it's our top stories. anti—government protests against strict covid restrictions continue to spread across china, with some demonstrators calling for the country's leader, president xi, to go. people in the uk who use social media posts to encourage self—harm will face criminal prosecution under new government proposals. rescue efforts are under way to find survivors after a mudslide triggered by heavy rains swept away homes on the italian island of ischia. with further rail strikes expected before christmas, the uk's transport secretary says reform is needed to fund wage rises. what has to happen is we have to agree on a set of reforms. it's the reforms that free up the savings that then unlock the ability for companies to make an offer to the trade unions on pay.

but labour argues the government needs to do more to support rail workers during a cost of living crisis. we think it is unconscionable that nurses and rail workers who went out and kept this country moving during a pandemic are not being paid enough to put food on the table. and a new milestone for nasa's record—breaking orion spacecraft, as it breaks the record for the furthest distance travelled from earth by a vehicle that is habitable by humans.

hello and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world. protests in china against the government's strict covid measures have intensified, with crowds publicly venting their anger at the communist party leaders. thousands of protesters took to the streets of shanghai, calling for president xi jinping to step down. the bbc saw people being bundled into police cars. these images are from beijing, where students gathered at the elite chinghua university on sunday. there, hundreds called for democracy, rule of law and freedom of expression. students also demonstrated at the university in nanjing. the protests began following a deadly fire in the western city of urumqi. ten people were killed, and strict lockdown rules were blamed for hampering rescue efforts. katie silver reports.

on the street in shanghai a protester is carried out by police. at the several hundred gathered. they chant and cheer each other. the bbc has seen the people being taken away by police. at least one was punched and ramped up against a car. many bring flowers to pay their respects to the ten people that died in a fire in the city almost 4000 kilometres away. the scuffles follow a night of demonstrations. what began as a virtual, turned into a protest with people airing their frustrations with china's zero covid policy. in mandarin, protesters chant, step down, step down. and lockdown. communist party, step down. and it is notjust shanghai but cities across the country. a video posted on social media huge crowds appear together at the university and chant rest in peace, long live the people. the unrest

follows a fire in a high—rise apartment in the north—western city which killed several people, sparking widespread public anger. many believe they could have been savedif many believe they could have been saved if not for lockdown restrictions. some protests are an unusual sight in a country where any criticism of the government and the president can result in harsh penalties but, after three years of lockdown is, quarantines and tight restrictions, patience, for many, is wearing thin. the chinese government's the commitment to its zero covid policy has been unrelenting. this is despite cases growing. 0n unrelenting. this is despite cases growing. on saturday the country recorded almost 40,000 cases, its fourth consecutive daily record. china, the first to enter the pandemic, is now one of the last country still faces significant restrictions. many are hoping these protest might bring it to an end.

earlier, i spoke with thomas hale, financial times correspondent in shaghai, who was at the scene. about 50 metres from what remains of the protest. i would not politics at the protest. i would not politics at the protest. i would not politics at the protest. it was a mass gathering of people and essentially, they've cordoned off and blockaded the road on which it was happening. but there are still very large crowds gathered close to the original site to the protest as they can get. but what is your view of the significance of these protests? how political are they? i these protests? how political are the ? ., , these protests? how political are the? ., these protests? how political are the ? ., , . , they? i would say they are extremely siunificant they? i would say they are extremely significant and _ they? i would say they are extremely significant and i _ they? i would say they are extremely significant and i would _ they? i would say they are extremely significant and i would also _ they? i would say they are extremely significant and i would also say - significant and i would also say that the politics of china's covid policies, not sure if you can hear, next to me is a lot of disruption going on in the streets, sorry about that. i would say that the covid policies have become a kind of lightning node for wider frustrations, political frustrations

in china including over a slowing economy which has been a very significant issue for much of the past year. i would also add that on the front line of these gatherings, which haven't really turned violent at any point, with a few exceptions, people will talk very frequently about freedom and about democracy and about the need for political change. it and about the need for political chance. .,, ., _ and about the need for political chance. ., _ , change. it obviously requires quite a lot of bravery — change. it obviously requires quite a lot of bravery and _ change. it obviously requires quite a lot of bravery and courage, - a lot of bravery and courage, doesn't it? for these protesters to come out onto the streets at all and faced arrest. come out onto the streets at all and faced arrest-— faced arrest. absolutely, does. and the fewer the _ faced arrest. absolutely, does. and the fewer the people _ faced arrest. absolutely, does. and the fewer the people the _ faced arrest. absolutely, does. and the fewer the people the more - the fewer the people the more bravery it requires. since you have a critical mass more people are drawn to these gatherings but it is very difficult for them to get going in the first place. there are huge, huge risks for anyone who shows up. i do think there were split these protest? do you think they will intensify? it protest? do you think they will intensi ? , , , . ., intensify? it is very difficult to sa ri . ht intensify? it is very difficult to say right nova _ intensify? it is very difficult to say right now. they _ intensify? it is very difficult to say right now. they have - intensify? it is very difficult to i

say right now. they have been spreading over the last few days. have continued to 7 have continued to spread over have cor the ad to spread over have cor the ad to spre currently the weekend. the gathering currently at tabor protest last night, came morning there was no here this morning and there was no here. by mid afternoon, there one here. by mid afternoon, there were hundreds of people again and people continue to show up. here in the uk, encouraging self—harm online could soon become a criminal offense, under new changes to the government's 0nline safety bill. ministers say the decision was influenced by the case of 14—year—old molly russell, who took her own life in 2017, after viewing content about self—harm and suicide on social media. laura tra nt reports. 14—year—old molly russell from harrow in london died five years ago. the inquest into her death found she took her own life after looking at content on social media relating to self—harm. since she passed away, molly's family have been campaigning for legislation to be passed to better protect young people online.

the 0nline safety bill has been in the making for four years with frequent delays and updates. earlier this week, molly's dad, ian russell, spoke to the bbc and expressed his frustration at delays in changes to the law. i think the 0nline safety bill... it's something i care deeply about because without a change that regulates the companies to operate their platforms more safely, these tragedies will continue to happen. it's too late for me. so in a way, it's not a huge personal investment. i'm just frustrated that an opportunity for change and an opportunity for greater safety for children has been delayed for so long.

it's been confirmed the updated 0nline safety bill will be put before parliament with some further changes. now the encouragement of self—harm online is to be criminalised, ultimately with prison sentences and fines, so companies which do not remove illegal content could face fines and perpetrators will be sentenced through the courts. this is the government trying to show that it is strong, that it can clamp down on this behaviour, particularly when it targets children. but in fact this is a very complex area with lots of grey space in between where a lot of predators and others will continue to act. and frankly, it's going to be very difficult to enforce, both for a regulator and for a government eager to act. the molly rose foundation, set up by herfamily to campaign for better online safety, says the update to the 0nline safety bill is a significant move. but stress it's important other harmful but legal content is also within the scope of the bill.

it's expected the amended 0nline safety bill will be put before parliament in early december. laura trant, bbc news. rescue teams have been working through the night on the italian island of ischia, which was hit by severe mudslides on saturday. one person is confirmed dead and 11 people are reported missing. the bbc�*s mark lowen reports. through the night came the rain, torrential and fast. and then the mud. a landslide pouring through ischia before dawn, burying and upturning what lay in its path. cars, trees, debris flung aside and uprooted. the rescue boats set off early but were hampered by strong winds and rough seas buffeting attempts to reach the island from naples. as they came ashore, the impact was clear. morning light revealed the torrents of mud and what they'd buried. "this mountain has fallen

on the homes that are no longer there," he says. houses were engulfed with people trapped beneath the mud. dozens of firefighters helped evacuate those they could. a rescue and a search for those still missing. the fear is that as more areas are unearthed, the number of confirmed victims could rise. for the islanders, their tranquility was shaken by a nightmare. translation: there are some cars that are facing upwards, _ that are shifted to the side. looking at them, one cannot explain how it was possible. vehicles were tossed aside and battered, hurled by a wave of mud into the waves of the ocean. houses have been cut off, some without power. the authorities calling on residents to stay inside.

ischia's narrow streets are caked in the chaos. many of its homes illegally built over the years, unstable and vulnerable. now an anxious wait for the weather to lift to see the extent of the damage wreaked, turning ischia from island idyll into rivers of mud. well, mark boarded a ferry from naples to ischia — the first on that route since it was suspended on saturday. he explained why the damage has been so extensive. it has known mudslides and earthquakes before but one of the problems with ischia is about half of the houses have been illegally built so they are unstable and vulnerable to these kinds of natural disasters because they are not stable enough or securely built in. added to that it is a volcanic island so there is a lot of ash and powdered mud which then flows very quickly. the authorities this morning,

one reporter said that the amount of rain that fell from friday night to saturday morning in the space of six hours was a record. people will be looking at the impact of climate change on that kind of deluge of water, but then you have that illegally built houses, money which is set in ischia after the previous earthquake in 2017 and was not used to shore up houses so there are local problems as well. firefighters and rescue teams doing what they can to try and evacuate some of the ischia residents but it is dramatic scenes from there. for now as i state the number of victims remains relatively low, given the dramatic scenes we saw but we will wait to see during the day of that number goes up. the world cup continues in qatar

as teams fight to get some of the tournament favourites were in action yesterday. kylian mbappe's double against denmark has seen his world cup goal total rise to seven. he is already france's second top world cup scorer ever. and captain lionel messi helped argentina to beat mexico and keep alive their world cup hopes with a 2—0 victory in group c. according to fifa, the attendance was the highest for the tournament since the 1994 final. let's look to today's action, with our correspondentjohn watson. a huge game for germany today, one they must win if they are going to keep this world cup alive. spain of course beat costa rica 7—0 in their opening match, and if they were to beat germany later and japan go on and beat costa rica in the other match,

germany will be out at the group stage at a second consecutive world cup. a huge match awaits. the headlines on bbc news. anti—government protests against strict covid restrictions continue to spread across china , with some demonstrators calling for the country's leader, president xi, to go. people in the uk who use social media posts to encourage self—harm will face criminal prosecution under new government proposals. rescue efforts are under way to find survivors after a mudslide triggered by heavy rains swept away homes on the italian island of ischia. across the uk, public sector workers are voting to strike over pay, with industrial action planned by rail workers and nurses in the run up christmas. the government has said it can only pay workers what is affordable. but with uk inflation at forty—year highs,

politicians are coming under pressure to promise pay deals which match the cost of living. the transport secretary also spoke about the health service, arguing the pay rise requested by striking nurses simply isn't affordable. we have to balance what is affordable, so that's why for example in the health service we have accepted all the recommendations of the independent pay review body which would give, for example, i think a nurse at least a £1,400 pay rise this year, and it's why nurses for example got a 3% rise last year when general public sector had a pay freeze. but a 19% pay rise simply isn't affordable. hang on a second, minister... we have to balance what is affordable, the difficult decisions we're having to make to keep the public finances under control, and also the perfectly reasonable requests people have got to keep up with the cost of living. but i think that people are not going to be able to have what they want. shadow levelling up secretary lisa nandy was asked whether labour

would support pay rises which match inflation. we want to see people paid enough money to live on and rewarded very for the contribution that they make but what you are asking me is, not, would we match inflation, you are asking me to commit to a specific number without being involved in the negotiations and seeing the books. we think it is unconscionable that nurses and rail workers that went out this country moving during a pandemic are not being paid enough to put food on the table. we are looking at every single way that we could help with that including the long—term health of the economy and getting more resources very quickly in the first 100 days of a labour government into the national health service by scrapping the non—dom status. there is a problem that people are burned out in the nhs and that is compounding the cost of living crisis. we are going to do everything in our means of disposal to help people

because they deserve this. police are investigating whether the fatal stabbings of two 16—year—old boys in southeast london are linked. the attacks happened about a mile apart in thamesmead yesterday afternoon. let's get the latest from our correspondent simonjones the police were called yesterday afternoon just after five o'clock two reports that two young men had been stabbed. 0ne two reports that two young men had been stabbed. one of them at this location and another one about a mile from here. the air ambulance was sent. the ambulance, too. despite the effort are paramedics, they could not be saved. given the proximity and the time at which both of them happened, the police are now trying to urgently establish whether there is a link between those two attacks. they say that, over night, they granted additional powers to

allow officers to stop and search people and they say they are supporting the families of the two boys who have lost their lives. now, been speaking this morning to local residents, one of them who lives in the house just by where the attack took place. you me he desperately tried to give cpr to the victim here but it was ultimately in vain. by the people here have been telling me the people here have been telling me the sense of shock that this has happened and that also there has been a second murder very close to here. now, in terms of what the police are saying, we are expecting to hear from them a little later about what potentially makes them think these attacks could definitely or possibly be linked. but, overall, police say they have been trying to tackle the issue of knife crime here in last week, they said a week—long operation targeting those who carry knives led to 500 arrests and 130 knives led to 500 arrests and 130 knives being removed from the streets but a local councillor on

social media has described what happened here and just down the road is absolutely tragic. he says two more lives have needlessly been lost to violence and he says something needs to change. further power cuts are expected in ukraine today as the country tries to stabilise its energy system. in the capital, kyiv, tens of thousands of people were still without electricity last night. it follows a barrage of russian missile strikes targeting ukraine's energy grid, as our correspondent jessica parker reports from kyiv. it's almost a novelty, the lights come on. the water too! ludmilla, who lives on her own had, like millions, been without power for days. these outages could keep happening again and again this winter. is it bearable? translation: it's impossible to live in the city _

without electricity and water, the radiators doesn't work, the water is cold, it's cold everywhere. only one hope remains, that we will win. we had found her here the night before, in a tent by a main road, one of the many public refuges springing up across ukraine. it's a lifeline for everyday contact, but also emergencies. irena, nine months pregnant, wants to know she can call for help just in case. we come here because we need extra call to 911, for emergencies, because i am pregnant, and after today, iam due. here there is heat, a chance to work, or play.

some just sit in silence. this war could be a long wait. ludmilla and his mother are here to get hot water for his child, who's unwell. olga says the strain of it all is getting to her. translation: it was already very difficult for me, - i used to hold on but now my nervous system cannot cope with this load. it's so hard, this morning i could barely get up. winter brings a few guarantees, except the cold, and fears russia will keep targeting ukraine's energy system, driving people here to shelter from their own homes. jessica parker, bbc news, kyiv. could the key to finding the wheat crops of the future be hidden in a 300—year—old museum collection? that's the hope of scientists at london's natural history museum. our science editor rebecca morelle has more.

wheat. in britain, the most momentous harvest of all time. it's a crop we've long relied on. it was the start of a farming revolution, growing only a few varieties chosen to produce as much grain as possible. there are 12,000 specimens of wheat and its relatives stored here, and they date back to the 1700s and come from every continent apart from antarctica. and the hope is that looking back into the past can help us to produce the crops of the future. this specimen, which was collected on captain cook's first

voyage to australia... oh, wow, you can see the dates, can't you? every wheat specimen is painstakingly examined and photographed, and 1,500 of them will have their genomes sequenced. because the collection spans also across time, across 300 years, we have specimens that are from before the introduction of various agricultural techniques, so they can tell us something about how wheat was growing wild, or before things like artificial fertilisers. the project will take months to complete. ah, so here we are. at thejohn innes centre in norwich, they're also shining a light on the past. i wanted to show you these old herbarium sheets. their samples go back 100 years and they're looking to crossbreed these older plants with today's varieties. and what we want to do is look for new and useful genetic variation. so disease resistance, stress resistance, increased yield. they've already started some field trials.

it's essential to find solutions. climate change and the extreme weather it brings is reducing the amount we can grow globally. and pests and diseases are a big problem, too. one fifth of the projected yield is lost to them each year. there's a very important disease of wheat, which is a global problem called yellow rust, and that has been increasingly difficult to control and defend wheat against. within this collection of old wheat, there are new resistances to that disease which stand up against this disease. and they're being deployed by breeders right now to defend this really important threat to wheat production. the wheat we grow is going to have to change. looking back into our past and rediscovering lost varieties could be the best way to move forward.

rebecca morelle, bbc news. nasa's orion capsule has broken the record for the furthest distance travelled from earth by an inhabitable spacecraft. the test flight, which does not have any crew onboard, is more than 400,000 kilometres from earth. that's more than 300 kilometres beyond the previous record, held by apollo—13. it started with one man and his canoe during lockdown — and soon developed into a community drive to keep local waterways clea n. whenjames elliot began picking litter out of the river freshney in north east lincolnshire a few years ago, little did he think he would inspire a team of volunteers along the way. this is his story. hello, my name is james, also known as the canoe river cleaner.

i just thought, something has got to be done. i've got a canoe, let's crack on. when i first started, it was typically ten bags every time i went out. he's doing a fantasticjob. whilst it's not the longest river in the country, it's a little bit much for me to manage. it's good for the environment, it's good for the local area. so i started a group called the freshney comrades. nobody likes seeing litter, especially on the river, because of all the wildlife. swans, ducks and things. that's why we come and do our bit and hopefully make it a nice place for everyone. this is kind of meditation for me. i like being around nature, it de—stresses me, and as well as everything,

i'm making a difference so it is a win—win. so, together with what i'm doing on a regular basis and all my volunteers, we see the river in a lot better condition. the river with a bit more care. it's glorious to have this running through our town. we have got a lot of proud people in our town, it starts with them taking care of the environment and people are doing that. people come and pat you on the back and say, do you want a coffee, nice one, and it acts as fuel. it makes me feel that what we are doing is valid and important and keeps me going. when it comes to what i want to do in the future, it's just the same.

carry on doing this part of the river that is manageable for me and hopefully inspire others to get their own piece of the environment to change. now it's time for a look at the weather with ben. we've seen some outbreaks of rain pushing eastwards across the uk this weekend and that rain has not been in the mood to clear quickly. still lingering close to the south—east as we go through the rest of the day. sunshine and showers elsewhere but through the channel islands, south east england, that rain will always be close by. further north and west more in the way of sunshine but scattered showers for western coasts of england and wales, northern ireland scotland seen the of heavy thundery showers. another mild day. this evening, this venture eventually cleared the south—east corner. it could take awhile to do showers feeding into western parts and dense fog developing in east

england where they could be a touch of frost. most places will stay between four and 80 degrees. some of that fog could be slow to clear. one or two showers particularly in the south and west of the uk and deeper into the week it turns dry but a little bit chillier. hello, this is bbc news, i'm ben brown. the headlines... anti—government protests against strict covid restrictions continue to spread across china with some demonstrators calling for the country's leader, president xi, to go. people in the uk who use social media posts to encourage self—harm will face criminal prosecution under new government proposals. rescue efforts are underway to find survivors after a mudslide triggered by heavy rains swept away homes on the italian island of ischia. and a new milestone for nasa's orion spacecraft as it breaks the record for the furthest distance travelled from earth by a vehicle that is habitable by humans.