live from london, this is bbc news. chinese media reports more than 30 people have died in a powerful earthquake that hit near the tibet—nepal border. at least five people have died in a winter storm in the united states and millions face another day of freezing weather. in the uk, floods, snow and ice cause disruption across the country — multiple areas are declaring major incidents. hello and welcome.

chinese media say more than 30 people have died, after an earthquake struck a remote himalayan region in tibet. tremors were also felt in neighbouring nepal's capital, kathmandu. the affected area sits at the foot of mount everest. the chinese military has launched rescue efforts and drones to the area, as authorities start to assess the impact of the earthquake. let's speak to our china correspondent, laura bicker. what more can you tell us? so far we what more can you tell us? sr far we heard from chinese state media that at least 32 people have died and a 38 people have been injured. we have seen footage from these remote regions. rescuers have already reached some of those that have been trapped in buildings. this is right at the foot of mount everest, within mount everest national park. these are remote

communities, about 4000 kilometres high and temperatures are well below freezing. unmanned drains have been sent to search the area and assess who needs help and wet so they can direct the rescue teams into the right areas. we have seen a lot of the buildings— these are lowrise buildings — they have collapsed in some of the remote regions and communities. we have also seen on state media, firefighters searching through the rubble and trying to make sure they can find any casualties quickly. this is a region used to earthquakes but this is the strongest earthquake they have experience in this region in five years and there have been more than 40 after—shocks in the four hours that have followed and they are about four on the

richter scale but they are still continuing and it must be terrifying for those communities are really going through so much. presumably it is challenging — through so much. presumably it is challenging to _ through so much. presumably it is challenging to access - through so much. presumably it is challenging to access some i is challenging to access some of these communities? i is challenging to access some of these communities? i think that is one — of these communities? i think that is one of _ of these communities? i think that is one of the _ of these communities? i think that is one of the reasons - of these communities? i think that is one of the reasons why the chinese air force are using unmanned drains to assess the area. it seems the best way to cover as much area as possible and assess where to direct the rescue teams. there are hundreds of rescuers that have been dispatched from the local region from what we are hearing from state tv. unfortunately china experiences a number of earthquakes in their practice to try to get to remote area. remote, mountainous and freezing conditions, rescuers are practice in dealing with these kind of emergencies in china. ., ~' ,,

these kind of emergencies in china. . ~ . millions of people across the us face another day of heavy snow, freezing rain and sub—zero temperatures. at least five people have died as a huge winter storm sweeps across the eastern united states. tens of thousands have been left without power, with more than thousands of flights cancelled or delayed and disruption to schools, colleges and businesses. national weather correspondent for cbs news, robert marciano, sent this update from washington this is a most significant snowstorm the dc area has seen in at least five years and we will see how much more what we get tonight. it shut down the city today. schools were closed, federal buildings were closed, closed for non—essential personnel. congress went to work with what they had to do. this was an impressive situation for sure. reagan national airport, a lot of delays and cancellations there. they shut down the runways tonight to clear the runways

of snow and sludge so it does not refreeze overnight. it has been a ferocious track over the last three days, across the country, four if you want to count california where it came in with a lot of dynamics, rain in the valley and snow in the mountains. once it got into the central plains, it fired up in kansas city where they saw their worse blizzard situation in three decades. tens of millions of people impacted by the storm over the past three days and obviously it is not done yet. we have the upper level to come through and it will dump several more inches of snow as far north as philly and south as far as north carolina before it settles down. after that, cold air sets up and we have another system coming up out of texas, thursday, friday, potentially saturday, taking a similar track. a lot of folks hit by this winter storm are probably going to have to endure another one come the end of the week.

meanwhile, here in the uk, a number of major incidents have been declared as the country deals with severe weather, ranging from ice and snow in the north of england, wales, and scotland, to flooding in the midlands. almost 200 flood warnings are in place across england, as graham satchell reports. large parts of the leicestershire and lincolnshire countryside are underwater this morning and both counties via services have declared major incidents. dozens of people have been rescued from cars and houses as heavy rain and mounting snow because rivers who burst their banks. there are almost 200 flood warnings in place across england and one severe morning, meaning danger to life, at this caravan park in leicestershire. ambulance services declaring a critical

incident. 50 children at high school in lincolnshire had to be driven to safety after the school was cut off by the rising water.— school was cut off by the rising water. two inches of water in — rising water. two inches of water in here. _ rising water. two inches of water in here. this - rising water. two inches of water in here. this is - water in here. this is everything from last years flood. ~ , flood. with between three-month-old i flood. with between - three-month-old daughters, three—month—old daughters, todayit three—month—old daughters, today it would be about assessing the damage and starting to clean up. although the forecast is for dryer and calmer weather in the coming days, there are new warnings for snow and ice in some parts which could lead to more travel chaos. despite the pleas from emergency services not to drive in a flooded areas, some could not resist the temptation for some inland rural waterskiing. graham satchell, bbc news. the uk's home secretary has

promised changes to the law which would mean criminal or professional sanctions for those who cover up or fail to report child sexual abuse. yvette cooper says the new offence will be introduced this year. the proposal was one of 20 recommendations made to a previous conservative government by a seven—year inquiry into child sexual abuse, which concluded in 2022. 0ur political correspondent hannah miller reports. from rotherham to 0ldham, and telford, the children who were sexually abused and raped by grooming gangs have been promised change before but more than two years after a public enquiry that was described as a watershed by the previous government, its recommendations are yet to be implemented. never say they will now do it. these crimes have not been taken seriously for far too long and far too many children

have been fail of that is why this government is determined to act, strengthening the law, taking forward recommendations from independent inquiries, supporting stronger police action and protection for victims. there is no excuse for anyone not to take these crimes seriously. anyone not to take these crimes seriousl . ., , seriously. the government says it will introduce _ seriously. the government says it will introduce mandatory - it will introduce mandatory reporting, that is professional and criminal sanctions with anyone working with children who fails to report or covers up who fails to report or covers up child sexual abuse. grooming will also become an aggravating factor in child sexual offences which could lead to longer sentences and there are plans to improve data collection around child abuse and protection. the conservatives say there needs to be a new national enquiry. if say there needs to be a new national enquiry.— national enquiry. if the government _ national enquiry. if the government will - national enquiry. if the government will not i national enquiry. if the i government will not order national enquiry. if the - government will not order that statutory national public enquiry, we will table an amendment to the children were being built later this week to put the matter to a vote. the

issue was _ put the matter to a vote. the issue was thrown _ put the matter to a vote. the issue was thrown into - put the matter to a vote. the issue was thrown into the spotlight following a series of incendiary post by elon musk. he has produced no evidence for some of his place. a former greater manchester blizzard sector accused the government of a knee—jerk reaction. we of a knee-“erk reaction. we need a of a knee—jerk reaction. - need a thorough, honest, deep dive into the reasons why and an honest acknowledgement that we have failed generations of children. this is not a local problem, it is a national problem, it is a national problem and it will not go away and ifor one will carry problem and it will not go away and i for one will carry on telling the truth until this is solved in children's lives are safer. ., , , , safer. the government insists it has been — safer. the government insists it has been working _ safer. the government insists it has been working on - safer. the government insists it has been working on its i it has been working on its response to child sexual abuse behind the scenes for months but the issue has now been thrown into the spotlight once again and there are victims and survivors who want justice again and there are victims and survivors who wantjustice to know others will not have to go

through what they did. hannah miller, bbc news. president biden has met the families and loved ones of some of those killed in the new orleans terror attack. mr biden attended a prayer service at the city's st louis cathedral and stopped at a makeshift memorial in honour of the victims of last week's deadly attack in the historic french quarter. he paid condolences to the victims and their families, and gave tribute to what he called new 0rleans' "strength and resilience." the president also spoke directly to those who lost loved ones in the attack. all event like this are hard, the shock and pain is still so very raw. my wife jill and the shock and pain is still so very raw. my wifejill and i are here to stand with you, to grieve with you, to pray with you, to let you know you are not alone. the rest of the

nation is looking at you as well. canada's liberal party is set to start the process of finding a new leader, and the country's new prime minister after justin trudeau announced his resignation. he's held the position for nine years, but growing pressure from his party and unpopularity with voters saw him step down, ahead of general elections expected in october. trudeau will stay in office until a new leader is selected, with the liberal party's board of directors due to meet this week. for more, let's speak to our north america correspondent david willis. i would imagine so much reaction to his decision to resign. reaction to his decision to resin. . ~ , reaction to his decision to resin. ., ~ , ., ., resign. talk us through some of it. this resign. talk us through some of it- this was _ resign. talk us through some of it. this was a _ resign. talk us through some of it. this was a man _ resign. talk us through some of it. this was a man who - resign. talk us through some of it. this was a man who rose i resign. talk us through some of it. this was a man who rose to i it. this was a man who rose to popularity back in 2015, this young progressive politician featured on the front page of

rolling stones magazine, hailed as a champion of the environment, a feminist and somebody who could bring canada into the next century, if you like. well, he really started to lose support both from within his party and the country at large during the coronavirus pandemic because of his handling of it and since then we have seen pressure from within the party, the liberal party, following the loss of some key seeds in local elections and, of course, the imminent threat of punitive trade tariffs being imposed of canadian imposed by the incoming us president donald trump. now, it was in the light of that that someone saying it was a question of time before justin trudeau stood down as a minister after nine years leading the country. but it is by no means certain that

whoever replaces him will go on to become prime minister because the liberal party, this is part of the problem that led to justin is part of the problem that led tojustin trudeau's doudle, is some 20 points behind the rubble conservative party into the opinion polls in canada at the opinion polls in canada at the moment.— the moment. and it is the economic— the moment. and it is the economic challenges i the moment. and it is the economic challenges that | the moment. and it is the i economic challenges that have kept canadians over the edge, it would seem, cost of living, high inflation, high cost of housing but also add to that the tariffs that could be impose in the very near future on canadian goods which could have a huge impact on their economy?— have a huge impact on their econom ? ~ , , ., . ~ economy? absolutely. the lack of affordable _ economy? absolutely. the lack of affordable housing, - economy? absolutely. the lack of affordable housing, the i economy? absolutely. the lack of affordable housing, the rise | of affordable housing, the rise in inflation and the high cost of goods at the shops undoubtedly weaken justin trudeau's support in the country after nine years in office. he has said he will step down once a new leader has

been found and that could take some time because of the complex mechanism that exists in canada for choosing such a person. parliament has been suspended until the end of march and it could be may or after that before there is a general election so that would mean that with just two weeks ago before donald trump takes office in the white house, it will be justin office in the white house, it will bejustin trudeau who is facing the negotiations needed no doubt if donald trump decides to go ahead with that thread of imposing 25% tariffs on imports to the us from canada. ~ , canada. david willis there. will be talking _ canada. david willis there. will be talking to - canada. david willis there. will be talking to a - canada. david willis there. will be talking to a leadingj will be talking to a leading economist later about the challenges facing canada. around the world and across

the uk, this is bbc news.

the un has warned that its work delivering aid to people in gaza is at breaking point, following what it said was a deliberate and dangerous pattern of sabotage and disruption by both israeli soldiers and palestinian gangs. the un's under—secretary for humanitarian affairs, tom fletcher, accused the israeli army of attacking a clearly marked un aid convoy in central gaza and striking a known food distribution point in the past 48 hours. he also accused armed palestinian gangs of hijacking six fuel tankers, leaving aid operations with little fuel. investigators in south korea are waiting for a new arrest warrant for impeached president yoon suk yeol, whose failed martial law bid threw the country

into turmoil last month. the original warrant expired on sunday after investigators were unsuccessful in their bid to arrest the president, who remains in his official residence. investigators have now passed on the responsibility for the warrant to police. meanwhile, protesters are braving freezing temperatures outside the presidential residence. pro and anti—yoon demonstrations have been taking place throughout the past month. some of the demonstrators gathered overnight, when temperatures fell to minus five degrees celsius amid a heavy snow warning. meanwhile, the us secretary of state says he has "full confidence" in south korea's democratic institutions. speaking at a joint press conference with south korea's foreign minister, blinken praised what he called korea's "democratic resilience" although he noted that the country's democracy had been tested in recent weeks. let's speak to professor hannah kim, director of the korea and east asia programme at sogang university's graduate school of international

studies. good to talk to you on bbc news. talk us through the unfolding situation in south korea and the response we are seeing on both sides among protesters. seeing on both sides among protestem-_ seeing on both sides among rotesters. ., ., , protesters. there are so many movin: protesters. there are so many moving parts _