the cop welcome to bbc news. i'm mark lobel. the cop lobel. our top stories. the japanese government issues a rare emergency alert after north korea launched ballistic missiles towards its territory. a surprise peace deal after nearly two years of civil war in ethiopia. it's hoped it will allow aid into northern tigray — where 90% of the population is going hungry. with less than a week to go until the us midterm elections president biden says democracy itself is on the line. we must have one unified voice, speak as a country, and say there is no place, no place, for voter intimidation and political violence in america.

and the legacy earning invasion, how is russia's war invasion, how is russia's war in ukraine affecting russians back home? north korea has launched three ballistic missiles, according to the south korean military. warnings were issued in some regions ofjapan, but none of the missiles crossed their territory. the news comes after wednesday's launch of around 20 missiles, including one that landed less than 60km from the south korean city of sokcho. those launches were described by us secretary of state antony blinken as dangerous and escalatory. north korea appears to be retaliating for the joint military drills that the south and the us have been carrying out. our correspondent in

seoul isjonathan head. jonathan, escalating on both sides, an unprecedented escalation from the north koreans, but an unprecedented training exercise we are told from the americans and south koreans. both sides know these actions will destabilise the region so why are they doing it? ., ' it? there are different perspectives - it? there are different perspectives on - it? there are different perspectives on that. l it? there are different. perspectives on that. the it? there are different - perspectives on that. the north koreans have tested more missiles this year than ever before, with the total at well over 60. everyone is expecting an imminent nuclear test. that'll be the first resumption of nuclear testing since the failed diplomacy between prime minister kim and former president trump, a worrying indication of how far north korea's india capabilities are moving, it is all about whether they can get the nuclear warheads that they test, probably the eighth test, whether they can get those on missiles and the launches of these flurries of missiles are

one interpretation. always an element of guesswork but one interpretation seems to be north korea showing how advanced their missile capabilities are that they can launch multiple missiles at south kerry if needed and ultimately of course, if there was a nuclear warhead missile thatis was a nuclear warhead missile that is an exceptionally alarming scenario, and the war games from the south korean and american point of view are to show north korea how capable the air defence systems are, these were the largest air exercises, and that the north koreans would not control the airspace, that south korea and the us together with the nine msps, and they would face a very severe retaliation sir on the one hand people say this is escalation but on the other hand, given the way in which north korea has been firing missiles, and that is the real question, what is the real motive behind that, i guess the us and south koreans will take the view they have to show them, to deter them from anything drastic. this is the yearin anything drastic. this is the year in which vladimir putin

did something no one thought he would do in ukraine, so nerves are much more frayed now than in previous years and those exercises were to send a very clear deterrence message. some will say that they also inflame the situation even more. it comes after a worrying two months, an unbroken trajectory, and if that continues, where do you think de—escalation could come from first? fix, you think de-escalation could come from first?— you think de-escalation could come from first? a lot of that comes down _ come from first? a lot of that comes down to _ come from first? a lot of that comes down to the _ come from first? a lot of that comes down to the north - comes down to the north koreans. the current south koreans. the current south korean government is not the kind that is likely to offer any amazing concessions or peace overtures especially at the moment and especially after these very worrying missile tests. the south korean mood is quite belligerent at the moment, quite indignant. they had a missile cross into what they view as the waters, off they view as the waters, off the coastline, yesterday, so, it would really have to come down to what the north koreans are doing and that is where the interpretation vary. another nuclear test is very worrying,

but it might well be that kim jong—un is trying to shore up his own position domestically. the north korean economy still to be in very bad shape and even possibly going back to famine conditions, and in those circumstances, this may all be about him putting on a distracting show of strength, but there is also the possibility that, and he is talking about this, that he is trying to move his forces towards the ability to mount a nuclear strike or a very severe strike against south korea and thatis strike against south korea and that is very alarming, even if he doesn't intend to do it, it makes the situation far more dangerous. makes the situation far more dangerous-— dangerous. many questions han . in . dangerous. many questions hanging- we _ dangerous. many questions hanging. we will— dangerous. many questions hanging. we will be - dangerous. many questions hanging. we will be back i dangerous. many questions hanging. we will be back to dangerous. many questions - hanging. we will be back to you for some more answers soon, thank you forjoining us. after ten days of peace talks a surprise deal has been reached between the government of ethiopia and rebel forces in tigray — for a permanent cessation of hostilities. the african union's chief mediator — the former nigerian president, olusegun obasanjo — has called it the beginning of a new dawn for ethiopia. it's almost two years

since a brutal conflict began in ethiopia's northern tigray region. since then a civil war has left hundreds of thousands dead, almost five million displaced, and a population on the brink of starvation. the bbc is the first international broadcaster to obtain footage from inside the area since august. our senior africa correspondent anne soy reports. it's a major breakthrough, ethiopia's government has called it monumental. rebels have agreed to disarm. but there is some level of caution. this moment is not the end of the peace process, but the beginning of it. a previous ceasefire was breached in august. this footage is the first gathered by international media since then. a children's playground, bombed. the ethiopian government has always insisted that they are not targeting civilians.

this granny fled some of the most recent fighting. i left my kids and grandkids, she says. she doesn't know if they survived. the displaced have harrowing stories to tell. translation: we saw elders being slaughtered, _ women raped and kids killed. we've seen many things. we saw these things, that's why we were frightened and came here. there are many atrocities in this war. people are dying because of the blockade and famine. kids are dying due to a lack of medicine. we are losing people. the region has been cut off from the rest of the country and world for nearly two years now. the people here have been without banking, means of communication and power. aid agencies say almost everyone in northern tigray is in need of food aid. they're desperate for a return to normal life. at mek�*ele's largest internally displaced people's camp, this man struggles to grow food

for his family. every harvest is a disappointment. he's desperate to go back to his large farm. translation: we were working hard and living our lives. - now we have nothing to do. no—one is helping us. we've been here for a year now, and received aid only three times. the new deal brings hope that his and many other families can begin the journey to reconciliation. but its success hinges on the commitment of the warring parties. anne soy, bbc news, nairobi. we're joined now by ethiopian journalist zecharias zelalem. the african union has called this a new dawn, eritrea helped the ethiopian government forces during this conflict and the

ceasefire has broken down before so why are they so confident this time? well, the ceasefire is _ confident this time? well, the ceasefire is ground-breaking, | ceasefire is ground—breaking, in that it seems to have been able to secure the restoration of phone and internet services as well as humanitarian aid supply flow, something that has proven to be a major sticking point throughout the year long mediation effort by the african union. i guess it would be about how quick the african union could oversee the implementation of the agreement, especially the very pressing need for immediate humanitarian convoys to the region. however, there have been several lulls in the fighting and at least one unilateral ceasefire but this is the first ceasefire agreement reached that involved agreement reached that involved a talks and handshakes. the details are _ a talks and handshakes. the details are fascinating. they

talk about reintegrating the mac when fighters into the federal army, mac when fighters into the federalarmy, disarming mac when fighters into the federal army, disarming it. these are big steps.- federal army, disarming it. these are big steps. yes, it has actually _ these are big steps. yes, it has actually caught - these are big steps. yes, it has actually caught most i has actually caught most journalists and observers of the war off—guard. it would be a major concession from the tplf, to agree to a disarmament of theirforces, the tplf, to agree to a disarmament of their forces, the tigray defence forces but the agreement adds that the ethiopian government forces, the military, would be the sole patrolling armed force in the the military, would be the sole patrolling armed that in the the military, would be the sole patrolling arme| the it in the the military, would be the sole patrolling who el the it in the the military, would be the sole patrolling who are ie it in the the military, would be the sole pa1 a lling who are ie it in the the military, would be the sole pa1 a lling�* ofo are ie it in the the military, would be the sole pa1 a lling�* of buteieit in the a to and as? are? the to days and as; .1.... the �* role |ys and as; .1.... the

�* role wouldsiasiffias the . . .. �* role woulc miseryaa the .. .. �* role woulc misery and 1a .. .. yea rs, years, what we think the conflict has actually achieved for both sides? the talk achieved for both sides? the an talk .-- t1 11 111111 achieved for both sides? the in an talkzfi a1 11 111111 achieved for both sides? the . talk. 11.111, you that you that of you 6 that population du 6 that population» so, political brought :al brought the —— factions the of factions the seemed factions the ago seemed pretty trivial in 5322? made side the ide are 7 7

government is presenting this, £355. .— as a exercise it been to this making the larger without making the larger and it will be a concessions and it will be a big ask of the tigrayan population to be able to big ask of the tigrayan populatio soldiers ble to our and ie! very after only very nearly after a slew of atrocities last of atrocities over the last two years, so there will be the lingering trauma of having to cope with that, despite the fact there is relief that at least the immediate danger of fact there is relief that at least th conflictiiate danger of fact there is relief that at least th conflict —— e danger of fact there is relief that at least th conflict —— conflict r of have subsided for seems to have subsided for now. you itself will be on the ballot paper in next week's mid—term elections. mr biden accused the former president, donald trump, and his supporters of undermining democracy and fuelling anger,

hate, and violence by refusing to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election. moment, an inflection point. we must have one, overwhelming, unified voice, and speak in america, whether it is directed at democrats or republicans. no place, period, no place ever. i'm joined now by domenico montanaro, senior political editor and correspondent for npr. president biden has a point, doesn't he, many of the republican candidate standing agree with donald trump's line

of a stolen election. in pennsylvania we have the us pollster frank lance saying that it pollster frank lance saying thatitis pollster frank lance saying that it is hell on earth in pennsylvania because the counting times will get the republicans voting on the day, and they are going to have to wait for the democrat votes that come through and there will be all sorts of allegations no doubt thrown out, and concerns over poll watchers two.— out, and concerns over poll watchers two. donald trump as throwin: watchers two. donald trump as throwing a _ watchers two. donald trump as throwing a lot _ watchers two. donald trump as throwing a lot of— watchers two. donald trump as throwing a lot of this _ throwing a lot of this incendiary rhetoric about and thatis incendiary rhetoric about and that is practically not true at all. president biden mentioned in this speech that there have been no closer watch election and the 2020 election, there were audits and reviews, but we got to a point in this country where some 35—40% of the country just doesn't where some 35—40% of the countryjust doesn't believe anything that you or i would say or any independently verifiable facts, if it doesn't agree with their previously held beliefs, and that makes for a very difficult situation,

to have a country where trust in elections, i think that i set the united states apart from a lot of countries, previously, we still do see that people say that they trust their state and local election officials to conduct fair and accurate elections for the most part, but that has waned and you are seeing a lot of republicans buying into conspiracy, buying into what donald trump is saying and we have elected leaders going along with that because they know whether power is, and the base, and they follow trump. joe biden chose the subject to talk about and one wonders whether it will have an impact on independent voters in those key states that he needs to convince and many people just point to the fact that it is the economy, stupid, that is on top of their minds. kevin mccarthy, the house minority leader says this was a distraction from the president so that he is not blamed for bad economy.—

so that he is not blamed for bad economy. kevin mccarthy is the likely next _ bad economy. kevin mccarthy is the likely next speaker- bad economy. kevin mccarthy is the likely next speaker of - bad economy. kevin mccarthy is the likely next speaker of the i the likely next speaker of the house and now has, right after january six, after the trump rhetoric about what happened in january 60 was highly critical of the former president so was senate republican leader mitch mcconnell, but they have both made this a bargain, they knew that the republican base would likely have been then sticking with trump rather than sticking with trump rather than sticking with their lives of criticism. i have spoken to a lot of republican strategists will not necessarily aligned with trump and are not on the side of things, and they are saying that there has not been an effort, and organised, consistent way, to take the microphone back from donald trump. he really owns the rights in this country, and thatis rights in this country, and that is where things are. from a raw political standpoint, it is understandable why they are doing what they are doing but it is a heck of a bargain that

they are making. inflation has been the top issue overall in this country, we have seen polling right republicans are trusted by more than 20 points on that issue. independents are much further down the list on those who are going to go out to vote in a few days so you look, looking at a bay selection of democrats trying to fire up their voters with reproductive rights as a main issue and republicans hitting president biden on inflation and making that bargain that, if there are people who deny the results of the election, and there are plenty of them who are running, that they will vote for them as long as they agree with them on policy. that hike in interest _ agree with them on policy. that hike in interest rates, _ hike in interest rates, inflation at 8.2% in september, a lot to play for in the next week. domenico montanaro, thank you so much for your analysis. you are very welcome. still to come on bbc news...

# waking up early in the morning... after all these years, the hand—painted video inspired by the music of the beatles. the israeli prime minister, yitzhak rabin, the architect of the middle east peace process, has been assassinated. a 27—year—old jewish man has been arrested and an extremist jewish organisation has claimed responsibility for the killing. at polling booths throughout the country, they voted on a historic day for australia. the monarchy would survive. of the american hostages, there was no sign. they are being held somewhere inside the compound, anywhere in the universe, and itjust seems - to keep on going.

tonight, we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth but from the enduring power of our ideals. have been devastated by vladimir putin's war. but, it's worth reflecting on what it has done to putin's own country. in russia there are signs of growing repression and state control, as well as escalating economic problems caused by sanctions and a brain drain. 0ur russia editor, steve rosenberg reports from st petersburg on how russia is changing as the military offensive continues. singing how many in russia want to remember the darker chapters of their country's history? very few.

every year they gather to remember the great terror of the 1930s. .. ..by reading out the names ofjosef stalin's victims, the million he executed, the millions more sent to prison camps. the gulag has gone but fear is returning. "repression is increasing by the week," local politician sergei troschen tells me. you can feel the fear today in russian society. and we can feel we are being watched and filmed. hardly undercover surveillance. for critics of the authorities, there are consequences. university lecturer denis skopin has just been sacked for immoral behaviour. he had been arrested for protesting against mobilisation for the war in ukraine. he had spent ten days injail. but look at the send—off his students gave him

on his last day at work. cheering i love my students very much. they understand very well what is happening now in russia. denis says many of his colleagues, academics and scientists, have fled russia. russia is losing the best people now, the most educated, the most energetic, the most critically thinking people are leaving the country. where is russia heading right now? in short, russia is going in the wrong direction. and it feels like the past is still casting a shadow over russia's present and future. history never repeats itself exactly, but there are worrying parallels between russia's past and the present. underjosef stalin, soviet

citizens who fell foul of the authorities were often labelled enemies of the people. after invading ukraine, vladimir putin vowed to cleanse russia of what he called "traitors, scum and the fifth column". to help him do that, president putin has introduced a new patriotic lesson in russian schools. it is called conversations about what is important. in this "conversation", putin claims that in ukraine, russia is fighting to protect russia. critics call it indoctrination. there are children who just believe, they open their eyes and they are ready to believe in everything. and that is very dangerous. because if there is one thing russian history teaches us, it is this — that if you believe in everything a leader here says and does without question, that can have tragic consequences.

steve rosenberg, bbc news, st petersburg. let's get some of the day's other news. the former israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, is on course for a political comeback. with nearly all of the votes counted from the general election, his conservative likud party, and its far—right allies, have a narrow lead. it's israel's fifth election in four years. the current caretaker prime minister, yair lapid, has urged people to wait for the final results. a new climate report says temperatures in europe have been going up by more than twice the global average. the world meteorological 0rganisation says this means alpine glaciers are receding and greenland's ice sheet is melting, contributing to rising sea levels. its report says communities will continue to be hit by exceptional heat, wildfires and floods. it's more than 50 years now since the beatles called it quits — but they continue to fascinate.

the remaining members of the fab four have just released a new version of their acclaimed album revolver. accompanying it has been a series of music videos — and the latest is a little work of art, as the bbc�*s tim allman explains. # when i wake up early in the morning # lift my head, i'm still yawning...# the mystery and the marvel of the beatles is the way they're rediscovered with every new generation. their music always seems to inspire — essentially art creating art. that was certainly true for em cooper, a film—maker and animator given the chance to turn one of their songs into a living painting. i've always been a beatles fan and when i saw the opportunity to work on i'm 0nly sleeping, it wasjust, like, really amazing. it kind of sparked a huge load of ideas straightaway for me. it's just a beautiful song and

it'sjust got so much in it. using hand—painted animation cells — more than 1300 in total — she built up the work frame by frame, wanting the viewer to be enveloped, consumed — not only sleeping, but dreaming. i'm hoping that what you get is a sense ofjust being kind of swayed or held orjust kind of taken with the stream almost, of the painting. girls screaming the hysteria of beatlemania may have faded just a little, but the legacy of these four lads from liverpool endures. # i'm only sleeping #. not only in their music, but also in the paintings, the videos, the art of those who followed. tim allman, bbc news.

that is all the venues for now. there is plenty more news on the bbc website. from me and the bbc website. from me and the rest of the team, goodbye. —— that is all the news. hello. there was a stormy end to wednesday — low pressure sweeping rain and gales across the uk. as we move into thursday, though, we'll see some improvements, with some sunshine around. one or two showers, but it will stay quite wet in the south—east as the overnight rain band lingers. and you can see here on the pressure chart, eventually it'll wriggle away as we move into thursday afternoon, but this new area of low pressure will bring increasing showers to the south—west quadrant of the country, along with strengthening winds. you notice the blue hue there on the temperature map. it will feel cooler across the northern half of the country throughout the day today. so a wet, damp morning across the south—east. eventually that should clear away into the afternoon. elsewhere, plenty of sunshine around. one or two showers. most of the showers affecting wales and the south—west

of england, with increasing winds here, particularly through the channel. but it will be a blustery day across the southern half of the country. winds slightly lighter further north — that is away from the far north of scotland, and temperatures ten, 11 degrees in the north, at around 12 or 13 in the south, so it will feel cooler for all. it looks like that area of low pressure will bring showers or longer spells of rain through thursday night for wales, south—west england, perhaps the south coast as well, and certainly through the channel for the channel islands, winds will be strong for a while. but a ridge of high pressure starts to build in early on friday, so winds veering to a more northerly direction and it will be quite cold. temperatures down to freezing across some northern areas and a bit of mist and fog too. so here it is — ridge of high pressure building in across the country for friday before more low pressure arrives for the weekend. any early showers will clear away from the far south early through friday, and then it's bright, plenty of sunshine around. a chilly start, mind you. temperatures rising a little bit through the day. a few showers still across northern scotland, but most places dry.

ii to 13 or 14 degrees across the south. so the weekend is looking unsettled. we've got more low pressure working its way in off the atlantic. that's going to bring rain and gales at times. it looks like one frontal system will cross the country on saturday, though. it will tend to weaken as it pushes towards the eastern side of the country, then it's blustery showers, strong winds into sunday and this front bringing some wet weather once again to the south—east corner, so quite a mixed bag through the weekend. like i mentioned, it's wet in the west, showers further east, and then a little bit drier in the north on sunday. very wet across the south—east.

this is bbc news. the headlines... tokyo and seoul say north korea has fired three missiles amid heightening tension in the region. they said one of them was long—range. that prompted the japanese government to issue a rare emergency alert to residents to stay indoors. japan and south korea have both condemned pyongyang's actions. after ten days of peace talks, a surprise deal has been reached between the government of ethiopia and rebel forces in tigray for a permanent cessation of hostilities. the two—year conflict has left hundreds of thousands dead, almost five million displaced, and a population on the brink of starvation. president biden has said americans must unite in opposition to "political violence" — saying democracy