0:00:20 > 0:00:21Good afternoon.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25North Korea has described the latest United Nations sanctions as an act
0:00:25 > 0:00:30of war and tantamount to a complete economic blockade.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32The UN Security Council imposed the US-drafted measures on Friday,
0:00:32 > 0:00:36in response to Pyongyang's ballistic missile tests.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39North Korea has vowed to strengthen its nuclear deterrent
0:00:39 > 0:00:41to frustrate America.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Sophie Long sent this report from the South Korean capital, Seoul.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54An act of war that violates peace and stability
0:00:54 > 0:00:55on the Korean peninsula.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57That was North Korea's reaction to the latest and toughest
0:00:57 > 0:01:01round of sanctions to be imposed on Pyongyang.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04The US-drafted resolution was agreed by all members
0:01:04 > 0:01:06of the UN Security Council, including China, North Korea's main
0:01:06 > 0:01:09ally and trading partner, who called again for all parties
0:01:09 > 0:01:13to show restraint.
0:01:13 > 0:01:18I'm grateful to my colleagues for the serious measures
0:01:18 > 0:01:26we have enacted on behalf of the North Korean people and I ask
0:01:26 > 0:01:31you keep them in your thoughts and prayers this
0:01:31 > 0:01:33holiday season, as we continue to fight against this,
0:01:33 > 0:01:35the most tragic example of evil in the modern world.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38The new sanctions include a ban on the import of nearly 90%
0:01:38 > 0:01:40of all oil supplies to North Korea.
0:01:40 > 0:01:41Vital to its missile and nuclear programmes.
0:01:41 > 0:01:49They also require the repatriation of North Koreans working abroad.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51It's believed Pyongyang uses their earnings to help
0:01:51 > 0:01:55fund its weapons development.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57The sanctions come in response to this,
0:01:57 > 0:01:59the firing of Pyongyang's most powerful missile yet,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03one it said could reach US soil.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05They're intended to push Pyongyang to the negotiating table
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and towards a diplomatic solution.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10But today's response indicates Kim Jong-un has little desire
0:02:10 > 0:02:12to give up his nuclear ambitions.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16Sophie Long, BBC News, Seoul.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Two men have died after a crash on M40 involving
0:02:19 > 0:02:21a number of vehicles.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Four people were injured, one seriously.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Police and paramedics were called to the scene on the northbound
0:02:26 > 0:02:28stretch of the motorway, in Oxfordshire, just
0:02:28 > 0:02:30before midnight.
0:02:30 > 0:02:37Officers from Thames Valley Police are calling for witnesses.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Rescuers are searching for victims of a tropical storm
0:02:40 > 0:02:43in the southern Philippines, where more than 200 people have died
0:02:43 > 0:02:44in mudslides and flash floods.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes,
0:02:47 > 0:02:48as Howard Johnson - our correspondent
0:02:48 > 0:02:53in Manila - explains.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55in Manila - explains.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58High winds and heavy rain have battered Mindanao
0:02:58 > 0:03:01for the last three days, as tropical Storm Tembin
0:03:01 > 0:03:04made its way across the country.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Rivers burst their banks, inundating towns, while a number of villages
0:03:06 > 0:03:09were buried under landslides.
0:03:09 > 0:03:15A spokesperson for the United Nations Children's Fund said
0:03:15 > 0:03:18conditions on the island are dire and that many are without clean
0:03:18 > 0:03:19water or electricity.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21There were 103 houses here.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25When the flood happened, it swept them all away.
0:03:25 > 0:03:30The Philippines' National Disaster Council is spearheading
0:03:30 > 0:03:33the relief effort,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35providing meals and shelter to thousands of people
0:03:35 > 0:03:40displaced by the storm.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44displaced by the storm.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47The call for people to evacuate in good time before the storm actually
0:03:47 > 0:03:52did not have an effect. The storm passed over some of the absolute
0:03:52 > 0:03:55poorest areas in the whole of the Philippines and people live in hard
0:03:55 > 0:03:57to reach areas.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59The Philippines is hit by around 20 typhoons every year,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01bringing misery to some of the poorest communities
0:04:01 > 0:04:03in the country.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07Storm Tembin has now passed the Philippines and has
0:04:07 > 0:04:09strengthened to typhoon status.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12It's now over the South China Sea.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14It's expected to hit Vietnam in the coming days.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Howard Johnson, BBC News, Manila, in the Philippines.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22Plans to ditch the Army's slogan - 'Be the Best' - have been halted
0:04:22 > 0:04:26by the new Defence Secretary, Gavin Williamson.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Half a million pounds has been spend on a re-branding exercise that
0:04:29 > 0:04:33would have got rid of the slogan, because it was deemed elitist.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36The Ministry of Defence said the British Army is the 'best
0:04:36 > 0:04:40of the best' and that the proposals were now 'on hold'.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43London Zoo has reopened today, after a fire on Saturday
0:04:43 > 0:04:45killed several animals, and some staff had to be treated
0:04:45 > 0:04:46for smoke inhalation.
0:04:46 > 0:04:56The zoo confirmed an aardvark died, and four meerkats -
0:04:57 > 0:04:58who are presumed to have died.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01The cause of the blaze, which broke out in the Animal Adventure
0:05:01 > 0:05:03section that spread to a shop, remains unclear.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Opponents of President Putin have held a series of mass rallies
0:05:06 > 0:05:07in cities across Russia.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09Alexei Navalny - who's been jailed in the past,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11after persistent criticism of the President - told supporters
0:05:11 > 0:05:12he would stand against Mr Putin.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16However, it's not yet certain if officials will let him run.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Pilgrims have been arriving in Bethlehem, ahead
0:05:18 > 0:05:23of a Midnight Mass this evening.
0:05:23 > 0:05:28of a Midnight Mass this evening.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31But this year's celebrations take place amid rising
0:05:31 > 0:05:32tensions in the region,
0:05:32 > 0:05:34following the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's
0:05:34 > 0:05:35capital earlier this month.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Our Middle East correspondent, Tom Bateman, is in
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Bethlehem for us today.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Always a popular event, but amid the security concerns, our numbers as
0:05:42 > 0:05:48big as they ordinary would be?Well, we are here in front of the Church
0:05:48 > 0:05:51of the Nativity. This was the spot where the Christians believe Jesus
0:05:51 > 0:05:56was born. And it is the focal point of the procession that has taken
0:05:56 > 0:05:58place this morning, including religious leaders and other pilgrims
0:05:58 > 0:06:04who made their way in the route they believe Mary and Joseph came to this
0:06:04 > 0:06:10particular site. There has been much festivity in major square. But
0:06:10 > 0:06:14outside that bubble, it comes against the backdrop of two and half
0:06:14 > 0:06:18weeks of clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinians, ever since
0:06:18 > 0:06:22Donald Trump's announcement that America officially recognises
0:06:22 > 0:06:27Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. And there is now a severe diplomatic
0:06:27 > 0:06:30stand-off between the Palestinian leadership and the United States.
0:06:30 > 0:06:35The Palestinian authority President will be here tonight for Midnight
0:06:35 > 0:06:40Mass. He says he cannot accept a US brokered peace plan if one is
0:06:40 > 0:06:43announced in the New Year. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Netanyahu has held his weekly Cabinet meeting this morning and he
0:06:46 > 0:06:50has said that in his view, once again, it is the Palestinians who
0:06:50 > 0:06:53are not prepared to solve the conflict.From Bethlehem, thank you
0:06:53 > 0:06:58very much.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Rail passengers could face disruption as Network Rail carries
0:07:02 > 0:07:06out its biggest ever engineering programme. 260 projects across
0:07:06 > 0:07:09England, Scotland and Wales will lead to numerous station closures
0:07:09 > 0:07:14over the festive period. Many Britain's mainline routes will also
0:07:14 > 0:07:17be short running reduced services over the coming days.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Cricket, and England are preparing for the 4th Ashes Test,
0:07:20 > 0:07:21which starts tomorrow, in Melbourne.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23England - already 3-0 down in the series -
0:07:23 > 0:07:31will want to do everything they can to avoid the whitewash.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33Melbourne is a city which reaches for the skies.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36There are more tall buildings here than in London or in Beijing -
0:07:36 > 0:07:39a reminder to England of their now impossible climb.
0:07:39 > 0:07:433-0 down, the Ashes gone, surrounded by criticism
0:07:43 > 0:07:47and jibes from the Aussies, now England have to come here.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50And in this place, it's very easy to feel lost.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53It's happened before.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56The last England Test team to come to the MCG were 3-0 down and ended
0:07:56 > 0:07:59up losing the series 5-0.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02So how are this side any different?
0:08:02 > 0:08:04The morale in the group is still really high, and,
0:08:04 > 0:08:05you know, no-one's...
0:08:05 > 0:08:07There's no bickering.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09There's no, you know, separation within the group.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13It's good that we've all stuck yogether.
0:08:13 > 0:08:14It's good that we've all stuck together.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17You know, I wasn't here on that previous Ashes Tour but,
0:08:17 > 0:08:18by all accounts, there was differences within
0:08:18 > 0:08:19the camp back then.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22And, yeah, it definitely doesn't feel like that here.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Everyone's working hard to try and win this Test match.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26If there's hope, maybe it's in a damaged heel
0:08:26 > 0:08:29belonging to Mitchell Starc, the top wicket taker in the series.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32He'll miss the Test, to be replaced by Jackson Bird.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Some in the England camp have claimed Australia's bowling back-ups
0:08:35 > 0:08:38aren't up to the standard of the front line.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40In response, Starc can't bowl actual bouncers,
0:08:40 > 0:08:41but here's a verbal one.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43It's quite humorous, actually.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47Erm, they haven't taken 20 wickets yet in the series so...
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Erm, and we have, and then they're having a crack at our depth.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55So, I think they've got bigger things to worry about than the depth
0:08:55 > 0:08:56of Australian fast bowlers.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58So, erm, as I said, hopefully Jacko takes five.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00He still bowls quick enough.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03I'm pretty sure he still bowls quicker than the Pom
0:09:03 > 0:09:05bowlers as well, so...
0:09:05 > 0:09:06LAUGHTER.
0:09:06 > 0:09:07Erm...
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Maybe in adversity, England will find their true character,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11but Australia is planning to celebrate and humiliate.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13And around here, one thing preoccupies them more than anything.
0:09:13 > 0:09:18Patrick Gearey, BBC News, in Melbourne.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21You can see more on all of today's stories on the BBC News Channel.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23The next news on BBC One is at 5:35.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Bye for now.