Religion and make it into a commodity. And unearthing the secrets of an ancient tomb as archaeologists discover a collection of mummies. Hello, and welcome. It is 7am in singapore and midnight here in london, where the Prime Minister, theresa may, produced a dramatic surprise she is seeking an early general election in june, three yea rs general election in june, three years ahead of schedule. The aim is clear, to increase her majority in parliament and give herself leeway in negotiations to leave the eu. Opposition parties welcomed the chance to offer the people an alternative to the conservatives. Our Political EditorLaura Kuenssberg reports. Did she surprise them . Did she surprise you . Did theresa may even surprise herself . Her biggest decision as Prime Minister, taken only days ago. I have just chaired a meeting of the cabinet where we agreed that the government should call a general election to be held on the eighth ofjune. That was not her plan. But she says to get brexit done, she needs more support around here. In recent weeks, labour have threatened to vote against the final agreement we reach with the european union. The Liberal Democrats have said they want to grind the business of government to a standstill. The Scottish National party say they will vote against the legislation that formally repeals britains membership of the european union. And unelected members of the House Of Lords have vowed to fight us every step of the way. Our opponents believe because the governments majority is so small that our resolve will weaken and they can force us to change course. They are wrong. So tomorrow there will be a vote in parliament that will all but certainly get the process going. And if you are in any doubt about how the tories will frame your choice. I have only recently and reluctantly come to this conclusion. Since i became Prime Minister, i have said that there should be no election until 2020. But now i have concluded that the only way to guarantee certainty and stability for the years ahead is to hold this election and seek your support for the decisions i must take. Every vote for the conservatives will make me stronger when i negotiate for britain with the Prime Ministers, chancellors and president s of the european union. Most of her ministers had been in the dark. Only in the last few days did she decide. Theresa may only moved in here 279 days ago. And she said consistently that there should be no early general election. Quite simply, she has changed her mind. What happens next for theresa may will be up to you. Labour will support tomorrows vote to push the button, even though the weakness Ofjeremy Corbyn is one of the reasons why an early election is on. Yet his supporters hope that his ideas will cut through. I welcome the opportunity for us to put the case to the people of britain, to stand up against this government and its failed economic agenda, which has left our nhs with problems, which has left our schools underfunded, and so many people uncertain. We want to put our case out there for the people of britain, of a society that cares for all, an economy that works for all and a brexit that works for all. More than ever, perhaps, this election will notjust be about what happens here but the whole countrys constitution. The tories wont promise another vote on independence in scotland, but Nicola Sturgeon will. This is the biggest u turn in recent political history. But it is very clear that the Prime Ministers announcement today is one all about the narrow interests of her own party, not the interests of the country overall. On the road already, as planned, for the local elections, the Lib Dems See Opportunity to come back from rock bottom. It is an opportunity for the people of this country to change the direction of this country, to decide that they do not want a hard brexit, they want to keep britain in the single market, and indeed it is an opportunity for us to have a decent, strong opposition in this country that we desperately need. How many more times are you going to change your mind, Prime Minister . Win well, and theresa may escapes some political problems, but the hurly burly of any campaign claims casualties, too. Just ask anyone who has ever lived at this address. Laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. And lets have a look at some of the other news for the day reports from america suggest a Us Navy Task Force was not in fact headed for the Korean Peninsular when washington said it was. This us navy picture shows the Aircraft Carrier uss cole vincent over the weekend nearjava, A500 Kilometres from korea. Visiting saudi arabia, us defence secretary James Matters said the focus remained on a diplomatic solution. Youre aware that the leader in north korea again recklessly try to provoke something by launching a missile, it was not a Ballistic Missile. It failed launch and it shows why we are working so closely right now with the chinese coming out of the mar a lago meeting between the two nations leaders, hours and the chinese, to get this under control and aim for the deeney denuclarised north korea, and we all share the same interest. We have more north korea in a moment, but first other news making Headlines Police in the us say a man who carried out an apparently random murder then posted a video of the crime on facebook has killed himself. They say Steve Stevens took his own life as officers approached his own life as officers approached his car following a brief chase. French prosecutors say to make islamist militants arrested in an anti terror operation in marseille on tuesday it had an arsenal of weapons including an uzi submachine gun. The Prosecutor General said they had made three kilograms of the highly volatile explosive tatp, with one batch ready for use. And an Indian Business tycoon wanted in his own country over fraud allegations has been bailed after appearing in court in london. He arrived in monday from india more than a year arrived in monday from india more thana yearago, arrived in monday from india more than a year ago, leaving behind thought to be a total of 1 billion. He denies any wrongdoing. Japan has started to withdraw troops from a Un Mission In south sudan, it isa from a Un Mission In south sudan, it is a move coinciding with escalating violence in the country. The 350 strong contingent, which has been based in the capital, juba, for the last five years, has mostly been helping with construction projects. Well, lets return to the dramatic news in the uk, the call for a Snap General Election. Following the announcement, the Prime Minister, theresa may, spoke on the phone with several World Leaders, including us President Donald Trump and also the german chancellor angela merkel. Earlier, i spoke with our westminster correspondent at asked Ifa Westminster correspondent at asked if a conservative victory will allow theresa may greater confidence when it comes to brexit negotiations. Well, that is what she hopes, and she hopes with an increased majority, albeit if she definitely gets one, that when she sits around the table with those 27 other Heads Of State across the eu she will be able to say, ive got a brand new fresh mandate and so she will feel ina fresh mandate and so she will feel in a stronger position going those negotiations. And i think the phone call she made today were in part a courtesy call, if you like. See spoke to, as you say, the german chancellor, angela merkel. She also spoke to the president of the european council, donald tusk, and jean claude juncker, president of the european commission, and end a brainy, setting out this will go ahead and the general election wont be changing as it comes to the negotiations across the eu and kenny. It was a surprise across westminster for journalists and politicians because theresa may had been saying that she didnt want to have a Snap General Election because that could create uncertainty. The unpredictability of an Election Campaign while all the brexit negotiations are going on. Now the government is saying, actually, a general election will create certainty, and theresa may hopes it will give her a stronger hand going into those negotiations. Politicians will still get a chance to have a say because they are still voting on this, although they will likely vote for it. Theresa may will go to the House Of Commons and she will ask mps to vote on whether there should bea mps to vote on whether there should be a general election. It is because ofa be a general election. It is because of a bill in parliament at the moment, the fixed Term Parliament act, it means that they should not have been an election until 2020, and the only way that can become the only way the election can be brought earlier is a vote in the commons tomorrow. We know that labour have said they will vote for the election to go ahead, so i think we can look on tomorrow as being a formality, if you like. Then there isa formality, if you like. Then there is a matter of around 50 days until the electorate will go to the polls. There is some tidying up to do in parliament. There is a lot of legislation that has been going on at the moment. All of that will have to be tied up and sorted out before parliament is dissolved for the electors here in the uk go to the polls. That was westminster correspondent eleanor garnier. Us Vice President mike pence continues his tour of asia at a time of increased tension with north korea. Over the next couple of hours he will visit the uss Ronald Reagan in the sea ofjapan. On tuesday he said the us was determined to find a peaceful solution to the north korean threat but stressed all options were on the table. Well, is his presence in the region reassuring, or adding to the increase in fears . I asked a Political Science expert. I wouldnt want to characterise it either way. I think as donald trump has said, the president has said in washington, the policy is to maximise pressure. It is to end the policy of strategic patience that there will be a harder line and more pressure on the north koreans. So how do you maximise this pressure, profession, is it china, is it more sanctions, or is it military action . Well, what weve seen so far is that the administration has made reference to the ballistic strikes in syria, as well as the use of the largest ever bomb in afghanistan, on isis targets. So i think the administration wants to send a message that this military these Military Options are possible. At the same time, all options, meaning it is open to negotiation. But in a similar way, with the Obama Administration, it is looking for a certain concession, that is a message 01 a certain concession, that is a message or a signal from pyongyang that the north will end its nuclear programme. So, professor, in your view, what do you think would be the correct approach to the north korean threat . Well, i would not want to state it as strategic patience i dont think over the years, if youve watched the relationships and the president clinton years, that the president clinton years, that the kims, the kim Family Response to pressure the Six Party Talks didnt work of the Obama Administration approach of increasing sanctions hasnt worked either. The only thing that seems to have worked was in the mid 90s. Professor, briefly, as forjapan, how seriously are they taking these developments in the Korean Peninsular, and what do you think they should do, just briefly . think the japanese are taking it very seriously. They were certainly called. They were shocked when they sent Ballistic Missiles into they sent Ballistic Missiles into the sea of japan. They sent Ballistic Missiles into the sea ofjapan. They they sent Ballistic Missiles into the sea of japan. They believe they have to co ordinate with the us closely, that is their strategic ally it is essential. They are taking precautions about a possible mistake for an accident. And they are alerting the japanese people they have antiBallistic Missile batteries in place but there is an Early Warning system to take cover in case of possible Ballistic Missile attack. Youre watching newsday mac on the bbc, live from singapore and london. Still to come on the programme it was an Election Campaign that made it onto the pages of a marvel comic, we will see who will be the next governor of jakarta. Also coming we will see who will be the next governor ofjakarta. Also coming up on the programme president trumps latest moves to buy and hire american. The stars and stripes at half mast outside columbine high. The School Sealed off, the bodies of the dead still inside. I never thought they would actually go through with it. Some places have already had nearly as much rain as they would normally expect in an entire year. For millions of americans, the death of Richard Nixon in a New York Hospital has meant conflicting emotions. A national day of mourning next wednesday sitting somehow uneasily with the abiding memories of the shame of watergate. And lift off of the Space Shuttle discovery with the hubble space telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you are telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you are staying telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you are staying with telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you are staying with us. Telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you are staying with us. Youre telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you are staying with us. Youre watching telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you are staying with us. Youre watching newsday telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you are staying with us. Youre watching newsday on telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you are staying with us. Youre watching newsday on the telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you are staying with us. Youre watching newsday on the bbc. Telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you are staying with us. Youre watching newsday on the bbc. I telescope, our window on the universe. Glad you are staying with us. Youre watching newsday on the bbc. I rico hizon in singapore. And i am kasia madera in london. Theresa may has called european leaders after her surprise decision to call the election onjune eight. And a competitive videogame will be included in the official programme of the 2020 to asian games due to be held in china. That is popular in bbc. Com across asia. Now, some of the front pages of the international papers, which are carrying some of the centuries we have mentioned. The South China Morning Post is reporting on the Us Navy Task Force headed by the Aircraft Carrier, the calvin said, heading towards the korean peninsula. But this amid concerns an attack might be imminent. It is still 5000 lumbers away from the region. The japan times leads on the us Vice President s visit to china. Kilometres. The china daily shows how the, how beijing is attending to strengthen its ties with the european union. You can see this image there of a handshake between the premier and the representative from the eu at a meeting in the chinese capital. And there has been a Heated Campaign that has incited religious and racial issues in indonesia. Where courting about the poll for the mayor of jakarta. He indonesia. Where courting about the poll for the mayor ofjakarta. He is on trialfor poll for the mayor ofjakarta. He is on trial for disrespecting islam. Poll for the mayor ofjakarta. He is on trialfor disrespecting islam. We are joined on trialfor disrespecting islam. We arejoined in indonesia by rebecca henschke. Why it is this particular election so important . Notjust by indonesia, but also for the wider region. It is being seen as a test for this countrys planning principles, religious tolerance, pluralism, and a multi ethnic population. What were hearing from people from the opposition groups, the hardline people from the opposition groups, the Ha Rdline Groups, people from the opposition groups, the hardline groups, who have been protesting, is now they are telling muslims that they cannot vote for him purely because of his religion. Because he is not a muslim. Many