welcome to bbc news — i'm david eades. our top stories. escaping the blackouts. after yet further missile strikes against ukraine's energy infrastructure — russia is accused of crimes against humanity. ukraine proposes that the security council adopts a resolution condemning all forms of energy terror. resolution condemning all forms of energy terror. the race to find survivors after monday's indonesia earthquake — many of the 271 people who died were children. joy injapan — fans celebrate their team's world cup victory over one of the favourites — germany — in qatar. and — preparing for the party. the traditional giant balloons are inflated ahead of new york's thanksgiving parade. welcome to our viewers on pbs in america

and around the globe. ukraine's president zelensky has accused moscow of crimes against humanity, after fresh russian strikes battered the country's already failing electricity grid. addressing an emergency meeting of the un security council requested by kyiv, mr zelensky said russia had been methodically devastating cities with indiscriminate attacks — hitting residential buildings, schools, transport and hospitals. the ukrainian energy system has been left in tatters and millions have been subjected to long periods without electricity, after weeks of russian bombardment. ukraine proposes that the security council adopts a resolution condemning

all forms of energy terror. let's see if anyone in the world, along with russia, can say that terror against civilians are supposedly good. there must be no room for terror in the world, that is why we are appealing to our partners to support to protect our skies. we need modern and effective air and missile defence systems. i thank everyone who has already helped. well, on wednesday, there were several explosions in the capital kyiv. after an air—raid alert was issued for the whole country. the western city of lviv was reported to be without power — it's now been mostly restored. and in the zaporizhzhia region, a newborn baby was killed when a rocket hit a maternity unit. our europe correspondent, jessica parker, reports from kyiv. smoke clouds signalling destruction has come again to kyiv. this is hundreds of miles away

from the front line, but here, this battle also costs lives. in a town just outside kyiv, people's homes and a nearby school felt the force of these strikes. just hours later, the fire's out, but the daylight�*s gone. evacuations in the dark. translation: we heard rockets flying and then . we heard a loud explosion, a colleague saw a red light. in our educational centre, windows and doors blew out, the ceiling fell. in these freezing temperatures, homes have been left without roofs, apartments without windows, people without a place to live. translation: we are evacuating people from the building - that was damaged. those who need to sleep somewhere, we are taking them to a hotel where they can stay as long as they need. there will be food and heating there.

that bus is just leaving, taking residents who can no longer stay in their homes — perhaps because of the damage, but also, there's no power here. the only reason we can see anything at the moment is because of the lights coming from the emergency vehicles, fire trucks and police cars. people here, there's a lot of activity, but they just pass you like shadows. here and in many places, the light of a torch may be all they have as today's strikes forced power stations to shut down. critical infrastructure again appears to have been moscow's target. if this is an effort to break the will of ukrainians, they help each other on, but it's a painful struggle. "my windows and walls flew away," she says. "don't cry," says her grandson. "everything will be fixed, it will be better." this is driving through a capital city in the early evening, but look around.

off the road, no lights. the country's energy system had already been attacked. now the race against winter to repair itjust became even harder. jessica parker, bbc news, in kyiv. following those strikes on ukraine, nearly 90% of neighbouring moldova was left without electricity. although the country wasn't directly hit, moldova's foreign minister said they have traditionally relied on ukraine and russia for energy and are unsure — because of the ongoing conflict — where their power will now come from. i'm joined now by andrew daneary, assistant director at the atlantic council's eurasia center. thanks very much indeed for joining us, and drew. i thought i would start _ joining us, and drew. i thought i would start with _ joining us, and drew. i thought i would start with his _ i would start with his accusation from president zelensky that these are crimes

against humanity and the definition is a deliberate act, typically as part of a systematic campaign that causes human suffering or death on a large scale. so it seems pretty indisputable that he has got his terminology right.- his terminology right. well, does seem _ his terminology right. well, does seem that _ his terminology right. well, does seem that he - his terminology right. well, does seem that he has - his terminology right. well, does seem that he has got l his terminology right. well, i does seem that he has got the terminology right and, you know, this does look like crimes against humanity or even terror but i think more important than what we call russia's attacks on civilian infrastructure is how we in the west respond. the us has sent significant air defence systems, the uk has been very helpful in this as well and even europe has sent some air defence systems to kind of help ukraine defend major population centres and strategic infrastructures. we'll keep that but we will also need to sand the critical energy pieces, pieces of electrical

equipment that allow ukraine's grid operators to repair the grid operators to repair the grid and, as president zelensky alluded to there, things like portable heaters so that things like power does go out ukrainians are not frozen to death this winter.— ukrainians are not frozen to death this winter. that has got to be pretty — death this winter. that has got to be pretty massive _ death this winter. that has got to be pretty massive scale - death this winter. that has got to be pretty massive scale if. to be pretty massive scale if it is not for the sticking plaster stuff, it is not for the sticking plasterstuff, is it is not for the sticking plaster stuff, is it? it is not for the sticking plasterstuff, is it? because the strikes are also systematic. i mean, there does seem to be a very clear strategy associated with the missile strikes.— missile strikes. that is absolutely _ missile strikes. that is absolutely right. - missile strikes. that is| absolutely right. russia missile strikes. that is i absolutely right. russia is failing on the battlefield. their third three times in this war. they failed to take you have, they failed in the east and they've been pushed back on son and this is the last conventional tactic they have ascending bombs and drones on civilian infrastructure. so russian capabilities are weakening. but you're right that this is a massive campaign

against ukrainian civilians and so the western response needs to be significant as well in supporting ukraine to make sure that they have the capabilities to provide heat, clean water, electricity and internet to their citizens.— electricity and internet to their citizens. ., ., ., , their citizens. come what may, we are heading _ their citizens. come what may, we are heading into _ their citizens. come what may, we are heading into what - their citizens. come what may, we are heading into what looksj we are heading into what looks like an extremely dismal winter for millions of ukrainians. and one might wonder how that could be mitigated or avoided. imagine the sort of things that can be sent in, the equipment that could help and efforts to repair some of the damaged infrastructure but is there any prospect, do you think, bringing the strikes to an end? well, i think the quickest way to bring the strikes to an end is to defeat russia and the way you defeat russia is basically, they're going to have to run out of ammunition and rockets to fire at ukraine and so that is why things like air defences these rocket systems that allow

ukraine to hit key russian positions are really keen because russia is not going to stop going after ukrainian civilians and newborns as we heard in the previous package in maternity ward so they're not going to stop until essentially they are stopped and they are defeated so that is the key, sending all of that equipment and doing so quickly. no short—term solution there, i don't think. thank you very much. thank you very much. let's get some of the day's other news. israeli police say a 15—year—old boy was killed, and 14 other people wounded, in two suspected bomb attacks at bus stops injerusalem on wednesday morning. no group has yet admitted responsibility — although palestinian groups have praised what they say was an �*operation�*.

israel's prime minister yair lapid said it was an attack that was "different from what we have seen in recent years". president biden has condemned the shooting at a walmart supermarket in chesapeake, virginia on tuesday in which six people died. calling it another senseless attack, he said there would now be more tables with empty seats this thanksgiving holiday. four other people were wounded before the gunman turned his weapon on himself. police will not confirm staff reports that a manager at the store fired on co—workers. beijing says it is facing its most severe covid situation yet as the number of cases continues to soar. china reported more than 31 thousand domestic cases on wednesday according to the national health bureau. schools, shopping malls and parks are closed and restaurants and cafes are not allowing people to eat indoors. rescue teams in indonesia have pulled a five—year—old boy from rubble, three days after a powerful earthquake hit the country. the boy appeared conscious and calm despite his ordeal and emergency workers took him to a medical tent

to be checked over. there were five people in the house when the earthquake struck, but the boy, his grandfather and his younger brother were the only survivors. well, the latest official figures say 271 people were killed — many of them children — and a0 are still missing. hundreds of others were injured.

the murder ofjohn kennedy is a disaster he caught the imagination of the world, the first of a new generation of leaders. margaret thatcher is resigning as leader of the conservative party and prime minister. before leaving number ten to see the queen, angela merkel is germany's first woman chancellor, easily securing the majority she needed. attempts to fly a hot air - balloon had to be abandoned after a few minutes, but nobody seemed to mind very much. j as one local comic put

it, — it's not hot air- we need, it's hard cash. cuba has declared nine days of mourning following the death of fidel castro at the age of 90. castro developed close ties with the soviet union in the 1960s. it was an alliance that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war with the cuban missile crisis. this is bbc world news, the latest headlines. large areas of ukraine are left without power, after the country's military says russian missile strikes targeted energy infrastructure rescuers in indonesia continue efforts to find survivors after monday's earthquake in west java, many of the 271 people known to have died were children the highest court in the united kingdom — the supreme court —

has ruled that the scottish parliament does not have the right to hold another referendum on independence — without the consent of the uk government in westminster. scotland's first minister, nicola sturgeon, says she respects the ruling, but accuses westminster of having contempt for the democratic will of the scottish people. 0ur scotland editor, james cook has more. passions are running high on scotland's streets tonight. campaigners for independence are out in force, demanding a vote on their future after downing street refused to repeat the deal which set up the last referendum in 2014. that's why these five judges were considering the alternative — the scottish parliament holding a poll without the consent of westminster. a lawfully—held referendum would have important political consequences relating to the union and the united kingdom parliament. therefore... the scottish parliament

does not have the power to legislate for a referendum on scottish independence. this was not nicola sturgeon�*s preferred path to a referendum, and she admitted the decision was a hard pill to swallow. thisjudgment raises profound and deeply uncomfortable questions about the basis and the future of the united kingdom. her response? framing the next general election as a referendum in all but name. her opponents say that's illegitimate, and even some on her own side worry that it will backfire. what do you say to those supporters of independence who worry that you are leading them into a trap? i think the people of scotland i want us to be working on fixing the major challengesj we collectively face — whether that's the economy, supporting the nhs, - or indeed supporting ukraine. what right does a man with no mandate have

to deny scottish democracy? mr speaker, when it comes to scottish democracy, - i'm pleased that the scottish - government has one of the most powerful devolved assemblies anywhere in the world. - so, is this a bleak day for democracy or a triumph for common sense? i think it's a good thing. as far as i understand it, that is not a devolved power. my personal preference is that we are part of the uk, and proud to be part of the uk. i think that people should have the right to vote about anything that they want without being stopped by any larger powers, and i think hat goes against any form of civil rights and freedom of speech and freedom to vote, which women like myself have worked so very hard to do. so, today, our independence movement also become scotland's democracy movement. so, scotland remains divided. defenders of the union may be quietly pleased tonight, but supporters of independence are making their voices heard.

without question, a big milestone in this debate. to the world cup in qatar — another big shock. on tuesday, it was saudi arabia beating argentina — on wednesday, it was japan's turn to produce a huge upset — beating germany 2—1. germany scored first from a penalty, but two late goals from japan meant germany lost their opening match in a world cup second time in a row. cue ecstatic celebrations from the japanese squad earlier, there was a goalless draw — between croatia and morocco. it's the third goalless draw of this tournament. 2010 winners — spain beat costa rica — 7—nil. off the field — more protests. have a look at this. german players covered their mouths — for their team photo — before their opening fixture — in an apparent rebuke of fifa's clampdown, on plans to wear rainbow armbands to support gay rights. the last game of the day saw belgium beat canada one—nil.

which the last game of the day saw belgium beat canada one—nil. let's go to tokyo now where we can speak to tom byer. he's a former professional footballer and now works as a youth football development specialist in japan. iimaginejapan i imaginejapan went i imagine japan went nuts. yeah, this was a historical victory especially if you consider nearly three decades ago, in doha, japan failed to score a place in the world cup and lost to a rack in extra time so this was a bittersweet win against a big country. it is not a good straightforward group therein. they have spain to play as well but it almost feels like they're in the driving seat now. you'll make everybody in the football world

here injapan, we were kind of hoping that we could potentially draw with germany, might be better suited to line—up better with spain and a better chance of winning but that got turned upside down so, yeah, there is no doubt about it. there are meant to listen japan's favoured for sure. it is going to come down to what happens the next few matches. i was covering the world cup in 2002. japan got how much has enthusiasm for the game changed since then, would you say, and how far do you think they can go? how far do you think they can io? ., ., how far do you think they can io? how far do you think they can no? .,,. ., go? football has changed significantly _ go? football has changed significantly since - go? football has changed significantly since i - go? football has changed | significantly since i arrived here in the mid—19 80s. i was the first foreigner to pay for that club and without league, in the olden days, most of our national team players came domestically from the league which is in this 30th anniversary next year but 19 of

the 26 players are playing in europe so in the olden days, these players would grow up watching the europeans play but now playing alongside them so they've got a lot of confidence, we have very good technical players as well which is our strength and i think also if you look at what is happening in the women's game here, a lot of people don't realise but japan is here, a lot of people don't realise butjapan is an outlier. the japanese women's team is the only country in the world that has won all three fifa women's competitions. the senior world cup, the under 17 is in the under 20s. so i think that's put a bit of pressure, positive pressure on the men's game as well but football is driving very well here in this country. it driving very well here in this count . ~ . , driving very well here in this count. . ., , ., country. it certainly does that ofthe country. it certainly does that of the men — country. it certainly does that of the men have _ country. it certainly does that of the men have to _ country. it certainly does that of the men have to step - country. it certainly does that of the men have to step off . country. it certainly does that | of the men have to step off of it. i know you know a lot of the squad there, you mentioned their technique and they are technically very gifted. again, where would you put them in terms of this competition. how far do you think they can go? well, you know, the goal is to

get into the final 16 or even final eight. i mean, we never been set up better winning our first game against a big powerhouse like germany. anything is possible. after watching that first half and the contrast between the first half of the second half, and that ability to step up, you know, and that comeback, i mean, you've got to believe that they can go probably the best in furthest that they've gone and the history of playing in the world cup. irate gone and the history of playing in the world cup.— in the world cup. we have had these extraordinary _ in the world cup. we have had these extraordinary results - in the world cup. we have had| these extraordinary results one day after the next with the saudis beating argentina. is there something happening in terms of international football? are we finally getting a broader and more level playing field? i getting a broader and more level playing field?- level playing field? i think so. level playing field? i think s0- you — level playing field? i think so. you know, _ level playing field? i think so. you know, if- level playing field? i think so. you know, if you - level playing field? i think so. you know, if you look| so. you know, if you look historically the world cup i believe started nearly 90 years ago. there have been 21 world cup tournaments and in the eight world cup champions that have actually won world cup tournaments and another five countries that have even made

it the final so very exclusive tiny group that advances. afc, the asian confederation here with 47 member associations, we have done well historically and world cup tournaments but surely, with saudi arabia in the afc and japan, with what career to play, going to play in a couple of days, things are looking very bright. it is moving- _ looking very bright. it is moving. thank - looking very bright. it is moving. thank you - looking very bright. it is moving. thank you veryj looking very bright. it is moving. thank you very much. a pleasure to speak to you. a pleasure to speak to you. and finally — americans are getting ready to celebrate thanksgiving — which takes place on the fourth thursday in november. one of the biggest traditions takes place in new york — the macy's parade, with balloons floating above the streets of manhattan. getting them ready is a bit of a spectacle itself — and laura trevelyan went to take a look. it's a bright, blue morning on the apple west side of manhattan and this unique american tradition is under way. the balloons are being inflated ahead of the macy's thanksgiving day parade. time for a bit of history here — there were no balloons

in the very first parade back in 192a, and it was called the macy's christmas parade then, held on thanksgiving day with the idea of showcasing the department store and encouraging everyone to go shopping ahead of christmas. the balloons made their parade debut in 1927, over the brainchild of a puppeteer who worked at macy's. these balloons are basically gigantic upside—down puppets. the original ones were generic — birds and dragons — and they evolved into popular cartoon strip characters. and today, they're the stars of film and tv, used to really sell the parade to the public. a movie in 1916 featuring scenes from the parade created a worldwide audience for the balloons and the floats, and every year, there are new characters. so, we have bluey, an australian puppy, and stewart the minion, as well as the old favourites — spongebob, snoopy and the smurf. coming to see the balloons being inflated is a new york ritual, especially if you grew up on this block.

i've been coming to see the balloon inflation since i was a baby, and now i'm bringing my two kids to see it. do you have a favourite balloon character that you're looking out for? yes, i do. and who's that? um, the minion. doesn't feel like thanksgiving unless we're here. the balloons are quintessentially american. each one is a celebrity in its own right, a spectacle, a symbol of popular culture which defines thanksgiving as much as turkey and family dinners. and, in a nation where we often find a lot to argue about, enjoying the balloons and the parade can even bring us together. in good news, the thanksgiving weather is looking sunny and clear in new york city with no high winds forecast, making the life of the balloon handler that much easier. laura trevelyan, bbc news, manhattan.

if they get that weather for thanksgiving thursday there will be pretty grateful, too. that is bbc news. don't forget the website. more on all of our stories. hello. there is no doubt it has been a soggy november so far. some places have already seen twice the amount of rain they would normally expect in the whole month. wednesday really added to those totals with this band of wet weather pushing northwards and eastwards. lots of heavy, thundery showers with squally, gusty winds following on behind, and all of those weather elements also feature in thursday's forecast. another frontal system pushing in from the atlantic, more heavy rain, more squally winds already showing its hand in the western side of northern ireland first thing. most other areas starting day dry, but this rain is on the move eastwards. it's moving pretty quickly, so it will be a short, sharp burst of torrential rain and strong winds for northern

ireland, southwest scotland — wind gusts widely 40—50 mph, maybe gusting up to 60—70 mph in exposed spots. the bright colours showing up there across wales, the southwest of england — a really squally band of rain, so as it pushes through, you'll notice the torrential rain, the very gusty winds, but then it clears to a mix of sunshine and heavy, perhaps thundery showers. highs of 9—13 degrees, northeast scotland, eastern england staying dry untilafter dark, but the rain will eventually work its way through. and overnight, into the start of friday, we will see further showers, particularly up towards the north and west, but more in the way of dry weather, some clear spells. temperatures generally 5, 6, 7 degrees — wouldn't surprise me at all if some places gotjust a little lower than that. but friday should be a somewhat drier day with some spells of sunshine. now, there will still be some showers around western coasts across northern ireland, northwest scotland. not many of those showers getting across into the east of the uk. temperatures 9 degrees foraberdeen, maybe 1a there in cardiff, so quite mild for the time of year.

that quieter friday is thanks to this ridge of high pressure, but this frontal system pushing in from the west will bring rain on saturday. eastern areas starting off dry and bright, but we'll see increasing amounts of cloud, and for the western side of the uk, outbreaks of rain splashing quite erratically northwards, perhaps some heavier rain into the southwest later on. but it will be mild, 10—14 degrees, very mild on saturday night, and then that rain may take a while to clear eastwards on sunday, but it will leave behind it some spells of sunshine. bye for now.

you're watching bbc news. the headlines... president zelensky has accused russia of crimes against humanity, addressing the un security council after russia wants a new missile strikes against ukraine cosmic energy infrastructure. the un despite us ambassador to the un accused president biden of weapon as in winter, to make ukrainians suffer. —— accused president putin of recognising. —— weapon arising. the race to find survivors after monday's indonesia earthquake — many of the 271

people who died were children.