This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Jackie Leonard and at 14 hours GMT on Friday, the 6th of January, these are our main stories.

Fighting is continuing in eastern Ukraine, in spite of a ceasefire Russia announced,

which the Ukrainians had rejected.

China warns that an increase in COVID infections will make the forthcoming lunar new year travel rush extremely challenging.

And a UN warning that the Taliban restrictions on women could make aid work in Afghanistan impossible.

Also in this podcast, tributes are paid to the Italian football star Jan Luka Vialli, who has died age 58.

He did everything on and off the pitch with quality, amazing technique, a brilliant goal scorer,

but also a brilliant inspiration. He was a great leader on and off the pitch.

As we record this podcast, a ceasefire is supposed to be an effect on the Ukrainian front line,

as ordered by Vladimir Putin to cover the period when Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas.

But already there are reports of both outgoing and incoming shellfire close to the frontline city of Bachmuth.

President Zelensky of Ukraine had earlier dismissed the declared ceasefire as a cynical move.

Now they want to use Christmas as a cover to at least briefly stop the advance of our guys in Donbass

and bring equipment, ammunition and mobilized men closer to our positions.

What will this bring? Just another increase in the death toll.

Everyone in the world knows how the Kremlin uses respites at war to continue the war with renewed vigor.

Our correspondent Hugo Bachega in Kiev told us more about these reports of fighting.

We're still waiting to hear a reaction from the Ukrainian authorities about whether the Russians are observing this ceasefire.

Kiev hasn't agreed with this ceasefire. The authorities here had dismissed this announcement by President Putin as a ploy.

We've heard from President Zelensky there. He said that the Russian forces were trying to use Christmas as a cover

to stop Ukraine's advances, to move troops and equipment closer to Ukrainian positions.

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