welcome to newsday. reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines. ukraine's first war crimes trial ends with a life sentence for a russian soldier. this comes as a russian diplomat resigns, saying the war�*s made him ashamed of his country. new calls for british prime minister borisjohnson to resign, as more images of lockdown gatherings at his london home come to light. president biden is to meet his counterparts in australia, india and japan for a summit of the quad group, aimed at countering china's growing influence in the region. and new research suggests the massive undersea volcano in tonga that erupted injanuary, devastating sea life, is surprisingly still intact. live from our studio in singapore...

this is bbc news. it's newsday. it's six in the morning in singapore and one o'clock in the morning in ukraine, where a court has sentenced a russian tank commander to life in prison for killing an unarmed civilian. vadim shishimarin was the first person to stand trial for war crimes since russia's invasion three months ago. he had admitted shooting the 62—year—old civilian, but said he'd been acting on orders and he will appeal against his sentence. our correspondentjames waterhouse was in court. this wasn'tjust a trial, it was ukraine's day in court, with all eyes — and cameras — on 21—year—old vadim shishimarin. by legal standards, his journey to this dock has been quick.

more than two weeks ago, the russian soldier was questioned over an alleged war crime. translation: we started moving. on the way, we saw a civilian talking on the phone. i was ordered to shoot and fired one round at him. he fell down. we moved on. today, the court heard how shishimarin shot a 62—year—old man, oleksandr shelipov, three to four times in the head. he was one of five russian soldiers who had stolen a car and drove into a village in the northeastern sumy region. he claimed he was ordered to kill mr shelipov over worries he'd give away their position. this clearly isn't an ordinary trial. vadim shishimarin�*s country, russia, denies deliberately targeting civilians in this war, but it's the 21—year—old alone who's facing a ukrainian courtroom. his case, though, won't be the last. after a0 minutes, shishimarin learned his fate — a guilty verdict

and a life sentence. translation: i am not satisfied by the verdict, | with the classification of this crime and the punishment. if a person is found guilty and sentenced, i believe a life sentence is too much. translation: the court had to study all the evidence meticulously - and make an absolutely legal - decision, because the whole world is watching this case. the kremlin has voiced its disappointment, but its response is already in motion. plans are being drawn up to try some captured ukrainian fighters as war criminals. james waterhouse, bbc news, in kyiv. meanwhile, a russian diplomat has quit over his country's invasion of ukraine, calling it bloody, witless and absolutely needless. boris bondarev, a counsellor at russia's mission to the united nations in geneva, said he's never been more ashamed of russia as when it sent its troops across the border. our russia editor, steve rosenberg, spoke to mr bondarev on the phone in an exclusive interview.

he not only resigned, but basically stormed out. he launched a scathing assault on the kremlin, saying he's never been so ashamed of his country, of the aggressive war unleashed by putin against ukraine, against the entire western world. he said it was not only a crime against the ukrainian people, but also the people of russia. i managed to get through to him on the telephone and he told me more about why he decided to resign from the russian foreign ministry. i to resign from the russian foreign minist . , ., , ., ministry. i strongly disagree and disapprove _ ministry. i strongly disagree and disapprove what _ ministry. i strongly disagree and disapprove what the _ ministry. i strongly disagree and | disapprove what the government ministry. i strongly disagree and i disapprove what the government is doing _ disapprove what the government is doing. and i don't want to be associated with it any longer. how difficult a decision _ associated with it any longer. firm difficult a decision was it? associated with it any longer. how difficult a decision was it? you - difficult a decision was it? you know, it wasn't _ difficult a decision was it? you know, it wasn't a _

difficult a decision was it? you know, it wasn't a decision like to do or— know, it wasn't a decision like to do or not— know, it wasn't a decision like to do or not to _ know, it wasn't a decision like to do or not to do, it wasjust know, it wasn't a decision like to do or not to do, it was just to do and when — do or not to do, it was just to do and when. so, i don't see any alternativo _ and when. so, i don't see any alternative.— and when. so, i don't see any alternative. �* , ., ., ., alternative. are you worried about our alternative. are you worried about your safety _ alternative. are you worried about your safety after _ alternative. are you worried about your safety after taking _ alternative. are you worried about your safety after taking such - alternative. are you worried about your safety after taking such a - your safety after taking such a decision? ~ ~ ._ _ decision? well, i thinki may say so. how shocked _ decision? well, i thinki may say so. how shocked where - decision? well, i thinki may say so. how shocked where you - decision? well, i thinki may say so. how shocked where you buy | decision? well, i think i may say - so. how shocked where you buy what has happened — so. how shocked where you buy what has happened after— so. how shocked where you buy what has happened after february - so. how shocked where you buy what has happened after february the - so. how shocked where you buy what | has happened after february the 24th by this offensive in ukraine? film. i by this offensive in ukraine? oh, i was shocked- _ by this offensive in ukraine? oh, i was shocked. any _ by this offensive in ukraine? oh, i was shocked. any normal- by this offensive in ukraine? oh, i was shocked. any normal person would have been _ was shocked. any normal person would have been. the first news i got on the morning — have been. the first news i got on the morning of february 21, air force _ the morning of february 21, air force bombed kyiv and kharkiv, and last time _ force bombed kyiv and kharkiv, and last time they were bombed, it was during _ last time they were bombed, it was during the — last time they were bombed, it was during the second world war by germans — during the second world war by germans. now it was by us. any russian —

germans. now it was by us. any russian must be very shocked, i think so — russian must be very shocked, i think so. ., , , ., think so. how widespread in the russian foreign _ think so. how widespread in the russian foreign ministry - think so. how widespread in the russian foreign ministry do - think so. how widespread in the russian foreign ministry do you | russian foreign ministry do you think is this feeling of shock and opposition to what is happening in ukraine? . ~ , opposition to what is happening in ukraine? ., ~ , , , ., ~ opposition to what is happening in ukraine? ., ,, .,~ ., �* ukraine? frankly speaking, i don't think it is widespread. _ ukraine? frankly speaking, i don't think it is widespread. it _ ukraine? frankly speaking, i don't think it is widespread. it is - ukraine? frankly speaking, i don't think it is widespread. it is not. i think it is widespread. it is not. and _ think it is widespread. it is not. and why— think it is widespread. it is not. and why is _ think it is widespread. it is not. and why is that? i think it is widespread. it is not. and why is that?— and why is that? i think most people. majority _ and why is that? i think most people, majority of— and why is that? i think most people, majority of them - people, majority of them are following the propaganda and what their superiors tell them. you know, when _ their superiors tell them. you know, when you _ their superiors tell them. you know, when you work in the ministry, you work— when you work in the ministry, you work in _ when you work in the ministry, you work in the — when you work in the ministry, you work in the hierarchy, so you must obey what — work in the hierarchy, so you must obey what your superiors tell you. and for— obey what your superiors tell you. and for many years, it's been erased from _ and for many years, it's been erased from the _ and for many years, it's been erased from the ministry, mostly. so, most people— from the ministry, mostly. so, most peopteiust— from the ministry, mostly. so, most people just take anything for granted without any consideration by

themselves. we granted without any consideration by themselves. ~ , ~ , themselves. we must keep in mind that boris bondarev _ themselves. we must keep in mind that boris bondarev is _ themselves. we must keep in mind that boris bondarev is not - themselves. we must keep in mind that boris bondarev is not the - themselves. we must keep in mind that boris bondarev is not the most senior official of the russian mission. he's not the ambassador or the deputy representative or the first counsellor. he's a counsellor, but still, he's on the diplomatic staff there. so, this is an embarrassment for the kremlin, but i thought his last answer was quite interesting because he admits he is in the minority, he admits that most officials in the foreign ministry support to the government on the special military operation, so i don't think the russian authorities will be too bothered by this resignation. steve rosenberg, our russian editor. in news out of the uk, the british prime minister, borisjohnson, stands accused — again — of lying about events during lockdown in the uk. new images have emerged of the british prime minister drinking at a gathering in downing street on 13 november 2020. a week before the gathering, mrjohnson had banned all indoor socialising

between different households, and he consistently declared that no rules had been broken in downing street. our political editor, chris mason, reports. it's the 13th of november 2020, the country is in lockdown, and this is what is happening in downing street. look at these pictures, obtained by itv news. the prime minister raising a glass, holding forth, bottles littering a table. as a senior colleague is given a sendoff. and the rules at the time — no person may leave or be outside of the place where they are living without reasonable excuse. we now know there were two gatherings in number ten that night. borisjohnson was asked about one of them in the commons six months ago. will the prime minister tell the house whether there . was a party in downing street on the 13th of november? - prime minister. mr speaker, no, but i'm sure that whatever happened,

the guidance was followed and the rules were followed at all times. we now know at least one person at the drinks do was fined, but the prime minister was not. this is clearly not a work meeting, this is clearly a gathering, a social gathering, that was clearly against the rules at the time. now, borisjohnson knows this and he knew this all along, and he'sjust tried to lie to the british public, and it seems like he's laughing at them now. i think it's appalling. people will be disgusted by it, i'm pretty certain of that. remember, angela rayner and labour's leader keir starmer are themselves subject to a police investigation over an alleged covid rules breach. before the pictures of the downing street do were published this afternoon, the prime minister was on a school visit in 0rpington, in south—east london, this morning. 0h! come on, come to our party, love from... that's so nice of you, thank you. have you invited him to a party? thank you very much. that's wonderful, thank you. after this invite from a pupil,

he was asked by a journalist about the imminent report into lockdown parties by the senior civil servant sue gray. i'm, with great respect, not going to comment or give any running commentary on her report until we get it. and i think that, to be frank, the moment is not very far off. it can't be long now before i'll be able to say something. in bristol, there's anger as people see the photos. it's just really annoying. i'd like to think that while he was saying what he was saying, - it was genuine and we were all doing what he was asking us to do. - and, quite clearly, he's not doing what he said at the time. - i don't think it's surprising. kind of the pictures i think everyone expected to come out off the back of what everyone had heard. he made the rules and he broke the rules. and he says he didn't, so he lies. tonight, the liberal democrats are asking how the prime minister avoided another fixed penalty notice. i think millions of people will be sitting at home tonight thinking

that if it was them or anybody else pictured in that party, they would have received a fine. so, unless the met police can provide an urgent clarification as to why boris johnson wasn't fined, then the police watchdog needs to step in and restore some transparency and public trust in this process. in response to these pictures, downing street say the police and the civil service investigations into what went on had access to all the information they needed — including photographs. chris mason, bbc news, at westminster. let's take a look at the other main stories this hour. the un's world food programme has described the russian blockade of ukraine's ports as a declaration of war on global food security. issuing the warning at the world economic forum in davos, the executive director of the wfp, david beasley, said the war could push millions of people worldwide into famine. rescue workers in iran say that dozens of people are still trapped in the rubble of a ten—storey building that collapsed

in the city of abadan. at least six people were killed, and more than 25 people injured. the reason for the collapse is under investigation, while the tower—blocks' owner and contractor have been arrested. researchers in england have edited the genetic code of a tomato to help it boost vitamin—d levels in our bodies. selling genetically—edited crops is currently banned in the uk, but that could soon change — as a new bill will be introduced to parliament that would allow it in england. in a few hours' time, president biden will be meeting with his counterparts of australia, india and japan for a summit of the quad group — seen largely as aiming to counter china's growing influence in the indo pacific region. but some of the comments the us leader has made on this trip have already raised concerns about whether they could incite further hostilities between the us and china. speaking after arriving injapan on the second leg of his asian tour, mr biden said the united states would intervene militarily

to defend taiwan if china were to invade the island. he said that the us remained committed to the one china policy, but stressed that the idea that taiwan could be taken by force would dislocate the entire region. well, ahead of that quad meeting later today, our correspondents in sydney and mumbai outline the priorities for australia and india. it's been a very busy time for australia's new leader. in the last couple of days, he won the federal election, got sworn injust couple of days, he won the federal election, got sworn in just before his trip to tokyo. he's been speaking about how important the quad meeting is for his country. he described it as an absolute priority for australia, a chance to send a message to the world that there will be a new government and there will be a new government and there will be new policies, especially on things like climate action. but this also comes at a very crucial time — globally, of course, because of the

war in ukraine, but also because of the increasing chinese influence in the increasing chinese influence in the region and the very tense relationship australia has with china. it's been getting worse in the last few years. the recent chinese a security pact in the solomon islands is really worrying for australia. solomon islands is really worrying foraustralia. it solomon islands is really worrying for australia. it is seen as a threat to australia's status as a strategic partner to the pacific countries. so, no doubt, he will be asking for support from his partners, but he has to choose his words very carefully because in addition to wanting to manage the chinese influence in the region, he also has to figure out how his government is going to heal a very fractured relationship with australia's he traded partner. the court partnership is crucial to maintaining and in the fields of

transport — maintaining and in the fields of transport infrastructure, promoting startups _ transport infrastructure, promoting startups and furthering cooperation in the _ startups and furthering cooperation in the field of vaccine alliance that— in the field of vaccine alliance that is— in the field of vaccine alliance that is announced last year. of the subjects _ that is announced last year. of the subjects that are expected to loom large _ subjects that are expected to loom large at _ subjects that are expected to loom large at this meeting is india's closeness with russia and its calculated neutrality on the invasion— calculated neutrality on the invasion of russia. india has been an outlier— invasion of russia. india has been an outlier in— invasion of russia. india has been an outlier in the quad, continuing to trade _ an outlier in the quad, continuing to trade with russia amidst international sanctions. with joe biden _ international sanctions. with joe biden, already calling india's stance — biden, already calling india's stance somewhat shaky, the us may force india _ stance somewhat shaky, the us may force india to take a tougher stance _ force india to take a tougher stance. bilateraltrade force india to take a tougher stance. bilateral trade talks with the united states are also on the cards _ the united states are also on the cards. however, india has yet not followed — cards. however, india has yet not followed up its position onjoe biden's— followed up its position onjoe biden's proposed new inter—pacific you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme — we'll be looking at the surprising findings about the massive undersea volcano which rocked tonga injanuary, and we'll be speaking to the research team that's been trying to understand what happened.

in the biggest international sporting spectacle ever seen, up to 30 million people have taken part in sponsored athletics events to aid famine relief in africa. the first of what the makers of star wars hope will be thousands of queues started forming at 7am. taunting which led to scuffles, scuffles to fighting, fighting to full—scale riot, as the liverpool fans broke out of their area and into the juventus enclosure. the belgian police had lost control. the whole world will mourn - the tragic death of mr nehru today. he was the father of. the indian people from the date of independence. the oprah winfrey show comes to an end after 25 years and more than four and a half thousand episodes. the chat show has made her one of the richest people on the planet. geri halliwell, otherwise known as ginger spice, has announced she's left the spice girls.

argh, i don't believe it! she's the one with the balance, the go, the girl power. not geri, why? this is newsday on the bbc. i'm karishma vaswani in singapore. 0ur headlines... a 21—year—old russian soldier is given a life sentence for the murder of a 62—year—old unarmed civilian in a landmark ruling as part of ukraine's first war crimes trial. photographs have emerged apparently showing the british prime minister, borisjohnson, at a social gathering in downing st in november 2020, when the uk was in lockdown. the world health organization says recent outbreaks of monkeypox in non—endemic countries can be contained. the disease is normally only found in africa, but dozens of cases of monkeypox have been reported in north america and europe in recent days. in the uk, the number of confirmed cases of monkeypox has nearly trebled to 57.

close contacts of those infected are being advised to self—isolate for 21 days. 0ur medical editor, fergus walsh, has the latest. more than a dozen countries in europe, north america and australia have reported cases of monkeypox, the biggest outbreak ever seen outside africa. but it is not another covid. experts stress the overall risk to the public is low. so, what is monkeypox? it's a virus found in animals, including monkeys and rats, in several african countries which occasionally infects people. the first outbreak in humans was over 50 years ago. it usually causes a mild illness, though it can occasionally be fatal. we've seen a few cases in europe over the last five years, just in travellers, but this is the first time we're seeing cases across many countries at the same time in people who have not travelled

to the endemic regions in africa. what are the symptoms of monkeypox? symptoms can take up to 21 days to appear after infection. key among them is a rash, often on the face or genitals. this develops into blisters and, finally, scabs. it can be mistaken for chickenpox. monkeypox usually resolves within two to four weeks. so, how do you catch it? monkeypox does not spread easily. it requires close contact, mainly skin to skin, and exposure to the blisters which contain the virus or contact with clothing or bedding of an infected person. it can spread through coughs and sneezes, but is much harder to catch than covid. many of the current cases are in gay or bisexual men. it's very important not to stigmatise. infections don't choose people's characteristics. we are talking about a spread between people with close contact,

and therefore anybody who has close contact with somebody else with monkeypox is potentially at risk of coming across it and acquiring the infection. the smallpox vaccine gives a high level of protection against monkeypox. they're from the same family of viruses. the uk has bought more doses, and some staff at sexual health clinics have already had the jab. in london, around ten staff from the chelsea and westminster hospital sexual health service are self—isolating at home purely as a precaution. clinics have now brought in stringent ppe requirements when dealing with the virus. fergus walsh, bbc news. let's turn to tonga now, where the massive undersea volcano, hunga tonga—hunga ha'apai, which devastated sea life when it erupted injanuary, is surprisingly still intact. the volcano erupted just north of tonga's main island — but the shockwaves swept across the globe with tsunami alerts as far away as california

to chile and japan. its aftermath has been mapped by a research team which includes new zealand's national institute of water and atmospheric research or niwa, as part of a project to catalogue and understand what happened. let's talk now to marine geologist kevin mackay, who was voyage leader of the mapping project. it's great to get you on the programme. ijust want it's great to get you on the programme. i just want to start by asking you, what did you and your team find? we asking you, what did you and your team find?— asking you, what did you and your team find? ~ ., ., , ., team find? we have to understand that this volcano _ team find? we have to understand that this volcano stands _ team find? we have to understand that this volcano stands one - team find? we have to understand that this volcano stands one and i team find? we have to understand that this volcano stands one and a| that this volcano stands one and a half kilometres above the sea beds. that's a very tall volcano, and you also have to understand that you think this is the largest recorded eruption ever inhumanity and it had the highest plume of volcanic ash. this is a truly massive volcano,

almost on the scale of krakatoa. based on our experience of other volcanoes, we would expect the volcanoes, we would expect the volcanoes to loan its top, to literally be obliterated. it's very hard to see any evidence of corruption, and that's the surprise of. ~ . corruption, and that's the surprise of. . ., ., , corruption, and that's the surprise of. ., ,, ., corruption, and that's the surprise of. what does this signal in terms of. what does this signal in terms of what happened? _ of. what does this signal in terms of what happened? the _ of. what does this signal in terms of what happened? the structure| of. what does this signal in terms i of what happened? the structure of this being in contact the first obvious thing is that all the imagery went to a completely vertical, that's unusual for volcanoes, volcanoes tend to explode up volcanoes, volcanoes tend to explode up and out, but this has gone straight vertical, like a shotgun blast into the sky, that is actually quite unusual for a volcano. it's pretty hard to find examples globally where this has happened

before. . , globally where this has happened before. ., , ., ., , , ., before. cabin, what happened to the sea life in the _ before. cabin, what happened to the sea life in the area? _ before. cabin, what happened to the sea life in the area? did _ before. cabin, what happened to the sea life in the area? did you - before. cabin, what happened to the sea life in the area? did you find - sea life in the area? did you find anything when your research team was looking through what had happened to the volcano? brute. looking through what had happened to the volcano? ~ ., ., , ., ., the volcano? we, again, this volcano was full of surprises, _ the volcano? we, again, this volcano was full of surprises, and _ the volcano? we, again, this volcano was full of surprises, and i _ the volcano? we, again, this volcano was full of surprises, and i really - was full of surprises, and i really was it intact, but we expected the sea floor to be absolutely devastated. and all life to be completely obliterated just by the sheer volume of material that swept down the side of the volcano and onto the sea floor. we are surprised that on small seamounts, we actually found life the mechanisms for wyatt life can for such a massive eruption, we are not terribly sure that we understand those reasons. i believe we are looking at some of the pictures that you and your team found while you were doing your research, butjust briefly, what

does this tell us because my can we gauge anything from what you found to predict your future seismic events. ~ ., , , , , ., events. what this tells us, first of all, the events. what this tells us, first of all. the big _ events. what this tells us, first of all. the big story _ events. what this tells us, first of all, the big story about _ events. what this tells us, first of all, the big story about this - all, the big story about this volcano is this volcano erupted in a way that we didn't think these types of volcanoes erupted, so if the first thing it tells us is that we now have to reassess other volcanoes in the pacific rim and around the caribbean. that's lesson number one. the second lesson is that our existing system are very much focused around earthquakes and not focused around earthquakes and not focused around earthquakes and not focused around the potential volcanoes. so this eruption of tells us that we have to reassess how our tsunami alert system works and how we issue timely warnings to coastal communities around the world. remarkable stuff there. well done to you and your team for all of that. thank you so much forjoining us on

newsday. now turning to zimbabwe, considering calling elephants because the population is too high. african elephants are ranked as amenable to extinction by international conservation authorities. this summit comes as some countries are battling the problem of too many elephants. they say that poor and rural communities are on the front line in zimbabwe in the last 18 months, about 130 people have been killed by elephants. the population has doubled since 1980. this summit has doubled since 1980. this summit has been called to try to get a consensus about the solutions from the different african countries, zimbabwe says that it wants the ban on ivory stockpiles lifted. the stand has been in place since 1989. african countries are not agreed. can you, for example, believes that any sale, any increase in sales will lead to more poaching, a problem

that nobody wants. thank you for watching. goodbye. hello. after a wet night across parts of england and wales, keep the umbrellas handy wherever you are during tuesday. there will be some sunny spells. it won't be wet all the time, but you may never be too far away from a shower that could be heavy, possibly thundery. now, low pressure is beginning to edge away. we have a flow of air coming in from the west—northwest to the uk. it is unstable, so along with those sunny spells, there will be some big clouds building at times with those showers breaking out. away from central, southeast and eastern england, where it could still be quite wet first thing, quite a bit of dry weather early on, probably chillest across western scotland, a few spots in low single figures. just wait for the showers to break out. after the rain's cleared away from the eastern side of england, hints of brightness, and then the showers break out here as well. so you can see them coming through. they will be accompanied

by gusty winds. as mentioned earlier, it doesn't mean it's going to be raining all the time, we mayjust have a brief shower and then a lengthy dry and bright spell afterwards. temperatures 12 celsius in stornoway, 18 celsius in london. most around 14—17 celsius, not too far from average for the time of year, perhaps a little bit below. a lot of dry weather to end the day as the showers fade away, but then overnight and into wednesday, from west then pushing eastwards, there will be some cloud and outbreaks of rain, which means as wednesday begins, the lower temperatures mid single figures in a few spots where you have the clearer skies across the eastern side of england. so this latest batch of wet weather will push on through, mainly during wednesday morning, not much rain, though, into the early afternoon into east anglia and southeast england, whereas elsewhere, it brightens up again, and it will be another afternoon of sunshine and scattered showers. temperatures pretty similar. wednesday is going to be a windier day, some gusts in excess of a0 mph, parts of scotland, northern england, perhaps the south coast of england as well. now, high—pressure trying to build in for thursday, not having much success, as another weather front

snakes its way in from the atlantic. it does mean there will be quite a bit of cloud around on thursday, some outbreaks of rain pushing in, some heavy showers in northern scotland. ahead of the system towards the southeast, although expected to cloud over, we may just see a few sunny spells, enough to lift temperatures back in a few spots into the low 20s, whereas elsewhere, it's as you were. now, high—pressure does move in friday, and at least into the start of the weekend, settling things down. although it is high—pressure, though, that will not translate into warmth.

this is bbc news. the headlines... a 21 year old russian soldier is given life sentence — for the murder of an unarmed civilian — in ukraine's first war crimes trial. vadim shishi—marin had admitted shooting a 62—year—old dead, but denied carrying out a war crime. a russian diplomat has resigned from his post at the country's mission to the united nations in geneva. boris bond—arev told the bbc he was never as ashamed of russia as when it invaded ukraine. photographs have emerged apparently showing the british prime minister borisjohnson at a social gathering in downing st in november 2020. at the time — the uk was in strict lockdown. president biden has said the united states would intervene militarily to defend taiwan if china were to invade the island.

joe biden was speaking injapan on the second leg of his asia tour.