welcome to bbc news, i'm lisa—marie misztak. our top stories: ahead of the first anniversary of the russian invasion of ukraine, president putin once again defends his special military operation. translation: there are battles going on right now on our- historical frontiers, for our people. courageous warriors are fighting. china's top foreign affairs official is in moscow for talks, with beijing expected to unveil a possible peace plan. 11 palestinians are killed and more than a hundred injured in an israeli—raid on the occupied west bank. british and irish political leaders condemn the shooting of an off—duty policeman in northern ireland. he's in a critical condition.

and, burning to save the world, the environmentally—friendly charcoal that could help reduce deforestation. welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. ahead of the anniversary of the russian invasion of ukraine, president putin has addressed crowds in moscow's main stadium during a patriotic gala concert. 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. meanwhile, russia and china are to begin a full naval exercise with south africa, off the coast of kwazulu—natal. among the vessels is a frigate equipped with hypersonic cruise missiles. russia is expected to fire artillery, but not the cruise missiles, during the exercises. the war games will coincide with the first anniversary of the invasion of ukraine this friday, but south africa has denied that this move was provocative, saying that the exercise was organised two years ago. south african opposition politicians say the exercises show their government is siding with moscow in the war in ukraine. angela stent is a senior fellow at the brookings institution in washington, and author of �*putin�*s world: russia against the west'.

thank you forjoining us, angela. first, just want to find out, how important is this a visit with china's top foreign diplomat meeting with president putin, what exactly do you think china's object is our there? do you think china's object is ourthere? i do you think china's ob'ect is themfi do you think china's ob'ect is therevfi our there? i think it is quite important _ our there? i think it is quite important because - our there? i think it is quite important because china i our there? i think it is quite important because china is| our there? i think it is quite - important because china is now showing that it is going to continue to support russia. i was that the munich security conference last weekend and the chinese foreign minister was there and he made it quite clear that russia had been provoked into this war but he also said of course that china would come up with a peace plan, i think any day now, maybe on friday. so i think was important to go there, president putin invited president putin invited president xijinping to president putin invited president xi jinping to visit russia and they agreed this would happen sometime in the spring, maybe april, and i think it is really to show that china has a different view of this than for instance most of the people at the munich

security conference, the americans, the europeans and the asian allies who were very much backing ukraine.- much backing ukraine. you've mentioned — much backing ukraine. you've mentioned this _ much backing ukraine. you've mentioned this potential- much backing ukraine. you'vel mentioned this potential peace proposal from mentioned this potential peace proposalfrom beijing and mentioned this potential peace proposal from beijing and also president xijinping going to russia, how significant do you think that that would be? ihell think that that would be? well i think has _ think that that would be? well i think has going _ think that that would be? well i think has going to _ think that that would be? .m i think has going to russia would really again cement this relationship. on february the fourth of 2022, just a couple of weeks before the invasion, putin was in beijing at the beginning of the olympic games and that is when the two of them talked about their no limits partnership. china needs russia really as a partner in its attempt to change the rules of the global order. russia and china have very similar grievances against what they see as a world order dominated by the west and russia is by now a junior partner to china. china is the stronger of the power but wants to keep, to cement this partnership and the chinese really do not want to see russia lose this war because they would fare if

someone else came to power in the kremlin, that this leader might, even if it is very difficult to imagine that difficult to imagine rethink the foreign policy preferences and alliances.— the foreign policy preferences and alliances. there has been a lot of debate _ and alliances. there has been a lot of debate about _ and alliances. there has been a lot of debate about trying - and alliances. there has been a lot of debate about trying to - lot of debate about trying to potentially supplying russia with lethal support as claimed by the biden administration. do you think there is any possibility of that actually happening? i possibility of that actually happening?— possibility of that actually haueninu? ., , , happening? i have 'ust seen re orts happening? i have 'ust seen reports math happening? i have 'ust seen reports that the _ happening? i have just seen reports that the us - happening? i have just seen - reports that the us government may release some of the intelligence showing why they believe that the chinese are seriously contemplating supplying lethal weapons. china was warned from the beginning by the us and its nato allies that if it's a play lethal weapons to russia there would be very serious consequences, presumably tough sanctions against china. but now it appears that the chinese are seriously thinking about this and the chinese have already said you are supplying ukrainians with weapons so how can you tell us that we shouldn't be doing that with russia? so we don't know what the evidences but it will be

interesting to see whether the us government releases in the next couple of days.— next couple of days. angela, thank you — next couple of days. angela, thank you for _ next couple of days. angela, thank you for your _ next couple of days. angela, thank you for your insight. i the united nations general assembly has been meeting in new york where 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, assesses how effective this vote will be. i think what diplomats will tell you is 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 west. he largely says his country blames the west for 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 diplomats say is that it is important with the one year anniversary coming up, for the nations of the world to really take a stand in 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 get some of the day's other news. the leaders of nato countries in eastern europe have asked

the united states to boost its security presence in response to russia's war in ukraine. the countries, known collectively as the bucharest nine, met president biden and the nato chief yens stoltenberg in the polish capital, warsaw. in a joint statement, they denounced russia as a significant and direct threat to nato security in the region. in the united states, ivanka trump and jared kushner, the daughter and son—in—law of donald trump, have been summoned to testify before a federal grand jury. they have been called to give evidence on the former president's role in the storming of the us congress two years ago. both served as white house officials in the trump administration. 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 sweeps 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.

the united states says it's extremely concerned by violence in israel and the occupied west bank. a raid by israeli troops in nablus on wednesday left 11 palestinians dead and about a hundred wounded. 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. our middle east correspondent tom bateman reports. another day of death and bloodshed in nablus. the worst this city has seen since the depths of this conflict two decades ago. 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 militants. troops opened fire and blew up a building in the old city. translation: i 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. it wanted them over the killing of a soldier last year and for planning new attacks. but as paramedics struggled to move, more people were killed outside, gunmen 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 pour 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: they came in with so much rage, - so much hatred against the palestinian people, it is the first time i've known it like that since 200a. we are seeing more and more relatives arrive here and on this ward alone, they are treating people in every room now with bullet wounds. one doctor i spoke to said this is one of the worst events of its kind he has seen recently, he called it a disaster. 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 streets. the northern west bank has become home to growing militancy with the official palestinian leadership losing control here. now the militant group islamichhad is threatening retaliation. the scale of bloodshed shows recent international efforts to restore calm are failing. tom bateman, bbc news, nablus. in the last few minutes we've been getting reports of an earthquake in tajikistan. the quake hit near the border with china, measuring 6.8 magnitude. it was reportedly also felt in china. the region is not a densely populated area. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: do you want olive oil with that? the unusual new taste sensation for coffee lovers in italy.

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 bbc news — the latest headlines: ahead of the first anniversary of the russian invasion of ukraine — president putin once again defends his special military operation. china's top foreign affairs official is in moscow for talks with beijing expected to unveil a possible peace plan. police in northern ireland 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. daniel mccrossan, an assembly member for the social democratic and labour party, gave his reaction to the shooting. i'm totally devastated and in shock and without words as to why or how this has happened in omagh or any part of our community on this island. there are no words for

the details that i'm hearing, the impact it has already had and will have when other details emerge, but i'm first of all thinking obviously on the family, of the gentlemen involved, and his colleagues, and 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 and cruel, the evil, planned behaviour of a small group of individuals. there is no place in this society for that. thomas buchanan from the democratic unionist party says the off—duty police officer was shot after a football coaching session when parents were collecting their children.

off duty he was training young people in the sport of football and as i understand it, the training was over.- and as i understand it, the training was over. the young --eole training was over. the young people were _ training was over. the young people were waiting - training was over. the young people were waiting on - training was over. the young people were waiting on their| people were waiting on their parents to come to get them. when the first attack occurred. people just came out of the darkness, as they do, premeditated, and shot to murder and off—duty police officer. there is no condemnation strong enough to condemnation strong enough to condemn exactly what happened here tonight stop. our ireland correspondent emma vardy gave us this update from the police headquarters in belfast. well, we know this incident happened at around 8 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. local political leaders have been very quick to condemn this incident, sinn fein saying it's

a shameful attack, the dup calling it reprehensible. but, of course, here in northern ireland, there is always a continuing security threat against police officers, that's something that dates back to the conflict here known as the troubles but 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 in 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 that police are saying is that a serving police officer has been shot and remains in hospital. a court in california has sentenced a man convicted of killing the american hip—hop star, nipsey hussle, to a minimum of sixty years injail.eric holder shot the rapperfour years ago in the los angeles neighbourhood where both men had grown up. he was found guilty injuly of first—degree murder, with additional sentences for using a gun and wounding two other men. according to

the united nations, more than 60% of the world's charcoal comes from africa. to make it you normally use wood — and that can lead to deforestation. in benin — one man has come up with an innovative way to produce charcoal — that he hopes will help preserve the country's forests. the bbc�*s tim allman reports. roland burns with enthusiasm. saving the environment and may be making a little money at the same time. he picks up the leaves, grass and other organic waste. his aim to create a more bio sustainable environmentally friendly charcoal. translation: i saw a lot friendly charcoal. translation: i saw a lot of— friendly charcoal. translation: i saw a lot of trucks _ i saw a lot of trucks transporting charcoal from wood. more than a dozen. i asked, how come we are asked to fight against deforestation but we have so many bags of wooden

charcoal being transported to our cities?— our cities? benin's forests rovide our cities? benin's forests provide energy. _ our cities? benin's forests provide energy, food - our cities? benin's forests provide energy, food and| our cities? benin's forests - provide energy, food and income they are disappearing at an alarming rate. according to the world bank, the country's forest, fell more than 20% between 2005 and 2015. in one year alone, 2017, 3.3 million tons of wood was turned into charcoal. the hope is, roland's eco— charcoal can do something about that. eco- charcoal can do something about that-— eco- charcoal can do something about that. ~ ,, ~ ., , about that. translation: it has the same shape _ about that. translation: it has the same shape as _ about that. translation: it has the same shape as charcoal- about that. translation: it has the same shape as charcoal but l the same shape as charcoal but here the process does not contribute to deforestation. we don't need to cut trees and forest, we don't need to destroy all the vegetation to reap the rewards. it doesn't really pollute the environment, it doesn't destroy. this really pollute the environment, it doesn't destroy.— it doesn't destroy. this is traditional _ it doesn't destroy. this is traditional charcoal. - it doesn't destroy. this is | traditional charcoal. sacks it doesn't destroy. this is - traditional charcoal. sacks are better transported the country, mostly used as a fuel for cooking but this is roland's eco— friendly version in action. it's only a start, there is a long way to go, but

perhaps it will provide a better recipe for benin's environment. tim allman, bbc news. the world's largest coffee chain starbucks is putting its own touch on italy's coffee scene. it's launching a line of olive oil—infused drinks. starbucks's chief executive howard schultz promises it will enhance coffee with an "unexpected, velvety, buttery flavour." azadeh moshiri reports. italy, one of the world's culinary capitals. the land of pastor, pecorino and gelato. —— pasta. but now one of its famed delights is about to get a makeover, courtesy of america's very own coffeehouse, starbucks. and they are calling it the oleato.— it the oleato. translation: it's a it the oleato. translation: it's a strange _ it the oleato. translation: it's a strange idea, _ it the oleato. translation: it's a strange idea, there - it the oleato. translation: it's a strange idea, there is l it's a strange idea, there is something different about it and, in my opinion, it can appeala and, in my opinion, it can appeal a lot more to foreigners than italians.—

than italians. translation: there are — than italians. translation: there are things _ than italians. translation: there are things that - than italians. translation: | there are things that shouldn't io there are things that shouldn't go together but it's good, because i always like to taste something new so for me, it's good — something new so for me, it's good the _ something new so for me, it's good. the oleato is made with oleato — good. the oleato is made with oleato coffee infused with a spoonful of partanna cold spoonful of pa rtanna cold pressed spoonful of partanna cold pressed extra—virgin olive oil. you _ pressed extra—virgin olive oil. you can— pressed extra—virgin olive oil. you can drink it as an ice shaken— you can drink it as an ice shaken espresso or even alive today, — shaken espresso or even alive today, with oil live oil steamed with oat milk. starbucks launched in italy in 2015 but it's a struggle to win over customers. it's new drink is not for italians alone. starbucks plans to bring down a new recipe to southern california in the united states later in the spring. the united kingdom, middle east and japan are set to follow later this year. so if you're outside of italy, you won't miss out or spared this instant classic. azadeh moshiri, bbc news. could our homes 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. a large metal ball that washed up on a shore injapan has set off a flurry of speculation among concerned locals. authorities can't say what it is yet — not even the police or bomb squad sent to investigate. what is known is that it's hollow, and not a threat. many suspect it to be a type of buoy. the find in coastal city hamamatsu has been variously dubbed �*godzilla egg', "mooring buoy" and "from outer space" by the locals. a reminder of our top stories. ahead of the anniversary of the russian invasion of ukraine, president putin is addressed

crowds in moscow's mains jvm during a patriotic garlic on. he says his decision to launch military action was entirely justified. —— patriotic concert. hello there. wednesday brought our first appreciable rain for some time. in fact, or 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 wind. 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 9 or 10 would suggest. and then the high pressure's back for the weekend. a strong high pressure building, keeping those weather fronts at bay once again. 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. the headlines: president putin has been addressing crowds filling moscow's main stadium for a patriotic gala concert to mark one year of russia's invasion. surrounded on stage by servicemen from all the armed forces, he spoke of russian warriors heroically fighting "this very moment" on the borders of historically—russian lands. top—level russian—chinese talks in moscow have ended with both sides sending positive signals ahead of friday's anticipated speech by president xi jinping on the ukraine war. moscow thanked beijing for a "consistently balanced position", welcoming its readiness to play what it called a positive role in a settlement. the united states says it's extremely concerned by violence