cancer "ow cancer now have a 9596 early breast cancer now have a 95% chance of surviving to at least five years. welcome back. in extraordinary report from north korea, and exclusive. that pair it back country is in a period of isolation. it's been over three years hence it sealed its borders in response to the pandemic, no one has been able to enter or leave the country. for a long time even supplies of food and medicine were stopped. this is likely to have created some of the harshest conditions north koreans have ever had to live through. three people living in north korea have risked their lives to tell the bbc what is actually happening. let's go to the newsroom, jean mckenzie has this exclusive story for us. it is quite extraordinary to hear from people like this. tell us first of all, how you got this story and the sorts of challenges you had getting

it. , , , , sorts of challenges you had getting it. , , ., sorts of challenges you had getting it. yes, it is impossible to talk to eo - le it. yes, it is impossible to talk to peeple directly — it. yes, it is impossible to talk to people directly in _ it. yes, it is impossible to talk to people directly in north - it. yes, it is impossible to talk to people directly in north korea i people directly in north korea because they are completely forbidden from talking to anyone outside the country. because the borders have been sealed for so long now and we were starting to get reports that things inside the country and the situation inside the country and the situation inside the country was dire, we started to get reports of chronic food shortages. we decided we wanted to try and find out what was happening. we worked with an organisation that actually has a network of sources inside north korea. and they were then able to find people who wanted to be interviewed by us. and explain what the bbc was and how far and wide their voices would be heard. they wanted to tell the world about what was happening in the country. for months we have been working with these sources to try and get our questions to people and have the sources relay the answers. piece by piece because it has been so risky.

it's taken months for us to get all this information and to finally piece it together and really get a picture of what's happening inside north korea. for the first time now and over three years without the peace you are about to watch reveal some of what we found for them and to warn viewers, there are pictures in the air of a famine in the late 19905, in the air of a famine in the late 1990s, which may be disturbing. food su lies are 1990s, which may be disturbing. food sunplies are so _ 1990s, which may be disturbing. food supplies are so low _ 1990s, which may be disturbing. food supplies are so low people have started — supplies are so low people have started dying. supplies are so low people have started dying-— started dying. this chilling testimony _ started dying. this chilling testimony comes - started dying. this chilling testimony comes from - started dying. this chilling i testimony comes from inside started dying. this chilling - testimony comes from inside north korea. . �* ., ., ., korea. once i didn't eat for two da s. i korea. once i didn't eat for two days- i only _ korea. once i didn't eat for two days. i only drink _ korea. once i didn't eat for two days. i only drink water. - korea. once i didn't eat for two l days. i only drink water. recently --eole days. i only drink water. recently people have _ days. i only drink water. recently people have been _ days. i only drink water. recently people have been knocking - days. i only drink water. recently people have been knocking on - days. i only drink water. recently| people have been knocking on the door asking for food because they are so— door asking for food because they are so hungry. door asking for food because they are so hungry-— door asking for food because they are so hungry. hearing from people inside this isolated _ are so hungry. hearing from people inside this isolated country - are so hungry. hearing from people inside this isolated country is - inside this isolated country is extremely rare. but with fears the country is on the brink of famine

we've been secretly communicating with people who live there. we're using actors and animations to illustrate their words and change their names to protect them. in our villaue their names to protect them. in our village five — their names to protect them. in our village five people _ their names to protect them. in our village five people have _ their names to protect them. in our village five people have starved - their names to protect them. in our village five people have starved to i village five people have starved to death. he village five people have starved to death. . ., village five people have starved to death. , ., , . ., village five people have starved to death. , . ., ., ~' death. he is a construction worker livin: death. he is a construction worker living near— death. he is a construction worker living near the _ death. he is a construction worker living near the chinese _ death. he is a construction worker living near the chinese border. - death. he is a construction worker living near the chinese border. in| living near the chinese border. in one family the wife returned to work, there are two children surviving by begging. in the end all three of them died. at first i was afraid of dying from covid but then i began to worry about starving to death. fist i began to worry about starving to death. �* . ., i began to worry about starving to death. �* , ., ., ,., . death. at the start of the pandemic north korea — death. at the start of the pandemic north korea completely _ death. at the start of the pandemic north korea completely sealed - death. at the start of the pandemic north korea completely sealed itsl north korea completely sealed its borders. these pictures released by the regime are all the worlds been able to see. for years no one has been allowed to enter the country, authorities even stop food and medicine from crossing the border.

in south korea we began to get reports of chronic food shortages. so we teamed up with an organisation here. they have sources inside the country who were able to get our questions to people. this woman lives in the north korean capital of pyongyang, the wealthiest part of the country. she tells us even here supplies are running dangerously low. . �* ., ., ., low. once i didn't eat for two days. i thou~ht low. once i didn't eat for two days. i thought i — low. once i didn't eat for two days. i thought i was _ low. once i didn't eat for two days. i thought i was going _ low. once i didn't eat for two days. i thought i was going to _ low. once i didn't eat for two days. i thought i was going to die - low. once i didn't eat for two days. i thought i was going to die in my l i thought i was going to die in my sleep at night. my husband and i survived by thanking ten more days and then another ten days, thinking if something happens we might starve but at least we will feed our kids. in there a lot of beggars now. if they are lying down we checked them

and usually find they are dead. there are others who kill themselves at home or disappear into the mountains. at home or disappear into the mountains-— at home or disappear into the mountains. ~ ., , , ., mountains. what these people are tellin: us mountains. what these people are telling us evokes _ mountains. what these people are telling us evokes memories - mountains. what these people are telling us evokes memories of - mountains. what these people are telling us evokes memories of the | telling us evokes memories of the devastating famine of the late 19905, devastating famine of the late 1990s, known as the arduous march which killed as many as 3 million people. which killed as many as 3 million --eole. ., ., which killed as many as 3 million neale, ., ., ' which killed as many as 3 million n-eole. ., ., ' , ., , people. for the past ten or 15 years we really hit _ people. for the past ten or 15 years we really hit our _ people. for the past ten or 15 years we really hit our death _ people. for the past ten or 15 years we really hit our death by _ we really hit our death by starvation, that's happened in the late 1990s or early 2000. but to hear_ late 1990s or early 2000. but to hear it_ late 1990s or early 2000. but to hear it happening again in the past two or— hear it happening again in the past two or three years i think, it is taking — two or three years i think, it is taking us— two or three years i think, it is taking us back to the arduous march, which _ taking us back to the arduous march, which was _ taking us back to the arduous march, which was the most difficult period for the _ which was the most difficult period for the north korean people. when coven finally _ for the north korean people. when coven finally breached _ for the north korean people. when coven finally breached the - for the north korean people. ewen coven finally breached the borders of authorities banned —— covid. authorities banned people from leaving their homes. during one lockdown i know of five people who were trapped in the house for five

days. they were half dead by the time they would let out. they manage tjy time they would let out. they manage by sneaking out at night to get food. . . . by sneaking out at night to get food. , , . ., ., ., ., food. the spectre of another famine has not stopped _ food. the spectre of another famine has not stopped kim _ food. the spectre of another famine has not stopped kim jong-il- food. the spectre of another famine has not stopped kim jong-il and - food. the spectre of another famine i has not stopped kim jong-il and from has not stopped kim jong—il and from funding his limited finances into building nuclear weapons. funding his limited finances into building nuclearweapons. kim building nuclear weapons. kim jong—un building nuclearweapons. kim jong—un —— put up the money he spent last year would have been enough according to some estimates to ensure the entire nation was properly fed. ensure the entire nation was properly fed-— ensure the entire nation was --roerl fed. .,, ., properly fed. people never wanted this endless _ properly fed. people never wanted this endless weapons _ properly fed. people never wanted | this endless weapons development that brings hardship to generation after generation. i want to live in after generation. i want to live in a society where we don't starve. where are my neighbours are alive. north koreans are more isolated than ever before. it's getting harder for them to survive and impossible to help them. jean mckenzie, bbc news.

we did hear back from the north korean government, we put our findings to them and to our surprise they did respond. they told us that they have always prioritise the interests of their people even during difficult times. we found this response interesting because actually, this in some ways was the north korean government accepting that times are challenging, which is unusualfor that times are challenging, which is unusual for it to do. the north korean government likes you often pretend that everything is great. the other thing they said to us was that our report was not entirely factual because it was based on testimonies from anti—dpr k forces, the dvr kilobytes and what the north korean government calls it self for that interestingly they did not re—fruit anything specific that they have given us —— refute, just the general point they weren't entirely factual reports. it is unusual to get a response from the north korean

government in this way. in get a response from the north korean government in this way.— government in this way. in terms of the borders — government in this way. in terms of the borders being _ government in this way. in terms of the borders being closed, _ government in this way. in terms of the borders being closed, is - government in this way. in terms of the borders being closed, is there l the borders being closed, is there any sort of indication of perhaps when they might reopen? thea;r any sort of indication of perhaps when they might reopen? they have been murmurings _ when they might reopen? they have been murmurings of _ when they might reopen? they have been murmurings of the _ when they might reopen? they have been murmurings of the past - when they might reopen? they have been murmurings of the past couple of months that perhaps the north koreans are preparing to reopen the border. of course it has been more than three and half years and every other country in the world has reopened its borders after the pandemic. ultimately, we don't know as is the case with so much about north korea. they could decide they want to keep them close for another couple of years kim jong—un with up i think at the moment will be making a calculation, it's clear that these border closures are hurting people a great deal and people in the country are dying as a result of being so close but not closed up from the rest of kim jong—un the world. at the same time has chosen to keep the board is closed for a reason. if he were to open up it would mean letting foreign diplomats back into the country, aid agencies can aid workers, it would really be in allowing the rest of the world to see what has been happening and

perhaps he is not ready to do so if indeed things are as bad as our interview are telling us they are. thank you for taking us through all of that. the details of that exclusive report. just a point, you will hear more from those north korean people, you can actually watch jean mckenzie korean people, you can actually watchjean mckenzie is documentary, north korea, the insiders with up is on bbc two tonight at 7pm or on the bbc iplayer. the uk economy grew by 0.2% in april, after shrinking slightly in march, according to the latest figures. it means that in the three months from february to april the economy was stagnant, growing by only a tenth of a percentage point. and inflation remains high, which has implications for people's mortgages and rents. the chancellor today said inflation was the number one challenge facing the uk, and said there's no alternative but to hike interest rates

to tackle rising prices. we're ina we're in a very different situation to where we were last autumn. the international monetary fund, the international commentators think the british economy is on the right track. the government is doing the right thing to support the bank of england. but like other countries, we have an issue with inflation, is higher than people expected. and if we want growth, prosperity, remove that worry that families have about the increase in the weekly shop, the cost of living going up then we have to tackle inflation. that is also the way we will get long term growth. there is no alternative to tackling inflation with every bit of vigour that is needed. that is what we will do. live now to richard donnell, who's the executive director of research and insight at zoopla.

why don't you start by characterising the state of the housing market at the moment. tnere housing market at the moment. there is a big slowdown _ housing market at the moment. there is a big slowdown going _ housing market at the moment. there is a big slowdown going on _ housing market at the moment. ii—ii” is a big slowdown going on in terms of health price gross. depending on which index you look at them up when used slowly for the about 20% fewer sales expected this year than last year. mortgage rates falling back towards is encourage more sales then maybe a lot of people expected. i think a lot of people are looking at some of the headlines, talk of mortgage rates go back about 5% and that certainly can have an impact on market activity in second half of the year. market activity in second half of the ear. ., , .,~ market activity in second half of the ear. ., , the year. how bleak is it when you hear almost _ the year. how bleak is it when you hear almost that _ the year. how bleak is it when you hear almost that it's _ the year. how bleak is it when you hear almost that it's priced - the year. how bleak is it when you hear almost that it's priced in - the year. how bleak is it when you hear almost that it's priced in now| hear almost that it's priced in now further rises and interest rates, perhaps even up to 6%? further rises and interest rates, perhaps even up to 696?- further rises and interest rates, perhaps even up to 696? that's right. in terms of perhaps even up to 696? that's right. in terms of the _ perhaps even up to 696? that's right. in terms of the mortgage _ perhaps even up to 696? that's right. in terms of the mortgage market, i in terms of the mortgage market, what happens to interest rates has a slightly different impact on the mortgage market. a lot of people tending to fix for up to five years. the five year mortgages you still

got rates just under 5% from a lot of the big lenders. 5% is a bit of a tipping point for the housing market, the more mortgage rates go up market, the more mortgage rates go up by for i've present the boards like like the house rates will fall, not by significant amounts. it's all about how long they stay there. we had this incredible shift in sentiment and mortgage rates going up sentiment and mortgage rates going up in the last few weeks. it all depends on these next few inflation reports. and again how much the bank of england thinks it really needs to push up rates as much as the city expects to get that impact on emplacement two inflation that we heard about earlier. giee emplacement two inflation that we heard about earlier.— heard about earlier. give us a ulim se heard about earlier. give us a glimpse of— heard about earlier. give us a glimpse of the _ heard about earlier. give us a glimpse of the type _ heard about earlier. give us a glimpse of the type of - heard about earlier. give us a l glimpse of the type of suffering heard about earlier. give us a - glimpse of the type of suffering it is causing. there are so many people out there who had fixed term mortgages that are come to an end, they started of course where interest rates were incredibly low, they are already much higher, 12 hikes we've had for that will probably get 13, and maybe even 1a in terms of rises in interest rates. how much pain is not actually having

in terms of those sort of fixed—rate mortgages? i in terms of those sort of fixed-rate mortgages?— in terms of those sort of fixed-rate mortgages? i think the ons put out a re ort onl mortgages? i think the ons put out a report onlyjust _ mortgages? i think the ons put out a report onlyjust recently _ mortgages? i think the ons put out a report onlyjust recently and - mortgages? i think the ons put out a report onlyjust recently and about. report onlyjust recently and about 36% of people with a mortgage say it somewhat difficult to meet their mortgage repayment hookup 60% say it somewhat or very easy. it's really hitting certain types of people, particularly those on lower incomes, people higher loan—to—value mortgages. their stress coming through but maybe not as bad as you think because we've already got double level mortgage rates. for people remortgaging, those faced with a big increase in mortgage rates do have options. they could chat to their lender, broker, they could extend the term of their mortgage. that reduces your payment or how much they go up but it means y°u pay or how much they go up but it means you pay more interest to your bank. there are options there. but against a wider increasing cost of living, that it a wider increasing cost of living, thatitis a wider increasing cost of living, that it is hitting buying power in the housing markets it can have an

impact on housing activity. bz�*itdii impact on housing activity. vital cuestion impact on housing activity. vital question for _ impact on housing activity. vital question for people _ impact on housing activity. vital question for people who may be struggling thinking, what if i get a do? that was one option talking about lengthening the term of the mortgage. in terms of the way the market is operating at the moment, is there much competition, is it worth shopping around or are all the major lenders having to do virtually the same things?— the same things? there are variations, _ the same things? there are variations, for _ the same things? there are variations, for anyone - the same things? there are variations, for anyone your| the same things? there are - variations, for anyone your mortgage situation, whether you're buying a more poverty or mortgaging new definitely chat to a mortgage broker or your lender, they understand your personal circumstances. that's the most important thing to do for the different lenders are doing different lenders are doing different things. there's a big lender that pulled product last week probably because they were at the top of all the best lead tables. i think speak to your broker and find the right dealfor you think speak to your broker and find the right deal for you at this point in time. . ., ., ., ., . the right deal for you at this point in time. . ., ., . ., ~ in time. richard, good advice. thank ou for in time. richard, good advice. thank you for taking _ in time. richard, good advice. thank you for taking time _ in time. richard, good advice. thank you for taking time to _ in time. richard, good advice. thank you for taking time to speak - in time. richard, good advice. thank you for taking time to speak to - in time. richard, good advice. thank you for taking time to speak to us i you for taking time to speak to us on the program.

the labour leader, sir keir starmer, has accused rishi sunak of being �*too weak�* to block borisjohnson's honours list. it comes as the government formally begins the process of calling by—elections in the seat mrjohnson vacated, and that of another of his close allies. at prime minister's questions mr sunak insisted he had acted in line with �*established conventions'. our political correspondent damian grammaticas reports. he's a prime minister who's now in open conflict with his predecessor, a deep rift with borisjohnson. at the heart of it, the honours mr johnson handed out when he stood down some to those involved in the party gate scandals. keir starmer those who threw a downing street party the night before the late queen sat alone at her husband's funeral, will now receive awards from the king. if he's so tough, why didn't block it? mr

speaker, as i said, i and the government follow due process and convention. prime ministers, prime ministers of both parties have always upheld the convention of noninterference on political honours. but the labour leader didn't let up. the argument got bitter. honours should be for public service, not tory cronies. isn't this the case? he was too weak to blockjohnson's list. and that also means that those who spent their time helping cover up johnson's lawbreaking are rewarded by becoming law makers for the rest of their lives. he talks about putting people in the house of lords. perhaps he could explain why he put forward for a peerage the former mp, labour mp tom watson, who spread vicious conspiracy theories that were totally and utterly untrue, damaged public discourse and inflicted

misery on innocent people. that drew a reprimand. could just say to the prime minister he shouldn't- criticise other members. also, you're not responsible for the other parties. - you are the prime minister. that's answering the questions, not asking the question. - his son and labour want to link the honours raw with wider issues. millions of mortgage holders will pay thousands of pounds more next year. and the blame lies squarely at the door of a government more focused on the internal wars of the tory party than the needs of the country. our number one economic priority is to reduce inflation so that we can restrain the increase in interest rate. the difficulty for rishi sunak interest rates are rising and borisjohnson seems determined to cause trouble. so he's fighting battles inside and outside his party. damian grammaticus, bbc news, westminster. ithink i think in some of those exchanges you see the difficulty the prime minister faces with up he wants to

say he's focused on the economy and other things. at the same time he wants to say the privileges investigation, the party in question, that's all processes that must be followed. he is finding himself drawn into those arguments with his predecessor. that leaves open the possibility for the opposition to try to create this narrative that mr rishi sunak is prime minister distracted by problems internally and therefore not able focus on people want in a broader sense. not able focus on people want in a broadersense. remembertomorrow the broader sense. remember tomorrow the mps broadersense. remembertomorrow the mps of investigation whether boris johnson misled parliament, next week a debate on that, in the coming weeks those by elections and all of that will mean these arguments keep coming back. the privileges committee will publish its report into whether borisjohnson publish its report into whether boris johnson misled publish its report into whether borisjohnson misled parliament. they will publish tomorrow morning much anticipated that report, is

expected to be published at 9am so you can watch full coverage of that here on the bbc news. we're expecting it at 9am tomorrow morning. new research has found that most women with early breast cancer now beat the disease — thanks to major improvements in treatments. a study funded by cancer research uk has discovered that the risk of dying within five years of diagnosis is now at around 5%. that's down from 14% in the 1990s, professor carolyn taylor, who is the lead researcher and professor of oncology at oxford population health at the university of oxford — has told be earlier how this research can benefits patients. it is very good news. what we did was we studied all half a million women who were diagnosed with early breast cancer in england during 1993 to 2015. and we looked at what happened to them and we found that the prognosis for women diagnosed with early breast

cancer is much better now than it was in the past. so for most women who are diagnosed with early breast cancer today, their risk of dying from the disease at five years is just 3% or less, and that's much lower than it was in the 1990s. tell us why those numbers have changed quite significantly. there have been many improvements in breast cancer care over the past 20 years, and each of those improvements will have reduced breast cancer death rates by a small amount. so many different improvements have had quite a big overall effect on breast cancer death. so for example, chemotherapy is now much better than it was in the past. we have new, better drugs in chemotherapy. we now use targeted agents such as herceptin, which we didn't use 20 years ago. radiotherapy is now better targeted, partly thanks to the high quality randomised trials that are done

in the uk. and nowadays more women go for breast screening and there is more breast cancer awareness. so each of those changes in breast cancer care is likely to have contributed to the better prognosis for women diagnosed today. so all of that combination of factors leads us to this positive result here and improvement. but in terms of potential downside, you and others are highlighting that there really needs to be more highly trained staff if we're to continue on this trajectory. well, part of the improvements over the last 20 years has been due to the hard work in the clinic and in breast cancer. there are many different disciplines needed, so there's oncologists and also radiographers radiologists, breast care nurses and all of those need investment and we hope that those improvements will continue on into the future.

and the other thing is that we need more randomised trials and research studies. so some of the improvement will have been due to the high quality research studies in england and the many thousands of patients who agreed to be entered into those studies. and again, we hope that that will continue on into the future. and the next step? what is your hope in terms of the next part of research? well, there are many different research steps going on at the moment, and there are many individuals involved in breast cancer care and breast cancer research in england at the moment. and i hope that if we do this study in another ten years' time, we will show even better prognosis for women diagnosed with breast cancer today than we have done in the study. so we hope that the improvements will continue. but there are many, many small steps in breast cancer rather than one big advance.

professor carolyn taylor speaking to me earlier. the lead researcher after that really positive news on early breast cancer. we're coming to the end of the program. why don't we end where we started this hour, which is at the vigil in nottingham with so many people turning out they are. and the families of the two students laying flowers after the devastating events of the last 36 hours. clutching hands, trying to get strength and so many students there also gathering there at nottingham university. so many wet slit that young people just reflecting on those attacks in that city centre yesterday and the awful, awful consequences. the two fathers

talked to all of those students during the visual but that let's play you some of that. i during the visual but that let's play you some of that.- play you some of that. i know barnaby webber _ play you some of that. i know barnaby webber will - play you some of that. i know barnaby webber will be i play you some of that. i know barnaby webber will be soup | play you some of that. i know - barnaby webber will be soup attached by everyone else here. he loved it, he loved to hear, he couldn't wait to come back, it drove me mad. his heart will be with you guys forever. and thank you so much for that i really can't talk much more so i'm going to pass it over. thank you. every one here really want to thank you for— every one here really want to thank you for your— every one here really want to thank you for your support. for taking the time to— you for your support. for taking the time to be — you for your support. for taking the time to be here. all of you guys, everywhere that i see a sea of people. and in such a lovely sign of the university and the bond you have postop _

the university and the bond you have postop devastating for the two fentities— postop devastating for the two families with up at me just put on the screen — families with up at me just put on the screen some of the pictures of students _ the screen some of the pictures of students giving their support and help to _ students giving their support and help to the families. the profound sean still resonating _ help to the families. the profound sean still resonating around i sean still resonating around nottingham. that brings us to the end of the program. thank you for watching. we will see you next time. hello there. for the vast majority of places, today was just a straightforward, fine, dry, sunny and very warm summer's day. look at this beautiful picture from a weather watcher in guernsey. however, also a beautiful picture, but a picture of something different from northern scotland. this was the exception. a big storm cloud there indicative of what was going on in northern scotland. you can see it here on our earlier satellite and radar sequence, some heavy showers and thunderstorms thatjust moved across the far north of scotland while the vast majority of other places stayed dry with lots of sunshine. through tonight's largely clear skies overhead, those showers in northern scotland fade some areas of low cloud mist and fog here and there.

and if anything, a little bit cooler and fresher than some of the nights we've had so far this week, nine to 1a degrees, the overnight lows for most, but into tomorrow, most places getting off to a fine and sunny start. much of the low cloud lifting, some may linger close to western coast, but again, some very isolated thunderstorms. there could just be one or two in the far north of scotland again. conversely, further south in glasgow, it should stay dry with highs of 26 or 27. western counties of northern ireland seeing some showers and thunderstorms, one or two popping up over the hills and mountains of wales and perhaps the moors of the west country can't completely rule out a shower elsewhere, but it should be largely dry. there will be a few places, though, where temperatures are just a degree or two down on where they have been of late. into friday this area of low pressure in the atlantic swirls ever closer,

and this frontal system pushing northwards would introduce the chance for some thunderstorms in the far south west of england, the far south west of wales, but more especially northern ireland, one or two popping up elsewhere. most places will be dry and with a subtle change in the wind direction, the winds not quite coming in off the chilly waters of the north sea. it is going to feeljust a little bit warmer for some of these eastern coasts, up to around 2a or 25 degrees into the weekend. our area of low pressure swirls towards us, and this will bring some sporadic outbreaks of showery rain and perhaps some heavier and more widespread thundery rain pushing northwards by the end of the weekend. so the increasing chance of some heavy downpours through the weekend and temperatures coming down just a little bit.

tonight at six — the families of the two university students who were killed in nottingham yesterday are joined by more than 1,000 people at a vigil to remember them — the fathers of the 19—year—olds both thanked everyone for their support. look after your friends and look after people around you. it's so important. grace and herfriend, they fell together. important. grace and her friend, they fell together.— important. grace and her friend, they fell together. barnaby webber and grace o'malley-kumar- they fell together. barnaby webber and grace o'malley-kumar were i they fell together. barnaby webber i and grace o'malley-kumar were killed and grace o'malley—kumar were killed on their way home after a night out. the third victim has been named as

ian coates, a primary school