the un tells the taliban to reverse its decision on banning afghan women working for humanitarian agencies after five major organisations suspend their work in afghanistan. hello, and welcome to bbc news. 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 . 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 close to 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
been helped at this point. but it s really tough. the wind left big bands of snow against people s front doors, four, five or even six feet high in some cases. you ve got seniors of people who are in the best of circumstances may be a struggle to walk several blocks but in this case, the sidewalks are not clear, the roads are still full of snow. so it is a slow process that is making progress but has a ways to go. is making progress but has a ways to o, g , is making progress but has a ways to go. just saying they re the clear u - , go. just saying they re the clear u, and go. just saying they re the clear up. and reports go. just saying they re the clear up, and reports also go. just saying they re the clear up, and reports also of - go. just saying they re the clear up, and reports also of people i up, and reports also of people suffering a cardiac arrestjust trying to clear that snow from around their properties. as the clear up continues, as things hopefully start to warm up, h
let s cross over to buffalo in new york state. i m joined now by mark sommers, who is a reporter at the buffalo news. thank you forjoining us on bbc news. we heard the new york state governor there describing just how bad things were. she had earlier said that mother nature had hit the state with everything she has. what has come through buffalo? weill. has come through buffalo? well, she s right has come through buffalo? well, she s right to has come through buffalo? well, she s right to call has come through buffalo? well, she s right to call it has come through buffalo? well, she s right to call it one - has come through buffalo? well, she s right to call it one for- has come through buffalo? well, she s right to call it one for the l she s right to call it one for the ages. this is a city that is well known for its massive amounts of snowfall, and this one actually really, really stands out as the governor noted. just give you idea, we had two solid days of white out or you
this is bbc news, the headlines: at least 50 people have died in the us and canada as severe, freezing winter weather sweeps across north america. the region around buffalo, in upstate new york, has been worst affected. russia says at least three technical staff have been killed by falling debris following a ukrainian drone attack on an air force base in the south of the country. in the past few minutes police have confirmed the arrest of a 30 year old man on suspicion of murder after a fatal shooting in merseyside. elle edwards was killed at a pub in wallasey on christmas eve. the united nations tells the taliban to reverse its decision on banning afghan women working for humanitarian agencies,
have also heard reports of rescuers having to be rescued. having to be rescued. that is true. there is a having to be rescued. that is true. there is a national having to be rescued. that is true. there is a national guard - having to be rescued. that is true. there is a national guard unit, - there is a national guard unit, these are reserve army soldiers from these are reserve army soldiers from the nearby city of niagara falls, they found their way to buffalo. they had to get dug out. they needed to be rescued. they had to get dug out. they needed to be rescued- to be rescued. reports also of some ofthe to be rescued. reports also of some of the families to be rescued. reports also of some of the families that to be rescued. reports also of some of the families that have to be rescued. reports also of some of the families that have been - of the families that have been rescued or some that have just had to make that hard decision to leave their homes or to leave their car