of ukraine was dismissed by coverage of ukraine was dismissed by the prime minister and later retracted by the labour leader. it's a sign that while politicians are quite happy to attack the bbc and other subjects the corporation coverage of ukraine is so widely respected that criticism of it is seen as beyond the pale. particular praise has been given to the team of reporters on the ground in ukraine. among them kyiv correspondents. below ground and have a bombshell to that a gentleman has run out. people are visibly tired. visibly upset from everything going on. and when you come up its case. empty. you can feel the tension. moscow has average people living here to leave as it lists new targets but for so many people that's not an option. a former professional rugby player james waterhouse only arrived for his praise for posting in mid—january. little more than a month later he found himself covering his face war. in doing so

with the approval of the race. he finds himself impressed howjames waterhouse is sharing his about the ability to explain what's going on on the ground in ukraine on the bbc different platforms. james waterhouse is currently in the uk and will be returning to kyiv and hejoins me now. thank you for coming on news watch. you have been a bbc reporterfor a while but coming on news watch. you have been a bbc reporter for a while but it's your first a bbc reporter for a while but it's yourfirst time in a bbc reporter for a while but it's your first time in a a bbc reporter for a while but it's yourfirst time in a war a bbc reporter for a while but it's your first time in a war zone. a bbc reporter for a while but it's yourfirst time in a war zone. did your first time in a war zone. did ou feel your first time in a war zone. did you feel in _ your first time in a war zone. li c you feel in danger? i was nervous. in the first two days of the invasion. when i arrived it was a

simmering crisis. but it was the speedin simmering crisis. but it was the speed in which war descended or not just kyiv but the whole country. the size of the advance will resolve russian forces moving in from the south and east and north and he took everyone by surprise. it was that huge unknown that was pretty difficult to deal with. of course it is dangerous but it's about a personal level of risk which we've got a high—risk team, a bbc team that we deal with that in our safety which is the biggest priority. watching you reporting seeing you are wearing your protective clothing and so on, one wonders what training you had before going out there. the bbc uts you had before going out there. tue: bbc puts on a you had before going out there. tue bbc puts on a hostile environment course and they carry out refreshers every couple of years. it happens on an escape and they are quite good fun to go on. in exchange rate a talk you through first aid and how to deal with catastrophic beating all the way through to dealing with military checkpoints and other

hostile scenarios. but it is not until those lessons and those exercises can expect to be an event you appreciate them and for example when war descended i will never forget the first day i ventured back out and it was like an emerging from a long night where they were anti—tank defences and their where minds on the side of the road and be aware military checkpoints and nervous volunteers, armed volunteers who were eager to get your paperwork and find out that you are going and you can see they were searching the name on their phone and that's when the training kicks and and all of a sudden even going out for a simple bit of filming requires a sizeable risk assessment. it's no longerjust a simple journey we would do risk assessment. it's no longerjust a simplejourney we would do in a simple journey we would do in the blink of an eye. in a simple journey we would do in the blink of an eye-— blink of an eye. in terms of reporting — blink of an eye. in terms of reporting sometimes - blink of an eye. in terms of reporting sometimes the l blink of an eye. in terms of- reporting sometimes the russians blink of an eye. in terms of— reporting sometimes the russians are reporting sometimes the russians are reporting incidents very differently to how the ukrainians are breaking them. how do you decide what to put

into your reports? it’s them. how do you decide what to put into your reports?— into your reports? it's very difficult. in _ into your reports? it's very difficult. in war— into your reports? it's very difficult. in war there - into your reports? it's very difficult. in war there are l into your reports? it's very - difficult. in war there are words and information so you have to treat both sides with a pinch of salt but it was the kremlin doing the most twisting of facts. and a big feature of this for me and this conflict was what people were posting online, telegram was the most popular platforms of people were learning in the bomb shelter is what was happening to their friends and relatives and their hometown and other parts of the country in real time and that's what we were seeing as well. and before the likes of me or other correspondence to open their mouths on camera is a lot of work to that point and we would get the latest from bbc monitoring colleagues who would look at the latest news and reports coming from both ukraine and russia and put them into context and we would have utc, a user generated theme verifying the footage and we would learn but if he

quickly what we could use with confidence. and we combine that with eyewitness accounts so in totality would give us a clear as possible picture before we could then go and tell it but it's extremely difficult. you just revert to the core principles of ourjournalism to tell the story in the first place. the ukrainian president has been making very powerful emotional appeals to the international community. does that make it tricky for you to remain impartial? i community. does that make it tricky for you to remain impartial?- for you to remain impartial? i think we have been _ for you to remain impartial? i think we have been working _ for you to remain impartial? i think we have been working for - for you to remain impartial? i think we have been working for their- for you to remain impartial? i tu �*u«; we have been working for their wrong company if we found that difficult. of course it's gut wrenching to see what this war and we have to be bright about this. this is an invasion of ukraine by russia. but it's ourjob. we are experienced in this. world leaders give impassioned appeals all the time but it was a distinctive part of this war where president zelensky stay put and where many thought he might leave

behind his critics in this war but he stayed in kyiv and he slept his suit for his military uniform and that's one of many defining features of this conflict from a storytelling perspective ourjob is easy. you conveyit perspective ourjob is easy. you convey it what the ukrainian and epic —— democratically elected ukrainian leader was saying as his country, a european country came under attack. country, a european country came under attack-— country, a european country came under attack. thank you. i know you want -- they — under attack. thank you. i know you want -- they wanted _ under attack. thank you. i know you want -- they wanted to _ under attack. thank you. i know you want -- they wanted to pass - under attack. thank you. i know you want -- they wanted to pass on - under attack. thank you. i know you | want -- they wanted to pass on best want —— they wanted to pass on best wishes to you and your colleagues out there. thank you. this weekend since the runoff both in the french presidential election to decide whether emmanuel macron stays or is replaced by marine le pen. some viewers noticed that when the latter name is mentioned on bbc music seems to be by the same objective. far

right candidates marine le pen enjoyed a recent rise in the polls. and the far right leader marine le pen... with leaving the far right rowdy party for points behind. david price was one of those who got in touch with us about this. writing... we put those points to bbc news and they told us... on tuesday the big news had been to

debate and house of commons prompted by the fine issued to the prime ministerfor breaking by the fine issued to the prime minister for breaking lockdown roles. outside source on the news channel met with that story but only briefly. we channel met with that story but only briefl . ~ : :, channel met with that story but only briefl . ~ . ., ., briefly. we will continue our coverage — briefly. we will continue our coverage of— briefly. we will continue our coverage of mr _ briefly. we will continue our coverage of mrjohnson's i briefly. we will continue our - coverage of mrjohnson's statement in parliament and the debate that followed but at 5&5 and now to johnny depp who is giving evidence as part of a defamation trial that he brought against his former wife amber heard of her allegations of domestic abuse. ml amber heard of her allegations of domestic abuse. mit amber heard of her allegations of domestic abuse.— domestic abuse. all i can think of was that those _ domestic abuse. all i can think of was that those people _ domestic abuse. all i can think of was that those people would - domestic abuse. all i can think of| was that those people would think that was that those people would think lhal i_ was that those people would think that l was— was that those people would think that i was a fraud. a was that those people would think that i was a fraud.— that i was a fraud. a viewer was unimpressed- —

finally, when we were off air last week bbc news announced the appointment of its new political editor chris mason. it was before christmas that lara conspired announced she would be standing down. the position was advertised with a deadline of the 20th of january. then extended to the 10th of february. and chris mason was set at the time to have willed himself out of the running. 5ubsequently it was widely reported that a straightlaced had a marriage of two external female candidates but then the post was readvertised internally with a new deadline of the 5th of april. it's

in response bbc news told us... in general the appointment has been warmly applauded with bridget describing chris mason as... we enjoyed speaking to chris mason in the past on this programme and we are looking forward to having him on again when he starts his newjob. thank you for your comments this

week. if you want to share your opinion about what you see or hear on bbc news, on tv, radio, or social media e—mail us. or you oryou can or you can call us. that's all from us. we will be back to hear your thoughts again next week. goodbye. what debate you have been in the highlands and the western isles of scotland. plenty of sunshine and 5cotland. plenty of sunshine and temperatures of 18 degrees. it felt to be here in northumberland despite the sunshine. the wind was coming in off the north sea. a cool wind was blowing here in east sussex as well. more threatening cloud but it stay dry. the rain has been spared to the south of the uk as areas of low

pressure brought to be read into the mediterranean. this area of low pressure brings wet whether east across 5pain pressure brings wet whether east across spain and portugal. here at home we have seen some cloud but it remains fine and dry for the most part at the moment. 5ome cloud across seven parts of england and more cloud fitting in across more of england and wales later in the night. some low cloud in the north of scotland with temperatures down to 5 or 6 miles in the cloud in the south—east of england. the weekend starts cloudy for england and wales and could be the odd shower around although very hit and miss. most of those towards rails in the southwest as we get more sunshine elsewhere in england with plenty of sunshine but not in ireland and scotland for the low cloud keeping it chilly in the far north of the country. 5trong winds across the north 5ea far north of the country. 5trong winds across the north sea coast and some gusty winds to the west as well. but it's in the sheltered areas they will find temperatures getting up to 18 degrees with a few

degrees cooler along those north sea coasts. the weather pattern is the same as we head into the second half of the weekend. high pressure in the north of the uk and low pressure in the south and we are left with that run of strong east or northeast and winds. there could be rain overnight clearing away but my sunshine for england and wales and northern ireland is doing well. they will be my cloud across northern 5cotland turning cooler but further south in the sunshine 18 degrees and it will feel pleasant despite strong winds. next week the wind will be lighter but change direction to a northern that will bring cooler air down across the country. 5ome cool weather for the early part of next week and a lot of cloud. it is staying fine and dry for the most part. april looks like it will be drier than average for the uk as a whole.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. ukraine accuses russia of imperialism — after one of moscow's generals outlines a plan to cut off ukraine's entire coastline. the un secretary general will visit president putin in moscow on tuesday. also on the programme... the scramble for votes in france , on the final day of campaigning before the presidential election. and — the venice biennale — the oldest and most prestigious exhibition in the western art world is back — and this year, there's a big emphasis on ukraine.