welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines — the first two flights, bringing hundreds of british nationals from sudan, via cyprus, have landed in the uk. there was overwhelming relief among the reunited families, and there'll be more flights in the days to come. first direct contact since the ukraine invasion — president zelensky says he had a "long and meaningful" conversation with the chinese leader, xijinping. and britain's king and queen consort set foot on liverpool's eurovision stage, as it's revealed for the first time.

live from our studio in singapore, this is bbc news. it's newsday.— singapore, this is bbc news. it's newsday. welcome to the programme- _ it's newsday. welcome to the programme. we _ it's newsday. welcome to the programme. we begin - it's newsday. welcome to the programme. we begin in - it's newsday. welcome to the i programme. we begin in sudan, where the rescue operation to bring british nationals out of the country has made progress. the latest official figure is that 536 people have been rescued so far. tens of thousands of sudanese and foreign nationals have left sudan in the past week, fleeing the violence that's erupted between two military factions. we'll have a report by our special correspondent lucy manning on those arriving back in the uk, but we start with this report from cyprus, and our correspondent there, nick beake. finally, an escape for britons who've been stranded in sudan. but as the raf carries out more evacuations, there are some concerns the airfield in the capital, khartoum, is now breaking up, with hundreds of uk citizens

still stuck in the devastation, inflicted by the feud between top generals. today, though, flights out have been reaching cyprus, which is halfway home. and this is how it feels to have escaped. here in cyprus, i met eight—year—old karim and his ten—year—old sister, diya lam, with their mum shireen. at their departure gate she explained how they'd got out of sudan. once we got there to the airport, we met the british soldiers. they were very friendly, and they helped us a lot to get here now. other countries, the french and germans, got their people out before the british. but how do you feel? do you think the british helped you when you needed them,

or were they too slow? yeah, of course, yeah. i think they were slower than the others, but still, they saved us. that's what matters, right? the family from london were on holiday but became trapped by the fierce fighting. we heard lots of gunshots while we were in the house, but we were safe. but we were only a little safe. and, like, we also had explosions. yeah, we're safe now, because there is no war here at all. well, the first evacuation flight to the uk is about to depart. for these families, their ordeal is now over, they'll be back in the safety of the united kingdom. but many leave behind loved ones in sudan, and they simply don't know what will happen to them. i don't know what to do. we made contact with a 24—year—old british doctor at the airfield in sudan, who claimed uk officials had told him that four of his relatives would not be allowed on any rescue flight.

they told me if they don't have a visa or british passports, they can't come here. i don't want to leave them, because they are my family. and then there's azza, and her two sons. they've been told to make their way to the raf gathering point in khartoum, but her husband doesn't have a british passport. everybody's telling me, like, this is exciting news, go, you know, you're being saved. but for me, it's a family break—up situation, uecause ._ don't know if i'm going to see him again, if the kids are going to see their father again. and it'sjust... it's very, very hard. the british military defended the operation. in the very early stages of fighting, where it's very complicated, intense and we don't know what is happening, in particular, we don't know who might be in control of things that are a threat to an aircraft. that, in my professional militaryjudgment, is not the right time to be asking

lots of people to move. in myjudgment, this is the right time and i support fully the prime minister's decision. as more flights leave for the uk, the british rescue operation is trying to pick up the pace, but is still playing catch—up. a mission farfrom over. nick beake, bbc news, cyprus. sobbing. from fighting, back to family. from the war zone to safety. the emotions of escape, overwhelming. sharma madibo was working for save the children. she was flown out of sudan with her mother. relieved. we're safe, there's no bombing, we're not in danger. i mean, it took” days, but thank god. thank god we're back. and what do you feel about the british response to getting you out?

slow, but we're here. the airfield that we were lifted from was really far, it's on the outskirts of the tri—state omdurman. and to get there it was... we had to literally walk through the war zone. we were stopped, searched, there was bombings, burnings, life—threatening just to get there. more than 100 arrived back at stansted. very happy. very, very happy. life in sudan i is very difficult. they kill us. very bad. this all praising the teams who brought them out, but with concerns about the delay and the dangers they faced. ahmed mekhi fled with his sister and their mum. it's nice to be in a safe country, right? you know, in sudan, there's constant gunshots and you can hear explosions, even in, like, ceasefires. so it's nice to be in a country where you can just look around and there's no smoke, there's no blasts. how do you think the british have handled the evacuation so far?

i think they handled it well. i would have preferred it to be faster, but i think it's, you know, organised well, you know, like, going to the airbase, i wish they had a bit more support. peter badawi feared for his life, trying to escape with elderly relatives. it's difficult to say how stomach—churning it was. you know, you lose appetite, you're just constantly in stress. you don't know what's going to happen, am i going to make it? there will be more flights out of sudan, and more flights back here to britain, but there are hundreds and hundreds more that need to be brought back to safety. they've left the conflict behind, but some have also left family and jobs and homes. lucy manning, bbc news. meanwhile, the three—day ceasefire in sudan has been threatened by an outbreak of renewed fighting, as violence has broken out in the outskirts of omdurman, a city across the nile from the capital, khartoum. much of central khartoum

remains calm, but residents are struggling to get clean water, bread and other vital supplies as shops are closed. the world health organization says it expects more deaths to occur in sudan, due to outbreaks of disease, and a lack of essential services. ukraine's president zelensky says he has had an hour—long telephone call with the chinese president, xijinping, the first between the two since russia's invasion. china says it maintains a neutral stance in the conflict, and president xi has so far refused to condemn moscow's invasion. in february, beijing offered a 12—point paper, calling for a political settlement to the crisis. here's our kyiv correspondent james waterhouse. well, kyiv will see this as a bit of diplomatic progress. why? just last month, president zelensky signalled he wanted to speak to xijinping of china. he even invited him to kyiv, after he met

with vladimir putin in moscow, but xijinping decided not to make that extra journey. nevertheless, we are told it was a "long and meaningful" phone call. we are not hearing much, in terms of detail, but ukraine is desperate to improve relations with china, a country that to date has refused to condemn russia's invasion. it has even strengthened its economic ties with moscow. so, while ukraine will see this as serious progress, there are still huge ideological differences on how to end this war, because what beijing wants, and what we are told after this phone call, it sees negotiations and talks as the only way out of this conflict. ukraine sees a military victory as the way out, to avoid just that — any kind of political compromise. so, politically, we have seen progress today for kyiv. what difference it will make, we won't knowjust yet.

james waterhouse reporting on that story for us. president biden and the south korean president, yoon suk yeol, have held talks in the white house, they welcome the south korean presidential couple at the white house. the bidens have invited more than 180 guests, including government officials, business officials and prominent asian—americans to the state dinner. earlier, the two presidents sat down for talks and outlined a new security agreement to help the nuclear threat of north korea. a nuclear attack by north korea and its partners and allies is unacceptable and would result in the end of any regime that will take such an action, and it is about strengthening deterrence to this behaviour, and the idea that i have

absolute authority as commander—in—chief and the sole authority to use a nuclear weapon, but what the declaration means is that we are going to make every effort to consult with our allies when it's appropriate if any action is so called for. meanwhile, the south korean president said the washington declaration was a commitment from the us to deter attacks and protect us allies, using its military power, including nuclear weapons. translation: in addition, the deployment _ of the united states strategic assets will be made constantly and routinely. we want to customise our response against north korea's nuclear threat based on extended deterrence. and in the process of achieving this goal, any concerns that koreans may have against our nuclear weapons will be relieved, i believe. if nuclear weapons are used, are two if nuclear weapons are used, our two countries will strengthen our response in a swift manner.

we have had from two sides now. we have had from two sides now. we can bring in scott schneider, a seniorfellow we can bring in scott schneider, a senior fellow for korean studies. just to say, how significant, in your view, is this washington declaration? well, it certainly represents a commitment by the biden administration to consult very closely with the yun administration. they are essentially borrowing nato style consultation is the basis for establishing a new, high—level mechanism that will pull back the curtain for the south koreans on the way that the us is conducting planning for potential use of nuclear weapons and retailers turn retaliation for use against north korea. the question will be whether it is sufficiently reassuring to the south korean

public. reassuring to the south korean ublic. . , , ., ., public. precisely on that because _ public. precisely on that because this _ public. precisely on that because this fear - public. precisely on that because this fear that i because this fear that washington might somehow abandon seoul has in the past led to calls for south korea to develop its own nuclear weapons, right? and there is an influential lobby group in south korea still demanding that, but now as i understand it, the agreement means seoul will remain a non—nuclear state. how will that be viewed at home? ~ state. how will that be viewed at home?— state. how will that be viewed at home? ~ ., ., ., at home? well, we have to wait and see, at home? well, we have to wait and see. but — at home? well, we have to wait and see. but i — at home? well, we have to wait and see, but i think— at home? well, we have to wait and see, but i think it— at home? well, we have to wait and see, but i think it is- at home? well, we have to wait and see, but i think it is the - and see, but i think it is the best offer that the yun administration could pursue, given that departing from the nuclear nonproliferation treaty would entail significant costs and punishments for the south korean economy, so i think that at this stage the decision to double down on an alliance based approach in which the us is cooperating more actively with south korea was probably the best option that the yun administration might have, despite domestic political pressures to develop their own

nuclear weapons capability. in the background of all of this, not just the background of all of this, notjust north korea, but also china, how do you see beijing developing these latest development is?- developing these latest develoment is? ~ �* development is? well, bei'ing has primarily i development is? well, bei'ing has primarily focused �* development is? well, bei'ing has primarily focused on k development is? well, beijingj has primarily focused on some remarks that president yun made in advance of his visit, in which he referred to taiwan as an international conflict, rather than as a domestic matter. and president yun downplayed his public comments, he did not really mention china at all. the statements that are coming out of the meeting do reaffirm publicly a us and south korean commitment to seeing peace across the straits. �* ., ., ., straits. and going forward, in terms of this _ straits. and going forward, in terms of this relationship, . straits. and going forward, in | terms of this relationship, are you seeing this as a sort of success, paving the way forward for a stronger us south korea relationship particularly under the biden administration? yeah, and i think— the biden administration? yeah, and i think what _ the biden administration? yeah, and i think what is _ the biden administration? yeah, and i think what is most - and i think what is most impressive is the breadth of

cooperation, and the extent to which the us and south korea are finding new areas to work together. for instance, economically, on ships, batteries and clean technology, but also now extending to space and cyber cooperation, and all of those areas are relatively new in the relationship, and represent a very different kind of relationship from one that has traditionally focused primarily on security and on defence with south korea from north korean aggression. scott schneider. _ north korean aggression. scott schneider, senior _ north korean aggression. scott schneider, senior fellow - north korean aggression. scott schneider, senior fellow for - schneider, seniorfellow for korean studies and director of the programme on career. thank you forjoining us. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. royal wedding and their dresses have long captured the public imagination. and while not always why they have been

elaborate. the oldest surviving royal wedding dress dating back the marriage of winters charlotte in 1816. as per the royal tradition in the 19th century it was silver. the dress as part of an exhibition here at the queens gallery about fashion and the georgians. but beyond the visual splendour of the period, what are the clothes of this era say about the people who wore them? well, the georgians were actually highly conscious of making sustainable clothes that could be altered and reused. you can see why dresses like this one, worn at court, might eventually have made wade for more streamlined silhouettes and it was in the georgian era the breeches and stockings for men eventually died out to make way for the undeniably more practical trouser. you are watching bbc news. an old video camera which had been missing for 16 years has been returned to the family of a japanese journalist

who was killed in myanmar. kenji nagai was shot dead by a burmese soldier in 2007, while filming protests led by buddhist monks, against the then—military government — an event known as the saffron revolution. our south east asia correspondentjonathan head has seen the last video material recorded by the journalist. the following report contains images some may find distressing. myanmar�*s history has been punctuated by popular uprisings. they called this one the saffron revolution. as buddhist monks led demonstrations 16 years ago against the dire economic hardships caused by military misrule. a lone japanese journalist, kenji nagai, films the swelling crowds in downtown yangon. this is the first time we've seen what he filmed that day. "the army has just arrived", he says. "they're heavily armed." it's the last thing he says.

the troops move in first using tear gas, then live gunfire. as kenji nagai turns to run, he's shot by a soldier standing next to him and flung off his feet. shortly afterwards, his lifeless body is dragged away. there is no sign of his camera. this burmese freelance journalist who was there, filmed his last moments. translation: i heard the first shots which i were fired into the air. then the soldiers marched into the crowd and started beating them. kenji nagai was at that spot. i heard a gunshot and saw kenji nagai fall down and then i could see no sign of movement. kenji's family called for an investigation into his killing and for an apology from the myanmar military. they got neither. but they have finally been reunited with his camera here in bangkok after the independent news group dvb managed to track it

down, and they've been able to watch the last video that he filmed. translation: i think my brother threw himself into the turmoil i of the saffron revolution, convinced he could help myanmar by letting the world know what was happening. i don't think of him as a hero, even though he lost his life. i would prefer people to remember him as a journalist who was willing to keep fighting. just as the saffron revolution was crushed. so when millions of burmese came out against the military coup two years ago, the security forces showed no restraint. today, stifling repression enforces a sullen normality in the main cities. the cold—blooded, pointblank

shooting of a foreign journalist at this spot 16 years ago showed in the starkest manner that the myanmar military had not changed, just as it had been willing to shed civilian blood on a huge scale during the 1988 uprising. wo it did again during the so—called saffron revolution, and then after the recent coup, keeping its suffocating grip on this country is what matters, whatever the cost. kenji nagai pays the highest price for trying to shed light on myanmar�*s struggle for a democratic future. thousands more have now paid with their own lives after that future was snatched away from them. jonathan head, bbc news, bangkok. the republican majority in the us house of representatives has voted to raise the government's national borrowing limit to $31 trillion. if the biden administration introduces sweeping spending cuts. the

measure is unlikely to be approved by the democratic held senate and the white house has already said it will never become law. the bill is in conflict with presidentjoe biden �*s hopes to increase the amount of money the us can borrow without conditions attached. republicans hope that the vote in the house will convince the president to begin negotiations on spending cuts. microsoft's $68 billion bid to buy the video games company behind hits like call of duty and candy crush has been blocked in a surprise move by british regulators — a decision that could scupper the biggest ever deal in gaming history altogether. and it all centres around the changing face of the gaming industry and how people will interact with it in future as our gaming correspondent, steffan powell, explains. call of duty... world of warcraft. .. candy crush. loved by millions, made by activision blizzard, wanted by microsoft. to own these would put it

in a strong position to encourage more players to choose its devices and services in the years to come. this deal, though, is on life support, all because it has beenjudged by the cma to reduce innovation in the fast developing cloud gaming market. the theory is that cloud gaming will eventually become the kind of de facto distribution, you know, way that games are distributed to the end—user, streamed to the end user like we do when we watch netflix videos. the news has not gone down well, with activision saying in a statement that the uk was clearly closed for business. microsoft added that the cma had a flawed understanding of the market. they will now appeal. microsoft's xbox console may be lagging behind sony playstation in terms of sales but the company does have a big presence in cloud gaming. we didn't want a situation where the current dominant most powerful platform

in cloud gaming purchased an important input to its competitors and therefore undermined that growth. the deal needs approval in the uk, eu and us to go ahead, so today's decision, the first from those jurisdictions, could scupper it. should this merger now collapse, it will be a major relief to bosses here at sony playstation, who have consistently opposed the deal. at one stage, it looked like this would go through, so today's result has come as a surprise to many. the appeal process could take several months. steffan powell, bbc news. now it's just over two weeks to go until the eurovision song contest takes place in liverpool — and today king charles and the queen consort stepped on to the stage as it was revealed for the first time. colin paterson, was watching. three, two, one! eurovision's most famous act abba sang dancing queen. here, we had a real—life king.

king charles and the queen consort, revealing the stage for this year's competition. and their eurovision tour included meeting the presenters of the show. they were really excited for it as well. yeah. i mean, they've got their own party going on the same week, so... quite a busy week! quite a busy one for them. this is the ninth time the uk's hosted eurovision and, oh, how the set designs have advanced over the years. the first time in 1960, it was all a bit chelsea flower show, with the world's biggest when abba won in brighton nearly 50 years ago, there was a remarkable kaleidoscope of 19705 colours. and as for the set revealed by the royals... so this is where the acts will be run in. this is the big catwalk right here. as you can see, the floor is all made out of video. this feels big. it's massive, yeah. our set design resembles a hug, as if to say the people of liverpool and the uk are welcoming the people

of the ukraine. let's go backstage. yeah. there's basically a crew that comes in, looks at the next act, brings it on stage while the other delegation from the other artists is exiting. it's like a grand prix pit stop. pretty much. # instead i wrote a song...#. the uk act who'll perform on that stage is mae miller. and she, too, got to meet the royals. we'll be watching with great interest. thank you. egging you on. thank you! hoping you'll go far. no pressure! no nul points this year. no. hope we haven't ruined your chances! douze points from the king. colin paterson, bbc news, liverpool. a bit of rock history is heading for auction. one of freddie mercury's oldest friends plan to sell a collection of items belonging to the late queen star including hand written lyrics and eye—catching costumes. the singer built the collection of over 30 years and kept

everything at his home in west london. that brings us to the end of newsday. thank you for joining me, stay with bbc news. hello, there. particularly warm days have been few and far between so far this spring. in fact, the highest temperature we've recorded this year was in highlands, scotland, 21.2 celsius. for england and wales, temperatures have not yet got above 18 degrees celsius. we have to look back all the way to 1986 to find a year when we've had to wait this long for temperatures higher than that across england and wales. but that may be about to change. over the next few days, some warmer air pushes its way northwards. the one place that won't get an awful lot warmer is the far north of scotland. so, through the rest of the week, we will see some spells of rain through the day ahead, and then it turns warmerfor many into the start of the weekend, albeit still with some

scattered showers, some decent dry weather as well. but for thursday, a couple of different frontal systems, this one pushing in from the southwest, this one just easing its way in towards the western side of scotland. so two different areas of rain, really. this one grazing the north coast of northern ireland and then pushing its way eastwards and north eastwards across scotland, maybe some snow over the highest ground here. and then this area of wet weather pushing in across the south west of england, some of that rain will then get up into wales, parts of the midlands, east anglia, certainly some rain into the south east. there is likely to be a drier slot between our two areas of wet weather. temperatures between 7—14 celsius. now, as we head through thursday night, we will continue to see some outbreaks of rain, oerhaps the odd thundery burst here and there. a lot of cloud around as well to take us into the start of friday. so, with that extra cloud in place, it is not going to be a particularly cold night. temperatures typically between three 3—11 celsius. so actually a very mild night indeed down towards the south. into friday, well, we will start off with cloud and some patchy rain

across parts of eastern england, that will tend to ease. and then for england and wales, northern ireland too, we should see some spells of sunshine developing. southern scotland will see a little bit of sunshine, northern scotland, more cloud, some bits and pieces of rain. still chilly in shetland, but further south, temperatures of ten to 18 celsius. now as we head into the weekend, it will be parts of scotland, particularly in the far north, that struggle in terms of temperatures, and we'll also see some rain at times. further south, some dry spells, a few showers, but it's southern parts that will see the highest of the temperatures, particularly on saturday, up to 19 celsius.

mata's financial results confirm it is not all doom and gloom in the tech sector — mike weir meta. plus the latest episode in american plasma wars, disney takes against florida's governor. hello and welcome to asia business report. i am welcome to asia business report. iam karishma welcome to asia business report. i am karishma vaswani it was that we begin the programme with meta and its surprising quarterly results. shares of the facebook parent are up nearly 12% in extended trading after the company reported its first sales increase in nearly a year, and

forecast that second—quarter revenue would be above market expectations.