this is bbc news. the headlines: president of the european commission ursula von der leyen will travel to the uk tomorrow to meet prime minister rishi sunak. earlier the bbc learnt that an announcement about the new deal between the eu and the uk on post brexit trading rules for northern ireland is imminent. at least 59 people, including a baby, have died after a boat carrying migrants sank near the coast of southern italy. 0ne local official has suggested as many as 150 people had been onboard. counting is under way in nigeria s most competitive elections in decades with three candidates still hopeful of becoming president. and blizzard conditions in unexpected places in america as a cold weather front hits
but while this storm has passed, the one in california continues to move south, with large hail and damaging winds set to impact 0klahoma, texas and kansas on sunday. climate scientists say there s been an increase in the sheer number of storms across the united states, a sign of warming temperatures. and while this storm is extraordinary compared to the past, it sjust the beginning for what we re about to see in the future. varn darnah bhan, bbc news. the government of new zealand has confirmed that three people who had been taken hostage in papua new guinea a week ago, have been released. here they are two citizens of papua new guinea and a new zealander who lives in australia arriving at port moresby a few hours ago they seem to have no injuries. they had been adbucted by gunmen near mount bosavi. a ransom was demanded but the prime minister of papua new guinea says no
and get the new ones, there were insufficient funds. so there s a chronic cash crunch here in nigeria. there s a cost of living crisis caused by the war in ukraine and the covid i9 pandemic. so there are so many problems in the in tray of whoever replaces president muhammadu buhari. more than 350,000 residents are still without power in the us state of michigan three days after one of the worst ice storms in decades knocked out utility poles and wires. tens of thousands of people across the western united states are also without power as a rare cold weather system continues to pummel parts of california. and as vandhna bhan reports a blizzard is set to hit the southern states on sunday. exchanging the dry hilltops and blue skies of california, for snow and freezing rain, has been welcomed by many with excitement. well, i live where there s like, no snow ever.
more than 350,000 residents are still without power in the us state of michigan three days after one of the worst ice storms in decades knocked out utility poles and wires. tens of thousands of people across the western united states are also without power as a rare cold weather system continues to pummel parts of california. and as vandhna bhan reports a blizzard is set to hit the southern states on sunday. exchanging the dry hilltops and blue skies of california, for snow and freezing rain, has been welcomed by many with excitement. well, i live where there s like, no snow ever. like, the only snow i ve got was hail in, like, first grade. and it s pretty exciting. we ve been building snowmen. san francisco hit record low temperatures, and parts of northern california reported several inches of snow by friday. it is nice because i don t have to drive somewhere to enjoy this weather.