WNYC's Arun Venugopal talks with Weekend Edition Host Brian Zumhagen about the reaction to the acquittals in the Sean Bell shooting, and what's next for the NYPD detectives involved.

The city's ban on cell phones in public schools has been upheld by a state appeals court.

The Department of Education passed the ban in September 2005, saying the phones were disruptive.

Parents and students argued that the ban was irrational and unsafe and that it intruded on a parents' rights to ...

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has appointed Preston Niblack as finance director for the New York City Council, effective May 5. He comes to the Council from the city's Independent Budget Office, where he has served as Deputy Director for the past eight years. He's also worked at the Washington ...

It's not every day that a piece of theater gets its creators detained. But that’s what happened 30 years ago in South Africa, when two black actors staged a play that challenged the rules of apartheid and asked tough questions about fundamental aspects of human identity. Now, that Tony-Award winning ...

It's not every day that a stage play gets its creators detained….. But 30 years ago in South Africa, two black actors staged a piece of theater that challenged the rules of apartheid and asked tough questions about fundamental aspects of human identity. And now, that Tony-Award winning play Sizwei ...

Supporters and opponents of a rezoning plan for 125th Street faced off at a city planning commission meeting this week. The first comprehensive plan for Harlem’s main street in more than 40 years seeks to create a regional business corridor with new condos and hotels, but also new space for ...

Daily News Albany columnist Bill Hammond talks to Weekend Edition Host Brian Zumhagen about David Soares' report on former Gov. Eliot Spitzer's attempt to discredit his political rival, Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.

New York-based entertainment writers are optimistic that they can end their three-month-old strike and get back to work this week.

REPORTER: Writers' Guild East president Michael Winship says union members are reacting positively to a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers:

WINSHIP: The general sense of it ...

REPORTER: The Colorado-based program aims to improve the health of low-income first-time mothers and their children.

New York's partnership director Lisa Landau says it's a voluntary program.

LANDAU: Women are referred throughout the city - from health providers, from community-based organizations - and women can decide whether they're interested in the program.

The ...

Mayor Bloomberg insists he's not considering an independent bid for the White House. But he's been addressing national issues during visits to delegate-rich states.

REPORTER: Speaking in California Saturday, the mayor assumed the role of the outsider delivering a rebuke to Washington. He said politicians in Congress care more about protecting ...

A rising number of international travelers chose New York City as their destination in 2007, spurring a record-setting year.

WNYC's Brian Zumhagen reports.

With a final count still pending, the city's tourism office says an estimated 46 million people visited the city in 2007 - that's up 5% from the year before.

Those ...

Last night's Democratic presidential debate in New Hampshire could be described by paraphrasing Bill Clinton: it depends on what the definition of "change" is.

REPORTER: John Edwards was at pains to latch onto the rising star of Illinois Senator Barack Obama, who's fresh off a victory in Iowa. Edwards and Obama ...

The Bush administration's proposed cuts to counterterrorism grant programs would threaten the safety of U.S. cities, according to several New York politicians.

REPORTER: US Senator Charles Schumer is blasting the plan, which would cut Homeland Security grants for states and cities from $3.4 billion in fiscal year 2007 to $1.4 billion ...

One of the reasons the skies are so crowded is that airspace routes have not been changed since the 1960's. The FAA is looking to re-design the airspace over the New York region and Philadelphia to create more arrival and departure routes. But the redesign is meeting resistance from people ...

With millions of people expected to board airplanes this Thanksgiving week, many travelers are worried about delays that could keep them stuck at the gate or on the runway for hours. After she spent 9 hours stuck on the tarmac in late 2006, Kate Hanni founded the Coalition for an ...

Striking stagehands say they won't go back to the bargaining table until Broadway producers start acting "honorably."

REPORTER: Members of the Local One union say Broadway producers are making false accusations about the union's demands. The League of American Theatres and Producers wants flexibility about how many stagehands are needed for ...

Veterans of the U.S. armed forces are being honored this weekend in ceremonies across the metro area.

REPORTER: In Midtown Manhattan, the 88th annual Veterans Day Parade begins with the Eternal Light Monument Ceremony at Madison Square Park at Fifth Avenue and 24th Street. The parade travels up Fifth Avenue to ...

The Hollywood writers' strike expected to begin Monday will affect some 2,000 New York-based writers who work on late-night comedy shows, soap operas, and series like "Law and Order."

REPORTER: Adam Brooks is a screenwriter and a member of the executive council for the Writers' Guild East. He says if there's ...

More than a month after the seven-alarm blaze at the former Deutsche Bank building that left two firefighters dead, the bureaucratic finger-pointing continues. WNYC's Bob Hennelly gives Weekend Edition Host Brian Zumhagen an update on the investigation.

The opening of the United Nations General Assembly has been in the news a lot lately, but it's something that happens every September, as New York welcomes leaders from the world's 192 nations. Weekend Edition Host Brian Zumhagen talks with WNYC's Bob Hennelly about the challenges of providing security for ...