kyiv denies being behind the attack, but prepares for strikes in retaliation from russia. a top chinese infectious disease scientist says it is possible that covid came from a lab in wuhan. north korea has launched a rocket shortly after announcing it planned to send up its first space satellite, according to south korea. japan issued a warning to residents, and later said there was no danger of the rocket hitting its territory. but in south korea, sirens were heard and citizens

in the capital seoul got told to get ready to evacuate, only to then get told the evacuation order had been sent in error. earlier, i spoke to our seoul correspondent jean mackenzie, who gave us the picture from the ground. yes, so we were awoken this morning at about 6:30am or so, with the sound of the air raid siren, which is not common. we had messages to prepare for evacuation and we heard that the north, according to the south korean military, had launched a space launch vehicle. we think it's a spy satellite that north korea said they would launch in the coming days. within 30 minutes, residents in seoul had another announcement that the alert had been sent in error, they didn't have to evacuate, and could go about their day. what we have learned since is that north korea has launched this space vehicle, but it didn't come anywhere near seoul. they started to get reports that perhaps this rocket launch has failed but we cannot confirm that. that is something the south korean military is looking into at the moment.

there have been many launches of all kinds of things from north korea over the past few months. is this space launch something people consider to be an escalation? it's considered to be significant because north korea does not have a spy satellite in space at the moment, so this would be its first. it would allow north korea to essentially give it eyes in the sky over its enemies. over south korea and the united states. that would give it a strategic advantage to spot potential incoming attacks but also plot attacks of its own. it would be able to locate targets in south korea and the united states, so if they failed today it will be a disappointment because they've been preparing for it for a long time and it's a piece of technology kimjong—un has made clear he wants to be able to achieve. the other thing to bear in mind today with the false alarm and false alert system

is the serious implications of that when it comes to people's trust here in seoul. the stakes are high here in the korean peninsula. so if there is an alert next time, people are asking, will people take it seriously or brush it off as another mistake? people here have lived with the north korean threat for 70 years. it is a real threat but the issue is many of them have become immune to it and the events today have certainly not helped with that. just a few weeks ago we saw members of the g7, there was a lots of interaction betweenjapan, south korea and the us. has this maybe egged on north korea to want to act even more aggressively? north korea has actually said in the last few days that it's doing it in response to us aggression.

it doesn't like the fact that the us, south korea and japan are more aggressive in the way they deal with north korea. that said, this spy satellite has been on kim's wishlist for two years, he wanted to develop and use it, south korea and the united states as a cheap excuse to plough ahead with his goals. i also spoke to naoko aoki, an associate political scientist at the rand corporatio. she explained what it means when it is stated that the north fired a space vehicle. this development, if it is indeed a spy satellite, is very significant because the last time they launched a vehicle into space was in 2016, and at that point we, the outside world, were worried that north korea was improving its ballistic missile capabilities

and using space launch vehicles as an excuse. now, today, north korea has made considerable improvement in ballistic missile technology and now we have to worry about another thing — north korea potentially having better information—gathering technologies. it's a significant development and one north korea has been planning for a while now. have we heard any reaction yet from the united states? i'm not aware of any statements at this point but i wouldn't be surprised at all if the united states and its allies, south korea and japan, react to this in a very critical manner. the problem, though, is it's different from 2016. in 2016, the last time north korea launched this type of vehicle, the un security council came together and issued new sanctions against north korea. today, china and russia

are siding with north korea because of larger geopolitical issues. including the us—china position and ukraine. the un security council is dysfunctional, so i'm not hopeful they will be issuing new sanctions. you mentioned that russia and china are starting to work closer with north korea. at what point do you start to worry that this will escalate even higher? and that the us may need to come in and help bolsterjapan in its efforts to defend itself, as well as south korea? we should be concerned about north korea's continued improvement in its nuclear missile capability, both in quantity and quality. even if this attempt was not successful, i think north korea will continue in its efforts to try to put

a reconnaissance satellite in orbit because that is something they have been working on for a while. as i mentioned, it was in their modernisation plan in 2021 and they tested parts of it last year. they said the satellite itself was complete in april this year. this is something they have been planning for, for a while, and i think they will continue, unfortunately. moscow has been targeted by multiple drones in the biggest such attack since the invasion of ukraine. officials said eight drones had reached the russian capital and caused some damage, but most had been shot down. russia's president vladimir putin said the drones were aimed at "civilian targets" and that russia "reserves the right to take the harshest possible measures" against kyiv. ukraine denies any involvement. 0ur russia editor steve

rosenberg heard the explosions, and sent this report. russian television says this is the moment that moscow came under attack. the bbc has not independently verified the images russian tv showed. but from early morning, people in and around the russian capital did report hearing explosions. i heard them, too. at home, my windows shook from the force of the blasts. russia's defence ministry accused ukraine of carrying out the attack but said that russia's military had downed all the drones. ukraine has denied having anything to do with this. president putin clearly doesn't believe that. translation: the kyiv regime has chosen the path of scaring l russia and russian citizens by launching strikes on residential buildings. this is a clear sign of its terrorist activity. as they flew towards moscow, the drones sparked disbelief. "look at that," a man says.

"it's right above our house!" one of the drones crashed into a high—rise apartment block. another flew into this residential building. here is part of it on the ground. the explosives failed to detonate. the area was cordoned off and emergency services removed it. among local residents, the sense of shock is palpable. "we are all on edge," marat says. "i don't know what we should do about it." "i fear for my life and the lives of my loved ones," says yelena. "things are not as calm and stable as we have been told." the moscow authorities say there was minor damage, no serious injuries, and the situation is under control. but for muscovites, this drone attack is a wake—up call, a sign that this war, that many here still perceive as being far away, is coming much closer to home. that feeling has been growing

since these explosions over the kremlin earlier this month — an apparent drone attack. and just days ago, a large—scale cross—border incursion from ukraine into russian territory was another embarrassment for the russian authorities and a sign of growing insecurity. but no sign of any political u—turn. after this morning's drone attack, the message from the kremlin is clear — what it calls the special military operation in ukraine will continue.

i wouldn't describe ukraine cosmic as full throated, they throated, they said they had nothing directly to do with that. that's a phrase that leaves open a wealth of other possibilities. what has been striking has been the willingness of people in kyiv to express grim satisfaction at what has been happening in moscow. 0ne adviser said he was watching with pleasure. a spokesman for the air force said on social media, rejoice. that's because there are no complaints in kyiv that people in moscow are getting a taste of what people here in the capital of ukraine experience on an almost nightly basis. there were clearly risks for ukraine here. if western allies think incidents like this are in any way escalating and could make the wall worse, could cause some western allies to restrict military aid, that potentially could have an

impact. but the british foreign secretary james cleverly was asked about this. he's on a in estonia. he didn't seem concerned. he said ukraine had every right to project force outside of its border. that is something people here would agree with. they would view the attacks in moscow as relatively modest, relatively small, compared to the bloody onslaught they have endured for weeks now. onslaught they have endured for weeks "ow-— onslaught they have endured for weeks now-— this is nine—year—old alfie, who'd hit 54.1; miles an hour at ellington airfield on his specially adapted 80 cc bike. we started on his eighth birthday, this first one at elvington, to progress to what he has done now. yes, it's an achievement. and, you know, as parents we're just so proud of him. it wasn't on this. i first started...

it wasn't on this. it was on a little mini—model that was just an electric one. and we levelled up and just carried on levelling up until we got to this. alfie is part of a group ofjuniors setting new records. as they get older, they're allowed to use more powerful engines, and little alfie has big ambitions. get really fast and do stuff like that, and become an engineer and build crazy stuff. i am a bit scared because he looks up to a lot - of the bigger riders, but it's nice to know that he wants to build them and potentiallyl do other records. you're live with bbc news. while many countries have cut trade ties with russia in the last year, some have drastically increased their dealing with moscow. one of those countries is myanmar. russia has become the biggest arms supporter for myanmar�*s military government. the united nations says that russia has sent $400 million worth of military equipment to myanmar since the junta seized power

in the country two years ago. the bbc�*s rebecca henschke has gained exclusive access to an air force captain involved in the transfer of advanced fighter jets from russia to myanmar. a myanmar militaryjet circles a primary school. when they think it's safe, they run. but the plane circles back. across myanmar, the military is carrying out increasingly deadly air strikes. 0n the ground, they are struggling to suppress an armed uprising, demanding democracy.

so they've taken this war against their own people to the sky. translation: they are under attack by revolutionary forces | and they don't have enough men to fight back. so now the air force is very important to the military. what would the myanmar military strength be like without the air force? translation: without the air force, it's very l likely that the military will fall. before defecting, the captain upgraded the capital's airport for the arrival of advanced fighterjets. we prepared for six su 30s. we built three open sheds. so far, two of the sukhoi 30s have arrived from russia. they're the most powerfuljets in the air force's arsenal.

altogether, more than 50 people were sent to russia to get training to operate these jets. captain ung didn't want to be one of those pilots. after 18 years in the air force, he fled with his family across the border to thailand. i saw that they killed people. i don't like that wicked behaviour. i didn't like their cruelty against the people whom they are meant to protect. in the air, this is how the resistance is trying to fight back. 25—year—old khin saine leads a group of female drone bombers. they adapt civilian drones to carry homemade bombs and rely on public donations. compare with the plane, our drone is like a sesame seed.

if we fly high, like 300 metres above, they don't even know that we are coming. so we can attack them effectively. and they are scared of drones. but the military is dominating the sky, carrying out devastating attacks on civilian targets, including schools and hospitals. rebecca henschke, bbc news. a top former chinese government scientist has said that it should not be ruled out that howard could have leaked from a lab. he has told a new bbc podcast that the question of the virus�*s origin remains open. many scientists still believe the virus is likely to have passed naturally from animals to humans. john sudworth was our correspondent in china until he was forced to leave in 2021. he said this

report from new york. everton to the world got its first glimpse of the deadly disease circulating in wuhan, china has dismissed the theory that covid might have leaked from a lab known to have been experimenting with coronaviruses as a lie. but now one of china's most senior scientists seems far less forthright when i ask him about that possibility. i forthright when i ask him about that possibility.— that possibility. i haven't seen anything. _ that possibility. i haven't seen anything. a - that possibility. i haven't seen anything. a lot - that possibility. i haven't seen anything. a lot of. that possibility. i haven't - seen anything. a lot of people have some suspicion, but i haven't seen anything. mar have some suspicion, but i haven't seen anything. nor can ou let haven't seen anything. nor can you let out? — haven't seen anything. nor can you let out? everything - haven't seen anything. nor can you let out? everything is - you let out? everything is possible- _ you let out? everything is possible. don't _ you let out? everything is possible. don't rule - you let out? everything is possible. don't rule out i possible. don't rule out anything. _ possible. don't rule out anything. he _ possible. don't rule out anything, he says. - possible. don't rule out anything, he says. the | possible. don't rule out i anything, he says. the lab possible. don't rule out - anything, he says. the lab leak theory was ruled out, though. perhaps of the association with this man helped casted as a conspiracy theory.— this man helped casted as a conspiracy theory. have you seen anything _ conspiracy theory. have you seen anything at _ conspiracy theory. have you seen anything at this - conspiracy theory. have you seen anything at this point i seen anything at this point that— seen anything at this point that gives you a high degree of

confidence that the wuhan institute of virology was the origin — institute of virology was the origin of _ institute of virology was the origin of this virus?- origin of this virus? yes, i have. origin of this virus? yes, i have- as _ origin of this virus? yes, i have. as did _ origin of this virus? yes, i have. as did the - origin of this virus? yes, i have. as did the claims i origin of this virus? yes, i i have. as did the claims from some western _ have. as did the claims from some western scientists i have. as did the claims from some western scientists of l some western scientists of overwhelming evidence that the virus, which started in bats, passed naturally to humans, perhaps via other animals in the market, a route by which deadly pandemics are known to have emerged in the past. it was that past precedent that influenced the world health organization mission to wuhan when it too effectively ruled out a lab leak. one of the scientists tells me in our podcast... scientists tells me in our podcast - -_ scientists tells me in our odcast... , , podcast. .. everyone is biased. yes, i podcast. .. everyone is biased. yes. i am _ podcast. .. everyone is biased. yes, i am biased _ podcast. .. everyone is biased. yes, i am biased for— podcast. .. everyone is biased. yes, i am biased for natural. yes, i am biased for natural origin because of everything we have seen in the past. the sheer amount... a known high risk situation... mil sheer amount... a known high risk situation. . ._ risk situation... all along, other scientists, - risk situation... all along, other scientists, while i other scientists, while agreeing that covid may well

have come from animals in the market, say there is not yet enough evidence to definitively rule out the other possibility, that it leaked from a lab. with the change of presidency in the us, that view, now somewhat free from its political associations, has gained traction. following a review ordered by president biden, two out of eight us intelligence agencies are now said to favour agencies are now said to favour a lab leak with low to moderate confidence. and there is renewed focus on the wider issue of the risks of lab work with dangerous pathogens, although the political parties and ship still looms large. the oriainal and ship still looms large. tue: original mortality and ship still looms large. tte: original mortality rate... robert redfield was a trump appointed one of america's top scientificjobs. t appointed one of america's top scientific jobs.— scientificjobs. i have 12 grandchildren, - scientificjobs. i have 12 grandchildren, i - scientificjobs. i have 12 grandchildren, ithink. scientific jobs. i have 12 i grandchildren, i think they are in high risk of a pandemic in the next decade or two, and i think it will be caused by man, not nature, either intentional bio—terrorism or possiblyjust

a lab accident. bio-terrorism or possibly 'ust a lab accidenti a lab accident. you have no riaht a lab accident. you have no ri . ht to a lab accident. you have no right to tell _ a lab accident. you have no right to tell me _ a lab accident. you have no right to tell me not - a lab accident. you have no right to tell me not to i a lab accident. you have no right to tell me not to ask i right to tell me not to ask questions... right to tell me not to ask questions. . ._ questions... the signs of china's — questions... the signs of china's heavy _ questions... the signs of china's heavy handed i questions... the signs of i china's heavy handed political control have been there from the start. and the mystery of what happened in wuhan has become one of the most controversial questions of our time. but it's also one of the most important. where did covid come from? a chinese rocket has launched into orbit, taking three astronauts to china's space station. it's named teeangong, which translates to heavenly palace. among the first chinese astronauts are civilians. china has spent billions of dollars on its space programme run by the military, as it tries to rival the united states and russia. beijing plans to put chinese astronauts on the moon by 2030. earlier i spoke to cathleen lewis, who is a curator

at the smithsonian national air and space museum in dc this chinese programme is very ambitious, but it's also very isolated and self contained. we've discovered through the example of three countries that it takes about a decade from that first launch of a human to establishing a space station. and then through that time, it's not only developing hardware, but it's developing that infrastructure and maintaining that infrastructure that can sustain human life in space. so in the case of the ussr, it was a decade. in the case of the united states, it was about 12 years, and china was about 12 to 13 years, just to go from first human nationally launched in space to establishing a space station. now china's progressing towards doing science in space, which the americans

and the consortium members of the international space station have been doing. they've launched their first civilian in space today just to maintain those experiments that are going on. the chinese government has been soliciting programmes and scientific research packages from all over the world to go on board the chinese space station. and now they have a dedicated individual who's going to be mining those experiments, much in the way the crew of the iss mines the experiments that are launched onboard the international space station. you know, i'm reminded of the cold war, the soviet union and the us, and this war to get someone to the moon way back when. so have we heard any reaction from the russians and the americans? well, the americans have been fairly sanguine about the chinese progress. it's not a head—to—head

competition. we're no longer in that binary superpower competition, but it is competition for science and technology and for financial markets. the chinese see this as an opportunity to develop their economy and develop their image of reliability in advanced, high—technology science. but you have to remember that human space flight is really only the very tiny tip of that iceberg that is space infrastructure. most of what goes on in space is driven by unmanned satellites, robotic satellites, navigation guidance and timing satellites and gps satellite system that we rely on here in the united states. communication satellites that allow me to be talking to you today, this evening. earth resources satellites

which are very important. and we have about 40 countries that are operating their own space programmes, in one way or another. and that's really where the money is, the infrastructure and the development is. that's all for now — stay with bbc world news. hello there. 25.1 celsius was the high in porthmadog in north—west wales on tuesday, making it the warmest day of the year so far across the country. and for the rest of the week, it does stay mainly dry thanks to high pressure, always the warmest and the sunniest of the weather towards western parts of the uk, always a bit cooler and cloudier further east. now this is the blocking area of high pressure which will continue to bring this mainly dry weather. but if you cast your eyes down

towards southern europe, it's a different story. here, we've got daytime showers and thunderstorms breaking out for the rest of the week. so rainfall totals will continue to mount here. could even see some localised flooding in places but further north, thanks that area of high pressure, it's going to stay almost bone dry, but we could see some drizzle at times across eastern england under the thickest of the cloud as we start early wednesday, and under that cloud blanket, which will spread across much of england and wales, temperatures won't fall much below seven to ten degrees, but chilly under the clear skies in the northwest and a little bit of mist and fog, but it's here where you'll see the sunshine from the word go for wednesday morning. the clouds tending to thin and break and burn back to the coast, could linger across parts of the midlands, eastern england once again. and it'll be chilly along north sea coasts and the northern isles down to the southeast, mid—teens there, but up to the mid—20s, central belt of scotland, low 20s for northern ireland and parts of wales. wednesday night the low cloud rolls back into eastern scotland, much of central, southern eastern england and also parts of wales.

and again, those temperatures ranging from around six to nine degrees, but a few chillier spots under the clear skies in the northwest. we do it all again for thursday. best of the sunshine again across northern and western areas, eastern scotland, eastern england will see that cloud burn back to the coast. but again, with the onshore breeze, which will be quite fresh across the east, and the south east, it'll feel cooler here, as opposed to western areas which will see temperatures again into the low 20s celsius. similar picture on friday, most of the cloud across northern and eastern areas. again, more of a breeze in across the southeast. that'll temper the temperatures somewhat. i think temperatures are a little lower across the board. we're in the low 20s out west in the sunshine, as opposed to the mid—20s. but into the weekend it stays largely fine. dry, plenty of sunshine again. best of the sunshine out west, always a bit cloudier and cooler along the north sea coasts.

where the day has ended president biden and speaker president biden and speaker mccarthy urge members of their mccarthy urge members of their parties to support their debt parties to support their debt ceiling deal with thejune 5th ceiling deal with thejune 5th deadline looming ever closer. deadline looming ever closer. the chips are up — the chips are up — as nvidia briefly enters as nvidia briefly enters the trillion dollar club. the trillion dollar club. hello and welcome to asia business report.

i'm monica miller. let's start on wall street,