welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines. more russian military hardware heads for the border, as separatists in the east, ask for help from the kremlin, in repelling what they claim is ukrainian aggression. preparing for an invasion, safety drills for the ukrainian people, while its troops, say they're ready to fight. i also afraid to be hurt or die here and that's why i stand here and try to do myjob as possible to stay alive. ukraine has called for another

emergency meeting of the united nations security council — the question now — is there any diplomatic route to peace still available? it's seven in the morning in singapore, and one in the morning in kyiv — where an hour ago, ukraine introduced a state of emergency. it comes as russian separatists, who control the parts of ukraine around luhansk and donetsk, are reported to have asked the kremlin for help. more russian military units have been seen heading towards those areas — although there is no confirmation yet that they have crossed into them. the un's secretary general antonio guterres has summed up the situation by saying the world has reached a grave moment of peril. we begin our coverage with this report from orla guerin — in the donbas region of eastern

ukraine. more of moscow's military hardware on view today in the rostov region, close to the boarder with eastern ukraine. no movement here, but the fear is that russia is just biding its time before launching an invasion. and in ukraine, on the front lines in avdiivka, they are combat ready. they have been fighting kremlin—backed separatists for eight years. lieutenant ivan says things are heating up. in this region, a lot of snipers. a lot of enemy using a lot of types of grenade launchers. it's also really heavy weapon. they can use it 2a hour per seven. now we are trying. ..like to stay in the shadows so if we have trenches,

we move on with them. because the enemy also like to use drones. this destroyed hangar provides some cover from pro—moscow rebels. troops here call it the skeleton. we have been asked not to speak too loudly because russian separatist fighters are very nearby, near enough to hear us. since we have been here, there has been shelling and this front line has been more active in recent days. there is a real sense now that this conflict is building. so, it was just two days ago, it is only two hits from the whole of firing into us. it was like 12 hits in this region. ivan, who is 30, knows that death could come raining down at any moment. i also think about it,

it's very scary for me. as a simple guy, i'm also afraid to be hurt or die here. and that's why i'm stand here in the armour and try to do myjob as possible to stay alive. that's a daily battle. they scan for enemy snipers, who will also be scanning for them. if russian troops invade ukraine, there could be many young men lost, on both sides. and for the very young here, lessons in survival. this is school number one in the town of druzhkivka, a practice run taking children down to the bomb shelter, packing them to the rafters. normally, it happens twice a year. today, an extra drill, as this nation faces a moment of grave danger.

orla guerin in the donbas area of eastern ukraine. russia has been celebrating the day of the fatherland today — a national tribute to the armed forces. president putin — who took the leading part in the commemorations says he's still open to direct dialogue with the west about ukraine. but the west is increasingly sceptical with france and america refusing to hold talks with russia's foreign minister. our correspondent caroline davies has this report from southern russia — near the border with donetsk. singing. young voices singing old melodies. a song from the second world war on a public holiday in honour of the armed forces. in rostov on don, close to the border with ukraine, there are different views on what is happening less than 100 kilometres away. "of course it is scary," tatiana tells me, "but what can we do? we can do nothing.

" alexander served in the russian fleet. "ukraine will stop shelling," he says, "and if they will not, as they said on tv, we will send in troops. president putin is keeping them guessing. president putin inspected the troops. he hasn't confirmed his ordered and into ukraine. first. the troops. he hasn't confirmed his ordered and into ukraine.— ordered and into ukraine. first, i didn't say that — ordered and into ukraine. first, i didn't say that the _ ordered and into ukraine. first, i didn't say that the troops - ordered and into ukraine. first, i didn't say that the troops would l ordered and into ukraine. first, i i didn't say that the troops would go straight there after our meeting here. second, it's not generally possible to predict action. it depends on specific situations that develop on the ground. but tonight the kremlin — develop on the ground. but tonight the kremlin said _ develop on the ground. but tonight the kremlin said that _ develop on the ground. but tonight the kremlin said that the _ develop on the ground. but tonight the kremlin said that the two - the kremlin said that the two separatist regions had asked president putin to in their words, assist in repelling the aggression of the ukrainian army.

filling out paperwork, recent arrivals were feeling emotional about president clinton's decision to recognise the areas they live in as independent. 74—year—old tells me that she's been waiting since the first day of the war for this decision. waiting since the first day of the warfor this decision. how waiting since the first day of the war for this decision. how long waiting since the first day of the warfor this decision. how long can you hide in your basement from shelley, she says. translation: we ho -e that shelley, she says. translation: we hepe that things _ shelley, she says. translation: we hope that things will _ shelley, she says. translation: we hope that things will settle _ shelley, she says. translation: we hope that things will settle down - hope that things will settle down and there is no more war. you want to be part of russia? of course, we would like it because we loved russia. , ., , ., russia. outside others wait in the cars. russia. outside others wait in the cars- there _ russia. outside others wait in the cars- there is _ russia. outside others wait in the cars. there is some _ russia. outside others wait in the cars. there is some concern - russia. outside others wait in the | cars. there is some concern about what this decision could mean. translation: we respect other countries and also respect ukraine because we used to live and study there. is it cities and have a lot

of relatives from ukraine. so we wouldn't like the situation to develop into conflict. the russian - resident develop into conflict. the russian president has _ develop into conflict. the russian president has promised _ develop into conflict. the russian president has promised that - develop into conflict. the russian president has promised that this. develop into conflict. the russian | president has promised that this is a step towards peace. around the world there are serious concerns that he is something else in mind. caroline davies, bbc news, in the rostov region of southern russia. the united nations has been discussing the detreriorating situation. the un secretary general has said, the world is facing a moment of peril — and that if the conflict in ukraine spreads — we could see a �*scale and severity of need' — unseen for many years. there was also this from ukraine's foreign minister. russia shows signs of readiness to fuel the escalated aggression against the ukraine. and we have limited time to stop, deter and contain it. every hour of inaction now is a threat to the lives of ukrainians.

not only military but also civilians, including women and children. this is an escalating threat to our collective global security and to our freedom. ukraine expects decisive, immediate and proportional actions by the international community. that was the ukranian foreign minister — now let's hear from the russian ambassador to the un, who said that since 2014, ukraine has been at war with its own citizens — and the government there does not have the backing of the population. translation: furthermore, it's i important to bear in mind that over the years ukraine or the league became anti—russia and wage a war on the russian language and all that is russian as part of its state policies. the country has seen the emergence of a linguist is inquisition, the area with a russian language can be used as significantly shrunk and the subject to repression. under president zelenski

whojoined his pre—election campaign donkey garb of a peacekeeper and protector of the interest of all ukrainians, under him. it was a ban introduced on book broadcasting six of the tv channels. lies about world war ii have taken a deep root. our un correspondent nada tawfik — gave us this assessment. the secretary general saying that the world is facing a moment of peril, warning that a cease—fire needs to happen, that the parties need to return to the negotiating table to avert the scorge of war in ukraine. and warning about a humanitarian disaster there is a full—fledged war gets underway. but really, the focus i would say it was this speech by the ukrainian foreign minister, in fact he was applauded after he spoke.

he came here to new york to really mobilize countries around ukraine. and in his speech he essentially said it was time to swiftly and decisively at to prevent president putin from moving forward in ukraine, from invading ukraine. and he said that no country would be able to sit out this crisis. warning this was a direct attack of the un charter. so certainly was a strong statement there from the ukrainian foreign minister. i'm joined now by samir puri, senior fellow at the international i want to bring you this news coming through on newswires but the ukrainian president saying in a televised statement, in a statement, an address that is made in both russian and ukrainian on telegram, i should say where he said that russia has approved an offensive against ukraine and said that the russian president vladimir putin had not replied to his invitation to hold talks. certainly a sense that things

are escalating even further at this point. this also reports from some of the comments he made at the address and got 200,000 troops, russian troops are at the border. for more on all of this senior fellow at the intersexual institute for strategic studies in singapore. in the author in of �*the great imperial hangover�*— who spent a year monitoring the war in east ukraine in 2014. let's just start with some of the lines coming through from the ukrainian president. how prepared is ukraine to defend itself? thank ukrainian president. how prepared is ukraine to defend itself?— ukraine to defend itself? thank you ve much ukraine to defend itself? thank you very much for— ukraine to defend itself? thank you very much for having _ ukraine to defend itself? thank you very much for having me _ ukraine to defend itself? thank you very much for having me on. - ukraine to defend itself? thank you very much for having me on. i - ukraine to defend itself? thank you very much for having me on. i thinkj very much for having me on. i think the problem is that ukraine has mobilised its military rather late in this crisis. and ukraine's military have to exercise extreme restraint because they don't want to provoke the russians who have moved into eastern ukraine any further to give them that provocation that allows putin to escalate further. i

really feel for the ukrainian soldiers patrolling the front line in eastern ukraine, almost certainly being told to not respond to any provocation, do not retaliate. they really are on the back foot waiting for the russians next move. you were on the ground — for the russians next move. you were on the ground in _ for the russians next move. you were on the ground in 2014 _ for the russians next move. you were on the ground in 2014 and _ for the russians next move. you were on the ground in 2014 and now- for the russians next move. you were on the ground in 2014 and now we - for the russians next move. you were on the ground in 2014 and now we are j on the ground in 2014 and now we are at this point some beers later. how far do you see russia willing to go? it's worth pausing a moment of thinking back to 2014, viewers will remember the horrific mh 17 tragedy and at that point the conflict seemed poised to become more international. a lot of effort was put in, a lot of diplomacy was employed to try to contain the complex. actually he brought it all down several gears to the point that it vanished from headlines for a number of years. right now there are no restraints on what putin can do, unlike 2014. in 2014 there was a veneer of stealth to the russian

intervention. those denials that the russian armed forces are not involved, they were just volunteers who travelled from pressure of their own volition. but this time it's russia's uniformed military, they moved in, putin has given them in orderfor them to move in. i think what we are now waiting to see is the scale of prudence ambition in terms of the amount of punishment he wants to inflict on ukraine. i5 terms of the amount of punishment he wants to inflict on ukraine. is the room for diplomacy _ wants to inflict on ukraine. is the room for diplomacy over - wants to inflict on ukraine. is the room for diplomacy over then? . wants to inflict on ukraine. is the l room for diplomacy over then? no chance of talks to try to de—escalate the situation? chance of talks to try to de-escalate the situation? diplomacy alwa s has de-escalate the situation? diplomacy always has a — de-escalate the situation? diplomacy always has a chance. _ de-escalate the situation? diplomacy always has a chance. they _ de-escalate the situation? diplomacy always has a chance. they are - de-escalate the situation? diplomacy always has a chance. they are a - always has a chance. they are a couple things to bear in mind, zelensky, the ukrainian president has said he's willing to talk to putin. putin is not interested in talking to the ukrainians. he wants to talk to the americans, he wants to talk to the americans, he wants to talk to nato. and nato and the us never wanted to talk about this possibility of a moratorium or an end to ukraine's possible ambition of nato. that's the key russian demand voiced in december and their

list of demands. and it hasn't really been thrashed out properly. the german chancellor, micron have both touched on it but simply a nonstarter. whether the uk and others would like to talk about nato membership, that is something that could be explored but at the moment there is no prospect of that happening. there is no prospect of that happening-— there is no prospect of that haueninu. ., ~' . ., happening. thank you so much for “oininr us happening. thank you so much for joining us on _ happening. thank you so much for joining us on tuesday. _ and don't forget, we have a special live coverage page online. it's being constantly updated with the latest from our correspondents in ukraine, russia, and around the world. you can log on to bbc.com/news, or download the bbc app. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme... a unique family and an unusual world record — a british asian family who are proud to contain the most siblings to have albinism.

prince charles has chosen his bride. the prince proposed the lady diana spencer three weeks ago. she accepted, she says, without hesitation. as revolutions go, this had its fair share of bullets. a climax in the night outside the gates of mr marcos' sanctuary, malacanang, the name itself symbolising one of the cruellest regimes of modern asia. the world's first clone has been produced of an adult mammal. | scientists in scotland have produced a sheep called dolly— using a cell from another sheep. warren beatty and faye dunaway announced to the world that the winner of best film was la la land. the only trouble was it wasn't. the mistake was only put right in the middle of gushing speeches by the team behind the modern musical. not for 20 years have locusts been seen in this part of africa. some of the swarms have been ten miles long. this is the last time the public will see this pope. very soon, for the sake of the credibility and authority of the next pope, benedict xvi will, in his own words, be

hidden from the world for the rest of his life. this is newsday on the bbc. for the rest of his life. i'm karishma vaswani in singapore, our headlines. more russian military hardware heads for the as separatists in the east ask for help from the kremlin in repelling what they claim is ukrainian aggression. in response, ukraine's foreign minister calls for another emergency meeting of the united nations security council. away from russia's military build up, both moscow and kyiv are taking other steps in apparent preparations for a beginning of hostilities. russia says it will evacuate diplomatic personnel from ukraine — it says the measure is needed to �*protect their lives.�* you can see here how quiet its embassy in kyiv was on wednesday. meanwhile ukraine is to bring in compulsory military service for all men of fighting age.

reservists are also being called up to join the regular army. here's our europe correspondent nick beake. with the freedom of his country in the balance, ukraine's most famous singer takes to the stage. an impromptu concert at the most perilous of times. he tells us the world should now offer its support. the most important message is that ukraine is united. we are strong, we are optimistic and we are looking into the future with wide—open eyes and we shall overcome. there is no panic in the face of growing russian aggression. instead, a patriotic outpouring. these history students from kyiv university hope their armed forces will protect their future. i am not afraid. i think they will save us from this. we will fight for our nation,

our city, our country. at this military charity, they send extra equipment to soldiers on the front line. thermal vision? they say the ukrainian public has donated the equivalent of half a million in the past 24 hours, more than the whole of last year. this man promises ukrainians would fight until the last soldier and to the last civilian. it will not end well for russia, he says. victoria was the first woman in ukraine to serve as a front line commander before leaving active duty. the bullet went through? but now, 29 and a mum with a toddler, she has been called up, along with thousands of other reservists. translation: if this _ is going to be a large-scale war with an attack on kyiv, my family will move away and i will stay here to do whatever the army needs me to do.

in the heart of kyiv, they proudly display russian weaponry they say they captured during the last eight years of fighting in the east. these are the only russian tanks that most ukrainians will tolerate on the streets of the capital. you are really struck by the defiance here, but there is undoubtedly growing unease, a fear that this long—running conflict with russia will soon move closer to home for millions more people. but for now, the theatres fill and the streets bustle. the city on alert, but not alarmed. let's take a look at some other stories in the headlines. the canadian prime minister, justin trudeau, has revoked emergency powers invoked nine days ago that had been used to clear a mass protest against coronavirus restrictions from the capital, ottawa. mr trudeau said the crisis had been resolved and the emergencies act was no longer needed.

the weeks—long protest was prompted by anger at a mandatory covid vaccination requirement to cross into the united states. madagascar has been hit by the fourth cyclone in a month. aid workers say there has been more damage to houses, and there are fears of more flooding in areas which have not yet recovered from the earlier extreme weather. the world health organisation is setting up a new hub in south korea to help train low and middle—income countries to produce their own vaccines and therapies. the organisation also said five more countries — bangladesh, indonesia, pakistan, serbia and vietnam — will receive support from its mrna vaccine technology transfer hub in south africa. we believe it holds huge promise not just for increasing access to vaccines against covid—19 but also for other diseases including malaria, tuberculosis and cancer.

a kennel which was struck by a meteor has sold at auction for just over forty four thousand dollars. the kennel�*s resident roky, a german shepherd, was inside and narrowly escaped when a meteorite crashed through the tin roof in april 2019 in aguas zarcas, costa rica. it left a seven inch hole — and created perhaps the most valuable dog house in the world. an unusual world record to bring you now — from a british asian family who are proud to contain the most siblings to have albinism. the parvez family, whose heritage is in pakistan, features six members who have inherited the rare condition, which affects pigmentation of the hair, skin and eyes. our south asia diaspora reporter gaggan sabherwal, went to meet them. throughout our lives as a family we faced a lot of bullying and discrimination. people used to break our windows, the used to the house

and have fireworks prothro door. growing up was very difficult. we would _ growing up was very difficult. we would get — growing up was very difficult. we would get nasty name calls, we didn't— would get nasty name calls, we didn't fit— would get nasty name calls, we didn't fit in any category. we were neither_ didn't fit in any category. we were neither white or we were neither asian _ neither white or we were neither asian. ,, . , , ., asian. since birth they have faced severe bullying _ asian. since birth they have faced severe bullying and _ asian. since birth they have faced| severe bullying and discrimination because the way they look. all six of them have albino wisdom which is a genetic condition that affects production of melanoma, the picnic that gives colour to the skin, hair and eyes of the people with albino is him also have light or very blunt here and also suffer from other medical conditions including eye problems. irate medical conditions including eye roblems. ~ ., medical conditions including eye roblems. ., i, problems. we have poor eyesight. so release severe _ problems. we have poor eyesight. so release severe site _ problems. we have poor eyesight. so release severe site that _ problems. we have poor eyesight. so release severe site that can't - problems. we have poor eyesight. so release severe site that can't be - release severe site that can't be corrected with glasses. we are unable to drive. as soon as the temperatures are rising, we have to start putting some block on so we don't burn you get skin cancer. this assemblies — don't burn you get skin cancer. this assemblies inherited the condition from their parents and despite the challenges the family has faced they say they all have grown to like the

condition and are proud of their identities. l condition and are proud of their identities. ~ �* condition and are proud of their identities. ~' �* , .., ., identities. i think i've become more confident in — identities. i think i've become more confident in who _ identities. i think i've become more confident in who i _ identities. i think i've become more confident in who i am. _ identities. i think i've become more confident in who i am. because - identities. i think i've become more confident in who i am. because my| confident in who i am. because my colour, _ confident in who i am. because my colour, i_ confident in who i am. because my colour, i do— confident in who i am. because my colour, i do get compliments. because — colour, i do get compliments. because one think my husband normally— because one think my husband normally says to me is that i don't have _ normally says to me is that i don't have to _ normally says to me is that i don't have to spend too much money on makeup— have to spend too much money on makeup because you don't need it. what _ makeup because you don't need it. what i _ makeup because you don't need it. what i like — makeup because you don't need it. what i like about it is it gives me a unique outlook on life. i connect with more people because about uniqueness. fight! with more people because about uniqueness-— with more people because about uniqueness. and it is uniqueness that is held _ uniqueness. and it is uniqueness that is held the _ uniqueness. and it is uniqueness that is held the family _ uniqueness. and it is uniqueness that is held the family to - uniqueness. and it is uniqueness that is held the family to win - uniqueness. and it is uniqueness that is held the family to win the | that is held the family to win the guinness book of records title for having the most siblings with albinism. they hope that sharing the story and experiences they can educate people about how albino is him and help promote the stigma attached to it. just time to share with you these pictures of the duchess of cambridge on a rare, solo overseas trip, visiting denmark to learn about the country's approach to the early years development of children. a wanring there's some flash photography. kate's first stop saw her slide down a helter skelter

into the lego foundation playlab at university college copenhagen, which studies the role of play in learning. the duchess also visited a forest nursery school in the capital, where she took part in a number of outdoor activities with the youngsters. she tried her hand at wood cutting and went on a ramble with the children, who have their lessons outdoors for part of the year. before i go, let's update you on the breaking news in the past half an hour. president volodymyr zelensky has made a televised addess to the people of ukraine. in it, he says he has sought talks with vladimir putin to avert the threat of war — but was met with silence. mr zelensky said two hundred thousand russian troops were standing on ukraine's border, and had been ordered to move forward. he said ukrainians would defend their country if the russians crossed the frontier. that's all for now —

stay with bbc world news. hello there. high pressure's expected to build in across the country to end this week and into the weekend to settle things down, bring us some sunshine and lighter winds. but before that point, thursday looks very unsettled. it'll be cold and windy with sunshine and even wintry showers. now, the cold air�*s been moving in across the country during the overnight period behind this weather front, this band of rain, which is actually a cold front. it'll be lying across the south east of england and east anglia to start thursday morning. some heavy rain on that, bit of sleet on its back edge, but eventually it'll clear out during the mid to latter part of the morning, and then we're all into brighter skies, sunshine and blustery showers. these will be wintry across northern and western areas, particularly on the hills. frequent snow showers across scotland, northern ireland,

mixed in with thunder and lightning. also start off with an ice risk across northern scotland, too. it's going to be a windy day across the board, widespread gales across the northern half of the uk. and these temperatures much lower than they've been of late, 4—8 degrees across the south. factor in the wind, it'll feel even colder than those temperatures suggest. those showers with thunder and lightning and snow continue across the north of the uk during thursday night. the winds will start to turn light as a ridge of high pressure moves in, and that'll also help kill off some of the showers. temperature—wise, ranging from around freezing to five degrees across the south. so, you can see this ridge of high pressure building in for friday. it'll push the strong winds and the showers away from northern and eastern areas gradually through the day, so it could start quite windy across eastern england in towards the south east. one or two showers, but as that ridge of high pressure builds in, it'll settle things down, increasing amounts of sunshine, the winds falling lighter.

so, temperatures will respond. highs of around 10—11, maybe 12 degrees across the south. a touch higher across the north, too. so, that's friday, then, a fine picture. we hold onto our area of high pressure into the weekend as well, particularly for england and wales, but you'll notice these weather fronts starting to push into the far north and the west, particularly as we head on into sunday, so it will be going downhill there during part two of the weekend. so, plenty of dry weather around on saturday, particularly for england and wales. that lasts across england and wales on sunday, but it starts to turn breezier, cloudier and wetter across the north and the west.

this is bbc news.

the headlines — ukraine has entered a state of emergency and told its citizens currently in russia to return home. the ukrainian president said he saw talks with vladimir putin to avert war but was met with silence. ukraine has entered a state of emergency and told its citizens currently in russia to return home. the 30—day period will allow the authorities to bring in a range of restrictions, including curfews. the crisis in ukraine has been discussed at the united nations. russia said ukraine had sabotaged a peace deal. ukraine said a large—scale conflict would be the end of the world order as we know it. vladimir putin has said moscow is still ready to look for "diplomatic solutions", but that the interests of russia and the security of its citizens were non—negotiable. he made the comments in an address to honour the armed forces.