welcome to newsday. reporting live from singapore, i'm monica miller. the headlines... mikhail gorbachev, the last leader of the soviet union and the man who gave the world glasnost and perestroika, has died at the age of 91. the united nations launches an emergency appeal to help pakistan deal with the flooding that's affected 33 million people. if the floods hadn't come, they'd something to take to the markets to look after themselves. but now they have to sit on the side of the road and wait forfood have to sit on the side of the road and wait for food to be delivered. in iraq, shia cleric moqtada al sadr appeals for calm — after dozens are killed in clashes in baghdad, as his supporters stormed government buildings.

fighting intensifies around the ukrainian city of kherson, as kyiv steps up the counter offensive, trying to recapture the southern city from russian forces. live from our studio in singapore. this is bbc news. it's newsday. welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in the uk and around the world. mikhail gorbachev, the last leader of the soviet union, has died at the age of 91. he oversaw economic reforms known as perestroika — and political ones known as glasnost or openness — which led to the break—up of the soviet union in 1991 and the end of the cold war. russian president vladimir putin has expressed "deep sympathies".

our russia editor steve rosenberg looks back at a historic life. he was the kind of russian leader of the world had never seen. mikhail gorbachev smiled, he was relaxed. in the west, he acquired almost pop—star status for helping to end the cold war. but at home, it was a different story. born in the days of dictator josef stalin, mikhail gorbachev became a committed communist, rising fast through the ranks of the soviet communist party to the ruling politburo. gorbachev stood out — he was young, energetic, unlike his colleagues. as kremlin old—timers died in quick succession, the ussr was looking more like a cemetery then a superpower. but in 1985, gorbachev became leader and launched perestroika —

reforms to reinvigorate the soviet union. at home, there were western—style walkabouts. abroad, he charmed an iron lady and the us president. together, gorbachev and reagan slashed their nuclear arsenals. with a reformer in the kremlin, eastern europe saw a chance to break free from moscow. when the berlin wall fell, crucially gorbachev refused to intervene to prop up the iron curtain. by now, his own country was breaking apart amid ethnic conflicts and economic chaos. gorbachev was losing control.

in august 1991, communist hardliners staged a coup. it collapsed — but soon after, so did the soviet union. president gorbachev resigned and the ussr was consigned to history. many russians still blame gorbachev for letting a superpower slip away. some of what he changed didn't last — the arms race and geopolitical tension are back. gorbachev will be remembered for at least having tried to end the rivalry between east and west. but i will remember him for this. after one interview, he invited me to play his piano while he sang the favourite songs of his late wife. it was a surreal but special moment that showed the warm, human side of the russian leader

who'd struck a chord with millions around the world. mikhail gorbachev, who has died at the age of 91. i'm joined now by steven rosenberg. thank you forjoining us on the programme. i know that people are probably not up yet in russia, but as they begin their day, what do you think they will remember about president gorbachev?— think they will remember about president gorbachev? well, many russians blame _ president gorbachev? well, many russians blame mikhail— president gorbachev? well, many| russians blame mikhail gorbachev president gorbachev? well, many - russians blame mikhail gorbachev for the collapse of the soviet union. many see him as having been a week leader, someone who couldn't keep control of the reforms he started that spun out of control and lead to the disintegration of the soviet empire. but the fact is that when mikhail gorbachev set out in the 19805 to try to reform the ussr,

there was no textbook he could pick up there was no textbook he could pick up entitled how to reform the soviet communist superpower. he tried his best — i think his heart was in the right place, he wanted to change his country for the best and, crucially, he wanted to build a more peaceful world, he believed in peace. he wanted to do everything he could to prevent the cold war turning hot — and he achieved for that, he helped at the cold war. the situation we have now more than 30 years on is very different — we have an administration in russia which is determined to raise conflict and confrontation with the west. in many ways, vladimir putin is the polar opposite of mikhail gorbachev. m0??? opposite of mikhail gorbachev. now mr gorbachev has been very sick for some time and out of the public eye, but had he commented at all on the

current war in ukraine? i4541431111 but had he commented at all on the current war in ukraine?— current war in ukraine? well a few weeks ago — current war in ukraine? well a few weeks ago there — current war in ukraine? well a few weeks ago there were _ current war in ukraine? well a few weeks ago there were some - weeks ago there were some suggestions from a moscowjournalist that mr gorbachev had expressed his opposition to what was happening. but you are right, he had been ill for some time and that he'd been in hospitalfor for some time and that he'd been in hospital for two for some time and that he'd been in hospitalfor two years, for some time and that he'd been in hospital for two years, and for some time and that he'd been in hospitalfor two years, and he hadn't been commenting publicly about vladimir putin, about his policies and what was happening in the country. but certainly what is happening today, in ukraine and what russia is doing their leads us to the conclusion that in many ways, gorbachev�*s legacy is in tatters now. gorbachev is a man who believed in ending the cold war, who believed that the east and west could join hands and move into a brighter future. but we are seeing a very different present today.

thank you, steve, steve rosenberg for us, our russia editor. to ukraine now, where the army says it has destroyed command posts and ammunition depots on the second day of its counterattack against the russians in the south. the military says ukrainian forces are targeting bridges which provide russia's army with a lifeline to its troops around kherson. but officials in kyiv are cautioning against any expectations of a quick win, describing the offensive as slow and grinding. losing kherson would be a major defeat for president putin, since it's the only big city his troops have been able to capture and hold on to. let's get more now from our correspondent in kyiv, james waterhouse. these counteroffensive by ukraine on

and around the city of her son are significant for ukraine. but there are some caveats, we are still talking about a sizeable chunk of territory, and ukraine reports counterattacks on almost a daily basis. however, it is clear that after weeks of using these long—range high mars, these long—range high mars, these long—range missile systems to take down important bridges, to frustrate the russian supply lines, to target command centres as they claim, it is clear the ukrainians have the confidence to push forward — which is why they are claiming to have pushed through the first russian offensive line. notjust that, there are reports of fighting in the city — we've heard gunfire, we've seen dark smoke billowing up over the city's skyline, and also moscow has acknowledged that it is defending attacks. the differences russia claims those attacks have failed. but there is a bigger picture here.

ukraine is very keen, president zelensky specifically, to show to the west what it can do with the weapons it's being provided with. now as european union member countries start to grapple with the energy crisis caused by this war, and as this year pushes on as winter approaches, for ukraine the time is now to show what it can do in the hopein now to show what it can do in the hope in kyiv that it won'tjust now to show what it can do in the hope in kyiv that it won't just stop at kherson. the kremlin has said everything is still going according to plan and what it still describes as a special military operation. to the flooding in pakistan now — and the united nations has launched an emergency appeal, to help victims of what the un secretary general called a "monsoon on steroids". pakistan's government says the floods are the worst in the nation's history. more than 1,000 people are known to have been killed as roads, homes, and bridges are washed away. more than 33 million pakistanis have been affected by the flooding —

that's one in every seven people. pumza fihlani reports. everywhere you look, there is still water. down below, a food crisis is brewing in pakistan. the truck queues are so long they disappear into the horizon. but they have not broken down, it's the country's roads that have broken. , , ~ , ., broken. they help keep life moving, deliverin: broken. they help keep life moving, delivering food, _ broken. they help keep life moving, delivering food, petrol— broken. they help keep life moving, delivering food, petrol and - broken. they help keep life moving, delivering food, petrol and even - broken. they help keep life moving, delivering food, petrol and even aid| delivering food, petrol and even aid with kilometres of connecting roads gone, deliveries have stalled. the few supplies that are making it to people are gone within minutes. the floods have also taken people's livelihoods. buffalo farming is big business in rural pakistan, so food is not only needed for people, but for some, the concern is keeping their prized animals alive. translation:— their prized animals alive. translation: ., ., ., , ,

translation: the food has been exensive translation: the food has been expensive since _ translation: the food has been expensive since the _ translation: the food has been expensive since the flood - translation: the food has beenj expensive since the flood started, and i have to sell four of them just to buy food for the rest. it was a hard decision but i need to keep them alive. if i don't, i won't survive. them alive. ifi don't, iwon't survive. �* , them alive. ifi don't, iwon't survive-— them alive. ifi don't, iwon't survive. �*, ., ., ., survive. it's not only animal feed that has gone — survive. it's not only animal feed that has gone up _ survive. it's not only animal feed that has gone up - _ survive. it's not only animal feed that has gone up - food - survive. it's not only animal feed that has gone up - food prices i survive. it's not only animal feed l that has gone up - food prices too. that has gone up — food prices too. the government says 80% of livestock has been washed away by the floods. across the road from the buffaloes, we meet this cotton farmer. her family of 15 live in their tent. their crops were all lost to water. "we were farmers back home, not everything is gone." "we don't even have food for the children. some days, they sleep hungry. it's difficult," she says. many here are farmers, they work every day for long hours, taking care of their land, it's something they take great pride in. but when the floods came, it took that away from them. the

people you see behind me are cotton farmers, and they also farm maze. if the floods had not come, they would have something to take the market and have a way to look after themselves. now they have to sit on themselves. now they have to sit on the side of the road and wait for food to be delivered. 0n the side of the road and wait for food to be delivered. on this dirt road to nowhere, people can go for days without eating. local aid is not enough, so even when a food truck comes, not everyone can be fed. with livelihoods destroyed in farming communities, for many of these people, aid is their last hope of surviving the tragedy that has taken so much from them. pumza fihlani, bbc news, sindh. let's go to dr nasim ashraf — he's chairman of the pakistan human development fund, working to provide aid to those affected. thank you forjoining us on the programme. these pictures we've been seeing over the last few days are absurdly devastating, so what kind

of aid are you giving to people on the ground?— the ground? well, this has been reall a the ground? well, this has been really a body _ the ground? well, this has been really a body blow— the ground? well, this has been really a body blow to _ the ground? well, this has been really a body blow to back- the ground? well, this has been really a body blow to back a - the ground? well, this has been i really a body blow to back a strand which was already suffering badly economically, with food inflation and everything else —— a body blow to pakistan. now a third of the country is underwater and 33 million people have been affected. so immediately come open for such a thing happens, a catastrophe of this magnitude, the first requirement is rescued from the floods, than its food, food and medicine. so that's what we're doing at moment, to help our communities by working with the government, working with other like—minded organisations at the grassroots to provide food, medicines, and shelter. already there are outbreaks of diarrhoea and other illnesses that happen in a situation like this. so this is the

first phase where your main thrust and focus is to save as many lives as you can, provide food and essential medicines, and shelter. shelter then comes in at the same time, usually in the form of waterproof tents, so each family can get one. but it will take some time to get all of this out there, it's not an easy thing to reach out to 33 million people out of whom over a million have been completely homeless. million have been completely homeles— million have been completely homeless. . ~ ., ., ., homeless. talk to me about how you do aet homeless. talk to me about how you do get these — homeless. talk to me about how you do get these goods _ homeless. talk to me about how you do get these goods and _ homeless. talk to me about how you do get these goods and these - homeless. talk to me about how you do get these goods and these relief. do get these goods and these relief packages to people, because it seems roads have been washed out. what other logistics like on the ground? that's really important, the main thing is that in any situation like this, only those organisations, the army can only get the people on the ground, not boots on the ground in

that sense, but for us, the organisation essentially has volunteers — we have 42,000 volunteers — we have 42,000 volunteers in 115 districts of pakistan who are already there. so essentially in the beginning, you can get a supply of food, but essentially it's how you can get these volunteers to actually go door to door, or when the camps are formed and there are clusters of people, say, two — 301 camp, then to get the food there is easier. in the meantime, there's only the army with their helicopters that are getting through —— 200—300 per camp. but there are many strong civil society organisations, and i think that's the strength of the pakistani society — it's the most resilient i've seen in terms of coming

together in crisis like this. i've heard stories that are really heroic and remarkable of people in the northern province of kp k refusing to take money for food and sheltering strangers, not asking for any money. so already, the people are coming together, but i think the scope and the devastation is so huge that this will take notjust scope and the devastation is so huge that this will take not just any scope and the devastation is so huge that this will take notjust any one ngo or the local provision, it'll require an international humanitarian response that will take years to actually reach the people who have been affected.- years to actually reach the people who have been affected. thank you ve much who have been affected. thank you very much for— who have been affected. thank you very much forjoining _ who have been affected. thank you very much forjoining us _ who have been affected. thank you very much forjoining us with - who have been affected. thank you very much forjoining us with that l very much forjoining us with that update, and best of luck to you. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme: calm returns to the iraqi capital baghdad, as the influential cleric moqtada al sadr asks his followers to call off their protests after dozens of people were killed.

she received the nobel peace prize for her work with the poor and the 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. this is newsday on the bbc. i'm monica miller in singapore. 0ur headlines... iraq's prime minister says he'll "vacate his post" if the complicated political situation in the country continues. on monday, there was an outbreak of violence in central baghdad after the shia cleric, moqtada al sadr, said he was resigning from iraqi politics, and his supporters stormed government buildings. iraq has had no functioning government since inconclusive elections last october — and the country's president says new elections may be the answer to the deadlock. caroline hawley reports. in the centre of baghdad, a second day of deadly violence. here, a rocket—propelled

grenade being fired. the worst fighting iraq has been in years. the country's political crisis erupted into street battles on monday. supporters of the powerful cleric moqtada al sadr, who gained the most seats in elections last year... ..against rival shia factions backed by neighbouring iran. both groups have been fighting for power and resources. these are moqtada al sadr�*s supporters on monday after they'd stormed into the republican palace inside iraq's well—protected green zone — briefly enjoying this unaccustomed luxury before, on tuesday, he apologised and announced he wanted them out. translation: | had hoped . for peaceful protests with pure hearts, hearts filled with love for their country, not ones that resort to gunfire. this saddens the revolution, as this revolution now resembles violence and killing. it is no longer a revolution.

and so, his loyal followers obeyed — leaving the green zone as he'd demanded, stood down — calm restored and a clear—up under way. but there are questions now about what both neighbouring iran and its allies and moqtada al sadr will do next. sadr, for all his imaginations, is really more of a nationalist, certainly, than he is iranian—influenced. the divisions and rivalry that led to this bloodshed have not been resolved, and the president has now warned that iraq isn't out of crisis yet. translation: the current situation is no longer acceptable _ and cannot continue. holding new early elections i in accordance with the national consensus represents an exit from this crisis instead - of political confrontation. it guarantees political and social stability . and response to the aspirations of the iraqi people. _ but as long as the political

stalemate goes on, iraqis will fear a new wave of violence when most people in the countryjust want security and peace. caroline hawley, bbc news. i'm joined now by feisal amin al—istrabadi. he served as iraq's former ambassador to the united nations from 2004 to 2007. thank you very much forjoining us on the programme. the curfew has been lifted, but do you expect there to be more violence?— to be more violence? well, the underlying _ to be more violence? well, the underlying conditions _ to be more violence? well, the underlying conditions that - to be more violence? well, the underlying conditions that led l to be more violence? well, the| underlying conditions that led to the violence in the last couple of days are still there. the deadlock, the impasse is still in place, so they conditions that led to the violence in the first place are still in play and could indeed lead to more violence. i obviously hope not, but the possibility of violence

continues to loom over us. we avoided a further escalation today — that doesn't mean it won't occur tomorrow or the next day. tell that doesn't mean it won't occur tomorrow or the next day. tell us a little bit about — tomorrow or the next day. tell us a little bit about what _ tomorrow or the next day. tell us a little bit about what the grievances | little bit about what the grievances are of the protesters.— are of the protesters. well, the protesters _ are of the protesters. well, the protesters initially _ are of the protesters. well, the protesters initially went - are of the protesters. well, the protesters initially went to - are of the protesters. well, the protesters initially went to the l protesters initially went to the streets because fundamentally, they do not see a future for the country. the state of iraq, as it is currently constituted, does not appear to be economically viable, and people do not see a future for themselves they are. they feel disenfranchised while a corrupt and venal, and incompetent political class has been running the country for nearly 20 years now. it's a situation of utter despair. what they hoped for was to get new faces,

a new political class — what they got were the same old faces we've been use to over the last nearly 20 years, and these same people simply have been unable to get to the next level, to get us beyond the past 20 years, to really beginning to build a future for the country — and that simply become obvious, it's been almost 11 months and we are no closer to forming a government then we were 11 months ago.— we were 11 months ago. earlier we soke to we were 11 months ago. earlier we spoke to the _ we were 11 months ago. earlier we spoke to the former _ we were 11 months ago. earlier we spoke to the former cia _ we were 11 months ago. earlier we spoke to the former cia director. we were 11 months ago. earlier we i spoke to the former cia director who said iran was trying to gain influence like it did in lebanon. do you agree?— influence like it did in lebanon. do you agree? yes, iran has influence in iran. you agree? yes, iran has influence in iraq- the — you agree? yes, iran has influence in iraq. the problem _ you agree? yes, iran has influence in iraq. the problem is _ you agree? yes, iran has influence in iraq. the problem is the - you agree? yes, iran has influence in iraq. the problem is the us - you agree? yes, iran has influence in iraq. the problem is the us is i in iraq. the problem is the us is yielding the field to iran, not engaging in the political class —— with the political class at all. one thing that has been true, when the

general did the surge on the political support for the surge that's been true since then, is that without american engagement, without the united states as a convene her, the united states as a convene her, the iraqi political class is unable to broker the deal is that it needs to broker the deal is that it needs to make to form to begin governing. the americans must re—engage. irate the americans must re-engage. we will the americans must re—engage. we will have to leave it at that. thank you very much forjoining us on the programme. artemis i on saturday will be launched again. it was scheduled to be launched on monday for the moon. they had just a two hour window for lift off at one of the engines couldn't cool down to the engines couldn't cool down to the required temperature in time. mikhail gorbachev, the last leader of the soviet union, has died at the

age of 91. he meant to modernise the soviet union, his reform led to a series of events which led to the country's collapse and ended the cold war. that's it for now, stay with us on bbc news. hello there. i'm sure many people have been making the most of this generally dry weather with some sunshine — we had a lot of sunshine actually around on tuesday, and we've got more of the same for today. we start, though, with temperatures on the whole in double figures early on wednesday morning. but it'll be a bit colder, i think in the northeast of scotland, could be down to 3—4 celsius here. now many places will start wednesday, dry and sunny, but there's cloud coming in off the north sea to bring a few showers into the far north of england, and with the cloud bubbling up in eastern england, there could be the odd, light shower here. but on the whole, it'll be dry for england and wales. quite windy in the south, especially through the english channel. not as windy for scotland and northern ireland, a sunnier day than it was on tuesday — but temperatures not changing very much, so again, we're likely to make 24 in southern parts of england and south wales.

now high pressure extends all the way down from the arctic circle, and that's keeping it generally fine and dry. the fly in the ointment on thursday is that area of low pressure and weather fronts that threatens to bring some heavier showers, notjust for the channel islands, but now perhaps into the far southwest of england. 0therwise, some lengthy spells of sunshine, some patchy cloud bubbling up here and there, probably not quite as windy for southern areas. it may be a bit warmer widely, temperatures into the low—to—mid—20s on thursday. so, we've got a couple more days of this quiet, largely dry weather with some sunshine, but by the end of the week and into the weekend, things may look a little different — we've got some rain in the forecast. and that's because pressure will be falling — we've got this low pressure heading up towards the english channel where the front sliding in from the atlantic, and the two sort of bumping into each other and combining. so, we'll find some patchy rain coming into the northwest of the uk. these showers, though, moving up from the south, from the english channel, look a little more widespread. some of them could be heavy and possibly thundery. there'll still be some sunshine

away from those showers, and those temperatures peaking again at the mid—205. now, we started the week with high pressure, we'll end the week with low pressure — and that low pressure will be dominant into the weekend, as well. central and to the west of the uk, a couple of weather fronts on the scene. no doubt those will come to rest in a slightly different place, but you've got this idea of a couple of bands of wet weather that could be heavy and thundery. some sunshine either side of that and a bit of warmth still, but some stronger winds will keep most of the rain away from scotland. 20 celsius here, 24 in the southeast.

this is bbc news. 0ur headlines... mikhail gorbachev, the last leader of the soviet union — has died at the age of 91. he presided over the dissolution and the end of the cold war. the united nations has launched an emergency appeal to help victims of the floods in pakistan. the secretary general antonio guterres says the crisis has been caused by a "monsoon on steroids". there are reports of intense fighting around the city of kherson in ukraine. kyiv says its forces have launched a counter—offensive to try to retake the city from russian control. a shipment of grain from ukraine has arrived in port in djibouti. it's the first such cargo to be sent to the horn of africa region since the russian invasion.