now, we look at the increasingly oppressive actions taken by authorities in the country that have people fearing for their lives. north korea has become increasingly closed off from the outside world since officials closed the borders during the covid—19 pandemic. our correspondent jean mackenzie has this exclusive coverage. before these borders closed, north korea was already one of the hardest countries to report on. we had such limited information. but when kim jong—un sealed the border, itjust became this information black hole because all the sources that journalists would normally rely on — so, aid workers and diplomats on the ground — they left the country, so this is why we decided we really had no choice but to try and speak to ordinary people on the ground. there were two things we really wanted to find out — one was what was happening in the country and the second was how did people feel about the regime? because, ultimately, this is the sort of thing that will determine the future

of north korea. have a look at what we found out. this is the world's most tyrannical state. its supreme leader rules by terror. but kim jong—un is tightening his grip, pushing his people to their limits. translation: every day, it gets harder to live. - one wrong move and you're facing execution. this is chan—ho, one of three north koreans who've risked their lives to tell us what's been happening since the country cut itself off from the world. we've changed their names and illustrated their words using actors and animations. if i live according to the rules, ifeel like i'll starve to death.

butjust by trying to survive, i could be arrested by the state security, branded as a traitor and killed. one way to survive north korea is to escape across the border to china, but kimjong—un has begun walling his people in, installing fences and surveillance cameras. guards have been ordered to shoot anyone attempting to cross. myong—suk is a market trader living close to the border. translation: the government strictly controls the border, - using covid as an excuse. but really, it's to stop the smuggling and people crossing the river to china. if you even approach the river, you'll be given a harsh punishment. there's almost nobody crossing now. those who dare to try now gamble with their lives. translation: a friend's son told me about several - closed—door executions he saw. each time, three to four people would be executed.

their crime was trying to escape. people are stuck here and waiting to die. sealing the border has also allowed kim jong—un to shut out the thing he fears the most — foreign films and tv programmes. these are the only way north koreans can learn about the prosperous world outside their borders. south korean videos pose the biggest threat. those who share them can now be executed. this propaganda video shows people being publicly punished. translation: i was taken in for questioning. - i'm more afraid of people now. ji—yeon told us many of her friends and their children have also been interrogated. at a court in pyongyang, the local leaders were gathered tojudge a 22—year—old man in a public trial.

he'd gone around spreading south korean songs and films. his punishment was ten years and three months in a hard labour camp. before 2020, this would have been a quiet trial with perhaps one year in prison. people were shocked. we've brought our interviews to the un team that investigates human rights in north korea. mmm, wow, 0k. sighs. that's quite sobering. you shouldn't be reprimanded, let alone jailed or even executed for consuming foreign media. they are very serious violations of human rights — and in fact, in the past, the commission of inquiry of the un has said that these can, in many cases, amount to crimes against humanity. but amidst the fear, there are small signs that people's loyalty to

the regime is waning. translation: before covid, people viewed kim jong-un l positively. we hoped, perhaps, that he'd rule in a new way. but now, almost everybody�*s full of discontent. translation: nobody believes the propaganda on tv. - the state says we are nestling in our mother's bosom but what kind of mother would execute their child in broad daylight for running to china because they were starving? at one of the hardest times in north korea's history, the state is closing in on every front. people have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. it's important that we put this period of increasing repression within the context of the food shortages that we know are currently happening in the country because if you look at times in the past when north koreans have been short of food, the government has actually given them small bits of freedom to be able to do what they needed to do

in order to survive, be that selling things on the side or smuggling things over the borderfrom china. but, now that it is clamping down on all of those things, it is restricting people's ability to fend for themselves, and that is what makes this period so concerning. one by one, these lifelines that people had relied on to be able to get by are being taken away from them as the state sort of closes in and really tries to tighten its control over people. the fantastic reporting of our correspondentjean mackenzie. we put ourfindings to the north korean government, which calls itself the dprk. its embassy in london said this:

we put our reporting on north korea to us congresswoman young kim, a republican from california. she chairs the house foreign affairs subcommittee on the indo—pacific. thank you forjoining us. i wanted to start by getting your thoughts on some of these testimonies that the bbc has been gathering from of north korea, that there is a local food, supplies, medicine and many people are either starving or on the brink of starvation. first of all, the story is people in north korea are starving, it's nothing new to me. after having worked over two decades as a congressional staffer, working with a member who paid a lot of attention to theseissues who paid a lot of attention to these issues and i worked on a lot of the nuclear divock human rights issues and have the opportunity to meet and interview a lot of the north korean defectors. i've actually even went out to the border to meet with those defectors and i heard these horrible stories of

how they would starve to death, seeing your families die because seeing yourfamilies die because of famine and how the north korean regime is treating its own people. and the reasons why they are crossing the border, risking their lives, this is nothing new to me, and i'm just so sad that the last three years or so, because north korea was closed due to covid, we have not even been able to see anyone crossing the border. obviously, it was not easy to begin with but it is so close, we don't know exactly how many more people died as a result of covid. i'm sure it was also affecting them but that was really a heartbreaking story and i'm so happy that you are doing a special on this one, to give them the platform so that they can tell the story of what it is like to live under the oppressed regime like north korea. the dictator there, kimjong—un, has no desire to stop their nuclear

ambitions. even at risk of rights violations. they don't care about their people. their only interest is increasing their nuclear ambition and they will do it at whatever cost. this woman, the us have cooperated with north korea in the past to conduct famine in the past to conduct famine in the country. you are the chair of the house foreign affairs subcommittee on the indo pacific. what would you like to see the united states doing to bring some humanitarian aid to the country?— the country? first of all, the united states _ the country? first of all, the united states has _ the country? first of all, the united states has for - the country? first of all, the united states has for a - the country? first of all, the united states has for a long | united states has for a long time, starting with the 1992 agreed framework, provided humanitarian assistance like energy assistance, economic assistance. this was in the hope, for exchange for north korea stopping their nuclear weapons programme. look what happened over two decades plus. they got everything. we got nothing in return. we need to live with the reality that north korea is not going to

stop their nuclear weapons programme. we need to treat them for what it is, not what we want them to be. that includes complete, verifiable, irreversible then the regularisation of the north korean peninsula and also, demanding that north korea regime include on its —— improve on its human rights violations we see inside so without that, it has to be both, it cannot be one or the other. ,, ,, �* both, it cannot be one or the other._ weapons both, it cannot be one or the - other._ weapons but other. crosstalk. weapons but at the same _ other. crosstalk. weapons but at the same time _ other. crosstalk. weapons but at the same time talk _ other. crosstalk. weapons but at the same time talk about - at the same time talk about human rights.— human rights. sorry to interrupt, _ human rights. sorry to interrupt, what - human rights. sorry to interrupt, what would | human rights. sorry to i interrupt, what would you human rights. sorry to - interrupt, what would you like to see north korea do and bring to see north korea do and bring to the table in terms of some sort of negotiation to maybe pave the way for the desperately needed supplies for the people of the country? first of all, we have a dictator who does not care about what is people are going through, even starving to death, keeping them in the prison system, even the gulaga is, i know they still exist, but they need to improve on that and make sure they work with the united states international community to come

international community to come in with humanitarian assistance —— gulags. so that we can help those individuals from starving to death, first of all. start opening up the international world. work with their big brother, china, for example. open their economy so that from within, they can build their economy to the level that their people would not go, starve to death. , , , people would not go, starve to death. , ,, , ., death. despite those reports of a lack of food _ death. despite those reports of a lack of food in _ death. despite those reports of a lack of food in the _ death. despite those reports of a lack of food in the country, i a lack of food in the country, kimjong—un spent a lack of food in the country, kim jong—un spent an estimated half $1 billion on dozens of missile testjust last half $1 billion on dozens of missile test just last year. what should the white house be doing to try to prevent this build up of weaponry north korea —— $500 million. just korea -- $500 million. just this year— korea -- $500 million. just this year alone _ korea -- $500 million. just this year alone north - korea —— $500 million. jut this year alone north korea has filed —— fired more missile than ever before and last night or this morning we saw the news reports of north korea firing two more short—range missiles. we need to tell our government, the biden administration has to send a strong message that you have to stop doing this. and

work with the united states, otherwise there will be more sanctions against you and we just want our government to send a strong message. we cannotjust send a strong message. we cannot just tell them north korea, kimjong—un, come to cannot just tell them north korea, kim jong—un, come to the table anytime, anywhere, under no condition. we need to put a condition there. you need to stop your nuclear weapons programme. if our international community is willing to provide the humanitarian assistance so we can help stop more people in north korea from starving to death, then you need to work with us. ,., death, then you need to work with us. ., with us. our reporting also showed that _ with us. our reporting also showed that there - with us. our reporting also showed that there is - with us. our reporting also l showed that there is growing discontent within the country. how much trouble do you think the current north korean regime is in? ., ., ., is in? north korean regime obviously. _ is in? north korean regime obviously, it's _ is in? north korean regime obviously, it's hard - is in? north korean regime obviously, it's hard to - is in? north korean regime obviously, it's hard to tell. obviously, it's hard to tell what's really going on inside, so we have to rely on the testimonies and the stories of the north koreans who are lucky enough to defect and come out. they have to tell the story,

that's why i introduce the north korean human rights act included in that will be asking the state department to appoint a special envoyjust to the state department to appoint a special envoy just to focus on human rights issues. it also includes funding for helping those broadcasting. we have a lot of defectors who are utilising the radio and mediums such as free north korea radio stations operating out of south korea and hong kong and other places to tell their story using their voices, to tell them what it is like to live in a free world. no—one understands what it is likely, those of us who live in freedom, but they can tell their story and i tell them about north korea and south korea. if you want to see what it is like to live in a free world verses in the oppressed country like north korea, just look at south korea at night. versus north korea. that's the stark difference between freedom versus oppression.

congresswoman young kim, chair of the house foreign affairs subcommittee on the indo pacific region, thank you so much. ., ~ pacific region, thank you so much. . ~ ,, pacific region, thank you so much. . ~ ., ., several us government agencies have been hit by a cyber attack but the nation's cyber watchdog says its own defensive systems may have limited the impact. the hackers exploited a vulnerability in a program called moveit, a popular tool for quickly transferring files. the cybersecurity and infrastructure security agency says it's still investigating the scope of the hacks. it's not immediately clear if the hackers responsible are the same cyber gang thought to be based in russia that claimed credit for attacks on a number of other targets, including the bbc last week. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. voice-over: bringing you different stories i from across the uk. john evans has built up his award—winning business in stafford.

award-winning business in stafford. ~ ., award-winning business in stafford-— award-winning business in stafford. . ., ., stafford. we have had to renew our as. stafford. we have had to renew our gas- our— stafford. we have had to renew our gas. our per— stafford. we have had to renew our gas. our per annum - stafford. we have had to renew our gas. our per annum is - our gas. our per annum is bending our gas. our perannum is bending five days i will go from 10,000 to 22,000 per annum. �* , from 10,000 to 22,000 per annum. ~ , ., annum. alex is also feeling the inch. annum. alex is also feeling the pinch- she _ annum. alex is also feeling the pinch. she set _ annum. alex is also feeling the pinch. she set up _ annum. alex is also feeling the pinch. she set up her _ annum. alex is also feeling the pinch. she set up her ceramics| pinch. she set up her ceramics company seven years ago. really had to look _ company seven years ago. really had to look at _ company seven years ago. really had to look at how _ company seven years ago. really had to look at how many - company seven years ago. really had to look at how many firings l had to look at how many firings doing a month, if i can cut those down in any way. the government _ those down in any way. the government announced a new scheme lasting until april 2024. scheme lasting until april 202a. for eligible nondomestic customers. the trouble is many businesses don't fit the criteria. businesses don't fit the criteria-— businesses don't fit the criteria. , , ,, , ., criteria. some businesses that are not within _ criteria. some businesses that are not within the _ criteria. some businesses that are not within the designated l are not within the designated codes of being energy intensive users but are using a huge amount of energy don't get the advanced support that others are getting. for advanced support that others are getting-— are getting. for more stories from across _ are getting. for more stories from across the _ are getting. for more stories from across the uk, - are getting. for more stories from across the uk, head - are getting. for more stories from across the uk, head to| are getting. for more stories i from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. you're live with bbc news. turning to india and pakistan, where the most powerful cyclone

in 25 years to hit the area has now made landfall. even before the storm hit, more than 170,000 people had fled their homes. millions more are bracing for impact. cyclone biporjoy is barrelling through parts of northwest india and southern pakistan. in particular, the western indian state of gujarat and the coast of pakistan's sindh province. experts say the extent of the damage won't likely be known until later on friday and into the weekend. our correspondent arunoday mukharji is at a shelter in gujarat, and has this report. cyclone biporjoy threatening to live up to its name. meaning "disaster" in bengali, storm has brought heavy rain and wind on the coastal villages of gujarat. mandy is on the shoreline and preparing for the worst. this child is three days old

and this high school classroom has been his first home, a makeshift helter in a village, holding around 300 people now. helpless in the face of nature's fury, he and his family have no choice but to wait it out. "i'm worried," his mother tells me, "handling the situation with a baby "makes it more difficult. "i'm concerned about him and worried that if my home "is affected, what will i do then?" in this village, 13 kilometres away from where the cyclone is expected to hit, this family, among hundreds of others, has to leave. they don't know when they will come back. the 70—year—old has seen it all, too many times. cyclones are common in these parts, but it's been over two decades since she was asked to move to a shelter home. women and children first as they head toward safety in a school bus, leaving their hearts and minds back at home.

speaking to me, she recalls a devastating cyclone in 1998, which killed thousands. she tells me how she had to wade through chest—deep water to get to safer ground in a neighbouring village. she doesn't know how bad this one will be. for these families at these shelters, there is certainty of safety, but the uncertainty of what these families will all go back to after the cyclone is the overwhelming sentiment over here. the only noise to drown out the howling wind and rain is the sound of a generator being powered up. with the electricity gone, this is going to be the only source of light for the 150 people staying at this shelter in this village. it is their second night away from home, and this will be a long one as they wonder what they will wake up to. arunoday mukharji, bbc news.

former prime minister borisjohnson has been found to have committed a serious contempt of parliament over his behaviour during covid lockdowns. it is the first time in british history that this charge has been upheld against a prime minister. the privileges committee's report found that mrjohnson deliberately and repeatedly misled mps about parties when covid lockdown measures were in place. if he hadn't have stood down from his role as mp, the committee would have recommended his removal. mrjohnson called the findings "rubbish and deranged." our political editor chris mason has more. so many chapters of boris johnson�*s life have his relationship with the truth running straight through them. today, the latest chapter — a committee of his peers throwing the book at him. was he honest about what went on in downing street during the very covid restrictions he'd imposed on the rest of us? all guidance was followed completely during number 10. really?

there was no party and that no covid rules were broken. a senior civil servant, sue gray, investigated. so, too, the police. today, another page turns. the conclusion devastating for mrjohnson. let's be blunt, this report concludes that he lied. it says he deliberately misled mps, he deliberately misled the committee. he breached their confidence by saying out loud what was in their report before they did, and that he was complicit in a campaign of abuse and attempted intimidation of the committee. look at what else the committee had to say. it takes aim at: and it said some of mrjohnson�*s:

reporter: is this - the end, mrjohnson? we're shouting at borisjohnson because he said no to an interview. he put out a written statement instead, claiming the report is "rubbish, a lie, deranged, absurd and complete tripe." have you run out of road? and he said: you've been there and seen it with your own eyes. harriet harman is the labour mp who chaired this investigation. he claims she was prejudiced against him from the outset, given things she had previously said. the report says its members were informed by the facts. jacob rees—mogg was knighted by borisjohnson

and served in his cabinet. what did he make of the report? well, i think it's over—baked. i think they want to find the worst at every possible opportunity, and i think it shows a degree of vindictiveness that does not work to the committee's favour or advantage. is this the end for borisjohnson? no way back from this, is there? there's easily a way back, because the great virtue of our system is that parliament can chuck you out, and it can chuck you out again and it can suspend you, but if voters send you back, back you come. today's report came out at 9am, but the prime minister managed to find himself in front of the cameras earlier than that... ..wanting to look like he's getting on with the job on an immigration raid in west london. you're talking about a report that i haven't seen and no—one else has seen. it wouldn't be right to comment on it in advance of it coming out and being published. so he didn't fancy saying very much, but little tongue tie from the opposition parties today.

borisjohnson is not only a lawbreaker, but a liar. he's not fit for public office, and he's disgraced himself and continues to act like a pound shop trump in the way in which he tries to discredit anybody who criticises his actions. he's built his entire career as a politician on being very shady with the truth, and what the committee has found is that he purposely lied to parliament as prime minister. today, the final page turns on the former prime minister, covid rule—breaking and the truth. the big question is whether the book is now closed for good on borisjohnson. chris mason, bbc news. back here in the us. a town in the texas panhandle has been left in ruins after being struck on thursday by several tornadoes. at least 30 trailer homes were damaged or destroyed in perryton, texas — that's according to abc's amarillo affiliate — and firefighters were still rescuing victims as of thursday night.

there are reports that the town may have been struck by as many as three tornadoes. emergency crews are still searching for survivors. the town's mayor says the number of fatalities won't be confirmed until friday morning. a look now at some other stories making headlines. a bbc investigation has found that about 25,000 russian soldiers have been killed in ukraine, four times the official figure released by moscow. the bbc�*s russian service and the russian website mediazona studied images of war graves, posts on social media and reports in local russian news outlets to reach their conclusion. their research also suggests the casualties are now mostly older fighters, with little training. us presidentjoe biden announced thursday that entertainment giants live nation and ticketmaster have pledged to provide consumers the ability to see the full price of tickets upfront. this comes following the president's pledge to tackle hidden fees while ensuring companies are committed to providing more transparent pricing. other ticketing and venue platforms, such as seatgeak and airbnb, have also decided to provide consumers the option to view full pricing as well.

thank you so much for watching. stay with us here on bbc news. hello there. the last day of the working week promises to be another largely fine, dry and settled one for most of us, but we are looking at some changes taking place to our weather, all because of this area of low pressure, sitting out in the atlantic, very slowly edging towards our shores. it's going to continue to destabilise the atmosphere across western areas, so, through the morning, we'll see a bit of cloud here, certainly across the southwest, cornwall and devon, into wales, northern ireland. some western parts of england could start to see some showers developing. some of these could be heavy and thundery, but the vast majority of scotland, central and eastern england, another dry, sunny one. warmer along the east coast, along north sea coasts, and we could be up to around 27 or 28 degrees. as we head through friday night,

it looks like those showers, thunderstorms trundle their way northwards into southern and western scotland. further showers pushing into wales and the southwest, but central and eastern areas, once again, staying dry, and a mild night to come, certainly across the west. some chillier spots under clear skies in the east. the weekend then looks a bit more unsettled. we'll see increasing chance of showers, even longer spells of rain on sunday, and for most of us, it's still going to feel quite warm, but not as warm as it has done. so, for saturday, then, a bit more cloud around, generally, but again, lots of sunshine, central and eastern scotland, central and eastern england. most of the showers will tend to be across the south and the west, and again, some of them could be heavy and thundery. temperatures reaching highs around 25 degrees, a little bit lower out west, because of more breeze, and certainly more cloud and showers, and as we move into sunday, it looks like this weather front will push across the country, bringing areas of thundery rain and further showers. so, initially, it'll start dry, with some sunshine in central and northern areas. but these showers and longer spells of thundery rain across england and wales,

northern ireland will start to migrate their way northwards into central and southern scotland later in the day on sunday. so, because of this, temperatures won't be quite as high — still above the seasonal norm, but we're generally into the low—to—mid 20s. and then, beyond sunday, into next week, it looks like low pressure will stick close by to the west of the uk, constantly bringing a feed of showers, but there will be some sunny spells in between. best of that sunshine will tend to be across southern and eastern areas, where, once again, it'll turn quite warm. but further north and west, temperatures will be a bit closer to the seasonal norm. take care.

voice-over: this is bbc news. voice-over: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines we'll have the headlines and all the main news stories and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour, for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. straight after this programme. welcome to hardtalk, i'm stephen sackur. when we talk about people with the power to change the world, usually are thinking of political leaders or maybe corporate titans but today, my guest is a philosopher who has harnessed the power of ideas to influence collective behaviour. australian peter singer has spent a lifetime bristling with ethical choices in the real

world, most notably