i'm sharanjit leyl in singapore. the headlines: north korea remains defiant as world powers fail to agree on fresh sanctions. what happens next? it's now a record—breaking category five storm, caribbean islands make theirfinal preparations before hurricane irma hits land. i'm babita sharma in london. also in the programme: more than 35,000 rohingya refugees flee myanmar in a single day as the un warns of a humanitarian disaster in bangladesh. and a new twist in the legal row over australia's same—sex marriage vote. live from studios in singapore and london, this is bbc world news. it's newsday. good morning. it's 8am in singapore,

1am in the morning in london and 8:30am in north korea, where kimjung—un is mulling his next move after world powers failed to reach agreement over fresh sanctions. president putin of russia warned of a global catastrophe unless a diplomatic solution is reached. he said more sanctions would be useless. north korea remains defiant with a top diplomat threatening the united states with more gift packages. 0ur correspondent yogita limaye reports from the south korean capital, seoul. off the eastern coast of south korea, today it was that navy's turn to show its strength. the commander of this fleet said they were training to bury the enemy at sea. south korea has held military drills for two days now in response to the north's nuclear test. pyongyang claims it successfully made a hydrogen bomb that can be fitted onto missiles capable of reaching america.

at a un conference in geneva, north korea's ambassador was defiant. the recent self—defence measures by my country, dprk, are gift packages addressed to none other than the us. the us will receive more gift packages from my country, as long as it relies on reckless provocations and futile attempts to put pressure on the dprk. those attempts include further squeezing north korea's economy. but some don't think that's a good idea. translation: the use of sanctions of any kind in this case is already useless and inefficient. as i told my colleagues yesterday, they will eat grass, but they will not give up this programme if they do not feel safe. south korea doesn't feel safe either and so is setting up this american anti—missile defence

system, designed to shoot down enemy rockets. and now president trump has said he is allowing japan and south korea to buy more sophisticated military equipment from the us. he's also agreed to remove limits on these south korean missiles, lifting restrictions on the weight of the warheads they can carry. it's this country, south korea, which has the most to lose if things go wrong. some people here even still have family still living up in the north. but they've heard these threats for so long now that they've almost become a part of normal life here. and yet things are a bit different now. translation: the experiment north korea did this time was much larger in scale and so it makes me nervous. this woman says she is worried, but she doesn't believe war is going to break out. barely 50 kilometres from the border with north korea, people here live each day with the knowledge

that they are vulnerable, but with a strong belief that the peace that has held for more than 60 years is not about to be broken. you cater lemire, bbc news, seoul. -- yogi —— yogi till i. also this hour, us weather forecasters are urging island nations in the caribbean to finish up preparations for the arrival of hurricane irma. irma has now been upgraded to an extremely dangerous category five storm and the national hurricane center in miami says it has sustained winds of nearly 300 kilometres an hour and could strengthen further. here's bbc weather presenter stav danaos. the caribbean is bracing itself for one of the strongest hurricanes ever to develop in the atlantic. hurricane became a powerful category five storm late on tuesday and its continuing its journey westward during wednesday. could be some

devastation to many areas. this storm really means business, it's an extremely dangerous storm that will maintain its strength for the next few days. sustained wind speeds of 185 mph gusting over 200 mph, torrential rain and a significant storm surge that could lead to some severe coastal flooding so this storm really means business. it's an ongoing story and we'll keep you updated. also making news today: syrian government forces have broken a long—running siege of the eastern city of deir al—zour by the islamic state group. the syrian army and pro—government forces reached an army brigade that's been trapped in the enclave alongside some 90,000 civilians for several years. deir al—zour and its surrounding province is the last major territory in syria still mostly controlled by is. a court has ordered a french celebrity magazine to pay 100,000 euros in damages to the duke and duchess of cambridge for publishing topless

photos of the duchess five years ago. the photographs ta ken when william and kate were on holiday at a private chateau in provence were printed by closer magazine. the head of brazil's 0lympic association is being questioned by police investigating what they say is strong evidence of vote buying to secure rio‘s successful bid to host the 2016 games. carlos nuzman‘s house and offices have been searched and his assets frozen. his lawyer says his client is innocent. and dramatic scenes on the south coast of england, 13 people had to be winched to safety after becoming trapped up a 53—metre high viewing tower in dorset. 11 members of the public and two members of staff were rescued from thejurassic skyline tower by coastguard helicopter. the operator of the tower said the problem was down to technical difficulties. let's return to our main story now,

that warning from a north korean diplomat about turning up the pressure on pyongyang. michael madden runs a website focusing on north korea. speaking to me from utah, he said that global powers will need to recognise the changed military status of pyongyang. the north koreans are in the final phase, basically having credible nuclear deterrents right now, so it's not really a matter of any question of stopping north korea doing what they're doing and dismantling their current inventory, but the approach, and putin slightly alluded to this, is that they should be approached as a nuclear weapons power and it's just a matter of time before some foreign policymakers decide to acknowledge that reality. you say it's a reality. we've seen these photographs over the last few days since the weekend testing of that so—called hydrogen bomb. these are photos of selfies

of kimjong—un and his team. they've been called selfies. pointing at missiles, maps and drawings and various things. who are these people at the centre of the drama? the gentlemen we see in a lot of these photographs have largely been behind the scenes for a number of years, even in the case of kim jong—un this past weekend. two of the gentlemen from the weekend, whose names we know, under his father we never saw these people. so what we're seeing now, these are people who have not been public figures who have been given procedure and publicity by kim jong—un. kim jong—un conducts the nuclear

programme with more transparency and more information given to the outside world than by his father. transparency, that's an odd term to use when it comes to north korea. what has kimjong—un brought to the table in terms of prioritising the weapons development? they have a policy which is the two line policy. nuclear weapons are basically north korea's number one national priority, the development and deployment of credible nuclear deterrents, the number one policy priority. that's what he came in with when he took power six years ago. it has been a priority for him because it's a major accomplishment. north korea this entire time has been reaching this final phase. president trump has moved to abolish another defining legacy

of his predecessor by announcing an end to a scheme that protected undocumented illegal immigrants in the us from being deported. the programme called daca was introduced by barack 0bama five years ago allowing undocumented immigrants to work and study with a permit. it's thought that almost 800,000 people are currently on the programme. 0ur correspondent aleem maqbool has more details. anger at what's seen as the white house once again being anti—immigrant. the decision affects those brought to this country illegally as children, who under president 0bama were offered an amnesty. the us attorney general announced it's been scrapped. the effect of this unilateral executive amnesty, among other things, contributed to a surge of minors at the southern border which yielded terrible humanitarian consequences. it also denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of americans by allowing those same illegal

aliens to take those jobs. jemena is one of the hundreds of thousands affected, now fearful she'll lose her job and ultimately be deported. it's tough. it's tough to think that as a young adult you have given a lot to a country and that you love a country so much and you feel like you've earned something and they take that away from you. and jesus, a paramedic who's been working to help the victims of the flooding in houston, is another who has had his life turned upside down by this decision. entire lives are here. there's nothing that's back in our countries. i haven't been back to mexico since i was six, so to be sent back to mexico i wouldn't know what to do, i wouldn't know where to go.

the president says it has been a tough decision. i have a great heart for the folks we're talking about, a great love for them. in the end, after mr trump dithered, those on the right forced his hand, at the disappointment of those now protesting. people here may be outraged, but they won't be surprised. this after all was one of president trump's election promises and there will be millions of his supporters who are today celebrating and others who even feel he needs to go much further. the president's given congress six months to come up with an arrangement that could soften the blow. and for so many who've been contributing to american society for years, there is already a sense they've been cast out. aleem maqbool, bbc news, washington. there's been a crackdown by the

burmese military on the ra finger muslims. the un has warned of a growing crisis. narendra modi will discuss the rising violence when he meets aung san suu kyi. joining me from yangon is the journalist poppy mcpherson. she has been looking at this and other stories. tell us a bit about the significance of indian prime minister narendra modi addressing the rohingya issue while he's there. the rohingya issue will be top of the agenda but also this visit is about trade. myanmar and india are looking to boost economic relations, india specifically is trying to compete with chinese influence here, so compete with chinese influence here, so while the rohingya issue will be on the agenda, modi also has to walk

a delicate line because he doesn't wa nt to a delicate line because he doesn't want to annoy aung san suu kyi and risk any economic projects. as you say, he's walking a delicate line here but of course the rohingya issueis here but of course the rohingya issue is paramount, it's been called a humanitarian crisis. how much influence could he or any one else possibly yield on the issue? it's ha rd to possibly yield on the issue? it's hard to say. aung san suu kyi obviously as we know does not have com plete obviously as we know does not have complete control of this country. the military still retains hold over key institutions and it's the army chief who has a say on what's going on in rakhine state and with the rohingya crisis at the moment. it's whether india can be influential, indonesia, which the foreign minister just visited indonesia, which the foreign ministerjust visited here, they are definitely key to solving this. they have economic leverage over myanmar. i think they have as much if not

more influence than western voices here. indeed they are a powerful economic force to the north. as a journalist who has been covering this crisis from within the country, can you tell us about some of the stories you have heard that potentially may be going under reported that perhaps people from outside haven't been focusing on? short. in myanmar there is very much been a focus on what the militants have been doing here and the state media certainly claims there is an ongoing fight with armed rohingya. how armed they are, it is basically just knives, it is hard to say. they are saying they are focusing on buddhist civilians and hindu civilians killed but again, as a journalist, it is very difficult to

verify what's going on there because we haven't been given free access to the area. thanks forjoining us, p°ppy the area. thanks forjoining us, poppy macpherson in yangon. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme: we head to the beautiful mountains of indian—administered kashmir that's home to an inspiring story. they come here because they want to, not because they have to, and that enthusiasm that happening is clearly visible on their little faces. she received the nobel peace prize for her work with the poor and dying in india's slums. the head of the catholic church said mother teresa was a wonderful example of how to help people in need. we have to identify the bodies, then arrange the coffins and take them back home. parents are waiting and wives are waiting. hostages appeared, some carried, some running, trying to escape the nightmare behind them.

britain lost a princess today, described by all to whom she reached out as irreplaceable. an early—morning car crash in a paris underpass ended a life with more than its share of pain and courage, warmth and compassion. i'm sharanjit leyl in singapore. i'm babita sharma in london. our top stories. north korea remains defiant as world powers fail to agree on fresh sanctions and what to do next.

as hurricane irma strengthens to a dangerous category five storm, caribbean islands make theirfinal preparations before the records breaking storm hits land. the us actress meghan markle has spoken about her love for prince harry in public for the first time, saying: "personally, i love a great love story. " the star of us drama suits has been speaking to vanity fair saying the pair are enjoying special time together. that story is popular on bbc.com. let's take a look at some front pages from around the world. as the world ponders china's diplomatic role in pacifying north korea, the online edition of the south china morning post shows just how concerned beijing is about its own security. it shows china carrying out military exercises to shoot down incoming missiles in what the paper says is a show of military strength intended as a warning to pyongyang. staying with china,

the new york times looks at bike sharing. it says a boom in bike start—ups has flooded beijing with cycles. but it's sharing without caring — as it's also led to a boom in vandalism, theft and soul—searching. from bikes to cars in the japan times. and in a nationwide first, a funeral home operator in nagano is offering a drive—thru funeral service. not necessarily a tasteful concept, but it will allow people, especially the aged, to bid their final farewells without having to get out of their car. plans for a vote on legalising same sex marriage in australia could be put on hold, depending on the result of a high court challenge. some of its supporters believe the non—binding postal vote will encourage intolerance and homophobia. they're arguing the issue should be decided in parliament instead. a short time ago i spoke to gabrielle appleby, associate law professor

from the university of new south wales — who has been following the trial from sydney. we have just finished day one of the hearings yesterday and we heard, in the high court, from the challengers to the postal survey, and what we saw really was some pretty robust questioning from the high courtjudges in relation to all of the arguments that the challengers were putting forward. but it is a little bit too early to suggest that perhaps the challengers are not going to be successful, because it is today that we are going to hear from the federal government's lawyer, the solicitor general, and we will see how the high court receives the government's arguments in defence of the survey. what has been so unique about this hearing in comparison to the public interest that's invested in here in the wider conversation about this issue? yeah, we have seen a huge amount of public interest in relation to the hearing. i mean, it is a very unusual way that the government has decided

to go about changing the policy in relation to marriage equality. rather than just debating the issue and taking it to a vote in the parliament. the current government has a policy of taking it to the people first. that's the first unusual matter, and then the second is that we have seen rather than going to a vote, we are seeing a postal survey, conducted by the australian bureau of statistics, which is a voluntary postal survey. we saw that yesterday, in the courtroom, how much public interest there is. the courts are always open to the public but there were so many people who wanted to attend yesterday, they had to open a second courtroom and live stream the proceedings into that courtroom. we have seen this issue become a very hot topic. it is escalating in terms

of the mood there, i think it is fair to say. what do you think, in terms of political backdrop against this conversation? where the government stands — can they afford to lose this? well, the government is in a very challenging position politically, at the moment, in australia. there is notjust this challenge to the very key policy of same—sex marriage, but we have also seen, in the last number of weeks, a number of questions arise over the qualifications of key parliamentarians, including the deputy prime minister, and whether in fact their dual citizenship means they have never been qualified to sit in parliament. that other constitutional issue has meant that the government, which only holds a one seat majority in the parliament, is in a very precarious position. and really, this challenge to the postal survey on same—sex marriage isjust adding to that political pressure. they say a great teacher inspires their pupils and here's a story that proves the point.

sabbah haji's made it her mission to offer children in the rural mountains of indian—administered kashmir a world class education. the bbc‘s aliya nazki been to meet sabbah and the pupils at her school in breswana. the sun rises on another beautiful morning in this tiny village surrounded by the majestic himalayas. the only way to get up here is along this treacherous path, on foot or on the back of a mule. but despite its remoteness, high in these mountains is a beacon of hope for children here. a young kashmiri woman has set up a remarkable school. we decided to start a school for basic education. let's get some good basic education started in the area, then it will grow and basically give the kids the same opportunity that kids have elsewhere.

and this school started with that idea. we give them that foot in the door and then they can do whatever they want, basically. the noble brutus told you that caesar was ambitious... the children move seamlessly from shakespeare to harry potter. there are even some budding young poets. the system of education, especially in the rural parts of this region, can often leave a lot to be desired, but this school, though, is clearly making a positive difference to the lives of these children. they come here because they want to, not because they have to, and that enthusiasm and happiness is clearly visible on their little faces. some of the studetns are the first in their families to receive an education and their curiosity for the world knows no bounds. sometimes i think i should be a teacher so i can help students here and there. i want to increase education in my village so that some people from our village can become famous and go out in the world and explore the world and see what is happening around the world. getting good teachers has proved nearly impossible for sabbah, so she has started what has turned out to be a highly successful

volunteer programme. people from india and the rest of the world come here to dedicate their time to make a difference. these children are keen and eager to make their mark in the world and this remarkable school is giving them an important head—start. aliya nazki, bbc news, breswana, kashmir you have been watching newsday. stay with us. we look at how a jump in mining exports in australia has boosted the prospects for economic growth. and before we go, let's take a look at these pictures from algeria where vets at the hamma garden zoo have been showing off their new line cub, kyla, who was born in may. kyla clearly loves a bottle of milk. but she also seems have a lot of fun playing with her keepers in their office.

good morning. hot on the heals of hurricane harvey comes irma, and this has the potential of be a catastrophic hurricane. already a category 5, we have sustained winds of 185mph, potentially gusting to 220mph. you can see quite clearly the eye of the storm, here on the satellite picture. it is notjust the strength of the winds and the volume of the rain, it's also a significant storm surge that's heading towards the leeward isles. the storm surge is where, underneath this area of low pressure, it literally lifts the surface of the sea by as much as 9—11 feet, descending across these caribbean islands. so certainly, we will need to keep you updated on developments of that storm. back closer to home, things are a little quieter. we have got more of a westerly

direction to the source of our air now, that means so slightly fresher and it does mean that first thing in a morning we could actually see temperatures into single figures in more rural spots. so it will be a chilly start but potentially a dry one, with some sunshine coming through. there will be a scattering of showers into the far north—west with more of a significant breeze here. but the rest of the sheltered south—eastern area should see some sunshine and, as a consequence, we should get some warmth as well. highest values possibly up to 20 degrees, as supposed to 1a to 17 further north and west. now, as we move out of wednesday, into thursday, the winds will strengthen again, and we will see more significant rain. an area of low pressure will move in from the atlantic. it is going to bring heavy rain to scotland and northern ireland, eventually moving through the borders into the north of england and north wales. further south of that, is a drier story, but it does mean a pretty disappointing day on thursday afternoon, in scotland, underneath the cloud, with wind and the rain — 13—15 degrees at the very best. some of the rain quite heavy close to the lake district, and stretching over

the higher ground of wales. sheltered eastern areas should cling on to some sunshine and, if this happens, we could see 19—20 degrees perhaps, across the southeast through london. further west, wit hmore of a fresher westerly breeze, a little more cloud and a slightly fresher feel. that low pressure, with its front, sweeps south and east, during thursday night, into friday. it takes a spell of significant rain with it as well. wrapped around that low, there will be some squally showers. so some rain to come for england and wales, for a time. some of the showers heavy, with some hail and some thunder into the far north—west. and temperatures, again, pretty disappointing. i can offer you something a little better as we move into the start of the weekend. drier through england and wales with a scattering of showers into the far north—west. take care. i'm babita sharma with bbc world news. our top story: as north korea's kim jung—un mulls over his his next move, world powers fail to reach agreement over fresh sanctions. with pyongyang remaining defiant, president putin of russia has warned of a global catastrophe unless a diplomatic solution is reached. residents of several island nations in the caribbean are being warned to prepare for the arrival

of hurricane irma. it has now been upgraded to a potentially devastating category five storm. and this story is trending on bbc.com. the trump administration is ending the legal protection for immigrant children brought to the us illegally by their parents. the 0bama policy, called daca, gave legal status to almost 800,000 young people, known as dreamers. that's all from me for now. stay with bbc news. and the top story here in the uk: a serious case review into the murder of a 21—month—old ayeeshia—jayne smith has found that social workers