The bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease has been detected at 10 South Bronxcooling towers, including the one overseeing Yankee Stadium, the New York City Health Department said Sunday.
At least nine people have been diagnosed with the illness, including one who died and three who have been hospitalized so far in connection to a cluster in the area.
Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York City.Donaldson/Wirestock Creators – stock.adobe.com
Investigators are now ordering 10 cooling towers to be drained, cleaned and disinfected after preliminary testing detected Legionella bacteria.
The 10 sites to undergo full investigation are:
820 Concourse Village West
234 E. 149th St.
1 E. 161st St.
470 E. 161st St.
1265 Franklin Ave.
567 Melrose Ave.
3339 Park Ave.
1160 Teller Ave.
890 Washington Ave.
1085 Washington Ave.
The addresses include the site of Yankee Stadium, as well as the NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln medical facility in the Bronx.
Health officials noted that while preliminary PCR testing found the presence of the bacteria at the sites, it doesn’t mean the cooling towers are the source of the outbreak.
A 3D illustration shows Legionella pneumophila bacteria in water.Axel Kock – stock.adobe.com
“This test can detect the presence of Legionella bacteria DNA but cannot determine whether the bacteria are alive or dead and does not confirm that a cooling tower is the source of exposure. Only live Legio
nella bacteria can cause illness,” the health department said in a statement.
The department said eight of the cooling towers have complied with the 31-day testing requirements that took effect on May 8, with the towers at 820 Concourse Village West and 1265 Franklin Ave. failing to provide the required information.
The health department launched its investigation on Sept. 10 after Legionnaires cases were reported in the Morrisania and Melrose neighborhoods. Since then, the city has tested 24 cooling towers as part of its investigation.
NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx, where Legionnaires bacteria was detected in 10 South Bronx cooling towers, including Yankee Stadium, according to the DOH.
The Bronx cluster comes on the heels of a deadly Upper East Side outbreak earlier this summer that killed 11 people.
Legionnaires’ disease, a form of pneumonia, spreads when people inhale mist or tiny water droplets from water sources contaminated with Legionella bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The disease is fatal in about 1 in 10 diagnosed cases, with symptoms including fever, chills, muscle aches and cough.
Saudi Arabia submitted amendments to an Omani-Iranian proposal on the Strait of Hormuz over concerns it could establish a new status quo in the waterway, Axios reported on Sunday, citing a senior regional official.
The official said Riyadh was concerned the proposed language could create an arrangement that would be unacceptable to Saudi Arabia and other GCC states.
Foreign investment in Iran has effectively come to a halt following the war with Israel and the United States, with no new foreign investment recorded so far this Iranian year, a senior industry ministry figure said.
No foreign investment has been made so far in the current Iranian calendar year, which began on March 21, Tahmoures Lahouti, Deputy Industry Minister and head of Iran’s Small Industries and Industrial Parks Organization, told the Iranian Labor News Agency (ILNA).
“Given the sanctions and restrictions in place, foreign investment is not taking place,” Lahouti said.
Domestic investment in industrial development has also declined compared with last year, with exchange-rate volatility, inflation and weakening household purchasing power weighing on businesses, Lahouti added.
The Iranian year began about three weeks after Israel and the United States launched military operations against the Islamic Republic on February 28.
Lahouti did not provide figures for the decline in domestic investment or specify whether his assessment of foreign investment covered all sectors of the Iranian economy.
The rial has lost roughly 60% of its value against the US dollar since the beginning of the Iranian year, increasing the cost of imported equipment and other inputs for businesses. High inflation and uncertainty over future prices have further complicated long-term investment decisions.
Industrial employment declines
The deterioration in investment has coincided with significant job losses in industry.
About 630,000 industrial jobs were lost in the first quarter of the current Iranian year compared with the same period a year earlier, according to figures from Iran’s Statistical Center.
Separate labor-market data have also shown a sharp decline in the number of workers making social-security contributions.
The contraction adds to longer-running problems facing Iranian manufacturers, including sanctions, restrictions on international banking, inflation, currency depreciation and recurring energy shortages.
Foreign investment falls as capital outflows surge
Data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)shows that Iran was already struggling to attract foreign direct investment well before the war.
In 2016 and 2017, following the implementation of the nuclear deal and the temporary easing of international restrictions, Iran attracted an average of about $4.2 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) annually. After the United States withdrew from the nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions in 2018, the trend reversed, with annual FDI subsequently falling to around $1.5 billion.
At the same time, Central Bank data point to a sharp increase in capital outflows. Iran’s capital-account deficit widened from $6.77 billion in 2017 to $19.62 billion in 2025, nearly tripling over the period.
Overall, Iran attracted about $12.7 billion in foreign direct investment between 2018 and the end of 2025, while cumulative capital-account deficits approached $120 billion over the same period.
The gap illustrates that Iran’s problem extends beyond its difficulty attracting foreign capital. The country is also recording substantial capital outflows.
Iran falls further behind regional rivals
UNCTAD data for 2025 show the scale of the investment gap between Iran and some of its regional competitors.
Saudi Arabia attracted $32.6 billion in foreign direct investment last year, while the United Arab Emirates received about $48.2 billion.
The figures underscore Iran’s difficulty competing for foreign capital after years of sanctions and restrictions on international banking and trade.
Lahouti’s comments show that those constraints have now choked off an already limited flow of foreign investment. At the same time, depreciation of the rial, inflation, economic uncertainty and persistent capital outflows have made it more difficult for domestic investors to fill the gap.
Foreign investment falling to zero this year is therefore part of a longer trend. Iran was struggling to attract foreign capital well before the latest war, while substantial capital outflows added to the pressure on investment at home.
President Donald Trump said Sunday that China’s alleged spying on the United States was no different from Washington’s own intelligence-gathering efforts, amid reports that Chinese entities supplied Iran with satellite imagery of Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
“They basically do what we do,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that Chinese President Xi Jinping had “behaved reasonably well.”
“You know what they say? That China spies on us,” Trump said. “I say you’re right, and we spy on them, too.”
The remarks came after the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery from Chinese entities before a July 17 strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base that killed three US troops.
Oil prices jumped well over 2% after Saudi Arabia shut down its keyEast-Westpipeline, following adrone attackfrom Iraq that damaged the supply route.
Meanwhile, a meeting between Iran and the Gulf states on the Strait of Hormuz, originally set for Monday, has been postponed, with Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi saying the delay was in the "interests of consensus."
Brent futures rose 2.8% to go for $107.60 per barrel at 6:04 pm ET. At the same time, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) went up 2.6% to sell for $102.67 per barrel.
A host of rabbis recently participated in a five-day “summer camp” featuring extensive firearms training as Jewish leaders from across the US prepared for the High Holidays.
The pilot program, run by Los Angeles-based Jewish security organization Magen Am USA, brought together 20 Chabad Hasidic rabbis from 12 states for an intensive crash course designed to help them respond to potential threats at their synagogues and in their communities.
A five-day “summer camp” for rabbis features an unusual mix of firearm instruction, emergency medicine and security training as Jewish leaders from across the country prepare for the High Holidays.Obtained by the CA Post
The program, which also included emergency medicine and security training, took place in August in Los Angeles. It came as Jewish communities across California and the country grapple with heightened security concerns and rising fears about attacks on Jewish institutions.
For Rabbi Yossi Eilfort, the founder of Magen Am, the answer isn’t simply putting more guns in religious leaders’ hands.
“Lots of people, lots of guns, little training,” Eilfort told the California Post. “That can be bad for the community.”
Magen Am is a registered nonprofit and California-licensed security company whose stated mission is to train and empower Jewish communities to establish security teams within their own institutions.
The Anti-Defamation League recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents nationwide in 2025, including assaults, harassment and vandalism.
Magen Am is a registered nonprofit and California-licensed security company whose stated mission is to train and empower Jewish communities to establish security teams within their own institutions.Obtained by the CA Post
California ranked second in the country with 817 incidents, while the Los Angeles region recorded 419. Although the overall number of incidents in LA declined from 532 in 2024, assaults jumped 22% — the highest number ever recorded locally, according to the ADL.
Eilfort said the organization works with community members, government officials and law enforcement to build security programs, while also offering firearms education to members of the public.
The rabbi-specific program was created after Jewish religious leaders began approaching Eilfort for advice about firearms and security at their houses of worship.
“We’re visibly Jewish and we walk down the street and dozens of rabbis have people yell things at them,” Eilfort said, adding that rabbis have increasingly been targeted with hate speech and protests.
Eilfort said the organization works with community members, government officials and law enforcement to build security programs, while also offering firearms education to members of the public.magenam.com
A donor who asked to remain anonymous stepped forward to fund the pilot so participating rabbis would not have to pay for the training. The response was immediate.
Thirty-seven rabbis applied for just 20 spots, according to Magen Am.
Organizers prioritized applicants based on their security needs and the existing protections available to their communities. Some participants had never handled a gun before. Others already owned firearms but did not feel comfortable carrying them, while some were experienced gun owners looking for additional training and guidance.
The rabbis came from states including Alaska, Montana, Arizona, Florida, New York and Missouri, with California participants stretching from San Diego to Santa Barbara.
The rabbi-specific program was created after Jewish religious leaders began approaching Eilfort for advice about firearms and security at their houses of worship.Obtained by the CA Post
The five-day pilot ran from morning through evening, with Magen Am handling meals and hospitality as well as the training itself.
The curriculum included responsible firearm ownership, situational awareness, emergency medical procedures and coordination with law enforcement.
Eilfort declined to mention what specific law enforcement agency was involved in the training.
Participants also received instruction on suspicious-activity reports and how such reports are handled by fusion centers.
“It’s not all about the gun,” Eilfort said. “It’s all about community safety.”
The trainers themselves were members of the Jewish community, with some who had served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) . Eilfort, who has a background as a rabbi, is also a licensed and certified firearms instructor and a former MMA fighter.
The curriculum included responsible firearm ownership, situational awareness, emergency medical procedures and coordination with law enforcement.Obtained by the CA Post
“I’m not a security professional who found the Jewish community,” he said. “I’m a Jewish community member who realized we need more security in our community.”
For Eilfort, firearms provide only one layer of defense.
He emphasized safe storage, insurance, proficiency, licensing and compliance — and rejected the idea that the program was intended to encourage vigilante behavior.
“I’m not calling for vigilantism,” he said. “I believe in doing things right.”
One Los Angeles rabbi who participated in the pilot said the organizers packed what would normally be weeks or months of instruction into just five days.
The rabbi, who asked not to be identified, said participants began their days with morning prayers and breakfast before heading into classrooms or onto the shooting range.
“I’m not a security professional who found the Jewish community,” he said. “I’m a Jewish community member who realized we need more security in our community.”Obtained by the CA Post
The schedule mixed religious life with intensive security instruction, including lessons on stopping severe bleeding.
At the range, participants learned how to safely handle and holster a firearm, draw it, aim and respond to different emergency situations. They were also taught what to do if a firearm malfunctioned, the rabbi said.
“Every day they were building on the previous day’s learning,” he added.
The experience was particularly significant because it was the rabbi’s first time firing a gun.
“Some participants were very good,” he said. “They wanted to become excellent. And then there was someone like me that never touched a gun.”
By the end of the program, participants had moved from classroom instruction to a “FBI-style,” practical exercises at an indoor shooting range, where they faced a test designed to demand a high level of accuracy and firearm proficiency.
The experience was particularly significant because it was the rabbi’s first time firing a gun.Obtained by the CA Post
“It was a high level of being accurate and to know what you’re doing with a firearm,” the rabbi said.
The program also appears to have tapped in to a growing appetite among rabbis for this kind of preparation.
After the pilot ended, dozens more rabbis applied to join the program, with roughly 40 people placed on a waitlist, according to Eilfort.
Magen Am is now discussing additional funding and hopes to run another four to six programs next year, potentially expanding to as many as 10 to 12 programs the following year.
The program also appears to have tapped in to a growing appetite among rabbis for this kind of preparation.magenam.com
The organization has already begun expanding its broader security operations, including a new San Diego team.
But the biggest question for some rabbis is what role, if any, firearms should play in their religious responsibilities.
For the Los Angeles rabbi, completing the program did not immediately translate into a decision to carry a gun.
He said he is still considering whether firearm ownership is right for him and plans to undergo additional training before making that decision.
“I’m still in the journey with it,” he said. “My biggest takeaway is now I know how to use a firearm. God forbid, if it’s a case of an emergency, as a rabbi, I’m prepared.”
He also wrestled with the religious implications of carrying a firearm.
But the biggest question for some rabbis is what role, if any, firearms should play in their religious responsibilities.magenam.com
But Jewish law, he said, places a clear emphasis on protecting human life.
“If it’s a matter of life and death, you have to do all that you can to save a life,” he said. “So this could save a life.”
His hope, ultimately, is that the training never has to be used.
“If we would all be able to get along and respect each other’s differences, that will really make a community and a city and a country so beautiful,” he said.
Scandal-plagued NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels promised a total overhaul of the city’s dysfunctional procurement system — without mentioning that he remains under investigation over alleged procurement violations of his own.
“As a taxpayer, I believe that every dollar spent in our schools should be transparent, accountable, and in the service of student success,” Samuels — who is accused of skirting the city’s competitive bidding rules — said Thursday.
Samuels, flanked by Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani at a press conference at Mama Tingo’s Childcare Center in Washington Heights, joined Hizzoner in pledging that the reforms will save city taxpayers more than $100 million over this fiscal year and next by cutting red tape in the procurement process and modernizing contract software.
Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels announced procurement reform at a press conference Thursday.Robert Miller for NY Post
Critics, however, blasted Samuels’ promise of transparency and accountability as rank hypocrisy given the ongoing probe into his own conduct.
“Chancellor Samuels announcing procurement reform is akin to Jack the Ripper announcing a public safety initiative, the announcement makes one thing clear: he expects the department to adhere to a standard he does not apply to himself,” a City Hall insider said.
Samuels was exposed by The Post for signing a$180,000 no-bid contractwith a vendor that had not been approved by the Department of Education and splitting payments between two companies to evade city oversight when he was District 3 superintendent in 2023.
A neatly identical contract was signed by his then-deputy superintendent, Mariela Graham, and the same vendor, Sean Kreyling, the following year.
An investigation by the Special Commissioner of Inquiry Anastasia Coleman was launched after it was reported that the Samuels-contracted vendor unknowingly sent a teacher who was banned from teaching in DOE schools due to sexual misconduct into two Manhattan schools for months.
A 2025 SCI report pinned all the blame on Graham, and recommended she be fired and never work for the DOE again.
Instead, Samuels gave her a cushy promotion to the DOE’s senior executive director of strategy, a job that pays $225,571 a year.
The SCI confirmed in June they were investigating Samuels, following The Post’s bombshell reporting.
The no-bid contracts were signed by Kreyco CEO Sean Kreyling.Gregory P. Mango for NY Post
Meanwhile, Mamdani allegedly stonewalled City Council’s attempts to review hundreds of DOE contracts totalling some $13 billion.
Council Speaker Julie Menin slammed Samuels and the DOE in a scathing July letter for a “pattern of opacity, slow-walking and delay” in responding to requests for the contracts.
“Despite repeated requests over several months, DOE has not produced these contracts, nor has it proposed a concrete timeline for doing so,” Menin’s office wrote.
A spokesperson for Menin’s office told The Post that City Hall has since delivered hundreds of contracts and they are now being analyzed.
Menin previously blasted Mamdani for stonewalling on requests for DOE contracts.James Messerschmidt for NY Post
The proposed $100 million in savings is a drop in the bucket, critics say, compared with the enormous sums lost through procurement violations and other contracting failures.
“This is a bit much coming from someone who personally threw his deputy under the bus, destroyed her reputation and career, and walked away with an unblemished record,” a DOE Insider said
A December 2025 SCI report found that check-splitting and other inappropriate procurement practices drove up the price the DOE spent on outside vendors to $386 million in 2025.
“Violations of procurement rules often resulted in financial losses to the DOE, led to state and federal prosecutions, and/or prevented the DOE from working with the most qualified vendors at fair market prices,” the report stated.
“I regret the lapses in policy and procedures that took place while I was the superintendent, and the actions in question were all meant to [be] in the pursuit of educational opportunity,” Samuels testified to City Council in June.
Samuels, via the DOE, declined to comment on the hypocrisy criticisms.
