closer to their families. but for many in europe, that meant moving to a whole other country. we report from poland. welcome to world news america on pbs, in the uk and around the globe. we start tonight in russia, where president vladimir putin has insisted that the west must give moscow guarantees that nato will not expand its alliance eastwards and admit ukraine as a member. the remarks came during a four—hour—long press conference in which mr putin stressed that russia does not want conflict over ukraine and rejected accusations that he was planning an invasion of the country. this comes as thousands of russian troops are now stationed along the country's border with ukraine. our correspondent steve rosenberg is in moscow for us tonight and has this report. it's the most wonderful time of the year, if you happen to like long news conferences. vladimir putin's end—of—year press briefing is always a marathon affair. forfour hours, the kremlin leaderfielded questions, and he used the event to vent his resentment at how nato enlarged after the fall of the soviet union. translation: "we won't move one inch towards the east," _ they told us in the 1990s, and what happened? they deceived us. they brazenly tricked us. there were five waves of nato expansion, and now missile systems are appearing in romania and poland. is this russia's response? a build—up of russian troops near ukraine's border. the kremlin denies it plans to invade, but this is pressure, and on the west, too, as moscow demands an end to nato enlargement and nato military activity in eastern europe, what it calls security guarantees. translation: you must give us guarantees. - you must do it immediately, now. we won't be palmed off with decades of idle chatter about the need of security for all while the other side carries out its own plans. vladimir putin spoke for a long time, but gave little away about his intentions regarding ukraine, about whether, as the west fears, he's planning a large—scale military operation there. but what we do know now is that next month, us and russian officials will sit down to discuss the security guarantees that moscow is demanding, so there's still hope for a diplomatic resolution. vladimir putin has done 17 of these press conferences now as president. you need plenty of stamina to do this and to listen to it, and since all main tv channels in russia show it live, it's wall—to—wall putin, a reminder, as if russians didn't know it, who's in charge here. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. now, here in the us, a jury in the state of minnesota has found a white former police officer guilty of manslaughter for having shot dead a black motorist. during the trial, kim potter said she had mistaken her handgun for a taser when she killed daunte wright during a traffic stop in april. here's a bit of her testimony. i remember yelling, "taser, taser, taser!" and nothing happened! and then he told me i shot him! joining me now for more on the story is the bbc�*s nomia iqbal. both the defence and prosecution agreed _ both the defence and prosecution agreed that she did not mean to kill daunte _ agreed that she did not mean to kill daunte wright, that she mistakenly drew her— daunte wright, that she mistakenly drew her own weapon, the wrong weapon — drew her own weapon, the wrong weapon. what were the arguments the 'ury weapon. what were the arguments the jury was_ weapon. what were the arguments the jury was weighing? for the prosecutors this was a case of a preventable death. they argued that this was— preventable death. they argued that this was a _ preventable death. they argued that this was a police officer of more than _ this was a police officer of more than 20 — this was a police officer of more than 20 years and she had of the difference — than 20 years and she had of the difference between a taser and her handgun _ difference between a taser and her handgun. forthe difference between a taser and her handgun. for the defence, they said that this _ handgun. for the defence, they said that this was an honest mistake and that this was an honest mistake and that this came during an arrest. w0rth— that this came during an arrest. worth mentioning that intent was not part of— worth mentioning that intent was not part of the _ worth mentioning that intent was not part of the charges so the jurors knew— part of the charges so the jurors knew that — part of the charges so the jurors knew that kim potter had tried to kimmich— knew that kim potter had tried to kimmich or two but instead this was all about— kimmich or two but instead this was all about whether she was responsible for his death recklessly, whether she was conscious of causing death or great bodily— conscious of causing death or great bodily harm and after 27 hours, the 'ury bodily harm and after 27 hours, the jury of— bodily harm and after 27 hours, the jury of six— bodily harm and after 27 hours, the jury of six men and six women back to the _ jury of six men and six women back to the state's case. this jury of six men and six women back to the state's case.— to the state's case. this was 'ust a shocking for i to the state's case. this was 'ust a shocking for the fact i to the state's case. this was 'ust a shocking for the fact when it h shocking for the fact when it happened right in the middle of the chauvin trial, who was convicted of killing unarmed george floyd so is there a since there has been a shift in holding police officers accountable? i in holding police officers accountable?— in holding police officers accountable? i think a lot of campaigners _ accountable? i think a lot of campaigners and family - accountable? i think a lot of. campaigners and family around accountable? i think a lot of- campaigners and family around court do feel that. and it's worth mentioning that convicting police officers _ mentioning that convicting police officers in — mentioning that convicting police officers in this country on the sorts— officers in this country on the sorts of— officers in this country on the sorts of charges is pretty where. there _ sorts of charges is pretty where. there are — sorts of charges is pretty where. there are lots of reasons for that. there _ there are lots of reasons for that. there are — there are lots of reasons for that. there are lots of reasons for that. there are lots of reasons for that. there are lots of laws to protect the police's right to use force backed — the police's right to use force backed by powerful police unions and also backed by powerful police unions and aisoiuries_ backed by powerful police unions and alsojuries tend not backed by powerful police unions and also juries tend not to second—guess the decisions of a police officer when _ the decisions of a police officer when they are in the line of duty. and the _ when they are in the line of duty. and the attorney general for the states— and the attorney general for the states focus on the court when the verdict _ states focus on the court when the verdict came out and said directly to the _ verdict came out and said directly to the police we hold un high record and we _ to the police we hold un high record and we hold you to a high standard but we _ and we hold you to a high standard but we don't want to be discouraged by this. when it comes that sort of change. _ by this. when it comes that sort of change. in — by this. when it comes that sort of change, in minnesota itself with the chauvin— change, in minnesota itself with the chauvin case and now kim potter, there _ chauvin case and now kim potter, there has been some motion towards police _ there has been some motion towards police reform. activists will say there _ police reform. activists will say there has— police reform. activists will say there has not been really any follow—through. also worth mentioning that some of these cases are pretty— mentioning that some of these cases are pretty high profile. they get lots of _ are pretty high profile. they get lots of media attention, so while there _ lots of media attention, so while there is— lots of media attention, so while there is accountability happening, i think it's _ there is accountability happening, i think it's fair to say probably not indicative — think it's fair to say probably not indicative of the country or where the country— indicative of the country or where the country is that as a whole when it comes _ the country is that as a whole when it comes to— the country is that as a whole when it comes to that change that many people _ it comes to that change that many people want on a police accountability.- people want on a police accountability. people want on a police accountabili . ., ,, , ., accountability. 0k, thank you so much. in hong kong, a well—known statue that commemorates students who died in the pro—democracy tiananmen square protests has been removed from a college campus. hong kong university has defended its decision, but some of the students there have called the move cowardly. the statue was one of the last remaining tiananmen memorials in the city. the semi—autonomous city has had many of its freedoms eroded in recent years due to strict laws imposed by beijing. the bbc�*s danny vincent has more from hong kong. the painful expressions carved into this memorial were supposed to leave a long—lasting impression. the memories of the dead immortalised in copper and concrete. beijing does not commemorate what happened onjune 4, 1989, but hong kong remembers. translation: this is - a demonstration of our values. we hong kong people have been pursuing democracy and freedom. if it is demolished, it symbolises the chinese communist party has won. for 2a years, this statute has stood tall here on the campus of hong kong's oldest university. etched into the monument are the faces of students killed in the crackdown in 1989. hong kong is the only place on chinese soil that officially remembers the dead. this statue represents the right to remember. this public memorial was removed away from public sight, under the cover of darkness. then demolished, broken into pieces away from public view. hong kong university has said displaying the statue posed a legal risk to the institution. hundreds, possibly thousands were killed when the people's liberation army put a bloody end to months of pro—democracy protests in 1989. activists say the authorities are now accelerating the campaign to erase public recollection in hong kong. richard ran a museum remembering june 4th. it's been raided by the police. last week, he was jailed. i still believe hong kong people, most of us still remember where we were, what happened in 1989. we still have our belief, what is the truth. the pro—democracy movement in hong kong once believed in time, it could help to transform china into a democracy. activists say there is no longer space for dissent. danny vincent, bbc news, hong kong. across europe, many countries are imposing new covid restrictions to slow the spread of the omicron variant. in spain, a court has cleared the way for a night—time curfew to be reimposed in badly hit parts of the northern catalonia region. in bulgaria, where vaccination rates are low, the government introduced financial incentives for some people to get the jab. but omicron is already causing cases to rise. and there are concerns that, for much of europe, many of these measures may be too little, too late. the bbc�*s europe correspondent nick beake has more. the festive message to spaniards this year — wear a mask, even outside. across europe, governments are issuing health warnings rather than glad tidings. at a time when families come together, the advice is to keep your distance. belgium is now inviting children as young as five to get vaccinated. covid cases here have been falling for the past ten days, but cinemas and theatres are set to close, although pubs will stay open. it's really a political choice that is not really supported by scientific. i feel like there are rules, but no—one really cares. it helps me to study that - all the nightclubs are closed! exhausted doctors and nurses are pleading with the public to follow the rules. the measures have their effect, and they permit us professionals to continue in our hospitals to take care of all kinds of patients and not only patients having covid. so, really, i know the measures are weighing on all of us, but they are so important to be able to keep our health system standing up. medical staff here and across europe are unanimous that getting more people boosted is vital in the fight against the new variant, but what we don't yet know is how the early studies coming from the uk suggesting omicron is milder will affect the decision—making of individual european countries in the coming days and weeks. covid rates across the continent have been spiralling. denmark has the highest, followed by the uk. but france, spain and italy have all seen a surge, as well as germany. and there's been anger in munich at tighter controls which have targeted the unvaccinated. police kept order at a time when most uk visitors are being kept out of the country. but travel bans, which france has also introduced and scuppered british getaways, won't work, according to the world health organization. it argues specific local measures, such as those introduced in spain and italy today on face coverings, are much better. as ever, the politics of the pandemic can take some navigating. as the last—minute shoppers venture out, the general message from europe's leaders — we wish you a cautious christmas and a reined—in new year. nick beake, bbc news, brussels. as countries across europe discuss lockdowns and booster shots, many people across the world are struggling to get even their first shot of a coronavirus vaccine. yesterday, the head of the world health organization called for vaccines to be shared more equally. he warned that prioritising booster programmes in wealthy nations would more likely prolong this pandemic than end it. the bbc�*s naomi grimley has more. 2021 was the year 8 billion vaccines were administered across the world. but the vast majority have been given in richer countries. only one in four african health care workers have been vaccinated, for example. and a former british prime minister thinks that should shame us all. it's really a stain on our global soul. because we've had a surplus of vaccines created in one part of the world, and indeed stockpiling, and we've got a severe shortage in the other part of the world where only 3% have been vaccinated in low—income countries. and it affects us all, because i think people are starting to realise that if we allow the disease to spread in poor countries and then mutate, it comes back and it haunts even the fully vaccinated. mr brown wants world leaders to try again at the start of the new year to make vaccination across the world a priority. the world health organization says 98 countries have not been able to meet the target of vaccinating 40% of their populations by the end of the year. without more progress, who officials are warning the pandemic will drag on for longer. getting the vaccines to those who need them most in all countries must be a priority for every single government. notjust some. we need to also be able to use tools to drive transmission down, because if we don't, we will continue to see the virus change and the virus and threaten us in ways that will bring us closer to the beginning rather than closer to the end. 2022 will see us and to the pandemic. but the question remains — will it be the year that vaccines finally become available everywhere? naomi grimley, bbc news. in other news... ecuador has made it mandatory for people within the country to get the coronavirus vaccine. this follows the arrival of the omicron variant in the south american country. while dozens of countries have introduced new health measures in the face of the omicron variant, very few of them have outright mandated that people receive the vaccine. the american authorjoan didion, whose career chronicled the mood and chaos of life in the 19605 and '70s, has died at the age of 87. her publisher said the cause was parkinson's disease. ms didion is largely credited with ushering in the newjournalism genre of literary nonfiction, mining her richest material from her native california. ethiopia says its troops have been ordered not to advance into the tigray. it comes after tigrayan rebels called for a ceasefire and negotiations which have ignited hope that they could lead to a resolution to the war in northern ethiopia. you're watching bbc world news america. still to come on tonight's programme, striking a pose — we meet a man who's using the art of photography to tackle and express his mental health. in the uk, there has been a new warning from the organisation representing gas suppliers that gas and electricity bills could rise by as much as 50% next year unless the government steps in. the bbc�*s colletta smith explains. we're feeling these price rises in all kinds of areas. it's worth remembering that lots of our power stations across the uk are actually fuelled by gas, like this one behind me, to produce electricity, which is why we're talking about price rises in gas and electricity. businesses are already paying those high prices, and they're passing that on to us as customers by charging us more for pretty much everything we're buying at the moment. but households are being shielded quite effectively at the moment because of the price cap. now, it might not feel like it because it went up dramatically in the autumn, but that price is now fixed for the next six months. it's not going to be until april until we see another change, but unfortunately it's only going in one direction because of this increase in wholesale prices now, which will fuel a rise in the spring. during this pandemic, thousands of people across the united states have given up life in big cities and decided to live in other parts of the country, often to be closer to their families. in europe, a similar phenomenon is happening. but instead of moving from city to city, some people are shifting from country to country. many polish people who moved to the uk years ago in search of betterjobs have now decided to move back. our correspondent adam easton reports. i feel safe here. that's something i didn't have in the uk. this cosmetic student is talking about that secure feeling that being nearfamily and close friends often brings. a law graduate, she lived in the uk for 12 years doing a variety ofjobs. injanuary, she rushed back to her home city of lodzjust in time to say goodbye to her dying grandmother. i grew up here in this flat, and my nan used to teach me how to skate, my grandad used to teach me how to cycle. so, all sorts of wonderful memories. since 2004, hundreds of thousands of people here have left for the uk seeking better paid jobs. since then, we have had brexit, the covid pandemic, and people are missing theirfamilies and returning home. the number of poles living in the uk now is at its lowest for eight years. this couple had well—paid jobs in london for more than six years. they loved the city, their children were born there, but the high cost of raising a family there persuaded them to come home to warsaw. i was sure that in poland i could easily find a nice nursery where i could just send them and spend five or six hours at home working. in london actually, we were not able to find a nice nursery. this professor has interviewed hundreds of poles who have recently returned. most want to stay, but some after years abroad now feel uncomfortable in their homeland. one third out of our 500 returnees sample said that we do consider. a return to the uk or to other. countries, because they do not feel at home any more. in recent months, polling has seen a surge in the number of mostly middle eastern people trying to enter the eu illegally from belarus. most poles support the government's refusal to let them in, but this woman says her years living in britain has affected the way she sees migrants. living abroad and as well being a migrant myself gave me that feeling, kind of an empathy for the people who are now at the border with belarus. they are in terrible conditions, we should treat those people equally. after years of living abroad, these poles are bringing with them new skills and life experiences that may shape the country's economy and its politics. adam easton, bbc news, warsaw. now, preserving your mental health can take a number of different forms. for benji reid, it's art. the award—winning photographer has a new exhibition in london called laughing at gravity. reid says the show depicts how he's handled adversity and discrimination in his day—to—day life. he's been speaking to the bbc�*s yvette twagira—maria. music. this is laugh at gravity, the first solo show exhibition by the wedding photographer benji reid. what it is is when i first started i did not people to sit for me. so that i became the sitter for my work. so i became the subject and the artist. and then had to figure out what my relationship is with my own body and in many of the shots, if you look at them, i'm not really looking at the camera. i'm always looking at the camera. i'm always looking away so the face is a mask, the body is a canvas.— the body is a canvas. laugh at aravi the body is a canvas. laugh at gravity amongst _ the body is a canvas. laugh at gravity amongst many - the body is a canvas. laugh at gravity amongst many of - the body is a canvas. laugh at gravity amongst many of his l the body is a canvas. laugh at. gravity amongst many of his work shines light on the black british experience and communicates that to a worldwide audience. what do you mean by that? why is it the title was meant for me, gravity is a metaphorfor was meant for me, gravity is a metaphor for oppression. was meant for me, gravity is a metaphorfor oppression. for was meant for me, gravity is a metaphor for oppression. for racism. for olice metaphor for oppression. for racism. for police brutality. _ metaphor for oppression. for racism. for police brutality. for— metaphor for oppression. for racism. for police brutality. for the _ metaphor for oppression. for racism. for police brutality. for the fact - for police brutality. for the fact that we are being thrown into prisons more often than our white counterparts. and put into mental institutes more than our white counterparts. that's why oppression basically. laugh at gravity is me laughing in the face of adversity so that's really where we are coming from. , , , , that's really where we are coming from. , , _ , ., that's really where we are coming from. ,, _ , ., from. inspired by his own personal exnerience. _ from. inspired by his own personal experience, some _ from. inspired by his own personal experience, some of _ from. inspired by his own personal experience, some of the _ from. inspired by his own personal experience, some of the themes l from. inspired by his own personal| experience, some of the themes in his work are mental health and fatherhood. this image, called holding onto the daddy, was the winner of the wellcome trust mental health category 2020. can you tell us more about your award winning work? i us more about your award winning work? . , us more about your award winning work? ., , ., , ., us more about your award winning work? ., , ., , us more about your award winning work? .,, ., , ., , ., us more about your award winning work? .,, ., y., ., , work? i was to be to fly out of my room and — work? i was to be to fly out of my room and my _ work? i was to be to fly out of my room and my daughter tethered l work? i was to be to fly out of my| room and my daughter tethered to work? i was to be to fly out of my - room and my daughter tethered to me by a piece of it but she's playing again. what i wanted to explore in that look was a duality of fatherhood that one can be suffering from depression or posttraumatic stress but still got the duties of fatherhood. it's about the reversal of roles that my daughter is the one thatis of roles that my daughter is the one that is grounded because that's how she was when i went to my worst state. and before we go, with christmas around the corner, check out how some are spreading holiday cheer around the globe. injerusalem, santa made an appearance on a camel and rode through the old city walls distributing christmas trees to residents in the holy land. and in rome, santas rappelled down the paediatric ward of a hospital to visit children there over the holidays. they made it all the way from the chimney to the inside of the hospital where they delivered gifts. remember you can find more on all the days news at our website. plus to see what we're working on at any time, make sure to check out on twitter. i'm nada tawfik. thank you for watching world news america. hello there. you'll have to rely on morecambe and wise, i'm afraid, to bring the sunshine this christmas period. there's going to be a lot of cloud around, so that rules out a white christmas for most of us. however, there is a possibility across the pennines and through the higher ground of scotland, we could wake up to a light dusting of snow over the next couple of days. but for most of us, the talking point will be how mild it is, particularly across england and wales — temperatures into double figures. it's not the warmest we've seen over the christmas period. these are the christmas day records across the country over the years, so we have to be close orjust above 15 degrees to break that, and that's not going to happen. but the mild weather is responsible by these weather fronts that continue to move their way steadily northwards. that south—westerly flow continues to drive that mild air across the country, but it really is struggling to displace that cold air across the far north of scotland. that means tonight, as the rain pushes into the cold air, we could see some snow for a time. mist and fog will be a problem across england and wales as well. that'll be slow to lift first thing, but it will be a mild start to our christmas eve, particularly across england and wales. so, early morning mist and fog lifting to low cloud across england and wales. early morning cloud and drizzly rain slowly easing in scotland. hopefully across aberdeenshire, we'll get some sunshine into the afternoon. but later on into the day across southwest england, wales and into northern ireland, we'll see some wet and windy weather arriving. so, we keep that colder air up into the north. furthersouth, however, it stays on the mild side — temperatures widely into double figures across the country. so, that's christmas eve. as we move out of christmas eve towards christmas day, that weather front still making progress across northern england into the scottish borders. still bumping into that cold air that's sitting anchored to the northeast of scotland. so, we could have, again, a few flurries of rain, sleet and snow, the snow obviously on higher ground to start off on christmas day. that eases away quite quickly. a lot of cloud for most of us on christmas day with the exception of northeast scotland, and some increasingly wet and windy weather pushing into northern ireland, wales and southwest england by the end of the afternoon. that divide in the temperatures, double—digits down to the south, cooler up into the north. still some rain around, unfortunately, on boxing day, but mild for most. take care. this is bbc news. the headlines... a former police officer who killed a black man in a routine traffic stop — has been found guilty of manslaughter at her trial in minneapolis. kimberley potter mistook her handgun for a taser when she shot daunte wright. the latest british government data says far fewer people are ending up in hospital with the omicron variant. people infected are 50 to 70 per cent less likely to need hospital care, compared to previous variants. the research also shows that protection from catching covid starts to wane 10 weeks after a booster. scientists warn that record numbers of infections could still lead to hospitals being overwhelmed. president putin has again insisted that the west must give russia guarantees that nato won't expand eastwards to ukraine. in his end—of—year press conference he also said he'd initiated high—level talks with the us. those are the headlines.