welcome to bbc news. i'm lucy grey. our top stories: a powerful earthquake rocks southern turkey, near the border with syria. it measured 7.8 in magnitude. after the blowout, the fall out. diplomatic tensions rise following america's shooting down of china's observation balloon. reports that ukraine's defence minister is to be replaced, following claims of a corruption scandal in his department. iran's supreme leader is to pardon thousands of prisoners, including many who took part in recent anti—government protests. and beyonce�*s big night. she gets ever closer to winning the most grammy awards of all time.

we start this hour with breaking news. reports are coming in of a strong earthquake that has hit turkey near the border with syria. the epicentre was in gaziantep and the tremor has been felt across the region. the united states geological survey said it was of 7.8 magnitude and at a depth of 10 kilometres, considered to be shallow. gaziantep has a local population of around two million people and is also hosting almost 500,000 syrian refugees. azadeh moshiri is our reporter. what can you tell us? this is what we know so far. the quaker�*s epicentre was in gaziantep, the southern part of turkey with a population of 2 million people. it is an industrial hub is lots of buildings chair. it's on the border of syria, so that's why it hosts about half a million syrian refugees will stop so it

is an industrial hub, hosting many refugees, and the epicentre of this earthquake right now. when you look at the buildings, it is clear in the area that the damage is fairly significant. we have seen images of buildings that have completely collapsed. we believe the pictures we're showing you now are about a three or four hour drive from gaziantep and damage there is clear. turkey is no stranger to earthquakes. in 1999, an historic earthquake killed 17,000 people. the damage to buildings and infrastructure was so significant that the area is still dealing with some of the consequences there. now in this instance we are waiting to hear the final figures on casualties. there are reports that some casualties are coming in, but it is notjust about

turkey now because it has spread to countries like lebanon and of course area. figs lebanon and of course area. as ou lebanon and of course area. as you mentioned, it has spread through a huge area. we can speak to a journalist who was by his window when the earthquake hit in beirut. tell us what you _ earthquake hit in beirut. tell us what you felt. _ earthquake hit in beirut. tell us what you felt. hello, sorry, there was a glitch. i was, crap, is there that i'm? yes, sorry. i was writing something and suddenly the entire building started shaking. i didn't know what to feel. a lot of us here in beirut, ourfirst instinct was it was another blast. i was standing next to the windows i was scared that they might shatter.— they might shatter. how long did it no they might shatter. how long did it go on — they might shatter. how long did it go on for? _ they might shatter. how long did it go on for? it _ they might shatter. how long did it go on for? it went - they might shatter. how long did it go on for? it went on i did it go on for? it went on for a full — did it go on for? it went on for a full four— did it go on for? it went on for a full four or _ did it go on for? it went on for a full four or five - for a full four orfive minutes. it for a full four or five minutes. it was pretty horrific. i didn't know what to

feel, but i don't know. it horrific. i didn't know what to feel, but i don't know.- feel, but i don't know. it was mind blowing. _ feel, but i don't know. it was mind blowing. it _ feel, but i don't know. it was mind blowing. it has - feel, but i don't know. it was i mind blowing. it has happened in the early hours of the morning so presumably most people will have been in bed. we are seeing pictures on social media of buildings collapsing. what did you do when you felt it? presumably you felt an earthquake before? i felt some tremors but not a full earthquake before. my first instinct, i was pulling an all—nighter at college and my first instinct was checking on other students in the building. everyone was ok thankfully. in not in general there have been tons of reports of some building the damage and foundations ——in lebanon. but as what's going on on in turkey and syria. as what's going on on in turkey and syria-— and syria. you are a long way away from — and syria. you are a long way away from the _ and syria. you are a long way away from the epicentre. - and syria. you are a long way away from the epicentre. it's| away from the epicentre. it's hundreds of kilometres. it is extraordinary that you would

have felt something so far away, isn't it? it have felt something so far away, isn't it?— have felt something so far away, isn't it? it is. beirut is 450 kilometres - away, isn't it? it is. beirut is 450 kilometres away . away, isn't it? it is. beirut. is 450 kilometres away from epicentre in turkey and close to syria more or less. initially, but i've learned and initially, but i've learned and i reported about this, is the initial earthquake was in southern turkey and that reverberated in syria. what happened in syria was a double quake, what we kinda felt here in lebanon. yes.— quake, what we kinda felt here in lebanon. yes. 0k. thank you forjoining _ in lebanon. yes. 0k. thank you forjoining us. — in lebanon. yes. 0k. thank you forjoining us, a _ in lebanon. yes. 0k. thank you forjoining us, ajournalist- forjoining us, a journalist who felt that earthquake in beirut. and azadeh moshiri is here listening with me. it was felt over a huge region. we've been getting some words from local officials about it. it is very early days in terms of the number of things but we have been hearing some figures from officials. , ~

been hearing some figures from officials. , . ., officials. they said? we have to remember _ officials. they said? we have to remember in _ officials. they said? we have to remember in southern - officials. they said? we have i to remember in southern turkey that five people have died after the earthquake. that's a 16 building collapsed. 0ne after the earthquake. that's a 16 building collapsed. one man, one city, we don't know what the final number will be adequate off into a producer all the way and another nine, in beirut, —— and lebanon, the casualties and buildings, watch closely. in terms of the military, it is like remembering is a very powerful earthquake. it is sure to have real damage. are reports that keep coming in on social media and from different news agencies that rescue operations are also under way. it is something we are going to have to watch and develop as it comes in. to watch and develop as it comes im— comes in. circuit interior minister— comes in. circuit interior minister has _ comes in. circuit interior minister hasjust - comes in. circuit interior minister hasjust said . comes in. circuit interior| minister hasjust said the minister has just said the priority at the moment is to reach people who are under the rubble. he asks people, culminating to stop using

mobile phones because presumably that will help them find people who may be trapped. as you are saying, we hear that 16 or 17 buildings in one area in turkey are thought to have collapsed. let's bring in our producer in gaza, rushdi abualouf, who felt the earthquake a little earlier. it was quite powerful. the buildin: it was quite powerful. the building was _ it was quite powerful. tue: building was shaking. it was quite powerful. tte: building was shaking. i live quite high on a building. i realise quickly that it was an earthquake. we do not usually have earthquakes. not many have been here. i rushed quickly to my daughter's room and they were sleeping. my boy in the second room was trying to scream. he didn't understand what was happening. everybody

was talking quickly on social media about it, as everybody was waking up for the week. we don't have any reports of any damage or casualties yet. maybe it is still early but we have not seen any sort of damage or casualties in the area, but most of the people in gaza and west bank, israel across the entire area, they felt about 45 seconds i'm shaking. mas entire area, they felt about 45 seconds i'm shaking.— seconds i'm shaking. was it that 45 seconds _ seconds i'm shaking. was it that 45 seconds on - seconds i'm shaking. was it that 45 seconds on its - seconds i'm shaking. was itj that 45 seconds on its own? there are some reports that people felt a huge after—shock afterwards, saying it was 6.7 in magnitude, the after—shock, about 15 minutes later. did you feel to separate tremors or was it just one? feel to separate tremors or was itjust one? t feel to separate tremors or was it just one?— itjust one? i felt ten seconds in the beginning, _ itjust one? i felt ten seconds in the beginning, then - itjust one? i felt ten seconds in the beginning, then when l itjust one? i felt ten seconds in the beginning, then when i rushed to my daughter's room, i felt again. it was not like a

continuous 45 seconds, but within a minute we felt multiple shakes.- within a minute we felt multiple shakes. within a minute we felt multile shakes. ~ ., , ., multiple shakes. what did you do? what _ multiple shakes. what did you do? what have _ multiple shakes. what did you do? what have you _ multiple shakes. what did you do? what have you been - multiple shakes. what did you do? what have you been told | multiple shakes. what did you i do? what have you been told to do? what have you been told to do? ., ., , , do? what have you been told to do? ., ., i, do? unfortunately is maybe the first time- _ do? unfortunately is maybe the first time- i _ do? unfortunately is maybe the first time. i was _ do? unfortunately is maybe the first time. i was too _ do? unfortunately is maybe the first time. i was too young - do? unfortunately is maybe the first time. i was too young in i first time. i was too young in the 1990s when something like this happened, so i don't really know what to do. i was just trying to rush to my daughter's room and then to my son's room to make sure that i'm close to them and they are all 0k. ., ~ i. ., all 0k. 0k. thank you for “oininu all 0k. 0k. thank you for joining us- _ all 0k. 0k. thank you for joining us. as _ all 0k. 0k. thank you for joining us. as a _ all 0k. 0k. thank you for. joining us. as a missionary all 0k. 0k. thank you for - joining us. as a missionary is still with us. hundreds of kilometres from epicentre people are feeling this huge earthquake. you getting the reports through initially, but this has had a major impact. absolutely. what alcoholics said there was that he was too

youngin said there was that he was too young in the 1990s to experience it and know what the protocols are here. it is a reminder that that earthquake that hit in the 1990s is really left a big impression on the region, and the fact that the region, and the fact that the region in general, but specifically turkey, is no stranger to all of this. we're talking about the 90s because that was the one that ended up killing 17,000 people and even 1,000 people in istanbul. but there were some that were very serious in 2020 as well. in january 2020 there was an earthquake in turkey that killed 40 people, one letter in the year they killed about 114 people, so these are really present dangers and why there are often conversations in turkey about the infrastructure in big cities like istanbul, where buildings continue to be built yet it is one of the most active earthquake zones in the world. what we have seen player

is the dangers are living in that sort of area, but right now we are waiting to hear the numbers of how big an impact this is going to have. we have had that there been some casualties but given the magnitude of the earthquake we can expect to have more updates as the hours come through. thank you. i assume del maxi reuters says ten people have been killed in turkey after the earthquake, which was a 7.8 in magnitude. we will bring you more on that as and when we get it. republicans have criticised president biden over the amount of time it took to shoot down a chinese observation balloon that flew across the united states. china has said shooting down the balloon was an obvious over—reaction. the diplomatic fall out is continuing, as warships try to recover the debris. secretary of state antony blinken was due to be in beijing this week, but he cancelled the trip after the balloon was discovered. barbara plett usher reports from beijing. for days, this solitary object floated serenely through us airspace, putting a diplomatic crisis onto television screens in real time.

was it a harmless weather balloon, as the chinese claimed, or a spy in the sky? moments after it arrived over the atlantic, the us brought an explosive end to the drama. that trail of white vapour you see on the left of the screen is an american fighterjet heading for the balloon. the second vapour trail is from a heat—seeking missile fired from the jet, easily finding its target. whoa! did you hear that? shortly after impact, the sound of the explosion was heard by people watching on the ground. then, what was left of the balloon came down in the sea off the coast of south carolina. suddenly we saw something take off from the jet and we knew that was a missile, and you could see the explosion. gosh, it was almost like a moving cloud coming down. it's scary. it's a different way of spying on us, let's put it that way. i the us navy is now recovering debris spread over seven miles in relatively shallow water. down to earth, the us shoots down a suspected chinese

spy balloon monitoring us military sites... this was how america woke up to the news on sunday morning. late yesterday, an air force f—22 fighterjet fired a single air—to—air missile into the balloon, bringing it down. president biden was criticised by republicans for not acting sooner, but he chose his own time. i ordered the pentagon to shoot it down on wednesday as soon as possible. they decided... without doing damage to anyone on the ground. they decided the best time to do that was over water, within a 12—mile limit. china's foreign ministry accused the us of overreacting. the statement said... the incident has blown up a chance to ease tensions between the world's two great powers, with the us secretary of state antony blinken postponing a planned trip to beijing. here in beijing, the foreign ministry in china had been

expecting to welcome antony blinken today to talk about stabilising the relationship in carefully planned, carefully choreographed meetings. instead, suddenly, relations have taken a sharp turn for the worse. the visit could still very well take place later in the year. butjust getting here is now part of the problem. barbara plett usher, news, beijing. there are reports that ukraine's defence minister, 0leksii reznikov, will be dismissed and replaced by the head of military intelligence. reznikov, a loyal ally of president zelensky, is expected to be moved to a different post, with the ministry ofjustice named as a possible appointment. in recent weeks ukraine's defence ministry has been embroiled in a corruption scandal over an army food contract, with one of the deputy ministers fired, and another resigning voluntarily. mr reznikov became defence minister several months before the russian invasion. during the war he fostered relationships with western defence officials and helped oversee the receipt of billions of dollars of

military assistance. for more insight, let's now speak to larry korb, a senior fellow at center for american progress. also former united states assistant secretary of defence. good of you to join us. hello to you. let's start with a point i just to you. let's start with a point ijust made their about the great contacts that he has built up with western allies during the last year in terms of getting so many weapons are sent over to ukraine and money and supplies that they need. will things be affected if he leaves the post? t will things be affected if he leaves the post?— leaves the post? i doubt it, because — leaves the post? i doubt it, because the _ leaves the post? i doubt it, because the general- leaves the post? i doubt it, because the general who i leaves the post? i doubt it, because the general who is | because the general who is replacing him has been involved right from the beginning. do not get that he was one of the few people who predicted that the russians would invade. he

has been intelligence chief and i am sure he has been working with all of the allies on these issues. i think it is also important because while secretary or minister reznikov was not involved in the scandal is the fact is they were occurring in his ministry and the last thing the ukrainians need now is to have that because there are people even in the united states who say stop sending them so much money, they wasted.- stop sending them so much money, they wasted. that is the key thing. _ money, they wasted. that is the key thing. isn't _ money, they wasted. that is the key thing, isn't it? _ money, they wasted. that is the key thing, isn't it? president - key thing, isn't it? president volodymyr zelenskyy want to be seen to be cracking down on corruption very quickly, he wants to arrange teen good relations with people sending weapons. he is thinking about membership or potential membership or potential membership of the eu eventually, isn't he? tia membership of the eu eventually, isn't he? no doubt about it. eventually, isn't he? no doubt about it- it— eventually, isn't he? no doubt about it. it is _ eventually, isn't he? no doubt about it. it is also, _ eventually, isn't he? no doubt about it. it is also, i— eventually, isn't he? no doubt about it. it is also, i think, - about it. it is also, i think, important to put the general in there at a time when the russians are probably going to go on a 24th which was the date

they invaded, and start a big offensive to try and take back and control eastern ukraine. it will be helpful to have a seasoned general in charge of the defence ministry.- the defence ministry. what about leaving _ the defence ministry. what about leaving intelligence | about leaving intelligence department? it is quite strange isn't it to move your chief of intelligence in the middle of a war, isn't it?— war, isn't it? well, ithink it is obviously, _ war, isn't it? well, ithink it is obviously, there - war, isn't it? well, ithink it is obviously, there will- war, isn't it? well, ithink it is obviously, there will be . war, isn't it? well, ithink it is obviously, there will be a| is obviously, there will be a period there but i think the real question is, there won't be any problems in him taking over the defence ministry because he will hit the ground running in the midst probably the real turning point in the war. the russians are probably to try one last big offensive and if that doesn't work, then maybe they will be willing to settle. and again, the intelligence is notjust him, there are a lot of other people in there. we don't know who is

going to take over, but i assume it will be another career person who has been working on these issues. reznikov did a press conference earlier and he was talking about as you mentioned this anticipated russian offence later this month. he was saying that ukraine does have enough reserves to hold off russian forces even though the western weaponry won't have arrived by then. a lot of it. i don't think he can hear me. can you hear me? _ think he can hear me. can you hear me? i — think he can hear me. can you hear me? i can _ think he can hear me. can you hear me? i can still— think he can hear me. can you hear me? i can still hear - think he can hear me. can you hear me? i can still hear you. | hear me? i can still hear you. ican hear hear me? i can still hear you. i can hear you but you are breaking up a little bit. d0 breaking up a little bit. do ou breaking up a little bit. do you agree _ breaking up a little bit. do you agree with what mr reznikov was saying earlier about the anticipated russian offensive later this month, saying that even though not all of the western weaponry belivah right by then that they do have enough reserves to hold off russian forces.— enough reserves to hold off russian forces. well, i he is t in: russian forces. well, i he is trying to _ russian forces. well, i he is trying to send _ russian forces. well, i he is trying to send a _ russian forces. well, i he is trying to send a signal- russian forces. well, i he is trying to send a signal to i trying to send a signal to russia that they are trying to increase their operation for

two reasons. one, obviously 24 february, the other is they know that a lot more help is on the way, like the leopard tanks, british aircraft and maybe even french aircraft. i do think that they want to do it before, it will take a couple of months for all of that to be there. but i think reznikov is correct, that doesn't mean the russians are going to be able to score some big victories. they are being tied down, they have lost about 500 people in the last week. thank you forjoining us, appreciate your time. thank you for having me. _ stay with us on bbc news — still to come. bouncing back — trying to boost koala numbers following australia's devastating bushfires. there's mr mandela, mr nelson mandela, a free man

taking his first steps into a new south africa. iran's spiritual leader, ayatollah ali khamenei, has said he has passed the death sentence on salman rushdie, the british author of a book which many muslims say is blasphemous. the people of haiti have flocked church to give thanks for the ousting of their former president, baby doc duvalier. because of his considerable value as a stallion, shergar was kept in a special secure box in the stud farm's central block. shergar was driven away in a horse box the thieves had brought with them. there steps down from the plane a figure in morning. elizabeth ii, queen of this realm and all her other realms and territories, head of the commonwealth, defender of the faith.

this is bbc news — the latest headlines. reports are coming in of a strong earthquake in turkey — near the border with syria. it measured 7.8 in magnitude. diplomatic tensions are rising following america's shooting down of china's observation balloon. iran's supreme leader is to pardon a large number of prisoners, including some of those arrested during the past months of protests. the move comes on the eve of the anniversary of the islamic revolution in 1979, when some prisoners are traditionally offered amnesty. taraneh stone, from the bbc�*s persian service, says those freed have several conditions attached to their release. 0ne one of those conditions is that they should not be linked to any spy they should not be linked to any spy activity, they should not be facing any charges of corruption or waiting war against god. as you can see these are quite ambiguous

charges as well and people have been charged with these accusations for setting fire on bins in the streets or merely protesting. so, these are quite ambiguous charges. they are also, one of the conditions is that they, these people have to show remorse and also they have to provide promise that they will not participate, either protest or take similar actions again. sixteen pro—democracy activists are going on trial in hong kong, in one of the most high—profile cases yet under a national security law imposed by beijing in 2020. protests have been taking place outside the courthouse where the trial is taking place. they're part of a bigger group of 47 charged with conspiracy to commit subversion after participating in an unofficial primary election two years ago. the trial, withoutjury, is being seen as a test of hong kong's judicial independence. ten people have been killed in several avalanches across the austrian and swiss

alps over the weekend. tourists from new zealand, china and germany were among the dead at several different ski resorts. austrian authorities put in place a level four avalanche alert — the second highest — following intense snowfall and wind in the area. they called it the black summer, when a series of huge bushfires swept across vast parts of australia. millions of hectares of land were destroyed and more than 30 people died. an unknown number of animals also lost their lives. now conservationists are trying to boost wildlife numbers, as the bbc�*s tim allman explains. they are one of australia's most iconic symbols. the koala is beloved, but it is also in serious danger. here, at a wildlife centre on the slightly inappropriately named kangaroo island, they are trying to do something about that, although finding and looking after these animals is easier said than done.

it can be used, transfusion sets, a long net. we usually have two cages on here. we put that on the road. the bushfires of late 2019 and early 2020 were truly devastating. koalas were already listed as a vulnerable species before they began, but the situation was made dramatically worse. by one estimate, 5000 of them were lost, and now there may only be 50,000 of them left in the wild. this facility looks after injured koalas, providing veterinary care, bringing them back to full health. see how sharp these are? some will then be returned to the mainland and moved to other parts of the country. slowly, hopefully, animal numbers will start to rise, and may be the koala will continue to be a symbol of australia for generations to come. tim allman, bbc news.

a head of a prestigious british public school has been found dead along with her husband and daughter on a property on school grounds. they were found deadin school grounds. they were found dead in the early hours of sunday morning. lisa said they were confident it was an isolated incident with no third—party involvement. the music industry's biggest night is under way in los angeles. the other is now the most decorated artist in history of the grammy awards. she was nominated in 90 different categories for her album. a reminder of our top story, reports of at least 15 people now know to have died in an earthquake in turkey. tremors brought the cake work felt as far away as gaza and beirut. the great is thought to have

measured 7.8 in magnitude and struck in the early hours of the morning. you can find me on twitter. thank you for watching. hello. the weekend was a tale of two halves. we had a weather front with us, and a lot of cloud on saturday, mild atlantic air. sunday brought high pressure with us and clearer skies. now that high pressure stays with us for much of the week, but round the periphery of it, towards the north, as you can see, we'll see, well, cloudier skies at times of weather, windier weather, as well, midweek, but for the most part, that high pressure keeps the weather fronts at bay, particularly in the south, where temperatures are falling away. a little bit of mist and fog, as we head towards morning and around for the rush hour, but with a bit more cloud creeping in across the west of scotland and northern ireland, more limited our frost here. not for eastern scotland, and a much colder start

for england and wales, —3, —4 in rural areas and some ice to scrape off the car. but the fog should lift fairly readily, and it looks like we'll have less high cloud around compared with sunday. so bright blue skies, but more limited brightness and sunshine for northern ireland and western scotland. after the frosty start in the east, though, we could see some sunshine lifting till ten across parts of scotland, ten in belfast. that's a little bit above average. further south, about average. now then, as we go through monday evening and overnight, this weather front starts to take shape across scotland and northern ireland, so, again, limiting ourfrost here, but not in the south. again, a cold night, —3 out in the sticks across countryside areas. for tuesday, therefore, probably more fog in southern areas, and slower to clear, and it could stay grey and cold for much of the day in some parts. then we've got that weak weather front slipping down across northern ireland and northern england, but brightening skies follow across scotland. so i actually think more sunshine for the northwest of scotland, compared with monday. then, as we go into wednesday, those tightly packed isobars arrive, our weather front as well. we could have a spell of severe gale force winds towards the north, later on wednesday, wednesday afternoon onwards, and it will bring with it, then, wednesday night in particular, a spell of quite significant

rain, hill snow. but further south, hopefully a bit more breeze just to lift that fog, less issues around, but certainly the prospect of some more in southern areas, where the winds are a little bit lighter, and again, a frosty start. so as we move into the latter part of the week, we've got that chance of some rain in the north, but the high pressure ruling the roost further south. so i think the main point about this week is that it's going to be largely dry, away from scotland in particular, but there'll be some frost and fog in the mornings and chillierfor a time on thursday.

senator faruqi this is bbc news. i'm lucy grey. the headlines: a powerful earthquake has jolted southern turkey, near the border with syria. with the epicentre in gaziantep province, the tremor has been felt across the region. footage online showed collapsed residential buildings and people searching for survivors. there are also reports of destroyed buildings in syria and lebanon. republicans in the united states have criticised president biden for allowing a chinese surveillance balloon to remain in us airspace for a week before fighter jets shot it down. 0ne senator described it as a "dereliction of duty". navy divers are currently working to retrieve the balloon's payload. ukraine is set to replace its defence minister, 0leksii reznikov, in the highest—profile change after a corruption scandal

in his department. there's been no comment from mr reznikov who hasn't been personally implicated