this is bbc news. i'm david willis. our top stories: engineers struggle to restore power to millions in north america as one of the worst winter storms in living memory grips the region. the taliban clamps down further on women's rights in afghanistan, barring them from working for aid agencies. ten civilians have been killed by russian shelling in the ukrainian city of kherson. one attack struck the central market as people were shopping. the pope remembers those who are caught up as he holds his christmas eve mass in the vatican. and a welcome respite. children displaced by conflict in the democratic republic of the congo are invited to

celebrate christmas. hello and welcome to bbc news. an icy blast is affecting nearly 250 million people in the united states and canada, as one of the most severe winter storms in living memory takes hold, bringing with it snow blizzards, strong winds, and freezing temperatures. at least 19 people have died, hundreds of thousands of american households and businesses are without electricity and thousands of flights have been cancelled. the us state of montana registered a record—breaking low of —45 celsius. from washington, nomia iqbal reports.

the bomb cyclone has plunged more than half of the bomb cyclone has plunged more than half of this the bomb cyclone has plunged more than half of this country into sub zero temperatures. from coast to coast it has brought blistering storms, blinding snow, power outages, and can turn boiling hot water into a snow in seconds. the western state of montana is bearing the brunt, temperatures here at the lowest of —50 degrees. residents have been want to stay indoors but some are trying to tackle the snow. every type of travel has been thrown into chaos. on the roads in the midwest there have been fatalities. the east coast city of buffalo in new york isn't taking a chance, driving has been banned.— taking a chance, driving has been banned. conditions the blindin: been banned. conditions the blinding snow, _ been banned. conditions the blinding snow, the _ been banned. conditions the blinding snow, the zero - blinding snow, the zero visibility, absolute whiteouts, it could go down as one of the worst in history.—

worst in history. you need to net worst in history. you need to get there _ worst in history. you need to get there early, _ worst in history. you need to get there early, be _ worst in history. you need to| get there early, be prepared, be flexible, there is always change _ be flexible, there is always change. its be flexible, there is always chance. r . be flexible, there is always chance. a ., ., , be flexible, there is always chance. m . ., change. as have thousands of li . hts, change. as have thousands of lights. with — change. as have thousands of lights, with hundreds - change. as have thousands of lights, with hundreds more i lights, with hundreds more delayed over the weekend. the airort delayed over the weekend. tue: airport shutdown delayed over the weekend. tte: airport shutdown so delayed over the weekend. t'te: airport shutdown so we delayed over the weekend. tte: airport shutdown so we drove to omaha, nebraska, got on a flight of their and then dc, delayed in dc.— flight of their and then dc, delayed in dc. the storm is exnected — delayed in dc. the storm is exnected to _ delayed in dc. the storm is expected to last _ delayed in dc. the storm is expected to last some - delayed in dc. the storm isi expected to last some time delayed in dc. the storm is - expected to last some time yet. it has left americans facing another ruined christmas after the pandemic disrupted the last one. darsha dodge, who's a journalist at south dakota's rapid cityjournal, travelled to the state's pine ridge reservation to deliver firewood to residents who've resorted to burning clothes and furniture in an attempt to stay warm. i'v e i've talked to the representative of the pyes creek district just a representative of the pyes creek districtjust a couple of

days ago, they have been trying to dig people are 24/7, people with no firewood at all. a lot of these homes are headed by woodstoves or their heated by propane because theyjust not together in the same way you would be in a city. so when the snow is four or five feet, even higher drifted over the roads, there is no way for the trucks to get in so they have started resorting to burning whatever they can just to stay warm. nate vandermeer is a journalist with ctv news and he joins me now from brockville, ontario. many thanks. welcome to bbc news. you canadians are well used to a chilly atmosphere. but how bad is this? t used to a chilly atmosphere. but how bad is this?- but how bad is this? i have been covering _ but how bad is this? i have been covering weather - but how bad is this? i have been covering weather for | but how bad is this? i have - been covering weather for about 20 years here in canada and this is like nothing they have seen. this morning we had trains that was stuck at railroad tracks, we had a 400 kilometres stretch of highway close, no—one could travel here, one of the busiest travel days of the year. right now in a province of ontario

about 50,000 people with no power. about 50,000 people with no ower. ~ . . ' power. what is different, though. _ power. what is different, though, about _ power. what is different, though, about this - power. what is different, . though, about this particular storm, would you say was yellow well, right now al tiny little area he is under warning. we had wind gusts of 120 kilometres of allah, blowing snow, when you went to bed last evening you could hear it pushing on the house. == evening you could hear it pushing on the house. -- an houn pushing on the house. -- an hour- we — pushing on the house. -- an hour. we usually _ pushing on the house. -- an hour. we usually when - pushing on the house. -- an hour. we usually when we . pushing on the house. -- an i hour. we usually when we have pushing on the house. -- an - hour. we usually when we have a winter storm it is a few hours of snow or heavy snow half a day but this has been ongoing now for 24 hours and is expected to continue over night into sunday. for expected to continue over night into sunday-— expected to continue over night into sunday. for many of you up that this was _ into sunday. for many of you up that this was to _ that this was to be, what, the first christmas with the family since covid, right?— since covid, right? right. we had planned _ since covid, right? right. we had planned today, _ since covid, right? right. we| had planned today, christmas eve, ourfirst had planned today, christmas eve, our first family get—together for three years. that had to be cancelled. people could not get into the driveway to get out. i went around the town here today to get some footage of what the conditions were like and it was just windy conditions, wind

blowing, you can see the car in front of you, that's why police were telling people to stay at home and not go out —— what hao conditions. how has this affected your own christmas plans? we cancel tonight. tomorrow we are staying home here with our daughter and family for christmas day and we have christmas dinner tomorrow night. hopefully this all will be over tomorrow night and we will be able to dig out tomorrow afternoon and had to that turkey dinner. find tomorrow afternoon and had to that turkey dinner.— that turkey dinner. and how dangerous _ that turkey dinner. and how dangerous is _ that turkey dinner. and how dangerous is it _ that turkey dinner. and how dangerous is it out - that turkey dinner. and how dangerous is it out there - that turkey dinner. and how dangerous is it out there for those who are mad enough to venture outside?— venture outside? well, right now venture outside? well, right new police — venture outside? well, right now police and _ venture outside? well, rightj now police and incorporators are collecting vehicles on the highway that has closed down. they have disclosed another part of the highway between the quebec border and ottawa as well. they're telling people stay home and not go out, because if you do get stranded there this notice will overpower your car, there this notice will overpoweryour car, i've there this notice will overpower your car, i've seen photos and videos of a of police officers on roofs of cars looking inside to make sure no—one is inside. that's how powerful the storm is. you stay in your car on the

roadways in stranded, the snow drifts over a few hours will be over the top of your car. how lona is over the top of your car. how long is this — over the top of your car. how long is this expected - over the top of your car. how long is this expected to - over the top of your car. how long is this expected to go i over the top of your car. how long is this expected to go on? they are saying it should die down overnight the wind has died down a little bit today, late afternoon and in the evening, but it is still windy and snowing here right now. but they are saying anywhere between 20 and 40 centimetres by sunday morning. mi; between 20 and 40 centimetres by sunday morning. my goodness me. by sunday morning. my goodness me- some _ by sunday morning. my goodness me. some people _ by sunday morning. my goodness me. some people will— by sunday morning. my goodness me. some people will be - by sunday morning. my goodness me. some people will be trapped j me. some people will be trapped in their cars, presumably, are they, and they have to rescue people there as well?- people there as well? that's riuht. people there as well? that's right- they _ people there as well? that's right. they have _ people there as well? that's right. they have not - people there as well? that's right. they have not heard i people there as well? that's| right. they have not heard of any nearby rescues, there was a significant pile—up on one of the highways, 100 vehicles involved, tractors, trailers, cars, advanced, that is why they shut the highways down here, they did not want that to happen again. in my area here, is ontario, ottawa valley, we haven't heard of any fatalities here, but that's why police, state, government agencies are saying stay home. tt is state, government agencies are saying stay home.— saying stay home. it is looking extremely _ saying stay home. it is looking extremely cold. _ saying stay home. it is looking extremely cold. what - saying stay home. it is looking extremely cold. what is - saying stay home. it is looking extremely cold. what is the i extremely cold. what is the temperature right now? t

temperature right now? i believe it is —7 right now, it feels around minus 18 with the windchill. ,., ., , , ., windchill. goodness me. nate vandermeer, _ windchill. goodness me. nate vandermeer, to _ windchill. goodness me. nate vandermeer, to stay - windchill. goodness me. nate vandermeer, to stay warm i windchill. goodness me. nate| vandermeer, to stay warm for us, anh do stay safe. thank you forjoining us on bbc news —— and do stay safe. it's a similar story injapan, where heavy snow in the north and surrounding areas has left more than a dozen people dead and at least 80 injured. over 10,000 households have also been left without power, according to officials there, and the meteorological agency has warned that snowstorms and high waves along the sea of japan coast could lead to snow drifts up to 60 centimetres deep. the us secretary of state antony blinken has said he is deeply concerned that the taliban's ban on women delivering humanitarian aid in afghanistan will disrupt vital and life—saving assistance to millions of people. the new rules stopping women from working for local and international aid agencies comes just days after women were banned from studying at university. the un has also condemned the move, saying it would violate the most fundamental

rights of women. the bbc world service's south asia regional editor, anbarasan ethirajan, told us more about the international reaction. the un has strongly condemned this move by the taliban because this will have a far reaching impact on the ground. there are dozens of ngos, health ngos and food aid ngos working on the ground, and not allowing women to work means people cannot access these services. for example, one woman worker was saying women can easily relate with us about asking for medicines. for example, if they want to give a polio vaccination, they can go into the any of the houses in the rural areas. but now they cannot express these things freely to any men health worker or even food aid. so this has become a huge issue. this has been a very bad week for women's rights in afghanistan, because

a couple of days ago, the taliban rulers, they banned women from studying at universities. and within two days, they announced this far reaching decision to ban women to work from ngos. and it is not only local and domestic foreign ngos, also the un contracts many work to local ngos distributing humanitarian aid. there is acute food insecurity in rural parts of afghanistan following a taliban takeover, the economy has collapsed. now how to distribute the food? that's why the un says that it is going to call for a meeting on monday with the taliban authorities and they have urged the taliban to reverse the decision immediately. if ngos were to speak out, apart from the un and the work and the collaborations they have on the ground, have any of them spoken out? —— for more on this i'm joined by yalda royan, who's the afghanistan team lead for voice amplified, an organisation that's working to end violence against women and girls.

many thanks for joining many thanks forjoining us here on bbc news. what effect will the span have on a deliveries, do you think?— do you think? thank you so much- let _ do you think? thank you so much. let me _ do you think? thank you so much. let me just - do you think? thank you so much. let me just correct l do you think? thank you so - much. let me just correct that, voice amplified is an ngo, specifically working in situations like today that the taliban has announced this decision. we are there to interrupt the humanitarian contents, emergency context where women and girls are not benefiting from humanitarian aid. so the decision the taliban made today, this was not a surprise for us, we were ready for it and we knew that the taliban will lose and make another decision to ban women from wherever they want it is very unfortunate that a group of 70,000 terrorists are challenging the whole world and international community and stopping women from work now at

the humanitarian agencies, it means that already the $40 million that is being delivered to the taliban on a weekly basis under the name of humanitarian aid was not reaching to the right people. women headed households, human rights defenders that we did the research last september on them, only one out of every four human rights defenders said they were receiving human rights aid and that is in the case of... rights aid and that is in the case of- - -_ case of... crosstalk. sorry to _ case of... crosstalk. sorry to interrupt, - case of... crosstalk. sorry to interrupt, we | case of... crosstalk. - sorry to interrupt, we have a limited amount of divers this comesjust a week limited amount of divers this comes just a week women were banned from attending university. there have been some student protests in response to that, i believe, will they have any effect? qt will they have any effect? of course it _ will they have any effect? of course it will will they have any effect? qt course it will have effect, because women who are working right now in the ngos are the only breadwinners for their families or the only people who are working and bringing income to theirfamilies. in

are working and bringing income to their families. in the context there is nojob opportunities and there is an economic crisis going on. so with families losing their only income generating sores, i am sure that there will be a lot of added protests again inside the country... —— source. itirui’iiiii the country... -- source. will that have _ the country... -- source. will that have any _ the country... -- source. will that have any effect - the country... -- source. will that have any effect on - the country... —— source. will that have any effect on the rulers, on the taliban? we hope it will have _ rulers, on the taliban? we hope it will have effects, _ rulers, on the taliban? we hope it will have effects, yes. - rulers, on the taliban? we hope it will have effects, yes. when i it will have effects, yes. when the people are resisting the taliban it will be the end of them, hopefully.— them, hopefully. just very finall , them, hopefully. just very finally. the _ them, hopefully. just very finally, the us _ them, hopefully. just very finally, the us has - finally, the us has condemned this latest move. what can the international community do to put pressure on the taliban in this regard?— this regard? well, specifically in terms of — this regard? well, specifically in terms of the _ this regard? well, specifically in terms of the united - this regard? well, specificallyj in terms of the united states, if we talk about it, they have an argument with the taliban which they did in 2020 with the taliban in doha, so they can go back to that agreement and hold the taliban accountable based on that agreement and the

annexes that they never made public. and the international community can do a lot of things to hold the taliban accountable, starting from stopping engaging with them to supporting them financially under the name of humanitarian aid and many other reasons, especially the travel ban and not letting the taliban to use the platforms, international platforms for their own benefits.— platforms for their own benefits. , ., benefits. 0k, we must leave it there. yalda _ benefits. 0k, we must leave it there. yalda royan, _ benefits. ok, we must leave it there. yalda royan, thank- benefits. 0k, we must leave it there. yalda royan, thank youj there. yalda royan, thank you forjoining us on bbc world news. . ~ forjoining us on bbc world news. . ,, , ., let's get some of the day's other news. at least ten people have been killed in south africa after a fuel tanker exploded. the blast apparently happened after the tanker hit a bridge. 40 people were injured in the incident which occurred in boksburg, a city to the east ofjohannesburg. a four—year—old boy has died after a "serious medical incident" at a center parcs resort here in the uk. police say the death is not thought to be suspicious. a spokesman from center parcs say they are saddened by the news and were offering

support to the family. a spokesperson for the duke and duchess of sussex says an apology from the sun newspaper regarding a column, in which broadcaster jeremy clarkson said, he "hated" meghan markle — is "nothing more than a pr stunt". on friday, the newspaper issued a statement expressing regret for the publication of the column. at least ten people were killed when russia carried out widespread shelling of the ukrainian city of kherson this morning. more than 50 others were wounded. president zelensky has described the attack, which came exactly 10 months after the start of the russian invasion, as "killing for the sake "of intimidation and pleasure." our correspondent yogita limaye reports from southern ukraine. more than a month after it was liberated from russia, kherson continues to live in terror.

an artillery attack on the busy city centre, targeting civilians out to buy essential items. "i was walking and the ground started to shake beneath me. "i fell down. "i then saw smoke coming up," one woman said. kherson is hit multiple times every day, but this has been the biggest attack in weeks. from here, we took, ithink, four orfive critical, injured patients. and then from the hotel, we took two injured. and then from the other — down three blocks away, most people were dead. sobs. the suffering is endless. siren wails. and so are the attacks. distant explosion. the sound of more mortar shelling as emergency workers try to save people. for the people of kherson, who had begun to get used to the constant shelling, this attack strikes new fear.

and the worry here, and on front lines of this war, is that the bombardment could get even more intense over christmas and in the run—up to the new year. yogita limaye, bbc news, mykolaiv. french police have clashed with protestors at a demonstration in paris which was held in response to the fatal shooting of three people at a kurdish community centre in the city. all of the victims of friday's attack were of kurdish descent. a 69—year—old man has been arrested. he's described himself as a racist who hates foreigners. helena wilkinson reports. this was the scene on the streets of central paris earlier today. chaos as protests turned violent. cars were overturned, fires started, riot police responded with tear gas. those protesting from the kurdish community are angry after friday's shooting which targeted a kurdish

cultural centre. three people were killed, three others were injured. translation: there is no doubt in our mind that these murders l qualify as terrorist and that they are political assassinations. the fact that our association is targeted in this way is of a terrorist and political nature. of course, there's an investigation and we'll see how it evolves. the suspect in the attack has been taken from custody to a police psychiatric unit. the 69—year—old, who hasn't been named, is a former train driver who had recently been released from prison. despite no confirmed motive for the attack, prosecutors said the suspect had previously been charged with racist violence. that incident was last year, where he attacked a migrant camp in paris with a sword. french president emmanuel macron said the kurdish community in paris had been the target of a heinous attack and has praised police for their courage. helena wilkinson, bbc news.

maxi jazz, the lead singer of the british dance band faithless, has died at the age of 65. the group were best known for the club classic insomnia. take a listen. come on, go. i can't get _ take a listen. come on, go. i can't get sleep. _ take a listen. come on, go. i can't get sleep. everybody! l take a listen. come on, go. i can't get sleep. everybody! i | can't get sleep. everybody! i can't get sleep. everybody! i can't get sleep. everybody! i can't get no sleep. maxi jazz�*s former bandmate sister bliss said he died peacefully in his sleep last night. faithless was formed in 1995 and had a number of hits, including insomnia and we come one. bbc radio broadcaster and dj edward adoo explains what was unique about maxi jazz. the way he connected with people he was real, he was authentic and he was originally a brixton boy,

came through pirate radio, a poet, a rapper. i saw faithless in cringfeld in 2002 it was about a quarter to 12, the big light show it was faithless first and then underworld. ijust remember him saying those timeless words, "i can't get no sleep. and then he whipped the crowd up. i interviewed him in 2017 and out of all the people i've interviewed, he was really calm — to be honest, he was too cool for school. he was too chill. he was like, "yeah this is what i've been doing". faithless, they more or less revolutionised dance music. at a time where dance music had just become noted by the mainstream sort of in the late �*80s, early �*90s it was popping up. a lot of people do not understand it and suddenly they realised it had a connection with youth culture and faithless were a part of that. i think maxi jazz, he was part of that generation who came through the soul, the rare groove movement and suddenly, there was house, this electronic movement championed by the likes of pete

tong on radio one. and suddenly, it had become mainstream and faithless have become mainstream to the point where you would hear insomnia on breakfast radio. the pope has held his annual christmas eve mass at st peter's basilica in the vatican. in his sermon, the pope remembered victims of war — particularly those in ukraine. this year marks the tenth year of his papacy. later, the pontiff will be speaking to the faithful, who'll gather below the balcony for his christmas day blessing. here he is speaking earlier. translation: men and women in our world and their hunger. for wealth and power consuming even their neighbours, —— for wealth and power consume even their neighbours, even their brothers and sisters, how many wars... and in how many places even today are human dignity and freedom treated with contempt? as always, the principal victims of this human greed are the weak

and the vulnerable. to russia, where a controversial funeral has been held in russia for a man killed while fighting in ukraine. dmitry menshikov was working for the wagner private military group, and is said to have died fighting in the luhansk region of ukraine. the wagner firm has sent tens of thousands of fighters to join the invasion, many of them recruited from russianjails. the local authorities in st petersburg reportedly didn't want him buried in a spot normally reserved for military heroes, but the service went ahead. tens of thousands of people from around the world have gathered in bethlehem on the israeli—occupied west bank for christmas eve celebrations. christian leaders led midnight mass in the church of the nativity and the palestinian president mahmoud abbas was amongst the congregation.

it's the first time in two years that foreign visitors have been able to attend because of covid restrictions. the eastern region of the democratic republic of the congo is emerging from a 10—year conflict and the un projects that 150,000 people will have fled their homes by the end of the year. now, a local ngo is ensuring that some displaced children do not miss out on the christmas cheer. they held a party for them in a village in the north kivu, a few miles away from the frontline. the bbc�*s daniel dadzie report. around the world... a reason to celebrate _ around the world... a reason to celebrate in _ around the world... a reason to celebrate in the _ around the world... a reason to celebrate in the midst _ around the world. .. a reason to celebrate in the midst of- celebrate in the midst of chaos. forseveral celebrate in the midst of chaos. for several months, these children and their families have been on the run from war. they found refuge in

the copetti stadium, a village east of the democratic republic of congo. it's in the north kivu province is the epicentre of a decade—long conflict between the drc government forces and m23 rebels, the most notable of numerous armed groups. on saturday, local ngo a new day visited the displaced persons and their makeshift homes to give them a taste of christmas. translation: tit homes to give them a taste of christmas. translation: in our villaues christmas. translation: in our villages our— christmas. translation: in our villages our children _ christmas. translation: in our villages our children used - christmas. translation: in our villages our children used to - villages our children used to celebrate christmas properly but now, i was beginning to wonder how we were going to do it as we had fled the war. by the grace of god, there are benefactors who thought of us and came with something to make us smile again, christmas went well and i thank god very much. but even with all this good cheer, there an uncomfortable reminder of the violence which ripped them from their homes.

translation: we ripped them from their homes. translation:— ripped them from their homes. translation: we want the new earto translation: we want the new year to start _ translation: we want the new year to start with _ translation: we want the new year to start with good _ translation: we want the new year to start with good things. i year to start with good things. let the enemies leave our villages and let us leave this camp. villages and let us leave this cam -. villages and let us leave this cam . _ ., , villages and let us leave this cam ' . ., , �* ,': villages and let us leave this cam ' . .. , �* ,': , , camp. on friday, m23 rebels handed over _ camp. on friday, m23 rebels handed over the _ camp. on friday, m23 rebels handed over the town - camp. on friday, m23 rebels handed over the town of- camp. on friday, m23 rebels - handed over the town of kibumba to the east african force in a first step towards the implementation of a peace agreement brokered in november. the thousands of displaced persons in drc would be granted their christmas wish if they could peacefully return to their daniel dadzie, bbc news. us military officials have assured anxious children that the bad weather in north america won't prevent santa claus from delivering his presents. the north american aerospace defense command, or norad, tracks santa's yuletide flight every year. he's now left brazil and is heading for king edward point, south georgia and the south sandwich islands, ——he is heading for trinidad &

tobago. more than 4 billion presents have already been delivered. i hope he has one for me! thanks forjoining us. good morning. the countdown is over — it is now christmas day — and a popular weather question for christmas day is, of course, will it be a white christmas? starting us off today, you'd be forgiven for thinking "no chance!" we're in some fairly mild air, really, top to tail across the uk, which is being pulled in from the atlantic on a south—westerly wind. but there is some much colder airjust sitting to the north of the uk, on the northern flank of this area of low pressure. this low will drive the weather across the uk this christmas day. it will push bands of showers through with some sunny interludes between times but occasionally, the showers lumping together into more persistent spells of rain, perhaps for northern ireland and northern england through the afternoon, later in the day towards the south—east.

mild to the south. afternoon temperatures, 10, 11 degrees. but notice, the keen—eyed amongst you, the map turning blue across scotland through the afternoon. temperatures will actually come down through the day. now, the definition of a white christmas is not for blanket snow coverage butjust one flake of snow to fall anywhere in the uk during the 24 hours of christmas day. so, colder air in across scotland with showers coming in through the evening, and it looks like we could see a white christmas here. perhaps the odd flurry for northern ireland, too. for boxing day, the colder air extending, though, all the way south across the uk. a frosty start. look out for some ice across scotland, parts of northern england after the showers overnight. the south—east and east anglia getting off to a frost—free start but the colder air will trickle in here through the course of boxing day. i think there will be a lot of brightness once any early rain clears from the south—east, but it will feel chillier. further north, the showers continue and they're likely to be wintry across western scotland, drifting some down into the pennines, the odd one across the mountains

of northern ireland as well. and temperatures lower across the board for boxing day afternoon. however, this spell, if you like, of cold weather is barely a fleeting glance, really, of arctic air, because as we look further on into the week ahead, the final days of 2022, we start to pick up a more atlantic influence. once again, areas of low pressure whirling in from the atlantic. our temperatures return closer to average values, if not slightly above. but there will be some quite showery, if not wet and windy, spells of weather to come in the following days.

the headlines: engineers are scrambling to restore power supplies to hundreds of thousands of people as a winter storm affects large parts of the united states and canada. the severe weather forced the cancellation of thousands of flights and kept some of the busiest roads closed. the un has criticised a taliban ruling that bars afghan women from working for aid agencies, saying it violates their most fundamental rights. last week the hardline rulers announced women were banned from attending university. ten civilians have been killed by russian shelling in the ukrainian city of kherson. one attack on saturday morning struck the central market as people were shopping,

before mortar fire targeted other areas.