this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. blast—off for the first astronauts to china's new space station and the country's longest crewed mission. police in hong kong say 500 officers took part in a dawn raid to arrest five executives from the pro—democracy apple daily newspaper. the nightmare goes on — hundreds of thousands of rohingya children who fled myanmar�*s military now facing sexual abuse, trafficking and detention. and as president biden arrives back in the us, after his summit with the russian leader. and the bird

man flying above the peaceful beauty of a troubled middle eastern country. hello and welcome. china has launched a spacecraft carrying three astronauts in a landmark step towards establishing beijing as a major space power. the mission — to construct the country's own space station — will be china's longest with a crew, and the first in nearly five years. gail maclellan reports. and with that the shenzhou—12, the divine vessel, heads off into space and the history

books. china is going to space on a regular basis these days, sending a rover to mars, the far side of the moon, and now a manned mission to construct its own space station. this craft will dock with the section that was placed in orbit in april, and these arsenals will spend three months in a low orbit around the.— three months in a low orbit around the. . , ., ., , around the. that is going to be around the. that is going to be a lot of setting _ around the. that is going to be a lot of setting up _ around the. that is going to be a lot of setting up of _ around the. that is going to be a lot of setting up of theirs - a lot of setting up of theirs that accrues going to do for this home for chinese nationals for years to come. they will test out spacesuits, practice doing space walks and maintenance on the outside of the space station. they are going to test out their new robot arm. these are all things that the international space station astronauts have done for years but china doesn't have that experience so they are going to ramp up so they can do the same things that we know how to do.— know how to do. another 11 missions — know how to do. another 11 missions a _ know how to do. another 11 missions a plan _ know how to do. another 11 missions a plan to - know how to do. another 11 | missions a plan to complete know how to do. another 11 - missions a plan to complete the construction of the space station over the next year and a half. the commander and his crew might have momentarily felt the g load but he says

they are confident they will meet the challenges ahead as they float almost 400 kilometres above the earth stop and there is no doubt that the view is spectacular. gail maclellan bbc news. we can now speak to keith cowing who's a former nasa rocket scientist and now editor of space publication nasawatch.com. welcome to the program. the china, this is a momentous achievement.— china, this is a momentous achievement. yes it is. they are the first _ achievement. yes it is. they are the first nation - achievement. yes it is. they are the first nation to - achievement. yes it is. they are the first nation to break| are the first nation to break into the club where you put giant space stations into orbit so yes, quite an accomplishment. so yes, quite an accomlishment. �* , ., accomplishment. but in terms of the technology. _ accomplishment. but in terms of the technology, how _ accomplishment. but in terms of the technology, how does - accomplishment. but in terms of the technology, how does it - the technology, how does it compare?— the technology, how does it compare? was interesting. i worked at — compare? was interesting. i worked at the _ compare? was interesting. i worked at the space - compare? was interesting. i worked at the space station| worked at the space station thatis worked at the space station that is up there now built by the us, russia, europe and japan, it was designed and built in the 1990s, i worked on it. at the time most of it was launched it was basically technology already 10, 15 years old. so it is doing just fine up old. so it is doing just fine up there now and is state—of—the—art by china's

space station has some of the benefit of experience they have seen from us in our space station but it was wholly designed in the 21st century. so they have got a bit of an edge there and it may well be operating after the international space station has taken four been taken off—line. and your thoughts as to why they were not welcome at the international space station? it is politics and right now it is difficult for the us to work directly with china on a number of issues, including space. the interesting thing is that as we all know the space station up there now with the us and russia and so forth, has been there for 20 years. in other than a few little hiccups, for those two decades, everybody has worked together perfectly well. the politics are almost not there so you have to wonder whether those two decades of international space station has taught us how to perhaps get a longer bit better with each other here on earth. find longer bit better with each other here on earth. and in terms of — other here on earth. and in terms of the _ other here on earth. and in terms of the future, - other here on earth. and in terms of the future, china | other here on earth. and in i terms of the future, china has got the determination and the

money as well to really pioneer in space. so is there a space race to be had here?- in space. so is there a space race to be had here? this isn't a race anymore, _ race to be had here? this isn't a race anymore, it _ race to be had here? this isn't a race anymore, it is - a race anymore, it is competition but it is of the sort that inevitably there will be collaboration. i am certain that at some point americans and russian spacecraft will visit that space station and vice—versa. so competition is an old phrase that doesn't really work anymore stop it is something different. mil really work anymore stop it is something different. all right, thank ou something different. all right, thank you so _ something different. all right, thank you so much _ something different. all right, thank you so much for- something different. all right, thank you so much for being l something different. all right, l thank you so much for being on the program. fascinating as ever. hong kong police say they've arrested five executives from the pro—democracy apple daily newspaper in a dawn raid on its offices. the newspaper — which has opposed china's tightening grip on hong kong — says its editor in chief, ryan law was among those detained. the founder and owner of the newspaper, jimmy lai, has already been put on trial over similar accusations — which could carry a life sentence.

police say they are suspected of colluding with foreign powers to endanger national security. computers and mobile phones were seized, along with more than 2 million us dollars worth of apple daily�*s assets. the owner of the newspaper jimmy lai has already been put on trial over similar accusations which could carry a life term. mark simon is an advisor tojimmy lai and former executive with apple daily parent company next digital — he joins us from new york. mark, what more can you tell us about what has happened today? well, we continue to get bad news. there was about 400 to 500 police officers who came into apple daily this morning. they have subsequently started to search the offices and have arrested three leading editorial editors of our group, in other words our top editorial team has now been arrested on national security charges. they are journalists, they are not executives, i want

to make that clear. they have frozen the assets in the tank accounts of apple daily and they are now going through the taking out of evidence as they call it. they are not being particular about it, they are dragging it out by the box load and looks more like a moving company from the video i have been shown. company from the video i have been shown-— company from the video i have been shown. jimmy lai is behind bars, has been _ been shown. jimmy lai is behind bars, has been refused - been shown. jimmy lai is behind bars, has been refused bail- been shown. jimmy lai is behind bars, has been refused bail andl bars, has been refused bail and is facing further charges and now that these journalists, editors have been arrested as well and other executives, where does this leave apple daily? it where does this leave apple dail ? , ., , ., daily? it is really not where it leaves — daily? it is really not where it leaves apple _ daily? it is really not where it leaves apple daily - daily? it is really not where it leaves apple daily but. daily? it is really not where it leaves apple daily but it. daily? it is really not where| it leaves apple daily but it is where it leaves hong kong. basically they are not happy with their ability to shut down the free press in hong kong. apple daily is the largest news daily group there and also pro—democracy. so i guess they finally came to their wits and i want to finish it off before the first anniversary of the

national security law. so essentially not up to us anymore, it is up up to the chinese communist party. they seem to be able to put a man in space but they can't tolerate somebody talking in the streets of hong kong about freedom and democracy. so how long we last, i don't know. it could be days or weeks, i don't know. it could be days orweeks, if i don't know. it could be days or weeks, if we can get our bank accounts unfrozen then we have enough money to last 18 months. let me be very clear apple daily hong kong is cash flow positive, this is not a money—losing operation. we have tremendous support from the people of hong kong and an incredibly large subscription base. we are doing fine, the market wants us, it is the communist party that doesn't. but this does mark another significant step as you say in terms of the freedom of press in hong kong. because today, journalists and those in charge of the editorial side of the organisation had been arrested? yes, that is very correct. they have really stepped up our

repression, nojournalist now can take for granted that their notes are safe, that the data they are working on is safe. they have really crossed a new boundary here in terms of repression of free expression. mark simon, we appreciate you talking to us here on bbc world news, thank you.— news, thank you. thank you, goodbye- _ joe biden has arrived back in the united states after a busy trip to europe. he met fellow leaders at the g7, nato and the european union. last on his itinerary was a face—to—face summit with president putin of russia. topics included nuclear arms control, opposition figure alexi navalny and alleged cyber—attacks by moscow. from geneva, gary 0'donoghue reports. backin back in washington after six days away, joe biden has spent his time reassuring allies and confronting an enemy. the final

leg of his tour saw him sweep into geneva, closely followed by one of america's biggest adversaries, vladimir putin stop in an attempt to stabilise a relationship that has gone badly wrong. it was just a handshake but with expectations so low, it looked like a good start. afterwards, vladimir putin said that meeting had been frank and fruitful. he is very constructive, _ been frank and fruitful. he is very constructive, very - very constructive, very balanced like i expected. he is very experienced and you could tell that at first glance. what i think is on hold is that we speak the same language, that doesn't mean that we have two look into our eyes and our souls. no, we have to represent our countries, the relationship is a pragmatic one, primarily. 0n is a pragmatic one, primarily. on several areas of american concern, ukraine, cyberattacks concern, ukraine, cyber attacks and concern, ukraine, cyberattacks and the treatment of russian opposition figures, president

pushed back putin hard. for his part, joe biden said they had set out some rules of the road but he wouldn't stop raising human rights, press freedom and russia's actions in the ukraine, in what he called a positive meeting. he said ambassadors would return to each other�*s countries. ambassadors would return to each other's countries. ladies and gentlemen, _ each other's countries. ladies and gentlemen, the - each other's countries. ladiesj and gentlemen, the president each other's countries. ladies i and gentlemen, the president of united states. bud and gentlemen, the president of united states.— united states. and there would be discussions _ united states. and there would be discussions on _ united states. and there would be discussions on nuclear- be discussions on nuclear proliferation.— be discussions on nuclear proliferation. be discussions on nuclear roliferation. ~ ,. , , proliferation. we discussed in detail the _ proliferation. we discussed in detail the next _ proliferation. we discussed in detail the next steps - proliferation. we discussed in detail the next steps are - detail the next steps are countries will take on arms control_ countries will take on arms control measures, the steps we need _ control measures, the steps we need to— control measures, the steps we need to take to reduce the risk of unintended conflict, and i am pleased that he has agreed teddy— am pleased that he has agreed today to — am pleased that he has agreed today to launch a bilateral strategic stability dialogue. joe biden face two big foreign policy challenges during this trip. first to reassure allies in his actions that america could be relied upon once again after the trump era. and second, to hold a dangerous

light in russian relations. the building blocks to achieve both of those ends has been put in place but the hard work on the detail begins now. gary 0'donoghue, bbc news. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: we will be getting a birds eye view of lebanon on courtesy of the bad men of france. —— birdmen. there was a bomb in the city centre. a code word known to be one used by the ira was given. army bomb experts were examining a suspect van when there was a huge explosion. the south african parliament has destroyed the foundation of apartheid by abolishing the population registration act which, for 40 years, forcibly classified each citizen according to race. just a day old, and the royal baby is tonight sleeping in his cot at home. early this evening, the new prince was taken by his mother and father to their apartments in kensington palace. germany's parliament, i the bundestag, has voted

by a narrow majority to move the seat of government i from bonn to berlin. berliners celebrated into i the night, but the decision was greeted with shock in bonn. the real focus of attention today was valentina tereshkova, the world's first woman cosmonaut. what do you think of the russian woman in space? i think it's a wonderful achievement and i think we might be able to persuade the wife it would be a good idea if i could to get her to go up there for a little while. this is bbc news, the latest headlines: china launches a spacecraft carrying three astronauts in a landmark step towards establishing beijing as a major space power. the mission — to construct the country's own space station. police in hong kong say 500 officers took part in a dawn raid to arrest five employees from the pro—democracy apple daily newspaper.

ten years ago ivory coast was engulfed in post—election violence that sent shockwaves across africa. thousands were killed. a key figure in those elections — former president laurent gbabgo — is due to return to the country on thursday after being acquitted of crimes against humanity at the international criminal court. so is this the end of the road for the victims still seeking justice? a warning that lalla sy�*s report contains testimony that some viewers may find distressing. tensions erupted after incumbent laurent gbabgo disputes his loss to his opponent. more than 3000 people died and thousands were injured as supporters of both parties roamed the city in mobs, beating civilians during the four month long crisis. translation: i was assaulted by armed men in uniforms, stabbed in the stomach, the ribs and in the buttocks. i was beaten and

my mother also since she was with me that day, i was transported somewhere between the city, and there i saw lifeless bodies, that is where they asked my mother to say goodbye to me.— goodbye to me. there are so many stories _ goodbye to me. there are so many stories of _ goodbye to me. there are so many stories of trauma i goodbye to me. there are so many stories of trauma from | goodbye to me. there are so i many stories of trauma from the very dark time of this country's history, but has the years go by, some victims are losing hope that they will ever get justice. losing hope that they will ever getjustice. in 2015 the government established a front to offer compensation and so far 3000 people have each received a cheque for $1800, but according to one victim's association, more than 150,000 people have been affected by the conflict.— people have been affected by the conflict. �* ,, �* ~ the conflict. translation: we ma have the conflict. translation: we may have been _ the conflict. translation: we may have been a _ the conflict. translation: we may have been a victim - the conflict. translation: we may have been a victim and i the conflict. translation: we | may have been a victim and had to go on a register. there are those who come late and those who are incapacitated and they feel that compensation is not sufficient because they have

not receive support to establish them. this is very important to avoid classification or colonisation of victims. take care of all victims,. of victims. take care of all victims..— of victims. take care of all victims,. , . , . ., victims,. three years ago, the new president _ victims,. three years ago, the new president push _ victims,. three years ago, the new president push for - victims,. three years ago, the i new president push for amnesty involved for 800 people in the violence. he was later cleared in 2019 by the international criminal court of crimes against humanity during that period. there has been optimism from the international community for a rapprochement between the opposing camps of the crisis. last year, the president set up a ministry of negotiation with the strength of —— aim of national reconciliation. of -- aim of national reconciliation. ~ ,, �* reconciliation. translation: directed cannot _ reconciliation. translation: directed cannot see _ reconciliation. translation: directed cannot see that i reconciliation. translation: directed cannot see that they| directed cannot see that they have been compensated. the victims and their interests are at the centre of the concerns of the president. i understand he carries the after—effects of this crisis that we have experienced, but we are all

unanimous, we must leave the past in the past.— past in the past. yet, the past seems like — past in the past. yet, the past seems like just _ past in the past. yet, the past seems like just as _ past in the past. yet, the past seems like just as still - past in the past. yet, the past seems like just as still as i past in the past. yet, the past seems like just as still as a i seems like just as still as a way to go. save the children, says more than 700,000 rohingya children are facing severe discrimination and denial of their most basic rights because of their statelessness in the countries they've fled to. nearly four years after much of the rohingya population was driven out of myanmar by the military, the charity warns, the children are vulnerable to sexual abuse, trafficking and forced labour. let's speak to our south east asia correspondent jonathan head. i have been reading some of what say the children have had to say and it is harrowing reading. many thousands of these children, the basics, they are not getting them at all. ., . ~'

all. now, and i think the attempt _ all. now, and i think the attempt by _ all. now, and i think the attempt by save - all. now, and i think the attempt by save the i all. now, and i think the i attempt by save the children is to bring the attention back, it is almost four years since that shocking exodus of rohingyas, 700,000 women out of me admire in the most appalling conditions in violence and there was a great deal of international commitment to try and look after them, to fix what was wrong. all sorts of reasons why that has not happened, the obvious one being the conditions have not been right for them to come back to me admire, they are a whole lot worse because the very military that drove them out saying they don't belong in killing and raping so many of them, is now running the country, but the other problem is is when they settled in bangladesh there was a great deal of praise for bangladesh, and still is for accommodating more than 1 million, but bangladesh wants to emphasise that they must go back to me admire, even if they cannot, and for those reasons it has kept them confined to these dreadfully over overcrowded camps, almost like

a prison island in the bay of bengal, and although there is a lot of aid agency were going on, there are not the facilities and the ability to give children any normal environment, including education. is notjust in bangladesh. rohingyas have led to other countries like malaysia where they choose to 90, malaysia where they choose to go, and they're still stateless and have no status, not entitled to education so you have entire generations of children getting very little education or none all, and in the camps inevitably because of those conditions you are having them criminal gangs running rife with children's victims of those, trafficking, sexual abuse, constant insecurity, fear they might be deported, fear they might be deported, fear they might be deported, fear they could be exploited, there is real concern you will have an entire generation of children who have literally no future at all unless there is a greater international interest, and the interest has really waned recently a lot, but the conditions for them if anything are worse. conditions for them if anything are worse-— are worse. the conditions are appalling _ are worse. the conditions are appalling and _ are worse. the conditions are appalling and we _ are worse. the conditions are appalling and we are - are worse. the conditions are appalling and we are talking i appalling and we are talking hundreds of thousands of

children who are of an age where they should be in school, and the numbers are rising since the military coup in myanmar. since the military coup in myanmar-— since the military coup in myanmar. the situation in myanmar— myanmar. the situation in myanmar is _ myanmar. the situation in myanmar is dreadful. i myanmar. the situation in myanmar is dreadful. the | myanmar. the situation in i myanmar is dreadful. the only plus side i would say all the bright side, a very small one, attitudes inside me admire among a lot of people who are very hostile to the rohingyas, and the public supported that very brutal campaign against them, that has changed, as more and more burmese have resisted the military and seen how appallingly they have been treated they are beginning to realise the same was done to the rohingyas, that they are victims like them, and we are seeing more opposition politician saying if we managed to overthrow the military, if we can rebuild a better democracy in myanmar, and must include ethnic minorities like the rohingyas, but at this stage there is no political movement in bmr, no sign the military will loosen its grip so a change of attitude is welcome but the plight of so

many rohingyas stuck in total stateless nursing countries in the region has not changed and probably won't change without a much more committed international effort. thank you for now. our _ international effort. thank you for now. our southeast - international effort. thank you for now. our southeast asia i for now. our southeast asia corresponded with that story. let's bring you all the latest sports news. hello i'm tulsen tullet and this is your sports news, where we start with wales on the verge of securing qualificiation to the last 16 of the european championship after a 2—0 win over turkey in baku. in front of 30,000 spectators aaron ramsey scored the opener in the 42nd minute and despite a penalty miss by gareth bale on the hour mark he did set up a stoppage time goal for connor roberts leaving his side well placed to progress. we have given ourselves a brilliant opportunity now, we still have a game to go, so it's an important first point against switzerland, a good team, that gave us the platform to go on tonight and get the win, so we did in the end, and we are in a good position now.

in the same group as wales, their next opponents italy have made sure of qualification with one match left after easing to a 3—0 win over switzerland in rome, while in group b later on thursday the world's top ranked team belgium will play denmark in copenhagen, the same venue where christian eriksen suffered his cardiac arrest on saturday while playing finland. staying with football, sergio ramos is leaving real madrid after 16 years at the bernabeu. the 35 year old joined from sevilla in 2005 and has won 22 major honours with los blancos including five league titles and four champions league crowns in that time. the most capped player to ever represent spain, he was also a part of the 2008 and 2012 european championship winning sides and the 2010 world cup team that was victorious. golf's third men's major of the year, the us open gets underway at torrey pines in california later on thursday with bryson dechambeau the defending champion. most of the build up, especially on social media, has revolved around the world number five's ongoing feud with four—time major

champion brooks koepka. iam i am always going to be trying to play my game and not really worry too much about what other people are doing, but i think there are times where if it gets outside the scope of integrity and honour, that can get a little interesting, but at the same point all of it has been good fun, people are saying brooks�* name out there, i think it is great, i think it is hilarious. in the nba, the brooklyn nets are on the verge of moving through to a first eastern conference final since 2003 when they take on the bucks in milwaukee later. the nets, who overcame a 17—point, third—quarter deficit, lead the best—of—seven series 3—2 thanks to one of kevin durant�*s most impressive postseason performances. durant set a franchise record for points in a playoff game, breaking the mark of 43 set by vince carter in 2006. you can get all the latest

sports news at our website — but from me tt and the rest of the team that�*s your sports news for now. so often when we talk about lebanon — we�*re bringing you bad news. it�*s a poor country that�*s experienced decades of sectarian division — and has had to provide shelter to thousands of refugees. but it�*s also the home of unesco world heritage sites and a beautiful landscape. three french adventurers wanted to witness it first hand in an unusual way. tim allman reports. for all its troubles, let there be no doubt, lebanon is truly stunning. a country of history, mystery and of spectacle. for these three men, there�*s only one way to truly appreciate it. fred, vincent and aurelian are wingsuit flyers, so if they want to have a look around, they take to the skies.

jumping out of a helicopter, they glide across the lebanese countryside, seeing the country�*s highest peak and flying through the khadijah valley in the forest of the cedars of god. like a trio of caped superheroes, they seem to defy gravity in a fairly nonchalant way. translation: it�*s cool that we�*re the first people to fly over this country. in the end, reality asserts itself, and they parachute down—to—earth. an unprecedented an extraordinary trip across an extraordinary country. tim allman, bbc news. incredible views there. stay with us, we have all the top business stories in a moment, and we will impact the latest meeting on the part of the federal reserve, the chairman jerome powell delivering a

message that markets were not particularly pleased with so we saw a bit of a sell—off on wall street, so we shall unpack all of that in just a moment, street, so we shall unpack all of that injust a moment, i will see you soon. hello there. over the next few days, bouts of thunderstorms will be affecting parts of england, bringing a risk of some localised flooding. now, wednesday was another very hot day in the capital. 29 degrees celsius, that was the highest temperature recorded in the whole of the uk. it was also very muggy. but we had some thunderstorms that started to break out as well across northern france, and these have been tracking across the english channel into southern and eastern areas of england. really anywhere from around about dorset, somerset north—eastwards at risk of a storm overnight, but really it�*s a more general area of rain with some thunderstorms mixed in. that�*s kind of what we�*ll have over the next few hours. now, across the north—west, it should become largely dry here. a fresh night, ten degrees, comfortable for sleeping, but very muggy in eastern england. 18 degrees as we start the day on thursday. now, through thursday, a wet start, i think, across the south—east of england, east anglia,

a good part of the midlands as well, with outbreaks of rain. still a risk of a few thunderstorms mixed in. most of that rain will clear off into the north sea with the weather becoming drier and brighterfrom the south—east, but still with a lot of cloud around. best of the sunshine, scotland, northern ireland and north—west fringes of both england and wales probably having some bright and reasonably fresh weather as well. but it will still be very humid in the east. thursday night, well, it should become dry at least for a time before the next batch of storms begin to make inroads from the south. and then through friday, again, we�*re looking at another pulse of thundery rain kind of affecting the same sort of areas really. southern england, the midlands, east anglia, parts of lincolnshire and yorkshire. and within this area of rain, there will be some hefty downpours bringing a risk of some localised flooding. still relatively fresh weather across the north—west, with some bright or sunny spells coming through. now, friday night, the rain slowly pushes its way northwards and eastwards with the thunderstorms as well. saturday does look a little bit drier generally.

there�*ll be a few bright or sunny spells around, perhaps one or two showers here and there as well. and then through saturday night, more storms work up from europe. but this time, the rain�*s going to be more widespread, and it will push right across into northern ireland and scotland as well, still with the risk of some thunderstorms embedded in that area of rain. so, all in all, very unsettled for the next few days. the biggest storms capable of bringing a lot of rain in a short space of time, which could bring the risk of some localised flooding. that�*s your latest weather.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the end of ultra cheap money, just not quite yet. the fed brings forward plans for higher interest rates but it may not be until 2023. seeing red over traffic lights — ryanair and airport bosses go to court over the uk government�*s travel restrictions. first to be furloughed, slowest to be rehired? a new report warns of the pandemic�*s impact on older workers. plus — sun, sea, sand and skype — dubai touts visas to attract remote workers from around the world.