welcome to bbc news. our top stories: meta says it will re—instate donald trump's facebook and instagram accounts, two years after he was suspended for praising the us capitol rioters. ukraine's president zelensky has welcomed the decision by the us and germany to send advanced tanks to ukraine. peru's president dina boluarte has called for a national truce after clashes between police and protesters led to 50 deaths. as covid continues to spread across china, the bbc finds evidence of a mounting death toll in rural areas.

welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. meta has announced it will reinstate donald trump's facebook and instagram accounts, two years after he was suspended, following the capitol riots. nick clegg, the president of global affairs, has laid out the reasons for the decision on the meta website. he says: and that: well, the former us president has also given his reaction on his own social media platform, truth social. saying that: he goes on to say that:

well, joining me now for some analysis is our north america correspondent, peter bowes. hi, peter. give us a background overview of the story and by donald trump got banned from meta in the first place. it trump got banned from meta in the first place.— the first place. it goes back to january _ the first place. it goes back to january 6th, _ the first place. it goes back to january 6th, 2021, - the first place. it goes back to january 6th, 2021, the | the first place. it goes back. to january 6th, 2021, the ride to january 6th, 2021, the ride in the us capitol. on the day he was posting to facebook and instagram, including a video, he was supporting some of those people attacking congress. he also posted to talk about — and we heard this many times before — the unfounded claims about fraud during the 2020 election. and it was immediately after january 6th that they decided

to ban the president, as he still was, to ban him indefinitely. that was revised after two years. that situation has now changed because meta has now changed because meta has decided donald trump? account no longer proved to be a risk to the general public. but it comes with a caveat, a warning to the former president that if he is to post again if things that go out of line, if he posts untruths, if he posts misinformation again, there is a possibility those posts will be taken down and he will be removed from the platform from as little as a month, up to two years. as little as a month, up to two ears. ~ ., as little as a month, up to two ears, ~ ., ., , , years. what has been the reaction _ years. what has been the reaction to _ years. what has been the reaction to all— years. what has been the reaction to all of- years. what has been the reaction to all of these i years. what has been the - reaction to all of these years, especially from facebook users because there are fears his return to meta can lead to

further misinformation but meta says the public should be able to hear what politicians have to hear what politicians have to say. to hear what politicians have to sa . , ., ., to hear what politicians have to sa . , . ., , to hear what politicians have tosa. ,. ., to say. yes, and that is a debate — to say. yes, and that is a debate that _ to say. yes, and that is a debate that meta - to say. yes, and that is a debate that meta clearly| debate that meta clearly believe that politicians — and remember that donald trump has announced he is standing for the white house again, seeking a republican nomination for the election in 2024 — and therefore that seem in the category of a politician who deserves to be heard, as they say. and there are many people on facebook and the wider world who believe that, we believe that element of freedom of speech on social media. equally, and this is a very divided country in this area, there are many who believe that because of what donald trump has done in the past, the potential that he could do it again, he should not be allowed anywhere near platforms like facebook and instagram. peter bows, facebook and instagram. peter bows. thank — facebook and instagram. peter bows, thank you _ facebook and instagram. peter bows, thank you for _ facebook and instagram. peter bows, thank you for your - bows, thank you for your

analysis. —— bowes. now robert pape is professor of political science at the university of chicago. he has been studying the american insurrectionist movement and he testified at the january 6th hearing. thank you forjoining us. you have been studying closely the capitol riot. are you concerned that meta has allowed donald trump back on its social media platform? trump back on its social media latform? , , , trump back on its social media platform?— platform? yes. this is a risky and it is not _ platform? yes. this is a risky and it is notjust _ platform? yes. this is a risky and it is notjust the - platform? yes. this is a risky and it is notjust the past, . platform? yes. this is a risky and it is notjust the past, it. and it is notjust the past, it is the present. we conduct national surveys of violent sentiment in the united states. as of today, there are approximately 15 million american adults who have violent support to either restore donald trump to the presidency or against the prosecution brought donald trump in the future. 40% of those 15 million dead their

main political news from mainstream social media, facebook, instagram etc. so what this means is that by giving donald trump axis to the largest social media platform in the world, —— access, he has the most axis calls to action and this is simply a risky move with someone who has never apologised forjanuary 6th and on january 6th apologised forjanuary 6th and onjanuary 6th its obvious that he love the people who stormed the capitol. d0 he love the people who stormed the capitol-— the capitol. do you think donald trump _ the capitol. do you think donald trump will - the capitol. do you think donald trump will use i the capitol. do you think donald trump will use it| the capitol. do you think - donald trump will use it meta because the same thing happened on twitter but he's yet to use that platform?— on twitter but he's yet to use that platform? that's right but this is not _ that platform? that's right but this is not about _ that platform? that's right but this is not about what - that platform? that's right but this is not about what is - that platform? that's right but this is not about what is going | this is not about what is going to happen tomorrow. i know the news media wants everything to happen tomorrow, but what we're

doing is we're giving him options and he is going to go through — we're going to go through — we're going to go through a very tumultuous election cycle into thousand 24. no—one has a crystal ball to know what is going to happen three months from now, let alone 18 months from now, and this is simply a dangerous move to grant access. further, the specifics of matter and meta is not really telling us that. what we want to know from the facebook leaders are very simple question, december 19 2020 donald trump issued the social media post that mattered the first january 6th four, when he called his followers to come to washington and said it would be," wild". is that a violation that would be enough to get him knocked off again?

that was a critical social media post in this whole episode. let's have some discussion on specifics instead of big generalities like we have guardrails and we will monitor — this is not mean very much... monitor - this is not mean very much... ., , monitor - this is not mean very much... ., ~ much... robert pape thank you very much _ much. .. robert pape thank you very much for— much... robert pape thank you very much for your _ much... robert pape thank you very much for your time. - very much for your time. professor of political science at the university of chicago. let's get some of the day's other news: police in northern germany say a man armed with a knife has killed two people on a train travelling between kiel and hamburg. seven other passengers were wounded, three of them seriously. police say the attacker, a palestinian man in his 30s, was also injured and is in custody. spanish authorities in the city of algeciras are treating a series of stabbings, which left one person dead, as a possible terrorist incident. clergymun at two different churches, 300 metres apart, were attacked just after 8pm local time. local media report four

others were injured. ——clergyman at two different churches, 300 metres apart, controversial social media personality andrew tate has given his first public comments since his arrest in romania and said the case against him is "empty". tate and his brother tristan are due to be held until february the 27th, while police investigate allegations of human trafficking and rape. president zelensky has warmly welcomed the decision by germany and the united states to send tanks to ukraine. but in his nightly address— he said the speed of delivery and the number of tanks, were key to his country's defence against russia. our europe editor katya adler reports. the most serious armed conflict in europe since world war ii. an attempt by russia to upend a sense of security across the continent.

but today saw an offer of help kyiv has long been crying out for. translation: we will now be sending our leopard 2 - battle tanks to ukraine. we are doing this after intense discussion with our international partners and allies. it was right not to hurry this decision. actually, mr scholz�*s allies had fast been losing patience. lots of european countries own these german—produced tanks. they're stable and reliable. but berlin has all export rights, so countries like poland, desperate to send this powerful help to ukraine, couldn't as long as germany dithered. now kyiv could eventually receive dozens of tanks, though its soldiers first need to be trained how to use them. weary of moscow, chancellor olaf scholz was keen for the us to send some of its mighty abrams tanks to ukraine, too.

as if on pre—agreed cue, president biden promised 31 vehicles for kyiv. putin expected europe and the united states to weaken our resolve. he expected our support for ukraine to crumble with time. he was wrong. and he was wrong from the beginning and he continues to be wrong. we are united. washington's announcement and berlin's u—turn are a wish come true for ukraine's president, who turned 45 today. translation: the key now is speed and volume. - we have to form a fist of tank, a fist of freedom which will not allow tyranny to rise again. these soviet—era tanks are on permanent display in the german capital. while many celebrate olaf scholz�*s decisions

on tanks, others, including powerful voices in his own party, warn that this conflict could now escalate — threatening lives beyond ukraine. katya adler, bbc news, berlin. retired brigadeer general mark kimmitt served in many senior roles in the us army and was a deputee asssistant secretary of defence in the george bush administration. he's in washington and joins me now. the us says it is going to send 31 tanks, hours after germany said it would send its leopard tanks. the timing is interesting, why now? it was really forced _ interesting, why now? it was really forced upon _ interesting, why now? it was really forced upon both - really forced upon both chancellor olaf scholz and president biding that there would be an offensive coming in the near term and they needed to defend the donbas and in subsequent operations attack themselves to take back the territory of ukraine. i think

it finally got the nations to understand to break the stalemate we had to provide those tanks.— stalemate we had to provide those tanks. �* , ., , , those tanks. america previously said the tanks _ those tanks. america previously said the tanks were _ those tanks. america previously said the tanks were not - said the tanks were not suitable for ukraine because of how complex they were to use and also the training involved. took us through what happens next and the timescale? when will the tanks be properly functional?— will the tanks be properly functional? ~ ., functional? well, i think there are two different _ functional? well, i think there are two different sets - functional? well, i think there are two different sets of - are two different sets of tanks. the leopard tanks coming primarily from germany, they should be on the ground inside of ukraine within a matter of months. the ease of training inside the leopard and the proximity and availability of those tanks means it is probably within 90 days that they will be better ready troops ready to put into combat. the abrams is a completely different topic.

they have to be manufactured first, while that manufacturing is going on, there will be training of troops as well. it will take time to deploy them as well as the logistic packages,. i would expect to see the leopard tanks arriving in the 90 days and i would surprised to see the abrams before the end of summer. just how significant _ before the end of summer. just how significant are these tanks for ukraine in the fight against russia?- for ukraine in the fight against russia? for ukraine in the fight auainst russia? ~ ., against russia? well, i think the best way _ against russia? well, i think the best way to _ against russia? well, i think the best way to say - against russia? well, i think the best way to say it - against russia? well, i think the best way to say it is, - the best way to say it is, these will make a difference but they will not be decisive. there are a lot of tanks on the battlefield already. i think we have seen what happens to tanks in this war, unlike any other war where the primary killer of tanks is not from another tank

but from drones. if probably deployed, they can provide a punch through the russian line but i do not think they are truly going to be decisive in the sense that that punch through the line is going to take them all the way to mariupol or cut off the premier peninsula. we have to be careful about what they achieve. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: peru's president dina boluarte has called for a national truce, after clashes between police and protesters led to 50 deaths. the shuttle challenger exploded soon after lift—off. there were seven astronauts on board, one of them a woman schoolteacher. all of them are believed to have been killed. by the evening, tahrir square, the heart of official cairo, was in the hands

of the demonstrators. they were using the word revolution. the earthquake - singled out buildings and brought them down in seconds. _ tonight, the search for any survivors has an increasingj desperation about it as the hours pass. l the new government is firmly in control of the entire republic of uganda. survivors of the auschwitz concentration camp have been commemorating the 40th anniversary of their liberation. they toured the huts, gas chambers and crematoria and relived their horrifying experiences. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: meta says it will reinstate

donald trump's facebook and instagram accounts, two years after he was suspended for praising the us capitol rioters. ukraine's president zelensky has welcomed the decision by the us and germany to send advanced tanks to ukraine. well let's stay with that story — and it's notjust president zelensky that's greeted the news of the tank supplies with relief and gratitude. our correspondent, andrew harding, has been zaporizhzhia talking to people in the city of zaporizhzhia, not far from the front line. explosion ukrainian tanks, half a century old, battling near the front lines. in this area, close to the donbas town of bakhmut, russian forces are slowly gaining ground. and when we visited this tank unit last week, the mood seemed close to despair.

both sides have heavy losses. but we need more equipment. we need more weapons. we appreciate the support of our partners, britain, usa and european. no surprise, then, today, to find many ukrainians celebrating the news that modern western tanks will soon be on their way here. at the bus stop in the front line city of zaporizhzhia, vasily tells me, "russia has "better weapons than we do, so this is good news." a pensioner called viktoria isn't so sure. "you start with tanks," she says, "but then it escalates. "i'm afraid this will end in a nuclear war." but when another woman, elena, overhears that, she comes over to disagree. "we need any weapons from any countries to help us "kick the russians out of here and protect our borders." moscow's forces are not

far away from here. on the road towards the front line, we pass tank traps, ready to help block any new russian advance. both the ukrainians and the russians have made it pretty clear that they are planning to launch a major new offensives, perhaps within a matter of weeks. the question now is whether these new, western tanks are going to arrive soon enough and in large enough numbers to make a real difference in this next phase of the conflict. for now, ukraine continues to fight with what it has. and a senior officer, who agreed to meet as close to the front, said victory was certain, with or without foreign help. translation: the russians keep attacking as in human waves, - and suffer enormous casualties. i believe we can withstand this. it's just a matter of time before we win. ukrainian tanks charge forwards.

but it may still be a while before modern western machines are fighting alongside them. andrew harding, bbc news, ukraine. now to south america, where the president of peru, dina boluarte, has called for a national truce after clashes with the police led to more than 50 deaths. for the past few weeks, people have been protesting and demanding the resignation of ms boluarte, who came to power after the former president of peru was impeached in december. sofia bettiza reports. these images have become all too common in peru. people have been demonstrating for weeks demanding the resignation of the president, dina boluarte. these protests have cost the country more than $1 billion worth of economic losses. they've even forced the government to close machu

picchu, world tourist attraction. on tuesday the president called for a national truce. translation: ext} president called for a national truce. translation: 50 people have died amongst _ truce. translation: 50 people have died amongst these - truce. translation: 50 people have died amongst these acts i truce. translation: 50 peoplej have died amongst these acts of protest and violence. this pains me. this is it a peaceful protest but a violent action by a group of radical people. i call my dear homeland for a national truce to set up a dialogue. national truce to set up a dialogue-— national truce to set up a dialogue. national truce to set up a dialouue. ,, ., ., , ., dialogue. she apologised for the killings _ dialogue. she apologised for the killings but _ dialogue. she apologised for the killings but once - dialogue. she apologised for the killings but once again i the killings but once again refused to resign. which is why only hours after she pleaded for dialogue, thousands of people marched in the capital, lima. translation: we people marched in the capital, lima. translation:— people marched in the capital, lima. translation: we are not terrorists- _ lima. translation: we are not terrorists. we _ lima. translation: we are not terrorists. we are _ lima. translation: we are not terrorists. we are not _ terrorists. we are not criminals. we are peasants who seekjustice criminals. we are peasants who seek justice and criminals. we are peasants who seekjustice and peace in our country. seekjustice and peace in our count. ., , , ., country. protesters throwing rocks, country. protesters throwing rocks. police _ country. protesters throwing rocks, police responding - country. protesters throwing | rocks, police responding with tear gas. some shouting follow at a murderer, referring to the

brutality of the police. this is mostly people in poor, rural areas. they felt that the former president, pedro castillo, cared about them. but when he tried to dissolve congress, he was impeached and imprisoned. and many feel that his replacement, ms boluarte, is aligned with the elite. and as she refuses to step down, a truce seems a long way off. sofia bettiza, bbc news. in china — the bbc has been told of many covid—related deaths in one rural area by people working in the funeral industry who say they've been much busier than usual. the chinese authorities have been consistently accused of underreporting the number of people who have died from covid. our correspondent stephen mcdonnell sent this report from the northern province of shanxi. the coffin makers in northern shanxi province have been busy. there's been great debate about the number of covid

deaths in china's cities. but there's still no official death toll for rural areas. yet what you see if you visit local crematoriums is that a lot of people have died. translation: she had severe diabetes. - after she got covid, she had a high fever and her organs began to fail. wang peiwei hasjust lost his sister—in—law. the mother of two was in her early 50s. translation: she was a great person. - we must hold a grand event to send her off, the best we can afford. orders for these paper funeral ornaments are being placed at two or three times the normal rate because of coronavirus deaths, according to this man. translation: some sick people were already very weak. - then they catch covid and their elderly bodies can't handle it.

the government has announced more than 70,000 covid—related deaths in china's hospitals, but these rural areas have only sparse facilities and many pass away at home, so are mostly not being counted. for the spring festival, hundreds of millions of younger people already returned to their hometowns. these are the fireworks, the pictures, the lanterns and the snacks that chinese people buy to help them ring in the new year. it's normally a very joyous time — in fact, the most important festival in this country — but this year, people won't necessarily be so happy because they may well have lost friends or loved ones to the coronavirus. everyone seems to know somebody who's died. i ask this farmer about what appear to be new graves nearby. translation: families have been burying their elderly _ relatives. there are just so many.

he points to the fresh mounds of earth. they're marked with red flags. in his village of a few thousand, he says more than 40 people have passed away during the outbreak, but they're hoping that covid's worst work has been done. stephen mcdonell, bbc news, shanxi province. there's more on that report — and indeed all our stories on the bbc news — on bbc news online. just head to bbc.com/news. the cast and crew of the pioneering american children's television show — sesame street — have paid tribute to its co—creator, lloyd morrisett, who has died aged 93. they praised his kindness and wisdom. lloyd morrisett came up with the idea of using tv to teach young children basic skills like counting and recognising letters. you are watching bbc news with me, monika plaha. you can reach

me, monika plaha. you can reach me on twitter. thank you very much forjoining me. hello. after a week of weather contrasts so far, thursday brings a bit more evenness to the weather across the uk and most will be dry. some decent sunny spells as well, particularly in the west. now, the reason for the change is that the weather fronts, which brought the heavy rain through the evening across east anglia and southeast, will have cleared into france overnight, allowing this ridge of high pressure to even things out. now, it doesn't mean we won't be without frost and ice, particularly across central and western areas, but temperatures still will be nowhere near as low as they have been through recent nights. a few mist and fog patches in the west, too, but for the vast majority, it is going to be a dry and sunny day. northern scotland will see a few showers and across south east scotland into eastern england, this is where we'll see some showers come and go throughout the day. not everyone will see them.

many will stay dry and still a lot brighter across east anglia and the south—east compared with the grim conditions of wednesday. but here and across many eastern counties, it will be quite a blustery day. but temperature—wise, as i said, we're evening things out. 6—9 degrees across much of the uk, which is not far off where we should be for this stage in late january. now, as we go into thursday evening and overnight, there will be some showers across eastern england, perhaps tracking a bit further westwards, especially for northern england, most of them will be dry. partly clear skies, a chance of some fog across scotland, northern ireland and north—west england, and it will be a little bit colder as well. more widespread frost to take us into friday morning with a risk of ice where showers have continued. but if anything, friday should be another pleasant day for most patchy cloud across england, a bit more in the west compared with thursday. and then later on, northwest scotland and northern ireland will see cloud increase, some rain into the western isles before the day is out. and temperatures similar to thursday's values with lighter winds. into saturday, though, more cloud on the scene. there will be sunshine

in particular eastern scotland, southern counties of england. but this sort of cloud here with patchy rain, this is a weather front which is just toppling round our area of high pressure, and because it's within the area of high pressure, not much in the way of rain on it. it will clear through off into the near continent. but another batch of more active weather fronts into sunday will push into the north—west. we start with the frost again, particularly across some southern areas. but sunday, there'll be some sunny spells across england and wales especially, but increasing cloud to scotland, northern ireland, heavy rain and strengthening winds. gale force winds, if not gusts of wind in excess of 60 miles an hour by the end of the day. will lift temperatures up, though, compared to the next few days, but it will feel cooler in that breeze.

this is bbc news. the headlines — donald trump is to be allowed back on facebook and instagram, two years after he was suspended, over messages praising rioters who attacked the us congress. it is not clear if the former president plans to reconnect. ukraine has welcomed the decision by the united states and germany to provide modern tanks to push back the russian invasion. president biden's announcement comes after it was confirmed germany would supply for leopard tanks.

peru's president, dina boluartay, has called for a national truce, after clashes between police