• Power outages likely due to heavy snow and strong winds.
• Nearly 54 million people in storm’s path from Washington to Maine.
• Blizzard conditions expected, travel described “extremely treacherous.”

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Sunday ordered the shutdown of the city’s entire traffic network for all but emergency travel ahead of a massive snowstorm expected to hit the northeast United States.

Tens of millions of Americans from the US capital, Washington, to the northern state of Maine braced for the storm, with up to two feet (60 centimetres) of snow forecast in some areas.

The National Weather Service said blizzard conditions would “quickly materialise” from Maryland up to southeastern New England, making travel “extremely treacherous.”

Snow could fall at a rate of two to three inches per hour at the peak of the storm, with nearly 54 million people in its path, it said.

Power outages are likely due to heavy snow and strong wind gusts, forecasters said.

In New York, which has more than eight million people, Mamdani said streets, highways and bridges would be shut down from 9:00 pm Sunday (0200 GMT) until noon Monday.

“New York City has not faced a storm of this scale in the last decade,” he said, explaining the state of emergency.

“We are asking New Yorkers to avoid all non-essential travel.”

The ban will not affect essential workers or New Yorkers needing to travel due to emergencies, according to Mamdani.

‘Worst yet to come’

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency beginning midday Sunday, freeing up funds and allowing the swift deployment of resources to address the weather crisis.

In Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu closed all public schools and municipal buildings on Monday.

“We ask everyone to plan ahead, stay safe and warm, and stay off the roads to help our public works and public safety efforts,” Wu said.

The National Weather Service said “moderate to major” coastal flooding affecting waterfront roads and properties was possible from Delaware up to Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

The storm comes just weeks after the region recovered from another devastating weather system that was linked to more than 100 deaths.

“The worst is yet to come,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul told a press briefing Sunday.

“Whatever you need — any groceries, any medicines you need to be refilled at the pharmacy, any pet food you need to have — do it right now.”

Then, she advised, “just settle in.”

“Watch some more Olympics, read a book, catch up on the news, call your family members, call your moms — especially your moms.”

• Tehran says it will defend itself against US action.
• Araghchi expects fresh Iran-US talks in Geneva.
• Tehran prepares draft deal to avert conflict.
  

PARIS: Iran’s top diplomat said Sunday that his country would strike back at US interests in the Middle East in the event of an attack, though he still saw a chance for a diplomatic resolution.

Speaking to US broadcaster CBS, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he expected new talks on the details of a deal, “probably” Thursday, as fears loomed of renewed conflict after Washington carried out a major redeployment of military assets to the region.

US threats of military action have multiplied since a nationwide protest movement sparked a major crackdown that rights groups say killed thousands of people.

“If the US attacks us, then we have every right to defend ourselves,” Araghchi said, alluding to American interests in the region as potential targets.

Still, he said, “there is a good chance to have a diplomatic solution”.

After a recent round of talks in Geneva, Iran said it was preparing a draft proposal for an agreement that would avert military action.

“I believe that when we meet, probably this Thursday in Geneva again, we can work on those elements and prepare a good text and come to a fast deal,” Araghchi told CBS.

Axios had earlier reported, citing an unnamed senior US official, that if Iran submitted its proposal in the next 48 hours, Washington was ready to meet again later in the week “to start detailed negotiations”.

The US has sent two aircraft carriers to the Middle East in recent weeks, along with other jets and ships, and has also shored up its air defences in the region to back up its threats of military intervention.

US President Donald Trump’s chief Middle East negotiator Steve Witkoff said Saturday in a Fox News interview that the president was questioning why Iran had not yet given in to US pressure.

“He’s curious as to why they haven’t… I don’t want to use the word ‘capitulated’, but why haven’t they capitulated?” he said.

“Why, under this pressure, with the amount of seapower and naval power over there, why haven´t they come to us and said, ´We profess we don´t want a weapon, so here´s what we´re prepared to do´?”

Western governments fear Iran’s nuclear programme is aimed at developing a bomb, which Tehran has long denied, though it insists on its right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes.

On the subject of enrichment, Araghchi said Sunday: “As a sovereign country, we have every right to decide for ourselves, by ourselves.”

Fears of war

A previous round of diplomacy last year was interrupted by Israel’s bombing campaign against the Islamic republic.

That sparked a 12-day conflict in June that the US briefly joined with strikes on nuclear facilities.

Despite the recent Oman-mediated talks, Iranians’ fears of a new conflict have grown.

“I don’t sleep well at night even while taking pills,” Tehran resident Hamid told AFP, saying he worried for his “family’s health… my kids and grandchildren”.

IT technician Mina Ahmadvand, 46, believes that “at this stage, war between Iran and the US as well as Israel is inevitable and I’ve prepared myself for that eventuality”.

“I don’t want war to happen, but one should not fool around with the realities on the ground.”

The concerns have prompted several foreign countries to urge their citizens to leave Iran, including Sweden, Serbia, Poland and Australia, which warned “commercial flights are currently available but this could change quickly”.

A British Pakistani teenager has died in a horrific knife attack outside a mosque on Friday evening.

The stabbing incident took place outside Oldbury Jamia Masjid in Smethwick, a town neighbouring Birmingham, while the worshippers were saying the Traweeh prayers inside the mosque.

The teenager has since been named as 18-year-old Zeeshan Afzal a resident of Smethwick. Two other youngsters, aged 19 and 22, are also being treated for knife wounds in a local hospital but their injuries are understood to be not life-threatening.

The local community is deeply saddened and shaken by the tragic incident, which occurred during the holy month of Ramadan.

Worshippers present at the mosque said they were shocked to see the heavy presence of police and paramedics when they came out after completing Taraweeh prayers.

Since the incident took place in the car park the whole area was cordoned off. The police instructed them to return inside and did not allow them to exit for approximately 40 minutes. When they were eventually allowed to leave, they were not permitted to remove their vehicles from the car park as it had become a crime scene.

According to West Midlands police, members of public alerted them of a disorder in the car park of Jamia Masjid Chashma-e-Rahmat situated on Oldbury Road.

Upon reaching there the sound 18 years old Zeeshan Azfal with stab wounds who soon after succumbed to the injuries despite efforts by paramedics.

Following the tragic incident the West Midlands Police launched a murder investigation and still working on to find the exact circumstances around the crime and the people involved.

A spokesman for the force said: “A murder investigation is underway after a teenager has tragically died after being stabbed in Smethwick”.

“Zeshan, from Smethwick, was sadly confirmed dead a short time later, and we’ll be doing everything we can to support his family at this terrible time”.

Although the motive behind the killing is yet to be established, the police have appealed to local residents or eyewitnesses to come forward with any information they may have.

Meanwhile, police have stated that they are not currently treating the incident as racially or religiously motivated, and investigations are still ongoing. The police have also assured the local community that to feel safe.

“The disorder happened outside a mosque, but at this stage there is nothing to suggest this was racially or religiously aggravated”.

“We fully understand the incident will have caused distress, and concern, within the community and we will continue to have a visible police presence in the area to provide reassurance”.