farmers protest in brussels as the french government makes crucial concessions. welcome to verified live. let's start in brussels where european leaders have agreed a 50 billion euro funding dealfor ukraine. agreed a 50 billion euro the money is locked in for four years and gives kyiv some stability in its war with russia. the deal was announced just as ukraine said it had destroyed a russian warship in the black sea, just off the crimean peninsula. the bbc is still trying to verify this footage released by the ukrainian ministry of defence. it's said to show the moment the russian vessel came under attack. it's about two minutes in length and it shows a small vessel approaching the russian ship. a large explosion follows, and at the end of the video the warhip appears to start rolling over and sinking. we'll have more on this from our verify team a little later in the programme.

huge relieve in kyiv that the deal has passed and that hungary is on board and the response has stressed the fact this is a united european response, and the symbolism of that is important to ukraine as well as the fact it means that the funding is now approved. ukraine has been stressing all along that this is not just about supporting this country, it is about the broader cause of european security, that ukraine is fighting for europe as well against the russian attempts to change the world order by force. but war cost a lot of money and it is notjust about getting missiles and ammunition and shells and tanks from the west, it is about hard cash, because the government needs to keep doing what a normal government in a normal country would do, paying

state sector salaries and paying pensions and it is about even just keeping on the heating, the price is high and ukraine needs help with the money because everything else, all of their other income is going to the war effort directly, so this is important, especially important as american funding for ukraine is being blocked by domestic politics. another thing, the response in ukraine has underlined, that this is money which is guaranteed for seven years and it gives ukraine some stability as it looks to the future and looks to continue to fight a war which two years ago people in ukraine did not even believe was possible —— is guaranteed for several years. we can now speak to katarzyna zysk, who is a professor of international relations at the norwegian institute for defence studies. how significant is the aid package? it is very important for political reasons that were mentioned, showing

that despite the diverging national interests, face—macro can find a compromise and keep the united front —— europe. and from the economic perspective it is very important for ukraine because ukraine relies heavily on the western assistance, and the ukrainian domestic revenues, it all goes to the war effort, to the defence sector, so in order to keep the state going and to keep paying pensions and wages and to keep the infrastructure going, ukraine depends heavily on western support, so it is very important, and it sends a very important signal to russia as well. that and it sends a very important signal to russia as well.— to russia as well. that is what eumpean _ to russia as well. that is what european leaders _ to russia as well. that is what european leaders have - to russia as well. that is what european leaders have just . to russia as well. that is what. european leaders have just said to russia as well. that is what - european leaders have just said at a news conference, and it is also reported that viktor orban said none of the hungary eu money will actually go to ukraine so have the eu leaders had to be quite creative and does that show strength or

weakness? i and does that show strength or weakness?— and does that show strength or weakness? ~ . ., ., , , ., weakness? i think again, europe is a atchwork weakness? i think again, europe is a patchwork of — weakness? i think again, europe is a patchwork of diverging _ weakness? i think again, europe is a patchwork of diverging interests - weakness? i think again, europe is a patchwork of diverging interests and | patchwork of diverging interests and different views on russia and how imminent the threat is but the strength is not in the bargaining and diplomatic crisis that happens from time to time but that in the end they managed to agree and we do not know exactly what happened with viktor orban. it seems he was empty—handed from the summit. everybody has an impression that he basically wasted the time of everybody but there has been a lot of pressure on him, and some threats, including stripping him... stripping hungry of voting rights, and now that poland is not ruled by the donald tusk party, hungary cannot count on the same support from poland, so maybe this has also

played a role. from poland, so maybe this has also played a role-— played a role. that might be a part ofthe played a role. that might be a part of the equation. _ played a role. that might be a part of the equation. final— played a role. that might be a part of the equation. final question, i of the equation. final question, kyiv is counting on the us aid package, $60 billion that is stuck in congress, and if that does not become unstuck, are european partners able to feel part or a substantial amount of that gap? —— phil up. it substantial amount of that gap? -- phil u -. , substantial amount of that gap? -- phil u. , , . ., phil up. it will be difficult to relace phil up. it will be difficult to replace it — phil up. it will be difficult to replace it all, _ phil up. it will be difficult to replace it all, and _ phil up. it will be difficult to replace it all, and this - phil up. it will be difficult to replace it all, and this also l replace it all, and this also includes the defence sector, and the production and europe has increased 40% but it is still not enough and nato assesses that it will take 1—3 years to actually deliver the ammunition so this will be very hard but at this same time it is hard to

imagine the us will abandon the aid and there is a strong pressure on congress to move ahead with that and across international pressure and if the us is unable to do it, the whole credibility of the us as an ally is at stake which means also the us position in the international system. position in the international s stem. ., position in the international sstem. . ., ., , we will have more from ukraine in a moment. breaking news from the us concerning the anticipated response to the attacks on the american base injordan that killed three american service personnel and we know the responses are coming. 0ur american partners cbs reporting that the plans have been approved for a series of strikes over a number of days against targets including iranian personnel and facilities inside iraq and syria and they say the weather will be a major factor

in terms of the timing of the strikes and they prefer to have eyes on the target even though they have the capacity to bomb bad weather. they have been no new attacks on us troop locations since the announcement yesterday —— that have. but the american response is coming and the hawks in america have talked about targeting inside iran and we heard about the response from iran yesterday but our cbs colleagues saying that plans had been approved for a series of strikes over a number of days and targets crucially inside iraq and syria, no mention of any target within iran itself. more from our colleagues in the us late in the programme. let's get more now on the video from the ukrainian ministry of defence, which claims to show the sinking of a russian warship. bbc verify�*s merlyn thomas has been examining the footage.

the ukrainian ministry of defence have released this video on x, formerly twitter, and they've said it shows a russian warship being attacked by multiple unmanned sea vessels. they say it's a special unit, group 13, that has destroyed a russian warship. now, we've looked at the video, as you can see here, and we've also looked at other available images of the same class of ship that this one belongs to. and several features visible in the video appear to match this vessel. so we can tell that because of some specific structures like the masts and the sensors, the large radar dome on top and the anti—ship missiles on the sides. so, to be clear, we're not able to verify that it's the same ship, but we can say it's the same type or class. and this does appear to be new footage. we've done checks to make sure that it hasn't been posted before. but again, there are still a number of things that we don't know yet. so we don't know when the video was filmed and we don't know

when the incident happened, and we still don't know if there's been any casualties. so, so far, there's still been no official confirmation from the russian side or any independent footage either. and we'll continue to monitor any footage that comes out of this incident and bring you the latest updates. now — to russia. in december we saw the high profile, political activist alexi navalny suddenly moved to a penal colony — no warning, no contact. this week, there are fears for another russian opposition figure — vladimir karamurza — also moved — no warning no contact, as well. the uk foreign secretary — david cameron — posted on x... vladimir karamurza

was jailed last year — after being charged with treason. his wife evgenia joins me live now from berlin. how worried are you for the safety of your husband? i how worried are you for the safety of your husband?— how worried are you for the safety of your husband? i have been worried for the safety — of your husband? i have been worried for the safety of _ of your husband? i have been worried for the safety of my _ of your husband? i have been worried for the safety of my husband - of your husband? i have been worried for the safety of my husband since . for the safety of my husband since 2015 when he was poisoned for the first time, attacked by a team of fsb operatives who carry out such attacks on behalf of the russian state. since then he survived another assassination attack in 2017 and now he is serving his 25 year prison sentence for so—called high treason. 0n prison sentence for so—called high treason. on monday he was indeed moved without any indications of that being prepared and he was moved from the strict regime prison conneuy from the strict regime prison connelly to yet another type of penitentiary institution that is called a special regime prison colony which is the harshest place

in the russian penitentiary system so he is still in the same region, in the so—called special regime prison colony and is in solitary confinement where he has been since last year and we have been able to establish contact with him because on monday he was able to send a note from the new colony to his lawyers saying he had been transferred because, apparently, he had been declared a consistent violator of the rules of serving his sentence. the violations are absolutely ridiculous and are being used to further and further isolate political prisoners. let further and further isolate political prisoners. further and further isolate olitical risoners. ., , ., political prisoners. let me ask you about where _ political prisoners. let me ask you about where you _ political prisoners. let me ask you about where you end _ political prisoners. let me ask you about where you end of— political prisoners. let me ask you about where you end of the - political prisoners. let me ask you| about where you end of the answer because i mentioned it in the introduction, alexei navalny was suddenly moved to a really harsh penal colony and now your husband, so why do you think that is actually

happening, is it to airbrush them out so there is no view of these people or is it to further punish them? �* ., , ., people or is it to further punish them? , ., , them? both things, of course, because these _ them? both things, of course, because these people - them? both things, of course, because these people are - them? both things, of course, | because these people are seen them? both things, of course, i because these people are seen as traitors and foreign agents, spies, all of these things. they are being represented like that by russian propaganda and of course the regime believes them to be traitors because they completely reject the official narrative and they reject the policies of vladimir putin and they continue speaking out against the regime and against the war from behind bars, so there is a need to isolate them completely.- isolate them completely. before i look at some _ isolate them completely. before i look at some of— isolate them completely. before i look at some of the _ isolate them completely. before i look at some of the other - isolate them completely. before i look at some of the other issues, | look at some of the other issues, just briefly, you mentioned solitary confinement, and in terms of so far how he is being held, what have you heard about the conditions and how heard about the conditions and how he is holding up? it is

heard about the conditions and how he is holding op?— he is holding up? it is still solitary confinement - he is holding up? it is still solitary confinement as i he is holding up? it is still solitary confinement as it | he is holding up? it is still. solitary confinement as it has he is holding up? it is still- solitary confinement as it has been since september last year, so nothing much has changed in that regard. he still has his bed fixed to the wall from morning until night and he still has one piece of furniture in the cell and he gets his pen and paperfor 90 minutes, and i don't know if that will change in this special regime prison colony because that is the harshest grade in russian penitentiary system so i think that it might also affect the visiting hours by his lawyer or his ability to correspond with us for them we will find out more in the coming weeks. but of course such conditions are very dangerous for vladimir and conditions are very dangerous for vladimirand so many conditions are very dangerous for vladimir and so many other political prisoners in russia because many political prisoners are being held in such conditions with health

issues and vladimir has developed a condition following the assassination attacks on him and his condition is deteriorating in solitary confinement because he does not get access to any medical treatment that would keep the symptoms under control. let treatment that would keep the symptoms under control. let me put a different question _ symptoms under control. let me put a different question for _ symptoms under control. let me put a different question for you _ symptoms under control. let me put a different question for you is _ symptoms under control. let me put a different question for you is not - different question for you is not familiar with this question because your husband was very close to boris nemtsov who was murdered in russia and you have mentioned the poisonings, and the state tonight, but the poisonings in 2015 and 2017, that nearly killed him —— the state deny it. a straight question, why did your husband choose to go back to ukraine with all of that as a backdrop after the start of the ukraine war?— backdrop after the start of the ukraine war? ~ , . , , ., ukraine war? well, he is a russian olitician, ukraine war? well, he is a russian politician. and _ ukraine war? well, he is a russian politician, and this _ ukraine war? well, he is a russian politician, and this is _ ukraine war? well, he is a russian politician, and this is how - ukraine war? well, he is a russian politician, and this is how he - ukraine war? well, he is a russian politician, and this is how he has i politician, and this is how he has always identified himself, first of

all, he is also a historian and a document wrist and a writer but he is first of all a politician and he believes that it would be unfair to ask of others something he would not be willing to do himself so he believes he has to share the risks and challenges faced by russians back home. and challenges faced by russians back home-— back home. with the rest of the family terrified _ back home. with the rest of the family terrified when _ back home. with the rest of the family terrified when he - back home. with the rest of the family terrified when he told - back home. with the rest of the | family terrified when he told you back home. with the rest of the - family terrified when he told you -- family terrified when he told you —— work the rest of the family terrified when he first told you? irate terrified when he first told you? we have terrified when he first told you? - have been living like this for many years already and it is not getting easier, of course. and by returning to russia, vladimir was facing the risk of imprisonment but that was not the worst thing that could happen to him, after two poisoning attacks, and thanks to an independent investigation we know the names and the faces of the fsb operatives who followed him before both assassination attacks and that

is implicated in the poisoning of alex no value. —— alexei navalny. sorry to cut across you. david cameron of the british foreign secretary is planning to meet you, so is there anything more that you want from the british government? i am very grateful for lord cameron was my quick response to vladimir�*s transfer on monday, that was very important, a gesture of solidarity and support, and i'm very grateful that he is willing to meet with me and i hope i will be able to discuss the ways in which the uk government can help free vladimir and people who like him are suffering from dictators in the world. the reality, thou . h, dictators in the world. the reality, thou~h, is dictators in the world. the reality, though. is that — dictators in the world. the reality, though, is that when _ dictators in the world. the reality, though, is that when people - dictators in the world. the reality, though, is that when people are i though, is that when people are taken, you look at vladimir putin's

position, he is isolated and a pariah, is there very much realistically that can be done? you look at the case of alexei navalny, once the authorities seem to hold these people, it becomes incredibly difficult to actually get them released. i difficult to actually get them released. , ., . difficult to actually get them released. , w ., released. i believe the fact that it is incredibly _ released. i believe the fact that it is incredibly difficult _ released. i believe the fact that it is incredibly difficult does - released. i believe the fact that it is incredibly difficult does not - is incredibly difficult does not mean that such efforts should not be made and i believe that if soviet dissidents were freed during the cold war, it is obviously possible to date, and i believe that every effort should be made to save those people who are running high risk to their lives. —— obviously possible today. their lives. -- obviously possible toda . ~ ., ., ., ., today. we have got to leave it there but thanks for— today. we have got to leave it there but thanks forjoining _ today. we have got to leave it there but thanks forjoining us. _ around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

let's look at some other stories making news. a man has appeared in court — charged with the murders of two teenage boys in bristol on saturday. 16—year old max dixon, and 15—year old mason rist died in hospital after being stabbed on the knowle west estate. 44—year—old anthony snook will be held on remand in prison until the next hearing tomorrow. firefighters who were injured in the grenfell tower fire in 2017 — have received a total of £20 million in compensation. the fire brigades union says more than 100 of its members made claims — some of whom hadn't been able to work again because of severe trauma. alan bates — a former sub postmaster who led the campaign forjustice in the post office horizon scandal — has said he will reject an offer of compensation from the government. mr bates, whose story inspired a recent itv series on the scandal, told the telegraph — the government's offer was "offensive" and "around a sixth"

of what he'd requested. you're live with bbc news. let's go back to the breaking news about the potential strikes from the us in syria and iraq after the attacks injordan which killed three service personnel on sunday. we can speak to our north american correspondence.— speak to our north american correspondence. speak to our north american corresondence. , ,., , ., correspondence. these reports are cominu correspondence. these reports are coming from _ correspondence. these reports are coming from our — correspondence. these reports are coming from our partner— correspondence. these reports are coming from our partner station i correspondence. these reports are l coming from our partner station cbs and they say plans have been approved for a series of strikes over a number of days against targets including iranian personnel and facilities inside iraq and syria and facilities inside iraq and syria and we don't know exactly when that will be happening but we understand from cbs that the weather could be a major factor in deciding the timing and the us wants to make sure that they have a clear target in order to safeguard against civilian

casualties. we knew there was going to be some sort of response and the secretary of state antony blinken said the response would be decisive and also be multi—levelled and come in stages and that is in keeping with what cbs is reporting. president biden said that the us would respond at a time and location of its choosing and there has been huge pressure on the us to respond following the deaths of the three us army soldiers. there was huge pressure on him in different ways, those politicians who wanted him to target iranian proxies and also those politicians especially republicans who wanted him to hit iran directly. that was never on the table but it does appear now that according to cbs, the us has approved this plan for a series of

strikes over a number of days against targets that include iranian personnel and facilities inside iraq and syria. and there are various press briefings we are expecting this morning from the white house and the pentagon and we will get more details. in and the pentagon and we will get more details.— more details. in terms of the taruets, more details. in terms of the targets. not _ more details. in terms of the targets, not mentioning - more details. in terms of the targets, not mentioning anyl more details. in terms of the . targets, not mentioning any sort more details. in terms of the - targets, not mentioning any sort of attacks within iranian territory, crucially, which is significant. more from you later. thanks for joining us. let's turn now to one other issue not officially on the agenda at today's eu summit — but certainly on the minds of many european leaders. several hundred farmers have converged on european parliament in tractors, and have started fires on the eu's doorstep. the eu's executive arm, has suggested plans to limit farm imports from ukraine — and to ease some green regulations.

let's take you live to brussels. 0ur europe correspondent bethany bell is there. tell us about the grievances and what has been potentially offered in brussels but also we had concessions from the french government. yes. brussels but also we had concessions from the french government.- from the french government. yes, in brussels the — from the french government. yes, in brussels the protesters _ from the french government. yes, in brussels the protesters have - from the french government. yes, in brussels the protesters have brought their protests write to the doorstep of the european parliament and they have been lighting tyres and bales of hay and the air is thick with acrid smoke. i spoke to one young farmer who came here from northern italy, a man who makes wine, and he said it was really unfair that there was so much eu red tape and that european farmers were being held to very high standards, at the same time as cheap food products from non—judge—macro countries are flooding the market and he said that

had to change because without farmers he said there is no food —— non—eu. this is a matter of concern for european leaders who have been meeting in brussels today, not for a farming crisis per se but for financial aid to ukraine, and we have heard of concessions from france and we understand the french prime minister wants to control food imports and to check for more traces of pesticides but whether the concessions are enough is the big question. concessions are enough is the big cuestion. ., concessions are enough is the big cuestion. . ., ., , interest rates have been left unchanged by the bank of england, for the fourth time in a row. they remain at 5.25%, as economists had expected. the bank had previously raised rates ia times in a row to curb inflation, leading to increased mortgage costs. the governor of the bank of england said it would wait for firm evidence

that inflation was under control before bringing interest rates down. 0ne bank policy maker voted for an immediate cut. around 900,000 children are thought to be internally displaced in gaza, that's according to the charity save the children. lama jamous, known as gaza's youngestjournalist is among them. following the start of the war she's been documenting herjourney and the stories around her as they've unfolded. 0ur reporter yasmin khatun dewan has been speaking to her and has this report. this is lama jamous. at nine years old she's acquired a huge following on social media, posting snippets of her life in gaza and her aspirations to become a journalist. we caught up with lama, whojoined us from gaza, close to the rafah crossing. lama, what made you want to do this? translation: i want to document the struggle we are going - through so the world can see it. all we wish is to go back

to our school, to seek education. even our school became for displaced people. lama's father has been helping the nine—year—old document herjourney, navigating the changes around her as the family were displaced from their home in northern gaza. she told us so much in her life has changed, though her dream is to continue the work she is doing now. translation: i wish when the war ends i can turn into a great - journalist and work so i can grow more and more. as lama continues to find comfort in sharing the stories of her community, her portfolio just keeps on growing. yasmin khatun dewan, bbc news. in the next couple of moments we will hear from the us defence

secretary lloyd austin and we will hear more details that plans had been approved for a series of strikes over a number of days against targets including iranian personnel and facilities inside iraq and syria. the news conference is coming up. we will have it live. hello. thanks forjoining me. the outlook is looking rather like the picture behind me. so these lumpy, layered clouds on the way over the next few days. on top of that, it's going to be very mild, quite windy, a little bit of rain around. there has been a little bit of talk about wintry weather possibly heading our way sometime next week, but that's really a long way off. in fact, it's quite the opposite at the moment. if anything, we'll see even milder

air streaming in from the south. this arc of cloud here, weather front to the north and to the south. high pressure here. and take a look at this airstream, that mild air from the southern climes spreading across the uk and pushing the cold air towards the north and the east. and that's what's heading our way. that's the forecast for the next few days. so for this evening and overnight, rather a lot of cloud. could be some clear spells for a time across the southeast and east anglia, but overall thick cloud across the uk with bits and pieces of rain really and mild in the morning — ten degrees in the north, about seven degrees in east anglia and the southeast. and then i think friday overall, quite an overcast day for many of us. a really blustery day as well, with some rain at times in the northwest. but those winds really will be quite strong in the coming days, sort of bumping, flowing and blowing across the uk. gusts to the east of the pennines around 50 miles an hour, 13, ia degrees celsius. now, if you look at the pressure chart, these isobars, we've got high pressure to the south, low pressure to the north, that big temperature or rather pressure gradient that is. and we get those winds rushing across the uk. so, in the north, a little bit colder here with some showers,

seven degrees in stornoway. but across the bulk of england and wales, temperatures are actually pushing the mid—teens. spot the difference as we head through saturday and into sunday. again, high to the south, low to the north, big pressure gradient, weather fronts sneaking in the middle, bringing a lot of cloud and also some outbreaks of rain. again, very strong winds, gale force winds around some coasts and really mild conditions, ia in the south, about 12 in liverpool, but a little bit colder there in the north. single figures. and take a look at the outlook. very little change. in fact, what's the average in london into next week? about ia degrees. it really is very mild indeed. bye— bye.

welcome to bbc news. let's take in arm made headlines this half hour. european leaders agree a 50 billion euro aid dealfor ukraine. meanwhile, ukraine's ministry of defence say they've sunk another russian warship in the black sea — footage released shows it being struck by several sea drones. police are hunting this man in connection with an attack on a mother and two girls in south london. and seven times formula i london. and seven times formula 1 world champion lewis hamilton could be on the verge of a shock move to

ferrari.