welcome to newsday. reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines: as ukraine continues to put up a strong resistance to the russian forces, we have a special report from the southern front. six months on, the question is, what's next for ukraine? well, it needs a win here and it says... munitions explode ..that it's planning a counter—offensive here in the south. president zelensky says at least 22 people have been killed in a missile strike on a railway station in eastern ukraine.

also coming up on the programme: we are in india to meet the rohingya families who are now unwelcome in their adoptive country but can't be sent back to myanmar. a success for conservation scientists, after this tiny endangered baby elephant was born at a british zoo. and the k—pop phenomenon black pink breaking records as south korea showcases its successes on day one of the seoul pop culture convention. live from our studio in singapore, this is bbc news. it's newsday. welcome to the programme.

ukraine's president, volodymyr zelensky, says a russian missile strike on a rail station in the east of the country has killed at least 22 people and wounded dozens more. mr zelensky had previously warned that russia might do something "cruel" to disrupt ukraine's independence day — which coincidentally fell on the same day as the six—month anniversary of the invasion. this is the current state of play in the country — with russia controlling ukrainian territory in the south and east. the southern front, around the occupied city of kherson, is where ukraine says it is planning a counter—offensive. from there, our correspondent quentin sommerville sent this report. once more into the line of fire and it's just another day, for the 59th brigade, of defying the odds. this is a sprawling front line, it's over 100 miles long, and it's mostly being fought and held by these men, gun crews. but the positions here haven't moved in months. they're outgunned and

outnumbered, but it's been like this from day one. they've grown used to it. they're now in range of russian firepower, so they move fast, barely a word spoken, almost without thinking. it was this brigade who helped halt the enemy's sweep across the south. their howitzer is older than most of them — it dates from soviet times. but it's almost become a part of them. theirs is a practised rhythm. a drumbeat of shelling on the enemy eight miles south. six months on, the question is, what's next for ukraine? well, it needs a win here and it says it's planning a counter—offensive here in the south. but with all that foreign military aid and with all that

foreign military training, has it been enough to give ukraine the breakthrough it needs here? the russians are dug in and will be hard to shift. and the terrain isn't helping, says major tsehotskyi. translation: the unit got it in the neck. - the russians have so much ammunition. they were shelling a lot. as you can see, this terrain is flat. it's hard to move around freely. there is nowhere to hide, really. there's very little cover. he knows what it's like to lose everything and stops to help a teacher stranded by the roadside. translation: i teach kids so they can learn | about the world, so they can learn about all life's wonderful things, but with such a war, when they forced our people to flee, these kids... i have calls with parents. sorry, my tears are just pouring. they are dispersed across our entire country. tatiana and herfamily

join the millions of ukrainians trying to escape russian aggression. even so, though, despite its people being scattered to the four winds, this country has never been more united. for the gun crew, it's the end of another day. six months on, the defenders�* burden gets no lighter. only last week, a number of their comrades were killed by russian fire, and tonight's blackout carries with it extra menace. cities across ukraine are on alert. of course, this independence day won't go unnoticed by russia tonight, and the fear here in the south and across the east is that ukrainian cities will face a special onslaught. it's 31 years since he left the soviet army, 31 years of ukrainian independence.

tonight, major tsehotskyi is without his family. they are now all in london. his shift isn't over, but there's time to open a window into a world away from here. translation: hello to you. glory to ukraine. glory to heroes. i wish you a happy independence day. and to you. translation: is it quiet today there? | it's war here every day. please, be strong. i'm so glad you're somewhere safe. i hope we'll see each other again soon. i wish us a quick victory. for everyone. bye— bye.

for ukrainians, wherever they are, there is no escape from the war. you're notjust fighting for ukraine, you're fighting for your family, too? translation: we are fighting not only for our grandchildren l but for kids all over the world. i'm saying this from the heart — my family is in a safe place. i didn't need to fight, but children are dying. of course, i know that it's dangerous, but as an officer, i have to be here. this is my sacred duty. this year, like millions of others, they will mark national day as exiles. ukraine's parks are empty. its celebrations have been silenced. it's a muted national day, but six months into this war, the cause of ukrainian independence has never rung so far or so loudly. quentin somerville, bbc news, in southern ukraine.

joe biden will call president zelensky this thursday, a day after the us announced nearly $3 billion worth of new military aid to ukraine — the biggest single package of assistance so far. i've been speaking to former us ambassador to ukraine and senior director of the atlantic council's eurasia centre, john herbst. and i asked him what he thought of the size and scale of the biden aid package. i think it's a very good step. it's a way to confirm or to make clear the biden administration understands this war may not be over tomorrow and ukraine has to be able to defend itself notjust in the coming months but in the coming years. how strong, john, is the support from american people, though, for these kind of financial aid packages? this is just the latest in a number of packages that have come from the us. is the support

going to continue? the chicago world affairs council recently supported a poll which demonstrated a large majority — an overwhelming majority, almost — supports the aid we are giving to ukraine. the american people, i think, understand that notjust is moscow conducting a war of war crimes, bordering on, if not actually, genocide in ukraine, but also that putin is dangerous to the united states. we have to help ukraine beat putin. when you look at the impact the conflict is having on global inflation, right, notjust on fuel prices, food prices as well — and there is so much commentary and rhetoric about this in daily headlines, that it is driving the prices of these basic goods up — do you think that support will continue even as we see more of the economic impact start to have an impact on people's lives? i think the support will

continue, because, again, at least some people understand that putin's war on ukraine is a war notjust on the west. his objective is to establish notjust control over ukraine but also of the countries that used to make up the soviet union, and that includes nato allies. so we have to stop putin in ukraine. but also they understand we have the means to defend ourselves if we give ukraine, the smart way, if we give ukraine the tools to do it, and that's what this is all about. that wasjohn that was john herbst speaking to us a little earlier. let's take a look at some other stories in the headlines. pakistan is appealing to the international community for help with flood relief efforts.

it comes as the country struggles to cope with the aftermath of weeks of monsoon rains and devastation that has killed more than 800 people and made thousands homeless in the south and south—west of the country. most hospital patients and care home residents in england will no longer be tested for covid unless they have symptoms. the government said uk covid rates have fallen. free testing for the general public ended in april in england, but continued in some high—risk settings. angolans have been voting in presidential and parliamentary elections. the governing mpla party, which has been in power for more than four decades, is up against opposition group unita. the governing party remains the favourite to retain a majority but has been criticised for not tackling inflation and poverty despite huge oil wealth. china has re—opened forforeign students for the first time since the covid pandemic began. around half a million overseas students were at chinese

universities and colleges before covid hit more than two years ago. it marks a major step towards re—opening the country, but it's not clear yet when foreign tourists will be allowed back in. it's been five years since hundreds of thousands of rohingya muslims fled their native myanmar, after a deadly crackdown by the government there. more than 700,000 people escaped the country. the majority left for neighbouring bangladesh, ending up in the world's largest refugee camp in cox's bazar. others are now in other asian nations, including india. both india and bangladesh want to send them back to myanmar — but with the military in charge there, it's not an option. our south asia correspondent rajini vaidyanathan sent this report from delhi.

singing the national anthem of the country their parents fled in fear, the country most of these children have no memory of. raised in this refugee camp in bangladesh, they don't get the same lessons as locals, taught the myanmar curriculum because authorities want them to return there. struggling to find stability, theirs is a lost generation. rohingya muslims living in limbo. their parents fled persecution, only to be handed a life of destitution. it's been five years since kotiza begun witnessed unimaginable atrocities in her village. it took her days to walk here. a life now consigned to these camps. she is forced to rely on basic rations to feed her young boys.

translation: five years ago, the myanmar military entered | our houses and tortured us. we came here to stay alive. now i can't feed my children properly or give them nice clothes or medicine. we are in a bad situation. it was in august 2017 that hundreds of thousands of rohingyas crossed the border from myanmar, escaping a deadly crackdown by the country's military. carrying whatever they could, they fled to neighbouring bangladesh. five years on and many of the refugees have made their way here to india, home to tens of thousands of rohingya muslims living in squalid conditions. many say they don't feel welcome here either. india's government describes them as illegalforeigners it says should be deported. foryears, rohingya muslims have led a basic existence in india.

last week, a minister said they'd be moved from these makeshift camps and given housing. hours later, the hindu nationalist bjp government denied the offer, threatening to move people to detention centres. it has left families like rahaman�*s feeling helpless. for his four—year—old daughter yasmin, unending uncertainty. rahaman wishes he could give her a better life. translation: the indian . government doesn't want us. i would rather they killed us than send us back. it feels like no—one cares about rohingyas these days. we are like old furniture in a house, kept in a corner and forgotten. and for these refugees, the hope of returning to myanmar never fades. but with the military who attacked their families now in charge of the country, it's still not safe.

what no—one can tell these rohingya children is when they'll be able to go home. rajini vaidyanathan, bbc news, delhi. if you want to get in touch with me on any of the stories you've seen so far on newsday, what rajini was reporting on, for instance, i am on twitter. i'm @bbckarishma i look forward to hearing from you. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme: the seoul pop culture convention opens as the latest k—pop phenomenon blackpink showcase their success. he is the first african—american to win the presidential nomination of a major party, and he accepts exactly 45 years ago to the day that martin luther king declared "i have a dream." as darkness falls tonight,

an unfamiliar light will appear in the southeastern sky, an orange glowing disc that is brighter than anything, save the moon, our neighbouring planet mars. there is no doubt this election is an important milestone in the birth of east timor as the world's newest nation. it will take months i and billions of dollars to repair what katrina achieved injust hours _ three weeks is the longest the great clock has been off—duty in 117 years, so it was with great satisfaction that clockmaker john vernon swung the pendulum to set the clock going again. this is newsday on the bbc.

i'm karishma vaswani in singapore. our main story for you today: six months after russia's invasion began, ukraine is continuing to put up a strong resistance to the ground war and artillery attacks — which overshadowed events marking its independence day. let's turn to south korea now, specifically k—pop. there's no escaping the allure of south korean pop culture. from k—pop idols bts and blackpink, k—drama mania, korean comics to korean gaming, it comes as no surprise that south korea has fast become the south east asian hub for pop culture. and today is day one of the seoul popcon — or pop culture convention — which showcases hit content at the forefront of the industry, including music, movies, games, cartoons and animation. popcon is an expansion of seoul's previous comic con, which was a spin—off of the iconic exhibition event in the us. and one of k—pop�*s biggest bands, blackpink, broke records this week with their song pink venom. let's take a listen.

# taste that pink venom # taste that pink venom # get them, get them, get them... this song logged 90.1; million views in just 2a hours, surpassing the record they set in 2020 with a previous video that hit 86.3 million views. that's a lot of views! for more on this, we can speak to film critic and academicjason bechervaise, who's in seoulfor us. great to get you on the programme, jason. and just to say, blackpink isjust programme, jason. and just to say, blackpink is just one example of the rise and rise of k�*p°p example of the rise and rise of k—pop success. we have this convention in seoul, first time for it. what does it tell us about the appeal of k—pop culture? it about the appeal of k-pop culture? , ., ., ., , culture? it is extraordinary, isn't it? _ culture? it is extraordinary, isn't it? it _ culture? it is extraordinary, isn't it? it is _ culture? it is extraordinary, isn't it? it is certainly - isn't it? it is certainly gaining popularity. it

initially was mainly centred around asia, but near it is clearly spreading overseas, and it is notjust k—pop, it is shows, netflix series and films as well, as the success of parasite, directed by bond you know, so perfectly illustrated, winning best picture in 2020. it has been immense for me personally to witness this —— bong joon—ho. personally to witness this -- bong joan-hm— personally to witness this -- bong joon-ho. when you look at how successful _ bong joon-ho. when you look at how successful it _ bong joon-ho. when you look at how successful it has _ bong joon-ho. when you look at how successful it has been, - how successful it has been, just talk us through some of the factors behind the global appeal. i the factors behind the global a- eal. ~' ., appeal. i think there are number _ appeal. i think there are number of _ appeal. i think there are number of factors - appeal. i think there are i number of factors involved. appeal. i think there are - number of factors involved. my area of expertise is in film, cinema, and i think if you look at some of the directors that have emerged and become so successful that including bong

joon—ho. this is a generation born in the 1960s, that went to university in the tumultuous 19805, university in the tumultuous 1980s, as korea entered a new democratic era, and then into the film industry in the 1990s. there were significant changes that happened, in terms of finances. the government went from trying to control the film industry to promote it and support it, and the government played a big impact on film and other areas of public culture too, and i think these film—makers have found innovative ways to tell stories that have really captured the attention of audiences far and wide, and i think that is true of notjust films but miniseries as well, and i think the success of singers as well and k—pop idols, they are clearly very, very talented and are finding ways of attracting audiences both locally and internationally. absolutely,

'ust internationally. absolutely, just looking _ internationally. absolutely, just looking at _ internationally. absolutely, just looking at this - internationally. absolutely, i just looking at this convention thatis just looking at this convention that is taking place in seoul, what are some of the highlights of this event, jason? the? what are some of the highlights of this event, jason?— of this event, jason? they have not a of this event, jason? they have got a number — of this event, jason? they have got a number of _ of this event, jason? they have got a number of speakers, - got a number of speakers, including the editor in chief at marvel comics. it has essentially been broken down, the event, into three different parts. you have got content — games, films, animations. there is a huge web industry in korea. there is platforms. the streaming wars are really taking place in korea, and incredibly exciting and anxious way, because it is unclear how it is all going to manifest, but certainly we have got netflix, we have got apple, we have the number of local streamers as well, including cj and katie, and there is technology, the nfts and the meta— verse, and korea has been

a leader in technology over the years. certainly in terms of its internet and devices. breaking it down into these three different areas, i think it captures how korea is leading the way, in terms of popular culture.— popular culture. jason bechervaise _ popular culture. jason bechervaise there, i popular culture. jason i bechervaise there, who popular culture. jason - bechervaise there, who is in seoul for us, bechervaise there, who is in seoulfor us, thank bechervaise there, who is in seoul for us, thank you so bechervaise there, who is in seoulfor us, thank you so much forjoining us on the programme.- forjoining us on the programme. forjoining us on the rouramme. . ~ ., ., programme. thank you for having me. the constitutional court in thailand has suspended the prime minister, prayuth chan—o—cha, while it considers whether he has reached the limit of his time in office. general prayuth seized power during a military takeover in 2014, but his popularity dwindled substantially during the covid pandemic. now, opposition parties are insisting that he has completed his eight—year term, as per the thai constitution and should be ousted. let's focus on what has been a success for conservation. this tiny endangered baby elephant was born

at a british zoo on monday — it's the whipsnade zoo for those of you that know it — to her mother donna. she doesn't yet have a name, but she's definitely melting hearts, as danjohnson reports. these are the first of the biggest baby steps, an unforgettable new addition to the herd. this female calf struggled to feed to begin with, causing keepers some concern, but then she got the hang of it and was described as "drunk on milk." when she has had a good feed for about two minutes, she will be dozing with her trunk loose on the ground. she fills her belly with milk and then she is really tired. she is learning all the time, developing every day, getting stronger and stronger, so she is doing really well. watch the top of the picture. this 18 stone arrival landed with a bumpety—bump on monday morning, and at first, the rest of the herd stood back in admiration, before stepping in to help mum donna and grandmother kayleigh. not only is she adorably cute, she is also really important because she is an asian

elephant — note the smaller ears — they are an endangered species, their natural habitat has been under threat and it is estimated there are only about 52,000 left in the wild. as for her name, that is still to be decided, with some link to her natural home and based on the personality this big little lady displays. danjohnson, bbc news, at whipsnade zoo. and finally, tributes have been heard throughout the day offering support to ukrainians as they celebrate their independence day — including in the uk. this is the band of the scots guards performing their version of stefania — the song which won the eurovision song contest for ukraine — earlier this year, on horse guards parade in london. quite a spectacular image there, and the music as well, something to really see and listen to, and that brings us

to the end of our programme at this hour. thank you so much forjoining me and the team at newsday. do stay with bbc news for the latest global headlines. hello there. wednesday was another hot and humid day for much of eastern and southeast england — and we are likely to see a few thundery downpours breaking out, which will be slow to clear during the morning. and then, once they do so, friday on the whole will be dry, sunny, but noticeably fresher behind. so it's this weather front that's the dividing line between that fresher air to the northwest, and the humid air into that southeastern corner. it is producing some rain — some of it fairly intense, as it moves its way across the pennines and up into northeast england. and at the same time, it's this batch of thunderstorms developing which will become more of a feature over the next few hours across southeast england. so here, it will stay pretty humid, and we are likely to see

a couple of inches of rainfall before that system eases through. just how far west of london these showers go is still subject to question, but they will certainly be clearing away from norfolk, suffolk, and across the kent coast first thing on thursday morning. quite a lot of cloud behind, that should start to thin and break into the afternoon. fresher conditions with some sunshine elsewhere, a few scattered showers across the far northwest of scotland. in terms of the feel of the weather here, we're looking at around 15—21 celsius — no small difference to the feel of the weather further south, 23—24, but we've certainly lost that high humidity. now, as we move into friday, this weather front will be a very weak affair with a little bump of high pressure building in behind. so, on the whole friday, that frontal system could bring some cloud and a few nuisance showers, as you can see quite clearly, stretching across southern scotland, northwest england, down through wales, and into devon and cornwall. to the east of that, still largely fine and dry.

to the north of that, fresher, but with more sunshine coming through. we'll be a degree or so warmer potentially on friday in that sunshine — 25 is 77 fahrenheit. now, as we head into the weekend, high pressure will build — this weather front will tend to sit into the far northwest, and could impact the far north of scotland. but generally speaking, we'll have light winds, we'll have a good deal of dry weather. it's the last bank holiday weekend for northern ireland, england and wales — and it will be a pretty perfect one if you've got outdoor plans with the family.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour, as newsday continues — straight after hardtalk. welcome to a special edition of hardtalk with me, stephen sackur. it is six months since vladimir putin ordered a multi—front military invasion of ukraine. he set in motion a war which has already taken a terrible human toll and had profound consequences for european security, big power relations, and the world economy. putin calculated

it was an aggression he could get away with.