Snow shuts down UN, New York schools

US: New York schools closed and the United Nations shut down Wednesday as the nation’s biggest city took cover from a snowstorm sweeping the eastern United States.All public schools closed their doors and extra shifts of snow plows were deployed to battle an expected foot (30 centimeters) of snow and gale-force gusts of wind.

It was only the third school “snow day” declared in the past six years in New York.

However, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that with the storm passing during the night, schools would reopen Thursday. “Sorry about that for those who wanted another day off,” he joked.

Continental Airlines said it was suspending all flights to its busy Newark hub, except for a handful of incoming international flights. It also suspended all services at LaGuardia airport, with normal routines expected to resume Thursday. New York, Thursday, AFP