welcome to bbc news — i'm aaron safir. our top stories. sudan is to normalize diplomatic relations with israel — the third arab state to do so in two months. as coronavirus infections surge in europe again — the world health organization issues a new warning. we are at a criticaljuncture in this pandemic. particularly in the northern hemisphere. the next few months are going to be very tough. protests spread across poland — after a court ruling banning virtually all abortions. the demonstrations are taking place despite tight coronavirus restrictions. how one london company

is determined to change the face of opera. welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. president trump has announced a dealfor sudan and israel to normalise relations. it makes sudan the third arab league nation to formally recognise israel in less than three months — allowing the trump administration to boast of a foreign policy win with just over a week to the presidential elections. the bbc‘s washington correspondent nomia iqbal has more. the state of israel and the republic of sudan have agreed to make peace. president trump invited reporters into the oval office to witness his exchange with the leaders of israel and sudan on the phone.

and he couldn't help but take a swipe at his democratic presidential rival, joe biden, as he spoke to the israeli leader benjamin netanyahu. do you think sleepyjoe could have made this deal, bibi? sleepyjoe. do you think he would've made this deal? somehow i don't think so. in return, sudan has been removed from a us list of state—sponsored terrorism, which now allow the north african nation to receive much—needed economic aid and investment. mike pompeo visited sudan's capital in august. he was the first us secretary of state to do so in more than a decade to help make way for is now the third arab league country to formally recognise israel after the uae and bahrain.

this gives credibility to donald trump's reputation as a deal—maker and is a huge foreign policy win for him. he is trying to push this a step towards getting what he considers the deal of the century, peace between the israelis and the palestinians. but palestinian officials have called this latest move a further betrayal. we are totally denouncing this deal. and we are sure the sudanese people and nationals and parties, the people of sudan also will reject this deal because sudan and the people of sudan have firm standing with the palestinian cause. it was back in the ‘60s when arab nations agreed to never negotiate with israel until an independent palestinian state was established. but priorities are changing for some countries who now see the benefit of working with a us president who is open to making deals. and that is increasingly

leaving palestinians sidelined. earlier, i spoke to mark fathi massoud who is professor of politics and legal studies at uc santa cruza. he was born in sudan, as well as being an author on the country. i asked him what we can expect to change in the relationship between israel and sudan. iam not i am not sure what will change, actually, aside from ap things at the top. i mean, it is telling that the deal that was made, and it has been in the works for some time now, it is telling that it was announced by the united states. israel and sudan did the sidelines, typically, in an international mediation of this sort the countries that are having the conflict with one another will ta ke conflict with one another will take the kind of centre stage so take the kind of centre stage soi take the kind of centre stage so i wonder what could this will do, ultimately, for israel and also for sudan. and the

extent to which it will do good for the united states as well. you go further than that, don't you said that it could prove to be bad for sudan and for the the us in the long run. can you explain that? yes. you know, one conjecture about the future too much but i will try to do it in future too much but i will try to do itina future too much but i will try to do it in a sense that sedan‘s history, there had been, at the 64 years since independence from the uk, democracies incident have not lasted more than the ball yea rs. lasted more than the ball years. so the clock is ticking to another dictatorship. i the current transitional government isa current transitional government is a fragile one. it is doing its best and the people are doing their best to survive. it is an economy that is still crumbling and i fear that a decision like this that is not made with real input both from israeli civil society leaders as well as sudanese civil

society leaders, it is made at the very top. i am not sure it will stick in the long run. it may even embolden conservatives who might want to use this for their it may embolden them to say, hey, look, look at what this transitional democracy did for sudan. they did more for israel than it did for sudan and may embolden them to want to overthrow this democracy. when actually what we should be doing is supporting it. iam not saying that relations, you know, are bad between sudan and israel. another two countries decide to make peace that is usually a good thing and may be right now it is not the best time in the sudanese people, and the sudanese government is on its knees. step to make a deal when one party is on its knees. and very briefly, if you can, the other element all the bases are done coming off a list of state sponsors the immediate impact of that for sudan? if saddam gets of that list it can unlock —— sudan gets of

that list. it can lessen sanchez against sudan which it needs to provide a healthy economy. the people in civil society and the people they represent. it is really important to get sedan off the list. i wonder if this, the removal of the state sponsors of terrorism designation, and israel, it seems like to separate questions to me and yet they were completed by the united states. i'm not saying sudan should not represent israel or palestine or work with both countries, what i'm saying is that potentially now is not the time for sudan and the government to be taking its attention away from its people. governments across europe are sounding the alarm as the continent suffers a sharp increase in

coronavirus infections — with several countries reporting infection rates higher than during the first wave of the pandemic in march and april. italy has recorded more than 19,000 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. northern regions such as lombardy are again worst affected. in neighbouring france, it's a similar picture — more regions have been added to a strict overnight curfew. the country has just passed a million virus cases. and in the uk, wales has begun a lockdown that will last for 16 days. freya cole reports on the situation in europe. temperature checks and public hand sanitizer. it's a new norm in the centre of rome. but these measures are no longer enough. italy has recorded more than 19,000 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. the highest daily tally since the start of the countries outbreak.

translation: the situation is very worrying, very worrying. i hope for the best but it doesn't look good. i'm worried about the spread of the illness. the northern lombardy region is again the country's worst affected district and a night—time curfew has been enforced in an attempt to stop the contagion. in neighbouring france, it's a similar picture. from midnight, more regions will be added to a strict overnight curfew. it will impact more than 46 million people. but authorities say the health system needs protection. doctors say they live in fear of the powerful surge of the second wave. translation: help us to avoid the tsunami. we don't want to relive the situation. hospital staff did not come out unscathed in the first crisis. we'd like to avoid getting back

into that situation which was inhumane for everyone. the virus is also rampant in the czech republic where outrage is pointed towards the country's leaders. the press snapped the health minister breaking his very own rules. he was caught without a mask at a restaurant in prague with appeared to be illicitly open. the cost of dinner, his career. he's been ordered to resign. translation: i don't care who they invited they are and why, we can't preach water and drink wine. i think the minister should lead by example without exception. when our medics are fighting the front line to save our lives of our fellow citizens, such a thing is inexcusable. spain has been grappling with the virus since the beginning of the outbreak. more than a million people have now tested positive to the virus. but there has been a lack of testing and leaders believe the actual tally is closer to three million. too many countries are seeing an exponential increase

in cases and that's now leading to hospitals and icus running close or above capacity. and we are still only in october. the pandemic has created a vacuum of grief in society. families torn apart by a virus which again is out of control. let's get some of the day's other news. vaccine makers astrazeneca and johnson & johnson say their coronavirus trials in the united states will resume after regulators gave them the all—clear. it follows reports of illnesses among the trial participants. no links to the vaccines were found. the pentagon has condemned turkey for testing their russian—made s 400 missile defence system. turkey's president recep tayyip erdogan confirmed the test but said he was not bound by what the us thought on the matter.

the pentagon threatened the nato member with ‘serious consequences'. the united nations has brokered a ceasefire agreement between two rival governments fighting for control of libya. it raises hopes of ending the chaos which has engulfed the country since the overthrow of colonel gadaffi by nato backed forces in 2011. the deal is between military leaders from libya's un—backed government which controls the western part of the country, and powerful opposition forces led by general khalifa haftar which control the east. here is our middle east editorjeremy bowen. the un mediator said it was a historic moment and i think that is really overrating it because it will only become historic if it leads to peace. libya has a very poor record with ceasefires and a major

reason for that is the country is so fragmented, notjust those two governments but dozens of militia, loyal to tribes, loyal to towns, loyal to themselves. and as well as that, there's foreign intervention and president erdogan, who backed the government in tripoli, the president of turkey, is already sceptical about the chances of this thing working, he has got attack drones there, thousands of syrian mercenaries. on the other side, the russians are backing general haftar so many things can go wrong in all of this before they get to peace and only then can we really say it is some kind of historic moment. but as for this agreement, it is an important step but there are loads of steps ahead and many things that can go wrong. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: we hearfrom nicole kidman and hugh grant about their new film — and their industry's

progress on diversity.

this is bbc news, the latest headlines. sudan is to normalize diplomatic relations with israel — the third arab state to do so in two months. the world health organization warns of a critical moment in the pandemic — as europe sufers a new surge in coronavirus infections. amid a significant increase in coronavirus cases in the united states, the handling of the pandemic has remained a key electoral issue, 11 days before the country goes to the polls. more than 80 thousand new cases were recorded on friday — the highest number since the pandemic began. in a speech in delaware, the democratic candidate, joe biden, accused mr trump of giving up on fighting

the virus and of not having a plan to combat it. he said that, if elected, he'd immediately put in place a national strategy and ensure a future vaccine was free. once we have a safe and effective vaccine it has to be free to everyone. whether or not you are insured. let me say that again. the vaccine must be free and freely available to everyone. willa new covid policy turn things around? let's discuss this with kelly hyman, an author and a democratic strategist. shejoins us from denver, colorado. let's start with that vaccine promise byjoe biden. the us health care system is a real patchwork, isn't it? hospitals, insurers, government programmes, how realistic is the idea of delivering a vaccine to hundreds of millions

of americans for free? vaccine to hundreds of millions of americans for free ?|j vaccine to hundreds of millions of americans for free? i think it is definitely, definitely, definitely possible and my thoughts and prayers go out to anyone affected by covid—19. these are very stressful and uncertain times. in the united states they have the affordable health care programme that was implemented by obama but crump wa nts to implemented by obama but crump wants to get rid of that and there are 20 million people who do not have health under‘s watch and people are very concerned about that. it is important to have a vaccination for the people because we need to unite and that is what biden will come into our country and allies such as the uk. we had the president say that the us was turning a corner and that is not borne out by the facts because cases are rising, hospitalisations are rising. joe biden said, i will end

this. he said that about to be coronavirus pandemic. scientists are telling us that this virus will be with us for a very long time if not indefinitely. is joe biden being a state with american people as he needs to be? absolutely. and i would disagree with some of what he said. he basically said that it is going to be with us but he does have a plan. we have to remember that does have a plan. we have to rememberthat cam does have a plan. we have to remember that cam had does have a plan. we have to rememberthat cam had no does have a plan. we have to remember that cam had no plan. he knew about it and knew how contagious it wasn't this is just a hoax, it is going to go away in the spring. inject yourself with bleach and everything is going to be ok. leader said he wasjoking in that regard but i think it is important to remember that biden definitely has a plan. he said he is going to talk governors. and we have come together as a nation. governors. and we have come togetheras a nation. in governors. and we have come together as a nation. in the united states is not a blue or red state. it is the united states and that is what biden represents. he will bring people back together and speak to the governors and work with

them and have a plan and move forward. thank you for giving us forward. thank you for giving us your thoughts. thank you for giving us your thoughts. protests are spreading across poland — after a court ruling banning virtually all abortion — with exceptions only for cases of rape, incest, or where the mother's health is at risk. poland already has some of the eu's strictest abortion laws. the demonstrations are taking place despite tight coronavirus restrictions. two of hollywood's biggest stars, nicole kidman and hugh grant are appearing together for the first time in a new tv series. the undoing is a psychological thriller, which revolves around a successful rich couple, who appear to live the perfect life. our arts editor will gompertz spoke to them slow piano music. there's nicole. hello.

i play a successful therapist. hugh plays a child oncologist. not all my patients die, anyway. oh! why are you so dressed up? i liked the idea that he was a man who appeared to be wonderful on the surface and then... all hell breaks loose. tonight, the gruesome discovery of a mother bludgeoned to death... in recent years, i have done a lot of, um, what you would call character acting and i guess this was less like that. it was back to someone closer to me, or old, fat hugh was used in this one. nicole, the undoing has a female director and you are a female lead. if you do ever want to talk... thank you. do you think things are changing in the movie and tv business? um... yeah, gradually, very... i mean, ithink, you know, it is slowly, slowly, everything is slow. as women who have some sort of opportunity,

we have to actually make that call and say, "well, we actually want a female to direct this." hugh, are you noticing from the sort of scripts you are seeing, the business is genuinely becoming more diverse? there's a very strong impulse to make everything very diverse, yeah. if they are trying to make their project more diverse, it's coming from a good place, where that's a passion for them, that's an important cause, then that's all terrific. but if it is done out of a sense of... fear of backlash, then i'm not sure that that's great, so healthy, creatively. is that enough, we've put in an appearance? can we go? the undoing touches on fear and backlash and class and race... i'll make it up to you later. make it up to be now. ..in what is a protected whodunnit among the manhattan set. make an englishman happy, go on. will gompertz, bbc news. let's stay with diversity in the arts and go to the pegasus opera company

in london, which has launched its first mentoring scheme for promising singers and this weekend will host a free online concert that looks back at the contribution that black composers have had in classical music. phoebe hopson reports. joshua elmore, originally from alabama, is one of 15 singers in the pegasus opera company's mentoring scheme for underrepresented singers in opera. singing. joshua sings countertenor, the highest male voice in classical singing. it is one of the rarest. i started singing classically in high school. the choir teacher came to me and asked if i wanted to be in the choir. i said, "no, this is really lame." but i needed the high

school credits to graduate, so ijoined. then i absolutely loved it. and that is when i started classically singing. and then i went to university after taking voice lessons. and i started singing opera. and then from then i was hooked. i like something about the rawness of it. you are on stage with the orchestra, there is no electronics, no amplification, and it is just that true passionate singing that i enjoy. and i think i like the way it feels inside, the vibrations and all that. it is amazing. opera often comes under criticisms for its lack of diversity, but on and off stage, according to the english national opera ethnic minorities only make up only 10% of their audiences. grassroot organisations like the pegasus opera company want to show that the opera really is for everybody.

the conductor, allison buchanan, is the uk's only black female artistic director of a choir company. if opera wants to keep up with the times, it needs to promote black talent. when you go to the opera, you want to see people who look like you on the stage. in england, in the classical music world, most of you haven't seen anybody who looks like you on the stage. the company showcases the influence of often overlooked black classical musicians and composers. like margaret bonds and florence price. their respective work with the writer langston hughes led to many compositions influenced by african—american spiritual music. what are the issues stopping opera being as diverse as it could be? it is a mindset thing. there is a sort of school of thinking where black people are not allowed into this world. and i think as time goes on and

that school of thinking dies, we will kind of change things. joshua is determined that this mindset should not put off younger singers. keep pressing play. keep going, don't give up, and go for it. singing. that concert this sunday is on the pegasus opera compa ny‘s website. just before we go, we couldn't resist showing you this. they're brothers ryan and isaac tsar and they‘ re playing the tabla along to the bbc news theme tune. the boys are now 11 and eight years old, and apparently they first showed an interest in the tabla, when they were around one—year—old. they began to learn the instrument from their father, who was a professional

tabla player. but they're so talented, they're now enrolled with renowned musician ustad rustam ali khan. don't forget you can find me on twitter — i'm @aaronsafir hello. if you are hoping to get out and about this weekend, the weather may have an impact on your plans. it is looking decidedly unsettled. it will be windy, some heavy rain at times but not all the time. some drier and brighter moments as well. low pressure in charge of the weather at the moment. quite a big low and deep low as well. a lot of white lines and isobars quashing together. it shows we will have strong winds and the strongest of those will always be in association with this band of rain. the wet and windiest weather to start saturday across the western side of the uk, the rain band will push it eastwards through the day and you can see the bright green and yellow colours showing up, a short and sharp burst of really intense rainfall accompanied by the really squally winds pushing eastwards as we go

through the day. largely dry in the southeast. sunshine and showers from the west. windy for all and strong winds along the lines of the rain band. and temperatures 17 degrees across the southeast. turning cooler and fresher from the northwest as the rain band clears its way through. the rain will persist across east anglia and the southeast for a good part of saturday night. clear spells and showers follow on from the west and don't forget, the clocks go back an hour through the early hours of sunday. the end of the british summertime and as the weather goes, summer has long since left us, and it's an autumnal weather chart that takes us into sunday. low pressure again up to the northwest of the uk. pretty brisk winds on sunday, not quite as windy and it would have been on saturday. some spells of sunshine and showers as well and the most frequent and plentiful across the western areas. i think we will also see quite a few run again across the english channel coast.

as i mentioned it will be windy, strongest winds across the west of scotland. these are the average wind speeds. quite a cool feel as well, with temperatures between 11 and 14 degrees. we head into the new working week, low pressure still with us. it will lose some of its intensity as we go into the monday. the winds will ease a little but still some showers and rain around. and it is looking like a very unsettled week ahead. that is it from me for now. enjoy your weekend.

this is bbc news,

the headlines. sudan is to normalise relations with israel — the third arab state to do so in two months. us president donald trump made the announcment and said he expects saudi arabia to follow soon. palestinians have reacted angrily to the announcement, describing it as another stab in the back. several countries in europe have reported coronavirus infection rates higher than during the first wave of the pandemic in the spring. in france, the government has imposed an overnight curfew on two—thirds of the country which will operate for the next six weeks. protests are spreading across poland — after a court ruling banning virtually all abortions — with exceptions only for cases of rape, incest, or where the mother's health is at risk. poland already has some of the eu's strictest abortion laws. now on bbc news it's

time for a look back