welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore. i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines: ukraine's ambassador to the uk says his country may drop its ambitions to join nato, to prevent a russian invasion. we are flexible trying to find the best way out. if we have to go through some serious, i don't know, concessions, that's something we might do, that's for sure. we have a special report from mariupol in eastern ukraine, a vital port on the front line if russia attacks. many here in ukraine still say they don't believe that president putin will invade. some, though, have come here to take up this basic weapons training. they say they want to be

readyjust in case. also ahead, "the one with the censorship" — why chinese streaming platforms are accused of censoring scenes from the us sitcom friends. hello and welcome to the programme. ukraine has asked for talks with moscow and other members of a key european security group to discuss the build—up of russian forces on its border. ukraine's foreign minister said moscow should to be transparent about its plans. germany has become the latest western nation to publicly warn that a russian invasion of ukraine may be imminent — with the vice chancellor, robert habeck, saying europe could be on the "verge of war."

but in the last few hours, ukraine's ambassador to the uk has said his country might contemplate dropping its ambition to join nato, in order to avoid conflict — despite the importance of that ambition, to ukraine. this is what is written in our constitution, and by being ambassador, by saying "might", i'm somehow going against the major document we have? what i'm saying here, that we are flexible trying to find the best way out. if we have to go through some serious, i don't know, concessions, that's something we might do, that's for sure. max bergmann is a former us department of state official — and is now a seniorfellow at the policy institute, the center for american progress, where he focuses on europe, russia, and us security. i asked him what he made of the the ukrainian ambassador to the uk's comments about giving up ukraine's nato ambitions to avoid conflict.

i think that would be a significant step by ukraine, but i am of the view that i don't think this is ultimately about ukrainian membership of nato. right now, russia occupies part of ukraine, which means that ukraine is at war with russia currently in the eastern part of the country. currently in the eastern so the notion that ukraine would join nato at any time soon, you'd need the consensus of 30 nato members to agree moment would mean war with russia. so to me, the notion that the us or ukraine can simply promise to not make ukraine part of nato or that ukraine would drop its ambitions tojoin nato, that that would defuse this crisis, i don't think that would work. because, ultimately, i think what this crisis is about is the kremlin, vladimir putin, wanting to control ukraine, wanting ukraine under russia's sphere of influence. and right now, the only way, i think, for him to do that — or the way putin sees for him

to do that — is through military invasion, and that is why i think the united states is so worried that an invasion is imminent. right, max, on that intel from the us, we have consistently heard from russia that they're denying to plan any plans of an attack. they've said that the outcry from the us and its allies is hysterical. how robust is the us�*s intel on russia? look, what the us has basically done since 1945 is develop a vast intelligence complex to focus on, then, the soviet union, then russia, in particular russia's military movements, because as the two largest nuclear powers that were in constant fear that the other would move to strike against the other one, our intelligence and our ability to focus on russia's military

movements is extremely good. and i think what we are seeing here is the united states has an access to vast intelligence resources that the ukrainians simply do not have at their disposal, and we are seeing movements of russian forces. every indicator points to a potential invasion, and this is an invasion force right now that is roughly on par with the invasion force that the us and uk invaded iraq with. and just to jump in there, max, we're also hearing from president zelensky of ukraine, who has criticised the panic that he says has been caused by these statements from the us, saying that he's got no proof that russia is going to invade in the coming days. what do you make of that dissonance? well, i think, let's be clear, the us is not trying to create any panic, neither is the uk, neither is any government. but when you see 135,000 forces arrayed to surround a country, and then the troop movements

and ship movements all pointing in one direction, and on the diplomatic front, that there's no diplomatic talks right now... the us and europe have engaged with russia to try and open up diplomatic talks and they've been rejected by the russians, so i think there's a difference of perspective. i think zelensky has to try to keep calm, wants investors to stay in. he's hoping that russia's deterred and this is all a bluff. and so i think both leaders are just coming at this from a different perspective, but for the united states, it has to take certain steps, whether to close its embassy or remove diplomatic personnel. so it's just an unfortunate situation that they're not quite on the same page, but i think we'll see in the coming weeks if russia begins to de—escalate, because it's not going to be able to maintain its current force posture, i think, indefinitely.

so now you've heard what the situation is on the political front — meanwhile — there's tens of millions of ukrainians now living with the grim threat of war — and particularly communities along the borders, close to where russia has amassed troops. our international correspondent orla guerin has travelled to the south—east of the country — near territory already held by russian—backed separatists to talk to residents of mariupol — as it's feared that a russian invasion here could create a land corridorfrom russia to the crimean peninsula, which it annexed in 2014. choir sings a hymn in ukraine, there is much to pray for. a nation that could be days from a devastating war if the worst fears in london and washington are realised. at this ukrainian orthodox service in the city of mariupol, they remembered their soldiers on the front line.

father roman is a military chaplain. he says its president putin who should be worried. "i think these are the final convulsions of the russian regime," he told me. "i hope people understand they shouldn't die for this regime." some here have faith that the worst can be averted, that there is still time. "i think diplomatically, somehow, we will overcome this crisis," irina tells me. "i don't think that all russians support this kind of aggression towards ukraine." russia insists it won't invade.

if it does, mariupol is within easy reach. this strategic port city is about 30 miles from the russian border, and kremlin—backed separatists are closer still. so sunday afternoon is now time to get to grips with an ak—47. weapons in young hands. what might the future bring for her? civilians lining up for a few hours�* military training with the national guard. the international warnings are getting more and more ominous. despite this, many here in ukraine still say they don't believe that president putin will invade. some, though, have come here to take up this basic weapons training. they say they want to be readyjust in case. and that very much includes valentina, who is 78. a granny with a gun.

translation: i am a very peaceful person and i can. forgive a lot of things. i can give away everything, but when something is taken against my will, when an invader comes, i will resist and i will be furious. for now, just a training exercise, but soon it might be real. one commander here says he believes president putin's men are coming, but ukraine will fight them all the way. it will be not an easy warfor them. but you think he will try to invade? maybe, yes. the risks are very high, really. and soon?

i think it will be... it may be started in a few days. there is a sense of peril for ukraine and its people, like five—year—old jaroslav. a sense that danger is closing in. orla guerin, bbc news, mariupol. and for more on ukraine — just head over to our website — where we have a special section devoted to the topic. you can read up on all of the latest developments, and look back at how the situation has turned out the way it has. just log on to bbc.com/news — or use the bbc app. voters in switzerland have backed legislation banning tobacco advertising anywhere it might be seen by young people. the move will bring the country into line with its european neighbours. 56 % voted in favour in a referendum. police in canada say they've cleared the remaining protesters blocking a key bridge between canada and the united states, after a week of disruption. despite a court order

to end the occupation, trucks and cars had blocked the ambassador bridge in ontario — which is north america's busiest land border crossing. the demonstrators oppose covid restrictions and sparked copycat protests around the world. one of the biggest spectacles in world sport, the super bowl, is under way — in los angeles. around a hundred million people worldwide are expected to tune in to watch the cincinatti bengals take on the los angeles rams. right now, the rams are in the lead. jo won is manager of lucky strike — a celebrity bar — in downtown los angeles and hejoins me now. ican i can see your hat and your face. that is fantastic. looks like we are in business. give me a sense of what the atmosphere is like at your bar tonight and what everyone there is doing given that it is high time now.

is doing given that it is high time "ow-— is doing given that it is high time now. ., , time now. the atmosphere here is cra . time now. the atmosphere here is crazy- we _ time now. the atmosphere here is crazy. we are _ time now. the atmosphere here is crazy. we are just _ time now. the atmosphere here is crazy. we are just packed - is crazy. we are just packed solid. i think you can hear, it is hard to hear you guys, and then show you what i'm looking at. yes, like people are extremely engaged. it is have time now is presumably they're watching presumably they�* re watching some presumably they're watching some of those massive performances, the megastars on stage. we know that doctor dre, snoop dogg, eminem and mary] blige are performing today and earlier someone said to me that actually lots more people come to watch the event rather than the football itself. tell me,

what is the sense of who might win at the moment? is it going to be a nail—biting finish or a shoein to be a nail—biting finish or a shoe in for the favourites? in this like a pretty tight finish. i have got to go for the rams. i finish. i have got to go for the ram-— finish. i have got to go for the rams. ~ ., , ., the rams. i thinkl heard you riaht the rams. i thinkl heard you right there- _ the rams. i thinkl heard you right there. i— the rams. i thinkl heard you right there. i can _ the rams. i thinkl heard you right there. i can hear - right there. i can hear cheering in the background as well. just for viewers who are not that familiar with the sport can you talk as though, you think, the appeal of why the super bowl is so important in the american cultural psyche?— in the american cultural -s che? , ~ ., in the american cultural sche? , 4' ., 4' , psyche? because, you know, kids crow u- psyche? because, you know, kids grow up playing — psyche? because, you know, kids grow up playing this _ psyche? because, you know, kids grow up playing this game. - it is the best things in

america. they denied in football. it is america likeable buy. i football. it is america likeable buy.- football. it is america likeable buy. football. it is america likeable bu . ., ., likeable buy. i could not have ut it likeable buy. i could not have put it better _ likeable buy. i could not have put it better myself. - likeable buy. i could not have put it better myself. thank i likeable buy. i could not have i put it better myself. thank you so much forjoining us this evening from your buyer. i'm going to let you get back to the people at the bar. they look like they're having a brilliant time there. thank you so much forjoining us. thank you so much forjoining us. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme. nine years and 15,000 deaths after going into afghanistan, the last soviet troops were finally coming home — the withdrawal completed in good order, but the army defeated in the task it had

been sent to perform. malcolm has been murdered. that has a terrible effect for the morale of the people. i'm terrified of the repercussions in the streets. one wonders who is next. as the airlift got under way, there was no let up in the eruption itself. lava streams from a vent lower in the crater flowed down to the sea on the east of the island, away from the town for the time being. it could start flowing again at any time. the russians heralded their new generation l space station with - a spectacular night launch. they've called it mir, i the russian for peace. ukraine's ambassador to the uk has told the bbc

that his country may contemplate dropping any ambitions ofjoining nato, in order to avoid military conflict with russia. the wait is over for the super—excited fans at the super bowl — america's biggest sporting event is under way in los angeles. campaigners in scotland are calling forjustice for thousands of women who were killed in the 16th and 17th centuries, after being accused of scorcery. witchhunts were happening across europe at the time, but scotland had a particlarly high number of victims. the scottish parliament is considering a bill to pardon the women, more than 300 years after their deaths. courtney bembridge has the details. dozens of women here were accused of sorcery, executed and burned. the first of these

killings came as recently as 1727. three centuries later, campaigners are fighting to have the women's names cleared. we feel it was an absolutely terrible thing that happened in scotland's history. it was a miscarriage ofjustice and unfortunately it is not finished with a she. or so people across the world vulnerable, women or old people, accused of witchcraft and in some cases being killed by mobjustice. in and in some cases being killed by mob justice. in fact, and in some cases being killed by mobjustice. in fact, there are some countries trying to put it into the legal system are people can still be accused of witchcraft so we don't think that it of witchcraft so we don't think thatitis of witchcraft so we don't think that it is an passed. it is still sadly very, very relevant.— still sadly very, very relevant. ., relevant. how many were executed _ relevant. how many were executed in _ relevant. how many were executed in scotland, - relevant. how many were i executed in scotland, about 2500 — executed in scotland, about 2500. we don't have the precise. _ 2500. we don't have the precise, but that is the best i come — precise, but that is the best i come up _ precise, but that is the best i come up with and so that is over— come up with and so that is over when_ come up with and so that is over when and how centuries, in scotland — over when and how centuries, in scotland at _ over when and how centuries, in scotland at that time and a population of about 2 million. compared with the rest of europe, _ compared with the rest of europe, that is quite intense. that— europe, that is quite intense. that is— europe, that is quite intense. that is about five times the european average. campaigners

ho -e their european average. campaigners hope their efforts _ european average. campaigners hope their efforts were - european average. campaigners hope their efforts were right - hope their efforts were right past wrongs and shine a light on places where this is still going on but the movement has also inspired other european nations to reckon with their own histories. last month in spain, catalonia's parliament formally pardoned hundreds of women accused of witchcraft and killed between the 15th and 18th centuries. killed between the 15th and 18th centuries. we're now into the second week of the winter olympics in beijing. hosting a global sporting event is often seen as an opportunity for countries to project power and influence. and these games are no different. in the context of the ongoing covid pandemic and allegations of human rights abuse, the chinese authorities will be hoping the games can help them regain international goodwill. i think a lot of people look back to 2008, and that is the

framework of the book, from one olympics to the next, but it's when the government decided to release a policy to make china the largest sports industry in the world. in china, a fraction of 1% of gp come from the sports economy, so they started from a low base, almost zero, and the aim was from 2025 of the biggest sports economy in the world —— of gdp. with winter sports and the winter olympics, that has really helped to push forward the growth, so there is been some bumps in the road. but winter sports, we are seeing some real growth and i think the economy as a whole is definitely doing well in the sports area. yeah, i know that there are sensitivities about talking about these issues in china, one of the big issues ahead of the games or the attention that was paid, was human rights violations, and there were different medically cause and

the lake from lots of countries who did not send their diplomats to the games. does that take off the shine of this for china? this is the fourth games i have covered. in the lead up to every games, there's always native stories, because there is something nothing else to talk about, and once the sporting cycle gets going, then there is more positive stories, and i think is very much but the hosts were hoping for. it is obviously a brighter spotlight rather than some of the other games we have seen, and the more controversial stories in the burbs of those games, but i think china has definitely been trying to use these games —— build to those. these games to create

positive goodwill and momentum. looking at it from the perspective of people, organisations, that want to hold further events, sporting events in china, given issues like peng shuai, does that turn these sorts of organisations off from hosting further sporting events in china? i think they have to think about it very, very carefully right now. the conversation is changing, the balance is changing. short to medium turn, i think covid... at least a year, possibly more, we don't know exactly when the chinese government plans to open up its borders to allow quarantine free events like we see in the rest of the world, but for example, the peng shuai incidents and the nba a couple years previously has made sporting leagues think very closely about whether it is worth the hassle. ultimately, i think if china makes it difficult, with the way that it handles these things, china and china's sports economy will lose out, so there's lots to

the about from both sides on this. indeed, mark, and just looking about this situation domestically, how much has hosting the winter games gone towards creating a sort of industry or an affection for these sorts of sports amongst chinese people? it's actually been really encouraging to see, because i think china was quite surprised it got the games at the first unmasking in 2015 and then they realised, we only have seven years to turbo—charge the winter sports growth. there are numbers floating around, 3 million or more, which i have to say are largely symbolic... receipt slips that are packed, new resorts packing up all over the place. i have lost count of the number of chinese friends and colleagues whose children are playing ice hockey and skating and so on, so the real numbers are hard to get a handle on here, but there's definitely been a big improvement over the last seven years, since china won the bid to host these games.

several chinese streaming platforms have been accused of censoring lgbt plotlines from hit us sitcom friends. the show was re—released in china earlier this week — but chinese fans have complained of scenes being deleted, including those that reference a lesbian character, and another featuring a same—sex kiss. it's unclear why the scenes have been removed. chris berry, a professor of film studies who specialises in chinese film and tv talks to us. in the last few years, more and more lgbt q in the last few years, more and more lgbt 0 content has become circulating in china. there is been a reaction on the part of the government. they have become much more conservative.

friends originally went out in china at least 20 years ago, and the whole system was a little bit more relaxed then but also people were not so conscience of lgbt q but also people were not so conscience of lgbt 0 issues and more recently there is been a move towards much more conservative gender roles and sexuality wells and i think two or three years ago there was a specific regulation forbidding lgbt q specific regulation forbidding lgbt 0 content on the internet. it has opening a lot and of course, you know, spotting it all meant weeding it all out is not something that the chinese government would find very easy and it relies on individual streaming services to police themselves and self censor, basically. friends remains the most popular sitcom in china, the one that received the highest ratings from local viewers, of course, it is prominent they would be paying

special attention to that. that is it from _ special attention to that. that is it from us. _ special attention to that. that is it from us. thank _ special attention to that. that is it from us. thank you. - hello there. after what was a very soggy sunday for most parts of the uk, the weather has plenty more to throw at us through the coming week — not only heavy rain, but some very mild weather for the middle of the week, and then, some stormy weather later. and that could well cause some damage and disruption. on balance, monday is one of the quieter days, but that's not to say it'll be completely dry by any means — we've got cloud and showery rain sinking south—eastwards across england and wales, some brighter spells, as well. for northern ireland and scotland, it's a sunshine—and—showers day, some of the showers wintry over high ground in scotland. the winds slowly easing a little as the day wears on, temperatures north—to—south 6—10 celsius.

now, as we go through monday night, we see a quieter interlude, but it doesn't last all that long. outbreaks of rain will return from the west into northern ireland, scotland, western england and wales. some snow developing for a time over high ground in scotland. and those are your overnight temperatures, ranging from freezing in the north to around 6 in the south. and then, into tuesday, this weather system will continue its journey eastwards, and some of the outbreaks of rain are expected to hang around for a good part of the day across some southern parts of england and wales. it will tend to clear to a mix of sunshine and showers as we get into the afternoon, and temperatures north—to—south around 5—11 celsius. and then, as we get into the middle of the week, well, things really step up a gear — and it's all because of the jet stream, the winds high up in the atmosphere. the jet stream is likely to be blowing at up to 200 mph or more in the core of the jet, and that willjust provide the energy to spin up deep areas of low pressure — this the first of those moving to the north of the uk on wednesday. this will bring some outbreaks of pretty heavy rain splashing in from the northwest, the winds strengthening all the while. but those winds coming

up from the southwest, so it is going to feel really mild for northern ireland, england and wales, particularly, temperatures 12—15, maybe 17 celsius in east anglia — pretty extraordinary for this time of year. but it is the strength of the winds that gives most cause for concern. as this low moves to the north of the uk, we see this squeeze in the isobars, there will be gales or severe gales potentially in the most exposed places. we could have gusts of wind up to 90 mph. already a met office warning for the northern half of the uk, the risk of damage and disruption through wednesday night and thursday.

this is bbc news. we will have the headlines at all the main news stories at the top of the hour straight after this programme. hello. some big topics on the media show today. in the west, it's reported as the ukraine crisis — 100,000 russian troops assembled near the border. president macron is on a whirlwind diplomatic mission this week to avert a conflict. but i want to look at how the situation is being reported in russia and in ukraine. is there the same sense of urgency in domestic media? how are both sides using

the media to advance their own objectives?