NY blast injures 29, no terror link at this point

An explosion rocked New York's neighborhood of Chelsea on Saturday wounding 29 people but with no apparent terror connection at this point, officials said.

One of the 29 people injured in the blast, which police are treating as intentional, is in serious condition, officials added.

"There is no evidence at this point of a terror connection to this incident, this is preliminary information," Mayor Bill de Blasio told a news conference.

"It's something we will be investigating very carefully, but there is no evidence at this point of a terror connection," he added.

Of the 29 people wounded in the incident, 24 have been taken to hospitals with various degrees of scrapes and abrasions from glass and metal, said Fire Department commissioner Daniel Nigro.

Police said the specific cause of the explosion, which occurred on the street at around 8:30 p.m. was not clear but was not caused by gas.

"We believe it was intentional," de Blasio said.

The mayor said it was not immediately apparent if the blast was connected to an explosion in a trash can in New Jersey earlier Saturday.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

FBI, New York police aware of Islamic State video, say no specific threat

NEW YORK - There is no "specific and credible threat" against New York City, despite a newly released Islamic State video suggesting America's most populous city is a potential target of attacks such as those in Paris, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday.

Police Commissioner William Bratton agreed with the mayor during an evening news conference by both men outside a police precinct in Times Square, adding that there was nothing new about the video, which he called "hastily produced."

"There is no credible and specific threat against New York City," de Blasio said, encouraging New Yorkers to "go about their business" as normal, while remaining watchful.

Islamic State has claimed credit for Friday's attacks in Paris that killed 129 people in shootings and suicide bombings at a concert hall, restaurants and a soccer stadium in Paris.

The assault on the French capital stirred memories in New York of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijacked plane attacks that felled the World Trade Center's Twin Towers, killing more than 2,600 people.

The Islamic State video, which runs for nearly six minutes, includes a scene that appears to show a suicide bomber making preparations and zipping up a jacket, according to a description provided by SITE Intelligence Group, a Bethesda, Maryland, organization that tracks militant groups.

The clip briefly shows Times Square and Herald Square, two Midtown Manhattan crossroads popular with tourists, and a suicide bomber holding what appears to be a trigger. Most of the footage is scenes of Paris and French President Francois Hollande.

"Footage of New York shown in the ISIS video was taken from a video released by the group in April of this year. So while NYC is, and has been, a target for ISIS, today's video does not warrant any kind of panic," SITE director Rita Katz said in an email to Reuters.

De Blasio said New York City's police force of 35,000, the country's largest, was working tirelessly to keep the city safe from another attack.

"Just in this last week, we've initiated the first wave of our new Critical Response Command, which will grow to 500 officers specifically dedicated to anti-terrorism activities," he said.

The new unit will supplement an existing 1,000-officer counterterrorism program, police said.

The FBI said through a spokeswoman it was aware of news reports about the video and "ongoing terrorist threats to NYC," and would fully investigate.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

New York defends storm shutdown

NEW YORK, United States - New York authorities on Tuesday vigorously defended a decision to shut down America's biggest city for a storm that skirted the Big Apple, dumping the worst snow on Long Island and New England.

Travel bans were lifted, public transport resumed and parks reopened in the city of eight million people, easing many of the measures put in place as Winter Storm Juno moved in on Monday.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city got only a fraction of the two feet (60 centimeters) of snow that had been widely predicted in the 48 hours leading up to the storm.

Nevertheless UN headquarters, schools, museums and numerous shops and restaurants remained closed Tuesday.

The National Weather Service warned that life-threatening conditions persisted along the coast from Long Island into Connecticut and Massachusetts, where more than two feet of snow blanketed some areas.

"You plan the best you can and you lean toward safety," New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo told a news conference under a barrage of questioning.

He conceded there were likely to be "some" loss of business, but said he had no estimates.

"It may actually have brought us back to full operating capacity sooner but I do not criticize weather forecasters. I learn," Cuomo said.

The clean-up is expected to continue until Wednesday, when schools will reopen, and city and state employees will return to work.

Broadway theaters announced that most shows would go ahead Tuesday as planned, after the Great White Way went dark Monday.

A 'no-brainer'

De Blasio, who repeatedly warned before the storm struck that it was likely to be one of the worst in the city's history, fended off accusations that he had been needlessly alarmist.

"To me, it was a no-brainer. We had to take precautions to keep people safe. God forbid this storm had not moved east, we would then have been hit," he said.

Had travel not been banned, city residents would have been in possible mortal danger, and any economic impact would have been far more negative had there been more destruction, he said.

"We are going to be very forceful in our messages to people when we sense danger. This is what you saw in the last 48 hours," De Blasio said.

On the streets of Manhattan, there were mixed feelings about whether the authorities had over-reacted.

"This is a mere dusting and I've been here for my whole life, with a little bit in London, and this is ridiculous, when they call it a storm," said financial consultant Curtis Brill.

Jennifer Daly, who comes from New Orleans but works on New York's Fifth Avenue, took it in stride, saying she was used to similar hype about hurricanes that do not always turn out as severe as warned.

"People do have to be cautious and ice and driving do not mix, so it's better to take precautions and not have accidents," she said.

Air travel disrupted

In the end, snowfall varied throughout the New York area, with some parts of the city receiving as little as four inches -- far short of the city's record 26.9 inches in February 2006.

Long Island was however still being hard hit with up to 20 inches of snow, and easternmost Suffolk County continues to see blizzard-like conditions and face "serious issues," Cuomo said.

County police confirmed that a teenage boy died late Monday in a sledding accident.

Cuomo lifted the travel ban, which was imposed at 11:00 pm Monday, at 8:00 am (1300 GMT). Limited service on city rail and subway lines resumed an hour later.

Service was expected to be back to normal by Wednesday.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also lifted the travel ban in his state, but officials in both states nevertheless warned against all but essential travel.

Driving bans were still in effect in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Flight disruptions are still extensive. Around 5,250 flights within, to and from the United States have been cancelled for Tuesday and Wednesday, according to flightaware.com.

Officials said virtually all flights at New York's LaGuardia airport were cancelled Tuesday as well as most at Newark and John F. Kennedy international airports.

In Boston, 85 percent of flights were cancelled, said flightaware.com.

Thousands were without power along the coast of Massachusetts, including on Nantucket Island, where some were evacuated from their homes, local media reported.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

First blizzard of 2015 pounds East Coast

JERSEY CITY, NJ - Jersey City residents woke up to piles and piles of snow after winter storm Juno pounded the North East Coast.

Heavy snow and ice accumulated overnight.

In Jersey City's Little Manila, a couple of Filipinos rushed to remove about eight inches of snow before their rooftop gave way.

Residents spent their morning cleaning up winter storm Juno's mess.

But the conditions were not as bad as predicted at least in Jersey City and in nearby New York City.

"We did what was necessary to keep people safe. By the way, by getting everyone off the road, the sanitation department could get out there, and now we'll get back to normal much more quickly," said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Blizzard warnings and statewide travels bans that went into effect at 11 p.m. Monday night have been lifted.

The National Weather Service said the forecasted scenario of 30 inches of snow fizzled out as the storm passed further east than anticipated.

Pinoy postal worker Freddie Templo said, "Ok yung state preparedness nila na may maaga silang warning, cautions for safety."

Nevertheless, it's still a snow day for many residents including Filipino store clerk Ramon Lagasca.

"Walang pasok ngayon at saka bukas, tatawag lang kami kung anong oras kami magsisimula bukas, so hindi namin alam bukas kung paano," Ramon Lagasca said.

Businesses were affected as people heeded warnings to stay home.

Store worker Herman Bebita said, "Maraming tao dapat. Gawa ng weather na di maganda, walang lumalabas dahil sa taas ng yelo o sa sama ng panahon."

But the brunt of the monster storm fell in Massachusetts.

Thousands are without power. The storm is expected to move out late Tuesday night.

Thanks to the travel ban, plows worked overnight to make streets passable and public transportation up to speed.

Read more from Balitang America.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

New York relaxes pot possession law

NEW YORK - People in New York carrying only a small amount of marijuana will not be arrested, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday, adding to a growing debate in the United States over pot.

Starting November 19, anyone carrying less than 25 grams (0.9 ounces) of pot in New York will instead likely be fined up to $100.

"We've seen a great reduction in unnecessary stops (by police)... Today is another important step," de Blasio told a press conference, flanked by New York police chief Bill Bratton.

"Too many New Yorkers without any prior convictions have been arrested for low-level marijuana possession," added de Blasio, whose daughter Chiara last year revealed in a YouTube video that she had smoked while in college.

De Blasio said the relaxation in policy was particularly aimed at young people who would no longer have a criminal record for the rest of their lives because of an "error."

"This is part of a long-term effort to make us safer," he added.

Bratton said that possession of less than 25 grams would be considered "a violation, not a crime."

Proponents of a more relaxed policy on small amounts of marijuana possession say it will free police up to spend more time on serious crime.

Alaska, Oregon and the US capital Washington voted to legalize marijuana last week -- a new high for the marijuana lobby, two years after two western states -- Colorado and Washington -- led the way in approving cannabis for recreational use.

But opponents say the drug causes long-term psychological damage, especially in people who used it in their youth.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Doctor tests positive for Ebola

NEW YORK - A New York City doctor who worked recently with Ebola patients in West Africa and returned to New York City tested positive for the illness on Thursday, officials said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio made the announcement at a news conference late on Thursday, hours after the doctor was admitted to a city hospital with symptoms, and taken into isolation.

Dr. Craig Spencer, 33, was tested at Bellevue Hospital, where results indicated he has the disease, the mayor said.

Mindful of public concern about whether Spencer could have infected others, Governor Andrew Cuomo told the news conference at Bellevue that since returning to the United States earlier this month from Guinea, Spencer had been exposed to "very few people."

Spencer developed a fever and gastrointestinal symptoms after working for the humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders in Guinea, one of three West African nations hardest hit by Ebola.

A specially trained team wearing protective gear transported Spencer to Bellevue Hospital from his Manhattan apartment, the city said in a statement.

The first confirmed case in America's largest city set off renewed fears about the spread of the virus, which has killed nearly 4,900 people, largely in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

The first person diagnosed with Ebola on U.S. soil flew from Liberia to Texas and later died in a Dallas hospital. Two nurses who treated him became infected with the virus and one took a commercial flight with a fever, prompting officials in several states to take steps to become better prepared to contain the virus.

The Times said a further test will be conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to confirm the initial test.

De Blasio said earlier on Thursday that Spencer had been in direct contact with "very few" people.

However, the Times said Spencer traveled by subway to a bowling alley in the city's Brooklyn borough on Wednesday night and took a taxi home.

The bowling alley, identified by local media as the Gutter, was closed on Thursday. Heaven, a band that was due to perform, said on Twitter that its show had been canceled because of an Ebola scare.

Spencer's Facebook page, which included a photo of him clad in protective gear, said he went to Guinea around Sept. 18 and then flew to Brussels on Oct. 16.

He has specialized in international emergency medicine at Columbia University-New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City since 2011, according to his profile on the LinkedIn career website.

Columbia in a statement said he has not been to work nor seen any patients since his return.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com