the united nations has urged restraint after the assassination of a top iranian nuclear scientist. he died after gunmen fired on his car. western intelligence agencies accused him of being one of the founders of the country's nuclear weapons programme. iran has accused israel of being behind the killing. the united states has now recorded more than thirteen—million covid cases — just six days after the country reached 12 million infections. more than 264 thousand americans have been killed by covid—19 and experts are warning that the long thanksgiving weekend is likely to lead to a further rise in cases. three french police officers have been suspended after an online video showed them beating up a black music producer in paris. the incident has sparked outrage across france. president macron described the images as bringing shame to france. the police officers are being held for questioning.

now on bbc news: the firing line features the finalists and the winners of the rory peck awards. some of the most powerful images of the year. often filmed in difficult and dangerous places. but who are the people who bring as these pictures? why do they do it? how do they do it? and what is the impact on them, personally? each year we stepped behind the camera and speak to the men and women who capture and bring as some of the most important news stories of our times. often under extremely difficult circumstances and great

personal strain. these freelance journalists are honoured through the rory peck awards named after a british freelancer who was killed in moscow covering the october coup in 1993. his memory lives on through a trust in his name which works to support freelance journalist and their families worldwide. the films chosen by thejudges families worldwide. the films chosen by the judges cover this yea r‘s most chosen by the judges cover this year's most topical stories from the hong kong protest to the impact of the pandemic on communities and hospitals around the world. first up, the award for use for films that ca ptu re award for use for films that capture the immediacy of the story. five years after the peaceful pro—democracy protests known as the umbrella movement, a huge swathe of hong kong citizens we re swathe of hong kong citizens were determined to stop the central government in beijing

from further eroding the one country from further eroding the one cou ntry two from further eroding the one country two systems promise it made in 1997. a video journalist was filming after a march in the city's district when a group of protesters hurled eggs and fragments of bricks at the local police station. hong kong society is not a society is to violent protest so it was a very interesting moment where a group of youths that were used to studying and playing games online, do have a peaceful life, suddenly they decided to be more aggressive and more defensive against riot police and the government. the film illustrates the frustration and anger of the demonstrators towards the police as the violence escalated. you have two sides. you have the protesters and on the other side as well you have a police

that were not used to this kind of violence on the street. so both sides little by little escalating, you know, first throwing tear gas and rubber bullets than the protesters sta rts bullets than the protesters starts to use petrol bombs and this was a post test to see who is going to do the next step? police are protesters. the judges said this was as much a piece of art as it was a piece of news. not classic news reporting but are unique and powerful digital piece that left the viewer more able to connect with the issues that inspired it. in august 2019 the indian government revoked a bill which

gave the state of kashmir autonomy for seven decades. kashmir was put under complete lockdown with a total communication blackout. many people fear that their way of life was at risk. the footage ca ptu red life was at risk. the footage captured the ensuing protests as civilians in a suburb engaged in a fight for existence. it is gone through various uncertainties over the yea rs various uncertainties over the years but i've seen that there is always a ray of hope. they we re is always a ray of hope. they were not ready to sit quietly about what was going on. they wanted to send a message to the world powers. we want to know why.

determined to prevent indian government forces from entering their community, residents divide tear gas and pellets to protect the last remaining pocket of resistance in the country's only muslim majority state. people were not scared at all. they were out all night to collect the neighbourhood from police raids. bad injuries that were unable to get treated because the police is to raid the hospitals. thejudges said that the vivid imagery captured the passion of the moment and the passion of the moment and the intimate interview with the protest whose body was still riddled with pellets showed us the personal cost.

winner of the news awards, this film follows two venezuelan migrants in peru picking up the bodies of covid—19 victims in the poorest neighbourhoods of lima. the two men arrived at the capitol to escape the economic crisis in venezuela but as they arrived in peru the pandemic hit the country. when the virus hit we only had 500 intensive care beds for a population of 32 million. the hospitals collapsed. so many people decided to try to pass the deceased at home which is why we have so many people who died at home.

it was dangerous work recovering bodies of covid—19 victims from homes and streets as the country struggle to combat the virus. the scale of the situation was captured at the situation was captured at the crematorium. i never saw that amount of death in my life. when we arrived it was pretty clear that the crematorium was working at maximum. and the outside was full of coffins made out of cheap wood because they were not enough coffins in the city for the amount of dead people. this is the new normal. if you can this is the new normal. if you ca n afford this is the new normal. if you can afford it. the high—speed burial. only three family members can attend. it lasts just ten minutes. i was thinking, this is incredible, this is like an express funeral via the web at those people there at the cemetery clearly we re there at the cemetery clearly were the lucky ones who were

able to at least bury their loved ones because the majority of people, what happened was that bodies were being picked up that bodies were being picked up from hospitals or from that bodies were being picked up from hospitals orfrom homes and they were taken to the ovens, to the crematorium and then, you know, two or three weeks later you would receive in your house a box with the ashes. thejudges said in your house a box with the ashes. the judges said this in your house a box with the ashes. thejudges said this is a breathtakingly up close account. it takes us to the heart of the suffering and shows us the disturbingly mundane way in which death has to be managed during the covid—19 crisis. to be managed during the covid-19 crisis. next, the rory peck award award for films that the beyond the immediacy of the story.

every day thousands of ethiopian set off on foot on a desperate 2000 kilometre trek in the hope of meeting saudi arabia in the hope of employment had a better life. they would keep them across the desert, the red sea and yemen. a country ravaged by civil war. and every year hundreds die of exhaustion in the desert or drowned while forcing the gulf of aden. charles and olivier followed the migrants on their treacherous journey. they want to go to saudi arabia because it isa to go to saudi arabia because it is a rich country and there is always an example of a family who get richer by the money sent from the migrants and even if there is a lot of bad stories of migrants who failed in their migration the success story is always more appealing. they often go without food for days on end and are easy prey to

kidnappers. speaking to the migrants and traffic is the film captures the willing to risk their lives for a better way of life and the criminals who exploit them. for those who make it as far as yemen living conditions are often no better or even worse than what they left behind. they are really living in the streets. they get little money from begging in the street or washing the cars but really it isa washing the cars but really it is a harsh condition for most of them. the judges said this

isa of them. the judges said this is a remarkable feat of enterprise and endeavour whereby the journalist covered an otherwise underreported story alongside an awesome level of commitment but they put themselves at risk for the film. in this film a localjournalist investigates the impact of the deadly coronavirus outbreak in one of can you's largest and poorest slums. reporting from the coronavirus front line and putting himself at risk, he found that the police brutality was worse than the virus.

everywhere the police mishandled their way of doing things. people kept on resisting and they were resisting and they were resisting because the cops came to enforce their laws so that people can follow them to save them from covid but every time they did it wrong, people lost hope on their way of doing things and that is how things got out of hand. as the pandemic spread heavy—handed policing led to violence and a series of tragic deaths including that of the teenage boy. when he was killed everything changed even the mood of the community. and no one would follow the rules that were

given for them to be safe from covid. people are angry, people are mad, people did not want to be told anything to do with covid any more. having been born and bred here, he has a strong connection with the place and was able to show the desperate situation the local spam themselves and with compassion and sensitivity. since we started filming there has been no coronavirus here but so far three people have been killed. the judges said that when everyone is looking for covid stories in africa, he was smart to find a fresh angle that would also highlight a local issue. these journalists' unique winning film tells the story of a unique farming community in

colombia's northwest mountains. led by one man they community has lived in the midst of conflict for nearly 20 years. they gained the trust of the community, giving them a voice to alert the world to their plight. the story represents what many people in colombian rural areas are leading right now. paramilitary violence is spreading so we wanted to betray the peace community. we wa nted betray the peace community. we wanted to show their work and their courage in standing against this violence. in

memory of the fallen, he leads his people including elderly, women and children, through the mountainous region, to pay their respects to the slain community members. it is a risky journey they have community members. it is a riskyjourney they have chosen to embark on as an act of defiance against the local right—wing paramilitary group. the community is fighting for identity. it is about not having to run away from the land. to stay and work their land. to stay and work their land. of course, they know that they live beside their enemy but they don't live with fear. they live with dignity. since the landmark peace agreement between the colombian government and the rebels in 2016, more than 700 social leaders have been reported killed across the country. they are hopefulfor killed across the country. they are hopeful for the future,

even though they know that the going to probably kill the leader but he knows that if he dies there is another one that can take his position and lead the community. so it is a sad story but it is also full of hope. the judges said this is an extremely relevant film in a time when the peace process in colombia is at risk of unravelling. it is quiet and unassuming yet incredibly compelling and the film—makers managed to get under the skin of the story. and finally, the impact award for current affairs for films that really examine the issues that have impact.

my my campaign against drugs will not stop. until the last hour... james jones and olivier‘s film captures a bloody campaign against drug dealers and addicts in the philippines. they first arrived in 2017 at a time when it the police had to be restrained after the public outcry over the killing of a teenager. after meeting the new police chief, the colonel, they managed to persuade him to open his doors to filming. immediately it became clear that his ego and vanity would

get the better of him and he loved the idea that we had flown halfway across the world toa flown halfway across the world to a film about him so from then on the doors of the police we re then on the doors of the police were thrown open to ours. over the course of six months, the film—makers spent weeks on end with a swat team. the secretive specialist operations unit within the notoriously overcrowded prisons. on top of the horrific physical conditions the jail warden was a bully and a tormentor and he would dish out punishments, you know, like beating them with a wooden stick. and i think you know, the whole system showed that they stopped seeing drug suspects as human. they want to live in hell already. the film—makers managed to gain the

trust of the head of the swat team. so much so that he admitted off—camera that the police force could have been behind many of the vigilante killings. i hope that most of the shooting incidents were in the shooting incidents were in the way of what you have said. that the police? yes. other police officers? yes, other police officers? yes, other police officers. the judges said that this is a film alerting the world to human rights abuses. this is a visually amazing documentary shot with tension and urgency that plunges the viewers into the very heart of the murderous war against drugs.

with unique access into the battle for hong kong, the film—makers film follows demonstrators to the most intense clashes over several months of pro—democracy protests. we believe that our future should be decided by ourselves. the film examines their struggle against what they say is growing influence from the communist government of mainland china. they are very concerned that they will be living in an authoritarian china where they are unable to access and open internet, where they are unable to obviously decide their futures they are unable to obviously decide theirfutures are they are unable to obviously decide their futures are elect their leaders all have a rule of law which they trust and respect. and also had the right to protest. so these are big

concerns for them about the future of the place that they love and are passionate about, hong kong. the majority of the demonstrations were peaceful but as police started firing tear gas into the crowds the situation violent. this resulted in fierce clashes between police and demonstrators. she was interesting because her boyfriend was a policeman and he was on the front line of the protests on the other side from her and so she was going through a very difficult time in her life where she was sort of fighting for a cause that she believed in but also had this very tricky relationship at home that she was really determined under this fascinating seeing somebody who basically had never been involved in protests in her life and suddenly over a matter of weeks and months having her

whole life turned upside down and totally transformed and we sort of watched her go through some of that process. thejudges said that the judges said that this is a compelling account of some of the most intense clashes the city has ever seen and their impact on five lives that are changed forever. the winner of the sony impact

award, this film gives an unprecedented insight into three months in the covid—19 front line with an a&e doctor. she worked a gruelling 12 hour shifts caring for the vulnerable who had been most affected by the virus. due to the lack of life—saving equipment she faced the traumatising task of prioritising which lives to try to save. they had been receiving an increasing amount of late february and found themselves ina february and found themselves in a situation in which the whole ways were full of patients, patients had to wait for hours if not couple of days to be able to find a bed. the

entire hospital had been turned into a covid hospital. a month into a covid hospital. a month into the outbreak a doctor and her colleagues noticed a disturbing new trend. it was not just the old disturbing new trend. it was notjust the old and vulnerable who are getting ill. an 18—year—old was taken to hospital fighting 18—year—old was taken to hospitalfighting for 18—year—old was taken to hospital fighting for his life. since his mother could not visit the doctors and nurses adopted him almost as their own son. when he had the phone call with his mother i was so nervous. he had just woken up from ten days of his life completely gone by. when i saw the emotion on his face and i saw how happy and moved the nurses were i was crying behind the camera. and so crying behind the camera. and soi crying behind the camera. and so i would say it is my worst camera work because i was

shaking andi camera work because i was shaking and i was crying and at the same time it is probably the same time it is probably the strongest scene in the film. thejudges said this the judges said this film is a powerful tale of love, family and professional dedication recording an ongoing historical moment with so much precision, empathy and sensitivity.

that is it for this year's addition which featured the finalists and winning entries of the 2020 rory peck awards. goodbye. hello there. friday was a decidedly chilly day, particularly in those places where fog lingered. the weekend promises something just a little bit milder, but it will often be quite cloudy, that cloud at times will produce the odd spot of rain and some quite murky conditions as well. low pressure to the southwest, high pressure to the east of us, that is driving a fairly gentle southerly flow across the british isles. you can see a few different weather fronts moving through bringing some patchy rain, but with that southerly flow we are importing some slightly milder air. we've still got some pretty chilly conditions, though,

across the northern half of the uk, and a frost to start off across the far north of england. parts of northern ireland and scotland, a bit of fog through the central belt. any rain in scotland becoming increasingly confined to the far north, but at the same time this big lump of cloud pushing up from the south across much of england and wales producing the odd spot of rain through the day. and some quite misty, murky conditions in places as well. perhaps something brighter into the far southeast, certainly some sunshine for the channel islands. highest temperatures in the south at 13—14 celsius. now, as we head through saturday night, this big lump of cloud with some mist and murk, and some spots of rain will all continue to drift its way slowly northwards. clear skies in northeast scotland, we could see a touch of frost here, but elsewhere temperatures on sunday morning will be above freezing. sunday, though, does look like a pretty cloudy affair. there will be the odd spot of rain or drizzle here and there. best chance of any sunshine through the channel islands, far southwest of england, maybe west wales, and also northeast scotland. the cloud breaking up here as the winds begin to pick up a little bit. top temperatures 8—10 celsius.

maybe 12 in the far southwest of england. a bit of a change into the start of the new working week, because we will see a frontal system pushing in from the north. that will bring outbreaks of rain quite erratically southwards across the british isles through the day on monday. that rain likely to be quite light and patchy, certainly as it gets down towards the south. some brighter skies following on from the north, but with the winds coming down from the north, it'll start to feel quite chilly once again. temperatures in most places 8—10 celsius. tuesday should be a dry day for most, and then later in the week, temperatures will take a tumble. we'll see some rain at times and perhaps something wintry over high ground.

this is bbc news. i'm james reynolds. our top stories. iran promises revenge for the assassination of its top nuclear scientist — and blames israel for his murder. new figures reveal a million more americans caught covid in less than a week — 1500 are now dying every day — as emergency teams struggle to cope. shameful for france — president macron condemns the beating of a black man by police officers. and after the anger in argentina at funeral staff taking selfies next to diego maradona's open coffin — we speak to those who knew him best.