dealing with power cuts and freezing weather. hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world — and stay with us for the latest news and analysis from here and across the globe. the bbc has obtained secret recordings — made by the daughter of the ruler of dubai — in which she accuses her father of holding her in solitary confinement. sheikh mohammed bin rashid al maktoumon is a close ally of the united kingdom — with extensive business interests here — and he claims that princess latifa is safe in the care of the family. it's known that the princess tried to leave dubai in 2018 — but was captured by troops and forced to return. last year — the high court in london found that sheikh mohammed had "ordered and orchestrated" the abduction. our correspondent, nawal al maghafi, has the story. princess latifa, daughter of one of the most powerful men in the middle east — sheikh mohammed bin rashid al—maktoum, ruler of dubai. here she is skydiving. it looks like the perfect life, but it's not one that she wanted any more. she says that she's a princess held captive. she filmed this video in 2018 as she was about to flee. i'm feeling positive about the future. just waking up in the morning and thinking, i can do whatever i want today, i can go wherever i want. with the help of her friend tiina, they managed to flee dubai and board a yacht. the plan was to cross the indian ocean and seek political asylum in the united states. but eight days later, as they were about to reach india, her pursuit for freedom was shattered. we started hearing noises from the upper deck which sounded like gunshots. basically, the boat was taken over by indian special forces. latifa was saying, "oh, my god, my, god, they're here." she continued screaming and kicking and trying to get away. that's the last time i've seen my friend. princess latifa was taken off the boat by force in international waters. she disappeared. princess latifa would only be allowed to step out of the villa for this, a lunch with former un human rights commissioner mary robinson, arranged by her stepmother, princess haya. nothing has been heard from her since, until now. so i'm repeating to them, i'm repeating that my name is latifa al maktoum. i don't want to go to dubai. i want to get asylum. panorama has obtained these videos, recorded over a period of many months. in them, she details where she is being held, a villa in central dubai. i am a hostage and this villa has been converted into a jail, all the windows are boarded shut, i cannot open any window. i have been by myself in solitary confinement, no access to medical help, no trial, no charge. nothing. she sketched what she can see. the villa is being guarded by around 30 police on rotation. panorama has independently verified the details of where and how she's being imprisoned. nobody should be subjected to that. solitary confinement of that sort is broadly considered to be a form of torture as it becomes prolonged, the way this has been right now. for three years now, life for sheikh mohammed bin rashid al—maktoum has continued as normal. here's sheikh mohammed, speaking with her majesty the queen. but he's been responsible for the imprisonment and abuse of his own daughter. until this day, the sheikh maintains that princess latifa's return to dubai was a rescue mission. i don't want to be a hostage in this jail villa, i just want to be free. a few months ago, her secret phone went silent. these messages would be the last we'd hear from her. we have taken the decision to release some of this evidence. we haven't taken this decision lightly. i feel that she would want us to fight for her and not give up. every day i am worried about my safety and my life. i don't really know if i am going to survive the situation. the police threatened me that i will be in prison my whole life and i'll never see the sun again. princess latifa ending that report there by our correspondent nawal al maghafi. as we mentioned, the sheikh found himself criticised by the high court in london last year, when his daughter's circumstances were considered. the sheikh is one of the richest heads of state in the world, and a somewhat controversial figure. but he is also an extremely well connected, not least because of his business interests, including his horse racing empire, which has brought him into contact with the queen. our diplomatic correspondent james landale considers the potential impact of the bbc panorama investigation. sheikh mohammed bin rashid al maktoum might be prime minister of the united arab emirates and one of the richest heads of state in the world, but he is also one of the biggest landowners in britain, who shares a passion for horses with the queen, and whose stables are a mainstay of the british racing industry. his wealth flows through britain. he owns passenger ferries, the london gateway port and vast estates in scotland, surrey and here in suffolk where he keeps hundreds of horses. but the sheikh is also a man who, according to a high courtjudge, not only intimidated his then wife, princess haya, seen here, but also imprisoned his daughter, something latifa has now confirmed herself. world leaders now need to look at who they are calling friends and doing business with and distance themselves from sheikh mohammed until he abides by not only his own laws but international law. such is the family's influence that in 2018 it persuaded a former president of ireland and ex—un human rights commissioner to meet the princess in dubai. mary robinson was supposedly there to prove latifa was alive but unwell. she now admits she was tricked and wants an investigation. i was misled, initially by my good friend princess haya because she was misled. haya began to explain that latifa had quite a serious bipolar problem, and they were saying to me, very kind of in a way that was very convincing, "we don't want latifa to go through any further trauma. " i didn't know how to address somebody with bipolar about their trauma, and i really didn't actually want to talk to her and increase the trauma over a nice lunch. the question is what impact these revelations might have, if any, on sheikh mohammed. buckingham palace would not comment on his relationship with the queen, and some doubted the british government would intervene. is it britain getting involved to make britain feel better, or is it britain getting involved because it might create a change of heart and lead to the freedom of this particular young woman? people have to be pretty candid about these things. it's not going to work. the united nations has, in the past, asked sheikh mohammed's ministers for news about princess latifa, but to no avail. in the end, his daughter's fate seems to lie in his hands and his alone. james landale, bbc news. in myanmar, the trial of the detained civilian leader aung san suu kyi has begun behind closed doors. ms suu kyi, who appeared in court via video link, is alleged to have violated the country's natural disaster law, in addition to earlier charges, on possessing illegal communications. protests against the military coup have continued across myanmar, but a military spokesman claimed ms suu kyi was being confined for her own safety. 0ur south east asia correspondent jonathan head reports. when you have lost the monks in myanmar, you're in trouble. they led the last big uprising against military rule. now some arejoining the protests against the coup. it is the diversity and inventiveness of this civil disobedience movement which has stumped myanmar�*s new military rulers. this impromptu painting shows a young woman who was shot in the head by police last week. the involvement of so many professional groups is also challenging the authorities. these are engineers, refusing to co—operate with the new regime. here peoplejoined railway workers to ensure that the trains don't run on time under military rule. public services are beginning to crumble under the strain. banks are running out of cash. putting troops on the street is no answer to this kind of protest. so, two weeks after seizing power, the military offered their own version of events to journalists today, accusing protesters of violence and intimidation, and insisting their power grab was not in fact a coup. but this was also the day the generals put aung san suu kyi on trial, on what looked like trumped up and trivial charges. after that, any battle for hearts and minds was already lost. even for the nameless and mainly younger organisers of this movement, she is still the popularly elected leader of the country. jonathan head, bbc news. let's get some of the day's other news. the court of appeal in the netherlands has decided that a 9pm coronavirus curfew will remain in place until a full appeal is heard later this week. earlier on tuesday a lower court ruled that the measure had to be reversed immediately, as ministers had not shown why it was needed so urgently. north korean hackers are reported to have tried to break into the computer systems of pharmaceutical giant pfizer. according to south korea's spy agency, the hackers were looking for information on the vaccine. north korea has been under self—imposed isolation since january last year. leader kimjong un has denied that the country has had any coronavirus cases. the world's biggest cryptocurrency, bitcoin, has broken through the 50 has broken through the $50,000 barrier for the first time. it continues an upward trend that's seen it rise almost 900% since march last year. bitcoin has been given a boost by news of large firms like tesla and mastercard showing support for the currency. at least 11 people have lost their lives in the united states, in a wave of once—in—a—generation freezing winter weather that's been hammering the southern states. more than 150 million americans are now under winter storm warnings, and officials have declared a state of emergency in texas. several million people in the state are without power, as plants struggle to keep up with rocketing demand. people are being told to boil their water due to problems at water treatment plants, caused by power cuts. many roads are covered with snow and ice, and thousands of flights were cancelled. let's spek now to abolaji 0gundele who lives in dallas, texas. great who lives in dallas, texas. to speak to you. i don't you great to speak to you. i don't thank you are having to go to time. have you are having to go to time. have you ever seen it this bad? we haven't had — you ever seen it this bad? we haven't had it _ you ever seen it this bad? - haven't had it this bad in a few years. i don't think it's been this bad as far as the power, losing power. i bad as far as the power, losing ower. ., �* . ~ bad as far as the power, losing ower. ., �* ., ~ i. bad as far as the power, losing ower. ., �* ., ~ ., power. i don't thank you are in your home at the — power. i don't thank you are in your home at the moment, _ power. i don't thank you are in your home at the moment, but - power. i don't thank you are in your home at the moment, but staying l power. i don't thank you are in your i home at the moment, but staying with a friend. just explain what happened. where were you living and what happened there? yes. happened. where were you living and what happened there?— what happened there? yes, i live in m own what happened there? yes, i live in my own apartment _ what happened there? yes, i live in my own apartment flat, _ what happened there? yes, i live in my own apartment flat, and - what happened there? yes, i live in my own apartment flat, and we - what happened there? yes, i live inj my own apartment flat, and we lost power around 1pm yesterday and i waited a couple of hours into the evening and realised that the power wasn't going to come back. so i ended up going to another friend's apartment to stay the night and now i am here at another friend's apartment to stay the night as well. 0k, apartment to stay the night as well. ok, but with the temperatures so low and it's still continuing, without power, no heating, presumably. yes. power, no heating, presumably. yes, no heating- — power, no heating, presumably. yes, no heating- a— power, no heating, presumably. yes, no heating. a lot _ power, no heating, presumably. yes, no heating. a lot of _ power, no heating, presumably. yes, no heating. a lot of the _ power, no heating, presumably. yes no heating. a lot of the people i know have electric stoves, so we are not able to cook our own food. so basically we are left to scrounge any dry goods that we have. i don't know what — any dry goods that we have. i don't know what sort _ any dry goods that we have. i don't know what sort apartment - any dry goods that we have. i don't know what sort apartment block i any dry goods that we have. i don't| know what sort apartment block you live in, but are people still being forced to stay there because they have nowhere else to go, and how are they coping? some people aren't, they coping? some people aren't, they have transportation, but for they have transportation, but for the most part from it seems like a lot of residents at my apartment five were remaining in place, just trying to make do. it's just really hard to get around driving, the roads are very icy. just the conditions aren't very safe to travel. so i think a lot of people choose to stay home. how much snow has fallen and is falling? i’m choose to stay home. how much snow has fallen and is falling?— has fallen and is falling? i'm not sure exactly _ has fallen and is falling? i'm not sure exactly how _ has fallen and is falling? i'm not sure exactly how many - has fallen and is falling? i'm not sure exactly how many inches, l has fallen and is falling? i'm not l sure exactly how many inches, but the roads are just pretty much every single road is covered with ice unless the highways that people have travelled are kind of cleared our little bit, buti travelled are kind of cleared our little bit, but i want to say a few inches. �* ., , ., ., , inches. but are you getting any state help _ inches. but are you getting any state help as — inches. but are you getting any state help as well _ inches. but are you getting any state help as well for - inches. but are you getting any state help as well for the - inches. but are you getting any state help as well for the more vulnerable people, for example, the elderly? i vulnerable people, for example, the elderl ? ~' ., vulnerable people, for example, the elderl ? ~ ., , ., , vulnerable people, for example, the elderl ? ~ ., , ., elderly? i know there is a couple of local organisations _ elderly? i know there is a couple of local organisations that _ elderly? i know there is a couple of local organisations that are - elderly? i know there is a couple of local organisations that are helping j local organisations that are helping especially with the homeless and those who are more at risk, like the elderly, i know that we have a convention centre here in dallas that they actually had a water leak, pretty major water leak, and they were trying to bring in those who are most vulnerable to stay. so having issues with that. you talk about water. _ having issues with that. you talk about water. we _ having issues with that. you talk about water. we have _ having issues with that. you talk about water. we have seen - having issues with that. you talk i about water. we have seen reports about water. we have seen reports about some utilities getting contaminated, but also the power going off, you have had to use knowing things to try to keep any food in your freezers and fridges safe. yes. before i made the decision before i made the decision to leave my apartment, decided to collect snow on my balcony to kind of create a cooler felt affected my refrigerator because i have a lot of perishable foods, like to cook my own food. so i try to preserve them as best as i could. try to give other people tips on how to do that. i could. try to give other people tips on how to do that.— could. try to give other people tips on how to do that. i thank you work in a heapital. _ on how to do that. i thank you work in a hospital, is _ on how to do that. i thank you work in a hospital, is that _ on how to do that. i thank you work in a hospital, is that functioning - in a hospital, is that functioning again? in a hospital, is that functioning auain? ., �* in a hospital, is that functioning auain? . �* ., , a again? that i'm not sure. actually haven't been _ again? that i'm not sure. actually haven't been to _ again? that i'm not sure. actually haven't been to work _ again? that i'm not sure. actually haven't been to work the - again? that i'm not sure. actually haven't been to work the last - again? that i'm not sure. actually haven't been to work the last few| haven't been to work the last few days just because of a work injury, but i think they are running false cylinders. i haven't heard any reports of hospitals losing power. all right, look, you have got your scarf fun all right, look, you have got your scarffun and all right, look, you have got your scarf fun and warm sweater and you have heating there, so stay warm, stay safe. thank you very much indeed forjoining us.— stay safe. thank you very much indeed forjoining us. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: covid numbers remain high and many parts of the world are still in some form of lockdown but have people become blase about the ongoing threat and why? nine years and 15,000 deaths after going into afghanistan, the last soviet troops were finally coming home. the withdrawal completed in good order, but the army defeated in the task it had been sent to perform. malcolm has been murdered. that has a terrible effect for the morale of the people. i'm terrified of the repercussions in the streets. one wonders who is next? as the airlift got under way, there was no let up in the erruption itself. lava streams from a vent low in the crater flow down to the sea on the east of the islands, away from the town for the time being. it could start flowing again at any time. the russians heralded _ their new generation space station with a spectacular night launch. they've called it mir, i the russian for peace. this is bbc news, the latest headlines... chilling new videos from the daughter of the ruler of dubai — princess latifa says she is being held prisoner by her father after trying to flee. military authorities in myanmar file a second charge against the deposed civilian leader aung san suu kyi, as mass demonstrations continue across the country. here in the uk, children aged between six and 17 have started taking part in trials for the 0xford—astrazeneca vaccine. some 300 children are taking part in the study, to find out if the vaccine is safe and effective for young people. currently it's only authorised for those over 18. from 0xford, our medical editor fergus walsh reports. this is a half term with a difference, an unusual break from home—schooling. tilda, we know that after people have their vaccination, sometimes they can get... tilda is 16 and didn't hesitate about signing up for the vaccine trial. well, we live relatively nearby so when i saw that it was going on here i thought, you know, if i can do my bit to help then why not? and no problem with the needles or the blood tests? no, i'm all right with needles, yeah, i don't really mind. the study will test how children and teenagers respond to a vaccine currently being used to people their grandparents�* age. they will get two doses of the oxford jab or a meningitis vaccine as a control for comparison. like the other volunteers, ella, who is 1a, wants to do her bit. to further the research _ and hopefully help and make sure that us kids can be safe and get the vaccine rolled out. - it made for some very proud parents. i think she's amazing. i saw the call for children volunteers and went and spoke to her, explained what the vaccine was about and she volunteered without hesitation. children are highly unlikely to be seriously affected by covid, although a small minority are at increased risk. they generally get few or no symptoms at all. immunising them might help reduce the spread of coronavirus. it may be rather similar to the flu situation where, with the influenza programme, we vaccinate children both to protect them but also because that reduces transmission in the wider population, to ensure all of us are protected against the virus. all three covid vaccines approved in the uk are being tested in children. pfizer and moderna are doing their studies in the us. if the trials go well, it's highly likely that all school—aged children will eventually be offered covid jabs. trials in even younger children, below school age, could follow, but are some way off. the results of this study should be known by the summer, by which time all these volunteers' parents and older relatives should themselves have been offered a covid jab. fergus walsh, bbc news, 0xford. this time last year much of the world was waking up to the threat of the covid—19 as cases soared across the world. however some people are less afraid now, then they were at the pandemic�*s outset, even as many parts of the world are gripped by high case numbers and more infectious variants. public health experts are worried that people are getting too blase about the ongoing threat from covid — which could lead to more infections and lockdowns. joining me now to tell us why our brains numb us to the risks is kate reynolds — a professor of psychology at the australian national university. is it our brains which numb us to the rest, or is it our sense ofjust fatalism that we can only put up with so much that we will take the risks. i with so much that we will take the risks. ~ ., , with so much that we will take the risks. ~ . , , ., , risks. i think that this is a hugely d namic risks. i think that this is a hugely dynamic situation _ risks. i think that this is a hugely dynamic situation with _ risks. i think that this is a hugely dynamic situation with covid. - dynamic situation with covid. there's lots of new information, there's new developments, there is new hope with the vaccine and preventative measures. so, really, people'sjudgement preventative measures. so, really, people's judgement of risk, i preventative measures. so, really, people'sjudgement of risk, i guess, is changing all the time depending on how they are making sense of what's going on with covid. and there has been some really hopeful developments, and i guess as part of that, people think that perhaps things are going to be ok. they are a little bit avoid bias, they think that perhaps, given that there is a vaccine or other preventative measures that they can relax on some of the health behaviours that they have had to really get accustomed to. what we think in terms of some of our research is that those health behaviours are going to need to continue for a very long time. so there is this balance between being hopeful, readjusting our risk perceptions around covid, but at the same time, recognising that we are going to need behaviour change for a lot longer yet. 50 going to need behaviour change for a lot longer yet-— lot longer yet. so the perceptions ofthe lot longer yet. so the perceptions of the threat _ lot longer yet. so the perceptions of the threat change, _ lot longer yet. so the perceptions of the threat change, but - of the threat change, but presumably, if you are an anxious person about your health normally, that's not going to change, is at? that sort of character mindset won't be affected. that sort of character mindset won't be affected-— be affected. well, there's lots of thin . s be affected. well, there's lots of things that _ be affected. well, there's lots of things that shape _ be affected. well, there's lots of things that shape our _ be affected. well, there's lots of things that shape our threat - things that shape our threat perceptions and our willingness to engage in health behaviours and our willingness to get vaccinated, certainly, your own health anxiety, perhaps, and people had all sorts of ways in which they were dealing with their own health and, you know, how they perceived others in terms of being risky or not, but when we put those kinds of things, whether people know someone who has had covid or people who they think in their community who have had covid, and we put some of those things together to try and explain health behaviour. what we find this quite often, it's other social factors that become really important, so the degree to which you think the decision is legitimate, the things that you are being asked to do our legitimates, whether you think others like you and your networks and your communities are also engaging in these behaviours, so some of the social factors can be really important as well in shaping people's threat perceptions and the way they respond. 50 people's threat perceptions and the way they respond-_ way they respond. so political leadership _ way they respond. so political leadership as _ way they respond. so political leadership as well _ way they respond. so political leadership as well is - way they respond. so political| leadership as well is important way they respond. so political - leadership as well is important here in terms of setting an example, you know, if you are a political leader, you don't go to a party with 50 friends. yes, absolutely. i mean, people's own health experiences, their health anxieties are really important in shaping their behaviour, but so to our confidence in government, social norms that affect people around you, and, i might say, efficacy, degree to which you think this behaviour is actually making a difference. and i had a look at the uk figures this morning, and you can see that there are results for the hardship and all the effort that they are putting into behaving in a particular way. all right. we will have to leave it there. kate, thank you very much indeed. just want to show you some pictures to close the programme. talking about the snow. half the united states is shivering right now in some seriously cold temperatures, as far south as texas. but not everybody is complaining. this is blizzard, a 25—year—old polar bear at point defiance zoo in washingston state. i will leave you with him rolling around in the snow. there he is. that's the way to enjoy it. for me and the team, hope to see you soon. hello there. we can expect more mild weather through the rest of this week, but with that, there will be more outbreaks of rain. through wednesday, yes, it will be mild, but also windy, some outbreaks of rain at times. quite a wet start to the day, actually, things to this frontal system pushing its way eastwards. now, that rain will clear from many areas quite quickly, but you can see this frontjust dangling down towards the south. that means the rain is going to linger across southern counties of england for a good part of the day. in fact, pushing back northwards into parts of south wales, the midlands and east anglia through the afternoon. elsewhere, it's sunshine and showers, particularly heavy showers towards the northwest where it will also be windy. gusts of 70 mph in exposed spots in western scotland. as you can see, blustery day for all parts of the uk. temperatures ranging from 7 degrees there in stornoway to a high of 12 in london. now, as we move through wednesday night, we see more wet weather ploughing its way northwards, particularly heavy bursts of rain across the west. the winds coming up from the south, it's going to be a pretty mild start to thursday morning, but, we will see this rain pushed eastwards as we go through the day, pushed eastwards by a weather fronts, the day, pushed eastwards by a weatherfronts, a the day, pushed eastwards by a weather fronts, a cold the day, pushed eastwards by a weatherfronts, a cold front, and so behind our rain bands, we can start to feel the effects of some slightly colder air. you can see the rain pushing eastwards quite quickly through the day, sunny spells and showers following him behind from a more persistent rain bending back into northwest scotland. temperatures falling away as the day goes by. these are the values you can expect at three o'clock on thursday afternoon, feeling quite chilly, actually, across the west, but that's only a temporary shift to something cooler, because by friday, the winds will be hurtling back up from the southwest again. with that, we will see outbreak very heavy rain, maybe some flooding in western areas, but those temperatures beginning to climb upwards. and as we head into the weekend, will this weather fronts will be quite troublesome because it will be wriggling around bringing pulses of rain, some uncertainty about exactly where the wet weather will end up, but to the southeast of these weather fronts, but to the southeast of these weatherfronts, we but to the southeast of these weather fronts, we will continue to tap into some pretty warm air wafting up from the south. so, temperatures could get as high as 15-16 in temperatures could get as high as 15—16 in southern areas, but they will also be some outbreaks of rain at times. this is bbc world news, the headlines. the daughter of the ruler of dubai, says she is being held prisoner by her father. the bbc has obtained video, recorded on a phone smuggled to princess latifa, in which she says, she is being kept in solitary confinement in a villa. the trial of the detained civilian leader aung san suu kyi has begun in myanmar behind closed doors. she appeared via video link in the capital nay pyi taw. her lawyer says he hasn't been able to see her since she was arrested. new data suggests england's vaccination programme is starting to pay off. coronavirus deaths are falling and more elderly people are developing antibodies. the european space agency is recruiting astronauts for the first time in more than a decade. the agency also says, it wants to recruit a trainee with a physical disability.