welcome to newsday, reporting live from singapore, i'm karishma vaswani. the headlines: ahead of the first anniversary of the russian invasion of ukraine, president putin once again defends his special military operation. translation: there are nettles coin: translation: there are nettles auoin on translation: there are nettles going on right — translation: there are nettles going on right now— translation: there are nettles going on right now on _ translation: there are nettles going on right now on our- going on right now on our historical frontiers for our people courageous warriors are fighting. we'll have details of the putin rally, and we'll look at the latest military cooperation between russia and china. also in newsday this hour: 11 palestinians are killed and more than a hundred injured in an israeli—raid on the occupied west bank. an off—duty police officer is shot in northern ireland,

he's been taken to hospital but his condition�*s unknown. shameema begum, who fled the uk tojoin islamic state when she was 15, fails to regain her british citizenship. and, at least four people are killed, after cyclone freddy makes landfall in madagascar. hello and welcome to the programme. president putin has been addressing crowds filling moscow's main stadium for a patriotic gala concert, to mark one year of russia's invasion of ukraine. he insisted that his decision to launch military action was entirelyjustified to protect russia's security. mr putin went on to stress that

�*the cooperation between china and russia on the world stage is "very important to stabilize the international situation". our russia editor steve rosenberg is in moscow. to russia's largest football stadium they came in their tens of thousands, not to cheer on their team, but to support their president. from colleges, factories and state enterprises, they had been bussed in specially for a kremlin show, designed to show that russians back president putin and his war in ukraine. irina seems to. "we weren't the ones to start this", irina says. "i trust our president." inside the stadium, the main event. vladimir putin shared the stage with russian soldiers back from ukraine. it was putin who had ordered the full—scale invasion a year ago. from the sound of things, he has no

intention of withdrawing his troops. translation: there are battles going on right now on our- historical frontiers, for our people. courageous warriors are fighting, just like the ones that are standing here with us now. they are battling bravely and heroically. we are proud of them. let's give them three cheers! cheering. this is the picture the kremlin wanted, russia united. it's —15, but as you can see, this place is packed. now, that doesn't mean that russians idolise vladimir putin and are willing to come out and freeze themselves just to support him. this is a highly stage—managed, kremlin—choreographed concert. that doesn't change the fact that much of what putin says and does does strike a chord with a lot of people here. when vladimir putin speaks about russia reasserting itself

and challenging the west, when he claims that russians and ukrainians are one people, it goes down well at home. because they think as he thinks. they want what he wants. they view ukraine as he views and he reflects their — his popularity is not based on the air platform, his popularity is deep—rooted in the russian public opinion and perceptions and this is his strength. away from the stadium, president putin met china's top diplomat. russia and china have close ties. beijing is promising to play a constructive role in resolving the ukraine conflict. for now, the war continues. russians are being told by their leaders that this is a just war, an alternative reality, but can the kremlin sustain it? history will look at it and will look at it badly

and we will look bad. whether russians will be able to accept that horrible guilt, i don't know. i hope they can and they will because they will be better for it. and here's a sign, perhaps, that some here are less happy with the direction in which russia is moving. they didn't stick around to hear vladimir putin's speech — they left the stadium before the president arrived. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. that's the view from moscow, meanwhile, on wednesday russia began taking part in a full military exercise with china and south africa, off the coast of south africa itself. among the vessels is a frigate, that's a type of warship, equipped with hypersonic cruise missiles. russia is expected to fire artillery, but not the cruise missiles, during the exercises. the frigate �*admiral gorshkov�* arrived in richards bay, near durban, for the initial drills. south african opposition politicians say the exercises

show their government is siding with moscow in the war in ukraine. but officials insist south africa is neutral. so what is russia's relationship with other countries, and in particular china, like? well, earlier i was joined by alexander korolev, a senior lecturer in politics and international relations at australia's university of new south wales. i began by asking him what this suggests about china's thinking in terms of its strategy with russia. i think china is thinking long—term. there is an increasing perception in beijing that china is on a long—term collision course with the united states not that sooner or later the two powers, the us and china, will collide in some form so china is calculating. china will need russia's support when its relations with the united states deteriorate further and over the last year, especially

the last couple of months, we have seen the deterioration, significant deterioration of us—china relations, so china's foreign policy calculus is oriented so that the main focus is us—china relations actually and how china will deal with the united states in the years to come. ., i. the united states in the years to come, ., “ the united states in the years to come. ., ,, ~ , to come. so, do you think this is a definitive _ to come. so, do you think this is a definitive position - to come. so, do you think this is a definitive position now? . is a definitive position now? because in the past of course the rhetoric from china has been look we are being neutral, we want peace, we don't want an escalation of the war, has that changed you think? by saying that russia and china are now closer to each other? i that russia and china are now closer to each other?- closer to each other? i don't think it is — closer to each other? i don't think it is a _ closer to each other? i don't think it is a significant - think it is a significant change, china is very careful to remain neutral as you put it. of course it is not, in fact, but china, i think will continue trying to perform this diplomatic dance of sort of trying to remain neutral but at

the same time continuing business as usual with russia but in fact providing support. so this is what china has been doing, its position has been very ambivalent in regards to ukraine, china's position was characterised by two hundred acting arguments. one is that sovereignty of every state needs to be protect but the other one is that russia has legitimate security interests and concerns in ukraine so i think this kind of ambiguity will continue. i don't think china will announce explicitly support of russia in ukraine. and ukraine very much on the agenda at the united nations general assembly, lets take you there live now, where a meeting in new york is underway, they're discussing the war in ukraine, with more pressures on member states to condem russia's actions.

a motion has been tabled, calling on russia to withdraw from all ukrainian territory, and foran immediate cessation of hostilities. our north america correspondent, nada tawfik told me more about the general assembly and how effective another vote will be. it's a general assembly resolution which isn't binding but rather more symbolic, it holds political weight. i think what diplomats will tell you as they are under no illusions that this will change anything on the ground, in fact if you listen to what the russian ambassador said in the hall, he urged member states not to support the resolution, saying it wouldn't be helpful to ease the tensions between russia and the tensions between russia and the west. he largely says his country blames the west or trying to destroy russia and he believes that this resolution if passed would, as he put it, just lead to more russia phobic militaristic lies from the

west, so there is certainly that rhetoric and those divisions which are extremely large of course given the war in ukraine but what planet say is that it is important with the anniversary coming up, for the anniversary coming up, for the nations of the world to really take a stand in protection of the un charter, thatis protection of the un charter, that is what the west and ukraine's supporters want to see. in the past, nearly three quarters of the general assembly has voted alongside ukraine condemning russia's action, its invasion, its attempt to annex ukraine's territory, so what we have seen is that russia has been isolated on the international stage and that is a symbolic victory that the countries of the west feel is important given what is happening with ukraine and its people at the moment. let's take a look at some other stories in the headlines. france has matched its record dry spell of 31 days without significant rainfall.

weather service meteo france said the country has experienced less than one millimetre of rain per day in the last month. there are concerns that water reserves in parts of europe are yet to recover from last year's severe drought. in italy, venice's gondolas are unable to move because of the dry spell. 75 million people across the united states are under some kind of winter weather alert, as a mix of record high and record low temperatures sweep the country. forecasters predict an icy band will impact states from nebraska to new hampshire, with much of the west, including california, experiencing snow, and blizzard conditions. in israel, 11 palestinians have been killed, and more than a hundred have been injured, following a raid by israeli troops in the occupied west bank. that's according to palestinian officials, who say that several

of those killed were civilians, including two elderly men and a teenage boy. the israeli military said its troops, none of whom were injured, came underfire whilst targeting suspected militants in the city of nablus. another day of death and bloodshed in nablus. the worst this city has seen since the depths of this conflict two decades ago stopping it started with israeli undercover forces seen here entering the city in disguise. then it was mid—morning, into streets packed with people, sparking gunfights with palestinian militant. troops opened fire and blue up a building in the old city. translation: i and blue up a building in the old city. translation: i was woken by _ old city. translation: i was woken by an _ old city. translation: i was woken by an explosion -

old city. translation: i was woken by an explosion and i old city. translation: l was | woken by an explosion and saw special forces with dogs, troops connecting wires which i assumed were for explosives. the destructive force of an israeli rocket fired at a palestinian house. israel says its troops killed three militants of the lion's den group who refused to surrender. they wanted them over the killing of a soldier last year and for planning new attacks. but has paramedics struggled to move more people were killed outside, government and civilians including a 72—year—old man. while others, apparently unarmed, were seen running away as gunshots were heard. palestinian officials called it a massacre. in the hospitals, the wounded and their relatives poor in. 15—year—old islam said he threw stones towards the soldiers. he got a bullet in the leg. his grandfather tells me young and

old were hit. translation: the? old were hit. translation: they came in with _ old were hit. translation: they came in with so _ old were hit. translation: they came in with so much _ old were hit. translation: tie: came in with so much rage, so much hatred against palestinian people, it is the first time i've known it like that since 2004. ~ i've known it like that since 2004. . ., , i've known it like that since 2004. ~ ., , ., ., 2004. we are seeing more and more relatives _ 2004. we are seeing more and more relatives arrive _ 2004. we are seeing more and more relatives arrive here - 2004. we are seeing more and more relatives arrive here and| more relatives arrive here and on this ward alone, they are treating people in every room now with bullet wounds. one doctor iceberg who said this is one of the worst events of its kind he has seen recently, he called it a disaster. —— one doctor i spoke to. thousands turned out for another day of funerals. today's raid in nablus is now the deadliest in the occupied west bank in nearly two decades. israel says it has been trying to stem the rise in palestinian attacks on its troops in the northern west bank has become home to growing militancy with the official palestinian leadership losing control has not been now the militant group is alarming to

hard as threatening retaliation. the scale of bloodshed shows recent international efforts to restore calm are failing. tom bateman, bbc news, nablus. to northern ireland now, and police there have confirmed that an off—duty officer has been shot at a sports centre in the town of omagh, county tyrone. the police federation for northern ireland said two gunmen were involved and he was shot while he coached young people playing football. i'm i' m totally i'm totally devastated and in shock and a loss for words as to why this has happened in omagh or any to why this has happened in omagh orany part to why this has happened in omagh or any part of our community on this island. there are no details for what i'm hearing. the impact is already have and will have when other details emerge but i first think obviously, on the family of the gentlemen involved, and his colleagues in the

community, and the children, this is a youth centre. tonight, he was doing something in his own time, supporting local kids and this man, his life was put at risk as a result of the cowardly, cruel, evil planned behaviour of a small group of individuals. there is no place in this society for that. daniel mccrossan, an assembly member for the social democratic and labour party, giving his reaction to the shooting. our ireland correspondent emma vardy gave us this update from the police headquarters in belfast. well, we know this incident happened at around eight o'clock this evening. what police are saying is that a serving police officer was shot, he's been taken to hospital injured. we don't know anymore about his condition.

political leaders were very quick to condemn this incident, sinn fein saying it's a shameful attack, the du p calling it reprehensible. of course here in northern ireland, there is always a continuing security threat against police officers, something that dates back to the conflict here known as the troubles today it's much more rare for police officers to come to harm. the last time a police officer was shot was in 2017, a murder attempt by dissident republican paramilitaries and in 2011, the police officer ronan kerr was murdered it with a bomb under his car. so tonight this incident will come as a real shock. we don't know any of the details yet behind the attack but all the police are saying is that it was a —— serving police officer has been shot and remains in hospital. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme: can you solve the mystery? look at this — it washed up on a japanese beach, and everyone

is asking, "that is it?" prince charles has chosen his bride. the prince proposed to lady diana spencer three weeks ago. she accepted, she says, without hesitation. as revolutions go, this had its fair share of bullets. a climax in the night outside the gates of mr marcos's sanctuary, malacanang, the name itself symbolising one of the cruellest regimes of modern asia. the world's first clone has been produced of| an adult mammal. scientists in scotland have i produced a sheep called dolly using a cell- from another sheep. warren beatty and faye dunaway announced to the world that the winner of best film was la la land. the only trouble was, it wasn't. the mistake was only put right in the middle of gushing speeches by the team behind the modern musical. not for 20 years have locusts been seen in such numbers in this part of africa. some of the swarms have been ten miles long. this is the last time -

the public will see this pope. very soon, ifor the sake of the credibility. and authority of the next pope, benedict xvi will, in his own words, j be hidden from the world for the rest of his life. i this is newsday on the bbc. i'm karishma vaswani in singapore. a british woman who travelled to syria as a teenager tojoin the islamic state group has lost her appeal against the government's decision to strip her of british citizenship. shameema begum was 15 years old when she left the uk and married an is fighter. her legal team insist she was a victim of child trafficking. our home affairs correspondent daniel sandford reports. in february 2015, eight years ago, shamima begum left gatwick airport with two school friends to go and join the islamic state group in syria. the three of them travelled through a bus station in turkey and were smuggled across the border by a man who, it later turned out,

was providing information to canadian intelligence. she spent the next four years in islamic state territory, emerging in february 2015, after the caliphate collapsed. she immediately had her british citizenship removed. her lawyers have challenged that, arguing that she was a child victim of trafficking for sexual exploitation, as she was married off within days of arrival to an adult is fighter. in their ruling today, the judges said that they found that this was a case of great concern and difficulty. thy said that there was a credible suspicion that shamima begum had been recruited, transferred and harboured for the purposes of sexual exploitation. they said the idea that she could have conceived and organised the trip herself was not plausible. but in the end, they decided that that did not make the home secretary's decision to take away her british citizenship unlawful.

shamima begum's lawyers said the case had been a lost opportunity to put into reverse a continuing injustice. the outcome that we face is that no british child who has been trafficked outside the uk will be protected by the british state if the home secretary invokes national security. well, i was a security minister in the home office when she lost her citizenship, alongside many other people that posed a direct or a dangerous threat to this country. so i'm pleased the courts have upheld our interpretation of the nationality rules for the country and i think that's the right thing to do. you don't want to see her back in the uk? no. other countries in europe are now starting to bring women and children back from the camps in north—east syria and the government's own reviewer of terrorism legislation says he thinks the uk may not want to continue its policy forever. if nothing else, it would create this sort of awful spectre of britain's guantanamo. i'm sure it would be a propaganda coup for

britain's enemies. so i can't believe the uk is going to be a complete outlier. but even speaking before today's decision, shamima begum clearly had little hope of making it back to britain. what do you think you'll be doing in seven years' time from now? i'll still be in this camp. really? yeah. you don't think you'll be home? nope. not at all? nope. why not? because isis was the worst thing of the 21st century and i was a part of it, and now i have to face the consequences of my actions, and this camp is the consequences of my actions. shamima begum's legal team will continue to challenge the decision, but home secretaries do have huge powers to take away british citizenship when national security is threatened. daniel sandford, bbc news.

at least four people have died after cyclone freddy made landfall in madagascar. there's been heavy damage to buildings, along with power cuts and flooding in the east of the country where. among the casualties was a 27—year—old man who drowned near the town of mahanoro. the storm is now headed towards mozambique. dorcas wangira had this update. when cyclone freddy made its landfall in madagascar tuesday evening, it was an intense tropical cyclone because it moved across madagascar, it weakened to a tropical storm. by weakened to a tropical storm. by this evening it's projected to leave the island, however national authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant. according to government officials, four people have died. thousands have been displaced, houses have been destroyed, groups ripped more buildings including the stadium. the hospital has also beenin stadium. the hospital has also been in destroyed and funding still continues in many

rainfall in the affected parts. translation: like i said earlier, there have been for debts, including one in mahanor. how and why? they died, i'm sorry to say, due to negligence. despite the awareness we �*s scent, people ignore the instructions and warnings. the three that died, the house collapsed.— the house collapsed. tropical storm freddy _ the house collapsed. tropical storm freddy is _ the house collapsed. tropical storm freddy is expected - the house collapsed. tropical storm freddy is expected to l storm freddy is expected to make landfall in mozambique on friday. in the last few minutes, we've been getting reports of an earthquake in tajikistan, nearthe reports of an earthquake in tajikistan, near the border with china. it was reportedly also felt in china. that is according to china's cctv state television. the region is not thought to be densely populated

but we will bring you more on that story as and when we get it stop could our homes could become one big computer by the next decade? that's what new research suggests — claiming that everyday tasks like cooking dinner, mixing up a mojito or even walking the dog could be done by robots. the study , from the university of oxford and japan's ochanomizu university looked into the role of technology in our homes and concluded that up to 39% of domestic chores could be automated by 2033. now let me leave you with images of what's being described as the �*godzilla egg' by locals in japan. it's a large mystery metal sphere which has washed up on the shore near the city of hamamatsu, causing huge speculation as to its origin. it's hollow and not deemed to pose any kind of threat. many suspect it may be a type of anchored float.

if you know, please do let us know too. that's all for now, stay with bbc world news. hello there. wednesday brought our first appreciable rain for some time. for eastern england, more rain than we've seen all february so far. but the other element was, of course, a cooler day. temperatures dipped from the 13 in harden on tuesday to just 8 on wednesday, which is about average for the time of year. and the change was due to a change in wind direction behind this rather raggedy looking weather front on our satellite picture, the north—westerly wind developed and that north—westerly wind is blowing our cloud away further south, although we've had a smattering of snow across the moors and the south—west. so, it is cold air. we could see something a little bit wintry on the hills as that continues southwards through the rest of the night.

behind it, temperatures are dropping to freezing and of course, where we're seeing any wintriness. so with the surfaces damp, it could well be quite icy. so that's something we haven't seen for a while, either. so, a cold and frosty start for many of us in the morning. our weather front and its cloud still in the south. the next one starting to approach the north. but the high pressure in between does promise more sunshine for many across scotland, northern ireland, northern england, wales. this cloudier zone, cool. some bits and pieces of rain drizzle takes a while to clear, and later on something more significant comes back into the north and west and the northern isles, along with a strengthening and quite gusty wind. so, that will make it feel chillier. but some sunshine elsewhere, and temperatures similar to those of wednesday, which as i say, is about average for this time of year. then through the evening, that weather front will weaken. the rain amounts almost peter out as it pushes its way southwards. and so behind it, the cloud breaks. and ahead of it we could see some frost as well. so colder to start friday morning. again, a cold start across central and southern areas, but the high pressure is just relinquishing its grip for a while. now, these weather fronts will introduce more cloud and also that northerly winds.

so i do think it'll feel quite chilly on friday even when the cloud starts to break with some sunshine for the north—east of scotland, eastern england, there's a bracing wind and we will still have some rain on this weather front. again, it doesn't look like anything significant, but it will introduce more cloud across the skies and give us some patchy nuisance rain. but as i say, a little bit chillier than the nine or ten would suggest. so as we look towards the end of february and through the weekend, there could be quite a bit of cloud around, some drizzly showers, fog and frost, but not a lot of rain is in the forecast.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. this week on the travel show, we're taking a look back at some of our favourite recent adventures. in mexico, we're hands—on with a salamander... oh, my god! it's so smooth, it's so lovely! ..face—to—face with italy's stolen art... wow, it's beautiful. ..and up to my neck in it in rural estonia.