New York: A suspicious vehicle in Times Square raises a security alert

Times Square came to a standstill as a suspicious vehicle was investigated by the New York City Police and bomb squad and New York stock exchange building was immediately evacuated. As preparations were underway for New Year's Eve in Times Square, a suspicious vehicle was found on Broadway between 41st and 42nd Streets. The area between 39th and 43rd street was immediately closed down to pedestrians and traffic while a New York Police Department bomb squad determined the nature of the threat. Three nearby buildings, including the Nasdaq and Conde Nast were partially evacuated. The bomb squad used a robot based camera and x-ray equipment to assess the contents of the van. The van harbored no explosives or contained any dangerous materials. Times Square soon opened again to traffic and pedestrians. The evacuation did not have a major impact on the Nasdaq market.