welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. my name is duncan golestani. our top stories: in the next few hours, 30 american cities are expecting the coldest temperatures they've ever recorded. reports from syria say government and russian air strikes have hit ten hospitals in the past ten days. he walked on the moon and flew the first space shuttle mission. astronaut john young dies at the age of 87. hello. welcome to the programme. the east coast of north america is shivering in a record—breaking freeze. it comes after a massive snowstorm that reached as far south as florida. in parts of the us, temperatures are forecast to fall below minus 30 degrees celsius.

the extreme weather has been linked to up to 19 deaths in the us so far, and two more in canada. andrew plant reports. a new year, a new low for north america's east coast, bracing itself against subzero temperatures and several inches of snow. it is those who live outside who are now the most vulnerable to a weather event exceptionally rare. in chicago, the thermometers are still falling. those on the streets encouraged to come inside. in boston, homeless shelters are bringing in more emergency beds as dozens flee from the biting cold. and in washington, dc, as volunteers serve hot meals to the homeless here, the fear is that the frozen ground and the forecast for record lows this weekend could become a lethal combination. i don't know that we have recorded any deaths based on the weather yet but i think it's entirely possible, so we're trying to help in whatever

way we can, which is opening the centre between meals, we have warm clothing available for people who need it, and providing hot meals to people when they come in here. but after years of living outside, some still say they'll stay away from the homeless shelters. people in the neighbourhood have been looking out for us. they come by, bringing us sweatpants. they are totally looking out for us. socks, sweatpants, i mean, more than we even need! the mass of low pressure is moving north up north america's atlantic coast, leaving heavy snowfall behind, and the possibility of temperatures as low as minus 30 celsius. much colder, though, in the fierce winds. cars and homes already frozen in floodwater. even large bodies of water are now pale and still. in cities like new york, road salt has helped get traffic moving but in rural areas, the problems will persist even longer. so far, at least 19 people have died.

temperatures could return to normal next week as the storm moves further north through canada, but millions here must get safely through this record cold spell first. andrew plant, bbc news. the italian coastguard says it has rescued 85 people from a rubber dinghy which got into trouble off the libyan coast. these dramatic pictures have been released by the italian authorities and show the rescue taking place earlier on saturday. rescue charities say that at least 25 people died in the incident, but the search for survivors has continued. an eu anti—trafficking aircraft spotted the dinghy getting into difficulties during a surveillance flight. it's thought to be the first migrant shipwreck of 2018, though the italian coastguard is reported to have rescued several hundred migrants already this year. syrian activists say 17 people have been killed in air strikes

in rebel—held eastern ghouta. the british—based syrian 0bservatory for human rights says another 60 people were wounded in the besieged stronghold close to the capital damascus. more strikes in this area and in the rebel—held northern province of idlib have been reported by aid workers. they say ten hospitals have been hit by syrian government and russian bombers over the last ten days. this report from our middle east regional editor, alanjohnston. the race through the smashed streets, the dash into a ruined building. for the rescue workers, after the bombs fall, the routine is all too familiar here in the rebel—held enclave of eastern ghouta. higher up, people emerge from what might be a flat. perhaps they were at home when the bomb crashed down.

the cries of shock and horror at it all echo through the wreckage. the injured are gathered up but there have been reports of deaths, too, on this day of many air strikes in the enclave. translation: we have received more than 50 people today in the emergency department, because of the massacre of hamouriyah. we documented ten victims, and we have three others who are severely wounded and may die at any moment. aid workers say ten hospitals have been hit in recent days in ghouta and here in the rebel—held province of idlib. eastern ghouta lies on the edge of damascus. from here, rebels can fire into the capital. government forces have had this area under siege for years. people here come under attack almost daily. there is every danger that tomorrow, there will be more of the same. donald trump has again attacked

the author of a controversial book that accused him of being unstable and incompetent. the up president told a news conference at camp david that he had been a "tremendous success", and that the book, fire and fury by michael wolff, was a work of fiction. here's david willis in washington. boarding a flight to camp david for meetings with senior members of his party, the image of donald trump that leading republicans would like to project — one of order, professionalism and control. instead, the president is battling claims contained in this book that senior advisers share the view that he is mentally unfit for office. so the commander—in—chief took to social media to assert: later, he took aim

at the book's author, michael wolff, who had been given access to the white house to write it. i consider it a work of fiction and i think it's a disgrace that somebody‘s able to have something — do something like that. the libel laws are very weak in this country. if they were strong, it would be very helpful. you wouldn't have things like that happen, where you can say whatever comes to your head. butjust so you know, i never interviewed with him in the white house at all. he was never in the oval office. we didn't have an interview. possibly the most damaging claim contained in the book is that the president lacks curiosity, doesn't read, doesn't listen, is like a child. they all came to the conclusion, gradually at first, and then faster and faster, that something was unbelievably amiss here, that this was more peculiar than they ever imagined it could be. the book portrays the white house in a constant state of chaos,

reeling under the influence of a petulant, easily distracted commander—in—chief. having successfully passed legislation just before christmas reforming america's taxation system, senior republicans were probably hoping that a new year would mark a new start for the trump administration. but instead of moving forward on such key issues as immigration reform, the focus now is completely on the president, his personality, and whether he is mentally fit to hold office. well, the fallout from that trump book has loomed over the camp david meeting where the president and senior republicans have been gathering to thrash out legislative priorities for 2018. let's talk about those priorities with patrick baysham from the think tank, the democracy institute. he's in washington. so there were lots of topics of the

discussion, infrastructure, welfare reform, immigration, but you think there is any agreement between president trump and the republican leadership about what the priorities 2018 years? the difficulties for the republicans this new year is that they are divided amongst themselves but also not necessarily on the same page on each one of these issues with president trump. and so what they have to try to do somehow is to make 2018 more like december 2017 when they were finally able to get a major piece of legislation, tax reform, through congress, rather than... 11 months... apologies, i think we are having a slight technical problem there with our line to washington. we will try to

get mr baysham back later. some of the news now. —— let's take a look at some of the other stories making the news. days after he was pardoned and freed from jail, peru's former president alberto fujimori has called for national unity. the comments on social media are being seen as an attempt to return to political life, following his early release from a 25—year sentence for human rights abuses and corruption. news of his pardon sparked mass protests and accusations of a political deal. the saudi authorities have confirmed the arrest of 11 princes who staged a sit—in protest at a royal palace in the capital riyadh. they're being held at a maximum securityjail, pending trial. officials said they were protesting against having to pay their own utility bills as part of wider economic reforms in saudi arabia. we go back now to mr baysham. is

there any agreement between mr trump and the leadership about 2018? there is agreement on the basic fact that they need to make 2018 more like december 2017 when they finally got up december 2017 when they finally got up major piece of legislation, tax reform, through, rather than the preceding 11 months when they couldn't get anything meanings bill through congress that what is going to be the albatross around the republicans's to be the albatross around the republica ns's neck is to be the albatross around the republicans's neck is that the party in congress is divided amongst itself on many of these key issues and also, where there is agreement among republicans on capitol hill, isn't necessarily agreement between them and the white house, so it is going to be a piecemeal issue by issue basis, hope the republicans is that they can add to the tax reform success so that they can add to the tax reform success so that going into the mid—term elections this coming november, actually have something to defend and something to tell the voters it is worth supporting them

again. so plenty of fault lines. what is the priority then in the senate and in the house? what would they want to achieve this you? number one bottom line they want to achieve something, anything, to add to tax reform. i suspect they are going to think that if not the easiest in the least hardest policy file to make progress on would—be infrastructure. because there is the opportunity perhaps to pick off some democratic support in both the house and the senate because a lot of democrats agree that infrastructure isa democrats agree that infrastructure is a huge problem that needs government support, it is whether the republicans can convince those democrats that the republican idea ofa democrats that the republican idea of a public private financing partnership is good enough, because the democrats will want to know there are lots of union shovel ready jobs there. but if they can work with the democrats, they can get infrastructure bill through

congress, that would be popular around the country. infrastructure ta kes around the country. infrastructure takes money, of course, doesn't it, and we know that the finances are looming large in the coming weeks and months and that is going to be a particular problem, isn't it, for the republicans? it is. first and foremost the republicans congress need to avoid a government shut down. they have beenjust need to avoid a government shut down. they have been just piecemeal m, down. they have been just piecemeal in, punting this from month to month to get us into 2018 to keep the government's lights on and the cheques going out and the republicans always are the ones who lose politically when the government shut down either happens all we get to the residents of one. so they have every incentive to work with the democrats and to make the government function in the most basic sense, so that they can then work on these larger, more long—term issues, so i think it will happen in no other reason than its political suicide for the republicans to fail.

0k, patrick baysham, i'm glad we got there in the end! thank you for joining us. tributes have been paid to nasa's longest—serving astronaut, john young, who has died at the age of 87. he was one ofjust 12 men who have walked on the moon and went on to command the first space shuttle mission. tim allman has been looking back at his life. file: the commander, john young... if anyone had the right stuff, it wasjohn young. here he is in 1981, preparing for the launch of the first space shuttle. he'd been working for nasa for nearly than 20 years by this point, but when they needed an astronaut for their newest, most daring mission, there was only one choice. john was a fascinating, devoted and passionate, and really fearless man, and just a role model to so many astronauts, including the six people that are up on the space station right now. a life really well lived, and a good friend of mine. file: in the ready room, near launching pad 19,

they get into their spacesuits, the final mission briefing behind them. he first flew into space with the gemini mission, smuggling a corned beef sandwich on board as a gift for a fellow astronaut. and then came apollo, where he became only the ninth man to walk on the moon. but despite all his extraordinary achievements, he was not one to dwell on the past. i'm sure looking forward to getting people off this planet, because i think it will be very helpful to getting the future done right for the kids of tomorrow, our children and grandchildren, and that'll be a lot of fun. john young was born in san francisco in 1930, his family eventually moving to florida. he served in the us navy before joining nasa in 1962. in a statement, the agency called him "the astronaut‘s astronaut", saying that they,

and the world, had lost a pioneer. the legend are astronautjohn young, who has died at 87. —— legendary. stay with us on bbc news. still to come, from moscow to bethlehem and beyond. 0rthodox christians began their celebrations of the eastern christmas. the japanese people are in mourning following the death of emperor hirohito. thousands converged on the imperial palace to pay their respects when it announced he was dead. good grief! after half a century of delighting fans around the world, charlie brown and the rest of the gang are calling it quits. the singer paul simon starts his tour of south africa tomorrow, in spite of protests and violence from some black activist groups. they say international artists should continue to boycott south africa until majority rule is established. teams were trying to scoop up lumps

of oil as france recognises it faces an ecological crisis. three weeks ago, the authorities confidently assured these areas that the oil from the broken tanker erika would head out to sea. it didn't. the world's tallest skyscraper opens later today. the burj dubai has easily overtaken its nearest rivals. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: more than 30 cities in the eastern united states — including new york and boston — are expecting to experience record cold temperatures over the next few hours. let's return to our main story now, the record—breaking cold to hit the east coast of north america. it's forecast to fall below minus 30 degrees celsius in some parts. cold enough when you're at home, but imagine being homeless. let's stay with that story and spare

a thought for those who don't have a roof over their heads at the moment. the number of people sleeping rough in the united states rose for the first time in seven years last year, presenting a huge challenge for the homeless and those who help them at this time of year. a short time ago i spoke to karen lafrazia, who is ceo of st francis house, a homeless shelter in boston where 30 centimetres of snow has fallen in recent days. it has been a grisly, dangerously cold. we have in going into our second week now of having record raking cold, and i should say, we have a huge snowstorm two days ago whichjust made have a huge snowstorm two days ago which just made everything that much worse. “— which just made everything that much worse. —— record breaking cold. which just made everything that much worse. -- record breaking cold. how does it work? do people come to you looking for shelter, or is it a case of outreach? it is actually both. in boston we have places people can go and sleep at night. we have people

like saint francis house where people come to us during the day. right now everybody is working around the clock to make sure we don't lose anybody to the cold. there are outreach and vans going out and scouring the city for people, making sure that anybody who will come in, can come in. the chain station is open and pact, the subways are open. people are seeking refuge wherever they can.|j subways are open. people are seeking refuge wherever they can. i know that we have some pictures of another homeless shelter in the boston area, i know that they are all very, very busy. can you tell me, is it a case that people always wa nt to me, is it a case that people always want to come into the shelters, or are they sometimes distrustful?m isa are they sometimes distrustful?m is a combination of many things. i think the folks we are most concerned about our people that have a mental illness, theirjudgement is impaired by their mental health status. they are folks who are

distrustful of shelters of other people, they have a hard time making good choices and judgements about their own personal safety. so we as a community are very concerned about making sure those people, we can do outreach to them, bring them in, if they refuse to come in we give them bla nkets they refuse to come in we give them blankets and coats in hand warmers, we bring food to them. this is the entire city. it is the night shelters, it is the police department, it is the emergency services team. the transit, everybody working together. germany and turkey moved a step closer to reconciliation on saturday when germany's foreign minister hosted his turkish counterpart. the sides are attempting to improve relations, which have been strained over the last few years. seref isler reports. the turkish foreign minister had come to germany with an offer of new beginnings,

and he stayed for tea. his german counterpart offered a warm welcome, but it might take more than germany's famous kuchen to restore relations completely. but the body language was friendly and both men spoke of the need for dialogue, better co—operation, and mutual understanding. after all, germany is turkey's biggest export market and has the world's largest turkish diaspora. the two countries are nato allies and so, turkey's foreign minister mevlut cavusoglu was careful to stress the closeness of the two countries. translation: turkey and germany are both proud and honourable states. these two peoples do not give in to pressure, or threats. now, you could be forgiven for thinking that europe and turkey never had a falling out. but in 2017, when germany banned political rallies by turks ahead of the presidential referendum that gave president erdogan more powers, this was his response. translation: germany, you have no relation

whatsoever to democracy! you should know your current actions are no different to those of the nazi period! when we say that, they get disturbed. why are you disturbed? chancellor angela merkel, in turn, poured cold water on the prospect of turkey's long—running eu membership bid ever reaching fruition. turkey is now trying to turn the page, but concerns remain. turkey's eu bid has stalled in recent years, leading president erdogan to admit to french president macron on friday that turkey's long wait for eu membership was exhausting. erdogan‘s government has also arrested tens of thousands of officials, academics and activists in the wake of a botched coup attempt in 2016. this drew criticism from rights advocates, so perhaps it is not surprising that the german foreign minister's words urge cautious optimism. translation: we should not expect to have the same opinion of all subjects. there are differences of opinion. but i think it is in our best interest to continue our debate with openness and mutual respect,

on an equal footing. for now, it seems, sides have agreed to disagree. now, for some, the trees and decorations are coming down, as christmas finally draws to a close. but for others its onlyjust beginning. eastern orthodox christians traditionally celebrate christmas this weekend. whilst some denominations take part in the festival known as epiphany. russell trott explains. the bells ring out for christmas at the church of the nativity in bethlehem, which many believe was the birthplace of christ. the world's biggest eastern 0rthodox community is in russia, and the country's residents joined worshippers in saint petersburg for carols. in serbia, the orthodox

service ends with a traditional burning of a yule log. across the balkans and much of central and eastern europe, they celebrated holy christmas eve. back in bethlehem the traditional arrival of the holy land's traditional arrival of the holy lands the greek orthodox patriarch was locked, temporarily at least, by palestinians protesting at what they say is church land being sold to israelis in east jerusalem. eventually, theophilus the third did make it to join celebrations with the heads of the syrian and coptic 0rthodox churches. any chipped, despite recent attacks on coptic chrisjones, president despite recent attacks on coptic chris jones, president rcc despite recent attacks on coptic chrisjones, president rcc took part ina midnight chrisjones, president rcc took part in a midnight mass, part of the service in which they break their 43 leigh deagan fast. —— assisi. food

also plays an important role in mexico, where roman catholics might the epiphany of the three kings day celebrations, and a king—size cake is devoured. and after all the festive food, some physical exercise, with swimmers in greece immersing themselves in the traditional pursuit of retrieving a wooden cross. in rome, pope france's celebrated with a mass at the vatican, marking the end or some of the festive christmas season. —— pope france's. —— pope francis. and you can get in touch with me and most of the team on twitter. i'm @duncangolestani. hello there. sunday morning starts on a chilly note with sharp frost across all parts of the country and ice around as well, particularly in eastern england. through the day, once the mist and frost clears away, lots of sunshine.

a bit of a breeze in southern england taking the edge off those temperatures, but with highs ofjust zero to six degrees it will be a chilly one. sunday night, very cold, with a blue hue returning to the map. cloudy across parts of southern england, temperatures not falling as low here, but most places well below freezing once again in the countryside, with a chance of some ice first thing on monday. monday itself looks like another glorious day across scotland, northern ireland and northern england. wintry sunshine here. to the south across country, more cloud. top temperatures on monday, around 2—6 degrees. goodbye for now. this is bbc news.

the headlines: record—low temperatures are expected in 30 cities in the united states over the next few hours. new york's jfk airport set an all—time low on saturday, at minus 13 degrees celsius. in canada, temperatures approaching minus 50 degrees celsius are forecast in northern ontario and quebec. reports from syria say 17 people have been killed in airstrikes on a besieged, rebel—held stronghold close to the capital, damascus. aid workers said that, over the past ten days, ten hospitals had been hit by airstrikes in both this area and the rebel—held northern province of idlib. tributes have been paid to longest—serving american astronaut, john young, who has died at the age of 87. he first went into space in 1965.

now on bbc news, it is time for click.