this is bbc news — these are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world. the us joins the growing list of countries restricting travel from southern africa amid fears a new covid variant found there could be more resistant to vaccines. two people are killed as storm arwen batters the uk with strong winds, rain and snow. the former england cricket captain michael vaughan says he's "sorry for all the hurt" azeem rafiq went through during the yorkshire racism scandal. i played for yorkshire county cricket club for 18 years, and if any way, shape or form cricket club for 18 years, and if any way, shape orform i am responsible for any of his hurt, i apologise for that.

and the legendary us composer and songwriter stephen sondheim, who was behind some of broadway's best known musicals has died at the age of 91. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. the us and australian government have become the latest to impose travel restrictions on southern african countries, in response to warnings about a new covid—19 variant, known as omicron. a growing number of world leaders have announced tighter border controls since south african

scientists identified the strain. the world health organization has called it a �*variant of concern�* due to its mutations and because early evidence suggests that it carries a higher risk of infection. but the who also said that it would take a few weeks to understand the impact of this new variant. amid the concern, the uk government has added six african countries — south africa, namibia, zimbabwe, botswana, lesotho and eswatini — to the travel red list, meaning travellers from these countries will not be able to enter the uk, unless they are uk or irish nationals, or uk residents. meanwhile, in the latest development, we're hearing that the dutch authorities are carrying out further tests to see if 61 passengers who tested positive for covid on arrival in amsterdam from south africa have the new variant. our health correspondent dominic hughes has more. covid variant b.1.1.529 now has a name, omicron, according to the world health organization, which met in geneva last night to discuss the threat posed by this mutation of the coronavirus.

the who had advised against travel bans, stressing instead that the measures we are all so familiar with — hand hygiene, masks and social distancing — are more important than ever. what's really important as an individual is to lower your exposure. these proven public health measures have never been more important — distancing, wearing of a mask, making sure that it's over your nose and mouth, with clean hands, making sure you avoid crowded spaces, be in rooms where there's good ventilation, and when it's your turn, get vaccinated. but governments around the world have taken a different view. the uk isjust one a number of countries to have imposed bans on southern african nations where cases have been identified. the united states, the eu, singapore, israel, japan, and kenya are among those who have either imposed bans and restrictions on travellers or are considering them. i've decided that we're going to be cautious and make sure there's no travel to and from south africa and six other countries in that region — except for american

citizens, who are able to come back. the who has described omicron as a variant of concern. it is the most mutated version of the virus yet, scientists identifying 50 mutations overall. more than 30 are on the spike protein, the target of most vaccines. and on the part of the virus that makes first contact with our body's cells, there are ten mutations compared to just two for the delta variant. we do not know whether prior vaccination will protect from hospitalisation. we don't yet know whether the increased cases they are seeing in south africa will stabilise over time, but it is highly concerning at the rapid rate of increase in cases associated with this variant. all this comes as europe is facing a fresh wave of covid infections

still linked to the delta variant. in the netherlands, fresh restrictions will come into force tomorrow. venue such as bars, cafes, museums and cinemas will have to close from 5pm. but, as so often through the course of this pandemic, decisions are clouded by uncertainty. exactly how transmissible this new variant is, whether it will make people sicker, the impact on existing treatments and how effective vaccines will be against it are all unknowns. it is likely to be some weeks before the answers to those questions become clear. dominic hughes, bbc news. authorities in the netherlands have confirmed that 61 passengers who have arrived in the country on two flights from south africa have tested positive for covid—19. they've been placed in isolation at a hotel near amsterdam's schipol airport. they were among about 600 passengers who were held for several hours after arrival while they were tested for the virus. the dutch authorities are carrying out further testing to see if there are any cases

of the omicron variant. we can speak now to bbc africa's health correspondent, rhoda odhiambo, who is in nairobi. how severe is the situation on the ground? how severe is the situation on the round? ., ,, ., how severe is the situation on the round? ., ~ u, ., ground? right now in south africa a lot of peeple _ ground? right now in south africa a lot of peeple are — ground? right now in south africa a lot of people are on _ ground? right now in south africa a lot of people are on high _ ground? right now in south africa a lot of people are on high alert - lot of people are on high alert given that the who has named the variant as on the ground, and they are stressing the fact people have to observe the measures that have been put in place —— name two the vibrant as omicron. south africa is one of the countries that has experienced an increasing number of covid-19 experienced an increasing number of covid—19 cases due to this variant but they also have a number of vaccines being used and that's why the government is calling on people to get vaccinated, as they stand a better chance of them not becoming severely ill with the disease. what is not known is the risk of severity if they are exposed to this virus, but the initial findings were that

most of the cases presented had mild symptoms. most of the cases presented had mild s mtoms. ., ., ., ., symptoms. rhoda, we will have to leave it there _ symptoms. rhoda, we will have to leave it there for _ symptoms. rhoda, we will have to leave it there for now. _ symptoms. rhoda, we will have to leave it there for now. thank - symptoms. rhoda, we will have to leave it there for now. thank you | leave it there for now. thank you for your time. an update from nairobi there. dr lindsay broadbent is a virologist at queen's university belfast. thank you forjoining us. first of all, there's a lot we don't know about this variant at the moment, but given how mutated it is and how much it has changed from the original variant, much it has changed from the originalvariant, how much it has changed from the original variant, how likely is it that existing vaccines will be effective against it? im’ith that existing vaccines will be effective against it? with this new variant of concern, _ effective against it? with this new variant of concern, there - effective against it? with this new variant of concern, there are - effective against it? with this new variant of concern, there are over| variant of concern, there are over 30 mutations in the gene that codes the spike protein, which of course we know that all the vaccines that are currently licensed that we are using are directed against the spike protein. there is a little bit of uncertainty if there might be some

immune escape with this variant. it's going to take a couple of weeks to figure that out. on paper we should say the variant looks very bad, but we have seen occasions in the past where variants have looked very bad and in real—world situations they haven't proved to be as deadly as we first feared. it will take a couple of weeks to establish the situation with this variant. how much longer then after that what it take to develop or amend the existing vaccines if that were necessary? it amend the existing vaccines if that were necessary?— amend the existing vaccines if that were necessary? it shouldn't really take too long _ were necessary? it shouldn't really take too long if _ were necessary? it shouldn't really take too long if that _ were necessary? it shouldn't really take too long if that is _ were necessary? it shouldn't really take too long if that is needed, - take too long if that is needed, particularly with the mrna vaccines. the platform they are developed on can be adapted very quickly. of course, there was vaccines will then need to be checked and tested and some safety checks will need to be conducted before it is rolled out to the general population. we conducted before it is rolled out to the general population.— the general population. we have travel restrictions _ the general population. we have travel restrictions in _ the general population. we have travel restrictions in place -

travel restrictions in place affecting travel from some southern african countries. do you think that is enough given the variant has been detected in belgium? it is is enough given the variant has been detected in belgium?— detected in belgium? it is hard to sa , and detected in belgium? it is hard to say. and of _ detected in belgium? it is hard to say, and of course _ detected in belgium? it is hard to say, and of course i _ detected in belgium? it is hard to say, and of course i think- say, and of course i think the amsterdam situation, everyone is watching that very closely because if any of those passengers that have tested positive for this variant of concern, that changes the picture because it opens up the possibility that the flights that depart just before that flight could also have kind of transported this variant across the world. so i think we are really going to know quite a lot more today. but what we need to remember is the best way to slow down the spread of any variant and this variant of concern is to reduce transmission in general. if europe and the uk can get a handle on transmission at the minute of any variant, that will go a long way to help contain the omicron variant.

what would that look like, getting a handle on it? because many people will be wondering and fearing that this might require another lockdown. i think we want to do everything we can to avoid lockdown. no one enjoys a lockdown. it isn't good for the economy or anyone's mental health so we need to do the steps before lockdown. we are talking about mask wearing when you are indoors, when you are close to people. we are talking about really good ventilation, respiratory hygiene, social distancing, all of those things that are very easy to do and don't cost a lot. they don't impede on our way of life a lot but they do have an effect on the level of transmission of this virus. thank you. dr lindsay broadbent, who is a virologist at queen's university belfast.

northern parts of the uk have been hit by winds of almost 100 miles an hour overnight, caused by storm arwen. two people are now known to have died. amber and yellow weather warnings remain in place, with more strong winds and further travel disruption expected. in wales there is a major rail disruption with many routes cancelled. tens of thousands of people are waking up this morning without power. louisa pilbeam has the latest. storm arwen moved in from the east, hitting aberdeenshire with huge waves, gusts of more than 90mph, and snow. red warnings signalling danger to life are rare. this the first in almost two years. so treacherous were the conditions on roads that police scotland told people in red warning areas not to drive. i can barely stand _ warning areas not to drive. i can barely stand up! _ warning areas not to drive. i can barely stand up! storm - warning areas not to drive. i can barely stand up! storm chaser i warning areas not to drive. i can i barely stand up! storm chaser sean filmed this for _ barely stand up! storm chaser sean filmed this for his _ barely stand up! storm chaser sean filmed this for his social— barely stand up! storm chaser sean filmed this for his social media - filmed this for his social media channels. . , filmed this for his social media channels. ., , , ., .,

channels. that is brutal. i have never in all _ channels. that is brutal. i have never in all my _ channels. that is brutal. i have never in all my life _ channels. that is brutal. i have never in all my life seen - channels. that is brutal. i have never in all my life seen a - channels. that is brutal. i have. never in all my life seen a storm like this. ., , . , , , like this. train services suffered ma'or like this. train services suffered major disruption. _ like this. train services suffered major disruption. lner, - like this. train services suffered major disruption. lner, which l like this. train services suffered . major disruption. lner, which runs routes from london kings cross to aberdeen and inverness said on friday evening its trains would not be going beyond newcastle. and they advised customers not to travel until monday, with weekend tickets valid until wednesday. overnight on the m 62, junctions 21 and 22 were closed after more than 100 and 20 hgvs got stuck in the snow. in north—east scotland, and amber warning remains in place, and in south—west england and wales. i warning remains in place, and in south-west england and wales. i want to net south-west england and wales. i want to get home — south-west england and wales. i want to get home and _ south-west england and wales. i want to get home and wrap _ south-west england and wales. i want to get home and wrap up _ south-west england and wales. i want to get home and wrap up and - south-west england and wales. i want to get home and wrap up and not - south—west england and wales. i want to get home and wrap up and not go out. �* , ., ., ., , out. it's going to get worse. the electrics are _ out. it's going to get worse. the electrics are going _ out. it's going to get worse. the electrics are going to _ out. it's going to get worse. the electrics are going to go, - out. it's going to get worse. the electrics are going to go, i - out. it's going to get worse. the electrics are going to go, i knowj electrics are going to go, i know that _ electrics are going to go, i know that. �* , ., ., , . that. and the storm even affected the itv i'm _ that. and the storm even affected the itv i'm a _ that. and the storm even affected the itv i'm a celebrity _ that. and the storm even affected the itv i'm a celebrity show. - the itv i'm a celebrity show. because of storm arwen, for the

first time ever, we are not coming to you live. first time ever, we are not coming to you live-— to you live. this programme was filmed earlier _ to you live. this programme was filmed earlier this _ to you live. this programme was filmed earlier this evening - to you live. this programme was i filmed earlier this evening because conditions — filmed earlier this evening because conditions are forecast to get worse — conditions are forecast to get worse. ~ ., , , ., conditions are forecast to get worse. , , ., , ~ , worse. more disruption is likely toda . the former england cricket captain michael vaughan has spoken publicly for the first time since being accused of racism, by his yorkshire team—mate azeem rafiq. speaking to dan walker before the england and wales cricket board released a new action plan to tackle racism and discrimination, he apologised for any hurt he may have caused. michael vaughan leading england to the ashes in 2005. now he is fighting for his reputation after being accused by three asian players of making a racist comment ahead of a game for yorkshire. "too many of you lot, we need to do something about it." do you in any way remember or recognise those words? i don't. my recollection from that day — as i've said, i was a yorkshire

player for 18 years. i was the first player to sign for that club that was not born in the county, so in 18 years we've gone from me being the first to sign for the club, for sachin tendulkar to be the first from overseas, to players being able to sign from other clubs. and it was my last few games, and ijust remember it clearly that i was proud as punch that we had four asian players representing yorkshire county cricket club. it was azeem rafiq, the yorkshire whistleblower, who made the initial allegation. he has said that michael vaughan might not remember the alleged remarks because they didn't mean anything to him. yes, that hurts. that hurts, because i've always felt that every single team that i've been involved in — the biggest praise i ever got as the england captain for six years was that i was the kind of person that really galvanised the group, got the team working together as one.

i always felt that i was the person in the dressing room that really wanted everyone to feel included. michael, you said you wanted to sit down with azeem and hear his story. the chances are he could be watching you this morning. he could be watching this now. what would be your message to him? i'm sorry for the hurt that he's gone through. yorkshire county cricket club, i believe, is me. you know, it's been my life. whether i'm a player or not, i'm a senior ex—player and ex england captain, and i believe that once you've played for yorkshire you're always a yorkshire player. i'm sorry for all the hurt that he's gone through. hopefully — time, i don't think, can ever be a healer in the situation he's gone through, but hopefully time can be a way of us making sure that yorkshire county cricket club never goes through this situation again and never puts themselves in a position of denial that they treated a player so badly.

vaughan says he wants to work with azeem rafiq to repair the damage done to cricket. he also says he regrets and is embarrassed by several posts he made on social media between 2010 and 2018, insisting he wouldn't post them now. when i look back on my 12 years on social media, i regret many tweets. i regret the tweets that you've just read out. i apologise deeply to anyone that i offended with those tweets. since retirement, michael vaughan has covered cricket for bbc radio, but earlier this week it was revealed that he has been stood down from his role at the ashes in australia this winter. yeah, i won't be doing the ashes, which i understand. editorial at the minute, the story is all about azeem rafiq and racism in the game of cricket. i get that. ijust hope, in time, i get that chance to come back, and the one thing that i've loved more than anything since i retired is talking cricket.

i love being on test match special, and hopefully in time i'll get that chance to do it again. michael vaughan's hopes for a return to the airwaves rest with his employers. it is his hope that he will have a role in helping to repair the damage done to cricket by this racism scandal. we put the remarks made by michael vaughan in that interview to azeem rafiq, but he declined to comment. a kurdish woman from northern iraq has become the first person from this week's boat disaster in the channel to be identified. 24—year—old maryam nuri mohammed amin was among 27 people who died while attempting to reach the uk. mark lobel has more. 24—year—old maryam nuri mohammed amin from northern iraq, the first named victim in the biggest loss of life by drowning in the channel in many years. in herfinal hours,

heading to british shores to surprise her fiance. heading to british shores to surprise herfiance. they messaged as the dinghy started deflating. she tried to reassure him she would be rescued, but tragically this would be the end of herjourney, alongside 17 men, six other women, one of whom was pregnant, and three children who also died. her loved ones in northern iraq are in mourning. her father spoke to the bbc. translation:— father spoke to the bbc. translation: ., , ., , , translation: from germany she went to france, translation: from germany she went to france. and _ translation: from germany she went to france. and in — translation: from germany she went to france, and in france _ translation: from germany she went to france, and in france got— translation: from germany she went to france, and in france got into - to france, and in france got into this slaughterhouse. the whole world talks about europe is a place that is calm. is this what khan means? around 30 people dying in the middle of the sea? this is sin to put people through this. so what could have one people through this. so what could have gone wrong? _ have gone wrong? translation: , , ., , ., translation: possibly a collision with a large _ translation: possibly a collision with a large tanker— translation: possibly a collision with a large tanker or _ translation: possibly a collision with a large tanker or it _ translation: possibly a collision with a large tanker or it was -

translation: possibly a collision| with a large tanker or it was caught in the wake of a supertanker which is like a tsunami overcoming these boats. the third hypothesis is a design flaw in these ships. maryam's friend has this _ design flaw in these ships. maryam's friend has this message _ design flaw in these ships. maryam's friend has this message for- friend has this message for migrants. ida friend has this message for migrants-— friend has this message for miarants. ., ., , ., , , ., migrants. no one should try this, no one. no migrants. no one should try this, no one- no one — migrants. no one should try this, no one. no one deserves _ migrants. no one should try this, no one. no one deserves to _ migrants. no one should try this, no one. no one deserves to die - migrants. no one should try this, no one. no one deserves to die this - one. no one deserves to die this way. one. no one deserves to die this wa . �* one. no one deserves to die this wa , i ., , , one. no one deserves to die this wa . �* ., , , ., one. no one deserves to die this wa. ., way. but the appetite to cross from france remains. _ way. but the appetite to cross from france remains. i— way. but the appetite to cross from france remains. i want— way. but the appetite to cross from france remains. i want to _ way. but the appetite to cross from france remains. i want to go - way. but the appetite to cross from france remains. i want to go to - france remains. i want to go to london to — france remains. i want to go to london to read _ france remains. i want to go to london to read there, - france remains. i want to go to london to read there, to - france remains. i want to go to| london to read there, to study. france remains. i want to go to i london to read there, to study. i want to study. my brother is also in london. , , , , london. despite the very hostile environment. _ london. despite the very hostile environment. he _ london. despite the very hostile environment. he told _ london. despite the very hostile environment. he told me - london. despite the very hostile environment. he told me i- london. despite the very hostile| environment. he told me i would london. despite the very hostile - environment. he told me i would be in three days _ environment. he told me i would be in three days here _ environment. he told me i would be in three days here across _ environment. he told me i would be in three days here across the - in three days here across the channel but he is a liar, he is lying. he takes money and he, you know, he runs. to lying. he takes money and he, you know, he runs.— know, he runs. to help solve this crisis, france _ know, he runs. to help solve this crisis, france has _ know, he runs. to help solve this crisis, france has invited - know, he runs. to help solve thisl crisis, france has invited belgium, german and dutch ministers as well as the european commission to talks

in calais on sunday but the uk has been dis— invited after a french falling out. the choppy waters raging over this long—running issue are not confined to the sea. mark lobel, bbc news. our political correspondent, jonathan blake is with me. jonathan, the british government saying earlier that the partnership with france remains strong, but it really doesn't look like that. it may be strong but it is certainly under a lot of strain at the moment. ministers are at pains talk about close co—operation with their french counterparts and the successes, relatively speaking, that they have had so far with migrants crossing the channel, the number of arrests and boats they have prevented coming across. there is no doubt there is a diplomatic row which is still going on, and the uk and france are not working together as closely as they could be on this issue. there is also no doubt that borisjohnson as well as emmanuel macron on the

french side is under political pressure, notjust from the labour party who were accusing him of losing control of this issue, an error ofjudgment in tweeting the letter he sent to emmanuel macron, and also of humiliation over the fact the home secretary is now no longer welcome at the meeting we were just hearing about. nevertheless, the government is defending their approach, saying they are trying to put forward practical solutions to this problem and that there is a need to broaden their cooperation with france. that's perhaps diplomatic language for... to repair things and work more closely than they have been of late. the security minister damian hinds has been speaking this morning saying there should be no doubt about the seriousness of the situation. it about the seriousness of the situation-— about the seriousness of the situation. . ., ., , ., situation. it could not be more uruent. situation. it could not be more urgent- 0n _ situation. it could not be more urgent. on the _ situation. it could not be more urgent. on the day _ situation. it could not be more urgent. on the day of- situation. it could not be more urgent. on the day of this - situation. it could not be more . urgent. on the day of this tragedy on wednesday, there were 23 further crossings— on wednesday, there were 23 further crossings and any one of them could have met _ crossings and any one of them could have met the same fate. these wicked people _ have met the same fate. these wicked people who _ have met the same fate. these wicked people who put their fellow man and

woman, _ people who put their fellow man and woman, and in this case children, onto— woman, and in this case children, onto these — woman, and in this case children, onto these horribly dangerous craft, they do _ onto these horribly dangerous craft, they do not — onto these horribly dangerous craft, they do not care about the risks. so we as_ they do not care about the risks. so we as the _ they do not care about the risks. so we as the international community, as the _ we as the international community, as the community of nations, have to do everything we can to break up the business _ do everything we can to break up the business model and stop people being put in _ business model and stop people being put in this— business model and stop people being put in this mortal danger. things haven't completely _ put in this mortal danger. things haven't completely broken - put in this mortal danger. things| haven't completely broken down. put in this mortal danger. things - haven't completely broken down. uk officials will still be at the meeting this weekend discussing with french counterparts and others from around europe what to do about the situation. in terms of the solution is the uk is putting forward, it perhaps isn't too much of a surprise france have reacted in this way because some of them have been ruled out before. joint patrols for example on the french coast and this notion of sending migrants back once they reach the uk to france. there is a shortage of new solutions, which both sides can agree on, and if anyone was hopeful that there would be a cooling of the political rhetoric, then it seems that didn't

last too long at all.— last too long at all. jonathan, thank you- — last too long at all. jonathan, thank you. our _ last too long at all. jonathan, thank you. our political - thank you. our political correspondentjonathan blake. correspondent jonathan blake. stephen correspondentjonathan blake. stephen sondheim has died at the age of 81. in a career that spanned more than six decades, he wrote the lyrics for west side story. daniela ralph has been looking back at his life. # isn't it bliss? # don't you approve? # one who keeps tearing around, one who can't move... send in the clowns, from the musical a little night music. # send in the clowns... it was stephen sondheim's only hit song — remarkably, because this was the man who revolutionised the american musical. as a young man he learned his trade from oscar hammerstein, the lyricist who wrote shows like oklahoma and the sound of music.

sondheim, too, started by doing the words — notably for leonard bernstein's music in west side story. # i like to be in america! # ok by me in america! soon he was writing his own music as well. # for a small fee in america... most of the shows that followed were hits. and then in 1970 he came up with a new idea — a musical that didn't follow an obvious plot. # phone rings, door chimes, in comes company... company was a series of vignettes featuring a dozen central characters. no two sondheim musicals were the same. i don't want to get bored writing. and you know, it's — when you hit a chord that you've hit before or a technique of using a song that you've done before — or when i do, i get very nervous. and i think "i've written that, i mustn't do that again." somebody will catch me up on it, so to speak. it's as if somebody�*s saying, "wait a minute, you did that in that show." into the woods was based on fairy

stories like jack and the beanstalk. sondheim's music was rhythmically complicated and harmonically sophisticated. # we've no time to sit and dither. # while her withers wither with her. # and no—one keeps a cow for a friend... that's one of my favourite things about a sondheim musical, is the material that you learn is some of the most complex series of notes put together that you can learn, and so you feel such a sense of accomplishment when you finally get to — when you've arrived at a place where you realise i've got it. i've figured out how to sing this sondheim lyric and sing this beautiful phrase that he wrote. # i thought that you'd want what i want, sorry, my dear... for his admirers, stephen sondheim produced some of the most sophisticated and thoughtful musicals ever written. # quick, send in the clowns. # don't bother, they're here.

stephen sondheim, who has died at the age of 91. you are watching bbc news. when the taliban swept to power in afghanistan, they inherited an economy which was heavily reliant on foreign aid — large parts of the health service were entirely funded by the world bank. all of that has now changed. staff at local clinics haven't been paid in three months — with warnings that medicines are running out. the bbc�*s world affairs editor, john simpson, travelled to a clinic in the hills south of kabul to see the impact the taliban's international isolation is having on ordinary afghans. the clinic here in musayyib is typical of the local health care system that was built up in the last 20 years with foreign help.

not much to look at maybe, but highly effective. and then the taliban got back into power. instantly, the world bank, which had been paying for almost the whole of afghanistan's health care, cut off the flow of cash to the country. this is the result. up to nine million people could be on the verge of famine. unicef was saying up to one million children could die of malnutrition. it's a humanitarian catastrophe is what it is. with no international money coming in, clinics like this are in dire trouble. this is the pharmacy. normally, the cupboards would be packed with medicines. now they're running out really fast. the collapsing economy and the foreign sanctions against the taliban mean people can't buy food.

the result is malnutrition, and it's starting with the children. translation: there will be a huge health crisis. - there will be no medicine and people will face massive problems. even health care staff will leave. the health care services will collapse. we will start to see lots of mothers and children dying. as winter approaches, the cuts which the world bank and foreign governments have introduced are having a greater and greater effect. in offices and government ministries, thousands of miles away from here, serious men and women are taking decisions to try to force the taliban to behave better in government. but it's these people here right down on the ground who are paying the price for those decisions. it will take time for the outside world's financial pressure

to have an effect on the taliban — if it even does. their guerrilla fighters, after all, used to living rough. it's the ordinary people of afghanistan with no resources and no protection who will suffer. john simpson, bbc news, musayyib. archaeologists in peru have unearthed a well—preserved mummy that could be at least 800 years old. this pre—incan mummy was discovered at an archaeological complex east of lima, and could be up to 1,200 years old, from the pre—inca chaclla culture. archaeologists found the mummy in an oval underground structure, tied with ropes in a fetal position, and surrounded by various offering materials, such as pots, ceramics and gourds containing botanical remains. that is fascinating. let's have a look at what the weather is doing now. it is causing severe problems

in parts of the country. what is storm arwen bringing?- in parts of the country. what is storm arwen bringing? yes, thank ou. storm arwen bringing? yes, thank you- large — storm arwen bringing? yes, thank you. large swathes _ storm arwen bringing? yes, thank you. large swathes of _ storm arwen bringing? yes, thank you. large swathes of the - storm arwen bringing? yes, thank you. large swathes of the uk - storm arwen bringing? yes, thank you. large swathes of the uk have been affected by disruptive and damaging winds. there's been snow around in places as well but the story for the rest of the weekend is for things to very slowly calm down. it is still going to be blustery through the rest of today. a mix of rain, sleet and snow across eastern england. those are the gusts through the middle part of the afternoon, not as windy as it has been for some. for northern and western parts of the uk, there will be good sunshine. wintry showers even to low levels in scotland, feeling really cold out there as well. talking of cold, as we go through tonight, where we have this slice of clear sky, temperatures will plummet. some places in northern england up into scotland could get 2—6 c but there will be a widespread frost, potentially eyes as well tomorrow morning. still some wintry showers