The rising number of patients ending their lives in hospitals could impact the level of treatment this winter, a group of regional NHS leaders has been told.

A consultant in palliative care highlighted the impending “crisis” during an online internal meeting of health leaders in Sussex, a recording of which has been heard by the BBC.

A consultant to University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust described the dilemmas facing hospital managers when some patients have to be given end-of-life care in A&E corridors.

The disappointing assessment is likely to be echoed in other NHS areas as winter pressures increase the challenge of finding hospital beds for sick patients who need care.

the Princess Royal Hospital is in Haywards.

The University Hospitals of Sussex Trust includes Worthing Hospital, the Royal Sussex County Hospital, St. Richard’s Hospital in Chichester, and the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.

Doctors and officers from East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, which includes Conquest Hospital in Hastings and Eastbourne District General Hospital, also attended the meeting along with community health representatives.

The consultant gave a slide presentation titled “Palliative and end-of-life care in Sussex” at the meeting on 4 November.

He told the audience that local hospices were struggling and it was difficult to find space for patients who needed end-of-life care, while it was sometimes unclear how much support they could find in the local community when people were sent home.

“I’m really concerned that patients who have treatable conditions will not be able to be admitted to the hospital and treated because there are so many patients reaching the end of their lives in hospital beds,” he said.

He added, “We are no longer putting patients on the waiting list for transfer who are simply dying,” focusing only on those with complex needs.

On delivering advanced palliative care in A&E, the consultant said it was a “really tough choice – do you admit them to corridor care or do you turn them around and put them in the back of the ambulance, where they could die on the way home?”

He argued that “there are many patients in hospital who don’t need to be there, a lot of patients with complex needs whose needs are not being met.”

He concluded, “We all know this crisis is coming – it’s going to get worse.”

The NHS in Sussex, according to a spokesperson, is committed to providing patients with “the best possible, high-quality palliative and end-of-life care.”

He said, “This includes providing compassionate, person-centred care across a range of venues—and importantly, where possible, in settings outside the hospital, such as community settings and our hospices.”

“Emergent care services across Sussex are under immense pressure, but staff are working incredibly hard to ensure patients can get the care they need in our hospitals and across all our health and care services.

“Strong partnership work is underway over the winter period to support individual care plans and ensure people are in the right NHS service for their needs.”

But the Royal College of Emergency Medicine said delayed discharges are a major challenge in the NHS, and a lack of social or community care could mean some patients who need care and support at the end of life cannot leave hospital.

Its chairman, Dr. Ian Higginson, said the college is “concerned about the number of patients who require end-of-life care but end up in emergency departments and then hospitals because the dedicated services they need are not available.”

He said, “Patients who would prefer to stay at home end up in our corridors, which are not the right place for anyone, let alone those at the end of their lives.”

An NHS doctor, who wished to remain anonymous, contacted the BBC and said the problems had persisted for some time: “

End-of-life care delivered via emergency departments, corridors, ambulances or unsupported discharge homes has become increasingly routine in many areas.

What is particularly striking is the recurring pattern: hospital beds are occupied by dying patients who should never have been there, and there is limited or delayed access to hospice or community care.”

hospitals could become the “default option”

The NHS Confederation, which represents NHS leaders, said hospitals could become the “default option” when community and social care provision is under pressure or unavailable.

“The solution is not about asking hospitals alone to shoulder more pressure – it’s about investing in the whole system,” said Rory Deaton, director of the confederation’s acute network.

Hospices are warning of a funding crisis, while community services have also suffered.

Toby Porter, chief executive of Hospice UK, said, “Although a hospital may be the right place for some people, a busy ward is not the right place for the majority of people who are dying.

“Hospitals across the country want to provide more care in the community, but this year we’ve seen cutbacks due to funding pressures. And that’s having a deep impact on hospitals.”

BBC

Celebrities and civilians won’t mix

Pothole compensation claims made to councils in Britain rose by 90% between 2021 and 2024, according to analysis by the RAC motoring group.

The study also revealed that only 25% of motorists’ 2024 claims led to payouts.

However, the RAC noted that the number of claims fell in 2024 compared with the year before.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said “ever-increasing pressure” on budgets was affecting councils’ abilities to fix roads, while the Department for Transport said the government was spending £7.3bn over the next four years on improving road surfaces.

Many drivers now find potholes.

Many drivers now find potholes to be a major nuisance. Repair bills can be expensive, and they can also cause injuries to passengers, cyclists, or pedestrians.

The RAC said data it had analysed indicated that 53,015 compensation claims were made to 177 local authorities in 2024.

The number of claims increased from 27,731 in 2021 to 53,015 in 2024, a decrease from the 56,655 recorded in 2023.

In 2024, just 26% of claims led to a payout, with an average sum of £390 given to claimants.

The RAC estimates that a typical repair bill for a family car with damage worse than a puncture from a pothole is £590.

Potholes can cause damage to shock absorbers and suspension springs and can also distort wheels.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams told the BBC: “It does seem that councils have a variety of different criteria for what they class as a pothole.

“Often they have to be four centimetres deep and so many centimetres wide.

“If you hit one, it can cause a real jolt to the car and serious damage… not just damage to vehicles, it’s also a serious road safety danger, particularly on two wheels.”

RAC asked 207 councils about pothole compensation claims. Of the 177 that responded, Derbyshire County Council saw the biggest increase in claims over the three-year period, from 224 to 3,307.

However, Derbyshire councillor Charlotte Hill, the council’s cabinet member for potholes, highways and transport, said claims had fallen by 72% since May 2025.

“Going forward, Derbyshire highways can become more proactive rather than reactive and work to make repairs before they become an issue for residents,” she told the BBC.

Glasgow City Council and Oxfordshire County Council saw the next biggest increases between 2021 and 2024.

In a statement, Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport management, said the emphasis “should be on maintenance work to prevent potholes from forming in the first place, which is much more cost-effective than repairing them afterwards”.

“That is why we have invested nearly £14.5 million since 2024 in the largest surface dressing programs we have carried out for at least 20 years.”

Surface dressing is a preservation treatment aimed at preventing potholes from forming.

The BBC has contacted Glasgow City Council for comment.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said the government was investing £7.3bn over the next four years to help councils resurface roads.

“This will turn the tide on years of underinvestment in our road network, allowing local authorities to move away from expensive, short-term repairs and invest in proactive maintenance and prevent potholes from forming in the first place,” they said.

A Local Government Association spokesperson said that “ever-increasing pressure on budgets has impacted their ability to do so as much as they’d like” regarding road maintenance.

“New funding for roads will help turn the tide on the gradual decline of local roads, but this will take time to shift from simply filling potholes reactively – which pothole compensation laws require – towards a more proactive, sustainable approach.”

Carolyn Levitt announced Friday that she is expecting a baby girl in May.

She did so quietly, in an Instagram post that showed her standing near a Christmas tree.

writing that she and her husband were excited to expand their family and see their son become a big brother. She is 28 years old.

already the youngest White House press secretary in history and already the mother of a one-year-old boy born last July while she was working on Donald Trump’s campaign.

There was nothing dramatic in the announcement.

And that’s why it stood out. The reaction that followed showed how unusual it still is to openly associate pregnancy with political power.

Meghan McCain felt that tension when she wrote that she spent much of her twenties and thirties being warned that having children would hurt her career.

It was “very, very, very cool” to see America’s first pregnant White House press secretary, she said. There was an implicit acknowledgement in the praise.

Pregnancy is one of the most common experiences among women.

That ambition and motherhood are still widely understood as a trade-off in public life. Pregnancy is one of the most common experiences in human history.

There is no political pregnancy. Reports treat the announcement of a senior political figure’s pregnancy as a rare occurrence.

Not because pregnancy itself is rare, but because politics has long been built around the assumption that such realities exist outside the corridors of power.

The White House has said that Leavitt will remain press secretary after the birth of her second child, although it has not been clarified whether she will take leave.

She has talked about relying on her husband’s support and how motherhood has given her perspective within a constantly demanding profession

These are not unusual feelings. They seem unusual because someone standing backstage at the White House rarely voices them.

The broader context explains why this moment feels extraordinary. The United States has never had a female president.

There has never been a president who was pregnant while in office or who was raising very young children while in office.

Although women have joined Congress in large numbers, many have done so later in life, often after their childbearing years. This is not a coincidence of timing.

This is the result of political systems that reward uninterrupted availability and penalise bodies that require rest, recovery, or flexibility.

Globally, the pattern has been remarkably consistent. Despite ruling Britain during a period of war and economic turmoil, Margaret Thatcher continued to do so long after her children had grown up.

Angela Merkel led Germany for sixteen years without motherhood coinciding with her time in office. Indira Gandhi and Golda Meir exercised immense authority during stages of life when pregnancy was not part of the public conversation.

They exercised their unquestionable power within institutions designed around male life cycles.

When pregnancy has surfaced in high office, it typically does so as an exception to the rule. Benazir Bhutto ruled Pakistan while pregnant in the late 1980s.

becoming the first elected head of government in modern history to do so. Her pregnancy was investigated, not because it disrupted governance,

but because it disrupted expectations. Most recently, Jacinda Ardern gave birth to a child while serving as Prime Minister of New Zealand in 2018.

She took maternity leave, returned to the office and continued to rule without any drama. The importance of that moment lies not in what changed, but in what did not change.

The state did not waver. Rights did not diminish. In legislatures, such moments have been rare and revealing. In the United States, T

Tammy Duckworth became the first sitting senator to give birth in 2018, requiring a rule change so she could bring her baby to the Senate floor. In the UK,

MPs such as Stella Creasy pressured Parliament to introduce proxy voting after becoming pregnant in office.

In Australia, Larissa Waters made history by breastfeeding her infant in the Senate chamber.

highlighting how slowly institutions adapt to the realities millions of citizens go through every day. We remember these episodes precisely because they are so rare.

The question has never been whether women can rule while pregnant or raising small children. The historical record gives a clear answer.

The point is that political systems still assume a version of leadership built around unobstructed presence and physical neutrality, as if power depends on pretending the body does not exist.

Leavitt’s pregnancy neither destroys that architectural framework nor pretends to do so. What Leavitt’s pregnancy does is introduce a common human experience into a role that has long remained unaffected by it.

She is a senior White House official. She is raising a child.

She is expecting a second child. None of them are radicals. It only feels this way because politics has been slow to reflect the lives it claims to represent.

This is where the poignancy lies. Giving birth is universal. It is rare for those in positions of power to apparently become pregnant.

Each time this happens, it highlights how narrow the path to leadership has been and how often adaptation is treated as the exception rather than the baseline.

Levitt’s announcement does not resolve that tension.

It simply makes it visible again, without pretence, without apology, and without pretending that motherhood and political ambition belong to different worlds.

NEW DELHI: With India Inc. facing higher liability due to the labour codes,

Industry bodies have sought clarifications from the government on various issues, while the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has suggested that companies provide for increased gratuity and some of the other payments in the accounts for the Dec quarter itself.

One of the key issues is when the new rules, such as wages accounting for 50% of an employee’s remuneration,

kick in. Lobby group CII has asked the Labour ministry to ensure that it is not retrospective. “Clarity is needed on whether wages, as defined under labour codes, will be considered for ESI coverage and calculation effective November 21, 2025?”

Wages as defined under labour codes are to be considered effective Nov 21, 2025? There are conflicting circulars issued by ESI office on this after Nov 21, 2025.”

The report listed over a dozen issues for which clarity is required. Similarly,

When it comes to gratuity and leave encashment, it said, “Retrospective implementation will have significant cost implications for employer organisations.”

Pointing out leave encashment for workers on Dec 31, 2025, is needed under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code.

The industry body has demanded clarity on the transition time for implementation, apart from uniformity in the rules drafted by the Centre and the states. In a set of FAQs for auditors,

ICAI has concluded that change in gratuity increase is required to be recognised as an expense by the company in the profit and loss account and it needs to be done from the current quarter itself.

The labour codes were notified as being effective.

The labour codes were notified to be effective on November 1, but the specific rules have not yet been announced. The Centre is expected to notify the draft rules in the coming weeks.

It has also clarified the tax treatment for companies.

These (ICAI) FAQs certainly bring in clarity in terms of accounting treatment-related aspects for various provisions related to gratuity and leave obligations.

But most of the organisations are waiting for clarity on the manner in which social security contributions like gratuity etc. would be calculated and what happens to gratuity pertaining to period prior to Nov 21, including of terms like ESOP,

variable pay, etc. Also, in the absence of rules under central labour codes or state rules, many operational aspects are still left unanswered,” said Anshul Jain.

national leader for regulatory affairs at consulting firm PwC India. In its communication with the government,

The Council for Industrial Innovation (CII) has demanded a clear definition of wages. First, it stated whether performance bonuses and share-based income will be included in the total remuneration for calculating wages; second,

where basic salary plus dearness allowance is 50% of gross remuneration, whether allowances like special allowance will need to be added for calculation of wages.

There is also ambiguity regarding which law will prevail.

For instance, for non-manufacturing sector, whether it will be state-specific Shops and Establishment Act or the labour codes read with state rules should be followed by entities for compliance with requirements related to working hours.

overtime, leave and benefits for night shifts for women employees. Similarly,

it is unclear which category of employees will be covered under “worker” definition and if the manufacturing sector can continue to engage contract labour for manufacturing process.

which constitutes core activity. CII has also sought clarity on who is covered under working hours and overtime provisions under the Code on Wages.

Not retreating is victory. Given Donald Trump’s troubled relationship with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this is significant.

The Mar-a-Lago meeting did not result in any physical progress, just as there was no significant movement during that moment in the Oval Office in February.

There were some noteworthy findings, however.

First, let’s examine Zelensky’s facial expressions.

Sometimes he looked desperate – like when Trump’s Mar-a-Lago highlights an essential conversation by talking about food and body composition with the Ukrainian leader’s commander. Playground equipment.

There was a memorable moment when Zelenskyy’s poker face fell away. He shrugged, then laughed when Trump said, “Russia wants Ukraine to succeed.”

What a foolish thing to say by the American President. Look at the actions of Vladimir Putin. Listen to what he says.

Sometimes it’s difficult to know whether Trump is just ignorant, ignorant of detail, or really in Putin’s pocket. Zelensky probably has an idea but he managed to maintain his decorum.

Beyond the spectacle of Zelensky’s face,

There were other key moments, as they would mark when Trump changes his position, as he has done before.

On US security guarantees, Zelensky seemed confident that Trump’s America would provide some kind of military backdrop to counter renewed Russian aggression in the future. But no leader has explained what this will look like.

According to Ukrainian sources, Trump’s pledge to provide security guarantees to support Ukraine remains a contentious issue, despite his initial pledge months ago and subsequent retreat.

The same sources also said that Trump’s apparent willingness to visit Ukraine and address its parliament, which he expressed for the first time today, is a positive commitment.

Let’s see if he sticks to the pledge or shifts back to the safety guarantee.

The most vocal moment at the meandering and confusing news conference came from Zelenskyy when he charted progress with percentages.

He said:

• “20-point peace plan, 90% agreed”
• “US-Ukraine security guarantee, 100% agreed”
• “US, Europe, and Ukraine almost agree on security guarantees.”

So, this confirms that Zelenskyy has accepted US commitments on security guarantees but shows that more work needs to be done to mitigate some elements in US-Europe security cooperation.

This is significant because it includes the possibility of European troops on the ground in Ukraine. This is a Russian redline – and Trump knows it.

The complexity of progress, positioning, multi-point plans, and spin can easily overwhelm one.

But remember some basic things. First of all, Trump probably wants this war to end, but he doesn’t care how. Second, Putin has shown no real signs that he wants to end the war. Third, Ukraine does not want to be forced into any submissive submission.

A few weeks ago the Americans prepared a 26-point plan. It was like a Russian wish list.

Since then, Ukrainians, in coordination with Europeans and with Americans, have refined it. Now it is 20 points, and there are many Ukrainian concessions within it.

Europe and Ukraine now hope Trump will focus pressure back on Moscow and engage Vladimir Putin in a way that moves forward.

Stay optimistic.

developing storydeveloping story,

Beijing will impose a maritime and air ban on five areas around Taiwan for 10 hours from 00:00 GMT on Tuesday.

China has deployed air, naval and rocket troops in the waters around Taiwan for the drills.

China’s military claims these drills aim to test combat readiness and issue a “strong warning” against “separatist” and “external interference” forces.

The announcement on Monday came amid anger in Beijing over an $11.1 billion arms sale by the United States to Taiwan and a statement by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that the Japanese military could get involved if China attacks the self-ruled territory.

Beijing claims Taiwan as its own and will use force if needed to take it.

In a statement, the Chinese military’s Eastern Theatre Command said it was sending army, navy, air force and rocket force troops to five regions around Taiwan for its “Just Mission 2025” starting on Monday.

It said live-fire drills would begin on Tuesday in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of the island.

Eastern Theatre Command spokesman Shi Yi said the activities would focus on “training for maritime and air combat readiness patrols, achieving unified control, sealing off key ports and areas, and conducting multi-dimensional interdiction.”

“This exercise serves as a serious warning to ‘Taiwan’s Independence’ separatist forces and external interference forces,” he said.

A separate statement accompanying the map showed five large areas around the island where “live firing activities will be conducted” from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm (00:00-10:00 GMT) on Tuesday.

“For security reasons, any irrelevant ship or aircraft is advised not to enter the above waters and airspace,” the statement said.

The planned drills mark China’s sixth major round of war games since 2022

after then-US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the self-ruled island—and were described by the state-owned Xinhua news agency as “a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity.”

According to Xinhua, during the exercises, Xi said Chinese ships and aircraft would approach Taiwan “in close proximity from different directions,” and troops from multiple services would “engage in a joint attack to test their joint operational capabilities”.

The Chinese military released a poster titled “Shields of Justice: Smashing Illusions”, which features two golden shields decorated with the insignia of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Great Wall of China, as well as three military aircraft and two ships.

While the PLA practiced port blockades around Taiwan during war games last year, this is the first time it has publicly said the exercises around the island are aimed at preventing foreign military interference.

The exercise comes after the US announced earlier this month that it had approved an $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan in the largest arms package ever for the island.

China’s Defence Ministry opposed the move, warning that the military would “take forceful measures” in response.

Over the weekend, Taiwan said it had deployed aircraft and naval assets, as well as missile systems, to monitor Chinese activities after the Defence Ministry detected three Chinese military aircraft and seven naval ships in its vicinity between Saturday and Sunday.

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said in a statement on its website that the three Chinese aircraft crossed the centre line of the Taiwan Strait and entered the country’s southwestern air defence zone, or ADIZ.

In an interview broadcast on Sunday, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te told Sanli e-television that the island should continue to raise the costs of aggression and strengthen its indigenous defence capabilities to deter China, stressing that peace can only be secured through strength.

China sets the year 2027.

“If China sets the year 2027 to be ready to invade Taiwan, we have only one choice: keep increasing the difficulty so that China can never meet that standard. Taiwan will naturally be safe,” Lai said.

Brigitte Bardot was the sultry film siren who helped ignite a sexual revolution, a woman whose cultural significance extended beyond her acting career.

The French star, who has died aged 91, came to embody a new kind of female sexuality on screen that was bold and unapologetic.

She was so famous that she became known simply by her initials.

Emmanuel Macron says Bardot “embodied a life of freedom.”

Paying tribute, the French president said, “Her films, her voice, her dazzling glory, her initials, her sorrows, her generous passion for animals, her face that became”Marianne”—referring to the national symbol of France.

“French existence, universal brilliance. She touched us. We mourn a legend of the century.”

Brigitte Bardot dies: Latest reaction

As a singer, she also released several records during her time in the spotlight and was famously the muse for Serge Gainsbourg’s erotic single Je T’aime… Moi Non Plus.

Despite her success, she retired from acting before she had even turned 40, instead choosing to dedicate her time to helping animals.

Born in Paris in 1934, Bardot rebelled against a strict upbringing to break into film.

She began her career as a model in the early 1950s, and following a series of minor roles, she landed the iconic role of “And God Created Woman” in 1956.

Directed by her then husband Roger Vadim, the film was considered scandalous at the time for its frank depiction of sensuality, daring to challenge conservative post-war norms about women‘s behaviour and desire.

Bardot instantly became a symbol of youthful rebellion.

a sex symbol and a style icon – an influence that would be felt for decades, as seen in the soft, eye-skimming fringes and cat eyeliner many women still turn to today.

Often compared to Marilyn Monroe but with a distinctively European cool, her femininity redefined post-war cinema, captivating audiences.

But while she starred in more than 40 films – and proved she could play much more than a seductive ingenue – by 1973, aged only 39, she walked away from the big screen.

“I gave my youth and my beauty to men,” she said of her retirement. “I am going to give my wisdom and experience to animals.”

In 1986, Bardot founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, dedicated to combatting animal cruelty and funding sanctuaries and numerous wildlife rescue operations.

Paying tribute to her memory, the foundation called her “an exceptional woman who gave everything and sacrificed everything for a world more respectful of animals.”

They went on: “Her legacy lives on through the actions and campaigns that the Foundation pursues with the same passion and staunch adherence to her ideals.”

In later years, she spoke of feeling “used” by the film industry and the media, saying she’d felt increasingly uncomfortable with the constant public scrutiny and the intense objectification she was subjected to.

But Bardot was also a controversial figure herself, with her image tarnished in more recent years following a book she published in 2003 entitled A Cry In Silence, for which she was prosecuted for incitement to racial hatred against Muslims.

She went on to receive several fines over the years for alleged racism in various statements she made, often in the context of her animal campaigning, and most recently in 2021.

But she remained a popular figure to many. While activism and animal welfare were her real passions, she will be best remembered for her lasting influence on international cinema.

A powerful winter storm has disrupted one of the busiest travel weekends of the year in New York City and the northeastern US.

Forecasters were predicting 11 inches of snowfall by 1 p.m. Saturday, with the heaviest snowfall expected in northern parts of the New York City and New Jersey metro areas.

By Saturday morning, New York City had received about four inches of snowfall — a little less than expected — and skies were beginning to clear.

The storm has already caused significant disruption to holiday travel.

Still, the storm has already caused significant disruption to holiday travel, with at least 1,500 flights cancelled since Friday night, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware.

The John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, and LaGuardia airports issued snowfall warnings on social media, warning that the weather conditions could cause further flight disruptions.

New York and New Jersey were placed under a state of emergency.

“That white stuff is coming, NYC! We’re ready for whatever we get,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a post on Twitter.

He later shared a post showing salt spreaders and snow removal in force on city roads.

The last time heavy snowfall occurred in the Big Apple was in 2022, when 8 inches of snow fell in Central Park.

“I urge everyone to monitor local forecasts and refrain from unnecessary travel.” If you must travel, it is important to plan ahead, travel at a slow pace, and ensure you have enough time to reach your destination safely, as stated by New York Governor Kathy Hochul in a statement on Friday.

New Jersey Governor Tashea Way wrote on Friday: “Due to the severe snowstorm, with the potential for icy and slippery conditions, I have declared a state of emergency for the entire state beginning at noon today.

“Please monitor official updates and stay off the roads unless necessary. Stay safe, New Jersey!”

According to the National Weather Service, the New York City area is expected to receive between 2 inches and 5 inches of snowfall, while some areas to the north are expected to get as much as 6 inches of snowfall.

The National Weather Service predicted six to 11 inches of snowfall from upstate New York to Long Island, with the possibility of up to 12 inches.

The New York Department of Sanitation has prepared 700 million pounds of salt to treat icy roads.

Airports across the country have experienced the impact of severe cold.

Travel was delayed in San Francisco and Orlando as snow began falling Friday at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Florida airports also saw hundreds of flight delays, according to Sky’s US partner NBC News.

At Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, a resort southeast of Yosemite National Park,

An avalanche injured two ski patrollers on Friday morning, transporting them to the hospital, according to a resort official. The resort has seen more than 5 feet (1.5 metres) of snow since Tuesday.

Expected snowfall in the Sierra Nevada reached up to 2 inches (5 cm) per hour, making mountain pass travel hazardous.

Local officials rescued a backcountry skier who was buried in an avalanche Thursday near Mount Rose Ski Resort on the edge of Reno.

Thousands of displaced Palestinians, surrounded by tents and debris in Gaza, are suffering from more winter rains after two years of Israeli bombardment destroyed much of the strip.

A polar low-pressure system moved across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.

It is the third polar low to hit the Palestinian territory this winter, with the fourth low-pressure system expected to hit the region starting on Monday.

meteorologist Laith al-Allami told Anadolu news agency.

Many families have been living in tents since late 2023, for much of the duration of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

The enclave is facing imminent cold temperatures, rain, and strong winds, and officials have warned that the rain could intensify into a full-blown storm.

Now displaced Palestinian Mohammed Maslah, in Gaza City, told Al Jazeera in his makeshift tent that he has no choice but to stay there.

“I couldn’t find any place to live in Gaza other than the Gaza port,” he told Al Jazeera. “I am forced to live here because my house is under Israeli control. After just a few hours of rain, we were drenched.”

In Deir al-Balah, Shaimaa Wadi, a mother of four displaced from Jabaliya in the north, spoke to The Associated Press. “We have been living in this tent for two years.

Every time it rains and the tent collapses over our heads, we try to put up new pieces of wood,” he said.

“Everything is so expensive, and without income, we can barely buy our kids clothes or mattresses.”

Israeli strikes destroyed or damaged most buildings in Gaza, where heavy rains earlier this month flooded tents and temporary shelters.

At least 15 people, including three infants, have died from hypothermia due to rain and falling temperatures so far in December, according to officials in Gaza, with several buildings collapsing.

Aid organisations have called on Israel to allow more shelters and other humanitarian aid into the area.

Ibrahim Abu al-Reish, head of civil protection field operations in the Gaza port area, said his teams responded to various distress calls as weather conditions turned harsh in places where displaced people had set up fragile tents.

“We worked hard to cover some of these damaged tents with plastic sheets after they were filled with rainwater,” he told Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim al Khalili, reporting from Gaza City, said the cold is exacerbating the suffering of thousands of displaced Palestinians who lack safe shelter.

“The same misery is repeated, as every rain causes the neighbourhood to be flooded with dirty water,” he said.

armistice talks

As Palestinians face dire conditions in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit Washington.

In the upcoming days, negotiators and others will deliberate on the second phase of the ceasefire, which came into effect on October 10.

Progress in the peace process has been slow. Challenges to the second phase of the ceasefire include the deployment of an international stabilization force, a technical governing body for Gaza,

the proposed disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area.

So far, the agreement remains partially intact despite repeated violations by Israel.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 414 Palestinians have been killed and 1,142 injured since the ceasefire took effect.

679 bodies were removed from the debris after the ceasefire made it safe to search for the remains of those killed.

The ministry said on Saturday that 29 bodies had been brought to local hospitals in the last 48 hours, of which 25 were recovered from the debris.

The ministry reported that Israel’s war has resulted in at least 71,266 Palestinian deaths and another 171,219 injuries.