live from london, this is bbc news. in the next few minutes our colleagues will be interviewing the mother of one of the nottingham attacks. before that, a news summary. we start this hour with reaction to the news that us lawmakers in the senate have approved a 95 billion dollar aid package for ukraine, israel and taiwan. president biden says he will sign the bill later today and that more arms and equipment will be sent to ukraine within a week. the overwhelming vote in favour of the deal marks the end of six months of deadlock amongst us politicians. the measures approve around $61 billion in long—awaited aid for ukraine alone. it also designates more than $26 billion in aid for military support for israel and humanitarian aid for gaza.

and $8 billion for taiwan and us indo—pacific allies. president biden said it showed that america stood resolutely against tyranny and oppression. president zelensky said it reinforced america's role as a beacon of democracy and leader of the free world. the senate majority leader chuck schumer said america had shown its allies it would not turn its back on them. a lot of people inside and outside the congress wanted this package to fail, but today those in congress who stand on the side of democracy are winning the day. to ourfriends in ukraine, to our allies in nato, to our allies in israel and to civilians around the world in need of help, help is on the way. to ourfriends in ukraine, america will deliver more ammo and air defences and basic supplies that you need to resist putin on the battlefield. and we've had reaction from china in the past couple of hours.

foreign ministry spokesman wang wenbin said... well also today, rishi sunak is visiting germany to meet his german counterpart, chancellor olaf scholz. it's mr sunak�*s first trip to berlin since becoming prime minister in october 2022. defence spending is firmly on the agenda. former labour minister, then crossbench peer, and renowned campaignerfor welfare reform — frank field, the statement was issued a short time ago...

pa rents parents who are hoping to take up more free childcare and could face problems due to lack of places. the roll—out sees the number of free services increased next year. the government says it is prepared. ofcom has strengthened its rules against broadcasters using politicians as newsreaders, news interviewers or reporters. it follows a decision last month which found that five episodes of gb news programmes hosted by serving tory mps, including a married couple, and

jacob rees—mogg, broke its rules. ofcom says all broadcasters must maintain the highest standards ahead of the general election. the mother of a student fatally stabbed in nottingham has written an open letter to a police officer who wrote graphic whatsapp messages about the crime scene. barnaby webber was one of three people killed lastjune. his mum emma said the officer should "show the respect that was not given to her son". mr webber and grace o'malley—kumar, both 19, and 65—year—old ian coates were fatally stabbed on 13th june 2023.

injanuary, in january, valdo calocane injanuary, valdo calocane who carried out the stabbings was given an indefinite hospital orderfor an indefinite hospital order for manslaughter an indefinite hospital orderfor manslaughter by diminished responsibility. your son was fatally stabbed in nottingham lastjune. i9—year—olds barnaby was killed alongside his friend, grace o'malley—kumar and ian coates by valdo calocane. he also attempted to kill three other people. he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. emma has written an open letter to members of a nottinghamshire police whatsapp group. she describes comments shed on that group as a callous, desensitised and degrading. she also says the messages, which were leaked

in february, had caused more trauma than the officers could imagine. nottinghamshire police has declined to comment on emma's letter. i am welcoming viewers on a bbc news who arejoining us for this welcoming viewers on a bbc news who are joining us for this conversation as well and i should say that there may be some distressing details that are uncovered during this conversation. emma, welcome to the programme. hello. hi. thank you so programme. hello. h . thank you so much for talking to me. firstly, can ijust ask a much for talking to me. firstly, can i just ask a question to you? it much for talking to me. firstly, can ijust ask a question to you? it has i just ask a question to you? it has obviously ijust ask a question to you? it has obviously been less than i just ask a question to you? it has obviously been less than a ijust ask a question to you? it has obviously been less than a year since barnaby was killed, how are you? how is yourfamily since barnaby was killed, how are you? how is your family coping? since barnaby was killed, how are you? how is yourfamily coping? i you? how is your family coping? i think every time i hear that sentence it makes me physically react. how are we doing? we are ok, holding on. we are really doing our best to throw everything that we

have got at this, but it is terribly difficult, as you can imagine. i can't imagine, actually. and i won't pretend to be able to, but thank you so much the talking to us. you have written this open letter, why have you written it now? i written this open letter, why have you written it now?— you written it now? i started ennin: you written it now? i started penning the _ you written it now? i started penning the letter _ you written it now? i started penning the letter once - you written it now? i started penning the letter once the l you written it now? i started - penning the letter once the dreadful details of the transcript were finally revealed to us at the end of february by the chief constable. i think what it is really important to clarify it as i have asked for this letter to be shown to the group of whatsapp officers privately and anonymously, i have not asked to see them, berate them, be in it room with them, but unfortunately that request has been denied to me by the chief constable. so i felt the contents of it, the manner of it, the handling of it and unfortunately the handling of it and unfortunately the national reputation of this kind of thing has to be addressed,

because if i did not say something publicly i would not be allowed to sit privately and it has to be something that we stop and reform. —— allowed to say it privately. we are not an isolated case. -- allowed to say it privately. we are not an isolated case.- -- allowed to say it privately. we are not an isolated case. were you civen a are not an isolated case. were you given a written _ are not an isolated case. were you given a written as _ are not an isolated case. were you given a written as to _ are not an isolated case. were you given a written as to why - are not an isolated case. were you given a written as to why that - given a written as to why that letter would not be passed on to the members of that whatsapp group? hot members of that whatsapp group? iirrt really, not a detailed letter. what we have heard back from the chief constable is saying i'm not able respond to anything that you have asked in regards to the whatsapp group. i mentioned this to a crime commissionerfor the group. i mentioned this to a crime commissioner for the east midlands and also when we met with members of the government and so everybody, as far as i have been able to, is aware, including the iopc, that i wanted to do this privately. however, i think the fact it came out publicly today, it is really

painful and difficult thing to decide to do. i hope i did the right thing, but by it being public, it will have others at work that perhaps it may educate them to think more of the human aspect when they are dealing with these awful type of crimes. i are dealing with these awful type of crimes. . ., ., , , crimes. i have warned our listeners and viewers — crimes. i have warned our listeners and viewers that _ crimes. i have warned our listeners and viewers that there _ crimes. i have warned our listeners and viewers that there may - crimes. i have warned our listeners and viewers that there may be - and viewers that there may be distressing content in this conversation, but i think it is important that we understand what was said in this whatsapp group that you are held privy to. would you mind telling whatever you're comfortable telling me? yes, the letter i comfortable telling me? yes, the letter i have _ comfortable telling me? yes, the letter i have written _ comfortable telling me? yes, the letter i have written is _ comfortable telling me? yes, the letter i have written is about - comfortable telling me? yes, the letter i have written is about two | letter i have written is about two pages long, i think it has been published online with the times, i'm not sure, so if anyone wants to read it that is where the whole detail is, but the salient and the saddest

part for me are the reference to two students have been properly butchered in the city centre, tonight, paramedics at the scene, trying to save them. and i'm sorry thatis trying to save them. and i'm sorry that is grotesque, and i'm sure it is unpalatable for many listeners and viewers, but maybe when you hear that kind of language you can understand the impact it had on us as families and why it is not acceptable in any way, shape or form. it isjust acceptable in any way, shape or form. it is just this respectful. acceptable in any way, shape or form. it isjust this respectful. i can only imagine the pain that brought to you.— can only imagine the pain that brought to you. yes, it is awful. this is a groun _ brought to you. yes, it is awful. this is a group of— brought to you. yes, it is awful. this is a group of officers, - brought to you. yes, it is awful. this is a group of officers, a - brought to you. yes, it is awful. | this is a group of officers, a shift group on whatsapp, and of course information will be shared and it is traumatic for anyone involved and i

respect that holy, but there is a right and wrong in how we conduct ourselves and that type of language particularly used against in this instance my son, and i'm speaking on behalf of barney because he cannot speak any more, i have to do it because it has to stop. it is not the first time, it probably won't be the first time, it probably won't be the last but it might make a bit of a difference. unfortunately, we have to reveal the shocking words to get the message across and the impact across. it the message across and the impact across. . . the message across and the impact across. , , , ., , across. it is interesting you use the phrase _ across. it is interesting you use the phrase gallows _ across. it is interesting you use the phrase gallows humour - across. it is interesting you use the phrase gallows humour and across. it is interesting you use - the phrase gallows humour and that in your mind it is not that. in no way to attempt to legitimise these comments and the pain and horror you have felt and feel. when people work in emergency services, there is a train of thought that to some extent they need to become dehumanised, to be able to do the job they do, so to

be able to do the job they do, so to be able to step away from the humanity of the job and deal with the horror in front of them, how do you reconcile that with those messages? i you reconcile that with those messages?— you reconcile that with those messages? i think it is about res - ect messages? i think it is about respect and _ messages? i think it is about respect and appropriate - messages? i think it is about - respect and appropriate language and i think, as i said, it refers to our children is almost slain animals in the street. i think it is compounded by again only fairly recently we were made aware a special constable had chosen for no reason whatsoever to use body cam footage of barney in the street and i don't need to elaborate on that any more, i work in the nhs and grace's parents are

both doctors, but when you lose respect for life i don't think you should be working in those services. do you think this is after the horrific event? irate do you think this is after the horrific event?— do you think this is after the horrific event? ~ . , horrific event? we have been denied detail so i don't _ horrific event? we have been denied detail so i don't want _ horrific event? we have been denied detail so i don't want to _ horrific event? we have been denied detail so i don't want to speculate, l detail so i don't want to speculate, and i can only hope and pray that everybody unseen did absolutely everything they could to save our children and i'm sure they would, why wouldn't they? i can't imagine how dreadful it must have been for the responders first on the scene, but the person who wrote this message, i think it is important to say is not the one officer he was named and shamed so publicly at the end ofjanuary, which was named and shamed so publicly at the end of january, which was the named and shamed so publicly at the end ofjanuary, which was the friday before the end of january, which was the friday before the sentencing end ofjanuary, which was the friday before the sentencing of end of january, which was the friday before the sentencing of valdo calocane. this individual that wrote

this language which was unwisely shared by another officer has had a management intervention, so i guess he has had a telling off and may be a warning letter, we don't know any more than that, but i don't feel thatis more than that, but i don't feel that is enough or appropriate. why not do it more competitively and publicly? if you're going to be publicly? if you're going to be public with one, it is obviously a wider group of officers involved. the chief constable, her son was in that whatsapp group and the reason i say this is again not to, and i note your intention and you have made very clear as not to vilify any individuals but to change the culture, but knowing there is the son of a chief constable who was part of this whatsapp group and privy to this language, what does that tell you about the culture in nottinghamshire police? i

that tell you about the culture in nottinghamshire police?- that tell you about the culture in nottinghamshire police? i think it is fairly public— nottinghamshire police? i think it is fairly public knowledge - nottinghamshire police? i think it is fairly public knowledge that - nottinghamshire police? i think it is fairly public knowledge that i i is fairly public knowledge that i can speak for the other families too that we do not have faith in the leadership of nottinghamshire police force was that we are not criticising every member of staff because i'm sure the vast majority work very hard and do an amazing job but this is another seriously poor reflection on decision—making and communication. it is of no interest to me really where there kate meynell�*s it son was in and out of the group, whether he was on holiday or wasn't, there is a duty of conduct if any officer becomes aware of misconduct from another office that they should report it. we asked that they should report it. we asked that question and we have not been told if anyone in the group did. there was a lot of unanswered questions and it is all with the iopc and i know that has been