Relief is on the way but for many in the midwest it cant come soon enough. For yet another day millions were plunged into arctic temperatures which closed schools, grounded flights, and proved downright dangerous. The polar vortex has already been blamed for multiple deaths even breathing outside is difficult. The bbcs Chris Buckler is in chicago with this report. Chicago stands surrounded by ice and snow. People here are used to cold weather but these are temperatures seen only once in a generation. To try to keep the citys trains running, the tracks have had to be set on fire and boats have been attempting to break through the solid sheets of ice that cover the chicago river. The windy city has become the wind chill city. My fingertips have been frozen twice and had to take a pit stop twice. Toes frozen twice. So i made two stops. Its brutally cold, bitterly cold. You can actually see frost on your eyelashes. What does it feel like . Its a little cold. They froze and closed a couple of times. Across americas midwest, temperatures have dropped far below freezing. A huge part of the us caught in whats known as the polar vortex. Its pushed arctic air down from the north pole and left many places colder than the antarctic. From the air, Lake Michigan now looks more like land than water. People have been doing their own small science experiments to see for themselves just how cold it is, including this. Ive got boiling water in this flask and youll see, as soon as i throw it into the cold air, it just simply freezes. Further north, even parts of the mighty Niagara Falls have been frozen. This is a deadly cold and people have been killed in accidents on the icy roads and in some cases from just being exposed to these extreme elements. For another evening, centres have been opened to keep the homeless warm and safe. There is no shelter on the streets from these kind of conditions and the frozen beauty of this weather cant be allowed to distract from its dangers. Chris buckler, bbc news, chicago. And just a short time ago we checked back in with Chris Buckler, for the latest, in chicago. People are getting layered up with as much clothing as possible and trying to keep others off the streets. Here in chicago it has been pretty quiet in what is normally a bustling city. That is because so many businesses, so many schools and colleges have simply been closed. That is true right throughout the midwest. Because these conditions are frankly painful. Ive got my hood down at the moment and im close to shelter, but the truth is we are trying to keep as warm as possible, because your extremities, yourfingers, your toes, my ears, in particular, are really painful today standing out in this. That is true for everyone else. Of course, some people have died as a result of these cold, cold temperatures. Some of them have just been exposed to it. The truth is, you talk to some meteorologists and they tell you about ten minutes in the temperatures chicago has experienced in the past 2a hours could give you frostbite. The hospitals here have been dealing with people who have been suffering from frostbite. We have been doing our best to give people an idea of how cold it is. One of the things we have been doing is by using a t shirt. We wet this t shirt and brought it out of our hotel a short time ago. Within 60 seconds it froze completely. That is a t shirt that was just wet, and a cotton piece of clothing that has frozen in around 60 seconds as a result of the cold there is still here in chicago. At the moment it is around 20 celsius. That feels even colder with the wind chill. Something around 27 celsius. Chris and the team earning their money in chicago. We go to the serious end of this. Live now to chicago and to major Kjell Steinsland from the salvation army. Major, good to talk to, thank you for your time. There are Something Like 80,000 people sleeping rough in chicago, what can you do for them in these conditions . In the temperatures experienced right now we do temperatures experienced right now wedoa temperatures experienced right now we do a number of things. We work with the city to do a wellbeing check. We visit Senior Citizens and make sure they have adequate heat and food and clothing are things like that. But for the homeless and the street people we have a mabil unit that goes out every day, 365 days piya, where they provide food and coffee and other items to them. Now with this extreme cold weather we do extra runs from 7pm until 1am, trying to encourage people to come inside. Many of them will have tense or little campfires set up round my ducks and other places tents. Many will not come in. We provide meals to them and gloves and so forth. The biggest thing we can do is to get them out of there. We have had call people nine people died this week because of the cold. We bring them to a shelter if they are willing to go. They have got small 100 people, there they can get free meals a day kotze four. We provide blankets in sales and other relief sources. We have people who entered into a Detox Programme to get them clean. We are hoping we will have more people willing to ta ke will have more people willing to take advantage of that. At a time when people who have homes are being told to go outside as little as possible, not too breathe to deeply or talk too long outside it is hard to imagine what it is like to live in the streets. Some people hear a relu cta nt to in the streets. Some people hear a reluctant to go into shelters for various reasons, they worried about noise, threats, violence, how do you help people who wont come in . Again, we provide them food and other resources. We do try to encourage some people. Our people have been going out every day for several years have been going out every day for several yea rs now, have been going out every day for several years now, they have got to know a number of the people out there. Some of them, to be able to talk them into coming in, but for those who refuse to come in we cannot make them come in. We were close with the city and other agencies and we parted together, they are out there working hard even to know. At least at this point the weather should be Getting Better in the next day or two. 0ur Emergency Shelter will be opened through saturday. In the city we have over 30 shelters for families, a saturday. In the city we have over 30 shelters forfamilies, a number of shelters for individuals. We are trying to let them know that they can find trying to let them know that they canfind a trying to let them know that they can find a safe place in one of the shelters. Major, thank you for talking to us. Will be best what you are doing is document thank you very much. The second and final day of high stakes trade talks between the us and china have concluded, in the oval office. Chinas leader xi jinping wrote to President Trump to say he hopes they will be able to Reach Agreement before a march first deadline, when new tariffs could take effect. This was mr trumps take on a possible deal. I think the relationship that we have right now with china has never been so advanced. I dont think its ever been better. But i can tell you for a fact its never been so advanced. And certainly a deal has never been so advanced. Because essentially we dont have a deal. We never had a trade deal. Were gonna have a great trade deal. But we never really had a trade deal with china and now were gonna have a great trade deal with china if it all works out. And we look forward to it. Its gonna be great for both countries. Marshall meyer is tsai wan tsai professor of management and sociology at the univesity of pennsyvania and hejoins me now. Very good to talk to. When you think we are going . I dont know entirely what to make of it. Partly because i have been aloft for the past 2a hours. I have picked up some interesting ideas in china. What we are seeing exposes the strength and maybe the weaknesses of both sides. China, i think, maybe the weaknesses of both sides. China, ithink, is more maybe the weaknesses of both sides. China, i think, is more dependent on global trade than most of us imagined. We see everything is made in china. Goods that go from the us to china dont say made in the us because it is energy, it is agricultural commodities, and i think, quite frankly, chinas concerned that especially on the agricultural side, we saw, i believe, an offer to buy 500 tons of soy beans i day, why is that . Masoe beans, no pigs. China has a heck of a time maintaining their pool to buy masoe beans. That is without importing soy beans. Theyjust dont have the space to grow wet. This indicates one dependency they have got to grow it. Despite the advancesin got to grow it. Despite the advances in solar and wind wind energy, china is still very much dependent on hydrocarbons and their domestic supplies hardly meet the needs of. Still, professor, their Manufacturing Sector is very strong and there is a lot of government subsidisation, how does that factor in . Well, i describe the Manufacturing Sector beretts just awesome. Most americans dont want to a cce pt awesome. Most americans dont want to accept the fact that technology there is first rate, the supply chain are first rate, and the work ethic is very different from, perhaps our work ethic. I did see something very telling in china. It is called be 996 plan. This is largely in the technology sector. What does it mean . It means you work 99, what does it mean . It means you work 9 9, six days a week. That is literally the job requirement today. Someone complains it interferes with yourfamily life, someone complains it interferes with your family life, the boss someone complains it interferes with yourfamily life, the boss will say get a divorce. You can check this out, if you look at taxi records in beijing, shanghai, other cities, the ha rd est beijing, shanghai, other cities, the hardest time to get a taxi now is 9pm. As these talks progress or not, it sounds like we will be talking to again. Thank you for that. You are very welcome. Venezuelas self declared interim president juan guaido has said his family has been threatened, amid the countrys political and economic crisis. In a speech at the central university, he said police had visited his family home looking for his wife. Eliza philippidis reports. Standing outside his apartment block with his wife and daughter, juan guaido said he wont be intimidated by agents of venezuelas special action forces. He has the backing of the united states, and they have warned of serious consequences if Nicolas Maduros government harms them. So the tussle for control of venezuela goes on. Translation we continue and will continue in the street on saturday to support and accompany the ultimatum that the European Union gave Nicolas Maduro and Start Talking very clearly to the armed forces and give some prosise orders. We will order humanitarian aid to into the country prosise orders. The eu have announced the creation ofan the eu have announced the creation of an International Contact group to include european and latin american countries. The aim, to help chart a peaceful and to venezuelas political crisis and they are hoping to do it within 90 days. The purpose of the International Contact group is clear. As i said, it is enabling venezuelans to is clear. As i said, it is enabling venezuela ns to express is clear. As i said, it is enabling venezuelans to express themselves, freely and democratically, through the holding of new election. On thursday, the government of venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro announced that three air force generals have been arrested, accused of plotting an uprising against his government. Translation according to information obtained by our intelligence bodies, there was an arrival from colombia of intelligence bodies, there was an arrivalfrom colombia of a group of hired killers, hired by the venezuelan altar rights to commit selective assassinations against politicians and military leaders of. Workers from the state oil company held an anti imperialist march after the us slapped sanctions on the firm on monday in an attempt to cut off a vital source of funding propping up Nicolas Maduros government. Millions of people remain in poverty. Many have left the country looking for a brighter future. Poverty. Many have left the country looking for a brighterfuture. The United Nations said it is willing to step up humanitarian aid, but requires consent from the government led by Nicolas Maduro and, as yet, there is no indication that that is forthcoming. Eliza philippidis, bbc news. Stay with us on bbc news, still to come a real case of poachers turned gamekeepers. We find out how former wildlife smugglers are helping to save russias endangered Snow Leopards. This is the moment that millions in iran had been waiting for. After his long years in exile, the first hesitant steps of Ayatollah Khomeini on iranian soil. South africas white government has offered its black opponents concessions unparalleled in the history of apartheid. And the anc leader, nelson mandela, is to be set free unconditionally. Four, three, two, one. A countdown to a critical moment. The worlds most powerful rocket ignited all 27 of its engines at once. And, apart from its power, its this recycling of the rocket, slashing the cost of a launch, that makes this a breakthrough in the business of space travel. Two americans have become the first humans to walk in space without any lifeline to their spaceship. One of them called it a piece of cake. Thousands of people have given the yachtswoman Ellen Macarthur a spectacular homecoming in the cornish port of falmouth, after she smashed the world record for sailing solo around the world non stop. This is bbc news, the latest headlines millions of people in the american midwest have been trapped in their homes by an extreme polar vortex with temperatures below 30 celsius. President trump has said us china trade talks made tremendous progress but there is still no agreement on ending the two sides dispute. The number confirmed dead from the dam burst at a mine in brazil last week has risen to 110 but more than 300 people are still missing. In the state of minas gerais, where the collapse happened, at least 200 dams are classified by the government as having a high potentialfor damage, if there was a collapse. The bbcsjulia carneiro has been visiting one in the city of congonhas. Devastation as far as the eye can see. This is waste from Iron Ore Mining engulfing houses, trees, trucks, and hundreds of people believed to be buried under the mud. The dam, owned by mining giant vale, collapsed in the brazilian state of minas gerais in the city of brumadinho. Just over three years ago, another dam failed in mariana, only 120km away. Now attention turns to neighbouring cities like congonhas, home to one of the biggest urban dams in latin america. This is the Casa De Pedra dam, owned by csn. Its right next to the city and holds five times more mining waste than the dam that collapsed in brumadinho. When this neighbourhood here was built here, the dam was a lot smaller but it was expanded over the years, growing closer and closer to the houses. Its just 250m from some of the constructions, and after what happened in brumadinho, residents here say its either them or the dam they dont feel safe here anymore. Translation im terrified, i wake up scared, i have nightmares. I feel this could happen here too. We live right under the dam im scared for everyone here. This activist says theres no dialogue with csn. The company did not want to comment on this report. Translation the lesson comes at a huge cost, with all the lives we lost, but it has to be applied to prevent other collapses. People here want a solution they dont want in doubt. Structural problems were detected twice in the dam in the past six years, according to this prosecutor, and were repaired following judicial orders. At the time, csn said the demands had been followed, and the dam presented no risks for workers and residents. Translation its a huge structure, very close to the city. If it breaks, it is going to be one of the worst accidents ever. Mining workers here are concerned after the dam collapse. Vale employees voted to interrupt their shift for two hours to mourn their colleagues in brumadinho. Translation if its so safe, why dont shareholders live undera dam . We have to change the model of mining and governments need to pressure private companies, rather than ease licences for mining. After two disastrous collapses, brazils mining dams are under scrutiny, and People Living under their shadows dont want to be the next victims. Julia carniero, bbc news, congonhas, brazil. Lets get some of the days other news the us envoy for north korea has said pyongyang has promised to dismantle and destroy all its uranium and plutonium enrichment facilities, a commitment apparently made to the us secretary of state and to south korean leaders. North korea has made such promises before, and the us is seeking expert access to verify any removal or destruction. A court in the us has found the Syrian Government liable for killing the american war correspondent, marie colvin, and french photographer, remi ochlik, in an airstrike in homs in 2012. The Court Ordered syria to pay more than 300 million in damages. Its the first time the Assad Government has been found guilty of a war crime. A court in france has sentenced two policemen to 7 years injailfor raping a canadian tourist at what was then the headquarters of the parisian judicial police. The case had been rejected in an earlier trial, but the victim waived her right to anonymity to pursue the case. A third man, whos not been identified, is also suspected of raping her. The snow leopard is an animal in serious danger. Native to central and southern asia there are estimated to be fewer than 10,000 of them still alive. And that figures expected to go down in the coming years. But conservationists are trying to do something about it as the bbcs tim allman reports. There is a bleak span are bleak splendid to the altai mountains. Cold and unforgiving, you have to be tough to survive here. Merghen markov has lived here all his life. He is on the hunt for Snow Leopards, not to kill, but the photograph, these automatic cameras helping to monitor the snow let the population. Translation i am monitor the snow let the population. Translation iam really monitor the snow let the population. Translation i am really happy i have thisjob which translation i am really happy i have this job which allows me to spend all the time outsiders and by or the man spend all the time outsiders and by orthe man spend all the time outsiders and by or the man the animals ive managed to photograph. Is it better than killing them . Yes, they are so beautiful in the photographs. This is the village of argut. After the colla pse is the village of argut. After the collapse of the soviet union, the collective farms went bankrupt. The fur of snow leopard could sell for more than 500. So the World Wildlife fund pays for the purchase, mergen markov included, to try to protect them instead. Translation i see that he quickly understood that if he stopped poaching and stall salt money first, he would make money. Where is with us, he earns money. Where is with us, he earns money regularly. Local volunteers are also paid to go on patrol and monitor this vast area of land. Over time, the hope is the number of Snow Leopards will rise. These animals will return home. Tim allman, bbc news. It is 100 years since Jackie Robinson was born. As the first African American to play Major League Baseball in the us he was a trailblazer on and off the field. Now, a new exhibit in new york offers an intimate portrait of the baseball icon. We went to take a look. Jackie robinson is celebrated today because he open the door for players of colour in a symbolically really important american sport, which is the sport of baseball. This exhibition presents 30 photographs of jackie exhibition presents 30 photographs ofJackie Robinson exhibition presents 30 photographs of Jackie Robinson that have never been published or seen before. They give a sort of more intimate port of someone who is well known as a baseball player but less well known a person. When jackie baseball player but less well known a person. Whenjackie first came to the brooklyn dodgers, there is a famous quote by New York Post journalist called jackie, the loneliest man in baseball. The story was about how nobody talked or interacted with jackie, he wasnt pa rt interacted with jackie, he wasnt part of the fun of the clubhouse but later, by 1919, jackie himself said he started to feel more like part of a team. We see it in the unguarded moments. Here we have a picture of the brooklyn dodgers come house and what you see is jackie in the locker room surrounded by his team mates and his coach, having an intimate and his coach, having an intimate and regular conversation. Its the kind of photograph that would never have been published in the magazine, its not posed, and you see the normal must have jackie and his team and one of the great thing about the dodgers clubhouse, the lockers wont be segregated so his locker was next to the captain. There was a lot of pressure put on him and a lot of stress, having to deal with the first black payer in major baseball and he said he wouldnt have been a will to do it if it wasnt for his wife rachel and the support she gave him and in fact she was allowed to come to string stashed bring training with him and wives generally speaking wont allow it. In indias wife to be with him. This isa in indias wife to be with him. This is a photograph ofjackie in indias wife to be with him. This is a photograph of jackie playing around with his son and he found his family source of strength on the field. On the 100th anniversary of jackie s birth, this is a way of looking back at what has changed and hasnt changed since he broke the colour barrier in baseball. We want people to come away feeling like they know a bit more about Jackie Robinson and what he was like as a man, ourfather, robinson and what he was like as a man, our father, a robinson and what he was like as a man, ourfather, a team mate and friend. Lovely stuff. Co curator Susan Johnston onjackie lovely stuff. Co curator Susan Johnston on Jackie Robinson. Millions of people in the american midwest are pretty much trapped in their homes by the extreme polar vortex. Temperatures going below 30 still vortex. Temperatures going below 30 still celsius. More on those and all the news on the website. And you can get in touch with me and most of the team on twitter im bbcmikeembley. Thank you very much for watching. Hello. There is more snow to come in this forecast as we head into friday. The main focus is the zone, say, from south wales across east anglia and anywhere south of here. All driven by this area of low pressure, which stays close by as we go into friday. Now, whilst the earlier amber warning from the met office has expired, we still have yellow warnings in place for both snow and ice. So, slippery surfaces, tricky travelling conditions. Stay up to date with the latest travel news on your bbc local radio station. By friday morning, we are likely to see perhaps 5 10 centimetres of snow across parts of wales, south west england, particularly over the higher ground, up towards the chilterns and the cotswolds. At least a couple of centimetres elsewhere. And we will start to see further sleet and snow showers piling into north east england. Some of those may well get further south and westwards, perhaps down towards the midlands. Should be a fine start to the day across northern ireland, but cold and frosty. And a really cold start again across scotland, although not quite as cold as the nightjust gone. And, once again, frequent snow showers piling into north scotland, the highlands and also the northern ireland. So, as the day wears on on friday, we will keep our zone of snow showers across central and southern england. It will become more fragmented and increasingly sleety through the day. Still further snow showers piling into north east england, across the north york moors. As i mentioned, some of those may just get across the pennines and down towards parts of the midlands. It will be a breezy day in places, particularly the further south you are, so thats just going to exacerbate the cold feel. And, for most, temperatures are not going to get much above three but we should at least see them above freezing across parts of Northern England and scotland, where we struggled through thursday with the fog. As we go from friday night and into saturday, we still keep this feed of showers, mainly down eastern and some western coasts. And we start to lose the sleet and snow from south east england. But a cloudier night here, so temperatures will stay above freezing. Elsewhere, further west, under clear skies, getting down to 1 or minus two celsius. Still 4 5 across the highlands of scotland. Now, with a northerly wind, we are still going to pick up some wintry showers down some eastern coasts. Between 3 5 celsius, perhaps 6 7 across south west england. So, to sum up the weekend, its going to stay cold, there will be some sunshine, further wintry showers and perhaps rain later on sunday, with some snow across scotland. The latest headlines for you now from bbc news tens of millions of americans are still enduring temperatures as low as 50 celsius across several mid western states. The extreme weather is blamed for at least 21 deaths. Its been more than 20 years since a similar polar vortex covered such a large area. Us and chinese negotiators have praised what they say is progress in two days of trade talks in washington. American officials will go to beijing for more talks soon. President xi jinping has said he hopes both sides can meet each other halfway before a march 1st deadline, when new tariffs may kick in. Venezuelas self proclaimed interim president has promised to focus on rebuilding the economy and ending the countrys humanitarian crisis. Juan guaido accused president Nicolas Maduro of trying to intimidate him by sending special police to his house. The organisation of american states has denounced that move. Around 100 drivers in cornwall have had to abandon their cars in whiteout conditions as heavy snow has fallen across the region. There was an amber weather warning in place across the south west and south wales, with wider yellow warnings for snow and ice in place for much of the country. Our correspondentjon kay reports from devon. When it came down, it really came down. A treacherous rush hour in devon tonight. Main roads blocked. Back lanes impassible. Vehicles abandoned across dartmoor. I cant move my car, i came off the a30 and was just slipping and ijust couldnt move my car from about here. So i thought it was safer to not try and drive it. In cornwall, a hundred drivers have been stuck on bodmin moor