24/01/2016 BBC Weekend News

America's east coast battles with the aftermath of one

of its biggest ever snow storms with millions of people affected.

The death toll has now risen to 18 people as 11 states declared

In Washington DC - airports remain closed

as the transport system buckles - thousands of flights

We'll be live in Washington for the latest.

The government considers taking in thousands of unaccompanied child

refugees - amid warnings about the risks they face.

A special report from the Iraqi town riven by sectarian attacks.

And the wickets tumble in South Africa as England feel

The authorities in the United States are battling to restore power

to hundreds of thousands of homes and clear blocked roads and rail

lines - in the aftermath of this weekend's massive snowstorm.

At least 18 people have been killed after a metre of snow

Parts of the east coast are at a standstill,

with a state of emergency declared in 11 states,

including New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

There's been massive travel disruption -

with both of Washington DC's airports closed.

Our correspondent Laura Bicker is in Washington now.

After the blizzard, the battle begins to clear up, and this was

forecast, this was billed as an historic storm and it has delivered.

It is the second highest snowfall since the 1860s and the disruption

could last into the working week. The snow has finally stopped, but

millions of people woke to mountains of snow on their doorsteps, and BD

out begins. Those stuck on this freezing motorway in Pennsylvania

have finally been moved, they have been stranded since Friday night.

We've got no food, but we got water. We have not had any food since

yesterday. The disruption could last days, in New York where the snowfall

broke records, businesses tried to reopen, and officials lifted a ban

on travel, but that came with a warning. If you do not need to be on

the roads, you do not go on the roads, there are still dangerous

spots and spots with black ice and this is still about getting the

emergency crews out there. In the nation's capital airports remain

closed, thousands of flights have been cancelled, and they are trying

to clear runways, but airlines have warned it could be days before

things return to normal. People are beginning to venture out, but that

brings further risks. Five people have died shovelling snow during the

storm, most are thought to have had heart attacks, and emergency crews

say they will be busy over the next few days. The injuries we would

expect to see will be the strains and broken bones, mainly from

slipping and falling, that paying the late into the snow shovelling

and one of the worst thing is, of course, that we don't want, but does

occur, the heart attack related to the strenuous activity. But there is

beauty in the aftermath of this storm, and fun to be found. The new

landscape has brought new possibilities. And they are enjoying

it while it lasts. STUDIO: These are extraordinary scenes, is the worst

of the weather over? The sun is out, it's a beautiful day across the East

Coast and many people are trying to go out to enjoy this weather, but

that is when the risks begin. Over the last few days the warnings were

there, people were told to stay inside, but now as they venture out

on roads and on foot, emergency crews say they are gearing up for

what could be a very busy time and then there is the clear up.

Emergency response teams are out, trying to make the roads clear, and

in certain areas like West Virginia, where they have had over a metre of

snow it could be possible for days. You heard about the airports,

flights could be disrupted well into the working week. And when it comes

to the cost of this clear up, it could be substantial, that is

estimated to be around $1 billion. Thanks for joining us.

The International Development Secretary, Justine Greening,

has confirmed that the government's considering calls to take in three

thousand unaccompanied child refugees, who've reached Europe

Ministers have come under growing pressure -

with charities warning that children who arrived in Europe alone

Our political correspondent Iain Watson reports.

These, the forgotten victims of Syria's Civil War. Some children

fleeing the conflict, they risk the hazardous trip to Europe, but

thousands of them are riding without their parents. Earlier this month a

cross-party group of MPs urged the Prime Minister to give them more

comfort and support, and to bring 3000 of them to Britain. The

government has been signalling that this is under serious consideration.

We've been right at the forefront frankly of helping children who have

been affected by this crisis and we will continue to look at how we can

do that over the coming days and weeks. How big is the scale of the

crisis? Last it was estimated that 26,000 children arrived in Europe

without their families, escaping from Syria, Afghanistan and some

countries in Africa, and it is believed that many simply disappear

after they arrived. The call for the UK Government to take in 3000

unaccompanied children would be in addition to 20,000 refugees the UK

has already pledged to take direct from refugee camps. Our teams across

Europe are welcoming refugees and we have been seeing tens of thousands

of children coming through who have already suffered extremely harrowing

experiences in the region where they have come from, and now they are

alone in Europe, the children are at risk of falling prey to people

traffickers, prostitution, drugs, all sorts of abuse. I'm told the

Prime Minister has not made up his mind on whether to take more

refugees, he knows he could be on the brink of a referendum campaign,

an immigration is a major issue. Labour's leadership is urging him to

do more, they say if he helps his European partners tackle the

migration crisis, well, that could then give him a better deal to take

to the British people. But some politicians including a former

Labour minister Frank Field are warning that there are risks in

taking in more known children. They say this could lead to subsequent

demands for their relatives to be brought to Britain. Many people are

moved by the plight of refugees, but some MPs say the Prime Minister must

be careful to listen to wider concerns about immigration.

Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has said it

would be "a mistake" for David Cameron to hold

a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU as early

There's been speculation a vote could take place then

if the Prime Minister manages to agree a deal on EU reforms

But Nicola Sturgeon told the Andrew Marr Show on BBC One

that that would confuse voters because of elections due to be held

You might interpret it as being a bit selfish.

The Scottish election is in May, indeed the Welsh

and Northern Ireland, London elections, in May.

I think to have a referendum campaign starting in parallel

would be disrespectful to those important elections.

The number of profit warnings issued by UK listed companies has reached

the highest level since the start of the last recession.

The data's been compiled by the consultants EY and comes

amid growing concern for the strength the global economy.

Our business correspondent Joe Lynam reports.

Companies who supply the oil sector, smaller general retailers and some

listed firms in the leisure and hospitality sectors,

are just three of the types of businesses which have issued

the most profit warnings at the end of last year.

The last time there were as many in a single quarter was the start

of 2009 when Britain was in the middle of its deepest

Back then, there were 126 profit warnings by listed companies.

In the last three months of 2015 there were 100 profit warnings

The thing about a profit warning is that it's really the board having

to explain to the market that they got it wrong.

Maybe their views of the outcome of the rest of the year is not

In that regard, the fact we are in a more volatile world,

makes profit warnings more likely to occur.

So I think it reflects the volatility we are seeing

And most of that volatility stems from a slowdown in China.

If the world's second-biggest economy is not building or buying

as much, the rest of the world feels it.

And there was even a warning from the Chancellor.

Last year was the worst for global growth since the crash.

This year opens with a dangerous cocktail of new threats

It's clear that there are some sectors of the economy

which are struggling at the moment, in particular manufacturers

and exporters, and policymakers are concerned with Mark Carney's

suggestion it is another reason to leave interest rates

The world economy might have issues, but things are looking positive

Growth is one of the fastest in Europe.

Unemployment is at a near record low.

While employment is at a record high.

But Britain is not immune from the major global slowdown,

which these profit warnings might be signalling.

The Iranian transport minister says Tehran will sign a contract this

If confirmed, it would be the first big commercial

contract to be announced since the lifting of international

sanctions imposed because of Iran's nuclear programme.

Yesterday China announced a trade deal with Iran worth ?400 billion

The latest attacks in Iraq by the Sunni militants -

of the so-called Islamic State - has set off a spiral

Since the US-led invasion in 2013, Iraq's Shia Muslim majority have

largely held the power, sidelining many Sunnis,

This month an attack on a cafe in the town

of Muqdadiyah killed nearly 30 people -

many of them Shia - and was followed by deadly revenge

Our correspondent Jim Muir reports from there.

We travelled into Muqdadiyah with the main Shia armed faction

On the surface, life seemed to be more or less back to normal.

This is the cafe wrecked by a double suicide bombing

So-called Islamic State said it did it.

Clearly the aim was to provoke trouble between Sunnis and Shia

They come from rival branches of Islam, whose differences

are currently sharply dividing the whole region.

It's in mixed areas like this that the future of Iraq

If coexistence between Sunnis and Shia does not work here,

the chances of it working anywhere else in Iraq do not look good.

Just across the road, the result of an outburst of revenge

A Sunni mosque, partly reduced to rubble, at least four others

Two journalists from a local TV station who tried to film

Less than an hour's drive away Sunni families were on the move,

but they are not fleeing, they are coming back.

These people ran away two years ago when the militants took over,

but now they feel safe enough to come back,

encouraged by the government and the Shia factions

This woman says she and her family are glad to be back.

The two older ones remember our house here and are excited to be

There was a big reception to welcome hundreds of Sunni families home.

The head of the biggest Shia armed faction told them

But in Iraq, it's actions that count.

Iraq's future will only be assured when all those who were uprooted

are back in their homes, and there are more than 3

Eight staff at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which is home

to the burial mask of the pharaoh, Tutankhamum, are to face charges

of negligence over the botched reattachment of its beard,

it's after an investigation into how the blue and gold beard

came to be detached and then glued back on.

Prosecutors say large amounts of glue were used,

Three dead sperm whales have been washed up

The whales found near Skegness, are believed to be

from the same pod as a whale which died earlier this

Scientists have taken samples from the whales as part

With all the sport - here's Lizzie Greenwood Hughes

It has been a busy day to cricket fans, England fought to stay in

contention in the fourth Test match in South Africa, on their former

players was excelling in the Big Bash in Australia, it highlights the

contrasting formats in the sport, competing for attention. -- one of

their former players. In century, the tradition, the third day the

Test match between South Africa and England, technique, stamina,

Saturday, Joe Root making another half-century. Meanwhile, in

Melbourne, Australia, it was the Big Bash, England's former batsman Kevin

Pietersen made 74 from 39 balls for the Melbourne Stars, in the final of

the Australian 2020 competition, record crowds, razzmatazz, it is

what Australian cricket uses to find a new audience. Test matches offer

different rewards, a young fast bowler can put every ounce of energy

into taking wickets, with fielders circling the catches, South Africa

have lost this series already, but the emergence of talented young

black players has been significant. England were all out, 342, 133

behind. By now, the Big Bash final had been decided, the match was won

with a six, naturally, with three balls to spare by the Sydney

Thunder, they also triumphed in the inaugural women's tournament,

several English players flourished in both competitions. The Test match

continues, Anderson struck, but South Africa's second innings, 42-1

at the close. Sunday's cricket displayed the choice, it is a

sport's ongoing challenge to make room for it all. Arsenal's hopes of

going back to the top of the Premier League are looking slim, they are

playing Chelsea with ten men after her Mertesacker was sent off early

in the second half for a foul on Diego Costa. Yeager Costa then

scored five in its later -- Diego Costa. Chelsea are still leading 1-0

with 25 minutes left to play. Swansea's new manager got off to a

winning start with a 2-1 victory at Everton, and there were two red

cards but no goals in Hamilton's draw with Hearts. The quarterfinal

line-up for the European Champions Cup has been decided, the big

winners are Exeter and Northampton. This try from James Short helping

Exeter beat the ospreys 33-17, and it means Wales fail to have a team

in the last eight of the top Europe incumbent vision for a fourth year

in succession. -- top Europe incumbent issue. -- top European

competition. There's more throughout the evening

on the BBC News Channel, we are back with the late news

at 10pm - now on BBC 1 it's time