employee of a computer repair store shot his former boss in New York City’s Upper West Side area on Wednesday and fled into the subway system to evade the police. According to authorities, the incident unfolded at West 69th Street and Columbus Avenue at around 9:20 am.

The attacker, reportedly a remote worker at Lincoln Business Machines Incorporated, was recently let go from his position, according to a report in The New York Post. Witnesses claim the former employee, a man in his 40s, confronted his ex-employer on the street near the store, firing twice — once in his shoulder and then in his leg. The victim, a 47-year-old man, was immediately transported to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he remains in stable condition, said the report.

After the shooting, the suspect ran into the nearby 72nd Street subway station and hid under a stationary train. “It was all about the situation with work,” a resident told The New York Post, adding the attacker’s grievances reportedly involved financial disagreements with his former employer. “It was something about money and something about being cheated or wronged … It was terrifying.”

“I heard like 15 loud bangs,” a resident told CBS News. Another witness recalled, “I was actually half asleep and I heard 10 gunshots.” A stray bullet struck the door of a nearby apartment building. “We just moved into this building a month and a half ago, thinking it was a really safe area,” said a resident of the building. 

During the search, subway passengers experienced significant disruptions, with one train being evacuated. A video shared on social media captured commuters crouched on the floor and exiting through darkened tunnels. A passenger posted on X (formerly Twitter), “My super pleasant subway ride to work this morning!! Love the C train!!! Nothing like an active gunman on the train to wake you up for the day!”

my super pleasant subway ride to work this morning!! love the C train !!! nothing like an active gunman on the train to wake you up for the day! pic.twitter.com/C173IdfxOB

— joyceepoo (@joyceepoo1) November 7, 2024

According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, C trains were temporarily suspended in both directions, while A and D trains faced severe delays. Other lines, including the B and E, were also impacted.

The gunman, still at large, was last seen wearing a black hoodie, green jacket, tan pants, and carrying a black firearm, according to The New York Post report.

The feared Venezuelan criminal organisation, Tren de Aragua, which is known for its involvement in sex trafficking, human smuggling, and drug dealing, has infiltrated New York City, according to The New York Post. The influential surge of the gang coincides with an influx of migrants within the last two years.

The Tren de Aragua has not been around for long, but it is terrorising the inhabitants with armed members riding mopeds. They have had involvements in illegal gun sales, and the armed outfit even manages to function right under the noses of security guards at private shelters. The gang also runs prostitution rings in neighbourhoods most severely affected by the influx of migrants.

NYPost reported that the gang is also selling Tussi, or “pink cocaine,” a deadly mixture of fentanyl, complicating the list of dangers from which they operate. Tren de Aragua’s explosive growth tends to overwhelm not only ordinary New Yorkers but the police force of the city as well. The racket’s actions appear to have diminished the safety of the residents, which is a vital challenge to the law enforcement agency.

“Not every migrant is here to commit crimes; not every migrant is a gang member,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told The Post. “But these TDA guys hide very well in plain sight in the migrant community.

“We aren’t looking to grab the food delivery guy, but these guys go so far as to wear Uber Eats clothing and [use] the delivery bags while they’re out there committing their crimes,” the chief told The Post. “When we do arrest them, they are very eager to talk about the crime they have committed.

The gang, whose name means “train from Aragua” (a state in north-central Venezuela) in Spanish, now runs citywide theft and robbery crews that have terrorised neighbourhoods.

Police Emphasise That Venezuelan Gang Has Not Taken Control of the City

Meanwhile, reacting to the popular narrative about gangs having “taken over” the city, Aurora Police Department Chief Todd Chamberlain has said, “I can tell you right now, gangs are not in control of the city of Aurora. If you walk away with anything, that’s what I will say. Are there gangs in the city of Aurora? Yes. There are. Are there gangs in most major cities throughout the United States? 100% there are.”

“This is not an immigration issue. It’s a crime issue,” said chief Chamberlain during the press conference. “That is for the federal [government]. The immigration aspect is for the federal, it’s for what they focus on. It’s what they’ve done. It’s what comes out of federal government. It comes out of the White House.”

A new study debunks the myth of spotless American cities. While major metropolises like New York are known for grime, a recent report by LawnStarter reveals a surprising truth – Houston, Texas, reigns as the dirtiest city in the US. Despite its reputation, New York only snagged the 12th spot.

LawnStarter’s ranking considers air quality, infrastructure, pest problems, and resident satisfaction. Houston’s dubious honor stems from its terrible air quality, crumbling infrastructure, and a massive cockroach infestation. The study, coupled with data from PestGnome (LawnStarter’s sister site), highlights Houston’s cockroach problem as the worst in the nation.

According to The New York Post, Cockroaches aren’t exclusive to Houston – San Antonio and Tampa join Houston in the top 3 cockroach capitals. On the other hand, those with a phobia of rodents should avoid Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, which lead the pack for rodent infestations.

California, despite significant spending on cleaning initiatives, has several poorly ranked cities. San Bernardino, known as California’s “armpit,” claims the fourth dirtiest spot due to its atrocious air quality. The situation worsens in Riverside and Ontario, where pollution-heavy warehouses have replaced citrus groves, further degrading air quality. However, San Francisco shines as a beacon of relative cleanliness within the state. Their significant investments in street cleaning have placed them amongst the cleaner half of US cities.

The report goes beyond air quality. Dirty drinking water plagues the southwest, with every major city except Salt Lake City violating the Safe Drinking Water Act in 2020. Las Vegas, ranking 19th dirtiest overall, suffers from the most unsafe water in the region.

The study also sheds light on a unique littering trend. Ohio takes the cake for cigarette butt litter, with five of its cities boasting the highest number of smokers. This littering issue persists despite local anti-smoking campaigns.

Interestingly, coastal cities tend to be cleaner, with Virginia Beach topping the “most pristine” list. However, proximity to water doesn’t guarantee cleanliness – Fremont, California, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, both rank highly despite being inland.

LawnStarter’s study paints a complex picture of cleanliness in the US. Big-city grime isn’t the only story – air quality, pests, and even drinking water quality vary significantly across the nation.

Staten Island’s Freshkills was once the world’s largest dump. In 2001, New York City shut it down and began the process of turning it into a park. A soccer field opened in 2013 and a bikeway in 2015. North Park, the first section allowing public access into the interior of the former landfill, opened last weekend.

The Problem

When NYC Parks Commissioner Robert Moses selected Freshkills as a landfill site after World War II, it was a wetland. The plan was to build housing on top of it after three years. But New York was growing fast, and all the new trash needed to go somewhere.

The site accepted as many as 29,000 tons of garbage daily, which consumed more acreage and created a mighty stink. After many lawsuits, the city began its transformation.

The Stakes

There are more than 2,600 municipal solid waste landfills in the US. Federal law requires maintenance of them even after they close, so they don’t pollute.

If the methane released from dumps isn’t purified, it rises into the atmosphere, where it’s a particularly potent greenhouse gas.

Why It’s Tricky

Garbage compacts, creating shifting surface conditions. In North Park, the trash has been sculpted into four hills arranged around a tidal creek open for kayaking. There are roughly six layers of soil, sand, and plastic lining on top of the garbage to prevent toxic leaks, including a vent layer, which moves any escaping landfill gas-a combination of carbon dioxide and methane-into pipes.

“The biggest challenge posed by developing our park on a former landfill is managing the expectations between what we as a community want,” says Mark Murphy, the administrator for Freshkills Park, “and what the land is realistically able to be used for.”

Why There’s Hope

More than 500 former US dumps have been turned into energy projects that transform landfill gas into fuel. Far beneath the 2,200 acres of Freshkills’ grass and soil, a gas collection system vacuums out the landfill gas and sends it to a purification plant, where it undergoes methane removal.

The city sells 1.5 million cubic feet of this treated biogas to the local utility, which distributes it to Staten Island homes for cooking and heating. (The average American household uses 70,000 cubic feet of natural gas annually.)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A 33-year-old man was arrested in New York City on Monday after he jumped into a reflecting pool at the 9/11 Memorial, the New York Post reported. The incident happened around 1:30 p.m. when a Port Authority cop spotted the man leaping into one of the two-tiered reflecting pools at the memorial.

In a video of the incident that has gone viral, the man was seen lying in the 18-inch deep water in the pool’s central basin after walking slowly towards it. He then slowly moved closer to the center and slid head-first into the pool. The man injured his leg and back in the incident and was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Here’s the video:

An Inadequate Jumped into the 9/11 Memorial Pool in #NewYork

A not entirely balanced 33-year-old #Manhattan resident decided to cool off and swim in the pool, which was built on the site of the #WorldTradeCenter towers destroyed in 2001.

Follow Me For More Update pic.twitter.com/P8JdpTuPCC

— __kaput__ (@__kaput__) October 11, 2023

The water was turned off immediately after the incident, and chains were erected around the pool to deter anyone else from jumping in.

“We saw the firefighters and emergency personnel come down the escalator as we were into the memorial. They said everything’s fine, but they were coming in and going to a, like, back room, and we figured that down there was where they could access,” tourist Lisa Bellow told CBS News. 

The man identified as Jeffrey Hernandez was arrested and charged with criminal mischief and trespassing after the terrifying jump, a New York Police Department (NYPD) spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the Port Authority described him as an “apparently emotionally disturbed person,” as per NBC News. He will also be getting a mental evaluation and criminal charges might include trespassing. The motivation behind the man’s actions is still unknown at this time.

Notably, the pool is one of two at the memorial, both in the footprints of the Twin Towers that fell during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. According to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum website, each pool descends 30 feet into a basin and drops 20 more feet into a “central void.” 

The Memorial was completed and opened on September 11, 2011, ten years after the attacks that destroyed the original towers. 

New York City is collapsing beneath the weight of its own city and among the first areas to be affected by such a tragedy are LaGuardia Airport, Arthur Ashe Stadium and Coney Island, according to a recent NASA report. The five boroughs of New York City are sinking more quickly than the city as a whole, which is sinking at a rate of 1.6 millimetres annually, according to research conducted by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Rutgers University.

According to research published in Science Advances, from 2016 to 2023, the US Open Venue- Arthur Ashe Stadium and runways at LaGuardia airport saw the most sinking, lowering at rates of 3.7 and 4.6 millimetres per year, respectively. These two locations may have sunk the fastest since they were both constructed over previous landfills.

Further, the threat presented by the city’s sinking is being worsened by increasing sea levels. Hurricanes and extratropical storms have caused coastal flooding in the city, among other problems. One of the examples is Superstorm Sandy of 2012 which devastated the city.

“Protecting coastal populations and assets from coastal flooding is an ongoing challenge for New York City. The combined effect of natural sea level variations and destructive storms is being increasingly exacerbated by ongoing sea level rise,” the researchers wrote in the report.

NASA research also added that Interstate 78, which passes through the Holland Tunnel that connects Manhattan to New Jersey, is also sinking at nearly double the rate of the rest of the city. The southern half of Governors Island, Midland and South Beach in Staten Island and Arverne by the Sea, a coastal neighbourhood in southern Queens are also sinking faster.

The report was released after the United States Geological Survey discovered earlier this year that the New York metropolis’s more than 1 million buildings weigh close to 1.7 trillion pounds and that the city was gradually collapsing under its own weight. The report stated that the city was sinking at the rate of 1-2 millilitres per year. The researchers arrived at the result by comparing the geology beneath the city to satellite data showing its footprint.

“New York faces significant challenges from flood hazard; the threat of sea level rise is 3 to 4 times higher than the global average along the Atlantic coast of North America… A deeply concentrated population of 8.4 million people faces varying degrees of hazard from inundation in New York City,” lead researcher and geologist Tom Parsons of the United States Geological Survey wrote in the report in May.

The team of researchers calculated the cumulative mass of the more than 1 million buildings in New York City, which worked out to be 764,000,000,000 kilograms or 1.68 trillion pounds. They divided the city into a grid of 100-by-100-metre squares and converted building mass to downward pressure by factoring in gravity’s pull. Increased urbanisation, including the draining and pumping of groundwater, could only add to New York’s subsidence problem, the researchers warned earlier.