Morning Brief: Deadly blizzard leaves 31 dead in US, shots fired near NATO in Kosovo, and more

As the atmospheric pressure plummets in the US,the 'Bomb Cyclone' has become deadly and the weather-related death count has reached31. In other news, withCOVID-19 casesrisingin China, experts are calling the country a potentially dangerous mutation ground for more variants. While multiple missile hits have been reported in Ukraine on Christmas Day, shots have been fired at NATO patrol in Kosovo. Meanwhile, as the Russia-Ukraine struggle continues, President Vladimir Putin said he is ready to talk. Furthermore, women in Afghanistan continue to protest against the Taliban's decision to ban female students to pursue a university education.

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'The blizzard of 2022': US winter storm kills 31; Buffalo, battles crisis situation, is 'like a warzone'

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A devastating winter storm is wreaking havoc in the eastern US leaving millions of Americans fighting a brutal with at least 31 deaths being reported due to the weather conditions. Buffalo, in western New York, is currently being slammed by a blizzard, creating a crisis since emergency services are unable to reach high-impact areas.

"It is (like) going to a warzone, and the vehicles along the sides of the roads are shocking," said New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a native of Buffalo, where eight-foot (2.4-meter) snow drifts and power outages have made for life-threatening conditions.

China a 'fertile breeding ground' for a potentially dangerous Covid mutation: Experts

China's rising number of COVID-19 cases has sparked the worry that the surge might unleash a new mutant variant of the deadly virus into the world.

As per Dr Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University China's large population has limited immunity which "seems to be the setting in which we may see an explosion of a new variant."

Amid fresh tensions, shots fired near NATO patrol in Kosovo

Shots were fired in Kosovo near a NATO patrol, said the organisation on Sunday. No injuries have been reported.

As per a Reuters report, no injuries were reported, and the NATO patrol car too escaped unharmed. NATO's KFOR mission did not disclose the location from which the shots were fired. Reportedly the incident happened early Sunday evening after Kosovar forces attempted to dismantle a barricade.

Missile hits reported from across Ukraine on Christmas Day even as Putin says he is open to talks

Ukrainian and Russian media outlets reported hearing blasts at Russia's Engels air base early Monday, hundreds of kilometres from the frontlines in Ukraine. However, the reports haven't been confirmed yet. The RBC-Ukraine news agency reported that two explosions took place. Russian news outlet Baza cited local residents as saying that air raid sirens followed by an explosion were heard.

Afghan women continue to protest against Taliban's ban on education