this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. at least 50 people have died in the united states and canada — as the severe winter deep freeze continues. moscow says at least three of its personnel have been killed in a ukrainian drone attack, on a russian airforce base. two people are arrested over the shooting dead of a woman, at a pub in merseyside, in northern england, on christmas eve. and — campaigners say new laws in indonesia are an attack on civil rights — whilst the government insists they're more in keeping with the country's post—colonial values.

hello and welcome to audiences in the uk and around the world. we start in north america — where at least 50 people are now known to have died due to the severe arctic freeze, that continues to affect the us and canada. one of the worst—hit areas is the city of buffalo, in new york state, where the governor called the storm an �*epic, once in a lifetime event'. the bbc�*s, emily unia, has the latest. the arctic storm pummelling the us and canada caused christmas chaos for millions. thousands of flights were cancelled, and roads and railways were closed or impassible, preventing people from reaching friends and family. emergency services battled treacherous conditions to carry out rescues. fatalities have been confirmed across the us.

one of the worst—hit areas was new york state, especially in buffalo and hamburg in erie county. snow blanketed streets, and driving was banned. more than two dozen people are now known to have died in the greater buffalo region. anyone who declares victory and says it is over. it is way too early to say this at its completion, maybe this severity is down right now it is not as bad as it has been the last couple days but it is still a dangerous situation to be out. rolling blackouts left more than 1.5 million people without power on christmas day. connections are now steadily being restored. in south florida, iguanas froze and fell from trees. they won't get moving again until temperatures rise and they can thaw out. much further north, stunning ice formations appeared on lake michigan. and although the storm is starting to ease, freezing conditions are still expected

for some time to come. emily unia, bbc news. patrick hammer is the chief meteorologist at local buffalo television station wgrz. he said the storm conditions are unlike anything he's ever experienced. i've got to tell you. i have been covering the weather in this country for a long time in other cities including here in buffalo. this is by far the worst blizzard i have ever seen. a blizzard is a storm that we term here, where you have a winter storm with no visibility and heavy snow for a long duration. and this storm exceeded every expectation of what we thought the storm could be. behind me, i'm about 15 miles south of buffalo where the buffalo bills play. there is about 2.5 feet of fresh snow that fell on christmas day alone.

this is on top of snow we already had in the season that led to this. farther to the north in buffalo is where power outages were as situation. and unfortunately a significant loss of life. 27 people have perished in erie county in buffalo because folks are stranded in their car or stuck at home without power. it has been a truly crippling, paralysing and unfortunately deadly situation here in buffalo. patrick in terms of precipitation. you have described the snow, so you had snow. have the weather systems been coming in stages or waves? and which one do you dread the most? well, the blizzard is the worst. one thing that we get here and maybe it's a term

you have there or not. it's called lake effect snow where snow slicks on one end of the lake and cold wind travels along the lake and picks up moisture and deposits it in the form of snow. we often can get .5 metre or two metres of snow and we know how to deal with that. this was a combination of lake effect snow as well as a strong low pressure area that produced heavy snow, the wind that was hurricane force, i'm not kidding. over 90 kph. and bitter cold temperatures of almost 15 below 0 celsius. and the combination of that is a blizzard. one thing i wanted to add, we had blizzard conditions here in buffalo for 36 straight hours.

that is in a day and a half. that is a day and a half. notan hour ortwo, 36 straight hours. patrick, obviously, this will eventually come to an end. how are you forecasting it coming to an end? there has been talk about if it happens too fast there could be flash flooding what's going to happen? that is a very good point. by the way, this storm is not done. we will get, tonight, another five to eight inches. we're talking maybe ten to 16 cm of additional snow and that will be it. by the time we get to the end of the week our temperature here would be about 10 celsius which will melt lots of it. it will not get rid of it but it will melt a lot of it and that could cause or rivers and streams to swell and a lot of basements to flood as well.

a lot of moisture messing quickly. melting quickly. ok, and very quickly. i am in the uk where in the us is the storm predicted to move to. 100%. often times even though you you are downwind of us, we look to see what is happening in the uk because somehow that affects our weather here too. this storm, actually, it is spinning itself over quebec in canada and will kind of fizzle out and not necessarily move your way. having said that, the weather pattern that is developing now will warm up and eventually you will have warmer air too. but i am wary ofjanuary and the beginning of february. i think a cold weather pattern returns.

china has announced that it's dropping its requirement for travellers arriving in the country to go into quarantine. the measure has been in place since the start of the pandemic but will end early next month. it's the latest in a series of restrictions to be lifted as china abandons its zero—covid policy. police say a tenth person has died as a result of a huge explosion at a block of flats injersey early this month. kathleen mcguinness, who was 73, lived next to the building in st helier which was destroyed in the blast. south korea says it scrambled fighterjets — and fired warning shots — after five drones crossed over its borderfrom north korea on monday. flights at airports in seoul were briefly suspended, after it was reported that one of the drones had flown

close to the capital. a russian air base hundreds of kilometres from ukraine has come under attack for the second time in less than a month. the russian defence ministry says the engels base in the southern saratov region — was targeted by ukrainian drones during the night. russia says it shot down the drones, but three of its servicemen were killed by falling debris.(biv)the base is host to long—range russian strategic bombers — the type of which have launched numerous missiles strikes on ukraine. from moscow, our russia editor, steve rosenberg, reports. caught on cctv... ..an explosion at a russian airbase. russia says it shot down a ukrainian drone, but that three russian soldiers were killed. engels airbase is deep inside russian territory, hundreds of miles from the ukrainian border. the base hosts long—range bombers which are believed to have launched missile attacks against ukraine. state tv reacted to the news with a familiar warning to kyiv. russia, she says, would exact

revenge by carrying out more strikes on ukrainian infrastructure. russia can rattle those sabres and flex its muscles, but it doesn't change the fact that what happened at engels airbase is embarrassing for the kremlin. for the second time in less than a month, what is an important military installation has come under attack. quite a contrast to the image of military might that president putin's been portraying in recent days. the kremlin leader has promised his generals all the resources they need for the war in ukraine. he's determined to secure something he can present as a russian victory. putin is not going to back off, and nobody else is going to give him a reason to back off. and therefore he's going to take steps necessary to him to win, whatever that victory may mean for him. but ten months after russia invaded ukraine, there is no sign of that victory. instead, the war the kremlin started is moving closer to home.

steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. the acting head of the united nations mission to afghanistan, has asked taliban leaders to reverse a decision to ban afghan women working for humanitarian agencies in the country. five major aid organisations are suspending their work in afghanistan, saying they �*could not effectively reach afghans in desperate need' without their female staff. tom brada reports. for women in afghanistan the world seems to get smaller by the day. more rights and freedoms are being removed. with the latest telephone decree targeting women and work. women have been banned from working for aid agencies accused by the taliban of making dress codes. something the organisations deny. we have

done everything _ the organisations deny. we have done everything according - the organisations deny. we have done everything according to - done everything according to the book and they still come with us out of nowhere and it is devastating was stopped paralysing. all work and i think all organisations will follow us into spending work. several aid organisations have already suspended or operations. around 20 million people in afghanistan, half of the publisher and, rely on humanitarian assistance. by acting in unity, aid agencies are trying to affect the taliban that they are needed. if you don't have female health staff, you won't have access to those people will stop essentially, it isjust those people will stop essentially, it is just not possible for us to do ourjob if ourfemale colleagues possible for us to do ourjob if our female colleagues are not able to get out there. the united nations _ not able to get out there. the united nations had added its voice to a chorus of international condemnation. a spokesperson called them move a redline for the entire

humanitarian community. there was stopped delivering aid unless the decision is reversed. it unless the decision is reversed-— unless the decision is reversed. . ., �* reversed. it taliban don't re5pond _ reversed. it taliban don't respond well _ reversed. it taliban don't respond well to - reversed. it taliban don'tj respond well to criticism. reversed. it taliban don't - respond well to criticism. just respond well to criticism. just last week they banned women from attending university. adding to the band which stops girls from going to secondary school. , ,., ., school. responding to international - school. responding to international and - school. responding to i international and outcry. school. responding to - international and outcry. the taliban leader said they won't change their mind on children education even if they drop an atomic bomb on this. i did and that they are ready for sanctions by the international community. there have been processed but the taliban are resolute. when the taliban seize control of afghanistan last year they insisted the regime would be softer than their rule of the 1990s. the gradual erosion of women's right suggests they aren't afraid to go back on their promises. bbc news. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: protests in paris —

the city's kurdish community say they feel unsafe after an attack that left three people dead on friday. the most ambitious financial and political change ever attempted has got under way with the introduction of the euro. tomorrow in holland we're going to use money we picked up in belgium today, and then we'll be in france and again it'll be the same money. it's just got to be the way to go. george harrison, the former beatle, is recovering in hospital after being stabbed at his oxfordshire home. a 33—year—old man from liverpool is being interviewed by police on suspicion of attempted murder. i think it was good. just good? no. fantastic.

this is bbc news, the latest headlines. at least 50 people have died due to the severe arctic freeze, that continues to affect the us and canada. a russian air base hundreds of kilometres from ukraine has come under attack for the second time in less than a month. moscow says it shot down ukrainian drones, but three of its servicemen were killed by falling debris. two people have been arrested in connection with the shooting dead of a woman, at a pub in merseyside, in northern england, on christmas eve. the victim has been named as 26—year—old ellie edwards. a 30—year—old man is being questioned on suspicion of murder and attempted murder

— and a 19—year—old woman has been arrested, on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. the bbc�*s, fiona trott, reports. a young woman shot and killed whilst celebrating christmas with family and friends. ellie edwards was at the lighthouse pub in wallasey village when a man opened fire at the entrance. merseyside police say they do not believe she was a target. today, around 30 relatives arrived at the scene to lay flowers. the police say what they're going through is incomprehensible. one of the cards reads, "to my beautiful elle, you are the light of my life, you will never be gone, mum and dad." the killing took place at a family pub at the heart of the community. local residents have described their shock. things like this don't really happen on the wirral, so i think everyone's shocked.

you don't expect it on your own doorstep, you know? this pub is a nice pub. you know, you never hear of any trouble. i've got a 21—year—old son, and, you know, it's devastating to be honest. forensic teams have been searching the area throughout the day. and then tonight, police activity across the city. this was two addresses in the tranmere area. it was around this time two nights ago that ellie edwards was killed. four men were also injured in the attack. one of them is in critical condition in hospital. people here tell us none of this feels real. there is one family on merseyside tonight who is struggling to comprehend this even more. that is the family of ellie edwards, the beautician whose life and career was stopped at what police is describing a cold blooded shooting. fiona trott, bbc news. here in the uk, most

shops have been open again, after being closed on christmas day, boxing day sales have previously been a popular date for for shoppers in search of bargains. but retail experts say they're expecting shoppers to spend less this year as the cost of living crisis continues and we see a change in shopping habits. katy austin reports. oxford street in central london filled up as the day went on. as shoppers hunted for bargains. in liverpool this morning, the shoppers were out have you come out for the sales? yeah, i always come out, it's my birthday today, and i don't think it's as busy as it used to be. it used to be a lot busier before. people had a lot more bags before. the shops have startedl giving sales maybe a bit earlier than usual, but there are stilli quite a few discounts. what have you found? anything good? just socks so far. a company that tracks how many

people are out at shopping destinations says compared to last year when covid badly affected trading, it's an optimistic picture, numbers are up. however, footfall hasn't recovered to what it was before the pandemic. it's 30% lower than it was on boxing day 2019, so it is significantly lower. but we mustn't forget that there is a train strike. and it's also attached obviously to the cost—of—living crisis, people are a bit more cautious. these days, not all retailers open on boxing day. some started their sales well before christmas, and more and more customers choose to buy online. but for this big shopping centre in liverpool, it's still a crucial week. it's very important - for retailers and ourselves. boxing day gives the retailers the chance to clear some - of that stock that they perhaps didn't sell before christmas. i boxing day is actually one ofi the quieter days of the week. it builds up throughout this week into some quite - extraordinary numbers. cost—of—living pressures are expected to put a dampener on spending this year, but the manager of this store is optimistic. i think people are now looking into what they're buying a lot

more than what they used to be, but we are still trading quite well. after a tricky year, shops hope that big discounts can draw in much—needed customers. katy austin, bbc news. members of paris' kurdish community took part in a march in the wake of an attack that left three in paris in the wake of an attack that left three people dead. the latest march appears to have passed off peacefully. a gunman carried out the killings at a kurdish cultural centre and nearby cafe on in a busy part of paris' tenth district on friday. a 69—year—old man has appeared in court over the murder. a spokesperson for the kurdish democratic council in france said the community feels unsafe in the city. translation: at this stage the

future of the _ translation: at this stage the future of the kurds _ translation: at this stage the future of the kurds in _ translation: at this stage the future of the kurds in france - future of the kurds in france is a sensitive issue. doubt hands over the issue. the feeling of insecurity remains which is why we have appealed to the authorities to be listened to, to be heard, to be assured and protected. we expect the authorities to implement concrete actions. there is permanent surveillance since the assassinations and there is a 2k hour surveillance. obviously we can say there is reinforced protection. can this reinforce and protection prevent more assessing stations? an iranian footballer has claimed —— his family has been been prevented from leaving iran —— because he voiced support for the protests in the country. ali daei says his wife and daughter were trying tojoin him on holiday on dubai last week —— when theirflight

was rerouted to an iranian island in the gulf —— and they were taken off the plane. earlier this month, iranian authorities had previously shut down a jewellery shop and a restaurant owned by daei. earlier this month, indonesian authorities confirmed that its new criminal code — whch includes a ban on pre—marital sex — won't apply to tourists. but many indonesians worry that this and other elements of the new law will harm their civil rights. insulting the president was not considered a crime. now it's punishable with prison time. valdya baraputri reports from jakarta. this lady has lived together on and off with her partner since 2019. but under this new law, sex outside of marriage is a crime. and those like her who cohabit could face up to six months injail. translation: i disagree that what i do is a crime. - if it was a sin, or not socially acceptable, i would understand. but to criminalise

it is just not right. the police can only take action if they are informed by a parent, spouse or child of the couple concerned. in her case, her parents have never opposed her living situation. however, the premarital sex ban is not the only controversial article in the new law. many in indonesia want the world to know that above all, the new criminal law threatens their civil liberties. blasphemy, apostasy, unannounced demonstration and insulting the president are all punishable crimes. as a journalist, this lady believes she has to be especially careful of the latter. everybody can get charged one way or the other. as the law on insulting the president does not specify what constitutes an insult. meanwhile, this public advocate from a legal aid institute injakarta says many indonesians have come to her office to seek advice. translation: the law

could affect groups i've spoken to like labourers, farmers and students who have been actively protesting or criticising the regulations. before the law stratification, this lady took part in a protest with others who oppose the new criminal code. the indonesian police try to disperse them and take away their banners. she worries what might happen once the criminal code is in place. translation: when the new law is implemented, not only - will we be forced to disperse or face harassment for holding unannounced demonstrations. but we could even be jailed for up to six months. the government argues it's time to leave behind the colonial era criminal laws it inherited. and instead adopt a code it describes as more in—line with indonesian values. before the law takes full effect three years. indonesians can challenge it in the highest court. when the code was previously draughted in 2019, tens of thousands took part

in demonstrations, including this lady. she said she would do that again. translation: is it worth the fight? i for sure. i don't just fight for myself but for others who may be in a weak position. they are worth fighting for. and just like her, many here believe her countries civil liberty is at stake. valdya baraputri, bbc news jakarta. a reminder of our top story.... winter storms across the united states are now known to have killed at least 60 people. most of the deaths have occurred in the city of buffalo in new york state. twenty— seven bodies have been recovered; more are expected to be found as cars are dug from the snow.

more on this on bbc news. in the meantime you can get in touch with me on twitter. hello. boxing day delivered a colder interlude — in fact, it was cold enough for wintry showers in places, but through the day on tuesday, mild air returns with outbreaks of rain spreading east. there will be some snow in northern parts as that wet weather bumps into some relatively cold air. this speckled cloud on the satellite picture brought the showers of rain, sleet and snow during boxing day, this shield of cloud behind me bringing wet weather into northern ireland first thing. ahead of that, some icy conditions likely in parts of northern england and scotland. could be rather slippery on untreated roads and pavements, and as this wet weather slides into the cold air over the highest ground of northern england and southern scotland, we could see some snow for a time. that is likely to turn back to rain, though, as the milder air works in.

this snow developing across the grampians and the highlands is likely to stick around for a little bit longer because something a bit colder will cling on in the northern half of scotland. but elsewhere, northern england, wales, the southwest turning very, very wet indeed. east anglia and the southeast staying mainly dry for a good part of the day, brightening up in northern ireland through the afternoon. but it is going to be windy, especially in the southern half of the uk — temperatures ranging from 4 degrees there in aberdeen to 11 in plymouth. now, as we go through tuesday night, we'll see these outbreaks of heavy rain continuing to journey southwards and eastwards, lingering across the south of england, and then the rain returning into the southwest and the southern half of wales by the end of the night. some rain will also linger for a time in the northern isles. but for the majority, it is going to stay frost—free — a milder night in prospect. and then for wednesday, well, we bring this next batch of heavy rain northwards and eastwards across the uk, accompanied by a strong wind, particularly windy for some southern and western coasts. northern scotland will stay drierand little colder,

but northern ireland seeing highs of 9—10 degrees, england and wales, 11—13, so it is going to feel mild, particularly in the south. thursday, a day of sunny spells and showers. for friday, here's another area of low pressure bringing heavy rain and potentially some really strong winds. we'll be keeping an eye on that weather system. and then, as we head into the weekend and the end of the year, it will stay relatively mild, there'll be rain at times and it will often be windy.

at least 60 people are now known to have died i'm lu kwesa i'm lukwesa burak with your headlines. at least 60 people are now known to have died due to the severe arctic freeze, that continues to affect the us and canada. one of the worst—hit areas is buffalo, in new york state, where the governor called the storm an "epic, once—in—a—lifetime event". russia says at least three technical staff have been killed by falling debris following a ukrainian drone attack on an air force base. the russian defence ministry says the engels base, in the southern saratov region, was targetted by ukrainian drones during the night. two people are being questioned in connection with the shooting dead of a woman, at a pub on merseyside, in northern england, on christmas eve.