florida high school where 17 people were shot dead, even if he was not armed. he again criticised police for not confronting the gunman, saying the way some officers responded was "a disgrace". russia's defence ministry has declared there will be a daily five—hour pause in the fighting in rebel—held eastern ghouta in syria, to allow civilians to leave. pro—government forces are still pounding the damascus suburb, despite a ceasefire brokered by the un security council. the first pause is planned for tuesday. wintry conditions have hit much of europe — rome has had its heaviest snow in many years. climate scientists say the unusually cold weather is linked to freak warm conditions in the arctic. it's estimated temperatures around the north pole have risen 20 degrees above normal — pushing cold air further south. monday was one of the coldest days

of winter and experts say the freezing conditions will go on for the rest of week. the ral yellow and amber warnings of snow in scotland, wales, and central, eastern and southern england. our science editor david shipman has the latest. the first wave of the storm. norwich blanketed in white. not enough to stop the postman and the rubbish collection but this is just the beginning of what is forecast. london had an icy start and the bands of dark cloud ra hint of heavy snow to come along with vomiting temperatures. already some areas have felt wind—chill of minus 15. so, busy times at the largest emergency shelter in london. this charity has decided that it is too cold to turn anyone away. the homeless are at greatest risk. you feel very vulnerable. i was woken up

this morning when a snowflake just dropped in my eye. i am just dreading what it is going to be like tonight. at least there has been plenty of warning. nearly a dozen rail companies in east and south—east england announced early on that they would be limiting or stopping services altogether. at this station which this evening looks almost abandoned, this was how the disruption was announced. during the disruption was announced. during the night some 80 trains will be run to try to keep lines open. what is behind this icy blast? is about the circulation of the winds, high above the arctic, moving in a way that means warm air is descending towards the north pole, that is why temperatures in greenland have been slightly above zero. this pattern in the weather also affects the jet stream. normally it flows from west to east bringing mild weather. but now it has reversed, which is like opening the door of a freezer, allowing extreme cold air from siberia to flow our way. in

lincolnshire, meals on wheels went smoothly today, but the elderly have been born to get ready. it doesn't bother me unduly. as long as we are the third for it, you have got stuff in the bridge, and you have got your boots ready at that. in essex, g rifters boots ready at that. in essex, grifters are being deployed. if the forecasters are right they will be busy at the end of the beat. today has been a taste of what is on the cars, overnight and has been a taste of what is on the cars, overnightand in has been a taste of what is on the cars, overnight and in the days ahead. time now for the travel show. coming up on this weeks show. spending the night in a snow—covered mountain in scotland. eugh! the camera is finally starting to freeze over. there are tips on the best

place to honeymoon. and i am enjoying my own twopenny at a new korean enjoying my own twopenny at a new korea n restau ra nt enjoying my own twopenny at a new korean restaurant for solo diners here in seoul. first up this week we are in the cairngorms national park in this pa rt cairngorms national park in this part of the scottish islands. the frozen landscape is beautiful at this time of year, but conditions can be brutal and recently a number of hikers have found themselves in trouble after reaching higher terrain. the advice is never to

attempt this on your own in bad weather without an experienced mountaineer. i'm on an overnight or other guided group to learn some winter survival skills. this is the snowiest place in the uk. 0ver winter survival skills. this is the snowiest place in the uk. over 1700 snowiest place in the uk. 0ver1700 square miles of glistening ice capped pea ks. square miles of glistening ice capped peaks. the snow makes it a popular spot for winter sports, but at this time of year the weather in the mountains can be unpredictable and extreme. if you find yourself lost in a blizzard like this, one of the best survival techniques is to dig a hole, to shelterfrom the best survival techniques is to dig a hole, to shelter from the elements. i scaled mount cairngorm with a tour group led by expert guide andrew bateman. he will teach us guide andrew bateman. he will teach us how to safely construct a snowball. 0ne us how to safely construct a snowball. one of the best places to

dig is this small valley, 1100 metres up the mountain. it is nicknamed it the snow house because of the drifts that collect. andy, i'm so cold! yes. it's so snowy. i can't actually imagine how we're going to stay here tonnight. well, the big killer in terms of your own temperature is the wind, and when we get in the snow hole, we are totally out of the wind. what is the windchill now? what's the sort of wind speed? we're in quite a sheltered hollow now, so it's probably only sort of five, ten, 15 miles an hour, something like that. when we came over the top, it was considerably more than that, as you very well experienced, but once we're in the snow hole, we'll be very sheltered. so we're going to get you warmed up, 0k? so there's your shovel. while we've been preparing the equipment, three of the team, lorna, gregor and dave, have made a start on the hole by digging tunnels into the snowdrift. when they're deep enough, we'll connect them to form a cavern.

we're just tunnelling into the snow at the moment. we've got to go in a good metre from the top here. do you want to come in and have a dig? yes. i'm just chopping away at this face here. and then how long does it take to do this normally, andy? it very much depends on the snow conditions. we've got relatively soft snow, but certainly three hours plus, sometimes as much as five hours. five hours, 0k. and it's about 3:30pm now, is it? so it's going to go dark not so long away. this is a snow saw, designed to be able to cut through ice and snow, and by using this, we can often remove the snow far more efficiently, inasmuch as we can cut blocks out, rather than chipping away. and are we 0k under here, this isn't going to collapse? no. no, i mean the strength is in the thickness of the snow. this is a well — it's quite narrow

so it's well supported, but when we actually make the living space, we want to make sure that that's narrow as well so it's well supported. there we go. oh, that was a good bit in the middle. i'll now get in there with a shovel. what is it about pushing yourself out of the comfort zone that people enjoy? i suppose it goes back to, it very much engages the brain. you forget about all the worries, you know, you are concerned about keeping warm, surviving. it takes life back to the elemental, you know, it's about survival. but surviving in style, we hope. so we've been digging for a couple of hours now and the camera is finally starting to completely freeze over and i am also freezing over! so we're going to focus on digging. otherwise, we might not have anywhere to stay tonight. we chip and carve away

at the ice until, eventually, it starts to take shape. we've finally reached one of the most satisfying parts of digging, when the tunnels start to connect and we can reach through to each other. andy's built over 50 snow holes with groups of tourists, and shows us how to sculpt the roof with a saw to stop collapse and prevent drips. he assures me he's never had one fall down before. keep going. it's hard work, but it is finally starting to warm up in here. the average temperature in a snow hole hovers around zero degrees — toasty, compared to the freezing winds outside. we're making the hole big enough for six people and all our stuff,

but in an emergency, even a small snow shelter can provide vital protection from hypothermia. we heave the biggest pieces of snow to the exit and use them to block up two of the doors, filling in the gaps to stop draughts getting through. there we go. thank you so much. oh, that is amazing! so, we made it. this is our beautiful snow hole, with a nice vaulted ceiling up there. and andy's very kindly cooking up a round of tea for everyone. you canjust see lorna and gregor are all the way down there. i can't believe we made it! cheers, everyone. cheers. woohoo! after a hot meal from the stove, we all try to settle down for the night. even with layers of clothing and a specialist sleeping bag, it does feel pretty chilly.

but it's completely silent, we're hidden away from the gales outside. so, i survived the night. i've just been woken up, andy was outside chipping the ice away, because all this snow that's fallen overnight has sort of blocked us in, so he'sjust dug us out, and now he's making us a cup of tea. i think i've slept a little bit, but it's been very, very cold. the thought of heading back outside is daunting, but andy helps me to pack up and clamber out of the hole into a blizzard of white. getting back down the mountain is a mammoth effort because of the swirling snowstorm, but that feeling of knowing we

survived the night is exhilarating. still to come on this week's travel show... 0ur global guru's here with advice on an april honeymoon, and the best ideas for a big family break in france. and i'm keeping conversation to a minimum at a new restaurant for solo diners here in south korea. your destination inspiration every week, here on the travel show. welcome to the slice of the show that tackles your questions about getting the best out of travel.

coming up, singapore to italy overland. and the best location for a family celebration in france. first though, welcome to valletta, capital of malta, and for this year only, european capital of culture. the cultural programme for 2018 has a strong travel aspect — key themes include routes, cities and islands. valetta's twin capital is the northern dutch city of leeuwarden, where the artistic highlight in september and october involves 100 friesian horses performing in a drama about the perpetual struggle against the sea. next, matt taylor from stafford in the english midlands is getting married in april, and he still hasn't decided on a honeymoon location. the bahamas are expensive

to reach and to stay in, and not renowned for their depth of culture or great sightseeing. there's more on offer in dubai and the maldives, but that involves a long and expensive flight, at a time of year when the southern mediterranean is at its best. whether you are on the island of sicily, or here in malta, you can expect temptingly empty beaches, beautiful, clearskies, and feast on thousands of years of history, as well as heavenly cuisine. next, rita from verona in italy is currently in singapore, where she's recovering from a serious infection, and she wants to get home. as i am not fit to fly, are there any other options for me to travel via sea or land? turn your homeward journey into a two—week overland adventure. you can get the train

from singapore through malaysia, to the thai capital, bangkok. take another overnight train, and that will get you across the border into laos. from the capital, vientiane, take a sleeper bus into vietnam, to the capital, hanoi. from there, it's a two—night overland journey to the chinese capital, beijing. then, for the next six nights, you can relax aboard the trans—mongolian train all the way to moscow. and would you believe, there's a direct train from the russian capital straight to verona, taking a0 hours? and finally, ann buckingham asks... montpellier is my recommendation, with a colourful, compact old town that reflects everything we find enticing about southern france.

sunlight dappling on terracotta roofs and ancient honey—coloured stones. cafe culture spilling out across beautiful squares, and chic restaurants, shops and hotels. there's a fine beach close by, and plenty of opportunities for exploring inland or along the coast, and all in less than two hours' flying time from gatwick. whether you're heading for the deep south or the far north, the travel show is here to help. so just e—mail the travel show, and i'll do my very best to find you an answer. from me, simon calder, the global guru, here on the island of malta, bye for now and see you next time. korean food is becoming famous the world over,

and it is here in seoul that you will find the best. i have come to discover a unique way to enjoy it. but first, i'm off to a market to pick up a warm snack or two along the way. it's pretty cold out here right now. feels like it's well below zero. but look at this place! it's bustling. you would think people would be at home with their heating on full blast, but no. you can't keep people away from korean street food. i like it. it's a good atmosphere. i don't know if you can see me through the steam, but this looks really interesting. i've never seen anything like this before. it's egg on bread, and if you look inside you can see it baking in the oven. let's give it a try. let's give it a go... mm!

that's quite good. it's egg with a very sweet bread. a nice combination. although many koreans enjoy eating on the go, when it comes to sitting down to a proper meal, it's usually done with a large group of friends and family. so i'm meeting a group of local foodies and bloggers who'll give me the lowdown on how to share a meal korean style. hi, guys. how are you doing? sorry i'm late. wow! let's get eating! i was laughing about the scissors! you know, western peoplejust find this concept strange. why is it so important for koreans to eat communally? 0bviously, food is a social activity, however in korea it plays a role in terms of... for example, if i'm with someone younger, i feel the need to feed them.

i'll like cut something up and put it on their plate. like, here, enjoy. give me your plate. 0k. what's the order to be served in? age? 0r seniority. i heard in korea that if you pour your own drink, you will have an ugly spouse. is that right? it's different for every group of family and friends. you can give the other person bad luck. so i have to pourfor you. and then i should receive it with two hands. 0k. i'll pour it with two hands. what happens if you spill it?!

because korea went through such a long time of poverty, i think that food is so symbolic of what we have now. and being able to watch someone eat or share food together is more meaningful than just giving nutrition. i like to watch people eat. it's a korean girl thing. really? you watch them eat on social media? people do that here as well. you can live stream people eating. that's also a huge deal. it seems that all koreans enjoy company, whether they are eating together or tucking in online. but in a country where family ties and traditions are strong, i've heard there is still something of a taboo about actually going out to enjoy korean food on your own. although life here in south korea is changing, and with more young

people choosing to live alone, a couple of new restaurants have opened up for those who enjoy their own company and traditionalfood. i'm off to check one out. i'm eagerly awaiting my meat and my barbecue for one to be delivered. it is very exciting. you see the vent here? that will suck up the fumes so i don't smell like a barbecue when i walk out of here. there's a guy next door, but he doesn't seem to be keen to have a chat. she laughs. gosh, it's really quiet here. do i get scissors? wow. there's a lot of heat coming off this. it's such a strange concept.

normally when i come to a korean barbecue, i'm with a huge group of people, friends, family, or even work colleagues. and usually other people do the grilling. i don't know if it is a good place to come if you are single. you are surrounded by single people, but everyone is on their phones, there is a partition between the walls and no—one wants to talk to each other. 0ops, i'm burning this now! that was bad chopstick etiquette. you're not meant to go like that with your chopsticks. it shows that i'm not very good. see, this is the thing where you miss having other people with you. i'm not the best barbecue grill person, so this is not the most relaxing. i feel like i'm trying to multitask a lot of things at once.

i could do with another set of hands, really. but it is quite nice to not feel pressured to talk to anybody. delicious. compliments to the chef. if you're thinking of heading to south korea any time soon, here are some travel show tips on things you could see and do. seoullo 7017 is the south korean capital's version of the high line in new york. this former innercity highway has been turned into the biggest green space in the city, with 211,000 trees and plants lining the route, along with cafes and performance spaces. it's all part of efforts to make seoul more pedestrian—friendly. a three—hour high—speed train ride from seoul

is the second city of korea, busan, and the gamcehon cultural village. this former rundown area overlooking the coast has been renovated and repainted, and you'll find murals and sculptures created by the locals here as well, making ita big attraction for tourists. and if you didn't manage to catch the winter olympics, do not despair. there are dozens of annual winter themed festivals here in south korea. one to look out for is the yearly ice fishing festival close to the olympic site in pyeonchang, where thousands of tourists and locals use rods, traditional lures and even their bare hands to catch trout from the icy river. that's it for this week, but i hope you can join us next week on the travel show when... christa is in norway, as she takes a journey along one of the world's most spectacular rail lines in search of the roots of norwegian music. it's kind of the sound of nature.

fiddle plays. this is great. and don't forget, if you want to follow us on the road you can sign up to our social media feed. hello. winter refuses to relinquish its grip across the uk, but notjust the uk, across the whole of europe at the moment. with that high—pressure still entrenched across scandinavia and the siberian air spilling right across europe, having such a dramatic impact.

yes, we have got snow around at the moment and yes we still have weather warnings in force. those affected areas will be the far north—east of england and stretching down across the essex, kent and sussex coastline. we could see significant accumulation starting to develop towards dawn. the met office as issued an amber weather warning for these two areas. we could see as much as five or ten centimetres of snow could affect the commute into the london area and have an issue if you are driving or taking the trains across the north—east of england. stay tuned to your bbc local radio stations first thing, but it looks like the snow showers, being driven along by a brisk, north—easterly breeze. perhaps in the afternoon a lull in proceedings across the south—east, but it will have an impact throughout the day. it is going to feel bitterly cold for all of us, with those temperatures really struggling.

but the best of the sunshine reserved for further west. as we move into wednesday, we have still got met office amber weather warnings and be prepared for disruption, but this time the emphasis changes into the north—east of england and affecting eastern scotland. we could see five, ten centimetres and maybe more in some places. there could be blizzard conditions and it may drive the snow showers a little bit further inland. the winds swing round to a south—easterly direction so it may mean the south—east escape the worst of them but another bitterly cold day for all, with those temperatures struggling. add in the factor of the wind, particularly as it will strengthen, it will feel well below freezing. as we move into thursday, we still have a frequent rash of showers across the north but i want to draw your attention to what is happening to the south. an area of low pressure as it is set to move in and it will bring uncertainty.

it is moving up from iberia, across france as it bumps into the cold airfor a time across central and southern england and northern ireland, we could see some significant snow. welcome to bbc news — broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. my name is mike embley. our top stories: president trump calls police officers who failed to confront the florida school gunman a "disgrace" and says he would have acted very differently. i really believe you don't know until you are tested. but i really believe i would run in there, even if i didn't have a weapon and i think most of the people in this room would have done that too. russia orders a daily five—hour ceasefire — to allow civilians to leave the besieged syrian enclave of ghouta. snowball fights at the vatican as a huge arctic storm sweeps

europe, bringing heavy snowfalls and dangerously low temperatures. and six months after hurricane harvey, we return to houston and meet the people who still haven't moved back home.