welcome to bbc news, i'm david eades. our top stories. a glimmer of hope for ukraine — in peace talks russia says it'll scale back military operations around the capital kyiv. translation: the ministry of defence of the russian . federation has taken the decision to drastically reduce combat operations in the kyiv and chernihiv areas in order to boost mutual trust. western leaders express doubts about russia's intentions. the us secretary of state says moscow continues to brutalise ukraine. at least five people have been killed in a shooting in israel — the third such attack in the past week. and queen elizabeth —

out in public for the first time in weeks to commemorate the life of the duke of edinburgh. there appears to be a glimmer of hope following peace talks between russia and ukraine. the negotiations in istanbul were the first for a fortnight. ukraine confirmed it was prepared to be a neutral country and abandon ambitions to join the nato military alliance. for its part, moscow announced what sounds like a change of military strategy saying its troops will "drastically reduce" their operations around the ukrainian capital kyiv. here's our russia editor steve rosenberg. away from the fighting,

another attempt at diplomacy. delegations from ukraine and russia came to istanbul. but would there be any room for compromise? negotiating behind the scenes, the russian billionaire roman abramovich. today, the kremlin dismissed reports he'd been poisoned at a previous round of talks as an "information war". president erdogan was the host. he called on both sides to push for peace. translation: it will be in everyone's interest i to achieve a ceasefire and peace as soon as possible. as members of the delegation, you've taken on a historic responsibility. the whole world is waiting to hear good news from you. at these talks, ukraine made concrete proposals to russia it hopes could end the conflict. ukraine proposed becoming a neutral state. it won'tjoin military alliances or host foreign military bases.

in return, it's asked for legally—binding security guarantees, with other countries acting as guarantors. ukraine is ready to discuss the status of crimea, the peninsula russia annexed. it's also insisting that russia shouldn't prevent ukraine from joining the european union. translation: our. proposal has not been accepted yet by russia. we are handing it over to the russian side. we say, this is our position, our official position. we will wait for their answer. russia responded with what it presented as a significant concession. it said it would scale back its offensive near the ukrainian capital, kyiv. translation: the ministry of defence of the russian . federation has taken the decision to drastically reduce combat operations in the kyiv and chernihiv areas, in order to boost mutual trust and create the conditions for further negotiations and signing of the agreement. if russia does cut back

its military activity around ukraine's capital, that would mark a key shift in what moscow calls its "special military operation", but what most of the world calls russia's war. an admission, perhaps, that after struggling to make advances, russian troops have realised they cannot take the city of kyiv. but — and there are lots of buts here — russia hasn't ceased hostilities in ukraine. it made that clear today. its troops are continuing to fight. although their main focus now, moscow says, is on the donbas, in eastern ukraine. and what about those areas in the east and their status, under any potential deal? also, not clear. and remember, from the very beginning, vladimir putin's objective was to force the whole of ukraine back into russia's orbit. will he really give up on that? steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow.

for more on these talks, i'm joined by our reporter azadeh moshiri. quite a lot of detail steve was able to lay out there. he mentioned the need for ukraine to have guarantees. do we know where they would come from? ukraine has laid out specific security— ukraine has laid out specific security guarantees, the idea of giving _ security guarantees, the idea of giving up neutrality is a bil of giving up neutrality is a big one. _ of giving up neutrality is a big one, in the midst of the shelling _ big one, in the midst of the shelling and civilian casualties, it is giving up the idea — casualties, it is giving up the idea of— casualties, it is giving up the idea of allying itself with a military _ idea of allying itself with a military group including nato or hosting military bases. in exchange, asking for a treaty signed — exchange, asking for a treaty signed by specific country guarantors, permanent members of the — guarantors, permanent members of the un _ guarantors, permanent members of the un security council, the us, the — of the un security council, the us, the uk, france, china and russia, — us, the uk, france, china and russia, as _ us, the uk, france, china and russia, as well as countries like — russia, as well as countries like israel and poland,

russia, as well as countries like israeland poland, and asking _ like israeland poland, and asking that within three days of an— asking that within three days of an act— asking that within three days of an act of aggression on its territory. _ of an act of aggression on its territory, these countries must intervene _ territory, these countries must intervene. that helped would look — intervene. that helped would look like _ intervene. that helped would look like no—fly zones. and armaments. a no—fly zone is significant _ armaments. a no—fly zone is significant given the west is not giving that today. they are saying — not giving that today. they are saying there would be temporary relief _ saying there would be temporary relief on — saying there would be temporary relief on this applying to the donbas— relief on this applying to the donbas area held by pro—russian separatists, and crimea would be discussed long term. and finally— be discussed long term. and finally the really big point, the country guarantors must not only allowed but assist their entry— only allowed but assist their entry into the eu. a only allowed but assist their entry into the eu.— entry into the eu. a very important _ entry into the eu. a very important point, - entry into the eu. a very important point, one - entry into the eu. a very - important point, one moscow would struggle with, we know. what have they said about some of those propositions?— of those propositions? russia's chief negotiator _ of those propositions? russia's chief negotiator said _ of those propositions? russia's chief negotiator said he - of those propositions? russia's chief negotiator said he has - chief negotiator said he has not out _ chief negotiator said he has not put this to president putin yet _ not put this to president putin yet but— not put this to president putin yet. but they did say that in order— yet. but they did say that in order to _ yet. but they did say that in order to boost mutual trust between the two countries, they would _ between the two countries, they would drastically reduce military operations on two regions _ military operations on two regions. looking on a map, that

includes — regions. looking on a map, that includes of— regions. looking on a map, that includes of the capital city kyiv— includes of the capital city kyiv as _ includes of the capital city kyiv as well as chernihiv where the regional governor said 400 people — the regional governor said 400 people had died and people are without— people had died and people are without water and electricity. the international reaction has been — the international reaction has been pretty unanimous in terms of western leaders, saying first — of western leaders, saying first off _ of western leaders, saying first off that there were already sounds from russia that they were going to focus on the donbas— they were going to focus on the donbas region anyway, and that the assault on kyiv had been stalling _ the assault on kyiv had been stalling. and they are going to wait _ stalling. and they are going to wait and — stalling. and they are going to wait and see whether the actions _ wait and see whether the actions match the words. we can listen _ actions match the words. we can listen to— actions match the words. we can listen to the us pentagon secretaryjohn kirby explaining that now. again, very early stages here. they only just recently in the last few hours made this proclamation. so, we have seen a small number begin to move away from kyiv, that's about the most i can give you. i don't have any information

on their resupply efforts for troops that are still going against kyiv. the russians still have a significant majority of their assembled combat power, to include logistics and sustainment capability available to them inside ukraine. i suppose peace deals are rarely built on hope or class, they have to be on concrete actions. and i suppose there is actions. and i suppose there is a reality going on, these are talks, the war is another matter and there is no sign of that stopping. matter and there is no sign of that stepping-— that stopping. that's right, russia has _ that stopping. that's right, russia has continued - that stopping. that's right, russia has continued its i russia has continued its assault— russia has continued its assault on southern ports, and the latest _ assault on southern ports, and the latest we have seen pictures coming out of a rocket tearing — pictures coming out of a rocket tearing apart a government building in mykolaiv. a plume of smoke _ building in mykolaiv. a plume of smoke coming out after the strike — of smoke coming out after the strike. the governor said he had — strike. the governor said he had been _ strike. the governor said he had been in that building, had he not — had been in that building, had he not overslept that day, and in instead _

he not overslept that day, and in instead several others have died — in instead several others have died all— in instead several others have died. all part of the russian attempts to create a land corridor _ attempts to create a land corridor between crimea and russia _ corridor between crimea and russia. not surprising that world _ russia. not surprising that world leaders are waiting to see if— world leaders are waiting to see if the words match up with the actions. a see if the words match up with the actions— the actions. a long way to go, thank you _ the actions. a long way to go, thank you very _ the actions. a long way to go, thank you very much. - the actions. a long way to go, thank you very much. we - the actions. a long way to go, thank you very much. we will| thank you very much. we will have more on the situation and the way the russians are dealing with it, later in the programme. israeli prime minister naftali bennett has warned his country is facing a new wave of terror after a third knife or gun attack in a week. at least five people were killed in the town of bnei brak, on the outskirts of tel aviv. our correspondent yolande knell has the latest from jerusalem. the picture is still a bit confused, but i can say at this stage, this is the deadliest attack of its kind in years in israel, and it's only a week since i last said that. we had a medic in the ultra—orthodoxjewish neighbourhood of bnei brak to the east of tel aviv describing finding victims spread out at intervals along the street and some of them had been on foot and one of them had been

in a car and there was some reports from witnesses in the neighbourhood saying that they earlier heard gunshots being fired towards apartment balconies. video footage that appears to show the man dressed in black, walking with a rifle on the street, and what israeli media are saying at the moment quoting security officials they're saying that this attacker that was shot dead was from the northern occupied west bank affiliated with a palestinian military group, that is different from attacks we've seen in the others in the past week. which have been associated with israeli arab citizens who were linked to islamic state group. bnei brak is an ultra—orthodox jewish neighbourhood and a place where people really are religious and so the attacker went and the place that we have seen, those dressed

in black and walking along the streets and at the time of the day this happened early evening, lots of people would've been just out and about. now, the pictures that we're getting there are quite chaotic and you can see lots of emergency vehicles and police and that has added to some of the confusion of what is going on. yolande knell reporting there from jerusalem. stay with us on bbc news, still to come. did climate change help cause the war in ukraine? we speak to one of the country's leading scientists. the accident that happened here was of the sort that can, at worst, produce a meltdown. in this case, the precautions worked, but they didn't work quite well enough to prevent some old fears about

the safety features of these stations from resurfacing. the republic of ireland has become the first country in the world to ban smoking in the workplace. from today, anyone lighting up in offices, businesses, pubs and restaurants will face a heavy fine. the president was on his way out of the washington hilton hotel, where he had been addressing a trade union conference. the small crowd outside included his assailant. it has become - a symbol of paris. 100 years ago, many parisians| wished it had never been built. the eiffel tower's birthday is- being marked by a re—enactment of the first ascent by gustav eiffel. i this is bbc news, the latest headlines.

a glimmer of hope in ukraine — russia has said it will scale back military operations around the capital kyiv. but western countries express doubts. let's stay with that story now. katerina sedova is a research fellow at georgetown's center for security and emerging technology, and has advised the us defence department and nato on russian disinformation. shejoins me now from washington. thanks very much indeed for joining us. ijust wonder what you make of the developments we have heard over the last few hours, not least in russia saying, 0k, we will drastically reduce operations around kyiv. is it a concession or is it an opportunity to perhaps cover their embarrassment as to how things are going there?- things are going there? david, thanks for—

things are going there? david, thanks for having _ things are going there? david, thanks for having me. - things are going there? david, thanks for having me. i - things are going there? david, thanks for having me. i would | thanks for having me. i would channel the late madeline albright to say i am an optimist that worries a lot, and that we are a long way from and that we are a long way from a lasting deal. we should be sceptical of russia's words and observe their actions, and they are saying to us that they are not serious, and they are simply using this moment to posture and reposition their forces and to regroup. and frankly, their pledge to dramatically reduce troop numbers around kyiv, and couching it as a concession to increase mutual trust is pretty ridiculous given the situation on the ground.— on the ground. although ukrainian _ on the ground. although ukrainian commanders l on the ground. although l ukrainian commanders on on the ground. although - ukrainian commanders on the ground have said there are signs of movement?- ground have said there are signs of movement? sure, and john kirby _ signs of movement? sure, and john kirby indicated _ signs of movement? sure, and john kirby indicated there - signs of movement? sure, and john kirby indicated there are i john kirby indicated there are some movements, but they look like repositioning of forces

rather than a complete withdrawal, so we are a long way from seeing any meaningful movement. way from seeing any meaningful movement-— movement. what would you say are the main — movement. what would you say are the main stumbling - movement. what would you say are the main stumbling blocks l are the main stumbling blocks for president putin and his military commanders to start to move into the realm of proper peace talks? because clearly they haven't achieved everything we were under the impression they were setting out to achieve.— out to achieve. well, i think the major — out to achieve. well, i think the major stumbling - out to achieve. well, i think the major stumbling block l out to achieve. well, i think i the major stumbling block for them is to figure out exactly what they want, because it's pretty clear their stated goal at the beginning of this full—scale invasion, to denazify ukraine and install a different regime, a pro—kremlin regime in kyiv, has not worked. because ukrainians have put up substantial resistance, with the help of armaments coming from their nato partners. it's

not clear what russia's goals now are, it seems to be they are moving towards building a land bridge to crimea, and so the withdrawal of troops from kyiv is really a cover for moving their troops potentially... moving their troops potentially. . .- moving their troops potentially. . . potentially... you are an exert potentially... you are an expert in _ potentially... you are an expert in issues - potentially... you are an expert in issues of - potentially... you are an expert in issues of this l expert in issues of this information. there is a way around it with regards to denazification, because they could claim if not to have toppled but certainly to have silenced the battalion which was initially founded as an extreme right band of men, and that could be the nazi claim knocked on the head, there and then. ~ . ., knocked on the head, there and then. ~ _, , , then. well, it could be, but frankly we _ then. well, it could be, but frankly we are _ then. well, it could be, but frankly we are not - then. well, it could be, but frankly we are not hearing i then. well, it could be, but| frankly we are not hearing a whole lot of denazification claims in the russian public on the one hand. on the other hand, just yesterday, speaking on national news in the united

states, there were claims that they are shelling mariupol to denazify it because it's allegedly the nazi battalions, as they claim, are the ones holding hostages in mariupol, which is ridiculous to everyone on the ground. the battalion has been integrated into the ukrainian forces... the ideology of that battalion has been removed. still ideology of that battalion has been removed.— been removed. still an awful lot of complexity _ been removed. still an awful lot of complexity to - been removed. still an awful lot of complexity to work - lot of complexity to work through in the midst of this war. thank you very much indeed. every week at this time, we take a look at the climate crisis, bringing you stories with big implications for our planet's future. this week on climate critical, we focus once again on ukraine. for a number of very good reasons. the revenues from fossil fuels are certainly helping to fund the war, and there are those who argue that climate change

is actually one of the causes of this conflict. dr svitlana krakovska is a leading ukrainian climate scientist and head of the country's delegation reporting to the ipcc. she's also head of the applied climatology lab at ukraine's hydrometeorological institute. she joins us now from kyiv. thank you very much indeed for giving us some of your time. and i do appreciate you are in extremely difficult circumstances here. the light is dim because it is the middle of the night, i understand that. i have to ask you first of all, why have you stayed? you are a climate scientist with work perhaps you could be doing, frankly, in a safer place?

doing, frankly, in a safer lace? ., �* , ' . place? yeah, it's difficult here at this _ place? yeah, it's difficult here at this time, - place? yeah, it's difficult here at this time, but. place? yeah, it's difficult here at this time, but i i place? yeah, it's difficult i here at this time, but i was born in kyiv, it's my native city. i cannot imagine myself just fleeing from kyiv while it is in danger. as a climatologist, meteorologist, from north to south regions, polar regions let's say... any time i needed to come to my home, which is here in kyiv, so in this dangerous time, it's really difficult to think about this, as far as i can live and work in this situation. i work in this situation. i must ask, as work in this situation. i must ask. as a _ work in this situation. i must ask, as a native _ work in this situation. i must ask, as a native of _ work in this situation. i must ask, as a native of kyiv, - work in this situation. i must ask, as a native of kyiv, howj ask, as a native of kyiv, how far can you live and work in the city at the moment? well, i'm not the city at the moment? well, l'm not in _ the city at the moment? well, i'm not in the _ the city at the moment? well, i'm not in the city _ the city at the moment? well, i'm not in the city centre, - the city at the moment? well, i'm not in the city centre, i - i'm not in the city centre, i was born and i still live

closer to the outskirts, let's say. a more green place. many of my colleagues ask me, are you safe? but actually, it's really difficult question, because we are not safe in ukraine in any place. as a mathematician, i can say it is a different probability of safety in ukraine now, but all of the probabilities... i of the probabilities... i imagine the issue of climate change is very difficult to communicate at the moment. there are more immediate fears and anxieties for so many people. but i am intrigued by the notion that perhaps the impact of climate change within the region has a bearing on the tensions which may possibly have led to the war. flan tensions which may possibly have led to the war. can you exand have led to the war. can you expand on — have led to the war. can you expand on that _ have led to the war. can you expand on that for _ have led to the war. can you

expand on that for us? - have led to the war. can you | expand on that for us? well, actually, from the very beginning, from my side, looking at climate change, and the war, both... inaudible. for me, it's obvious that to stop oil and gas affecting our atmosphere, it will stop to change our atmosphere, the composition and the climate system, and at the same time, if we stop to buy fossil fuels from russia... inaudible. you are also experiencing within ukraine in particular,

but within the region, a lack of water. you have had drought for much of the last decade, and i presume that must play into an anxiety about access to water, perhaps one of the reasons crimea has become so attractive as a proposition. well, yes. these are causes which are not obvious for everyone, especially if they don't know the situation in ukraine. but definitely, last year, just one year in the last 12 years with lots of precipitation. in all the other years, we had a lack of precipitation, especially in the south and south—east, where we have the most military operations. the most problems and the most fighting in fact.

in many senses, this is a war for water, to put this water... technically not considered money, but it is obvious for climatologists. abs, money, but it is obvious for climatologists.— climatologists. a very interesting _ climatologists. a very interesting point. - climatologists. a very j interesting point. and climatologists. a very - interesting point. and another one i want to suggest, obviously russia has been ostracised by a large part of the international community now, so does that concern you when we talk about co—operation around the arctic circle, for example, or indeed on a broader scale in terms of dealing with these massive climate change challenges, that the world is becoming fragmented again? yeah, it's a big challenge for everyone, because the arctic region, part of the region in

russia, and it will threaten international co—operation definitely. but in fact, being a climatologist, anyway i understand that the first and biggest is the war, and we need to stop this war first and do all of the co—operation and everything. climate change will continue and we need united efforts to overcome the impact of climate change. and with this, i usually say, we have problems we are united against, this threat to humanity, but now we have the war which is local in fact, and we are united here in ukraine against our enemy, but at the same time we need to feel support from the international community to

help us. it the international community to hel us. , , ., help us. it must be a huge frustration _ help us. it must be a huge frustration for _ help us. it must be a huge frustration for you - help us. it must be a huge frustration for you that - frustration for you that obviously you are wedded to the importance of climate change, how to manage it, how to save a desperate situation. you report to the un's ipcc, and yet their last report, perhaps the most concerning all, has gone so far below the radar precisely because of what is happening in your country. because of what is happening in your country-— your country. yeah, of course it's big disappointment, - your country. yeah, of course it's big disappointment, but i it's big disappointment, but for me personally, of course i understand that this report will have enough attention, just maybe with the example in ukraine, you know, humanitarian catastrophe actually in mariupol, but before the war it was our pilot project to make the city greener. it was our pilot pro'ect to make the city greener._ the city greener. it is important _ the city greener. it is important to - the city greener. it is important to try - the city greener. it is

important to try and | the city greener. it is - important to try and keep the city greener. it is important to try and keep that going in the midst of all this. we have come to the end of the programme, thank you very much indeed, undervery programme, thank you very much indeed, under very difficult circumstances, to join us. hello there. the weather has been turning colder, and on tuesday, it was certainly cold enough for snow in the far north of the uk. that was the wintry—looking scene for a weather watcher in shetland. those colder conditions continue to sink southwards behind this weather front, the front bringing some outbreaks of rain, but with some sleet and snow mixing in, especially over high ground. and to the north of that weather front, a very cold start to wednesday. particularly in northern scotland, a widespread frost. further snow showers giving some accumulations in places and the risk of ice, but there will be some spells of sunshine to start off wednesday, whereas southern scotland will start off cloudy. a bit of sleet and snow in places, some patchy rain to start off in northern ireland, some wet weather in northern england, some snow mixing in up over the pennines,

bit of rain into north wales and the north midlands. but to the south of that, a mainly dry start with some areas of low cloud, mist and fog, but equally some spells of sunshine. now, a band of cloud in the rain, sleet and snow will continue to push southwards, most of the snow over high ground, but we could see some to low levels. to the north of that, sunny spells and wintry showers. to the south, some spells of sunshine, but increasing amounts of cloud, the odd shower. still quite mild in the south at 12 degrees, but more widely, we're looking at top temperatures between 4 and 8 degrees. it will feel cold, particularly as the wind starts to pick up. now, through wednesday night, this band of rain, sleet and snow continues to move southwards. could be some wintry weather, especially over the hills in the south, but possibly even to low levels. and behind that band of rain, sleet and snow, a very cold and frosty start to thursday morning. there will be some icy stretches here and there. thursday, a day of sunny spells and wintry showers, the showers tending to push

westwards as the day wears on. a keen north or northeasterly breeze just adding to a cold feel. top temperatures for many of us between 5 and 8 degrees. some spots in the west — maybe glasgow, plymouth — getting up into double digits. now, as we head towards the weekend, as this area of high pressure sinks its way southwards, a subtle change. we lose the northerly winds. we pick up something of a westerly wind, bringing something just a little bit less cold. there won't be a heat wave, but temperatures will climb a little. a lot of dry weather, just one or two showers.

this is bbc news — the headlines. russia has said it will drastically reduce its military activity in the kyiv and chernihiv regions of northern ukraine — following peace talks in turkey. ukraine's armed forces said some russian units had moved from those regions — but they added forces were regrouping to focus on the east. president zelensky has hailed what he called the positive signals from the day's talks — but insisted kyiv would only trust any concrete results that emerged from the meeting. mr zelensky stressed that the situation had not become easier and the ukraine military would not slacken its defensive efforts. israel's prime minister has warned his country is facing a new wave of terror after a third knife or gun attack in a week. at least five people were killed in the town of bnei brak on the outskirts of tel aviv.

the gunman was also shot dead. now on bbc news...