Category: ESTA News

The New York Times (NYT) and the Washington Post (WP) reported on the 10th that when the portrait of President Donald Trump on display at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. was replaced, the description of the portrait removed any mention of the fact that Trump was impeached twice during his first term.

According to the report, the National Portrait Gallery changed the text introducing Trump on the wall next to the portrait when it replaced the portrait in the “American Presidents” section on the 8th. The previous text mentioned that Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices during his first term (2017-2021), promoted the development of a COVID-19 vaccine, and made a “historic return (to the presidency)” through the 2024 presidential election, along with the fact that he was impeached twice during his first term.

The House of Representatives, then under the Democratic majority, voted in December 2019 to impeach President Trump for pressuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Hunter Biden, the son of former President Joe Biden, by offering military aid to him.

In January 2021, they voted for a second impeachment of President Trump, holding him responsible for the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters who refused to accept the 2020 presidential election results. This gave President Trump the dishonor of having been impeached twice by the House during his presidency, but both times the articles of impeachment failed to reach the two-thirds majority required in the Senate, thus avoiding removal from office.

The description of the newly replaced portrait of President Trump only stated that he was the 45th and 47th President of the United States, and that he was born in 1946.

Last July, the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., also removed information about the two articles of impeachment against President Trump from its permanent exhibition. In response to a New York Times inquiry about the removal of the description of President Trump’s impeachment, the National Portrait Gallery stated that it had been exploring options for providing only general information, such as the artist’s name, when creating some new exhibitions, adding, “The history of presidential impeachment will continue to be reflected in our museum.”

New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani, the first Muslim and South Asian mayor of the largest city and economic capital of the United States and a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, was officially sworn in on New Year’s Day, the 1st.

Mayor Mamdani took over from former Mayor Eric Adams at 12:01 AM that day and began his four-year term. Mayor Mamdani was sworn in as the 112th mayor of New York City on the steps of the now-closed old New York City Hall subway station, presided over by New York State Attorney General Letitia James, just after midnight. Mayor Mamdani placed his hand on the Quran to take the oath of office, marking the first time the Quran has been used in a New York City mayoral inauguration.

Most previous New York City mayors have taken the oath of office with their hand on the Bible. By taking the oath of office at the abandoned station, he is interpreted as demonstrating his will to represent his base of support, the working class and the poor. Immediately after taking the oath, Mayor Mamdani pledged, “I will actively pursue measures such as a rent freeze for tenants, free buses, and free childcare.”

Mayor Mamdani also announced the appointment of Michael Flynn, who has extensive transportation experience, as the city’s transportation commissioner, expressing his plan to make New York City’s streetscapes and public transportation envy of the world.

Following this, the official inauguration ceremony was held in front of New York City Hall at 1 p.m. with 40,000 people gathered. Mayor Mamdani, who took the oath of office once again in front of the crowd, presided over by Senator Bernie Sanders, delivered a message that he will stand with all 8.5 million New Yorkers. Mayor Mamdani emphasized his will to embrace, saying, “Regardless of support, I will be a mayor who protects all New Yorkers. I will protect everyone and not turn away for even a moment.”

Mayor Mamdani also emphasized, “I will conduct my administration as a democratic socialist.”

“From today on, we will govern boldly and boldly,” he said. “To those who claim the era of big government is over, let me make it clear: City government will not hesitate to use its power to improve the lives of New Yorkers.”

The inauguration ceremony held at City Hall was attended by many progressive figures, including Senator Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Also in attendance were former New York City Mayors Eric Adams and Bill de Blasio, as well as New York Governor Kathy Hokule, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Mayor Mamdani’s inauguration that day set several precedents. Born in Uganda 34 years ago, he made history as New York City’s first Muslim mayor. He also immigrated to New York City at the age of seven with his Indian immigrant parents. He became a symbol of the influence of immigrants when he took office in 2018, just eight years after becoming a U.S. citizen.

The life expectancy of New Yorkers has recovered to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.

According to the New York City Department of Health, life expectancy in 2023 will be 82.6 years, the same as in 2019, before the COVID-19 outbreak. This is 4.2 years longer than the national average life expectancy of 78.4 years.

Life expectancy in New York City plummeted to 78 years in 2020 due to a surge in deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic but gradually recovered to 80.7 years in 2021 and 81.5 years in 2022. In 2023, life expectancy in New York City will be 85.2 years for women, 5 years longer than 79.7 years for men. By region, Sunnyside and Woodside, Queens, had the highest life expectancy at 90.3 years.

Flushing, Queens, where a large Korean population resides, had 85.7 years, Fresh Meadows 85.2 years, Bayside 84.9 years, and Astoria and Long Island City 84.1 years, already far exceeding New York City’s 2030 life expectancy target of 84 years.

By race, Asian Pacific Islanders had the highest life expectancy at 86.9 years, followed by non-Hispanic and Latino whites at 83.3 years. This was followed by Hispanic and Latino individuals at 82.8 years, and non-Hispanic and Latino black individuals at 78.3 years.

Meanwhile, as of 2023, the leading causes of death for New Yorkers are estimated to be heart disease, cancer, drug abuse, and cerebrovascular disease.

As the holiday shopping season approaches, New York State is urging shoppers to carefully review the return and refund policies of stores they purchase items from.

The New York State Department of Consumer Protection emphasized on the 24th, “As the new year approaches, there is an increase in the number of returns of items received as gifts or purchased and left unattended during the holiday shopping season.” However, since refund policies vary by store, reviewing the refund policy beforehand before visiting a store is a crucial way to save time and effort.

New York State requires brick-and-mortar stores to post a notice about their refund policy at the entrance or near the checkout counter. Furthermore, stores with no-return policies are now required to notify consumers of their policy before the sale.

The Department of Consumer Protection advised, “Shoppers should develop the habit of checking the return and refund policy separately when purchasing items, and most importantly, keep their receipts for a certain period of time. If purchasing a gift, it’s a good idea to keep a separate gift receipt.”

Oral arguments in federal court, which will determine whether to implement a congestion charge in Manhattan, have been postponed to the 28th of next month. Judge Louis Lehman, who is presiding over the Manhattan congestion charge lawsuit, decided on the 23rd that he would hear oral arguments on January 28th of next year at the Southern District of New York federal court.

Judge Lehman had initially planned to issue a ruling within the year, but the trial date has been delayed as he has set the oral arguments for early next year. The Manhattan congestion charge went into effect on January 5th after much controversy, but just over a month after its implementation, the Donald Trump administration attempted to abolish it by abruptly revoking the environmental impact statement approved by the previous administration. In response, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which implements the congestion tax, and the New York State government filed a lawsuit, claiming that the Trump administration’s revocation of the environmental impact assessment and its forced abolition of the congestion tax were unconstitutional.

Judge Lehman issued a preliminary injunction in May, temporarily blocking the Trump administration’s threat to suspend the congestion tax, allowing the tax to remain in effect. While Lehman has indicated that he intends to rule on the case this year, a decision will likely be announced early next year.

The MTA believes the Manhattan congestion tax, which is approaching its first anniversary, is a success. The MTA has noted significant improvements in traffic flow in Manhattan since the tax was implemented and anticipates achieving its initial target of $500 million in toll revenue this year. Furthermore, a recent study by Cornell University found that air quality in Manhattan improved between January and June of this year, when the congestion tax was implemented.

However, some drivers are complaining that the $9 daily toll charged to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street after the congestion charge was implemented has increased their financial burden.

President Trump announced last month that he would re-enact the suspension of the congestion charge in Manhattan.

Virginians support expanding mail-in voting while also supporting requiring government-issued photo ID, indicating a shared appreciation for both voting accessibility and election security.

According to a recent poll by Roanoke College’s Institute for Policy and Opinion (IPOR), 65% of 819 respondents supported mail-in voting, while 82% supported requiring ID.

Opinions on politicians like President Trump, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, and Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger were mixed. Sixty-three percent of respondents said they were dissatisfied with Trump’s performance, while outgoing Governor Youngkin’s approval rating stood at 53%, unchanged from 50% in a poll last summer.

Furthermore, Governor-elect Spanberger, who will take office in January, received a favorable rating of 56%, compared to President Trump and Governor Youngkin.

Trust in the federal government remained low. Fifty-six percent of respondents said they only sometimes trusted the federal government, and 25% said they did not trust it at all. Furthermore, a significant number of respondents expressed pessimism about the direction the United States is headed.

Seventy-four percent of respondents said the United States was headed in the wrong direction, marking the highest level of pessimism in the past two years.

Tolls on bridges and tunnels connecting New York and New Jersey will rise again in January.

On the 17th, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s Board of Directors finalized its $10.1 billion budget for fiscal year 2025-2026, which includes the toll increase.

Accordingly, starting January 4th, tolls on seven bridges and tunnels managed by the Port Authority connecting New York and New Jersey, including George Washington Bridge and the Lincoln-Holland Tunnel, will increase by 3% to reflect inflation, plus an additional 25 cents to offset revenue losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the EasyPass toll for passenger vehicles during peak hours (weekdays 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and weekends 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM) will rise from the current $16.60 to approximately $16.79.

Off-peak hours will increase from $14.60 to $14.79. For vehicles without an EZ-Pass, the toll billed by mail will increase from the current $22.38 to $23.30. The Port Authority also announced that it will phase out its $2 off-peak hour EZ-Pass toll discount for passenger cars and motorcycles starting in 2027. Accordingly, the off-peak hour discount will be phased out annually starting in January 2027 and will be eliminated completely by January 2030. In addition to the bridge and tunnel toll increases, the Port Authority also announced a phased increase in the FastLane fare connecting New York and New Jersey from the current $3 to $4 by 2029. According to the announcement, the fare will begin with a 25-cent increase in the summer of 2026 and increase by 25 cents every January from 2027 to 2029, ultimately reaching $4.

After January 2029, fare increases will be adjusted for inflation. Meanwhile, the Port Authority also approved a $45 billion, 10-year capital plan for 2026-2035 that includes airport expansion, a new Manhattan bus terminal, a new Hudson River train tunnel, and expanded FastLane service. As a result, airport pickup and drop-off fees charged to drivers of ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft travel between New York and New Jersey airports will increase from the current $2.50 to $5.

While her boyfriend was away, Borg assaulted his one-and-a-half-year-old son, causing his death.

Trinity Madison Poague, a beauty queen from Georgia, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2024 for the brutal murder of her boyfriend’s 18-month-old son. She burst into tears in court upon hearing the verdict. Prosecutors stated that the defendant’s desire to have a child with her boyfriend fueled her murderous intent. Furthermore, she had searched online for information such as “how to avoid detection of depressed skull fractures,” highlighting the brutality of her actions.

According to the New York Post, former beauty queen Trinity Pogge, 20, murdered her boyfriend Julian Williams’ 18-month-old son in January 2024 while he was a sophomore at Southwestern Georgia State University, taking advantage of his absence to buy pizza.

On the night of the incident, Borg texted her boyfriend that her son wasn’t breathing, prompting him to rush home. Williams, finding the child unresponsive, immediately drove him to the emergency room. Despite paramedics’ efforts to stabilize the child for immediate transport to Atlanta Children’s Hospital, Romeo could not be stabilized and ultimately died.

A week after the baby boy’s death, Borg was charged with murder. According to the investigation, Borg had searched for keywords such as “how to cause a brain hemorrhage” and “how a depressed skull fracture goes undetected” while in the hospital. She initially told investigators that the baby was eating potato chips before becoming unresponsive, but the medical examiner refuted this claim, confirming that the child had not eaten anything.

OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, has released a report showing that utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) can save an average of one hour of work time per day. In its “State of Enterprise AI” report published on the 8th, OpenAI surveyed 9,000 AI users across approximately 100 companies and revealed that 75% of respondents reported that AI usage improved work speed and quality. Users of its corporate service, ChatGPT Enterprise, reported saving an average of 40 to 60 minutes per day through AI.

Workers in the fields of data science, engineering, and communications said they saved about 20 minutes more, an average of 60 to 80 minutes a day, and some said they saved more than 10 hours of work per week by using AI. In addition to saving time, users also reported that AI helped them perform new tasks such as data analysis and coding. OpenAI also explained that the volume of ChatGPT conversations it collected itself increased eightfold compared to last year, and the consumption of “inference” tokens used by companies to solve complex problems increased 320fold.

Previously, Antropic also released a report that analyzed 100,000 conversations of its chatbot Claude and found that AI could reduce task completion time by 80%. Based on this, Antropic analyzed that the current generation of AI models could increase the annual growth rate of labor productivity in the United States by 1.8 percentage points over the next 10 years. However, Bloomberg News pointed out that these reports published by OpenAI and Claude “have not been peer reviewed (by other researchers).”

In August, MIT researchers released a report stating that most companies that invested in generative AI projects saw no returns, and in September, researchers at Harvard and Stanford concluded that the results they produced using AI were nothing more than meaningless “workslop.”

Regarding the academic research findings, Brad Lightcap, COO of OpenAI, countered, “There’s a lot of research claiming this or that, but it doesn’t match what we’re seeing in the field at all.” He added, “The pace of AI adoption in businesses is accelerating, just like the consumer market.”

OpenAI’s chief economist, Ronnie Chatterjee of Duke University, also pointed out, “Three out of four people say, ‘We can now do things we couldn’t do before,'” adding, “This is something that’s often overlooked in discussions about AI and work.”

A homeless man in his 50s was engulfed in flames after setting fire to a Manhattan subway car while sleeping. According to the New York Post, the suspect set the victim on fire on the 34th Street 3 train around 3:00 AM on the 1st, then fled. He was caught by police three days later the 4th.

The suspect, Hiram Carrero (18), a Harlem resident, is charged with attempted murder, assault, destruction of property, and arson.

The victim suffered severe burns to his legs and is reported to be in stable condition. A similar incident of a passenger being set on fire on the New York City subway occurred in December of last year, resulting in the death of a victim.

On December 20th of last year, a man killed a sleeping woman by dousing her with flammable liquid and setting her on fire on the F train at the Stillwell Avenue Station in Coney Island, Brooklyn.

After the crime, the man watched the woman burn before disappearing from the scene. He was later apprehended by police after a search.