this is bbc news — these are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world. the first shipment of us military aid arrives in ukraine overnight following frank talks over russia troop build—up at the border. a british conservative mp has accused downing street of trying to blackmail politicians seeking to oust the prime minister is to meet police to discuss his allegations. a week after tonga was devastated by a volcanic eruption and tsunami humanitarian aid begins to reach the tens of thousands of people affected. impact of rising energy prices and an urgent call for the uk government to intervene to help

business and households manage spiralling bills. arnold schwarzenegger is involved in a multi—vehicle pile—up in los angeles. one person is in hospital but not thought to be seriously injured. welcome whether you're watching in the uk or around the world. good to have your company. we begin in the ukraine with the us has delivered its first shipment of military aid says are 90 tonnes of legal aid, words which don't often get said together. the details are not public but this is what it looks like. a planeload arrived in the early hours of saturday morning. the crates being unloaded are clearly too small to contain tanks or armoured

vehicles but the box plasma contents, though unknown, is thought to be ammunition. russia has sent military hardware to the region. these pictures show fighter plane setting off for belarus which has its southern border with ukraine. to take part in military exercises there. all this comes after the high—level talks between the us secretary of state and rush up as mac foreign minister on friday. over the tensions in ukraine. tens thousands of russian troops are currently camped near the border. the threat of conflict persists. as president putin continues his apparent drive for a new post—cold war settlement. ukraine is proving the biggest foreign policy test for president biden since us troops left afghanistan. he's left the white house for camp david this weekend to meet his national security team and secretary of state antony blinken, who himself is returning

from three days of crisis diplomacy. those ended in talks with his russian counterpart in geneva, which frankly didn't get very far. what i think is possible is a negotiation with russia on some new security architecture, for your model eras, the inf agreement of the 80s, under which intermediate and short—range missiles were banned. if the russian issue is the risk in the future of nato missiles on the russian border sitting in ukraine, that would take that away. but of course, it would mean the russians, too, had to withdraw weapons. in the meantime, ukraine hasjust received from the us 90 tonnes of what america calls lethal aid,

including ammunition for ukraine's front line forces. washington says it's helping ukraine bolster its defences in the face of growing russian aggression. russia denies an invasion is on the cards, but has 100,000 russian troops near ukraine's border in potential threatening positions, as this map shows, as putin asks that ukraine be stopped from joining nato, that nato remove its troops or weapons from countries who joined the alliance after 1997, and that nato abandon military exercises in eastern europe. as russia sticks to its guns, how could the west respond? i would apply sanctions now, and offer to lift them if russia does not invade. i would be sending much greater amounts of armaments and trainers to ukraine so they can best defend themselves. i would put us and other allied nato forces further forward into the baltic states and poland as a deterrent, and as a statement of resolve.

and also, ships into the black sea. for now, though, things remain relatively quiet on the western front as both sides seek a diplomatic way forward. the russians are now going to await, i think, written answers _ from the united states on their two treaties that they've proposed - with demands which the us - and the nato countries won't accept, but they've agreed to meet again, so we can just hope that _ diplomacy continues. russia sparked this diplomatic conflict. this week, the us showed it's keen to resolve it peacefully. but it remains unclear how far both sides are prepared to go to placate the other. a conservative mp and former soldier who chairs the foreign affairs

committee told the bbc the uk should be ready to give ukraine financial support to prepare for a possible invasion. yellow mug we are seeing 100,000 russian troops surrounding ukraine on three sides, a slightly strange shape. it is not exactly regular. and to, what that means, is that they are threatening the ukrainian people over a number of issues and this is an idle threat. in 2014 russian troops invaded and annexed crimea and have done the same to other regions in the south—east. now, the danger is, of course, that changing borders by force, 2014 was the first time it was done since the second world war. really does stir up fears and many other countries including countries that are members of nato and border countries like estonia, lithuania and poland. the uk's involvement has

been extremely important. these weapons are not aggressive weapons. so they're not the sort of thing that you could use to invade any other country but they are extremely capable of disabling and destroying armour so tanks and armoured personnel carriers and things like that like the russian army may use if they were to invade and that is a very important contribution. the uk has also supplied trainers who are going to be going out there or indeed may already be out there in order to help ukrainian forces defend themselves and i think this is a very important contribution but i would like to see all of us going further because one of the things thatis further because one of the things that is delaying the ability of the ukrainian people to mobilise their armed forces to be ready for any such invasion is that of course that has a huge affect on any country's economy if you take hundreds of thousands of people out of the workforce in order to stand guard it will have a real impact on jobs workforce in order to stand guard it will have a real impact onjobs in other sectors.

will have a real impact onjobs in othersectors. let's will have a real impact onjobs in other sectors. let's take a closer look now at the arms build—up. as allies try to offer notjust diplomatic but military reassurance the us has sent 90 tonnes of what it calls lethal aid to ukraine. there are not many details about what the ship and includes apart from ammunition and it was known that they intending to supply ukrainian troops with. the british have provided short—range missiles and a short delete mac small team of british troops will be sent to train the ukrainians in the use of those missiles. three baltic members have sent missiles in the us missiles. close by on the other side of ukraine's borders with russia, it has deployed more than 100,000 troops with some also to the north of ukraine and belarus. it is thought to be tens of thousands of armoured vehicles, tanks and artillery units. let's get back to the roots of this conflict. a profession of russian and european politics and author front line

ukraine spoke to me a little earlier and gave me some historical background. not a decade, i would say it goes back at least until 1990, and the discussions about nato enlargement at the time of german unification. and basically, moscow considered that it was betrayed. endless promises at that time that nato would not move one edge to the east, seem to have been forgotten, not only that, the fact that these statements were made, which are in black and white at the national security archives, is denied in the west. so moscow feels a grievance. now, why it's come to a head, is that putin basically says, enough is enough, that georgia and ukrainejoining nato would simply be a security threat of the highest order, and they've got nowhere else to retreat, he actually said that. so that's why it's particularly come to a head. he said, basically, let's sort this out once and for all now. he says it, but the ukrainians, he is saying it was a gun held to their

head. if you mobilise 100,000 troops that close to the border, you're sending a message, aren't you? absolutely. you may criticise the message. just one contextualisation of that, the ukrainians have 100,000 troops, as well, along the border with the so—called donbass republic, so a... but that used to be part ukraine until not that long ago. absolutely, certainly part of ukraine, but if you recall, the minsk agreement of 2015, ukraine and sat in the west six years to sort it out, basically, absolutely, they should return, that was the idea, to ukrainian sovereignty but with a certain amount of devolution. to british politics and the conservative backbencher accused westminster blackmail. he said he

was beaten metropolitan police detectives in the house of commons early in the week after requesting a meeting with the force. number ten said it had not seen any proof of the behaviour he has alleged. the conservative mp in charge of the foreign affairs select committee says he does not recognise voted against the government on occasions when i thought it right and i have to say, i have always had and i have to say, i have always had a very close relationship with the chief whip and indeed with the whip so i am waiting to hear more about this because it is not something i have seen or been told about. the labour mp — have seen or been told about. the labour mp who chairs the parliamentary committee on standards and he gave his reaction. i parliamentary committee on standards and he gave his reaction.— and he gave his reaction. i must've soken to and he gave his reaction. i must've spoken to about _ and he gave his reaction. i must've spoken to about a _ and he gave his reaction. i must've spoken to about a dozen _ and he gave his reaction. i must've spoken to about a dozen tory - and he gave his reaction. i must've spoken to about a dozen tory in . and he gave his reaction. i must've| spoken to about a dozen tory in the last few_ spoken to about a dozen tory in the last few days who have made similar allegations about whips either offering to withdraw financial

surmort — offering to withdraw financial support for their constituencies either— support for their constituencies either from the political party, so, for campaigning, orfortheir for campaigning, or for their constituents so, for campaigning, orfortheir constituents so, you know, by partisan — constituents so, you know, by partisan schools and hospitals and so on _ partisan schools and hospitals and so on 0r— partisan schools and hospitals and so on. or saying get something if they vote — so on. or saying get something if they vote the right way. it is those claims around _ they vote the right way. it is those claims around blackmail _ they vote the right way. it is those claims around blackmail which - they vote the right way. it is those claims around blackmail which he l they vote the right way. it is those l claims around blackmailwhich he is claims around blackmail which he is looking into. thank you very much for talking to us this morning. you say you are investigating. how can one investigate allegations of this kind which involve often conversations rather than any written evidence and often by their nature don't actually involve what one would call a kind of supportive witness. .. ., . , witness. the fact that evidence is in the form _ witness. the fact that evidence is in the form of _ witness. the fact that evidence is in the form of witness _ witness. the fact that evidence is in the form of witness testimony | witness. the fact that evidence is l

in the form of witness testimony is nothing surprising if you are a lawyer. you know, in most criminal cases, you are not talking about situations where somebody has written a confession or there is video footage of them necessarily having done it. it is all about this kind of evidence. chris bryant said he had spoken to about one dozen people who have told him this has happened and he would no doubt have been asked by the police to give those names to the police. i know that the editor of the conservative home is written about a number of conversations that he has had about practices of this nature. i am not an investigator, i'm not pretending to be an investigator but the notion that there is no evidence out there if you care to look for it, ijust don't think stand—up. in if you care to look for it, i 'ust don't think stand-up. in terms of the specific _ don't think stand-up. in terms of the specific allegations _ don't think stand-up. in terms of the specific allegations that - don't think stand-up. in terms of the specific allegations that have j the specific allegations that have been made one now former conservative mp has said that he was told if you don't vote a certain way money will not be forthcoming for your constituency. the government

responds seems to be we don't have the power to do these things. effectively they are kind of employed just to persuade mps to go and vote on the right way, they're not ministers and departments. they are not official is dispersing money. that is the reality of situation. until someone can provide evidence that funding stops for something following a vote you don't really have a case, do you? weill. really have a case, do you? well, there were _ really have a case, do you? well, there were two _ really have a case, do you? well, there were two discrete _ really have a case, do you? well, there were two discrete issues i really have a case, do you? ii there were two discrete issues here. there is an issue about over vigorous whipping and that issue about over vigorous whipping does have very important constitutional implications in our constitution parliament is supreme and whipping really is about transferring the power of parliament into the hands of ministers, into the hands of the executors, lawyers would call it. and that is a real problem. the question you put to me is a different question. and basically

what you are suggesting to me is that, when whips make these threats to mps, that funding will be withdrawn from constituency parties they are fundamentally making it up. white marketers an empty threat? well, they are making a threat that they know will not be carried through. and i think i would accept that if these threats are made without the tacit consent of ministers then they are unlikely to be misconduct in public office. there might be some other type of wrong but the party political whipping operation isn't misconduct. on the other hand, i find that a slightly odd proposition. i don't have any direct evidence that ministers have directed whips to do

this but ministers read the papers like you and i do, these reports have been around for many, many months. we read them in connection with owen paterson in the town �*s fund. we have read the mail the connections in there as well. we read them connection, with example, free school meals. now, i think that, if this stuff was not happening with tacit consent of ministers you would have expected ministers you would have expected ministers to have told the whips stop doing it and given that whips whip list as you would expect that. it is absolutely right. i do not have direct evidence that whips are doing this with the consent or at the direction of ministers. but i'm not an investigator. and if you look at what happened. i am not an investigator. and if you look at what happened.— at what happened. i am sorry. we will have to _ at what happened. i am sorry. we will have to leave _ at what happened. i am sorry. we will have to leave it _ at what happened. i am sorry. we will have to leave it there. - at what happened. i am sorry. we will have to leave it there. thankl will have to leave it there. thank you very much. good to speak to you. thank you for your time. one of those would doubtless be a story we

hear more about. interesting to see what comes out of the meeting with police. tonga �*s clean—up continues the help of foreign aid one week after the volcanic eruption and tsunami devastated the island. the united nations says tonga will depend on the emergency food supplies for some time because of the impact of last weekend �*s under c bulk and corruptible debate has been arriving from sea and air from australia, new zealand the uk and japan. we have the latest on work to connect an undersea communication table as well as the international humanitarian aid effort. communications cable was damaged a week ago during that undersea volcanic eruption and the tsunami waves it triggered. it is among a raft of catastrophic damage to property and infrastructure and, as you say, aid coming in from many many countries led by australia and new zealand. water is a significant

issue. many water supplies were contaminated by that blanket of ash that rained down on this pacific nation of about 105,000 people and this will be an international aid effort like no other. authorities in tonga are introducing very strict disease control measures because tonga hasjust disease control measures because tonga has just recorded disease control measures because tonga hasjust recorded only disease control measures because tonga has just recorded only one known coronavirus case since the pandemic began so clearly does not want to recover from one disaster by inviting another in so what they are doing is foreign aid workers, in order to go into the country, will have to adhere to three weeks of isolation. if you look in other parts of the pacific, in recent days, an island with a population the same as tonga was covid free but now is going into lockdown as is samoa so the authorities in tonga are being very careful as that international aid continues to roll

in. ., �* , ., in. five of the uk's leading business — in. five of the uk's leading business organisations - in. five of the uk's leadingl business organisations have in. five of the uk's leading - business organisations have called on the government to support businesses and consumers who pay spiralling energy bills. they have written to the chancellor demanding urgent action to tackle the crisis. the treasury says it is helping families of £12 billion. signatories include the british chamber of commerce and claire walker is executive director. shejoins commerce and claire walker is executive director. she joins us now. welcome to bbc news. what exactly is it that you think the government needs to effectively. let me rephrase the question, what we do think the government could effectively intervene to mitigate the impact of something which, after all, is a global problem. the wholesale — all, is a global problem. the wholesale price _ all, is a global problem. the wholesale price of— all, is a global problem. tie: wholesale price of gas. all, is a global problem. tte: wholesale price of gas. i all, is a global problem. t"t2 wholesale price of gas. i think all, is a global problem. tt2 wholesale price of gas. i think we first of all need to look at what impact this could be on the economy and the impact is twofold. first of

all you have the impact of business is also getting this price rise and they are going to have to pass on those costs to consumers. businesses have already been hit with white big inflationary rises around page, round supply chain and around shipping said this will be an additional cost on top of that. and the other risk to the economy is about consumers. consumers are rightly worried about what this price rise will mean for them and that may well mean that there is less consumer spending. which could impact, you know, really quite fragile economy as we come out of covid. so there is a double impact there for economy and i think the chancellor needs to get business and the energy sector round the table to discuss what we are going to do for the medium term but appears also got other leavers that he could play. so he could look at reducing other increases coming down the track such as the national insurance rise in

april. t as the national insurance rise in aril. ., , as the national insurance rise in aril. . , , as the national insurance rise in aril. ., , , ~ as the national insurance rise in aril. . , , ,, ., april. i mean, this is the kind of the critical _ april. i mean, this is the kind of the critical point _ april. i mean, this is the kind of the critical point i _ april. i mean, this is the kind of the critical point i suppose. - april. i mean, this is the kind of the critical point i suppose. it i april. i mean, this is the kind of the critical point i suppose. it is| the critical point i suppose. it is not so much the energy bills themselves that they are a product of circumstances which are beyond our control as we used to say whether it is a breakdown in the picture at the bbc. this is circumstances you are talking about which are very much in the chancellor �*s control which is the levels at which you tax and in truth this is what you're asking for, isn't it? a reduction in the business taxes to compensate a bit for some price rises that you can't do anything about. t do for some price rises that you can't do anything about.— for some price rises that you can't do anything about. i do think there are levers that _ do anything about. i do think there are levers that we _ do anything about. i do think there are levers that we could _ do anything about. i do think there are levers that we could control. are levers that we could control within the energy sector and i think we do need to plan for the medium term. i think there are things that can be done. i think we've seen a really difficult winter with lots of energy companies going into liquidation. there are things that could be done to build a stronger and more resilient sector and that needs to be done in partnership sector but there is, you're

absolutely right, another issue which is that the cost of doing business is increasing and also the cost of living is increasing for consumers and that is definitely within the control of the chancellor and there are definitely things that can be done but the overall impact is real. ., ~' , ., , can be done but the overall impact is real. ., ,, i. , . can be done but the overall impact is real. ., ~ ,, , . ., is real. thank you very much for our is real. thank you very much for your time _ is real. thank you very much for your time this _ is real. thank you very much for your time this saturday. - is real. thank you very much for your time this saturday. let - is real. thank you very much for your time this saturday. let me | your time this saturday. let me bring you breaking news. this is coming out of a newsagency and it is actually reporting british defence sources who say that ben wallace, the defence secretary, is to meet his russian counterpart to discuss the current situation in ukraine. interesting in the context of britain having agreed a military treaty with ukraine in the last month or two months which has led to something very real and concrete, the delivery of weapons, anti—aircraft weapons and the training which is to be supplied by british troops who are due to be in

ukraine to train ukrainian troops. ben wallace will meet his russian counterpart. no indication of how off when whether it is a virtual meeting face—to—face we will bring you more as soon as we get it. police in the united states have described the death of a british man from a stray bullet is a senseless act. the 31—year—old astrophysicist was killed while he lay bed during a trip to atlanta. simonjones has this. killed in what officers are describing as a random and senseless act. matthew wilson was in bed last sunday beside his girlfriend, pictured in this image released by police. he was hit in the head by a bullet fired from a neighbouring block of flats. he bullet fired from a neighbouring block of flats.— bullet fired from a neighbouring block of flats. he had 'ust arrived in the atlanta h block of flats. he had 'ust arrived in the atlanta area _ block of flats. he had 'ust arrived in the atlanta area to _ block of flats. he had just arrived in the atlanta area to visit - block of flats. he had just arrived in the atlanta area to visit his - in the atlanta area to visit his girlfriend. they were laying down for bed that night when they heard the gunfire erupted. and what appears right now, a stray bullet entered the exterior wall to their apartment and struck him. this is a very tragic incident. our victim of

someone who was completely innocent. had no involvement whatsoever with the individuals that were involved in the reckless discharging of their firearms. ., . ., ., , , firearms. police have initially been recalled to the _ firearms. police have initially been recalled to the area _ firearms. police have initially been recalled to the area following - recalled to the area following reports that shots were being fired into the air. they then received a second call from matthew wilson's girlfriend saying he had been hit. in a brief statement, the foreign office here in london said it was supporting the family of a british man following his death in the united states. it added that it was in contact with the authorities over there. matthew wilson was a former phd student at the university of exeter. is he was a much loved member of our astrophysics team. the police and the us are offering a reward for information. no arrests have been made but officers say they are determined to put those responsible injail. simonjones, responsible in jail. simon jones, bbc responsible injail. simonjones,

bbc news. early please say a four vehicle crash which occurred on friday afternoon left one person with injuries which are not thought to be life—threatening. arnold schwarzenegger said to be uninjured and the police have ruled out drugs and the police have ruled out drugs and alcohol. the crash remains under investigation. the fbi says the boyfriend of the blogger gabby petito, who was murdered in september, admitted responsibility for killing her in his diary. brian laundrie shot himself after gabby was found in a camping ground in wyoming. she had been strangled. the couple had been on a cross—country road trip. brian's body was later found near his parent's home in florida. the fbi says he had earlier tried to fool the authorities into thinking gabby was still alive — and that the case is now closed. from today, almost all coronavirus restrictions are being lifted in the republic of ireland. a social distancing measures and limits on gatherings will be scrapped, while workers will return to offices on a staggered basis. an 8pm curfew for restaurants, bars,

cafes and pubs will also be lifted. hearing a former olympic champion will head up a new government body to encourage walking and cycling. based in york and will try to improve infrastructure for walkers. getting from a to b on foot or by bike is good for our health and the environment but how good is our infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists? the issue is being given cash by the government and cloud from the former olympic cyclist chris boardman. the gold medallist is to become interim commissioner of the government body active travel england. it has been set up to encourage walking and cycling by inspecting the standards of local

highways, ensuring major planning applications caterfor highways, ensuring major planning applications cater for pedestrians and cyclists and funding projects to improve air quality. the government has also announced today that it is spending £3 million on improving cycling infrastructure are bound train stations including secure cycle parking facilities. and £300,000 to subsidise each cargo delivery bikes for small businesses. this is all part of the £2 billion funding it has already pledged towards cycling and walking schemes over a five year period. the question is how far that will go on improving infrastructure enough to make or cycling safe and practical travel options across the country. adults living with obesity in england are now being offered extra weight loss support from community pharmacists. before now patient had to be seen a gp. the scheme is estimated to help the estimated one in four of us who are obese. my

guess is from the national pharmacy association. yellow mac pharmacy is willing and able to provide the services. we willing and able to provide the services. ~ ~ ., ., , services. we know that people losing weiaht services. we know that people losing wei . ht can services. we know that people losing weight can have _ services. we know that people losing weight can have a _ services. we know that people losing weight can have a profound - services. we know that people losing weight can have a profound effect - services. we know that people losing weight can have a profound effect on | weight can have a profound effect on well—being and by helping them to lose that weight we can help reduce the risk of cancer, strokes, heart disease so losing weight is absolutely essential thing for people to do and obviously we are in january right now people are thinking about it as well as a really encouraging people to come into their pharmacies and have a chat with us and hopefully we can refer you want this programme if you are eligible and you can get that tailored help that you need to make them sustainable life changes. time for a look at — them sustainable life changes. time for a look at the _ them sustainable life changes. time for a look at the weather. _ them sustainable life changes. time for a look at the weather. here is louise. a fairly straight forward where the story to tell at the moment with high—pressure dominating and keeping things very quiet indeed. the difference through this weekend, though, it is not going to be quite as cold as it has been and thatis be quite as cold as it has been and that is because there is more cloud around. we did have quite a sunny morning across the east but as we go through the afternoon, the cloud

will tend to develop and push a little bit further inland. the cloud as they can have a spotter to have drizzle in the west and this is where we will see the highest temperatures. elsewhere, after that bright start, we peaking at 709. through the evening there is a risk of some breaks in the cloud. temperatures will fall away and we will see patchy mist and fog forming but largely cloudy skies holding those temperatures at which means a great start to our sunday morning but acquired when continuing. the winds will strengthen the far north—west as we go through the afternoon perhaps gusting to go force by the end of the day but temperatures are peaking between six and nine celsius. take care. hello this is bbc news. the headlines. the first shipment of us military aid has — the first shipment of us military aid has arrived in kyiv overnight. trelics— aid has arrived in kyiv overnight. talks between the us secretary of

state on freddie. moscow has denied he is going to invade. he seeks and will make police this week to discuss his investigations. and humanitarian aid has begun to reach the tens of thousands of people affected by the tsunami in tonga. the new zealand navy is providing 250,000 litres of water and is shipped with the desalination plant. five of the uk leading business groups has called on the government to support consumers facing spiralling energy bills. arnold schwarzenegger walked unharmed from a multi—vehicle pile—up in los angeles on friday afternoon and one person is in hospital but their injuries are not thought to be life—threatening. now on bbc news...it�*s time for click. this week, it is pure

box office. we will find out how to buy into the latest blockchain