Good morning on this soggy Tuesday, and Happy Hanukkah.
A would-be suicide bomber detonated a homemade explosive in a busy subway corridor near the Port Authority during yesterday’s morning commute, in what officials are calling an act of terrorism — the second in New York City in six weeks. The explosion filled the corridor with smoke and sent commuters scrambling into the streets.
Here’s what we know about the attack as of this morning.
What happened? A man detonated a pipe bomb that was strapped to his body in a pedestrian passageway between the Times Square and Port Authority subway stations around 7:20 a.m. yesterday. Here are detailed maps of where the attack took place.
Was anyone killed? No, but three people sustained minor injuries. The attacker was the only one severely injured; he was taken into custody by the police shortly after the bombing and was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was treated for burns to his hands and abdomen.
Who was responsible? Officials identified the man they arrested as Akayed Ullah, 27, of Brooklyn. Mr. Ullah moved to the United States from Bangladesh in 2011 on a family immigrant visa. He often prayed at a local mosque, worked for a time driving for a car service, and was described as a “good guy” by a cabdriver who knew him. Here’s what we know about Mr. Ullah and his life in Brooklyn.
Why did he do it? Mr. Ullah told investigators he selected the subway location because of its Christmas-themed posters, and he said the attack was retaliation for United States airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria and elsewhere, according to law enforcement officials. He told investigators he was radicalized online and had made a number of international trips during the last five years.
Continue reading the main storyWhat kind of bomb was used? The crude, homemade device was assembled by packing match heads into a pipe and was detonated with a broken Christmas tree light powered by a nine-volt battery, according to people with knowledge of the device. The attacker said he learned how to make the bomb online. Here’s why the bomb malfunctioned.
How did officials respond? At a news conference at the scene, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “The terrorists are not going to win, we’re going to keep being New Yorkers.” Many New Yorkers seemed to acknowledge the sentiment: They met the news with a shrug and continued with their day. President Trump called for immigration reform and an end to what he called “chain migration”.
Will this affect my commute today? The attack shut down the Port Authority and snarled transit through the region yesterday, but you can expect a normal trip to work today. All subway stations are open and all trains are running, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Here’s what else is happening:
Weather
Yuck.
Our sidewalks are looking wet, and possibly slushy, as rain is forecast throughout the morning.
While the rain should let up by noon, it could drizzle off and on all day. Grab an umbrella. And a scarf — the high is near 47.
In the News
• Mayor de Blasio will announce a plan geared toward converting hundreds of apartments used to house the homeless into affordable housing. [New York Times]
• In “About New York,” the columnist Jim Dwyer tells us about the necessary touch of amnesia New Yorkers must live with to maintain a sane existence and keep the turnstiles spinning. [New York Times]
• The New York State Board of Regents went further in its efforts to make it easier for students with disabilities to graduate from high school. [New York Times]
• Formerly homeless students continue to struggle in school for years, scoring as poorly on state tests as their peers with no place to live. [New York Times]
• The chef Mario Batali, who has more than a dozen restaurants in the city, is stepping away from his restaurant empire after four women accused him inappropriate touching. [Eater NY]
• The New Yorker fired Ryan Lizza, the magazine’s Washington correspondent, after it said he engaged in “inappropriate touching,” which Mr. Lizza denied. [New York Times]
• Kenneth Dillard Jr. has struggled to find work and was priced out of his apartment in Manhattan, leaving him homeless for nearly three years. [New York Times]
• Today’s Metropolitan Diary: “Best Snow Day Ever”
• For a global look at what’s happening, see Your Morning Briefing.
Coming Up Today
• Learn about the history and origins of whiskey, along with a tasting, at the Brooklyn Brainery in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. 6 p.m. [$15]
• The photographer Joseph Rodriguez discusses his book “Spanish Harlem: El Barrio in the ’80s” at The Museum of the City of New York on the Upper East Side. 6:30 p.m. [$12]
• Put on your ugly Christmas sweater and watch, or perform at an evening of holiday Karaoke at the Bank of America Winter Village in Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan. 7 p.m. [Free]
• Kick off your Hanukkah celebrations with a lineup of Jewish comedians at “Chanukahstravaganza: Night of a Thousand Jews” at Union Hall in Park Slope, Brooklyn. 8 p.m. [$10]
• Islanders host Capitals, 7 p.m. (MSG+). Rangers host Stars, 7 p.m. (MSG). Devils host Kings, 7 p.m. (MSG+). Nets host Wizards, 7:30 p.m. (YES). Knicks host Lakers, 7 p.m. (ESPN).
• Alternate-side parking remains in effect until Dec. 25.
• For more events, see The New York Times’s Arts & Entertainment guide.
And Finally...
Hanukkah begins tonight at sundown.
If you’re looking for a way to celebrate, you can attend menorah lightings at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn at 5:30 p.m., in Washington Market Park at 5:30 p.m., in Stuyvesant Town at 6:30 p.m., and on the Lower East Side at 6:30 p.m.
The idea of lighting large menorahs in public began in 1973, when the Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson launched a Hanukkah campaign to promote service and share the story of the holiday.
In 1974, the first large public menorah, four feet tall and made out of wood, was lit by a rabbi in front of Independence Hall near the Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania.
Three years later, New York City’s first large public menorah was erected and lit up on 59th Street and Fifth Avenue in front of the Plaza hotel.
“The menorah stands as a symbol of freedom and delivers a timely and poignant message of strength and liberty, reminding us of the great miracle of Hanukkah,” said Rabbi Motti Seligson, a spokesman for Chabad-Lubavitch, the organization responsible for the celebration.
Today, 15,000 Chabad public menorahs are lit in more than 100 countries, Rabbi Seligson added.
The celebration on Fifth Avenue begins tonight at 5:30 p.m., when a 32-foot gold menorah will be lit with the help of a crane. The menorah will sparkle every night for the next eight days, and the nightly celebrations include music, singing and warm latkes.
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