Morning Brief: November 23

Mayor de Blasio has spent that last few days reassuring New York City residents that the Islamic State poses no “credible threat” to the city. However, that doesn’t mean first responders aren’t prepared, just in case. Early this Sunday morning, police officers, firefighters, and members of the Office of Emergency Management took advantage of empty J and Z line subway stations and practiced training scenarios, which included response to suicide bombers. Officials said the exercises were meant to keep reflexes sharp, and the mayor agreed. “This,” he said, “is how we defeat terrorism.”

NEED TO KNOW

Belgian Police Arrest 16 in Anti-Terror Raids [BBC]

Pfizer, Allergan Agree on Historic Merger Deal [Wall Street Journal]

Checkpoints Isolate Many Immigrants in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley [New York Times]

Cuomo to Order Increase in Renewable Energy in NY by 2030 [New York Times]

Crews Still Working to Repair Water Main Beak in Heart of Hoboken [WABC-TV]

WEATHER
45 degrees and sunny [Full Forecast]

SPORTS

Yesterday
The Nets bested the Celtics 111 to 101

Tonight
The Knicks take on the Heat at 7:30

ON STAGE TONIGHT

Gavin James @ Mercury Lounge

The English Beat @ City Winery

Okkervil River @ Bowery Ballroom

TODAY IN HISTORY
Today in 1924, Edwin Hubble's discovery that the Andromeda nebula is actually another island universe far outside of our own was first published in the New York Times.