and bringing some cheer to children evacuated from the indonesian volcano — but what are they laughing at? hello and welcome to bbc news to viewers in the uk and around the world. we begin in london — where an unofficial tribunal — investigating china's treatment of the uyghur minority — has found evidence of crimes against humanity and genocide. the findings detail systematic human rights abuses — including forced labour and torture. the chair of the tribunal, sir geoffrey nice, explained how women were sterilised without their consent, and families deliberately separated. witness statements also described rapes and assaults in detention camps. pressure is growing on beijing, after both the us and other countries announced diplomatic boycotts of the winter olympics in beijing. the us house of representatives has also approved legislation, banning imports from xinjiang. human rights groups believe china has detained more than one million uyghurs over the past few years. here's the chair of the �*uyghur tribunal�* delivering the outcome. on the basis of evidence heard in public, the tribunal is satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the prc, by the imposition of measures to prevent births, intended to destroy a significant part of the uyghurs in xinjiang. as such, it has committed genocide. the tribunal is satisfied that president xi jinping and other very senior officials in the prc and ccp bear primary responsibility for acts that have occurred in xinjiang. well, we asked china's embassy in london for a comment — and a spokesman told us — "the remarks by that person it goes on to say, well, the bbc�*s caroline hawley has been talking to one man, an ethnic kazakh, who gave evidence to the tribunal. he was detained in 2017 and subjected to forced labour, political indoctrination and violent beatings. this is a first—hand witness of china's oppression of turkic muslims in xinjiang. he's an ethnic kazakh, one of dozens of former detainees who gave evidence at hearings in london about what they went through. he was arrested in 2017, accused of installing whatsapp, which is blocked in china, and of watching videos about islam. the first prison was the worst. he says he was once punished for complaining he was hungry, and remembers being put in something called a tiger chair. this is where he says he was held before being removed to a re—education camp. some of the evidence heard by the tribunal. i'm joined now by peter irwin from the uyghur human rights project, who tesitifed in front of the panel in september to provide information to the tribunal. i want to start by asking you, what is your reaction to the tribunal�*s findings? my is your reaction to the tribunal's findinus? y w ., , is your reaction to the tribunal's findinus? g ., , ., findings? my reaction is that finall , findings? my reaction is that finally, finally _ findings? my reaction is that finally, finally an _ findings? my reaction is that. finally, finally an independent findings? my reaction is that - finally, finally an independent body is weighing of the evidence and has said what is happening which will have major implications shown by the work of the tribunal, hundreds of hours of research, tens of thousands of pages of evidence and testimony working nonstop. working to stop genocide is a tremendous undertaking. it is the first step ever work must be done. there is no longer certainly an excuse for governments the international community not to act. there is no excuse any more. i think that's the major implication here. im’ith excuse any more. i think that's the major implication here.— excuse any more. i think that's the major implication here. with all due res - ect, major implication here. with all due respect. the — major implication here. with all due respect, the tribunal _ major implication here. with all due respect, the tribunal was _ respect, the tribunal was unofficial, it has no legal binding and international law. china, as expected, has disputed the findings of the tribunal. what can happen now, given all of that? i of the tribunal. what can happen now, given all of that?— of the tribunal. what can happen now, given all of that? i think from the outset. — now, given all of that? i think from the outset, the _ now, given all of that? i think from the outset, the purpose _ now, given all of that? i think from the outset, the purpose of the - the outset, the purpose of the tribunal was to fill a gap in international labour courts, for example, do have legal standing where they are unable or unwilling to address issues like this. these kinds of cases come up especially when crimes are being committed, powerful governments against their own people, whether there is a reticence from the international community to act. although one might argue that the tribunal�*s judgment might not have legal standing, it is very valuable and it's only the first body to weigh up kind of evidence so well it does not have legal standing under national law, it does have some things that the international community should be doing based on these findings. what doing based on these findings. what are some of — doing based on these findings. what are some of those _ doing based on these findings. what are some of those things that the international community can or should be doing? what kind of pressure can be put on china that my work in your opinion?— work in your opinion? there's a few thins, work in your opinion? there's a few things. this — work in your opinion? there's a few things, this tribunal _ work in your opinion? there's a few things, this tribunal decision - work in your opinion? there's a few things, this tribunal decision may i things, this tribunal decision may not solve the problem right away but again, step in the direction towards accountability. collective action may be required, states rolling together and calling for the creation of a commitment and having a judgment for this tribunal helps them do that. it should bring it to them do that. it should bring it to the security council. china will veto this but symbolically, that is very important. the humans on office on genocide, for example, is obligated to acknowledge early warnings with these kinds of cases and has the obligation to take the sub. national courts universal jurisdictions take these cases up and rule on these cases. there are many things i can be done to address internationally. find many things i can be done to address internationally.— internationally. and 'ust briefly, china has internationally. and just briefly, china has consistently _ internationally. and just briefly, china has consistently denied i internationally. and just briefly, | china has consistently denied all internationally. and just briefly, i china has consistently denied all of these allegations saying that these education camps don't exist and people are not in detention there for somebody think the reaction to further pressure from the international community might be in china? it’s international community might be in china? 3 . international community might be in china? �*, ., ., international community might be in china? �*, ., ., , china? it's hard to say but if you look at the _ china? it's hard to say but if you look at the cases _ china? it's hard to say but if you look at the cases that _ china? it's hard to say but if you look at the cases that have - china? it's hard to say but if you| look at the cases that have come china? it's hard to say but if you - look at the cases that have come up a look at the evidence that is presented over the past two or three years, consistently the chinese government has denied any wrongdoing in this case. the tribunal setting for the evidence, establishes a foundation or bases of international community can do something it again, there is no longer an excuse for governments not to act. the evidence is on the table and again, the tribunal has been remarkable in the enormous amount of information that is been taken and scrutinised and again, at this point, wejust over the pay attention to what the chinese government says in relation to the weaker situation because they do seem to obfuscate and push the facts of the way — uyghurs. and you can get much more on this story on our website — bbc.com—forward slash news including this explainer on who the uyghurs are and why china is being accused of genocide. the piece also exlains where xinjiang is — and examines what the allegations are against china. more on the bbc website — or download the bbc news app. the drama surrounding the british prime minister boris johnson has added fresh scenes — and new characters. after the claims about a rules — breaking christmas party, there are now questions over whether he misled an investigation into refurbishments at his downing street flat. if that wasn't enough, some conservative mps are furious over his new coronavirus restrictions. and to cap it all, mrjohnson�*s wife carrie, hasjust given birth. our political editor laura kuenssberg has been following it all. nightmares on downing street. behind every window a different dilemma. what's the truth about last year's christmas party? who paid for the expensive interior design upstairs? how can they control another surge in the pandemic and can they keep their own party under control? when thejohnsons moved in upstairs they had thousands of pounds of renovations. when the lavish expenses emerged this was the prime minister's claim. who initially paid for the redecoration of his downing street flat? he should know that i paid for downing street refurbishment personally, mr speaker. yet the tories have been fined thousands for breaking spending rules, after a wealthy businessman tried to set up a special trust to pay for doing up the flat. the real tangle is whether boris johnson has been straight about what happened. he told a previous investigation he hadn't known exactly where the cash came from until february this year, but today's reports that shows he sent a wealthy donor whatsapp about the cash several months before. downing street's defence? it's suggested he knew this wealthy donor was overseeing the money but not that he was directly providing the cash himself. borisjohnson is taking the british public forfalls. borisjohnson is taking the british public forfools. he is not only broken the law but made a mockery of the standards we expect. and even though there has been tears and a resignation, number ten has hardly recovered from denials and non—denials about parties under its roof. i'm truly sorry... and tonight confirmation that the director of communications in downing street, jack doyle, attended and made a speech at the gathering on the 18th of december, to thank as many as 30 staff who were present. he is the man who has been in charge of denying there was a party. now we know he was at the event, just one of three under investigation. a formal investigation catch up with what really happened? not one, not two, but three. what the government is still calling gatherings. are gathering at number ten downing street on the 27th of november 2020, a gathering at the department for education on the 10th of december, 2020. and allegations made of a gathering at number ten downing street on the 18th of december, 2020. but it's the emptying of offices next week, the return of tighter covid restrictions, vaccine passports to get into venues, that's steering strong feelings. dozens of tory mps have already vowed to vote against the plans next week and this is all promoting private questions about the prime minister's future, with a warning from the past was yellow is a mood of the conservative party the mood of the conservative party is sulphurous and what we need now is a bit of grip from number ten. it's no good having these stories dragged out by the media. the government needs to make a clean breast of it. the conservative party history is littered with ruthlessness on these occasions but i'm confident that boris will get a grip. there is exasperation in the tory party about what's been happening and near universal agreement that someone somehow has to take control of what's happening here. but a universal belief that that will certainly happen? that's a different matter. downing street will soon be home for a new baby girl, born happy and healthy to thejohnsons this morning. but what many conservatives also want to see is rigour and clear logic in residence behind that famous door. it's been two weeks since the omicron variant was detected — and so far, the eu medicines agency says, that cases of the strain appear �*mostly mild'. but the world health organisation has expressed concern, that wealthy countries will start to hoard coronavirus vaccines, in response to the rapid spread of the variant. while one country is pursuing a transmission reduction approach, their healthcare workers were literally dying on the job in other countries because there has not been enough access to vaccines. you are not going to get out of this unless we actually have true vaccine equity and distribution of vaccines in a timely fashion to every country around the world and i think this latest example of omicron puts a fine point on that. if you want to get in touch with me i'm on twitter — @bbckarishma you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme. we've heard about the damage done by bad air pollution in delhi — now research says pollution levels inside are alarmingly high. john lennon was shot at the entrance of the dakota building in the centre of new york. there's been a crowd here standing and putting on a silent vigil and the flowers have been piling up. the 14th ceasefire of this war ended at the walls of the old city. witnesses say that the shells were landing every 20 seconds. people are celebrating the passing of a man they hold responsible for hundreds of deaths and oppression. elsewhere, people have been gathering to mourn his passing. the widow of the former. president of the philippines has gone on trial in manila. she is facing seven - charges of tax evasion, estimated at £120 million. she pleaded not guilty. the prince and princess of wales are to separate. a statement from buckingham palace said the decision had been reached amicably. this is newsday on the bbc. in singapore. our headlines. an unofficial tribunal in london finds evidence of crimes against humanity and genocide against china's uyghur minority. pressure on borisjohnson as an investigation into covid rule breaking is expanded to cover three parties at downing street. it may come as no surprise that countries already struggling to feed their people, have found it even harder since the beginning of the pandemic. lostjobs, food price rises and supply chain gaps have all contributed to growing hunger. worldwide its estimated that 140 million children are now suffering from stunting and malnutrition. the tokyo nutrition for growth summit has received pledges from donors of over 27 billion dollars to help. but reaching the sustainable development goal of ending hunger in all its forms by 2030 and achieving food security, remains a huge challenge. lawrence haddad is the executive director of gain, the global alliance for improved nutrition, and an organiser of the summit. hejoins me now from brighton. i want to start by asking you how much hunger has accelerated globally during the pandemic?— during the pandemic? yeah, hunger has one during the pandemic? yeah, hunger has gone up — during the pandemic? yeah, hunger has gone up faster— during the pandemic? yeah, hunger has gone up faster than _ during the pandemic? yeah, hunger has gone up faster than i've - during the pandemic? yeah, hunger has gone up faster than i've ever . has gone up faster than i've ever seen it go up. it's gonna buy about 20% in one year which is the largest ever increase we've gone from about 768 million people are hungry to about 811 million people hungry, which is a massive increase. the most vulnerable kids under the age of five and the kids were stunted and wasted, which means the bodies are literally deformed by malnutrition, those numbers have gone up tremendously too. lawrence, where do you — gone up tremendously too. lawrence, where do you see _ gone up tremendously too. lawrence, where do you see the _ gone up tremendously too. lawrence, where do you see the biggest - where do you see the biggest challenges right now geographically and why is this happening? where governments taking their eye off the ball in the serious issue? the bi est ball in the serious issue? the biggest increases _ ball in the serious issue? tue: biggest increases are ball in the serious issue? he biggest increases are really ball in the serious issue? tt2 biggest increases are really in south asia and sub—saharan africa. that is where the burdens were highest pre—covid—19. it is really happening is this toxic cycle, low vaccination rates and remember, vaccination rates and remember, vaccination rates and remember, vaccination rates are only six or 7% and sub—saharan africa, so these low vaccination rates make it much more likely to have covid—19 restrictions in the covid—19 restrictions slow down the economy, slow down food, people lose theirjobs, that makes malnutrition more likely in malnutrition more likely in malnutrition itself makes the covid—19 effects much more severe because it generates, abilities, illnesses like pneumonia which of course, make covid—19 much worse. so we have this toxic interplay of covid—19 in malnutrition and what the governments need to do is things to break the cycle. they need to tackled the nutrition reduction. it was a good start, 27 million but on the year—by—year basis, that's about 6 billion a year. that is what it is now. it really need to double or triple to make a big impact and thus addressing the need to do. the second thing is something early in your programme was mentioned. they need to get of these vaccine deserts thatis need to get of these vaccine deserts that is what is happening and sub—saharan africa. these vaccine deserts are essentially breeding grounds for resistant vaccine strains which is bad for the places in which they emerge but it's also bad for everyone. just in which they emerge but it's also bad for everyone.— bad for everyone. just briefly, neither we — bad for everyone. just briefly, neither we appear _ bad for everyone. just briefly, neither we appear to - bad for everyone. just briefly, neither we appear to have - bad for everyone. just briefly, l neither we appear to have more vaccines globally, do you see this becoming less of a problem was like more focus on hunger? the becoming less of a problem was like more focus on hunger?— more focus on hunger? the hunger focus is going _ more focus on hunger? the hunger focus is going to — more focus on hunger? the hunger focus is going to continue - more focus on hunger? the hunger focus is going to continue becausel focus is going to continue because hunger numbers are going to continue to keep going up. the first round of hunger numbers went up because people cannot get enough food from the farm to the market. this time, we're afraid there will be enough in the form stephen make it off with the form stephen make it off with the forms into the hunger problems going to be with us for a while, unfortunately.— going to be with us for a while, unfortunately. going to be with us for a while, unfortunatel . ., ,, , ., . ., unfortunately. thank you so much for “oininr us unfortunately. thank you so much for joining us on — unfortunately. thank you so much for joining us on the _ unfortunately. thank you so much for joining us on the programme. - let's take a look at some other stories in the headlines. workers at a starbucks cafe in the city of buffalo in upstate new york have voted to start a union. starbucks decertified unions in the us more than thirty years ago but pro—union campaigners say the pandemic and work conditions have been the catalyst for change. a us federal appeals court has rejected a bid by former president donald trump — to prevent the release of white house records to a congressional committee investigating the january 6th attack on the capitol. new zealand is proposing some of the toughest anti—smoking laws in the world, to try to stamp out the habit. under the plans, anyone born after 2008 will never legally be able to buy cigarettes in their lifetime. convenience stores have warned, the move could create a black market for tobacco. new research on dragonflies has revealed that sixteen per cent of the world's six thousand species are at risk of extinction because of the loss of the wetlands where they thrive. conservationists say wetlands are disappearing three times faster than the world's forests. the lung—damaging tiny particles in the air — indoors at the university of chicago — found that the levels of pm2.5, the lung—damaging tiny particles in the air — indoors were "substantially higher" than those found on the nearest outdoor monitors. but despite that, most households have been unwilling to adopt defence measures. delhi routinely tops the list of "world's most polluted capitals". our correspondent there, rajini vaidyanathan, sent this update: this is the worlds most polluted capital city. many, many people in the city complain about the toxic air which doctors say could lead to long—term respiratory illness. we feel that when we are indoors, we are more protected and safer, but actually according to the study from the university of chicago which surveyed residents across economic groups between 2018 and 2020, the levels of these small dangerous air particles they can get lodged into your lungs and cause lasting damage was substantially higher indoors than they were on the nearest recorded outdoor metres. and that is something that is quite surprising. he also found that rich and poor households are equally infected when it comes to air pollution and for those of them who can afford them, many people in the city are able to buy air purifiers which they keep inside their homes to bring down the levels of air pollution, but the study found that those who are able to afford air purifiers in their home were only actually lowering the dangerous levels by 10% compared to those in disadvantaged households. in fact, this very stark conclusion from the report, it is said that in delhi, the line is whether someone is rich or poor, no one gets to breathe clean air. let's bring you some breaking news. a chicagojury has found the actor justin smollett guily of staging a hate crime against himself. prosecutors said smollett, who is black and openly gay, lied to police when he told them that he was accosted on a dark chicago street by two masked strangers in january 2019. smollett said the men threw a noose around his neck andpoured chemicals on him while yelling racist and homophobic slurs and expressions of support forformer president donald trump. now we don't want you to feel that all the news we bring is miserable, so here's something a litle more cheerful. indonesian families who have been evacuated due to a volcanic eruption, have been brought some cheer by... a troup of clowns. here they are getting ready. the volunteers in red— noses, wigs and multi—coloured costumes performed games and magic tricks at the camp in lumajang on indonesia's java island. our hope is that it can bring back the children's happiness. make them as happy as they used to be. if there many kids that are traumatised because of this eruption, we hope our presence here can give support to the kids. thursday breaded day of contrasting weather conditions, glorious blue skies and nearly an hour of sunshine for the rain skies and nearly an hour of sunshine forthe rain in skies and nearly an hour of sunshine for the rain in the afternoon. as for the rain in the afternoon. as for friday, we could actually see plenty of sunshine yet again in many places. there will be a shattering of sharp showers and it will feel pretty chilly for most of us. however, as we head into the weekend, the story is changing no turn increasingly cloudy with some rain around but, more noticeably, it will turn milder. this weather friend and will bring in some showers from the word go. across the far northwest of scotland, it's going to be a chilly start as well first thing this morning. low single figures in the north. some of the showers could be heavy with some hail and thunder as well. and they will drift away downwards to the gap towards the mittens we can also see a good slice of dry sunny weather to be found for particularly sheltered eastern areas, central and southern england as well. temperatures generally around four to 9 degrees and a little bit below par really for the time of year. however, as we head into the weekend, here's the change. these weather fronts will push and it will swing the wind direction around to the south—westerly that is going to feed and some other air from southwest and i will bring in much way northwards to the second half of the weekend. it does come at a price and that means more cloud around in morning brightness for eastern areas piling up from the west of the rain pushing and and some of it turning to the west facing slopes as well. in terms of the feel of the weather, if it keeps the feel of the weather, if it keeps the clearing skies six or 7 degrees, perhaps the milder air will show its hand. that on sunday, be a cloudy misty murky kind of day with topics of rain threatening to the far north and west we are likely to see highs of 11 to 1a degrees that is just above the average for this time of year. and that milder trend is set to stay with us for the week ahead all the cloud cover could be a bit of an issue from time to time. that is it. take care. this is bbc news, the headlines. an unofficial tribunal in london, investigating china's treatment of the uyghur minority, has found evidence of crimes against humanity and genocide. the findings detail systematic human rights abuses — including forced labour and torture. pressure is growing on borisjohnson as an investigation into covid rule breaking is expanded to cover three parties said to have taken place at downing street last christmas. the prime minister has repeatedly said no covid rules were broken. the world health organisation has expressed concern that wealthy countries will hoard covid vaccines, in response to the rapid spread of omicron. rich nations have accelerated the roll out of booster shots. a chicagojury has found the actor justin smollett guily of staging a hate crime against himself. prosecutors said smollett, who is black and openly gay, lied to police when he told them that he was accosted on a darkchicago street by two masked strangers.