welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore. i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines: russia readies for possible conflict over ukraine but says there is room forfurther dialogue with the west. vaccine maker moderna says an omicron—specific shot is on the horizon, but can drug makers really keep pace with new variants? two weeks after an undersea volcanic eruption devastated tonga, we hear from the captain of the royal navy ship that delivered aid to the island. and to mark holocaust memorial day, prince charles unveils portraits of seven holocaust survivors. the paintings will go on display in buckingham palace.

live from austria in singapore. —— l studio in singapore. this is bbc news. it's newsday. —— our studio in singapore. hello and thanks forjoining us. russia has suggested it may be open to holding further talks with the united states as part of attempts to de—escalate the crisis in ukraine. the kremlin described some of washington's proposals as a starting point for a "serious conversation" but it warned its main security concerns had not been properly addressed. key to what russia will do next is vladimir putin. is he trying to stop the eastward expansion of nato or has he already made up his mind to invade? here's our moscow correspondent steve rosenberg. the world is still puzzling to piece together a picture

of what vladimir putin is thinking. what he's planning. what are his intentions in ukraine and in europe? gunfire russian muscle flexing is one piece of the geopolitical jigsaw. military exercises and 100,000 russian troops near ukraine's border are fuelling fears of a russian invasion. so are moscow's demands. we just ask our partners in nato countries — get out. get out from our borders. get out from post—soviet countries because it's threatening to russian people, to russian citizens and time is running out. another piece of the puzzle — the kremlin had insisted ukraine be barred from joining nato, but america's rejected that demand.

so now what? what happens next depends on whether america's offer to negotiate with russia on some aspects of europe's security will be enough to satisfy vladimir putin. if it's not — if, as some fear, president putin's aim is to dismantle the european security order as it is now — then expect long—term friction between russia and the west. vladimir putin cut a lonely figure today as he remembered the world war ii siege of leningrad. across europe, there are fears of a new war but is russia's current and very public sabre—rattling really a precursor to conflict? after all, this is a leader who normally employs the element of surprise. this is one of the reasons why i do not believe that putin is going to invade ukraine, because if he really intended to start a military operation

in ukraine, probably we would be the last to learn about it. at the gorky park ice festival, everyone we spoke to thought it unlikely that the cold war with ukraine and the west was about to turn hot. "russians don't want war", she says. "we've experienced that. "we know how terrifying war is." the russian public has no appetite for war. they're hoping neither do their leaders. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. well, president biden has spoken to the ukrainian president about an attempt to decrease tensions. 0ur washington correspondent barbara plett usher told me more about what was said during that call. well, i think one of the highlights is the promise of exploring more financial assistance. the white house are saying there were already giving more

than $1 billion in humanitarian and development aid to ukraine but they will explore macro financial assistance to bolster the economy of ukraine because it is suffering from the pressures of the russian military build—up. ukrainian officials have been saying they are not looking to borrow money exactly for that to bolster the economy —— ukrainian officials have been saying they have been looking to borrow money exactly for that to bolster the economy because they are having difficulty accessing capital markets because of the tensions surrounding the build—up. the other point i noted in the read out of the call is that the president stressed that the us embassy in kyiv was open and functioning, despite the state department —— the state department's orders that the families of diplomats should depart. and ukrainians have voiced concern about that. they said it was premature, that it sent the wrong signal about the risk and instability level and made a point of saying most embassies are staying put, or the family members were staying put, so that may be why that was included in the assessment of the call between the two leaders. barbara, the us has also called on china to help use its influence to defuse

tensions between russia and ukraine, saying that it's in china's interests as well to do that. you know, how likely is that to happen, and what is the possible outcomes of that kind of directive from washington to beijing? well, china has called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. it always calls for — almost always calls for a diplomatic solutions to crises, and it may have influence with russia because the two countries have been drawing closer together, as both of them, their relations with the west, and especially with the us have grown more and more tense. but, you know, that is the point, really — that relations between the us and china are at their lowest in years and so, when the chinese foreign minister spoke about the state department's request to sort of take steps to bolster diplomacy, the response was, "well, nato and the us should also take seriously what they call �*the reasonable security concerns of the russians�* —

and also that all sides should avoid that hype up the crisis". so a bit sort of chiding there, i think. and analysts are of the view that it's unlikely china would take strong steps to back washington in its stand—off with russia. barbara plett usher in washington keeping us up to date on the latest developments in that story. let's take a look at some other stories in the headlines. president biden has confirmed that he will make an african—american woman his first nomination to the supreme court. mr biden made the announcement at the white house as he appeared alongside the liberal justice stephen breyer, who is retiring and will step down at the end ofjune. the british foreign secretary liz truss has defended using a government plane instead of commercial flights for a recent trip to australia. the foreign secretary took the long—haul trip last week for an annual meeting with government officials in the country.

ms truss insisted that the decision was based on value for money. the first female president of honduras, xiomara castro, has been sworn in at a ceremony attended by thousands of her supporters. in her inauguration speech, the left—wing politician said she'd inherited a broken country but promised to implement social justice and transparency. she comes to power 12 years after her husband, manuel zelaya, was deposed in a military coup. an unmanned rocket launched by elon musk�*s space exploration company is on course to crash into the moon and explode. the falcon 9 booster was launched in 2015 but it did not have enough fuel to return to earth. it will be the first uncontrolled collision of a rocket with the moon. these were the scenes in tehran after iran booked their place in the world cup finals.

they recorded a 1—0 victory over iraq at the azadi stadium in the capital, securing their place in qatar with three games to spare. it will be iran's sixth appearance in the finals and the third in succession. us—based moderna says it is on track for an 0micron—specific coronavirus vaccine. there are questions about the extent of new shots needed in the 2—year pandemic and if moderna, pfizer and astrazeneca among others can keep pace with mutations. moderna's chief medical officer dr paul burton, gave me an update on the company's new vaccine and what is likely to come next in the pandemic battle. this week, on wednesday, we announced two big pieces of information. the first was some data published in the new england journal of medicine, looking at our vaccine hold up against 0micron after a six—month booster and the data

are good, and reassuring that we do see waning. another thing we do see waning. another thing we announced, as you said, we started our phase ii study in about 600 people testing our 0micron specific booster. we think it's going to be an integral part of keeping people safe and protected, even as 0micron perhaps science as we go into winter of this year so after a full booster.- after a full booster. doctor burton. — after a full booster. doctor burton. we _ after a full booster. doctor burton, we have _ after a full booster. doctor burton, we have talked - after a full booster. doctor burton, we have talked a l after a full booster. doctor i burton, we have talked a lot about boosters and vaccines on this programme and i'm sure many in the audience are wondering how long will we continue to need boosters for as we emerge out of the pandemic into what some countries are calling and endemic. i countries are calling and endemic— countries are calling and endemic. ~' . ., , endemic. i think the data says we will be _ endemic. i think the data says we will be able _ endemic. i think the data says we will be able to _ endemic. i think the data says we will be able to get - endemic. i think the data says we will be able to get out - endemic. i think the data says we will be able to get out of. we will be able to get out of the pandemic into the endemic phase and when it happens, i'm unsure. we still see staggering caseloads of 0micron here in the united states, in europe, around the world. death rates remain very high. hospitalisation rates again

here in the united states are really at an all—time high today. but i think we can get through this. spring will come, we should get a period of stability as case cows go down. but i think we're going to need a regular yearly booster that will keep people protected as they prepare for winter, and that's what we're planning to do and what we are aiming to do with the study that we've launched now.— with the study that we've launched now. ., �* ., launched now. doctor burton, what about — launched now. doctor burton, what about the _ launched now. doctor burton, what about the developing - what about the developing world? as you rightly point out, you know, there are huge parts of the world that are currently seeing another wave of coronavirus infections, specifically 0micron, but many in the developing world have not even had their first shot. is the development of boosters coming at the expense of providing those first shots to people in the developing world? well, look, ithink people in the developing world? well, look, i think 2021 was a difficult yearfor all of well, look, i think 2021 was a difficult year for all of the vaccine producers and manufacturers. it was a difficult year to get supply

under way and then to get it out to countries that need it. i would say that in 2021, moderna provided about 25% of our 825 million doses of the vaccine to low and middle income countries and we've committed to provide another billion doses this year. i think what is beginning to emerge, and it's very interesting, that the african union, for example, actually declined to take the option for the second quarter, saying that they actually now have enough vaccines applied to be able to immunise about the % of africans in africa, so i think what we are seeing is a change, a transition from supply constrained now to logistics, where we can actually get vaccines out of airports, out of ports, drastically into towns and villages and then into arms. that will be the struggle for all of us, i think, this year and something thatis think, this year and something that is a world, we have to focus on.

that is a world, we have to focus on-— that is a world, we have to focus on. ., ., �* ., focus on. doctor paul brereton of moderna- — —— dr paul burton. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme. to mark holocaust memorial day, seven survivors have had their portraits painted by different artists, in a special project commissioned by prince charles. this is the moment that millions in iran have been waiting for. after his long years in exile, the first hesitant step of ayatollah khomeini on iranian soil. south african's white _ khomeini on iranian soil. south african's white government - khomeini on iranian soil. south| african's white government has offered — african's white government has offered its black opponents concessions unparalleled in history— concessions unparalleled in history of apartheid and anc leader— history of apartheid and anc leader nelson mandela is to be set free — leader nelson mandela is to be set free unconditionally. three, _ set free unconditionally. three, two, one. ., ., ., three, two, one. countdown two critical moments, _ three, two, one. countdown two critical moments, the _ three, two, one. countdown two critical moments, the well's - critical moments, the well's most powerful rocket ignited all 27 of its engines at once

and apart from its power, it is this recycling of the rocket, slashing the cost of a launch, that makes this a breakthrough in the business of space travel. ., ~ , ., travel. two americans have become _ travel. two americans have become the _ travel. two americans have become the first _ travel. two americans have become the first humans i travel. two americans havej become the first humans to travel. two americans have - become the first humans to walk in space — become the first humans to walk in space without any lifeline to their_ in space without any lifeline to their spaceship. 0ne in space without any lifeline to their spaceship. one of them called _ to their spaceship. one of them called it— to their spaceship. one of them called it a — to their spaceship. one of them called it a piece of cake. thousands of people have given the yachtsman _ thousands of people have given the yachtsman alan _ thousands of people have given the yachtsman alan macarthur. thousands of people have given| the yachtsman alan macarthur a spectacular— the yachtsman alan macarthur a spectacular homecoming - the yachtsman alan macarthur a spectacular homecoming in - the yachtsman alan macarthur a spectacular homecoming in the. spectacular homecoming in the cornish— spectacular homecoming in the cornish port— spectacular homecoming in the cornish port of— spectacular homecoming in the cornish port of falmouth - spectacular homecoming in the cornish port of falmouth afterl cornish port of falmouth after she smashed _ cornish port of falmouth after she smashed the _ cornish port of falmouth after she smashed the world - cornish port of falmouth after she smashed the world record for sailing _ she smashed the world record for sailing solo _ she smashed the world record for sailing solo around - she smashed the world record for sailing solo around the - for sailing solo around the world _ for sailing solo around the world non—stop. _ this is newsday on the bbc. 0ur headlines: russia readies for possible conflict over ukraine, but says there is room, for further dialogue with the west. vaccine—maker moderna says it's begun clinical trials of a booster dose designed specifically to combat the coronavirus 0micron variant.

north korea's state media says it's conducted two more missile tests this week, among them a long—range cruise missile. the report comes just a day after south korea said it detected the launch of two short—range ballistic missiles, drawing condemnations from japan and the us. since the turn of the year, pyongyang has carried out eight missile tests so far, making this january among the most tests it has ever carried out in a single month. and as our tokyo correspondent rupert wingfield—hayes reports, the new tests show north korea is continuing to make rapid progress in its missile capabilities. translation: north korea is trying to have a defence, like a scorpion�*s tail. for the last couple of years, really since the beginning of the pandemic, north korea has been very quiet.

it's really shut itself off from the rest of the world, and here injapan, we've had no missile overflights, no threats of turning tokyo into a sea of fire, and then suddenly in the last couple of weeks, all of that's changed. multiple missile tests, claims that north korea has new hypersonic weapons and threats of more to come. so what's going on in pyongyang? the short answer is that north korea hasn't spent the pandemic sitting on its hands — it's been busy. translation: we are surprised because we underestimate north korean technology, and we assume that north korea is suffering because of the pandemic. they want to complete their missile system with one that is like a scorpion�*s tail. more specifically, kim jong—un appears to be developing missiles and warheads that can get past missile defence batteries, like this on injapan. it seems pretty clear

that their aim is to develop and invade and complicate missile defences that are highly manoeuvrable and harder for the united states to pre—empt and let alone to detect. but hold on one second, kim jong—un in already has plenty of weapons to defend himself against attack. his missile arsenal is more elaborate than britain's, france, india or pakistan, so why does he need more? what we might prescribe to north korea for self—defence purposes might be deemed insufficient by the north koreans themselves. so kimjong—un, feeling chronically insecure, i think kim really doesn't trust anybody outside, including china and russia. surprisingly perhaps, some in south korea see all the activity up north as a good thing. a sign that what kim jong—un really wants is to talk. the problem for the north korean dictator is that unlock donald trump, presidentjoe biden doesn't seem very interested in having this sort of photo op on his presidential record.

he's called the kim jong—un a tyrant, i think he has very little to gain politically from being seen with kim jong—un, so i do think what it would take forjoe biden to really become invested, i think, is a major crisis. if all of this sounds familiar, that's because it is. we have seen this pattern over and over, of north korea generating a crisis, then engaging in negotiation, which fails, and then manufacturing a new crisis. that's exactly what pyongyang may be doing right now. it said it could return to long range missile tests and even nuclear tests, so hold onto your hats, although, i suspect nothing big is going to happen now until china's winter olympics are over. rupert wingfield—hayes, bbc news, tokyo. that analysis we have been

working on ever since we started to see this record—breaking number of missile test in north korea this month. in missile test in north korea this month.— this month. in fact, six to date so — this month. in fact, six to date so far. _ it's been nearly two weeks since an undersea volcanic eruption and tsunami devastated the island nation of tonga, and since then, the international community has been scrambling to deliver aid to people on the ground. the australian and new zealand governments were some of the first to react, sending emergency supplies by sea. the uk is also helping in the relief efforts. britain's royal navy ship which is carrying aid arrived off the coast of the island on wednesday. we managed to talk to captain mike proudman from the royal navy. his ship, hms spey, is now on standby off the coast of tonga. the mission has been incredibly successful so far. we sailed at a very short notice from our previous port, having embarked a significant amount of disaster relief supplies to come and assist the tongan

people. we sailed across approximately 1600 nautical miles across four days to arrive in the country to deliver aid by maritime units into tonga. we delivered approximately 30,000 litres of bottled water and just over 301st—aid kits, along with personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies. hour and sanitation supplies. how are ou and sanitation supplies. how are you unloading _ and sanitation supplies. how are you unloading supplies to the island? as i understand it, your crew was not able to disembark because of covid regulations?— disembark because of covid regulations? that is correct. ton . a, regulations? that is correct. tonga. at — regulations? that is correct. tonga, at present, - regulations? that is correct. tonga, at present, has - regulations? that is correct. tonga, at present, has an i tonga, at present, has an incredible record, in fact, throughout the pandemics, of covid security. they are remarkably conscious at the moment, despite the fact that they are trying to recover from this horrible disaster, but there are still absolutely focused on their covid security, which meant that in

order to disembark in the aid that we had to do that in a completely contactless manner, so, using ownership's crane to put the supplies on the jetty without putting anybody onto the jetty, without putting anybody onto thejetty, any without putting anybody onto the jetty, any of my own team onto the jetty at all, don't be tongan authorities came and retrieved the pallets, the equipment that we had delivered, to put it into quarantine for 72 hours before it is delivered out to the outlying islands where it is most needed. cities around the world have been commemorating holocaust memorial day. survivors from the nazi concentration camp at auschwitz returned there, to mark the anniversary of its liberation by soviet forces in 19115. three women spoke about being on the first train transporting jews to auschwitz from slovakia. during the second world war, the nazis murdered more than1 million people, most of them jewish, at the auschwitz camp in occupied poland. the national governments of europe have also been marking the day too. in austria, which was occupied by the nazis throughout

the second world war, israeli foreign minister and alternate prime minister yair lapid, commemorated the victims of concentration camps. and in poland's capital warsaw, a wreath—laying ceremony was held at a monument commemorating the 1943 uprising in the warsaw ghetto. in the uk different artists have painted the portraits of some of britain's last remaining holocaust survivors. the project was commissioned by prince charles and the portraits have gone on display at the queen's gallery in buckingham palace. 0ur royal correspondent daniela relph has more. lighting the darkness this evening for holocaust memorial day. around the uk, buildings were lit to highlight the pain of prejudice and hatred. holocaust survivors witnessed the worst of humanity. this new collection of portraits commissioned by the prince of wales is about preserving their stories. like lily aberts', who showed the prince the auschwitz number still visible on her arm. while others spoke of their

pride at their portraits. i am very pleased and very honoured. artist, portrait and subject, clara drummond painted manfred goldberg. have you been well? the process was challenging. covid meant the sittings began virtually before they could finally meet. hello, manfred! she wanted not only to paint my likeness, but she tried to get sort of into my soul, she tried to paint me heart and soul, and looking at my portrait, people tell me that they can see it in the way she has painted my eyes. those eyes saw the brutality of nazi labour camps, where manfred was sent with his family. one day his younger brother herman was taken by ss guards, and manfred never saw him again.

he did describe it as hell on earth, and it was very hard for me to imagine what it must have been like. it was very harrowing, but i feel that was really important to go there and to realise how dark it had been in order to realise what a bright light manfred is. so much is in the detail of each portrait. aric hirsch rests his hand on his left arm, the arm that bears his auschwitz number. and lily abert is painted with a gold pendant which she hid in the heel of a shoe while at auschwitz. she still wears it today. i thought we owed it to these remarkable people just to remember them in this way. there is something very special about the portrait and about the artist's eye in bringing out the real underlying character.

all the portraits are now on display. rachel leavy. .. ..aric hirsch... ..helen. .. ..anita... ..lily abert... ..ziggy shipper... ..and manfred goldburg. a prince's commission so we all remember. daniela relph, bbc news, the queens gallery at buckingham palace. you have been watching you stay. a reminder of our top story today. the us has urged china to use its influence with moscow to discourage any russian invasion of ukraine. the us state department official said if there was a conflict in ukraine, it wouldn't be good for china either. that's all for now. stay with bbc world news.

hello there. after the sunshine on thursday, we've seen clearer skies and lighter winds overnight, so it's pretty chilly out there for many. but the weather is going to change once again because during friday, we're going to find more cloud coming in from the atlantic, and that in turn will bring in some milder air as well. now, at the moment, high pressure is centred more to the south of the uk. we've got these weather fronts bringing some rain towards scotland in particular during friday, but also drawing in these stronger winds from the south—west, bringing in that milder but generally cloudy air as well. ahead of that, though, we do have a touch of frost across more central and eastern parts of the uk to start the day. those temperatures lifting in the west as the cloud comes in. we've also got a few mist and fog patches across parts of england and wales.

those will lift. there will be some early sunshine, but many areas are going to cloud over. we will keep some hazy sunshine in the south east perhaps into the afternoon. a bit of drizzle out towards the west. most of the rain pushing eastwards across scotland as those winds strengthen. drawing in that milder air, so temperatures, double figures for most of us, a little bit chillier towards the south east perhaps. it does stay very mild, actually, overnight. those temperatures aren't going to drop an awful lot because we've still got those run of strong, very mild winds. in fact, it will be very windy overnight across scotland and northern england. some very gusty winds, particularly as that rain band moves down across scotland on that weather front there. but again, that rain, whilst heavy in scotland for a while, is going to become much lighter as it sinks down into england and wales and moves away from northern ireland. after the rain, what there is of it, we're going to find sunnier skies and some showers following on,

and a strong wind continues as well, particularly windy in scotland, gusts of 60 mph likely here. southern parts of england may well stay dry, and here we'll see the highest temperatures, 13—14 degrees, it's very mild, but it is turning colder from the north as we get that sunshine and showers mix. the winds do gradually ease down overnight as that high pressure tries to build in, but this is heading our way for the second half of the weekend. another weather system coming in from the atlantic. chilly start probably on sunday, much cooler than saturday morning. we're going to find some rain heading into the north west of the uk. the winds picking up, but as we move into that cooler air, we're going to find the threat of some snow, particularly across highland and grampian and typical temperatures around 8—9.

what is the best sue gray—related joke that you have heard ? well, i was planning a trip next week to the pub that she used to run... 0h! in northern ireland. in portaferry, in county down, because that is where i am going with any questions next week, and then the production team on pm, for whom we were going to do the little trip, said it had closed down. aw! what a metaphor. but it made me think, you know, if she kept people waiting as long for a pint as she has for this report, then maybe

it is no surprise.