this is bbc news — i'm vishala sri—pathma with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. despite promises of an orthodox christmas ceasefire, russian missiles continue to strike eastern ukraine. there is still a heavy shelling coming down from the russian side. ukraine is holding onto the city, and it's not going to want to let go anytime soon. at the 15th attempt, kevin mccarthy is elected us house speaker — after making concessions to the right of the republican party. iran faces international condemnation after executing 2 more anti—government protesters. chinese social media platform, weibo, has taken down more than 1,000 social media accounts that criticised the government's covid policies.

a manuscript thief, who tricked the likes of margaret atwood and ian mcewan into sending him unpublished works, has pleaded guity in court to wire fraud. hello and welcome to the programme. the ceasefire in ukraine — declared by russia, for the orthodox christmas — has come to an end. clashes between ukrainian and russian forces continued throughout the 36—hour period. president zelensky said vladimir putin's offer was deceitful — he said peace in ukraine would only be restored when russian forces were expelled. and moscow said it reserved the right to return fire if its troops were attacked. our correspondent, james waterhouse — along with producer siobhan leahy and cameraman paul francis — sent this report from the eastern city of bakhmut, on the front line.

you leave civilisation behind on the journey to bakhmut. we are heading to one of the most hostile parts of the front line. and coming into view is a city in the middle of it. the russians are just a mile away. ukraine is fiercely defending here. invading forces have thrown everything at the city, leaving it almost deserted. braving it above ground is a ukrainian soldier. translation: the situation is tense. l there are explosions and strikes coming from the enemy's side. they promised a ceasefire but we don't see it.

we don't feel or see it. they said one thing but in reality it is different. few expected the ceasefire to hold anyway. it was announced by russia in the first place and ukraine was never going to engage but there is still heavy shelling coming down from the russian side. ukraine is holding onto this city and it's not going to want to let go any time soon. in bakhmut, those who flinch are in the minority. sergei tries to patch up what he can. translation: you would not wish this on your worst enemy. - we tried to celebrate christmas regardless. we put up a tree and decorations, but it was in the basement. we didn't forget about this holiday. we can't hang around

for too long. but this is about as far as you can get from a normal christmas. eastern ukraine has gone through nine years of russian aggression. there have been several attempts at ceasefires. few here expected this latest one to bring any respite. james waterhouse, bbc news, bakhmut. let's get some of the day's other news. two subway trains have crashed in mexico city — killing at least one person and injuring more than 50 others. the trains collided between 2 stations on line 3 — which is one of the oldest in the city's metro system. federal prosecutors have opened an investigation into the cause of the crash. thousands of israelis have taken part in protests against the new right—wing government. many accused the administration of endangering democracy through proposed judicial reforms. the plans would allow parliament to override decisions made by the supreme court. prime minister benjamin netanyahu has sought to calm concerns about the fate

of civil rights. ivory coast has welcomed home dozens of soldiers who'd been detained for six months in mali. the troops were accused of being mercenaries and their detention sparked a bitter diplomatic row. the soldiers were pardoned by mali's military leader on friday, a week after being given long jail terms for allegedly undermining state security. the uk prime minister, rishi sunak has been meeting with health leaders in downing street — to try to tackle the challenges facing the national health service. pressure is building on ministers to act after another week of headlines about long waiting times, ambulance delays and doctors' concerns. the newly elected speaker of the us house of representatives, kevin mccarthy, has said former president trump helped him finally secure his position — after 15 rounds of voting — and at times, acrimonious exchanges with fellow

republicans. he said "i don't think anybody should doubt" mr tump�*s influence. president biden congratulated mr mccarthy on his win and said he looked forward to co—operating with his party. 0ur washington correspondent, gary 0'donoghue, reports. it took them four days and 15 separate ballots before they finally got there. the honourable kevin mccarthy of the state of california, having received a majority of the votes cast, is duly elected speaker of the house of representatives. cheering. not since the american civil war more than 160 years ago has it taken this long to elect a speaker. that was easy, huh? i never thought we'd get up here. after multiple concessions, days of arm—twisting, and some tempers almost boiling over, kevin mccarthy finally persuaded enough on the right of his party to back him. though it did take phone calls

direct to the house floor from the former president donald trump to persuade some recalcitrant republicans. i do want to especially thank president trump. i don't think anybody should doubt his influence. he was with me from the beginning. somebody wrote the doubt of whether he was there. he was all in. but kevin mccarthy has paid a price for his victory. he's had to agree to a whole raft of measures that will weaken his position, including the reinstatement of a rule that will allow just one member of the house to trigger a vote of no—confidence in the speaker. he is going to be the weakest| speaker in the modern history of the country and he'll be i held hostage to these 2021 radical republicans. it's been two years since rioters, supporters

of donald trump, stormed the capitol, trying to block joe biden�*s election and to hunt down the then democratic speaker of the house in her own office. and while kevin mccarthy has finally got the main job, there are some in his own party who will be hounding his every move for the next two years. gary 0'donoghue, bbc news, washington. to discuss the implications of all this i'm joined by democrat strategist, robin swanson who's in sacramento. robin swanson who's thank robin swanson who's you forjoining us. it took thank you forjoining us. it took awhile to get there but mr mccarthy got thejob took awhile to get there but mr mccarthy got the job he wanted in the end. i mccarthy got the “ob he wanted in the with mccarthy got the “ob he wanted in the enth in the end. i would say be careful you _ in the end. i would say be careful you wish - in the end. i would say be careful you wish for. - in the end. i would say be careful you wish for. it - in the end. i would say be careful you wish for. it is| careful you wish for. it is unclear if he has a lot of power. taking 1a votes over four days are not getting end of the 15th vote and just caving to the right—wing extremists in the freedom party shows that it is that hard to become speaker what concessions you'll have to make to pass an actual budget of the united states of america. i5

states of america. is interesting _ states of america. is interesting because he sort of alluded, he was quite direct, said that donald trump was quite helpful and influential and so perhaps he might have to lean on him a few times when he is looking to pass those debates. how do democrats feel about those comments that he made? i about those comments that he made? ~ , , made? i think it is terrifying if donald — made? i think it is terrifying if donald trump _ made? i think it is terrifying if donald trump is - made? i think it is terrifying if donald trump is the - made? i think it is terrifying i if donald trump is the property of kevin mccarthy. i remember dave and kevin mccarthy worked in the california legislature. going to a wind about 15 years and we had governor arnold schwarzenegger and kevin mccarthy billed himself as a moderate republican in line with arnold schwarzenegger and so i really see him as someone who is whatever way the wind blows and at the moment he sees trump as a power base for him but i don't think he is where the votes are. fin but i don't think he is where the votes are.— the votes are. on those concessions _ the votes are. on those concessions and - the votes are. on those concessions and there l the votes are. on those - concessions and there were quite a few of them, one of

those concessions was to make it easier to unseat him. is not something that people that you speak to feel that that might be something that might be used in the near future? be something that might be used in the nearfuture? the be something that might be used in the near future?— in the near future? the speaker tower in the near future? the speaker power and _ in the near future? the speaker power and to — in the near future? the speaker power and to be _ in the near future? the speaker power and to be a _ in the near future? the speaker power and to be a leader - in the near future? the speaker| power and to be a leader people have to follow you so it is clear that, from the jump, have to follow you so it is clear that, from thejump, he doesn't have people willing to follow him. i would also say a second thing i would be really concerned about if i were speaker is the committee. that is the most powerful thing that a speaker can do is to assign committee chairs and, basically, that power has been removed from him as well so i don't know what power is left for him to wield. it seems your speaker in name only. the president _ speaker in name only. the president joe _ speaker in name only. the president joe biden - speaker in name only. the presidentjoe biden will speaker in name only. the president joe biden will have presidentjoe biden will have to work fairly closely with him. how do you think that relationship is going to pan out? i relationship is going to pan out? ., , ~' out? i actually think the bitter out? i actually think the bigger concern - out? i actually think the bigger concern is - out? i actually think the bigger concern is his - bigger concern is his relationship with mitch mcconnell, on the other side, in the united states senate. ultimately, you know, the president is going to have to work with both parties, we have

a divided congress. but mitch mcconnell has a very different leadership styles and kevin mccarthy does and i think it will show how splinter the republican party is if the two of them cannot work together. will have to see what more drama washington has in store for us over the next few days. thank you forjoining us. the united states has called for iran to stop executing anti— government protesters. the state department said two men who were hanged on saturday were convicted in sham trials. britain and the european union have have also condemned iran's use of the death penalty. shelley phelps reports nationwide protests have swept around since the death of a woman in september who had been detained by the country basement morality police. no two men have been hanged for killing a member of the security forces during the demonstrations. they had

appealed against their sentences, saying they had been tortured into making false confessions. 0n tortured into making false confessions. on saturday, iranian state tv broadcast footage of the two men testifying during a court hearing that has been condemned as a sham trial by human rights groups. as a sham trial by human rights trou s. �* , , groups. and every single execution _ groups. and every single execution we _ groups. and every single execution we see - groups. and every single execution we see that i groups. and every single | execution we see that the primary and the most significant evidence are self incriminating confessions obtained under torture and we know that one of the people who were signed today, was tortured heavily ahead of his execution. so i don't call them really had two additional process by limiting committees. that deaths bring _ limiting committees. that deaths bring the - limiting committees. that deaths bring the total- limiting committees. that deaths bring the total number of protesters known to have been executed in the aftermath of the unrest to four. but death sentences are not a new tactic used by iran's regime to

oppress our position. the islamic republic - oppress our position. the islamic republic has - oppress our position. the islamic republic has been handing out death sentences to political — handing out death sentences to political prisoners for four decades. in the 1980s, thousands of protesters were executed summarily. is thousands of protesters were executed summarily. is a thousands of protesters were executed summarily. is a human rithts executed summarily. is a human rights group _ executed summarily. is a human rights group amnesty _ rights group amnesty international says it fears at these 26 more people are at greater risk of execution in connection with the process well politicians from around world have widely condemned iran's actions as abhorrent. this is bbc news — our main headlines. russia has continued to shell eastern ukraine despite calling for a 36 hour ceasefire for 0rthodox christmas celebrations. kevin mccarthy has been sworn in as speaker of the us house of representatives, after 15 rounds of voting. the new speaker says it was the influence of former president trump that helped him secure the position. china is scrapping its quarantine rules for travel from sunday, after nearly three years of covid lockdowns. but as restrictions were eased over the last few weeks,

infections spread rapidly — causing many countries to introduce compulsory covid tests for travellers from china. there are also concerns that china's borders are opening just as the country prepares to celebrate its annual lunar new year. well, i'm joined now by daniel falush from the centre for microbes, development and health at the institut pasteur shanghai, chinese academy of sciences. thank you forjoining us. it is interesting. how do people locally where you are in shanghai, how do they feel about this rule change? i think that among — about this rule change? i think that among the _ about this rule change? i think that among the expat - about this rule change? i think. that among the expat community and most internationally chinese people, people are very

happy that finally it is possible to travel without enormous time and expense and many are doing travel ban to be to make plans that have been put on hold for years to most people are very happy about it. there is been some commentary that this is sort of a direct reaction to countries introducing these rules china. do you feel that is the case? i think, well, ithink do you feel that is the case? i think, well, i think that the end of the quarantine is a natural reaction to the end of the zero covid policy which happened a few weeks ago so once you abolish restrictions inside the country restrictions

to and from china have no logic to and from china have no logic to them any more so it is inevitable that they been removed. i don't think it is, they did it a few weeks after, i think the reaction of other countries has been may be a little bit predictable not very necessary. little bit predictable not very necessary-— necessary. tower local businesses _ necessary. tower local businesses finding - necessary. tower localj businesses finding this necessary. tower local- businesses finding this news and presumably china clearly was a country that enjoyed a lot of international business tourism is also just terrace around the country. this is probably quite welcome news for them. ~ , ,., , probably quite welcome news for them. ~ , , them. absolutely. so in shanghai. _ them. absolutely. so in shanghai, where - them. absolutely. so in shanghai, where i - them. absolutely. so in shanghai, where i am l them. absolutely. so in shanghai, where i am it them. absolutely. so in i shanghai, where i am it is them. absolutely. so in - shanghai, where i am it is a very internationally orientated city are a whole bunch of businesses really dependent on businesses really dependent on business travel. i'm not sure the business travel is going to resume at its old levels immediately. there's been a lot

of water under the bridge and a lot of businesses can have adapted to a closed china so it is not clear that we'll return to the same level as it was before but certainly. i mean, yeah. before but certainly. i mean, eah. �* . before but certainly. i mean, eah.�* . yeah. and so the concern about infection spread _ yeah. and so the concern about infection spread and _ yeah. and so the concern about infection spread and that - yeah. and so the concern about infection spread and that is - infection spread and that is what we have been hearing is that as these restrictions have been lifted the spread of infection has increased which was probably to be expected to some extent. is that something you think people need to be concerned about?— you think people need to be concerned about? well, yeah, so the end of— concerned about? well, yeah, so the end of zero _ concerned about? well, yeah, so the end of zero covid _ concerned about? well, yeah, so the end of zero covid has - concerned about? well, yeah, so the end of zero covid has led - the end of zero covid has led to a wave of infections in china. i think actually in big cities in shanghai and beijing, that's bad had already peaked so the number of cases is going down from the small amount of evidence i've heard is that the pressure in the intensive care unit is also going down and there are still a lot of cases here relative to other

countries but i think that will pair off within a few weeks. thank you forjoining us. train services in the uk have been severely disrupted again as tens of thousands of rail workers continued their strike about pay and conditions. the industrial action is the last of five rail strikes this week — though services are likely to be affected tomorrow as well. representatives of the rmt and aslef unions are due to have talks with the rail minister on monday. an italian man has admitted stealing more than a thousand unpublished manuscripts, many written by high—profile authors. filippo bernardini impersonated figures from the publishing industry to trick people into handing over their works. authors who were targeted include margaret atwood, ian mcewan and sally rooney. bernardini, pleaded guilty in new york to wire fraud, but his motive has never been clear. manuscripts were not found to have been leaked on the internet, nor were any

ransom demands made. i'm joined by ginger adams 0tis, a new york based reporter. this is quite the story. i mean it's a sort of a book in itself. give it a little bit of background because lots of people may not have heard about the story at home.— the story at home. right, so, what we know _ the story at home. right, so, what we know about - the story at home. right, so, what we know about this - the story at home. right, so, what we know about this as l the story at home. right, so, what we know about this as it started in about 2016 some time and an individual then unknown to anybody created fake domain names and e—mails and set up e—mails that the big there are four major publishing houses. and he would e—mail different agents, different publishers at all levels of the publishing industry and very innocuous the say he was from such and such a house and i'm trying to get an advance look at such and such a manuscript because we want to translate it or you want to do

something with that. and it all seemed very legitimate, very up and up because, of course, he knew the mainly the players, he knew the mainly the players, he knew the mainly the players, he knew the terminology. it was very much an insiders industry. and he did successfully get his hands on quite a few manuscripts are parts of manuscripts are parts of manuscript but, as you mentioned, nobody knows what he really did with them. they were not fixed, they did not appear in the black market and it did not appear that he sold them to anyone. it does seem to be something that you enjoy doing, collecting manuscripts. serra; collecting manuscripts. sorry to interrupt _ collecting manuscripts. sorry to interrupt you. _ collecting manuscripts. sorry to interrupt you. you're - collecting manuscripts. sorry. to interrupt you. you're having problems with your microphone moving around. could you hold, where your microphone is on your headphones comic you hold that so it is steady when you talk because we've a bit of disruption there? is talk because we've a bit of disruption there?- disruption there? is that better? _ disruption there? is that better? not _ disruption there? is that better? not really, - disruption there? is that better? not really, no,| disruption there? is that - better? not really, no, sorry. we will have _ better? not really, no, sorry. we will have to _ better? not really, no, sorry. we will have to get _ better? not really, no, sorry. we will have to get back - better? not really, no, sorry. we will have to get back to i better? not really, no, sorry. | we will have to get back to you on that because i think... but thank you very much forjoining

us and i hope to speak to you soon. us and i hope to speak to you soon. thousands of pilgrims descended on the historic town of lalibela in ethiopia on saturday, to celebrate 0rthodox christmas. it was the first time pilgrims came to the town since the conflict in tigray began in 2020, which disrupted all spheres of life in the country. with a surprise ceasefire declared on november 2nd, citizens have more than one reason to rejoice. the bbc�*s daniel dadzie reports peace at last after two years of war. thousands of worshippers have travelled from far and near worshippers have travelled from farand nearto worshippers have travelled from far and near to mark the ancient tradition of 0rthodox christmas in africa's largest christian site. the medieval church as he became a world heritage site in 1978. they important for christians as places of pilgrimage and devotion. but this year,

ceremony are special. it is laced with the relief of a country recovering from war. last year we were in our home crying and normally we always come here for christmas but i could not come for the last two years. more than the pandemic, the war was scary because it was a massacre that was visible to our naked eyes. i couldn't come and celebrate it because i was afraid. come and celebrate it because i was afraid-— was afraid. not long ago, it was afraid. not long ago, it was on the _ was afraid. not long ago, it was on the front _ was afraid. not long ago, it was on the front line - was afraid. not long ago, it was on the front line of - was afraid. not long ago, it was on the front line of a i was on the front line of a brutal conflict between government forces and the two great people's liberation front. the town changed hands four times during the fighting and miraculously, the ancient churches appear to have been spared the scars of war. there is obvious relief here that a peace deal was signed last november their memories of the war another far away. november their memories of the war anotherfar away. mt;

november their memories of the war another far away.— war another far away. my parent wishes, war another far away. my parent wishes. our _ war another far away. my parent wishes, our god _ war another far away. my parent wishes, our god may _ war another far away. my parent wishes, our god may grant - war another far away. my parent wishes, our god may grant us i wishes, our god may grant us freedom for myself and my country. freedom for myself and my count . a , freedom for myself and my count . , , ., country. many problems remain, with 2.3 million _ country. many problems remain, with 2.3 million people _ country. many problems remain, with 2.3 million people still- with 2.3 million people still thought to be in need after being cut off from humanitarian aid. but today's ceremony rings with the hope that life will return to normal for return to normalfor ethiopians. return to normal for ethiopians. if you were a child of the 1970s, the chances are you will have wanted a raleigh chopper. the iconic bike was designed by tom karen, who died a week ago, but his many achievements — which go well beyond the chopper — are celebrated in a museum in hertfordshire all about him. helen mulroy went to find out more. it's arguably tom karen's most famous piece. the raleigh chopper, an icon of the �*70s. it was the bike every youngster wanted to find under their christmas tree and its appeal and place in popular culture spanned decades. all right by supergrass plays. it featured in supergrass�*s 1995 music video, starred

in the chase scene in the movie jumanji. raleigh needed to try and compete with an american bike called the schwinn, which had very curvaceous tubes. whatever we did, it would have a big wheel and a small wheel because the big wheel shows where the power comes from, you know? like dragsters, who had big tyres at the front. the combination of that made the chopper the success it was. the chopper saved raleigh from bankruptcy. 1.5 million of them were sold worldwide. but cambridge designer tom karen didn'tjust design bikes — he was behind the reliant scimitar when he was the managing director at the design house 0gle. he also designed the bond bug, which, after a little bit of tweaking at the 0gle factory in letchworth, became a landspeeder in the 1977 star wars film a new hope. all these things on display here at the micro museum about tom karen in letchworth garden

city. there's even a replica of his cambridge living room. and here, i find josh tidy, who's the curator of this exhibition. josh, sadly, tom passed away on new year's eve but his designs, his legacy will live on forever. yes, absolutely. unintelligible to the breadth and quality of his design really being celebrated on show here. if you are a certain age, he designed half your childhood. but as well as the chopper and the bug and those high—profile things, he really designed all sorts of everything, from lorries for leland, vans, he designed a popemobile for the visit ofjohn paul ii in 1984. he designed for four decades but really struggled to retire. he described himself as having a butterfly mind that never stopped. a huge body of work under and a real legacy there.

another one of his designs you certainly will probably remember, the 1970s marble run — a toy that, 50 years on, continues to delight children even now. helen mulroy, bbc news. that's it from us for now. you can reach me on socials— i'm @ bbc vishala sp. and from all of us thanks for watching. hello there. the start of this weekend has been unsettled, thanks to low pressure, wet, windy, followed by blustery showers and sunny spells. part two of the weekend also unsettled with the same area of low pressure close by, it's going to stay pretty windy with plenty of showers rattling in from the south—west. here it is, this deep low, the centre sitting just the north of scotland on sunday, some fairly strong winds close to it's centre over the north and west of scotland. elsewhere, plenty of isobars so it is going to be another blustery day,

maybe not quite as windy across inland areas that we had on saturday but lots of showers around, forming bands moving from west to east, some of them heavy with some hail, some thunder mixed in, very windy across the north and west of scotland, gusts of 60, 70 miles an hour. tending to ease down a little bit later in the day but it's going to be a blustery day wherever you are. probably the best of the brighter and sunnier moments will be towards eastern scotland, eastern england. but a cooler day to come for all, temperatures of six to nine degrees, for most in single digits. sunday night, little change, it stays blustery, further bands of showers moving from west to east. wintry elements of them over the hills of scotland and we will see that throughout the day on sunday, maybe even down to lower levels for the early part of monday. it will turn a little bit colder across the north and the west. as that area of low pressure pulls away on monday, it allows this brief ridge of high pressure to nose in. that will tend to settle things down, kill off the showers

across some southern and western areas, but they will continue to rattle into parts of scotland, maybe north—west england again, wintry elements over the hills. but an increasing chance of drier and brighter weather in the south on monday, thanks to that ridge of high pressure, and we could be up to ten or 11 degrees, still quite chilly further north. that brief ridge won't last long, it will clear away during monday night. into tuesday, it is back to square one, wet and windy conditions with this next area of low pressure moving in. so some of that rain will be quite heavy as it splashes its weight northwards and eastwards, snow on its leading edge as it bumps into the colder air across scotland but it will revert back to rain as very much milder air pumps up from the south. and we are looking at highs of 13 or 1a degrees across southern britain. and it will be initially cold at the start of the day across the north as the milder air will spread northwards. it stays pretty unsettled for the second half of the new week as well, with further spells of wet and windy weather followed by some quieter moments, too.

this is bbc news, the headlines: russia has continued to shell various regions in ukraine despite calling for a 36—hour ceasefire for 0rthodox christmas celebrations. president volodymyr zelensky said vladimir putin's offer of a truce, now ended, was deceitful. he said peace in ukraine would only be restored when russian forces were expelled. kevin mccarthy has been sworn in as speaker of the us house of representatives, after 15 rounds of voting. a small group of republican rebels had derailed

each previous attempt. the new speaker says it was the influence