tonight at ten... reports from moscow that mikhail gorbachev has died. the man who came to power in 1985 entered the code war between east and west —— the cold. he was seen as a modernising figure, his policies reshaping europe and leading to the reunification of germany. the news came in a short while ago. we will

assess his momentous life. also tonight... in pakistan, 33 million people are now said to be affected in some way by the worst flooding in the country's history. floods happen during the monsoon here every year but not like this. britain's pub chains say that without urgent government help the industry will be devastated by rising energy bills. and the british number one emma raducanu says it's all about positive energy as she prepares to defend her us open title. and as well as the latest from the us open... coming up on the bbc news channel, there's a saints stunner at southampton. we'll have all tonight's premier league action.

the former soviet leader mikhail gorbachev, one of the most influential statesman of the 20th century has died at the age of 91. the news was announced by russian news agencies within the last hour. mikhail gorbachev came to power in 1985 and ended the so—called cold war between east and west, a process which led to the reunification of germany eventually. he was awarded the nobel peace prize in 1990 four the nobel peace prize in 1990 four the leading role he played in the radical changes in east—west relations. our russia editor looks back at mikhail gorbachev�*s momentous life. he was the kind of russian leader of the world had never seen, russian leader of the world had neverseen, mikhail russian leader of the world had never seen, mikhail gorbachev smiled. he was relaxed. in the west he acquired almost pop star status, for helping to end the cold war. but

at home, it was a different story. born in the days of dictatorjosef stalin, gorbachev became a committed communist, rising fast through the ranks of the soviet communist party to the ruling politburo. he stood out, he was young, energetic, unlike his colleagues. as kremlin old—timers died in quick succession, the ussr was looking more like a cemetery paired to a superpower. but in 1985 gorbachev became leader and launched perestroika, reforms to reinvigorate the soviet union. at home there were western—style walkabouts. abroad, he charmed the iron lady. and an american president. together and ronald reagan slashed the nuclear arsenals they had. with a reform in the kremlin, eastern europe saw a chance

to break free from moscow. when the berlin wall fell, crucially, iran refused to intervene to prop up the iron curtain. —— gorbachev refused. by by now, his own country was breaking apart, amid ethnic conflicts, and economic chaos. gorbachev was losing control. in august 1991, economic chaos. gorbachev was losing control. in august1991, communist hardliners staged a coup, it collapsed, but soon after, so did the soviet union. president gorbachev resigned and the ussr was consigned to history. many russians

still blame him for letting a superpower slip away. some of what he changed did not last. the arms race and geopolitical tension are back. gorbachev will be remembered for at least having tried to end the rivalry between east and west. but i will remember him for this... after one interview he invited me to play his piano. while he sang the favourite songs of his late wife. it was a surreal but special moment that showed the warm human side of the russian leader who had struck a chord with millions around the world. the former soviet leader mikhail gorbachev who has died at the age of 91. that was steve's analysis and he nowjoins us from moscow. we will come to the view within russia on gorbachev but may

now expand a little on how you think he will be seen by the rest of the world in historical terms. it is world in historicalterms. it is remarkable — world in historicalterms. it is remarkable to _ world in historicalterms. it is remarkable to think- world in historicalterms. it 3 remarkable to think today that world in historicalterms. it 1 remarkable to think today that not so long ago there was a time when there was a man in power in moscow in the kremlin who was seen as a hero by millions across europe and in the west. a man of peace. that is how he will be remembered by people across europe and people in the us, as someone who did his best to bring peace to the world. to end the cold war and to try to make the world a safer place. he did not set out to destroy communism and he did not set out to destroy the soviet union. that happened, he lost control of his reforms, and the rest was history. his reforms, and the rest was histo . ., ., , ., history. you mentioned in your re ort history. you mentioned in your report that _ history. you mentioned in your report that there _ history. you mentioned in your report that there are _ history. you mentioned in your report that there are people i history. you mentioned in your report that there are people in | report that there are people in

russia today who really are very angry still, all those years later, and they blame him for the collapse of the soviet union. he and vladimir putin were not great friends either? absolutely. over the last few years there have been several surveys about which russian leader is the most popular in russia and gorbachev traditionally comes bottom of those polls and many russians see him as the man who lost their great country and asked the superpower. people here view the 19905 after the collapse of the soviet union as a time of humiliation for russia, so where is he is seen as a hero by so many outside the country, many russians blame mikhail gorbachev for the collapse of their great superpower, but the fact is, when he set out to reform the country, there were no textbook5 about how to reform a communist were no textbooks about how to reform a communist superpower, how to reform a communist economy. he

tried and he lost control of those reforms but he was a man of peace and he believed in a better world and he believed in a better world and he believed in a better world and he believed in east and west trying to get on, trying to be friends. of course, things have changed since then.— friends. of course, things have changed since then. steve, many thanks. steve _ changed since then. steve, many thanks. steve rosenberg - changed since then. steve, many thanks. steve rosenberg with - changed since then. steve, many| thanks. steve rosenberg with the latest which has broken tonight about the death of maccoll gorbachev. —— mikhail gorbachev. the scale of the suffering in pakistan — following the worst floods in the country's history — has prompted the united nations to launch an emergency global appeal — to help the tens of millions of people affected by the disaster. southern provinces — such as sindh and baluchistan — are the hardest hit — but mountainous regions in khyber pakhtun—khwa are also

suffering. more than 1,000 people are known to have died as homes, roads, and bridges were washed away by the immense force of the water. officials estimate more than 33 million pakistanis — that's one in seven people — have been affected in some way by the floods. tonight, the bbc�*s correspondents report from different parts of pakistan from devastated northern regions — to the southern city of sukkur. in a moment — the latest from pumza fihlani — but first secunder kermani reports from the north—western town of nowshera. along one of pakistan's busiest motorways, a makeshift camp. poor families forced from their homes, floodwater submerging everything they own. "i'm in so much pain, i can't even express it," says this woman. "we've even lost our honour. where else can we go?" wading through the suburbs of the northern city of nowshera, families trying to reach their homes. "we haven't been able

to get to our house. just look at the road," says this woman. "how can we get there? no—one is helping us." this man, a chef, hasjust returned to his home for the first time. will you be able to buy these things again, rebuild this house? "no," he says, "i'm just asking god to help us get enough food for now. "we've got nothing left. "we couldn't save anything, just our children's lives. "look at all of this." livelihoods have been lost and billions of pounds of damage done to the country's infrastructure. wejoin a rescue boat transporting engineers, repairing an electricity line serving 200,000 people. floods happen during the monsoon here every year, but not like this. pakistan is responsible only for a tiny proportion of global emissions,

but its people here who are paying the price for climate change. at a press briefing, the prime minister denied allegations his government had initially been slow to act, appealing for more international help. we will certainly learn from our experience, but i think the global community should stand by us today. it is a yawning gap between our requirements and what we are receiving till this point in time. as the water begins to recede from here, the scale of the challenge of rebuilding is becoming clearer, both for ordinary families and for the country, with the economy already in a dire state. this is a disaster whose impact will be felt for years to come. secunder kermani, bbc news, nowshera.

everywhere you look, there is still water and down below a food crisis is water and down below a food crisis i , water and down below a food crisis is brewing in pakistan and kilometres _ is brewing in pakistan and kilometres of _ is brewing in pakistan and kilometres of connecting l is brewing in pakistan and - kilometres of connecting roads is brewing in pakistan and _ kilometres of connecting roads have been washed away by heavy floods and motorways the drug cues are so long they disappear into the horizon but they disappear into the horizon but they need it —— the truck queues. when the aid arrives the need is so great, people fight for it, and it is not only people that have been hit by the floods. the government says 80% of livestock has been killed, and for those who depend on agriculture, it is a new threat, the threat of starvation. translation: the field has been expensive and i have two cell four of them to buy food for the rest. it was a hard decision but i need to keep them alive and if i don't, i won't survive. alive and ifi don't, i won't survive-—

alive and ifi don't, i won't survive. , ., , ., ., survive. but it is not 'ust animal feed that has h survive. but it is notjust animal feed that has become _ survive. but it is notjust animal. feed that has become expensive. basic food has increased as well, making it unaffordable for many people. across the road from the buffaloes we meet a cotton farmer, and a family of 15 live in this tent, their crops were all lost to the water. we were farmers back home and now everything has gone, she tells me. we don't even have food for the children and some days they sleep hungry, life is difficult, she says. many of the people here are farmers, they work every day for long hours, taking care of their land, it is something they take great pride in but when the floods came it took that away from them. the people you see behind me were cotton farmers and they said had the floods not, they would have had something to take to the market and would have a way of looking themselves, and yet now they have to sit on the side of the road and wait forfood to be

sit on the side of the road and wait for food to be delivered. on this dirt road to nowhere, the people can go for days without eating, and when a food truck comes there is another scramble. for many of these families, aid is their last hope, but there is not enough food for the displaced and there are fears that millions will go hungry. a real sense there of the sense of suffering across the country. so how much of what's being seen in pakistan is linked to the climate crisis — that's the clear consensus among scientists. they say higher global temperatures are known to be associated with incidents of extreme flooding. some of the calculations they are making, as an example for you... for every degree of warming — the air can hold around 7%

more water vapour — and air cooling over mountains causes vapour which produces excess rainfall. in the case of pakistan, in sindh province alone, there's been nearly eight times more rainfall than in a normal monsoon season. and that helps explain why experts believe pakistan is high on the list of countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. let's join our correspondent secunder kermani once again. when we talk about vulnerability, what is the response in policy terms, real policy, practical options that have been seen in pakistan? ., ~ , ., options that have been seen in pakistan? . ~ , ., ., , options that have been seen in pakistan? w , ., ., ., pakistan? pakistan was not well for these floods. _ pakistan? pakistan was not well for these floods, because _ pakistan? pakistan was not well for these floods, because of _ these floods, because of corruption, these floods, because of corruption, the infrastructure has been poorly developed and the drainage system is not well developed. many people live or work dangerously close to the river. speaking to officials here,

they say any country, particularly any developing country, would have really struggled with the kind of intense, torrential rainfall we have seen here in the past few days. pakistan, as you said, has been hit hard by climate change. we saw earlier this year, for example, temperatures soaring in some places above 50 celsius and now, whilst the united nations is appealing for around £140 million to be donated to help pakistan recover officials here are saying that around £8 billion of damage has been done and with widespread damage to crops, for example, there are fears there could be food shortages put to the government has been donating small amounts of money to those affected by the floods but real concern about how ordinary people, many of whom were already struggling to survive, i don't to cope in the coming months and years. i don't to cope in the coming months and ears. , ., ,, . and years. many thanks, secunder kermani, and years. many thanks, secunder kermani. our— and years. many thanks, secunder kermani, our correspondent - and years. many thanks, secunder kermani, our correspondent with l and years. many thanks, secunder i kermani, our correspondent with the latest on the flooding in pakistan.

there's more analysis about extreme weather and links to climate change on bbc news online and by using the bbc news app. tonight's other main news. there's more evidence of the depth of the energy crisis. the growing impact on households is already clear but what about businesses, especially on the high street, including pubs? bosses of some of the uk's biggest pub chains have added their voices to the debate. they've sent an open letter to the government warning of �*irreversible' damage to the hospitality industry without government support. some pub landlords are facing bills that have risen three—fold over the past few months. our correspondent danny savage reports from skipton. in the centre of skipton, there are more than 20 pubs and bars. this is one of the oldest.

their plans for the winter are extraordinary. they include specially insulated boards to put up after dark to keep the draft out, and a much bigger reliance on wood and coal rather than radiators. tom runs this and another pub — both have rising energy costs. i don't believe we can pass any of it on any more. we've got to a stage that the customers themselves have got the same problem. and if we keep increasing the costs of beer and food, the customers won't come out any more. they can't afford it. at the other pub tom and jo own, energy prices have tripled. if that was reflected in the price of a pint, this would now be £14.85. do we stay open every day? do we close? jo is tom's mum and business partner. we'lljust have to hope the bills get better. that's all you can do, is just hope that it gets better? yeah, it gets better,

or we get some help, if the government help us. and that's what brewery owners and pub companies say must now happen, or many pubs will go out of business. we think there needs to be a small business energy price cap. consumers are benefiting from that cap, even though prices have increased, but unfortunately business is completely exposed to a market that's broken. and it's notjust pubs. other businesses are worried about rising energy bills as well. this sportswear shop is in an old mill — a newly negotiated energy contract has just gone the opposite way to the ticket prices, by 50%. if people want to try clothes on, we can't have customers freezing, so we have to leave it on. also, we can't have both doors closed all the time because then it looks like the shop's closed, so we have to have at least one door open to show customers that we're open. and that is the nub of the issue for so many businesses. there's only so far you can go with turning lights off to when you look closed. people will stop coming in.

in financially squeezed communities across britain, the pips are squeaking. help is coming, but stand by for difficult times. what the government is also . going to do is provide a further package of support to help people with the cost of energy. _ what we've got to do is get - through the tough months ahead. i'm not going to, you know, shrink from this — _ it is going to be tough in, er, the months to come. | many people here will be watching westminster next week for help, looking for anything to raise a glass to. danny savage, bbc news, skipton. some voices from business talking about the cost of energy and a sense of crisis. one of the ways in which boris johnson has repeatedly promised to help less prosperous areas of england since he became prime minister three years ago is the policy of "levelling up" but there are growing questions about the future of thst strategy in the current economic climate.

some local authorities say they're having to slim—down projects and find money in their own budgets to make up any shortfalls. our political correspondent alex forsyth reports from two areas where the levelling—up strategy is under pressure. beeston�*s had a bit of a lift. with many high streets struggling, the council here has invested in a cinema, a social cafe and new business space. it encourages people to come into the town centre to use the facilities. councils across the country are regenerating local areas. some projects have government funding, but with inflation soaring, costs of materials and labour are shooting up, piling pressure on stretched budgets. even here, the next phase of this scheme could cost tens of thousands more than planned. so, we are in a very strong position when it comes to financial resilience, but other communities and other councils, particularly in poorer areas, do not have that financial resilience, and they will find it impossible to meet the shortfall due to rising costs and rising inflation.

so those projects might not happen for some places? i fear that they may not happen, and that is unfair. just down the road, the same council has plans for the former mining town of eastwood. it's bid for £20 million of government funding for a new gp surgery, swimming pool and library, but already knows the price could climb. this is the kind of overlooked place the government's promised attention. they are going to improve everything, and you never see anything better. nothing ever happens. a community to come to, i you know, ratherthanjust the same food shops, charity shops, - hairdressers' and nail bars. part of what the government calls levelling up — this idea of improving opportunity around the country — is about better high streets, transport links, public facilities. the government's put millions into it, with more to come, but if these projects don't come off, it makes it hard for the next prime minister to say they've delivered on promises, and it's notjust in former labour seats like this where it's

a potential problem. in norfolk, this leisure centre's in line for a major upgrade, but costs have already risen by a third before a spade's in the ground. you see here, the grey building is the existing sports hall. the council leader's determined to make it happen but says inflation is forcing councils around the country to rethink projects. sadly, some of those are having to pause permanently, what could be an indefinite period. for others, they are making some really tough decisions about what they set out to achieve and what they can now realistically achieve. but all of us across the country want to do our best for residents and businesses, but we've got to make sure those schemes are viable. the government says £1.7 billion of investment has already been allocated for regeneration and growth, and it's working with all levels of government to deliver improvements. ministers say the pace of projects needs to quicken, given inflation has the country locked in its grip. alex forsyth, bbc news.

two 16 year—old boys have died after getting into difficulty at enagh lough close to londonderry in northern ireland. they have been named locally as reuven simon and joseph sebastian. police said another boy was taken to hospital for treatment to injuries, which are not believed to be life threatening. it's understood the group had stopped at the lough while cycling in the area. a week today, the new prime minister will be installed in downing street and either liz truss or rishi sunak will have an in—tray overflowing with challenges. of which the huge cost of living crisis isjust one. throughout this week, we'll be looking at some of the key issues the new prime minister will be grappling with and we start tonight with the state of the national health service. our health editor, hugh pym, is here with this thoughts. yes, the new prime minister will have an overflowing in—tray when it comes to the nhs. that will be for england as health is devolved.

top of the agenda will be a&e and ambulance delays. according to the association of ambulance chief executives, handover delays caused harm to thousands of patients — ambulances lost almost 333,000 hours in the year tojuly 2022 — 18 times more than during the same period two years ago. that's because of logjams across the system, including hold—ups discharging patients fit to go home. this may be an extreme example — ambulances queueing last week to hand over patients at one hospital, but there were delays at many others. one heart attack patient told us he waited two and a half hours for an ambulance, and his partner had to take him into hospital. i was told that i wasn't out of the woods, and if i'd left it any longer, or my partner had left it any longer getting me in, i wouldn't have made it. and then there are

the workforce issues. a commons report published last month found that england is now short of 12,000 hospital doctors and more than 50,000 nurses and midwives, and called this the worst workforce crisis in nhs history. maternity services are extremely stretched. more than 500 midwives left the nhs in the year ending in march 2022. and almost all social care providers are struggling to hire staff, and finding it difficult to retain them. ministers say that foreign recruitment is one short—term solution. crumbling infrastructure is another major issue affecting care. the department of heath said it is committed to deliver a0 new hospitals by 2030, but there are already confirmed reports that some have had their opening dates delayed. this is the reality at one hospital trust. some of the buildings date back to the 19305. they're on the list for new facilities, but still haven't had the final go—ahead.

our working conditions within epsom st helier are not conditions that we believe are fit for 21st century health care. we really feel like our patients and our staff deserve facilities that would allow them to deliver the quality of health care that we would all wish to receive. and finally, could the nhs be more efficient when it comes to tackling the backlog? currently 6.73 million people are waiting for planned procedures and operations. this hospital is using technology to help get more patients treated and save costs by cutting back on paperwork. by using the app, we have been able to reduce the number of patients who don't turn up for their appointment by half. an app allows patients to change appointment times and get information ahead of operations. managers know technology isn't the only answer. the nhs is complex and we do have to make sure we cope and manage all of the different types

of patients that use our service so, yes, it will take time, and we have to continue to pursue it. the government has already said it's invested in specialist surgical centres and helping ambulance services. but the new pm may well find that, with pressures mounting further, interventions are needed. huw. many thanks, hugh pym, our health editor, and we will be reporting on the other challengers for the new prime minister in the days ahead. british number one emma raducanu says it's all about positive energy as she prepares to start the defence of her us open title in a few hours' time. she stunned the world last year by winning the championship as a previously unknown 19—year—old qualifier. the past yearfor a previously unknown 19—year—old qualifier. the past year for her has been challenging to british men's number one cameron norrie won his first round match in straight sets. law scott reports from flushing meadows. —— laura scott.

there was no actual breeze to be found in new york but cameron norrie at least enjoyed a metaphorical one. the in—form seventh—seeded rattled off six games in 18 minutes, meeting little resistance across the net. belatedly and briefly, benoit paire, who recently spoke of his disgust for tennis, made it a contest, but after norrie came through a second set tie—break again, paire turned sour, as norrie raced to a sweeter and swifter victory than he had imagined. i was actually pretty nervous coming out in the first round. obviously, a pretty unpredictable match against benoit. he kind of went away in the third which i will take away every day of the week when it's this hot. another outside court, another brit coping well with conditions. this time dan evans making light work ofjiri vesely to win his opening match in straight sets. well, that is five brits into round two with one more still to play — the holder of the wildest win in us open history.

last year, emma raducanu was unknown and unshackled and the teenager's fans hope she can swing freely again, despite her new—found fame. great if she won. but as long as she does well and does herself proud. hopefully she can be carefree and just enjoy it like she did last year. that did wonders for her. having endured what she recently labelled a bad year, the 19—year—old might find life tough against the french veteran alize cornet tonight, but said she is going to approach the match with positive energy, buoyed by the memories of her fairy tale in new york. laura scott, bbc news, new york. time for a look at the weather. here's darren bett. 30 degrees at flushing meadows in the next few days but our top temperature to date was 25 degrees in sussex and after the sunshine of most of us have had, some clear skies developing overnight. a bit of

cloud coming from the north sea which will bring these showers into the north—east of england. temperatures at the end of the night typically still in double figures but it could be colder in the north—east of scotland with the cloud eventually breaking. for many places tomorrow, dry and sunny to start with those showers in