this is bbc news. i'm freya cole with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk, pbs in america and around the world. police in the us city of nashville say a huge explosion in the city centre was a deliberate act. possible was a deliberate act. human remains are found. european union ambassadors receive hard copies of the post—brexit trade deal in a christmas day briefing led by michel barnier. the russian historian who murdered and dismembered his young lover is sentenced to 12.5 years behind bars. and joining the ranks of pop legends like the beatles and the spice girls, a couple who sing about sausage rolls become the third act in uk chart history to score three consecutive christmas number ones.

good evening. possible human remains have been found near the debris of a large explosion in the centre of the us city of nashville. the area has been sealed off and a large police investigation is now underway into what the authorities have confirmed was an intentional act. tanya dendrinos reports. blackened smoke and a street ablaze. as families awoke on christmas morning, a sinister scene unfolded in downtown nashville. woman gasps. officers first responding to a call shots had been fired. as officers responded, they encountered an rv that had a recording, saying that a potential bomb would detonate within 15 minutes.

officers, upon hearing that, decided to evacuate the buildings nearby. so they began knocking on doors, making announcements, having emergency communications to communicate with everyone to get people safe. the chilling recording ringing true, this aerial footage showing the scale of the destruction — time a saving grace. more than a0 businesses damaged. police have labelled the explosion a deliberate act. attention turning to the investigation with a plea for public assistance as authorities posted this image online. please tell us what you know. we need your leads and we need your help. when i going to rest until those who are responsible for this outrageous and cowardly attack are brought to justice. the next question, whether or not the explosion was fatal. we have found tissue that we believe could be remains and

we're just having that examined and then we will be able to let you know from that point. fbi experts are being brought in from across the country to help with the investigation. a cu rfew with the investigation. a curfew now in place in the impact zone. tanya dendrinos, bbc news. france has confirmed its first case of the variant of coronavirus, which first originated in the uk. the country's health ministry says the patient arrived on french soilfrom london on december 19. last sunday, president macron shut the country's border with britain after the new, more transmissible variant was found to be spreading in large parts of the south east of england. at midnight local time, tougher coronavirus restrictions came into force in many parts of the uk. a further 6 million people in the east and south east of england have now moved into tier a — the highest in england. northern ireland and mainland scotland have entered new lockdowns. and in wales, lockdown restrictions which were eased for christmas day

have been reimposed. meanwhile, thousands of lorry drivers spent christmas day stuck in their vehicles in kent, in south east england, waiting to be tested for coronavirus and to be cleared to continue their journey to france. another 800 military personnel have been sent to help with the testing, and to distribute food and water to those caught in the severe disruption around the port of dover. andy moore reports. yells. this lorry driver did not expect to spend christmas day stuck in a queue of traffic at dover. his frustration was obvious and shared by many others as they waited for the backlog to clear. some drivers have been stuck for days after france closed the border on sunday to stop the spread of a new strain of coronavirus. under police escort, groups of lorries were guided from their holding point at the disused manston airfield down to the port.

these drivers had tested negative and were cleared to go. horn blares. the transport secretary grant shapps said over 10,000 lateral flow tests had been carried out on drivers in kent and 2a were positive. more than a,500 lorries have crossed the channel, but that leaves thousands still to make the journey. for some drivers, that means a christmas stuck behind a wire fence, instead of at home. tradition! whole people — whole family stay on table. eat. relax. music. no? i stay here. local people are helping out with hot food and sympathy. because we live in dover, we wanted to do something — even though it's just a little something — and just spread a little bit of christmas cheer and take some hot mince pies and sausage rolls to people who probably or maybe would like them.

the cross—channel ferries have been sailing as soon as they have a full load of lorries. they're not usually as busy as this on christmas day, but this is not a normal christmas day in dover. andy moore, bbc news. eu ambassadors have been given a briefing about the post—brexit trade deal reached with the uk by the bloc‘s chief negotiator michel barnier. uk mps will vote on the deal in parliament next week, before the existing trade rules expire on the 31st of december. here's our political correspondent leila nathoo. glad tidings of greatjoy, because this is a deal. some light reading. the post—brexit deal agreed yesterday between britain and the eu runs to more than 1,200 pages. this morning, the man who negotiated it for the eu side, michel barnier, briefed ambassadors of eu member states on its detail. reporter: what is the plan for today, then?

mission accomplished! what's in that blue folder sets out how the eu and uk will trade and co—operate from the new year. to finally have something on paper is a success for both sides. the deal was done in the nick of time, with the uk already out of the eu and transition arrangements expiring within days. mps and peers will have until wednesday to digest the detail, before being called back to parliament for a debate. good evening. there are unlikely to be any hold—ups in westminster, though — labour is set to back it. we will certainly be better off with this deal and we have to make it work. no deal would have terrible consequences for our country, and the labour party could not enable that to happen. during the long months of negotiations, both sides seemed determined not to give ground. what's now on the table is a compromise, but those who campaigned for brexit have broadly given the deal a thumbs up.

if the contents are as described by the prime minister, then i think it is a very satisfactory outcome and actually, an extraordinarily good one, given the rather bum hand he had been dealt when he took over from theresa may. britain's new relationship with brussels is now more defined. eu ambassadors are weighing up how the future looks with the uk on the outside. the deal will need time to play out in practice but both sides will be relieved it was, against the odds, done. leila nathoo, bbc news. it's still unknown whether president trump will sign a stimulus bill which is currently in a congress stand—off. the bill has been flown to florida, where the president is spending christmas, in the event he will change his mind. millions of americans are currently face losing their pandemic—related unemployment benefits from boxing day. —— millions of americans currently face losing

their pandemic—related unemployment benefits from boxing day. mr trump refused to sign the measure into law unless it is amended, though republicans and democrats have blocked proposals. the coronavirus economic relief which comes with a $1.a trillion federal budget attached was agreed by both sides of the house. we can now speak to joshua shapiro, who is a chief us economist at the consulting firm maria fiorini ramirez, in new york. joshua, thank you so much for joining the programme. my pleasure. this stimulus stand—off over christmas time, over this pest —— festive period, it must face a lot of people under financial stress. people are already under financial stress and this is a long time coming, the fact that they left until the last minute was a disgrace and now with the game is is playing, it is even more of a disgrace and they should all be ashamed of themselves, basically. and joshua, currently people at the moment are receiving direct payments of up to $600 per

aduu payments of up to $600 per adult but don't actually think thatis adult but don't actually think that is the best way for this money to be spent, is that right? i think that the direct payments that are in the bill of $600 that donald trump wants them to raise to 2000 is an very in what is a very inefficient way of them doing it so inefficient way of them doing itsoa inefficient way of them doing it so a lot of people who are not getting the money are getting it rather than it being directed to the people who are unemployed or in dire straits. it is an easy way to get the money out quickly but a very inefficient way and it is wasteful and if they had spent, if they had done his earlier and some is correctly, they could have done it in a lot better than this bill is. it is better than this bill is. it is better than this bill is. it is better than nothing and he should sign it but they could have done a betterjob. and what do you think would be the best way to sort out this mess at this late stage in the year? well, the only way is to put a signature on the bill. if he does that he will probably not veto it and if he is not going to sign it they will do a pocket veto and it will die

because of the congressional calendar and then it is going to be up to the new congress to come up with something that presumably president biden would sign. but you know, that's almost one month from 110w that's almost one month from now and that is unacceptable. joshua, as an economist, what kind of advice would you be giving at the moment those 1a million people who are relying on the payment? they don't need my advice. i mean, people who don't have money who aren't going to get it from the government have a reason to be angry, they don't need an economist to tell them what to do. they are at the end of the rope right now. joshua, thank you so much for your time and let's hope it gets sorted soon. thank you. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: the power of setting a good example, by some world leaders are determined to have the vaccine jab in public. the world of music has

been paying tribute to george michael, who's died from suspected heart failure at the age of 53. he sold well over 100 million albums in a career spanning more than three decades. the united states' troops have been trying to overthrow the dictatorship of general manuel noriega. the pentagon says it's failed in its principle objective to capture noriega and take him to the united states to face drugs charges. the hammer and sickle was hastily taken away. in its place, the russian flag was hoisted over what is now no longer the soviet union, but the commonwealth of independent states. day broke slowly over lockerbie, over the cockpit of pan am's maid of the seas, nosedown in the soft earth. you could see what happens when a plane eight storeys high, a football pitch wide, falls from 30,000 feet. christmas has returned to albania after a communist ban lasting more than 20 years. thousands went to midnight mass in the town of shkoder, where there were anti—communist riots ten days ago.

this is bbc news. our main headline this hour: police in the us city of nashville say a huge explosion in the city centre was a deliberate act. possible human remains are found. let's get more on that story now. we are joined by the owner of a bar in nashville. he also lives near the side. tell us also lives near the side. tell usa also lives near the side. tell us a bit about what happened? there was a bomb that went off, it turns out, half a block from a place called natural underground, right on broadway. it was pretty devastating. national does not see stuff like this much. can you tell us about what you felt and what

you heard? i can tell you a lot about it. my brother, gavin and i live on the same floor in a high—rise building just a couple of blocks from the bar and it literally not as out of bed. i thought it was an earthquake. we panicked. i put my pants on, ran out into the hallway and try to figure out what was going on and it turns out it was some kind of attack. it must have come as a shock on christmas day. tell us a little bit about what the scene is like at the moment? i think everybody anything can is a bit dishevelled, including the authorities. nashville is not used to stuff like this and i am not so sure they can figure it out as quickly as it needs

to figure it out. it is not something we see much. tell us a little bit what that area is like usually. what is the neighbourhood like? where our bar is, it is more drinks cell per square foot than anywhere in the country, on the five blocks between faith and first ave. —— fifth. it is a huge pa rt ave. —— fifth. it is a huge part in town with a lot of residential high—rises as well. soa residential high—rises as well. so a lot of tourism and a lot of residents that kind of live in town. thank god we were sleeping when this thing happen. although i understand there are some casualties, u nfortu nately. there are some casualties,

unfortunately. thank you so much for your time and please ta ke much for your time and please take care. thank you, thanks for covering our town. thank you. politicians and celebrities have been filmed and photographed being vaccinated against the coronavirus. us president—electjoe biden, and israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu broadcast their experiences, and the latest is saudi arabia's crown prince mohammed bin salman, who was given a coronavirus vaccination live on television. the kingdom is beginning a nationwide immunisation programme and the health ministry says more than 500,000 people have registered to take the vaccine, so far. to talk about how the vaccination of high profile figures might enourage uptake in the wider population. i'm joined by dr noel brewer, professor of health behavior at the university of north carolina. thank you so much forjoining

us on thank you so much forjoining us on the programme. i wanted to start of by saying, do you think it helps by recruiting high—profile people like politicians and celebrities to get vaccinated and broadcast it on media and social media?m certainly does not hurt to have famous people getting the vaccine. communicate most important leap a social norm. this is simply what we do. this is what famous people do and this is what regular people can do as well. the message by movie stars as opposed to politicians may be slightly different. the vaccine is safe and effective when politicians do itand and effective when politicians do it and the system is working well. when celebrity do it, it brings along that brand as well and vaccination seem desirable. something you would want to do

to bea something you would want to do to be a little like them. do you think there is a perfect example, someone you think there is a perfect example, someone who might really effective in doing this? we have dramatic disparity in the us about who is dying from covid. african—americans are two or three times more likely to get it, so having spokespeople or having people getting the vaccine who are black is very important. who those people are is something you should ask the community themselves. some of that comes to mind for me is barack 0bama, famous movie stars but it is best to talk to the community and say who do you trust? do you think governments around the world are doing enough to increase positive messaging on this vaccine? i do not think we

are doing the right things yet. there is a lot in place and being developed. a big scramble to get the vaccine ready and out the door but the first stage is simply getting the vaccine available, the next is getting the message out but the reason a third stage which is behaviour change interventions and that is what i am looking forward to seeing. that is where we can change uptake globally. thank you so much for your time. a court in st petersburg has jailed a prominent russian historian, after he was found guilty of murdering and dismembering his young lover. 0leg sokolov was sentenced to 12.5 years for the killing of anastasia yeshchenko. he was found drunk in a river in november last year, with her severed arms in his backpack. the bbc‘s tim allman reports.

a grim and grizzly tail reaching its conclusion in a courthouse in saint petersburg. 0leg sokolov, a once respected historian, now can fit it of murder. also present the pa rents of murder. also present the parents of the young woman he killed, that to witness some justice at last. translation: this person is used to avoiding responsibility. he has high—ranking friends and connections. i am glad the court heard us and did not allow the defence to discredit the murdered girl. the murdered girl was anastasia yeshchenko, a postgraduate student who lived with 0leg sokolov for more than three years. he claimed she attacked him with an knife. he then shot her four times with a shotgun before

dismembering her body. you can see me on cctv camera dumping objects into the river. those objects into the river. those objects are believed to be the remains of anastasia yeshchenko. 0leg sokolov was a renowned authority on the life and legacy of napoleon bonaparte, even missing up to ta ke bonaparte, even missing up to take part in battle reenactment but human rights activists say this shows the indifference harassment and domestic violence that often takes place in russia. translation: this model of behaviour towards women, the violence against women, the violence against women is often unheard by out law enforcement bodies. if they had law enforcement bodies. if they ha d rea cted law enforcement bodies. if they had reacted earlier, i'm sure the debt of anastasia yeshchenko would have been impossible. oleg sokolov mahmoud abbas sentence has been criticised. prosecutors wanted him to serve 15 years behind but but as a lawyer for anastasia yeshchenko's parent

put it, no jail term anastasia yeshchenko's parent put it, no jailterm in anastasia yeshchenko's parent put it, no jail term in back their daughter. tim allman, bbc news. pope francis has urged leaders to urge people to get vaccinated. well, this time last year, there were 50,000 people in st peter's square, watching the pope's christmas urbi et orbi — "to the city and the world" — christmas message from the balcony of st peter's basilica. this year, st peter's square is completely cordoned off by police. we are in the middle of a christmas lockdown, and the pope spoke from inside the apostolic palace. the world has changed and many people's faith has been shaken, and coronavirus was very much at the heart of the pope's christmas message. he called on people to care for and to offer generosity to the victims of the pandemic. he also called on world leaders to co—operate,

so that there should be access to vaccines for all countries. he said, "we cannot erect walls," perhaps a message to the outgoing donald trump administration there. interesting, he singled out among the victims women who had suffered from domestic violence during months of lockdown. he talked about how his thoughts were for families who could not come together and those forced to remain at home, so the pandemic very much at the centre of this urbi et orbi message. he also then called for peace in the world's hotspots, from nagorno—karabakh to yemen, libya to mozambique. but this is a year in which the world as a whole has been fighting a war, and the pope's message was to people to arm themselves with compassion. first the beatles did it, then the spice girls, but now youtubers known as ladbaby have become the third act in uk history to get three consecutive christmas number ones,

with a song about... ..sausage rolls. lizo mzimba reports. # just a sausage roll...# ladbaby, driving his latest charity single into the record books. #..breathe in the nature...# a tongue—in—cheek new take on a popular classic... # don't stop me eatin'...# ..and a third consecutive christmas number one. the first year was actually just completely shocking. i think not only to us but the entire industry. i don't think anyone had seen me coming. i think last year, i think again, was kind of shocking, a bit unbelievable, noone thought we'd ever come back. this year, it's just on another level. i don't — hopefully, you know, it's really got the message out there about food banks and it's made everyone smile at a time when we all needed it. the last act to produce three christmas chart toppers in a row was the spice girls with 2 become 1... # i need some love like i never

needed love before... ..followed by too much... # too much of something...# # goodbye my friend...# ..and their almost farewell single, goodbye. now, nearly a quarter of a century later, that achievement has been equalled... # we built this city...# ..by ladbaby, with a series of sausage roll—themed charity songs. # i love sausage rolls...# the singles have all raised money for the trussell trust charity that supports hundreds of food banks and which helps those in greatest need. # a sausage roll feeling...# a christmas message embraced by the thousands who bought the song and helped it to reach the top of the charts. lizo mzimba, bbc news. well, i would really like to know what you think of that tune.

you can reach me on twitter at freya ? cole. thanks for your company. see you next hour. hello. well, the weather's still fairly quiet out there for the moment, but out in the atlantic looms storm bella. you can see it here on the satellite picture, a conveyor belt of cloud. the bulk of the wind and rain is still all out to sea, but you can see on the edge of the screen there, the coast of scotland and ireland. now, already in the morning, the winds will start to freshen in the western isles, the rain will pile in, but you can see that in northern ireland, much of wales and england, apart from a few showers, the weather actually doesn't look too bad at all. yes, it's fairly cloudy, but even a few sunny spells here and there. now, the temperatures in the morning will be a lot higher than they have been in the last couple of days, we're talking around 6 or 7 degrees. and it is going to be a relatively mild day,

and again, apart from the odd shower here and there, across england, wales, it should be mostly a dry day. but by the middle of the afternoon, it's raining in northern ireland, and the rain and wind would've spread deeper into scotland as well. but it's not until the evening hours when the really nasty weather arrives. so this is storm bella on the weather map. you can see a dartboard low there, lots of isobars and some very nasty winds linked to this cold front, which is going to be sweeping across the country. now, the worst of the weather will arrive during the night, into the early hours of sunday. very heavy rain across parts of western britain, but the strongest of the winds will be further south, and it's prompted the met office to issue an amber warning from the south coast of wales, south—western parts of england, along the coast, all the way to dover, up to 70 or 80 mph in gusts. further inland, the gusts right across wales and england will also be around 50—60 mph. that will lead to some damage and disruption. now, into sunday morning,

you can see that cold front, the tail end of it, just clearing the south—east of england, and then the skies clear. we find ourselves in the centre of the low pressure, and here, the weather will be quite changeable. there will be sunny spells, showers, some of them will be wintry, and it will be a good deal colder, temperatures 3—6 degrees, and then cold enough on monday for the potential of some snow there, even across southern parts of the uk. we're keeping a very close eye on this weather here developing in the south come monday. bye— bye.

this is bbc news, the headlines: the mayor of the us city of nashville has said he's amazed that there weren't more casualties after a huge explosion tore through a historic part of the city. three people are known to have been injured — and possible human remains have been found in the debris. eu ambassadors have been given a briefing about the post—brexit trade deal reached with the uk, by the bloc‘s chief negotiator michel barnier. in the uk, mps will vote on the deal in parliament, before the existing trade rules expire at the end of the month. the court in st petersburg has jailed a historic russian historian iview was found guilty of dismembering his young lover. he was sentenced toa12.5 young lover. he was sentenced to a 12.5 year term for the killing of anastacia you can