welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore. i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines. three days after the earthquakes in turkey and syria more than 12 thousand are dead — it's feared thousands more are still trapped. president erdogan defends the turkish government's response to monday's earthquakes saying it was impossible to be prepared for a disaster so large. we have mobilised all our resources at the moment. as of now we will make some preparations, make damage assessments and give our citizens some support. assessments and give our citizens some support. we'll have the latest news and analysis from our correspondents in the region. also coming up on newsday. president zelensky of ukraine

addresses the uk parliament and appeals for fighterjets to use against the russians. the writing on the helmet reads, "we have freedom, give us wings to protect it". applause and basketball superstar lebronjames becomes the nba's leading points scorer of all time. 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. we begin in turkey and syria, where more than twelve thousand people are now known to have died in the earthquakes which devastated the region just two days ago. rescue workers continue their search for survivors but hope is beginning to fade. in turkey, there's growing anger at the speed of the rescue effort — with many complaining that they've had no help, trying to pull people from the rubble. while in syria, the state media is reporting that some three—hundred thousand people have been forced to leave their homes. more from syria shortly, but first let's hear from our middle east correspondent anna foster — who was among the first journalists to reach the epicentre zone. she sent this report from the turkish city of karaman—marash. the devastating power of the earth, seen from the air. swathes of this city lie in ruins — buildings, homes, lives have been destroyed. in many cities, the search now isn't for survivors,

it's only for the dead. when the rubble shows a sign, the digger stops. behind this blanket, an arm reveals a body. slowly, carefully, it's uncovered. and then the moment of realisation. screams. a father lost. screams. the goodbye is painful and public. screams.

and here in maras, ambulances are now hearses. they've spent the whole day here searching for bodies, and the light is starting to fade now, but the rescuers say they will come back tomorrow and the next day. they will return to sites like this for as long as it takes to return loved ones to their relatives. they're rare now, but there are still moments of hope. a little girl, healthy and alive, after three days buried. the rescuers celebrate. she says her siblings are down there too. today, president erdogan came to visit those who have lost everything. but there is growing anger that help is coming too slowly, and there is not enough of it. he says it is impossible to prepare

for disasters on this scale. translation: we had some problems with places - like airports in the beginning. we had problems on the roads, but it is better today, and it will be even better tomorrow. bodies now fill this sports hall. more are arriving all the time, among them, yunus�* fiancee. they were just weeks away from getting married. translation: i was planning - to dress her in her wedding dress, but now i will dress her in a funeral shroud. i am like the walking dead, i am the living dead. i lost my feelings. each of these bundles marks a future cut short, a family separated. every hour, the death toll rises, and even now, it is impossible to know how many lives this quake has claimed.

the situation in northern syria was desperate even before earthquake struck — the region is home to millions of refugees displaced by years of civil war. some emergency aid has been flown in from iran and the gulf states but the syrian government has also asked the european union for help. the group of volunteers known as the white helmets are leading the rescue efforts. our international editor jeremy bowen reports. something to celebrate at last in a place without much good news. a family of six was rescued alive from the rubble in idlib, the last part of syria still controlled by rebels. the rescuers, a group called the white helmets that the uk helps to fund, are experts. they've been digging out survivors of the assad regime's air strikes for much of syria's long war. the geological faults that brought

down these buildings cut right across the front lines and zones of influence that have devastated syria since 2011. this is aleppo, syria's biggest city, back in regime hands since the rebels here were defeated in 2016. now syria has a huge natural disaster on the back of the man—made catastrophe that broke the country. in aleppo hospital, every bed has its own tragedy. only three members of this man's family survived when their home collapsed. 13 of them were killed. they were, he says my father, my mother, my brother, his wife, and theirfour children. and the wife and two kids of the brother who was rescued with me also died. faced with such disaster, the un, which already helps care for millions of syrians, appealed for some national solidarity. we are hoping that everybody puts

the interest of the people first. we keep the politics aside, all authorities move away from the issue, from the politics, and put the interest of the people first. in damascus, the capital, citizens are rallying around giving blood. so far, grassroots relief efforts seem to be the best hope. but it's not clear whether aid collected and delivered in damascus will make it across the front line into rebel—held idlib province. back in aleppo, russian troops, whose intervention salvaged the rule of the assad family, are helping the syrian red crescent alongside algerian rescue workers. the damascus regime says its allies, also including iran, are flying in aid. allies and who controls what won't matter much to families who are homeless or nervous about sleeping in damaged buildings.

an earthquake tests any nation's resilience. war has taught a generation of syrians that they have to fend for themselves. in idlib province, the white helmets rescued another child, a boy. people do their best. broader aid efforts, let alone rebuilding, will need a miracle to overcome the blight, hatred, and distrust of a generation of war. jeremy bowen, bbc news. leaders from around the world have responded to monday's devastating earthquake in turkey and syria with pledges of support. among the nations contributing to the global relief effort, australia has promised $10 million to the aid operation, while new zealand's prime minister chris hipkins has committed $1.5 million to assist in the humanitarian response. the announcements came in the wake of an appeal from the un

secretary general antonio guterres, who called for an international response to the disaster. i'm joined now by viv euini, director of international operations, at the new zealand red cross. thank cross. you forjoining us. we've heard thank you forjoining us. we've heard about the pledges that are coming in from all over the world, including countries like australia and new zealand how are they contributing to these relief efforts? �* , . contributing to these relief efforts? �*, . . ,, contributing to these relief efforts? �* , . . , , ., efforts? it's a massive event, a significant _ efforts? it's a massive event, a significant loss _ efforts? it's a massive event, a significant loss of _ efforts? it's a massive event, a significant loss of life. - efforts? it's a massive event, a significant loss of life. the - significant loss of life. the devastation across both countries is clearly evident. it's going to need very much a global response. what the red cross red crescent movement, we have societies that pull together to provide that support. we know that we have about a0 to 50 national

societies that are pledging their support for them and that support will be coordinated through the international federation. so when... sorry a delay on the line. when you look at a scale of a disaster like this for them in terms of getting funds and aid to the people who needed the mouse, can you talk us through the difficulty of that and how that process goes about, particularly when you have a situation where infrastructure was damaged and people are really in desperate need? in damaged and people are really in desperate need?— damaged and people are really in desperate need? in preparation for disasters are _ desperate need? in preparation for disasters are national— desperate need? in preparation for disasters are national societies - disasters are national societies have pre—position stopped in countries. i don't know what the status was inferior but i certainly know that there was a significant amount of stock available and those supplies, including tents, kitchen

sets, blankets being distributed by turkish red crescent. there also heavily involved in ensuring that warm food is being provided to the masses that require it. that's on the ground right now. and while that's happening the rest of the global movement is preparing and shipping over supplies as well. new zealand of course is no stranger to tragedies like this, in terms of the experience new zealand has had with earthquakes and the disaster recovery and relief programme that comes after that. can you talk us through some of the lessons that have been learned there and what you are anticipating in terms of the next few weeks for people in these devastated areas?— devastated areas? preparation is ke , as devastated areas? preparation is key. as much _ devastated areas? preparation is key. as much as _ devastated areas? preparation is key, as much as you _ devastated areas? preparation is key, as much as you can - devastated areas? preparation is key, as much as you can before i devastated areas? preparation is - key, as much as you can before these

events. so that communities are as resilient as they possibly can. no one really understands the magnitude of what that response, that immediate response looks like until you actually go through it. when you're first responders are also dealing with loss of life themselves and their own family units, that can be really difficult for anyone to cope with. an event such as this yes, there is a huge immediate response but the recovery of an event of this magnitude is going to take a long time. one of the key lessons is to manage that response and protect all of those around you so they keep safe as well. but ensure that you don't burn yourself out, because it's going to take time. . ., .,

time. indeed. viv euini, director of oeration time. indeed. viv euini, director of operation at _ time. indeed. viv euini, director of operation at the _ time. indeed. viv euini, director of operation at the new _ time. indeed. viv euini, director of operation at the new zealand - time. indeed. viv euini, director of operation at the new zealand red | operation at the new zealand red cross, thank you so much forjoining us on the program. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme. basketball superstar lebronjames becomes the nba's all—time leading scorer, passing kareem abdul—jabbar�*s long—standing record. there's mr mandela, mr nelson mandela, a free man taking his first steps into a new south africa. iran's spiritual leader, ayatollah khomeini, has said he has passed a death sentence on salman rushdie, the british author of a book which many muslims say is blasphemous. the people of haiti have flocked to church to give thanks for the ousting of their former president baby doc duvalier. because of his considerable value as a stallion, - shergar was kept in a special secure

box in the stud _ farm's central block. shergar was driven away. in a horse box the thieves had brought with them. there stepped down from the plane a figure in mourning, elizabeth ii, queen of this realm and of all her other realms and territories, head of the commonwealth, defender of the faith. this is newsday on the bbc. i'm karishma vaswani. ukraine's president zelensky has spent the day visiting european allies for the first time since his country was invaded by russia last year. he's been asking them to send more military help, including tanks, air defence systems, long—range missiles and jet fighters — to help his troops push back russian forces. this evening, he's been in paris, where he met

the french president emmanuel macron and the german chancelor 0laf scholz. he urged them to deliver the equipment ukraine needed "as soon as possible". speaking alongside president zelensky, both leaders reaffirmed their continued support to ukraine. earlier, president zelensky visited the uk, where he addressed both houses of parliament at westminster to thank britain for its support. he again appealed for more military help, including fighterjets and the uk's prime minister rishi sunak said "nothing is off the table" when it came to giving more military aid to ukraine. 0ur political editor chris mason has more. the leader of the country at war arrives. a leader gratefulfor the uk's help and asking for more. the prime minister greeted president zelensky off the plane. it is the uk he has chosen for only his second foreign trip since the full—scale war began almost a year ago. the face and voice of ukraine, president zelensky arriving in downing street.

with the prime minister. mr zelensky, do you want british fighterjets next? the answer to that is yes, he does. in the commons later, a consensual feel and from the prime minister, a promise to train pilots but no mention of planes. a few hours later zelensky was in west minister hall. the pope, nelson mandela and charles to gaulle among those who are spoken here. today it was his turn. this is what support for ukraine and its cause in broad terms looks and sounds like here. cheering and applause. the president wanted to say thank you from the moment the war escalated last february. all of you,

all of your so great and character back then. all of your so great and character back then-— all of your so great and character backthen. ,, ., �* , . ., back then. strong british character. you didn't compromise _ back then. strong british character. you didn't compromise ukraine - back then. strong british character. you didn't compromise ukraine and you didn't compromise your ideals. and thus you didn't compromise the spirit of this great island. thank you very much. but spirit of this great island. thank you very much-— you very much. but president zelensky came _ you very much. but president zelensky came here - you very much. but president zelensky came here with - you very much. but president zelensky came here with a i you very much. but president| zelensky came here with a gift you very much. but president - zelensky came here with a gift and a specific greek west. packaging powerful rhetoric. this, a fighter pilot's helmet. the writing on the helmet reads, "we have freedom, give us wings to protect it". two years ago i thanked you for delicious english tea... laughter. and i will be leaving the parliament today, thanking all of you in advance

for powerful english planes. laughter. applause. and from the palace of westminster to buckingham palace. we will be worried about you, thinking about your country. next for the president, an audience with the king. and from there to an army base in dorset, where ukrainian soldiers have been training and this from the prime minister on providing warplanes. when it comes to fighter combat aircraft, of course they are part of the conversation and we have been discussing that today and we have been previously. that is why we have announced today b will be training ukrainian air force. nothing is off the table. tonight, president zelensky heads to paris as his request for european help continue.

meanwhile in ukraine, there's been fierce fighting around the eastern city of bakhmut. russian forces are trying to encircle the city and there is street to street fighting in some areas. russia's president putin is pushing hard for a victory in bakhmut before the first anniversary of the invasion in a few weeks' time and before ukraine takes delivery of tanks from western allies. from eastern ukraine, our senior international correspondent 0rla guerin reports. 0n the battlefields around bakhmut, we follow ukrainian national guardsmen hunting for the enemy. every minute counts, russian forces are attacking from three sides. this is the safest place, here on the front line. because we have 1.5 kilometres for the russian troops. now it is here. we will fight with a drone

and try to find somebody. and if they find russian forces, they will drop this modified german grenade, held in place with a bit of velcro. we know that here, a lot of russian soldiers walking, living, sitting and so on. and so we just give them some gift and you will see the boom. yes, here. it was our grenade. it is time for us to move now that the drone is back and the grenade is dropped. we cannot stay in this location

for more than two or three minutes because there is a risk we will be targeted here. inside bakhmut, few dare to venture out. it feels like a city on borrowed time. but some still survive here in their basements, in the depths of war. in this darkness we find a bright spark, seven—year—old anna. she lives with her mother, grandfather, two cats and a dog. she is happy to see a familiar face. pavlo from the white angels, ukrainian police team. anna knows how to spring a trap. it can bite, she says.

i sit in the cellar almost all day long, she tells me. in the street i walk and take mooshka for a walk. but she is afraid of the booms and constantly comes back. only in the morning at dawn when it is quiet, i can take her out. anna's mother has turned down police offers of evacuation. she says no where in ukraine is safe and she can't afford to go abroad. all pavlo can do is keep anna warm with a new sleeping bag and hope she survives another night,

as russian forces try to shelve this as russian forces try to shell this city into submission. to canada with police say they believe a bus crash near a daycare centre if the city of montreal killing two children and injuring six others was deliberate. the driver has been arrested and police say he faces charges of homicide in dangerous driving. the canadian prime ministerjustin trudeau said he was devastating and cannot imagine with the families are going through. footage from the scene shows the bus smashed into the front of the building at the end of the driveway. the injured children are now said to be out of danger. in other stories... the debate over the greatest basketball player in history has taken a new twist after la lakers superstar lebronjames finally broke the nba's all—time scoring record.

last night he scored 38 points to take his overall total to an astonishing 38,399, overtaking the record set by kareem abdul—jabbar more than thirty years ago. —38,390 0ur reporter, nesta mcgregor was watching the game in a bar in phoenix, arizona. he's been telling us about the atmosphere among fans. being in that bar, three words spring to mind, i would say, excitement, disbelief and nerves. remember, he started the game needing 36 points and people were sat there, edge of their seats with every basket. because remember, this is a record that stood for almost four decades, one that many thought would never be broken. that being said, there were guys there who had grown up their whole lives pretending to be lebronjames on the basketball court. so to be alive to see someone break this record was just incredible. and for it to be lebron at age 38, it was almost like a fairy tale to an amazing career.

that's it from us. thank you so much for watching. that's it from us. thank you so much forwatching. do that's it from us. thank you so much for watching. do stay with bbc news. hello there. there was a hard frost across england and wales with plenty of sunshine on wednesday here. but we had gale force gusts of winds and rain further north. this is how we closed out the afternoon in highland. and that weather front that was responsible for this continues to sink its way steadily south and east. no significant rain by the time it pushes south—east as it bumps into this area of high pressure. so a band of cloud, light drizzle from east anglia down to cornwall, slowly clearing towards the channel. a brisker north—westerly wind will continue to feed in showers, particularly north—west of the great glen. and winds still gusting a0 to 50 miles an hour at times. so a noticeable, strong westerly wind.

temperatures around 7 to 9 degrees. one or two places, if we're lucky, just seeing ten celsius as a high — 50 fahrenheit. now, as we close out thursday into the early hours of friday, we'll start to see a contrast. more cloud pushing in to the far north, some showery outbreaks of rain here. but milder — temperatures holding up above freezing. with clearer skies temperatures falling just below freezing once again across england and wales. so we can't rule out frost and fog again for friday, but high pressure dominates for england and wales. still a bit more of a breeze up into the far north—west. and this westerly feed of air will continue to be a story. so it will be a slightly milder feel. generally across the country, we're likely to see temperatures into double digits. that weather front toppling across the high will bring outbreaks of showery rain into scotland. more cloud, high cloud across northern england and wales as well. highs generally of 9 to 13 degrees. now, as we move into the weekend, that milder air will continue to be the story.

the high pressure reallyjust sitting across europe and clinging on to central and southern england with weather fronts toppling across that high. so that means we'll always run the risk of more cloud and outbreaks of rain with a stronger wind across the far north and west. there'll be quite a lot of cloud generally on saturday, but it will be largely fine and dry for england and wales and a little bit milder — 9 to 13 degrees, the high. similar story as well as we go into sunday. watch out for that early morning mist and fog once again.

hello, welcome along. i'm paul scott with your latest sports news, live from the bbc sport centre. manchester united had to come from behind to earn a point at home to managerless leeds in the premier league. the game finished 2—2 at old trafford. second half goals from marcus rashford and jaydon sancho ensured the points were shared, after a first minute goal from wilfried gnonto and an own goal from rafael varane had put the visitors 2—0 up. the result means manchester united remain third place in the premier league table. leeds will travel to fulham in the fifth round of the fa cup after the london side beat sunderland 3—2 in their fourth round replay. this goal, eight minutes

from the end, by layvin kurzawa