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Two daredevil climbers who scaled the spire of the Empire State Building and staged an on-top engagement were released under supervision after a brief arraignment Thursday in Manhattan. Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, and Angelina (also reported as Angela) Nikolau, 33, who live in East Orange, face charges including reckless endangerment, burglary and criminal mischief. Court records … Read more

Lead Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te said he was deeply saddened by the death of Hong Kong bookseller Lam Wing-kee, who had publicly recounted being abducted and detained by mainland Chinese authorities in 2015. Lam, 70, had been living in Taiwan since 2019 and died after a prolonged battle with lung cancer. Local reports say … Read more

Who: Angela (Angelina) Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov (aka Beerkus), 32, two Moscow-born climbers living in East Orange; When/Where: after a Wednesday ascent of the Empire State Building’s 1,454-foot spire in New York; What/Result: arraigned Thursday on multiple charges and released under supervised conditions until their next court date on Aug. 24. The pair, who … Read more

Who: Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32 (aka “Beerkus”); When: arrested and arraigned the day after their climb; Where: Empire State Building spire and Manhattan criminal court; What: charged after scaling the tower and unfurling a banner; Result: both were granted supervised release pending their next court date on Aug. 24. The couple, who … Read more

Lead: Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, the couple who climbed the Empire State Building’s spire and proposed mid-stunt, were arraigned Thursday and released on supervised release until their next court date on Aug. 24, 2026. The pair, who live in East Orange and are known for high-profile urban climbs, were charged with reckless … Read more

Lead U.S. and Iranian negotiators have put indirect talks on hold for at least a week as Iran prepares state funeral ceremonies for the slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, scheduled to begin July 4. Mediators from Qatar and Pakistan and President Trump said this week’s Doha sessions yielded “positive progress,” while U.S. leaders and … Read more

Lead A city permit obtained by The Associated Press indicates Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Friday at Madison Square Garden in New York, with activities allowed to continue until 4 a.m. the following morning. The document, filed as a “Special Event at MSG,” was approved Wednesday night … Read more

On Wednesday in New York, two rooftop climbers scaled the Empire State Building’s antenna, unfurled a banner invoking “the power of love,” and appeared to stage a high-altitude marriage proposal before police intercepted and arrested them. The pair — identified by police as Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov — lingered on a narrow ledge 1,454 … Read more

On July 1, 2026, overnight missile, cruise missile and drone strikes against Ukraine’s capital killed at least 17 people and injured scores as explosions shook Kyiv for hours. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned of a possible “massive strike” and cut short a visit to Dublin before the attacks began. Local authorities reported damage across roughly … Read more

U.S. stock futures climbed modestly after a soft start to July trading as investors awaited the June jobs report due at 8:30 a.m. ET, a data point that could sway Federal Reserve policy decisions. Early gains were trimmed after major U.S. averages finished lower on Wednesday, following a volatile session in which the Dow gave … Read more

At least 10 people were killed and dozens more wounded when waves of Russian ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles struck Kyiv on 2 July 2026, hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned of an imminent “massive” attack. Local officials reported extensive damage across the city, including partial collapse of a multi-storey apartment block and dozens … Read more

The U.S. men’s national team (USMNT) will play Bosnia-Herzegovina in a single-elimination World Cup round-of-32 match on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in San Francisco, kickoff 8 p.m. ET. The fixture is the United States’ first knockout game after finishing the group stage with a 2-1 record, following wins over Paraguay and Australia and a loss … Read more

Lead: U.S. and Iranian officials resumed indirect technical talks in Doha this week, mediated by Qatari and Pakistani intermediaries, as President Trump described the meetings as “very good.” Delegations are focused on the release of frozen Iranian assets and security arrangements around the Strait of Hormuz, and the talks follow direct discussions at the Lake … Read more

Lead A federal financial disclosure filed in New York and released Tuesday shows President Donald Trump’s crypto ventures generated roughly $1.2 billion in revenue last year, far outpacing many of his traditional property receipts. The report, part of a 927-page form filed with the Office of Government Ethics, identifies more than $500 million from World … Read more

Lead On June 30, 2026 (updated July 1, 2026 at 9:24 a.m. ET), the Mexico vs. Ecuador World Cup round-of-32 match at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City was postponed roughly one hour after local lightning strikes forced officials to halt pregame activity. Kickoff had been scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. local); the match … Read more