welcome to bbc news — i'm james reynolds. our top stories: addressing their supporters — joe biden holds a campaign rally in north carolina, as president trump attends his second rally of the day in nevada. thousands gather in cities across france in support of the school teacher beheaded after showing cartoons of the prophet mohammed to pupils. as protestors defy a ban on gatherings for a fourth day — thailand's prime minister says the government is ready to talk. and israel and bahrain sign an historic agreement on establishing diplomatic relations in the bahraini capital manama.

there are just over two weeks to go before main voting day in the us presidential election. both president trump and his challenger, joe biden, have been campaigning in states they believe they can flip their way before polling day. trump has just finished a rally in nevada and joe biden has been campaigning in north carolina, where the democrats lost to trump four years ago. in his rally in carson city, president trump has said, once again, that the pandemic is ‘rounding the turn‘. precisely for making this claim, biden has accused him of lying to americans about the state of the coronavirus pandemic in the united states. it isa it is a choice between a strong borders or no borders, this —— between supporting the police or defunding the police, between delivering a vaccine in record time to kill the virus ora record time to kill the virus or a biden shutdown to kill the

economy. he will surrender you jobs to china, he will surrender your future to the virus, he is going to lock down. he will listen to the scientists. if i listen totally to the scientists, we would right now have a country that would be in a massive depression. trump said in one of his rallies, "we have turned the corner". my grandfather would say this guy's gone around the bend if he thinks we have turned a corner. we've turned a corner? things are getting worse, he continues to lie to us about the circumstances. experts say we're likely to lose as many as 200,000 additional lives nationwide tween now and the end of the year all because this president cares more about his park avenue perspective on the world, the stock market, than he does about you. because it refuses to follow the science. our north america correspondent, peter bowes, has been monitoring the rallies by both candidates in

battleground states. yeah and i think both candidates are really showing us their style in this final couple of weeks and you're absolutely right, they're both focusing on those states that could ultimately be crucial in terms of the number of electoral college votes. like nevada, not so many votes, but every vote will count, i think, if the election is very, very close. and president trump seems to think that he's in with a chance here in nevada — nevada's a state with high unemployment problems at the moment, in part because of the coronavirus. hillary clinton won the state narrowly last time and the president has made a number of visits to that area. the speech that he's been giving, though, i've got to say, has been all over the place in terms of his focus, he's been riffing on everything from how handsome he is to how he felt like superman when he recovered from coronavirus in hospital to how california should be better managing its forest to prevent wildfires and it is interesting, i heard a senior republican earlier today suggesting that president trump should be focusing more

on the economy than he is in a lot of these campaign speeches. the republicans believe that the economy is the president's strongest point, especially going back to where the us economy was before coronavirus. he clearly mentions the economy but it isn't a major focus in the same way that coronavirus is a key focus from joe biden. we hear time and time again what he thinks about the president's failings in that respect. we've heard about the president. expand then on what mr biden‘s closing strategy is. mr biden‘s strategy is again, i think, to visit those key states, those states that could actually swing the election in his favour. he talks more about criminaljustice reform, whereas we might hear from the president about law and order and i think that goes back to what we saw during the summer months and the disturbances

around the country. butjoe biden‘s strategy really is i think to focus on covid—i9, to explain his policy moving forward and how he would be different if president trump remains in the white house. issues like the wearing of masks that we talk about repeatedly. butjoe biden believes in a much firmer message around the country, suggesting that americans should be wearing masks at all times whereas the president's messages is clearly much more relaxed in that respect. let's speak now to taylor griffin, republican strategist who worked in the white house under president george w bush. thanks forjoining us. what is the president's best path to victory? well, the president really needs right now to see some sort of polling error or major shift in the race. like you did in 2016 but perhaps even more. i think the president needs to maintain states like north carolina that are states like north carolina that a re really states like north carolina that are really tight right now. he definitely needs to win florida

where the race is tight but i think most polls have a biden up think most polls have a biden up about three points. and then maybe pick up some other states that people might think rn biden‘s camp and maybe they actually aren't. nevada, the polling shows biden ahead but there hasn't been a lot of high—quality polling so perhaps they are seeing something in their internal polls that show some they have a chance of picking this estate up. it will ta ke picking this estate up. it will take a lot of things to go in trump's favoured for him to a win here on election day. —— picking this state up. is there a danger that pollsters, a nalysts, a danger that pollsters, analysts, everybody is... 2020? if we have the same sort of polling error that we saw in 2016, you would still seejoe biden picking up the election.

if all of the states are the same, you would see them winning by over 300 electoral votes. still a convincing win was of every election‘s different. this one is certainly very different for dog in the wake of coronavirus, biden is a mock popular candidate when hillary clinton was. “— candidate when hillary clinton was. —— is a more popular candidate. linton was one of the most unpopular candidates we have ever seen that there is a lot different to this race. —— clinton. unfortunately for trump, this is breaking strongly in biden‘s favour. trump, this is breaking strongly in biden's favour. we don't know who will win or lose, we really don't. but what is it like to be on the inside ofa campaign is it like to be on the inside of a campaign which might be struggling? people tell each other truth? do they hope for miracles? element it is rough, i was on. miracles? element it is rough, iwas on. -- it is miracles? element it is rough, i was on. -- it is rough, i was in mccain's campaign and we knew from july on we would have a hard time winning this race so a hard time winning this race so you start thinking about how cani

so you start thinking about how can i throw hail mary that will throw the dynamic of the reason it meaningful way. i think the choice of sarah palin as vice president shall candidate in 2008 is a great look at that thinking. in the early days after she was named, it didn't end up winning the election but the idea was to change the narrative. i think the trump campaign needs to be thinking in the same way if they want to win. jump is pretty said in his ways and it doesn't seem like something they are really looking towards right now. taylor griffin, thank you so much. and you can find more news and analysis about the us election on our website: just go to bbc.com/us2020 where you can find the latest details of the elections and analysis by our correspondents. let's get some of the day's other news. italy has announced a new raft of measures to tighten restrictions amid a surge in coronavirus cases. mayors will get powers to close

public areas after 9pm and the opening times of restaurants and the size of groups allowed will tighten. the moves come as italy recorded over 11,700 new cases — its highest daily infection rate for the second day in a row. czech police have used tear gas and water cannon against demonstrators protesting against coronavirus restrictions imposed by the government in prague. the rally turned violent after the authorities began trying to disperse the crowd, with the police chief claiming it contained "radical" football fans. the czech republic on friday set a new record for daily infections with more than 11,000 cases. thousands of protesters in belarus have taken to the streets for the tenth consecutive sunday after a disputed presidential election in august. they are demanding the resignation of long—term leader alexander lukashenko. authorities say more than 100 people have been arrested. the opposition has threatened to call a nationwide strike soon if mr lukashenko refuses to step down. palestinian chief negotiator saeb erekat is being treated in an israeli hospital

for coronavirus. he was taken to the hospital in tel aviv by ambulance after his condition worsened. mr erekat had been receiving medical care at his home in the occupied west bank since revealing that he had the virus on october the eighth. he's 65 and received a lung transplant three years ago. the french prime minister, jean castex, has told huge crowds rallying around the country that france is not afraid and will not allow itself to be divided by the decapitation of a teacher by a suspected islamist. people gathered in towns and cities across france, including paris and marseilles, to show their support for the country's secular values, and their revulsion at the murder on friday. 0ur paris correspondent, lucy williamson, reports. applause once again, around the figure of marianne, a sea of defiance. this statue, this square, a homing point for a nation whose values have come under attack. since his death on friday, samuel paty, like others before him, has become a symbol of france itself. since his death on friday,

samuel paty, like others before him, has become a symbol of france itself. translation: it's important to be here today to show our collective strength because that's what can help us follow our principles during tough times. translation: we're here to defend the values of the republic — liberty, equality, fraternity and secularism. the government is too inactive. something must be done. the prime minister, jean castex, arrived in place de la republique in a mask printed with the french flag. his message on twitter today read, "you won't scare us, we're france." the newest slogan on posters here, "i am samuel" or, simply, "i am a teacher", an echo of the rallying cry sparked by the attacks on charlie hebdo five years ago. this sombre rally is a show of unity in the wake of samuel paty‘s death, but it's also proof of the power of social media to deliver a message and bring people together. the same power that enabled a one—man campaign against a local teacher to spiral out of control. samuel paty was killed by a man who knew him

only through social media, the result of an online campaign launched by an outraged parent that spread quickly outside conflans. across france, tens of thousands of people have joined the rallies in his name. a man who stood for the values of the nation, remembered today by a nation standing with him. lucy williamson, bbc news, paris. the un secretary general, antonio guterres, has urged armenia and azerbaijan to observe their latest ceasefire, saying indiscriminate attacks on civilians are totally u na cce pta ble. both countries have accused each other of violating a humanitarian ceasefire in the disputed region of nagorno—karabakh. but clashes continue, as rayhan demytrie reports from tbilisi in neighbouring georgia. an azeri officer announces to his country's president the liberation of another piece of territory, which for the past

26 years had been under armenian control. the ancient bridge leads to the border with iran. kara bakh is azerbaijan, he declares. the armenian defence ministry released this footage, which it claims shows the azeri forces advancing on armenian positions early on sunday, in violation of a ceasefire agreed the day before. but things were quieter on sunday in civilian areas in the disputed nagorno—karabakh region. they have been under constant bombardment from azerbaijan in recent days. dozens of civilians and more than 700 armenian servicemen, many of them young recruits, have been killed. translation: there are children dying, women, elderly people. 0ur guys die who are 18,19 years old. stop this war. azeri people have also suffered. this was the scene in ganja, azerbaijan's second largest

city, that was struck by armenian missiles on saturday, killing at least 13 civilians and destroying more than 20 houses. this woman lost her home. translation: our people are humanist. we have a beautiful nation. armenia should know that we will not bow to them as people of ganja. we will take back kara bakh from them if it comes to that. azerbaijan's military casualties remain a secret, but it's been very public about its territorial gains. this is jabrayil, another town re—taken from armenian forces. the more azerbaijan advances, the less incentive it has to stop fighting. rayhan demytrie, bbc news, tbilisi. stay with us on bbc news. still to come, dancing the night away whilst social distancing, brazilian style.

a historic moment that many of his victims have waited for for decades. the former dictator in the dock, older, slimmer, and, as he sat down, obedient enough. dawn, and as the sun breaks through the piercing chill of night on the plain outside korem, it lights up a biblical famine, now, in the 20th century. the depressing conclusion, in argentina today, it's actually cheaper to paper your walls with money. we've had controversies in the past with great britain. but as good friends, we've always found a good and lasting solution. concorde bows out in style. after almost three decades in service, an aircraft that enthralled its many admirers for so long taxis home one last

time. this is bbc news, the latest headlines: joe biden‘s supporters see their candidate's campaign rally in north carolina, as president trump is in nevada to address his second rally of the day. thousands gather in cities across france in support of the schoolteacher beheaded after showing cartoons of the prophet mohammed to pupils. tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of bangkok for the fourth day in a row demanding political reform. the rallies took place in defiance of a government ban on gatherings there. the protesters, who are mostly young people, want power to move away from the military and the monarchy. from bangkok, jonathan head sent this report. friday night in downtown bangkok. police advance on a political rally. screaming.

never mind it was mostly students, school children and commuters dropping in on their way home. they got the full treatment. yelling. water cannon laced with blue dye and tear gas. it hasn't put them off though. they gathered again this weekend, demanding notjust a change of government, but a radical overhaul of the political establishment which has ruled this country throughout the modern era. this show of youthful defiance could be in hong kong or anywhere in the world where a younger generation feels let down by their rulers. but these young protesters

are going up against one of the most powerful and untouchable institutions anywhere in the world — the thai monarchy. by demanding that their king's power and spending be accountable. for the first time, these people have put a bomb under the political debate in this country. king vajiralongkorn succeeded his much—loved father four years ago. he cuts a very different figure. his decision to increase his already considerable power and wealth, then ride out the covid crisis living abroad, have cost him public support. is he's been back this past week and urged that young thais be taught to love the monarchy. most of these youngsters will have been taught exactly that at school. yet they‘ re unimpressed. flashing the hunger games salute that's become the symbol of their defiance, they want their king to behave more like a modern monarch. they used our tax in the wrong way. it should be with the people who really need it, and they still don't support us, and they want us, like, to be quiet, and that's not right, that's not our freedom, that's not how it's

supposed to be. in the past, saying even that might have got these protesters a long prison sentence — or worse. thailand's history has been punctuated by violent suppressions of dissent. this time, perhaps, there'll be a different ending. jonathan head, bbc news, bangkok. israel and bahrain have formally established diplomatic relations, a move condemned by the islamic state group, which has called for retaliatory attacks in saudi arabia. the new agreement was signed in a ceremony in the bahraini capital manama on sunday. it's part of a us brokered normalisation deal established last month, which has also seen israel and the united arab emirates set up close ties. mark lobel reports. flying in to formalise their friendship. israel's national security adviser sets foot on bahraini soil, with a key american officialalongside, ushering in a fresh wind of diplomacy.

translation: israel is offering its hand for real peace to the bahraini people and their courageous leadership. together we will change the face of the nation for our people and neighbouring countries. we do so with the optimism that such a peace will bring a new stability and prosperity to the region, allowing our young people across the middle east to achieve the potential and aspirations which they have been denied for too long. it was incredible experiencing the first commercial flight coming from israel to bahrain, and i know we will look forward to many more trips in both directions. a fist bump, a visual proclamation of diplomatic

ties following egypt and jordan's bilateral agreements with america's biggest ally in the region. it was at donald trump's white house last month tht the world first witnessed both bahrain and the united arab emirates' public declaration of support after decades of disputes, standing shoulder to shoulder with the israeli prime minister. sunday's ceremony marks an important shift for the former foes that have come so far. the use of el al flight 973 it was a friendly nod to bahrain‘s dialling code, the use of saudi airspace to get here a suggestion of potentially bigger things to come. but this latest agreement is "a stab in the back," according to palestinian officials. arab states had said they would boycott israel until the palestinian

dispute was settled. bahrain is still calling for a two—state solution, but it is no longer its price for cooperation, instead siding with a country also at odds with iran. this new chapter in bahrain‘s relationship with israel could be lucrative, as the gulf kingdom says it will be looking forfruitful bilateral cooperation with its new ally in "every field." mark lobel, bbc news. polls in bolivia have closed in the first the presidential run—off election in turkish—controlled northern cyprus has been won, according to preliminary results, by the challenger ersin tatar, who's the current prime minister. he's won nearly 52% of the vote to defeat the incumbent, mustafa akinci. the result would appear to damage prospects for the island's reunification. the dutch prime minister has acknowledged he made the wrong assessment by not intervening to stop a controversial foreign holiday by the royal family, when coronavirus restrictions in the netherlands

were tightening. king willem—alexander and queen maxima returned to the netherlands on saturday after less than 2a hours in greece, acknowledging what they described as an "intense" reaction from the public who had been told on wednesday they should avoid travelling abroad. speaking to reporters, mr rutte said he bore full ministerial responsibility for the affair. translation: sol translation: so i just translation: so ijust sent translation: so i just sent a letter to parliament saying that i did misjudge the case about the trip, especially when you see the rising cases and the hard measures we have to take, it would have been better to think it over. because of the constitution i can't tell you the constitution i can't tell you more, the constitution i can't tell you more, the prime minister is responsible for the king, he is inviolable and i am responsible, but it was my mistake, my misjudgment to not tell him we should think it over. brazil is one of the countries that's been hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. more than 150,000 people have lost their lives, a death toll second only to the united states. restrictions are being eased, although things are still far from normal, as

the bbc‘s tim allman explains. samba music. this is probably the sort of thing that comes to mind when you think of rio de janeiro. beautiful beaches, stunning scenery, and a carnival like no other. the virus brought everything to a halt, but it seems that was only temporary. this is how you go to a concert in rio these days. the audiences out in the open air, socially distanced and separated into boxes. entertainment and therapy, all at the same time. translation: what we do here is notjust a party. we are promoting mental health. people can't

stand staying at home anymore. there's 150 of these boxes, with up to six people allowed in each one. you're never going to break any attendance records, but no—one here's complaining. translation: it's the second time i've come to this great event. i love being here, in the open air with my friends. as restrictions are raised further, these unusual music boxes may no longer be necessary. but they are proof, if proof were needed, that brazilians will always find a way to party. could we get some dancing boxes sent here to the uk? a reminder of our top story. both president trump and his challenger, joe biden, have been campaigning in states they believe they can flip their way on polling day. mr trump has finished a rally in nevada and mr biden has been campaigning in north carolina. more on our

website. do stay with bbc news. hello. this spell of quieter weather continued on sunday, but with all the cloud around, the brightest thing many of us saw was the autumn colour, here on view in staffordshire, though competing with a postbox. it's all change now. we've had some quiet weather, but low pressure is taking over. the weather fronts are gathering, and although there will be some sunnier days in the week ahead, there'll be some very wet days around as well. and it's getting windier, too. and for monday, some of the heaviest rain will be in scotland and northern ireland. this is how it looks as the day begins. some outbreaks of rain into parts of northern england, particularly, to begin with. and there may be a bit of a lull in the rain first thing

in northern ireland, but it will come back. heavy, persistent rain. outbreaks of rain across scotland, heaviest and most persistent in the west. so, through western scotland and northern ireland, as the rain continues into monday night, there is a risk of some flooding and some travel disruption. see some rain pushing back in towards north—west england into the afternoon. patchy rain reaching into parts of wales, whereas elsewhere a bit of hazy brightness around. temperatures just creeping up a few degrees, but it's getting windier. as we just look into monday evening, this area of rain will start to just push in across parts of south west england. 0vernight monday into tuesday, well, it's this weather front that will bring a splash of rain across those parts of england and wales that stayed dry during monday. and the rain continuing in scotland and northern ireland, though by end of the night, it should be easing from northern ireland. so, on tuesday, then, some early rain affecting parts of eastern england slowly pulling away. further heavy and perhaps prolonged downpours running in towards particularly northern ireland and scotland,

just fringing north wales and north—west england as well. windy and wet still across the far north of scotland and northern isles, easterly winds here. mild south—westerlies elsewhere, and temperatures, particularly across much of england and wales, into the mid to high teens with sunny spells and a few showers. but gales through the irish sea. as we look through tuesday night and into wednesday, focus for the heaviest rain will be shifting into parts of england and wales. could well be some quite heavy rain moving through, exact position of this uncertain at this stage, but some of that may fringe northwards towards northern ireland and scotland again as we go through wednesday. so, we'll keep an eye on that. it could be quite windy again with that, too. so, again, it is all change. 0ur weather's been quiet. it isn't any more. some of the rain this week is going to be quite heavy. windier conditions at times, too. milder at least to start the week.

one last time. this is bbc news, the headlines: president trump is addressing his followers in carson city, nevada, on the latest stage of his election campaign. joe biden has been addressing a campaign rally in north carolina, where he accused his rival of lying to americans about the state of the coronavirus pandemic in the united states. vigils and rallies have been held across france after a teacher was beheaded in an islamist attack close to his school in a paris suburb on friday. prime minister, jean castex, says france is not afraid and will not allow itself to be divided. tens of thousands of protesters have ta ken to the streets of bangkok for the fourth day in a row demanding political reform. the rallies took place in defiance of a government ban on gatherings there. the protesters, who are mostly young people, want power to move away from the military and the monarchy.