News without the noise · New York Edition
Tuesday, March 3, 2026 · 40 stories
During testimony, DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn declined to commit to meeting the City Council's 2019 streets master plan mandate, which requires 30 miles of new bus and bike lanes annually. Flynn expressed support for bus lanes but stopped short of guaranteeing the city can deliver on the legally mandated targets.
A federal judge ruled to uphold New York's congestion pricing toll system, rejecting legal challenges that sought to block the program. The decision preserves the toll mechanism that charges vehicles entering Manhattan's central business district during peak hours.
New York City police are searching for two men and a woman in connection with a violent assault at Penn Station on March 3. A 37-year-old homeless man was set on fire while sleeping in the station just before 9 p.m. Witnesses reported seeing the victim engulfed in flames and attempting to extinguish the fire. The NYPD is actively investigating the incident.
Police identified Mark Curtis as the man discovered dead and buried under snow outside a housing complex in Deer Park on Parkchester Drive during the recent blizzard. Workers shoveling snow found the body near a walkway just before 4 p.m. The cause of death remains under investigation.
Embassy Diner owner Gus Tsiorvas donated breakfast for 80 frontline workers at St. Joseph Hospital in Bethpage during last week's blizzard without charging the hospital. Nassau County Supervisor Joseph Saladino honored Tsiorvas for the donation on Tuesday.
A Singapore Airlines plane's right wing struck the tail of a Spirit Airlines aircraft while pushing back from the gate at Newark Airport on Tuesday morning. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.
Hezbollah fired rockets and drones into Israel in response to Iran's Supreme Leader's killing, prompting Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon that have displaced at least 30,000 people. The Lebanese government has banned Hezbollah's military activities and demanded weapons surrender, reflecting the group's diminished standing after a devastating 2024 conflict. Israel has expanded its military presence in southern Lebanon, signaling a prolonged operation with unclear objectives or timeline.
Beijing’s foreign ministry urges ‘all parties’ to avoid escalation as number of crossings drops 60% in one day How escalating Iran conflict is driving up oil and gas prices – a visual guide Business live – latest updates The Chinese government has called for vessels passing through the strait of Hormuz to be protected by all sides in the escalating Iran conflict, as shipping freight rates soared. Maritime traffic through the strait – a narrow channel on Iran’s southern.
Global energy prices surged following escalated Middle East conflict, with UK gas prices reaching three-year highs and Brent crude briefly exceeding $85 per barrel. Stock markets declined sharply across Europe and Asia. UK households will not see energy bill impacts until July due to existing price caps, though motor fuel prices may rise if oil costs remain elevated. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has halted after vessel attacks, disrupting approximately 20% of global oil and gas transit and driving supertanker hiring costs to record levels.
The US State Department issued an urgent advisory for Americans to leave 16 Middle Eastern countries due to escalating conflict, with the US military arranging charter flights for evacuation. The State Department has contacted nearly 3,000 Americans abroad and reports 9,000 have already returned home. Commercial flights from the region remain disrupted following recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Iranian retaliatory missile and drone attacks. Some Americans report difficulty reaching evacuation support services and unclear guidance on departure procedures.