welcome to newsday. reporting live from singapore, i'm mariko oi the headlines... we're on the front line of war in ukraine, near kharkiv, where, despite ukrainian advances, the threat of russian fire is constant. with every inch of ground they gain here, every other mile gives their city respite from the russian guns that you can hear. also in the programme... in the us, republican senators have blocked a democrat bill which aimed to preserve women's right to abortion nationwide.

it was put to a vote ahead of a key supreme court ruling. shanghai residents are facing more covid—19 restrictions, as china tries to crush a covid—19 outbreak. millions have now been locked in their homes for seven weeks. we are restricted on the food we can get over the next few days. no commercial deliveries, no group buys — just government—approved food deliveries. there's also further restrictions on access to the hospitals. live from our studio in singapore. this is bbc news. it's newsday. it's 6am in singapore, and 1am in ukraine. we begin our programme with a special report from the second—biggest city, kharkiv. in recent days, ukrainian forces have been retaking a number

of towns and villages, pushing russian infantry and artillery back towards the border. the fighting, which has led to a dramatic fall in russian shelling of kharkiv, has been slow and costly, but ukrainian forces, say they now have the upper hand. kharkiv is just a0 kilometres from the russian border, and the russians�* retreat, could pose a wider threat to moscow's stated aim of capturing significant territory in the east, as fresh ukrainian troops join the battle there. our correspondent, quentin sommerville, and camera journalist, darrin conway, have spent the last week with ukrainian troops, in and around the town of ruska losova, and they've sent us this report. a warning — you may find some of the reporting distressing. air raid sirens the spectre of russian victory once haunted this city. but no more.

for months, the invaders were at the city gates, but kharkiv has cast doubt vladimir putin's foot soldiers, forcing them back towards the border. this road is deadly. there are landmines either side, and a number of times, vehicles have been hit by russian shelling. so, the russians are retreating, but they're not giving up. they're trying to pin these men down, but retreating they are. there's a lot more at stake here than just the city of kharkiv. the russian supply lines to the donbas are also under threat, and these men, they say that if they can take back their city, the second—biggest in this country, just by the russian border, why can't they take back all of ukraine? for more than a week, they've been fighting and winning. still, they have to move fast.

an army in retreat is just as dangerous... ..so they're on guard. above them, they know that enemy drones are watching. he speaks ukrainian these men are exposed. at the top of this ridge, russian tanks and artillery still roam and still lay down fire. this has become a far more mobile fight. a deadly game of hide and seek in the kharkiv countryside. 0k, iwill go. you will go there, behind the fence, yeah? 0k? we're following a ukrainian territorial defence unit — all volunteers.

sit down. every second out in the open risks targeting from russians who are less than half a kilometre away. the men you see are from kharkiv. they're fighting for ukraine, but they're also fighting for their city, and it's a close quarters battle. but every inch of ground they gain here, every other mile gives their city respite from the russian guns that you can hear. explosions we're now in the third month of this war. who's winning? we are winning, of course. ukrainians are winning. every day that our guys do in mariupol, every day that our guys are doing brave acts

that they commit, you know, all these are small wins in the big war. through fields and villages, they gain ground. from here, russia attacked kharkiv dozens of times daily. now, only a handful of shells make it to the city. but there's still a danger in the village. a shell whizzes just overhead. explosion the enemy is there in the forest. out there, a russian tank is on the hunt. but they've grown used to these

tactics, so already, the men who make up this unit — an economist, a businessman, a mechanic — have taken cover. little prepared them for this, but they haven't flinched. a direct hit knocks out the power. tank fire hammers the bunker. but the men are untroubled and unharmed. and what of the people above ground? these are local men and a woman obtained under suspicion of aiding the enemy. they'll be handed over to the enemy. they'll be handed over to the security services. collaborators who cause ukrainian deaths face a life in jail.

who cause ukrainian deaths face a life injail. with each who cause ukrainian deaths face a life in jail. with each day of the war, the sentries old ties that bind russia and ukraine together are being torn asunder. olga has been trapped here from the start, she tells me, unable to receive cancer treatment. translation: i treatment. translation: .,, ,., treatment. translation: . translation: i lost so much weight because of nerves. _ translation: i lost so much weight because of nerves. we _ translation: i lost so much weight because of nerves. we decided - translation: i lost so much weight because of nerves. we decided to . translation: i lost so much weight| because of nerves. we decided to get evacuated from here. fismid because of nerves. we decided to get evacuated from here.— evacuated from here. amid the maelstrom. — evacuated from here. amid the maelstrom, and _ evacuated from here. amid the maelstrom, and numb - evacuated from here. amid the maelstrom, and numb to - evacuated from here. amid the l maelstrom, and numb to danger evacuated from here. amid the - maelstrom, and numb to danger is 66—year—old raisa. she grew up in the soviet union, lived in east germany. she can't believe it's come to this. her home and her history in ruins. translation: shards of the glass hit me in the face. _

how could she forgive russia these wounds? translation: why didn't the shrapnel hit me in the head so that _ i would die immediately? for days, she suffered through this. but i hardly feel physical pain any more. the pain is in my soul. "you're lucky to be alive," says the medic. yes, my arm is working. but lucky? god didn't let me die. now i have to live in pain. in a time gone by, raissa's father and vladimir putin's father battled hitler. but that shared memory is now lost to history.

here in russian—speaking ukraine, the past runs deep — and the suffering brought here won't be easily forgiven norforgotten. quentin sommerville, bbc news, kharkiv. the british prime minister has said the uk "will not hesitate" to act, after signing security agreements with sweden and finland to defend against any threat from what he called a "21st—century tyra nt". both countries — which are not currently part of a major military alliance — are considering nato membership in the face of president putin's decision to invade ukraine. james landale, our diplomatic correspondent, has travelled with borisjohnson to both finland and sweden, where his report begins. first stop, sweden. a chance for borisjohnson to catch up with the prime minister at her country residence — but also a chance to discuss the growing threat from russia

and what more can be done to bolster europe's northern flank. to that end, they signed a mutual security declaration, promising to come to each other�*s defence if attacked. a clear response, the prime minister told me, to russia's's invasion of ukraine. in the event of a disaster or attack upon either of us, we commit to come, upon request, to each other�*s defence and support. we've seen putin's willingness to use extreme, unprovoked violence against an innocent, independent country. in that context, of course, european democracies are thinking about all security. and for sweden's prime minister, that could also mean ending her country's historic neutrality and joining nato, the military alliance where members guarantee each other�*s security. are we safer with this declaration? yes, of course we are. this means something and it is important whatever security policy choice

we will make in sweden. the prime minister says this deal is a long—term commitment, it's not a short—term stopgap. but it could be crucial for sweden and finland in that slightly awkward period between applying to join nato, if that is what they do, and getting the full security guarantees that membership would offer. next stop, finland, and a meeting with the country's president, who is also considering nato membership. russia, he told the prime minister, had attacked a neighbour and they were to blame if finland chose to join the alliance. if that would be the case that we join, my response would be that you caused this. look at the mirror. they, too signed a mutual defence agreement. another text, another handshake. europe's security architecture changing before our eyes. james landale, bbc news.

let's take a look at some of the stories in the headlines in the uk... borisjohnson has said the northern ireland protocol — that's the post—brexit trading arrangement that mean goods from britain going to northern ireland have to be checked — needs to be fixed. the government has threatened to rip up parts of the agreement, but the european union says it could launch legal action against the uk if it does. the protocol has emerged as a huge stumbling block in attempts to set up a new government in northern ireland after last thursday's local elections the key principle in that good friday agreement is that there should be cross community support for changes. and i think the trouble with the protocol arrangements is that they have been used and interpreted in such a way as to lose the confidence and the support of one important community in northern ireland — the unionist community.

the housing secretary, michael gove, has said people in england will be given the right to a local vote on proposed property developments in their neighbourhood as part of new planning reforms. but mr gove also suggested that the government doesn't expect to hit its target of building 300,000 homes in england this year. still to come a bit later in the programme: we will hear from our correspondent in shanghai. he's one of the millions of people who have been living under lockdown for weeks. but first... a bill that would have protected nationwide access to abortion in the united states has been blocked in the senate. democrats had attempted to introduce the measure ahead of a supreme court decision that is expected to overturn a ruling that established the right to abortion in the 19705. but all 50 republicans and one democrat voted not to consider the legislation. the supreme court's final decision on the roe versus wade ruling

is expected injuly. vice president kamala harris spoke to reporters shortly after the vote in the capitol. i've just presided over the women's health protective act vote. and sadly, the senate failed to stand in defence of a woman's right to make decisions about her own body. and let's be clear — the majority of the american people believe in defending a woman's right, her choice to decide what happens to her own body. i'm joined now by anthony zurcher in washington. anthony, i guess it's not a surprise that this bill has been blocked. so is this it, in terms of what can be done politically before the supreme court's final ruling in a few months?— court's final ruling in a few months? . , , , . . ., months? certainly this is a ma'or let down ford months? certainly this is a ma'or let down for democrats �* months? certainly this is a ma'or let down for democrats who i months? certainly this is a major| let down for democrats who were hoping to do something on a national

level before the supreme court acts. but if the supreme court does hand down this decision as has been leaked last week, states will have freedom to pass legislation. so i think you'll see more action on the state level from states that have democratic majorities to help strengthen their abortion protections. but when it comes to the us congress and any kind of national protection, it didn't look like it was likely going to pass anything coming into today — and after today, anything coming into today — and aftertoday, it's anything coming into today — and after today, it's clear that there won't be any action on the national level and anytime soon. i won't be any action on the national level and anytime soon.— level and anytime soon. i guess eve one level and anytime soon. i guess everyone is _ level and anytime soon. i guess everyone is already _ level and anytime soon. i guess everyone is already looking - level and anytime soon. i guess l everyone is already looking ahead level and anytime soon. i guess - everyone is already looking ahead to the midterm elections in november — how crucial is this issue going to be? ~ , ., how crucial is this issue going to be? ~ . how crucial is this issue going to be? . . how crucial is this issue going to be? ~ . . be? well, if you look at some recent ollin: be? well, if you look at some recent polling that — be? well, if you look at some recent polling that suggests democrats - be? well, if you look at some recent polling that suggests democrats in l polling that suggests democrats in particular are very interested in the supreme court decision, interested in voting for democratic candidates who support abortion

rights much more than they were in the midterm elections beforehand. so it might actually help the democrats boost enthusiasm on their side, compared to conservatives and republicans who are already enthusiastic about voting. when it comes to mentor and elections, non—presidential elections, the enthusiasm of the base really does help decide who the victor will be. so although today was a setback for democrats and for abortion rights proponents, there may be some silver lining as faras proponents, there may be some silver lining as far as their outlook for the midterm elections. meanwhile, some companies _ the midterm elections. meanwhile, some companies have _ the midterm elections. meanwhile, some companies have started - the midterm elections. meanwhile, l some companies have started saying they will pay for the staff to travel to a state where poor doctor abortion is legal. how much corporate pushback to use —— do you expect to see cancelo i think a lot of companies will have to respond to what their employees are asking for or demanding. a lot of these companies are companies that relocated to states like texas,

where it's pretty clear that abortion, if roe v wade is struck down, will be ruled illegal entirely. so these big companies that recently relocated a lot of employees to red states — florida is another one — will have to do something to keep their employees happy, satisfied, and not looking forjobs in other states where there are democratic majorities. are democratic ma'orities. anthony, thank ou are democratic ma'orities. anthony, thank you so — are democratic majorities. anthony, thank you so much _ are democratic majorities. anthony, thank you so much for— are democratic majorities. anthony, thank you so much for that - are democratic majorities. anthony, thank you so much for that update. | you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme: scuffles break out injerusalem, after the killing of aljazeera journalist shireen abu akleh in the occupied west bank. the broadcaster has accused israeli forces of deliberately targeting journalists. the pope was shot, the pope will live — that's the essence of the appalling news from rome this afternoon, that, as an italian television commentator

put it, "terrorism had come to the vatican." the man they called the butcher of lille, klaus barbie, went on trial today in the french town where he was the gestapo chief in the second world war. winnie mandela never looked like a woman just sentenced to six years injail. the judge told mrs mandela there was no indication she felt even the slightest remorse. the chinese government has called for an all—out effort to help - the victims of a powerful. earthquake, the worst to hit the country in 30 years. the computer deep blue has tonight triumphed over the world chess champion, gary kasparov. it's the first time the machine has defeated a reigning world champion in a classical chess match. america's first legal same—sex marriages have been taking place in massachusetts. god bless america! cheering

this is newsday on the bbc. i'm mariko oi in singapore. our headlines... ukrainian forces launch counter attacks in the east, forcing russian troops out of villages near the country's second—biggest city kharkiv. the middle east—based broadcaster aljazeera, has accused the israeli military of deliberately targeting journalists, after one of its best—known correspondents was shot dead in the occupied west bank. shireen abu akleh died from a bullet wound to the head while covering an israeli army raid on a refugee camp. israel's prime minister has denied that journalists were targeted, and accused palestinians of firing the fatal shot. these pictures were filmed in the moments around when she was killed — you can hear gunfire, followed by a man shouting her name. the camera then continues around

the corner of the road, where she can be seen lying in the street. those images are too graphic to broadcast. gunfire a dawn injenin refugee camp, and the depressingly familiar echo of gunfire. and yet another death. this time, that of a well—known palestinian journalist. a storyteller silenced. shireen abu akleh was a household name to millions, one of the best—known women reporters, explaining the conflict and occupation to a generation of viewers. and this morning, she got ready to cover an arrest raid by israeli troops. at the hospital, there is disbelief among those who were with her when the shooting started. translation: we could not provide first aid to shireen. _

the youth who were trying to pull her out were also shot at, and whenever anyone moved forward, they were shot at. the israeli army says when it went in, there was indiscriminate shooting from palestinian gunmen, claiming shireen abu akleh may have been hit by them. but at least two reporters with her say the gunfire came from the soldiers — an account backed by her network. outside aljazeera's offices in the west bank, those who worked with her must now cover the death of one of their own. you can just sense the grief here, but also the anger. for people that worked with ,her she was more than just a colleague, but a symbol of fearless reporting, of the realities on the ground

for palestinians. and her death adds to the weight of grief that has been descending across this region. israelis have been shocked at one of the worst waves of violence on their streets in years. since march, at least 18 people have been killed by armed attackers. with arrest raids launched and tension surging, at least 25 palestinians have been killed in the west bank. they gathered to support the family, preparing for the first night without their daughter. she was also an american national — now the us is demanding answers. israel says it is investigating, as a veteran correspondent falls victim to the conflict she covered. tom bateman, bbc news, ramallah. authorities in shanghai are further restricting access to hospitals and food, as the city enters the most severe phase of its extended lockdown. some neighbours of confirmed covid—i9 cases and others living

close by are also being forced into government quarantine facilities as officials push ahead with enhanced measures that they think will stop the spread of omicron. from shanghai, robin brant has more. this was initially a lockdown that was supposed to last four days. we're now into its seventh week. this does feel, frankly, like the darkest time. we are seeing, as well, some of the most extreme measures imposed as the authorities try to contain the spread and try to get towards their target of what they're calling "societal zero" — so no new cases emerging outside of quarantine. now here, we are restricted on the food we can get over the next few days. no commercial deliveries, no group buys — just government—approved food deliveries. there's also further restrictions on access to the hospitals — anyone needing anything other than emergency care in the next few days will need approval of the local communist party

neighbourhood committee. now, i'm aware already of people needing emergency ambulances that have struggled to get them, they couldn't come quick enough, so they've had to go by private car. so, all of that shows you how desperate, frankly, the authorities are to get towards this target that has slipped. i think one of the most severe measures we're seeing announced now, though, is bigger swathes of people living in apartments who are near positive cases being swept up and taken to quarantine centres. the authorities now say anyone living on the same level in an apartment block, maybe even in just the same apartment block, even if they're negative, will be taken to centralised quarantine facilities. sri lanka's president has vowed to give up most of his executive powers, but stopped short of resigning over the country's economic crisis. in a national address, he condemned what he called

violent clashes between pro and anti—government protesters which killed eight people. the weather becoming drier, also becoming normal. we will look at how that works in just a moment. becoming normal. we will look at how that works injust a moment. here's the weather system pulling away from eastern england to the last hours of wednesday. there is the southwest, still areas of low pressure to the north of scotland, so it will stay stay breezy overnight and a few more showers moving in. later wins for the south, clear skies, showers moving in. later wins for the south, clearskies, could actually turn chilly in some rural spots, lows of 3—4 c by the end of the night. but a lot of some time to start us off on thursday. but for

western scotland, thanks to the low pressure from the north, we will see persistent rain arriving as a day goes on. it's been a wet week for western scotland. the rain also extends through the northern aisles through the afternoon. a couple degrees up on thursday across england and wales. friday positive pressure pattern doesn't look different to thursday. areas of low pressure to the north and france grazing northern ireland. between the two weather systems, quite a notable westerly wind. there you see the better weather affecting the northern aisles, the highlands and the western aisles of scotland through friday. elsewhere, drierand warmerforaberdeen, through friday. elsewhere, drierand warmerfor aberdeen, i7 celsius, perhaps the low 20s across southern parts of england and wales. finally by saturday, high pressure pushes far enough north to clear those weather fronts to the northwest of scotland. as the height builds north, it taps into warmer air from the continent and pumps that almost all the way north across the uk. so

temperatures rising quite widely on saturday, it coolerfor temperatures rising quite widely on saturday, it cooler for the temperatures rising quite widely on saturday, it coolerfor the northern half of scotland, some clout here, heights of 13—14 c, but 22—23 c across england and wales. humidity also rising, and it looks like thunderstorms could be widespread saturday into early sunday. at the moment it looks like they might die down for a little bit there sunday daytime, and there'll be some warm sunshine around, the possibility of more surging from the south on monday. more weather... look for those thunderstorms.

this is bbc news. the headlines... ukrainian forces have launched counter attacks in the east — forcing russian troops out of villages near the city of kharkiv. in southern ukraine, pro—kremlin officials occupying kherson have announced plans to break away from ukraine and join russia. sri lanka's president has vowed to give up most of his executive powers but has stopped short of resigning over the country's economic crisis. he condemned clashes between pro and anti—government protesters, in which eight people have died. the broadcaster al—jazeera has accused the israeli military of deliberately targeting journalists after one of its best known correspondents — shireen abu akleh — was shot dead in the west bank. israel's prime minister denies journalists were targeted.