i'm babita sharma in london. the headlines: theresa may delays a crucial vote on her brexit deal, saying strong objections to the northern ireland backstop plan would mean defeat. if we went ahead and held the vote tomorrow, the deal would be rejected by a significant margin. we will therefore defer the vote scheduled for tomorrow. after a fourth weekend of violent protests, france's president macron promises a rise in the minimum wage and new tax concessions. i'm mariko oi in singapore. also in the programme: interstellar. the voyager 2 space probe, which left earth 41 years ago, has become only the second man—made object to leave our solar system. and among the stars for newsday‘s very own rico hizon, who gets honoured on manila's walk of fame. it is 1:00am here in london, where theresa may has taken the extraordinary step of postponing the house of commons vote that she hoped would back her brexit deal, because she knew she was going to lose. instead, she promised mps at westminster that she would go back to her fellow european leaders

and ask for reassurances about the northern ireland backstop deal. but the eu has said the current deal can't be reopened. here is our political editor laura kuenssberg. the landmarks look the same, but these are extraordinary days this place will remember. on the prime minister's most important plan, the brexit compromise that has taken more than two years, theresa may simply didn't have the mps to back her. so instead, the prime minister backed down. if we went ahead and held the vote tomorrow, the deal would be rejected by a significant margin. we will therefore defer the vote scheduled for tomorrow, and not proceed to divide the house at this time. in other words, she knew she would lose, so there'll be no vote tomorrow. instead, she is appealing to the rest of the eu to look again at the most controversial part of the agreement, the backstop. i will go to see my counterparts in other member states and the leadership of the council and the commission.

i will discuss with them the clear concerns that this house has expressed. but the government's efforts to compromise have led them to a crisis. the government has lost control of events, and is in complete disarray. it's been evident for weeks that the prime minister's deal did not have the confidence of this house, yet she ploughed on regardless, reiterating this is the only deal available. this is a bad deal for britain, a bad deal for our economy, and a bad deal for our democracy. our country deserves better than this. but, if the prime minister is banking on the eu making changes, it doesn't sound promising — not at all. the withdrawal agreement, including the irish backstop, is the only agreement on the table. it took over a year and a half to negotiate, it has the support of 28 governments, and it's not possible to reopen any aspect of that agreement without reopening all aspects of it. reporter: can you really improve your deal, prime minister?

for weeks, the chatter in this circus has been whether she can win her argument, but theresa may's enemies might now accuse her of losing her nerve. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. we will bring you the view from brussels on what might happen next, and how the european union is reacting to today's events, in just a few minutes here on newsday. let's take a look at some of the day's other news, and we start with another european leader having a testing time. president macron made a nationally televised address following a fourth weekend of violent protests in france. the demonstrators calling themselves the yellow jackets said they were motivated by the economic difficulties created by mr macron‘s policies. he has already delayed another planned increase in the cost of fuel, and on monday he went further, offering an increase in the minimum wage and scrapping plans to increase taxes for some low—wage pensioners. translation: i take my share of the responsibility,

and i am aware that there is a feeling that i am not worried, that i have other priorities. i also know that i have caused issues for some of you with my reforms. but let me be clear tonight. if i have fought to reform the political system, the bad habits, the hypocrisy, it is because i love and i have faith in this country above all else, and my legitimacy does not come from any title, any party, nor any affiliation, but from all of you, from nowhere else. also making news this hour: meng wanzhou, the executive from the chinese tech giant huawei who was detained in canada following an american request for her extradition, says she has needed medical treatment for hypertension

while being held injail. her lawyers want her to be released on bail while she fights against extradition, and are worried that her health would deteriorate further while she was incarcerated. a judge has just decided that a decision won't be made for another day. a british court has ruled that an indian tycoon who came to the uk as his business empire collapsed can be extradited to india to stand trial. vijay mallya was charged with fraud after allegedly failing to repay more than $1 billion of debts. he maintains his innocence. the british home secretary will now decide if he will be repatriated. this year's nobel peace prize winners have collected their awards at a ceremony in norway. nadia murad and denis mukwege were honoured for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence against women as a weapon of war. nadia murad was kidnapped and abused by islamic state militants in northern iraq. this was her message. translation: let us all unite to fight injustice and oppression.

let us raise together our voices and say no to violence, yes to peace, no to slavery, yes to freedom, no to racial discrimination, yes to equality and to human rights for all. researchers in australia say they may have found a strain of coral which is able to resist rising sea temperatures. the study was carried out on a part of the great barrier reef which survived bleaching caused by warmer water over two consecutive years. officials in north carolina say the state has experienced an entire year's snowfall in just one day. more than 300,000 people in the region lost their power supplies over the weekend. the governor of north carolina warned that some roads were now effectively ice rinks, and there is been widespread disruption to airports as well. let's have more on our main story this hour, the brexit process.

as we have heard, the british prime minister, theresa may, has delayed a vote on the deal in parliament after accepting she had no chance of winning. she says she will now speak once again to european leaders to try to get enough change to persuade the british parliament to back her. that might not be easy, as our europe editor katya adler reports. eu leaders tonight are reflecting on their brexit options, taken by surprise by the delay to the brexit vote in parliament. that brexit deal is the eu's final offer, they say, but they know too the prime minister needs their help. tonight, donald tusk, the european council president, announced a special brexit summit of eu leaders this thursday. to negotiate? no, he says, to facilitate the ratification of the deal in the uk. the decision to delay the brexit vote in parliament, while dramatic in the uk,

actually changes very little here in the eu. of course eu leaders want that vote to pass. they want to avoid an no—deal brexit. so they're open now to hearing from the prime minister what she needs from them — up to a point. reassurances on the backstop — that, they can provide. renegotiation, absolutely not, is the view here tonight. the eu is well aware the main sticking point in the brexit deal is the irish border guarantee known as the backstop, something the eu shows no sign of backing away from. the deal‘s the deal. it's taken two years to put together. it is a fair deal for both sides. it protects from an irish perspective and from a british perspective peaceful relationships on the island of ireland. critics in the uk don't like the backstop because it keeps the uk tied to eu customs regulations, prevents the uk from making its own trade deals,

and the uk needs the eu's go—ahead to get out of the backstop once it is triggered. theresa may's europe adviser, 0lly robbins, was snapped arriving here in brussels this afternoon, ahead of her visit. but what is the eu prepared to give? they will be, i think, a receptive audience for suggestion that certain aspects might need to be clarified or explained better. clarified but not changed? i understand that to be the position, yes. people want this done now. it is a distraction at a time when there are many other burning issues in european politics. frustration is growing in some parts of the eu. take a look at this exasperated tweet today from the european parliament's brexit negotiator. the eu believes a decent deal is on the table, and the ball

is in the uk's court. that is why it is not significantly changing position. but the threat of a no—deal brexit, that neither the prime minister nor the eu want, looms ever larger on both sides of the channel. katya adler, bbc news, brussels. a landmark in space exploration to report now, because nasa says its voyager 2 probe has left the solar system. it was launched over four decades ago, and has flown pastjupiter, saturn, uranus and neptune. mission control say it is now in interstellar space, about 18 billiion km from earth. the only other man—made object which has gone as far is its sister mission, voyager 1. 0ur science correspondent victoria gill is at nasa, and sent us this update. both of these probes left earth just a few days apart in 1977. so 41 years later, this particular probe, voyager 2, has been the second

object to leave what we call the heliosphere. now, it is a little bit nuanced as to whether it has left the solar system. the scientists involved in the voyager mission are very careful not to use that phrase, although we use it because it has left the bubble that is contained by our sun, this protective bubble of particles emitted by the sun, and the magnetic fields that protects us from all the cosmic rays from interstellar space. so it is now exploring the space between the stars. it has headed out into interstellar space, followed its twin voyager1 probe into that blackness. so it is doing just brand—new science. and, even though this is a 41—year—old veteran craft, this is far from the end. suzanne dodd, who is the project manager on voyager, said that she actually hopes that both of these probes would last until 2027, keep talking to earth for 50 years, a 50—year—long space mission.

still phoning home, still picking up new signals about just what is emitted around the rest of our galaxy. all of those cosmic rays that are trying to get in through that protective bubble that our planet is contained within. so a few more years of the voyager mission to go yet. you are watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme: a bittersweet pill to swallow. singapore considers banning the sale of drinks with too much sugar. also on the programme: i am no scrooge. i am sk lu. sklu! a christmas carol with an asian twist. we find out how the pantomime is becoming more popular around the world. john lennon was shot at the entrance to the dakota building, in the centre of new york. there's been a crowd here, standing in more or less silent vigil, and the flowers have been piling up. the 14th ceasefire of this

war ended at the walls of the old city of dubrovnik. this morning, witnesses said shells were landing every 20 seconds. people are celebrating the passing of a man they hold responsible for hundreds of deaths and oppression. elsewhere, people have been gathering to mourn his passing. imelda marcos, the widow of the former president of the philippines, has gone on trial in manila. she's facing seven charges of tax evasion. she pleaded not guilty. the prince and princess of wales are to separate. a statement from buckingham palace said the decision had been reached amicably. this is newsday. i'm marika 0i in singapore. i'm babita sharma in london.

our top stories: turmoil in westminster as theresa may delays a crucial vote at the last minute on her brexit deal, that she seemed certain to lose. after a fourth week of violent protests, france's president macron promises a rise in the minimum wage and new tax concessions let's take a look at some front pages from around the world. the new york times reports on the search for gifts handed out by a malaysian fugitive. the flamboyant financier named jho low is accused of siphoning billions from the govenment. the us has already tracked down a see—through grand piano as well as works by van gogh and monet. the south china morning post is looking into a very hands—off approach to the future of driving. south korea's prime minister went for a spin at a centre built to test self—driving vehicles. it's all part of a fake town created to simulate different driving conditions. and the japan times reports on the 16—year—old figure

skater who's heading for stardom. rika kihira showed off her skills after winning the grand prix final in vancouver. she's now in the running to represent japan at the winter 0lympics. now mariko — some brexit misbehaviour is proving to be a bit of a hit online. yes — a british mp has landed himself in hot water by seizing the ceremonial mace in the house of commons. lloyd russell—moyle from the opposition labour party said he was acting in protest at the way theresa may had handled brexit. under the parliament's rules, debate has to stop if the mace is removed — and it's only ever happened twice before. it was swiftly replaced, allowing events to resume. mr russell—moyle has been suspended from the house for his actions. for many people in the uk. pantomimes are one of the best things about christmas. if you're not familiar with them,

they take a traditional childrens‘ story, add singing, dancing, and a lot of rather bad puns. the shows are starting to prove popular around the world, but often with a local twist as sharajit leyl found out in singapore. bah humbug! sounds familiar? well, the classic tale of charles dickens‘ a christmas carol gets an asian update by a theatre company in singapore. ebenezer scrooge is recreated as s k loo, a mogul who's made his fortune as an app developer intent on taking away human interaction and affection. i am no scrooge, i am s k loo! skloo! s k loo is very media savvy.

he's a crazy rich asian who is very aware of his social standing, about climbing the social ladder and at every cost, at the cost of his own soul, will achieve success in his business. the pa nto's director says in addition to drawing inspiration from asia, the production is also looking to present society and people's interconnectedness with technology. we have, running through the whole story, the same themes that dickens had written for scrooge, for a christmas carol, but along the way, we updated the ghosts. we have asianised some of the ghosts, and we've brought the story forward to the 21st century. there's lots of technology, there's multimedia, we have the audience are playing with their phones and leading him on this journey of redemptions. as with every panto comedy formula, no prizes for guessing

there are plenty of gags for the grown—ups and the children, from crazy rich asians to the latest trendy apps. i write the app that makes the whole world sing. well, the british pantomime is based on the tradition of taking a beloved fairytale and turning it into family entertainment. what we've done for our audience in singapore is to really look at the year's happenings in culture, socially and politics, and we just hold up a mirror. all around was good... and just like any pantomime, the finale brings redemption and a happy ever after. something that transcends all cultures. sharanjit leyl, bbc news, singapore. 3 million people around the world die each year as a result of being overweight or obese.

many countries are looking to tackle the problem by encouraging healthy eating and more exercise but in singapore, it could go one stage further. the ministry of health here is starting a consultation on banning the sale of packaged drinks with a high sugar content. earlier i spoke to matt kovac, the executive director of food industry asia, and i asked him if the ban would be effective. what the singapore government has done is come up with a public consultation on a range of different measures. of course, the ban on some sweetened beverages high in sugar has captured some headlines. we would say that right now, you have to look at a whole package of different measures, and perhaps a ban is a bit of a knee—jerk reaction, and so if you look at different other measures that can be implemented that can really improve positive health outcomes, we would definitely

advocate for those. tell me about those other measure you think would probably be more effective. right now there's a couple of areas. one is definitely the food innovation or reformulation drive companies are going through. around seven major beverage companies have reformulated their beverage portfolios, ranging from ones with less sugar right down to zero—calorie. that's been ongoing for the last year so they're already in motion aggressively with reducing sugar. the other is around education. there's plenty of information about health, diets and foods but we need a stronger focus on educating particularly children in general about health and the foods they eat. what about advertisement of those products shown on television, online, is that something that could be regulated? there's a couple of markets in asia that have regulated, but there's countries like singapore, thailand, malaysia, the philippines and even india that have voluntary measures where industry has actually stepped up and decided to protect children's rights, particularly those under the age of 12 or 13, not to market directly to children at peak periods when they're watching tv or reading magazines or listening to radio. so industry has done quite a bit like that. certainly in the singapore context,

where government was collaborative with industry, they worked together to put in place some of these marketing restrictions to children and it's been quite effective. we would say we would like to continue to do that across different markets with responsible companies. it's obviously a global problem, but which countries are facing the biggest challenge in your view, especially here in asia? of course, north america is facing quite a big challenge, but certainly in asia, rates of obesity and chronic diseases in places... and type 2 diabetes in places like india, china, but also singapore and malaysia is on the increase and are on the up. it's a complex subject, 0k. it's important we look at maintaining a healthy, balanced diet but also exercise just to maintain our weight, many are leading quite sedentary lifestyles at these days and exercise is a big part of a healthy, balanced diet. you see products with less sugar and good branding but that's not

to say it doesn't have any sugar and is healthy? there's a range of products, those with high sugar all the way down to zero—calorie and don't have any sugar, they have artificial or natural sweeteners. consumers have a range of choice of products that they can buy. that is up to the consumers to choose which ones they want to purchase. now — in case you've been wondering where rico is, he's been receiving an honour in his home town, manila. this is his star on the city's walk of fame being unveiled. it honours filipinos who've had global success so we're sure you'll agree rico's place on it is well earned. he took a selfie or two and in true hollywood style,

he didn't forget to thank everyone. this recognition is not mine alone, because i've worked with three prestigious news networks — gma news and public affairs, cnbc business news and bbc world news. i would like to dedicate this award as world to the men and women behind the cameras, the producers, the reporters, the writers, because without them, i wouldn't be here on stage. i would like to share this award with them. and the other presenters! but we are so proud of him. and he will be back with us in singapore and we are wondering if he will

shout us breakfast as a token thank you. not him, i don't think. maybe a cup of tea, breakfast might be pushing it. now that he has his name, he is a star. ricoh, we are so proud of you and we can't wait to see one new state tomorrow. you have been watching newsday. i'm babita sharma in london and i'm mariko 0i in singapore. stay with us — coming up in asia business report, we'll look at the effects brexit is having on international stock markets, and currency exchange rates. and before we go, this is what a bit of scrap metal can become. wonderful art sculptures. the artist has created more than a hundred designs. he says he's also happy to work with wood when the right sort of scrap is not available. look at that, very impressive. looks a little bit like rico, actually.

that is it from mariko and i. she will be back in business later. for now, goodbye. hello. well, tuesday isn't going to bring any major changes to our weather, neither is wednesday. it's probably from around thursday, friday, that's when things will start to change, it'll turn bit colder and the weekend is also looking interesting. at the moment, we've a lot of cloud across the uk. this is the satellite image from monday into the early hours of tuesday. a lot of cloud across the uk. there are storms in the atlantic trying to come our way, but they can't because of high pressure building to the east of us, and that prevents from the weather heading our way. so effectively we've got a little mild air in western parts of the uk, the colder air is in the east here, so first thing on tuesday morning

we've got a touch of frost anywhere from norwich all the way up to eastern scotland. belfast and plymouth will be quite a bit milder, around 5—6 degrees. the weather on tuesday, as i said, not much happens, quite a lot of cloud across the country, especially these central areas. not absolutely everywhere. some sunshine in scotland, the clouds may break up a little bit further south too and this weatherfront, as i said, doesn't really move much because of the high pressure building to the north and north—east of us. here it is around scandinavia, building into europe as well, and basically when we get that pattern of intense high pressure, these weather systems are stuck in the atlantic. they come close, nibbling into parts of ireland with stronger winds and milder air, they don't quite cross us.

the thinking for wednesday — a lot of cloud across the uk, a low behind me trying to get in but it can't because of the building high pressure. ahead of it, a few dribs and drabs of rain expected in the far west of the british isles, but that's pretty much it. dry day on wednesday, often cloudy but some sunny spells around as well. that high pressure, with its east to south—easterly winds, will finally win and dominate by the time we get to thursday, sending colder airfrom europe. so easterly winds will increase across the uk, the temperatures drops. even in london we're talking only about 5, 6 degrees from thursday onwards, and with that easterly wind, it's going to feel even colder than that. temperatures will feel like they're around zero or so, a really nippy day ahead on thursday and friday. friday night into saturday, we think the high pressure loses eventually and low pressure wins, and weather fronts may bump into old air, so we could see a period of snow in parts of northern britain, but still a long way off so we'll keep you posted on that. bye— bye. i'm babita sharma with bbc news. our top story: the british prime minister, theresa may, has postponed the vote which she hoped would back her

brexit deal. knowing she was likely to lose, the prime minister promised parliament that she would go back to her fellow european leaders and ask for reassurances about the northern ireland backstop deal. but the eu has said the current deal can't be reopened. after a fourth weekend of violent protests, france's president macron has promised a rise in the minimum wage and new tax concessions, in an adress on national tv. —— address. and this story is trending on bbc.com: nasa's voyager 2 space probe has become only the second man—made object to leave our solar system for interstellar space. the craft was launched in the 1970s with the aim of studying the outer planets, jupiter, saturn, uranus and neptune, but kept on going. that's all. stay with bbc world news. and one other story here in the uk: a convicted paedophile has been found guilty of murdering two