that president trump's personal lawyer ran a smear campaign against the former us ambassador to ukraine, to try to get her removed. george kent accused rudy giuliani of spreading what he called ‘lies‘ about marie yovanovitch. the funerals have begun for some of the victims of an attack in northern mexico in which nine us citizens were killed. they were members of a mormon community. initial investigations suggest the attack was a case of mistaken identity by a drug cartel — that's disputed by the victims‘ families. france's president emmanuel macron has described nato as "brain dead" — and accused the biggest contributor, the us, of a "waning committment" to the trans—atlantic alliance. german chancellor angela merkel rejected the criticism of nato, saying mr macron used rather drastic words to express his views.

more than1.5 more than 1.5 million young people will have a chance, their first chance to vote in the general election this december. they were too young to take part in the referendum on whether the uk should leave the eu. some are disillusioned with the state of our politics. we went out to find why. i feel like an mp'sjust going to say what you want to hear and then not do it. what they do most is talk, and they never really do a lot of actions, which does not impress me. i think some politicians are truthful, others are liars. the voices of a generation — in a city where so many of the young people we spoke to are disillusioned with a political class, a political system. leeds, an urban area that crackles with a vibrant, youthful energy, until you mention politics. i don't think that, erm, politicians in this country, like, really think about the public.

both first—time voters, laura and hannah are studying for a diploma in aviation at leeds city college. in a mock—up of a 737, they're learning how to be air stewards. do you think politicians think about young people enough? not really, no. no. i think they only concentrate on, erm. .. money! yeah, money and, arm... and just about middle—aged people, really. ollie, who's 20, wants to be a pastry chef. what do you want to hear from the politicians? the truth. i mean, i've heard so many different lies and false information from so many politicians, i'm getting tired of it. in a neighbouring leeds constituency, another tale of alienation from laura, a trainee tattoo artist. is there anything that a politician could say that would make you feel, yeah, i'll give them my vote? itjust seems like it's always, like, a fight. if their attitude

changed, then, yeah. maybe if they started working together, rather than it always being a competitive situation. young voters could leave an indelible mark on this election if they turn out to vote. but what chance of that for the student bartenders, pastry chefs and airline stewards we spoke to? a generation, politically disillusioned way too soon. now it's time for talking movies. hello and welcome to talking movies: countdown to the oscars, our early take on the race to the academy awards 2020. the oscars are still weeks away, but already we have some idea of the likely contenders. we will be looking at the front

runners in the major categories, as well as hearing from some big—name stars vying for hollywood's top prize. but first, our sitdown interview with the talented felicityjones, who is about to light up cinema screens around the world for her performance in the period adventure the aeronauts, set in the 19th century, in which she plays the pilot of a hot—air balloon. jones is an oscars contender, but by no means is she at the front of the pack. what's that? dinner. perhaps you could turn it into something else. the 36—year—old jones began acting as a child. she made her first screen appearance in the british family tv movie the treasure seekers in 1996. since then, she has made some 20 films, in which she has tackled very different roles. she played jyn erso, a key member of the alliance to restore the republic in rogue one: a star wars story. she appeared in the romantic comedy chalet girl.

i would not wish any companion in the world but you. and then there has been shakespeare, in the role of miranda in the screen adaptation of the tempest. she also took on the supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg in the biographical film on the basis of sex. two films have been pivotal in her career. what have you been doing? waiting for you. one was the 2011 largely unscripted drama like crazy, where she played a british girl in los angeles who falls for an american boy, played by anton yelchin. why did you just shout at me? i am sorry i shouted at you. don't raise your voice at me. people are going to come round if you keep shouting. it's really important if people come round. who is going to come around? simon? like crazy brought her critical acclaim and prizes, and put her on the map, especially in the us, where studios took note. the other significant film in her career was portraying jane hawking, the wife of physicist stephen hawking, played by eddie redmayne, in the theory of everything. the film was widely praised,

as was her performance, which brought her an oscar nomination. yes, physics is back in business. and so it begins. now she is starring in the aeronauts, a heavily fictionalised account of a record—breaking flight by two hot—air balloonists in 1862. it has reunited jones with eddie redmayne, who plays the meteorologist on board the hot—air balloon. felicityjones is the pilot, amelia wren. what i loved about her is that she is someone who acts before she speaks, thinks. she's incredibly strong physically. i just love that she was a total wildcat, and really wanted to throw myself into playing her. you have worked with eddie redmayne before, really beautifully, on the theory of everything. so it must have been something you welcomed, this opportunity to work with him again. yes, we have built up such trust from making the theory of everything that it made the project much more appealing, doing it with someone that you already had that

relationship in place. and, because so much of it is just the two of them in a tiny little basket for hours on end, you know, you felt like you had to do that with someone you really liked and got on with and respected. shooting this film with a hot—air balloon, did that place physical demands on you as an actress? it was a physical experience like nothing i have ever experienced before. it was one of the most demanding films i have ever shot, and partly because of the style of trying to get something that felt very visceral, very naturalistic, and to achieve that, you kind of have to go through the mill. don't you wish to be up there with them? some reach for the stars, some push others towards them. i have read that you believe the film is about hope, and anything is possible. in what way? i think there's just a huge —

it's hugely optimistic, the film. and there's an element of looking beyond, you know, looking beyond the sort of difficult times that we're having at the moment, in the sense that, you know, rainbows are going to come. we hope. when you look at back at your body of work, which is pretty impressive, how do you view the film like crazy? because that brought you a lot of attention, didn't it? i think that film really gave me a sense of an acting style, and i think it was something i've all always carried through, because there was so much improvisation. and improvisation is a bit of creating anarchy. and so that little bit of anarchy you have to take with you on everything. and improvisation is a bit of creating anarchy. and suddenly there can be a sort inertia. and i always remember from like crazy, you've got to throw caution to the wind,

and you've got to try things out, and don't be scared. and i think like crazy really emboldened me in that approach. i read that when you were young, your mother repeatedly showed you gone with the wind. how did that affect your aspirations as an actress? did it have an impact? yes, i think enormously. i think growing up around cinema, i'm a massive cinephile myself, and i think it'sjust a... itjust gave me the love of filmmaking that i have now, from being around it at such an early age. there is no question. stephen must live. you got oscar nominated for theory of everything. did that affect your career at all? did it result in you getting more work? well, it's a funny old business, because you definitely — you sort of... i think it was james corden who said that some actors, like maybe brad pitt or angelina jolie, have this consistent level of fame that never changes. and then, for the rest of us,

it's kind of peaks and troughs. and that is definitely true. as soon as you do something that people respond to, the offers do flood in, definitely. you notice that you're getting more attention, and then everyone sort of sits up and takes notice. though i definitely was given, you know, amazing opportunities from theory of everything. oscar season is rapidly approaching. do you keep up with the oscars race, and the ups and downs of it? yes, everything. because i get sent the films, so — and you start being sent them in sort of late august, early september, and there are hundreds to get through for voting. so yes, i am fully committed, and spend a lot of time watching all the films. i love seeing what the new thing is. unfortunately, we're kind of in this world where all the really great stuff comes at the end of the year, so you sort of have to pack it in. you are pretty diligent about it, though, aren't you?

yes, well, i love doing it. doesn't feel like a chore. don't touch this rope. i don't know how everything works. what are you doing? we fly, mr glaisher. the sky awaits. would you like to have more authorship in your work, and be a director? yes, i mean, it's something i wouldn't ever rule out, and definitely i love every aspect of filmmaking. and i studied english literature at university, so i'm always reading and looking for stories. and that's what's a lovely sort of part of the profession, is being able to be involved a little bit earlier on, without a doubt. and do you think you would be good at directing a film? i don't know if i — i don't know. i think directing takes enormous skill. it's not for everyone. i always feel like the director is the most put—upon person. despite the title director, there is a lot of indirect—ing. they are dealing with issues from every direction.

but it's not something i would ever, ever rule out. but we will see. this is absurd. it is what they call entertainment, mr glaisher. i don't find it particularly entertaining. it requires a sense of humour, which you seem to lack. now let's move on to our countdown to the oscars, our admittedly early take on the race to the academy awards, although preliminary oscar voting does take place as soon as next month. first, the best actress category, where renee zellweger is widely perceived as a front runner for her portrayal of late showbiz legend judy garland in the film judy. emma jones went to meet her. # somewhere over the rainbow. # way up high... as performances go, it is a comeback

to rival any one ofjudy garland's. renee zellweger took a six—year break from the film industry. bridgetjones reprisals aside, her role asjudy garland towards the end of her all—too—brief life is the first major one for a decade. portraying one of hollywood's greatest legends offered all the satisfaction and terror for an actor looking for a challenge. i was curious immediately, because i knew so very little about this chapter injudy‘s life, and it seemed like certainly there is more to it than what was written about her after her passing. so i came over to england. they said just come, we'lljust chat, we'll talk about it, and then maybe we'll try some songs, and we'll see where we are and where we might want to go. and we started experimenting with a black wig, and let'sjust try her stage make—up. just went on like that. i read that you started preparing for the role a year before rehearsals, renee. is that true? yes, thank goodness. yes.

critics raving that zellweger manages to embody the essence ofjudy garland, it is no surprise she is a front runner for the prize. hollywood loves an actor who transforms successfully into a real—life character. last year, there was little doubt that gary oldman would triumph for his portrayal of winston churchill. there is a cake — don't eat it. hollywood also loves to talk about itself, and judy dives back into the golden age of the studios, when garland was making the wizard of oz. finally, hollywood likes to reward effort. zellweger brings more than total transformation. she brings her own live singing, though she didn't plan on it. # clang, clang, clang went the trolley... mum, please don't go to sleep now. renee, how do you feel about singing live, and particularly singing over the rainbow, as well? well, i could lie to you. i could tell you that it was fantastic, and i couldn't wait. i was horrified, i couldn't believe it.

in the actual experience of it, it was so fun, it was so special. what do you mean you can't, there is an audience out there waiting to hear you think. —— an audience out there waiting to hearyou think. —— here an audience out there waiting to hear you think. —— here you sing. the character of judy garland, a woman deeply scarred by her experiences of being psychologically abused by her studio in the 1930s, resonates deeply because of hollywood's recent self—examination. it's really hard to deny that she had very little say in the course that she was being set on at the time. i don't know that she would look at herself as a victim. the movies are what united us. they shaped conversations, shaped fashion, shaped the decisions you would make about what a good life looks like, what you aspire to have or ought to be. it was shaped by film and to be part of that, to be a star of cinema, you know, what would you do?

at 50, age is no barrier to her success. last year was a surprise win for olivia colman in the favourite over glenn close for the wife. other recent winners include meryl streep, julianne moore and cate blanchett. but much has been made of zellweger stepping away from the spotlight for years, not months. she previously won best supporting actress in 2004 for cold mountain. much of her body of work belongs to the 1990s and the turn of the millennium. ultimately, though, the story of one of their own triumphing after being written off is one that the industry finds hard to resist. and that might apply as much to rene zellweger as tojudy garland. # dreams that you dare to dream really do come true... now let's move onto the frontrunner in the best actor category, where adam driver has had a very good year. i'm thinking zombies.

what? you know, zombies. he was at cannes where he won some praise for his role in the jim jarmsuch zombie movie the dead don't die. he also appeared as a senate aide investigating the use of enhanced interrogation techniques in the wake of september 11 in the film the report. but he made the most impact playing the husband in the divorce story marriage story opposite scarlettjohansson. his performance in marriage story has given him frontrunner status. we caught up with him to discuss his current wave of success. your career is going really well right now. you are being embraced for your work in different films and the performances you give. you are getting a lot of positive feedback. does that mean a lot to you? i mean, it always means a lot getting the respect of your peers, and, you know, people you admire. but it's also surreal. at a certain point i don't know

what good it does to try to attach a meaning to it, because in a way, there is no meaning to it. i work really hard, but there are a lot of actors who work really hard. i've just been extremely lucky in the people i've got to work with, and things like this that have come along, and the timing has worked out. there is a whole other pool of reasons why i'm lucky. so i try to keep it in perspective. clearly lots of people are very impressed by your acting. when you reflect on your own work, do you see yourself developing as an actor? i hope. i mean, i hope. sometimes it is hard to gauge because i also try not to watch the things that i do. you know, sometimes you pick things, well, i always pick films because of the director first. but then within the character or the movie you want to work on something personal. and it's hard to gauge whether you've got it right. because sometimes you think things that are operating aren't, and the opposite is true. i've met older actors, who have been doing this for a lot

longer than i have, and have learned that they all seem to share the same youthful ambition in trying to get it right, which i find comforting. it is a good lesson for me to realise, you don't ever kind of get it right. you hope you get better, but even that is subjective. you never master anything. you just make the attempt. so as long as i try to get better at being comfortable with failure, then i think that would be a good gauge of improvement. well, you do a pretty good job. thank you very much! i'll never really get to be his parent again. he needs to know that i fought for him. so far, we've looked at the likely frontrunners in the best actor and best actress categories. what about some of the other races? talking movies reached out to a group of critics to get their predictions. for best supporting actor i think it's really a battle between tom hanks, who's playing mr rogers

in it's a beautiful day in the neighbourhood, and brad pitt playing cliff booth in once upon a time in hollywood. they're both big movie stars doing slightly offkilter roles which really play to their strengths. that said, brad pitt has had a good year and that role is one which i think people adored, you know, watching him as the sidekick who looks more like a movie star than the movie star does. so i think he's probably the frontrunner. i would not be surprised if most people right now are really talking about al pacino for his role in when it comes to best supporting actor in the irishman. it's patino doing what he does best which is oscillating between high and low. he plastimmy hoffa in this huge scenery—eating performance. pretty unforgettable. the first time he's ever worked with martin scorsese. it's a big moment for him and for the movie. if not al pacino, i would say

willem dafoe in the lighthouse is bonkers and fantastic. he has been nominated a couple of times. i think a lot of people really want to award him. he would be the spoiler, i think, in that category. 10,15, even 20 years ago, we would probably be surprised if we were talking about jennifer lopez as a potential oscar nominee, but it seems like that's definitely the way it's going right now. her performance in hustlers as a stripper who is part of a ring of women who basically drug men for their money, i think it'sjust filled with layers. all of the things that we love about jennifer lopez as a performer. jennifer lopez's performance is unbelievable. it's fully memorable, kind of the j—lo that everybody remembers from years ago, just completely exploding onto the screen. hustlers is not a great movie. it is a very fun movie,

and the reason it is fun is because ofjennifer lopez. she plays a stripper with a heart of gold. she really makes the movie in the way that you want a great actor to make a movie. she makes it thrilling. i think zhao shuzhen in the farewell stands a good chance. she's pretty wonderful. i would love to see her in the mix. obviously this would be a great year to see jennifer lopez in hustlers get in there. i think a lot of people are rooting for that. it was great to see her in a good role again, you know? she's such a movie star in that movie. i'm rooting for her. it's the irishman. it's a historical mobster movie about a fixer for the mob andjimmy hoffa and also it's about ageing and coming to the end of your life and looking backwards and wondering what it all amounted to. it's a big, bold, career—defining film for scorsese, and it has amazing actors in it,

giving amazing performances. it has everything that the academy really loves. so i think that that's a sort of powerhouse media, a powerhouse cast, a powerhouse special effects, that's definitely going to be a frontrunner. i really do think it's going to boil down to two frontrunners for best picture, it's going to be once upon a time in hollywood and it's going to be the irishman. they're both very strong, but i think of the two, the one to beat is going to be once upon a time in hollywood. there's lots of love and support not just for quentin tarantino, but the idea of shooting on film, shooting in hollywood, supporting the industry, and i think hollywood loves to celebrate hollywood and i think this isjust going to be a slam dunk. realistically, i think it's probably between once upon a time in hollywood and marriage story. my gut tells me maybe marriage story could get in there and win. on the side of once upon a time in hollywood, you've got that it's a story about hollywood, which always goes over well.

you've got quentin tarantino. but i think also, it's so divisive. whereas marriage story is this almost classically well—made movie with incredible acting, the writing is so good, it's just this really beautiful story about a relationship falling apart. and i think that's hard to resist. so, we didn't have a host this year, in part because of the kevin hart debacle of 2019, and i'm all for not having any host for award shows ever. i think there should totally be a host. it's an awards show. have somebody come out and say, welcome, and here are some people who will give out awards, and then goodnight. it doesn't take much. just get anybody, who cares? i'd be surprised if they went with a single host. if they do, it should be awkwafina. the other thing i keep seeing in my mind is the oscars making a desperate bid for young people, going for youtube stars or something.

logan paul, ninja, a streaming star. i really think, you know, just go full force. try and get that market, you know. the oscars can stay relevant forever. well, that brings this edition of talking movies to a close. we hope you've enjoyed the show. please remember, you can always reach us online and you can find us on facebook as well. so, from me, tom brook, and the rest of the production crew here in new york, it's goodbye, as we leave you with oscars frontrunner rene zellweger singing over the rainbow from the film judy. # somewhere over the rainbow # skies are blue # and the dreams that you dared to dream #

really do come true # hello. thursday brought us a day of heavy and persistent rain across some parts of the country, particularly for parts of northern england. there was 75mm of rain by the end of the day in sheffield and many areas have seen flooding problems and quite a lot of travel disruption too. we still have numerous flood warnings and severe flood warnings in force as well. although the worst of the rain will be easing away, river levels will be lagging behind the main rainfall, so still a lot of flooding problems through friday morning. now, the overnight rain has slowly been shifting a little bit further south, but an amber warning was issued from the met office for up to 100mm of rain across parts of south and west yorkshire, derbyshire, and greater manchester too. as we head through friday morning, we've still got that rain band with us, it becomes fairly light and patchy and as we head

through the day, it will be confined to eastern parts of england. it's cold, quite a frosty start for many of us to friday, we've also got a few wintry flurries across the highest parts of highland scotland. by the afternoon, lots of sunshine developing, away from eastern parts of england where you keep the cloud and a little bit of patchy rain. temperatures between about 6 and aberdeen to around about 11 in cardiff. still on the chilly side. into friday evening then, that area of cloud and rain slowly clears off towards the east, so under those clearing skies, have a look at the blue colours, that indicates quite a cold start to your weekend, in fact, subzero temperatures for many of us, particularly in the north first thing saturday, but really wherever you are, you could well wake up to quite a sharp frost. after that chilly start to saturday, more cloud and rain work in from the west through the day, so some rain for northern ireland, western parts of scotland, and england and wales with some of that rain of the highest ground could be falling as sleet and snow but certainly rain down at lower levels. eastern england and scotland should stay dry and bright throughout the day and it will feel pretty chilly, just 5—10 celsius, our top temperature on saturday.

now, heading into the second half of the weekend, and it's still an unsettled picture, as low pressure drifts towards the near continent, a small ridge of higher pressure in between before the following system moves in from the atlantic but that means that the rain should clear away from the south on sunday, many of us should see a fine, dry day. again, it's a chilly start. quite a bit of frost around first thing and temperatures by the afternoon somewhere between about 6—10 degrees, a little below par, really, for this time of year but at least it is looking dry for sunday. and then the outlook for next week is a fairly unsettled one still, showery rain around at times, some sunshine too and temperatures rather chilly for the time of year. bye for now.

welcome to bbc news — i'm mike embley. our top stories: a senior us diplomat tells investigators that president trump's personal lawyer conducted a smear campaign against the former us ambassador to ukraine to get her removed. relatives are left angry and distraught after a deadly attack on a burkina faso mining convoy. the first funerals take place for members of a mormon community ambushed by gunmen in northern mexico. and — one in a million — the veteran cyclist riding into the record books. i should probably finish up very close to 2 million by the time