this is bbc news — welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. our top stories... after dramatic scenes in the us house of representatives, the republican kevin mccarthy is finally elected speaker — at the fifteenth attempt. it's not how you start it's how you finish, and now we need to finish strong for the american people. the uk's prime minister is holding talks with health officials in an attempt tackle the ongoing challenges facing the nhs. a six—year—old boy has shot and injured his school teacher in the us state of virginia, in what police say was not an accidental shooting. president zelensky welcomes the announcment of us military vehicles, as putin's unilateral ceasfire appears to have had little effect on the front line.

iran hangs two men for allegedly killing a security official during anti—government protests. and it's a huge weekend for the technology industry as the annual consumer electronics show gets under way in las vegas. kevin mccarthy has been elected speaker of the us house of representatives after heated exchanges which almost saw fellow republicans come to blows. it took four days, 15 votes, and numerous concessions, but the 20 or so rebels within his own party were eventually persuaded. sancha berg reports. after more than four

days, it was over... ..of which the honourable i kevin mccarthy of the state of california has received 216. cheering and applause ..to cheers from republicans in the house. chanting: usa! usa! usa! the democrat leader, hakeem jeffries, handed over the gavel. . .. kevin mccarthy. cheering and applause ..to the new speaker's clear relief. that was easy, huh? laughter i never thought we'd get up here. this should have been a straightforward process, after republicans won a slim majority in the house last year. it usually takes just one ballot. not this time. a speaker has not been elected... a speaker has not been elected... it took 15 ballots because right—wing republicans refused to vote for their own party leader. after arm—twisting and promises, some shifted. but this process, and the concessions granted to break the deadlock, mean problems most likely lie ahead. basic functions of government — like funding the government, like,

you know, having basic rules for how bills become a law — all of that's going to stop as well. so we're going to see a lot of problems going forward. it's two years since the capitol came under attack. the problems now are part donald trump's legacy — his supporters, the ones who've delayed this vote. sanchia berg, bbc news. i'm joined now by thomas gift in washington dc. he is the director of the centre on us politics at univesity college london. kantian thanks very much for being with us. tell us more about the compromises that kevin mccarthy's made to his opponents and what it will mean for him in the party. it is great to be with you, samantha. thanks so much. you know, there is still a lot that we don't know that exactly the concessions kevin mccarthy has offered to the rebels and that's in large part because republicans have been fairly tight—lipped about this but certainly one of the big concessions that the entire mccarthy camp have been trying to extract and that they

did so successfully was to bust up some of the consolidation at the top that devolve more power into the hands of the individual members and one of the key ways that they have done that is by making it easier to topple the speaker position so essentially now what rank—and—file members can do is going to be able to call a snap vote on mccarthy's this speakership and that merely by virtue of that fact alone, i think that significantly weakens the position that kevin mccarthy has going for him. position that kevin mccarthy has going for him-— position that kevin mccarthy has going for him. kevin mccarthy was endorsed by _ going for him. kevin mccarthy was endorsed by donald _ going for him. kevin mccarthy was endorsed by donald trump, - going for him. kevin mccarthy was endorsed by donald trump, was . going for him. kevin mccarthy wasj endorsed by donald trump, was in constant close contact with him. as were some of his opponents. just explain it to us. if the opponents also support trump and he supports trump, what was the problem and what does that mean about trump and his impact on the party now? it is a really key question because essentially trump acolytes for some of the keep figures opposing kevin mccarthy but tom himself is one of

the figures opposing kevin mccarthy and it really shows some of these figures are notjust trump any money does reveal the limits of trump's power and a bigeye irony as it involved a fringe group of hard right republicans observing their power in the aftermath of the election and their entire band was largely repudiated by others internationally. it largely repudiated by others internationally.— largely repudiated by others internationally. largely repudiated by others internationall . , ., internationally. it is one thing we can say about _ internationally. it is one thing we can say about the _ internationally. it is one thing we can say about the 2022 _ internationally. it is one thing we j can say about the 2022 midterms internationally. it is one thing we i can say about the 2022 midterms of that election desires, ultra mag types and in a 26th apologist did not do well at the polls much to the chagrin of donald trump and hit a small number of republicans haven't been put off from asserting their cloud and it almost seems that they have been emboldened. what cloud and it almost seems that they have been emboldened.— cloud and it almost seems that they have been emboldened. what does it mean to mccarthy — have been emboldened. what does it mean to mccarthy that _ have been emboldened. what does it mean to mccarthy that they - have been emboldened. what does it mean to mccarthy that they have - have been emboldened. what does it mean to mccarthy that they have to l mean to mccarthy that they have to agree that any of the 135 members of the house can now vote to get rid of him? it

the house can now vote to get rid of him? , . ., ., the house can now vote to get rid of him? , ., , ., ., , him? it is a good question. it does ut in a him? it is a good question. it does put in a straitjacket _ him? it is a good question. it does put in a straitjacket but _ him? it is a good question. it does put in a straitjacket but it - him? it is a good question. it does put in a straitjacket but it is - put in a straitjacket but it is possible to overestimate the degree to which this puts republicans in a bind over the next two years. conventional wisdom of the mccarthy and his colleagues have been hamstrung out of the gates and that they will have difficulty governing as a result but it is important to remember, samantha, that governing was never really part of the plan, or at least not legislating and passing laws and trying to reach compromise with democrats. instead, what we've been promised is pure obstructionism and looking it investigations a hunter biden's laptop, of of covid—19, a crisis at us— mexico border, afghanistan, and it is clear to see republicans down the line are not fully united around that. if it is one thing that can bring the pro—and anti—mccarthy camps together it is to try and humiliate the white house and democrats more generally so while i do think that the speaker has embarrassed republicans and significantly weaken mccarthy, it is possible to overstate the downstream implications for how the party will operate on capital hill.—

operate on capital hill. really interesting — operate on capital hill. really interesting to _ operate on capital hill. really interesting to get _ operate on capital hill. really interesting to get your - operate on capital hill. really i interesting to get your analysis. thank you. here in the uk, the prime minister, health secretary, and ministers from the treasury are meeting health experts in downing street to try to tackle the ongoing challenges facing the nhs in england. with record waits for ambulances dropping patients off at a&e, and reports of patients spending days on trolleys because of a lack of beds, senior doctors say the health service is on a knife edge. our correspondent sean dilley reports. how bad is the nhs crisis? it's a good question. what difference will today make? and there's another, that the health secretary steve barclay and ministers could be asked by those attending. on the front line, the pressures are clear. we've come in to 31 patients on the corridor and four patients on ambulances. there are 85 patients awaiting a medical bed, so these are patients that they've been seen in a&e and been seen by the medical doctors and are deemed to need to stay in. they need further care

on a medical ward. unfortunately, there aren't any medical beds available. the whiston hospital in merseyside is not alone — it's a similar picture across the country. strike action and high levels of covid and flu are contributing to the pressures. 17 million people in england are waiting for non—urgent operations. the government says it's called today's meetings to tackle the most crucial challenges. its four areas of focus will be gp services, emergency care, waiting lists and delays in discharging patients into social care. today's talks have been called by the government and are being led by the prime minister. health leaders, clinicians and medical experts are among those attending. but one of today's attendees, the health secretary steve barclay, is preparing for more talks on monday. he's meeting union leaders to discuss next year's pay settlement, but they say they're still unhappy with this year's. they want to talk about the future and they want to talk about this in broad terms.

we'll, of course, go to the meeting and make the case for nursing in all forums. but it's sadly not what's going to prevent the strike action that's planned for ten days' time. today, though, the government says it wants to focus on unwarranted variations in performance in different areas, but senior doctors have been warning for some time that the nhs as a whole has been operating on a knife edge. sean dilley, bbc news. let's return to the news that the uk prime minister will hold emergency can get more from damian grammaticas. what you think we can expect from today's meeting? labour site is too little too late despite liberal democrats eight is too little too late, labour said it is a talking shop. it little too late, labour said it is a talking shop-— talking shop. it might galvanise thins but talking shop. it might galvanise things but it — talking shop. it might galvanise things but it is _ talking shop. it might galvanise things but it is difficult - talking shop. it might galvanise things but it is difficult to - talking shop. it might galvanise things but it is difficult to know| things but it is difficult to know more than that because this is a sort of strategy and managerial meeting from chiefs and bosses around the health sector to look at

ways they can make it more efficient and that is really going to address the current crisis in the one thing they could do if there is a weight of perhaps free up some funds to put into something like social care, care from the elderly for people have been discharged from hospitals to make sure that staff and being haemorrhaged from those institutions and therefore there's space there to free up hospital beds, put people into that care and, therefore, the whole system gets eased up but will not sure were going to get anything like that. we know the prime minister will be talking tomorrow. he's got interviews lined up tomorrow so he may well seek to tell us what has come from this but in the meantime, the really big dominant problem he faces as this, sort of, political one. the choices he is facing about money being put into the health service. the unions, the staff are demoralised. he says they're overworked, underpaid. the current payday loan they got, way

below inflation, they say is not enough. that is why they are on strike because the government does not want to talk about more money this year. the only thing it's prepared to talk about is what might happen next year and the staff, the union saying not good enough, they are going on strike. haifa union saying not good enough, they are going on strike.— are going on strike. how much of a olitical are going on strike. how much of a political issue _ are going on strike. how much of a political issue is _ are going on strike. how much of a political issue is this _ are going on strike. how much of a political issue is this an _ are going on strike. how much of a political issue is this an nhs - political issue is this an nhs crisis for a conservative government that have been in powerfor more than a decade? that have been in power for more than a decade?— that have been in power for more than a decade? well, i think it's a difficult one. _ than a decade? well, i think it's a difficult one. obviously, - than a decade? well, i think it's a difficult one. obviously, the - than a decade? well, i think it's a difficult one. obviously, the crisisj difficult one. obviously, the crisis that hospital say they're facing, those huge issues with delays, delays getting people into care, what we've seen elderly are saying perhaps hundreds of people could be dying every week because of the delays getting them to hospital. in that sense, the pressure on the system is a really itchy one and it's a big political problems of the government but, at the same time, what it says is that it faces this sort of need to balance between those current issues and the wider economic problems, the difficulties it says, you know, following on from covid—19, the crisis in the war in

ukraine, the budgetary pressures it's under, and then it has a balancing act there to do and it's trying to tackle inflation, cost of living pressures, so it finds itself, sort of, caught in a bind ever to �*s very difficult political one for vet and at this point in time is when the most acute pressures of air on the health service vault assay.— pressures of air on the health service vault assay. ok, damien at downin: service vault assay. ok, damien at downing street. _ service vault assay. ok, damien at downing street. thank _ service vault assay. ok, damien at downing street. thank you. - a six—year—old boy has shot and wounded a teacher at a school in the us state of virginia. police say the teacher — a woman in her 30s — suffered serious injuries in an altercation at richneck elementary school in the city of newport news. mechelle hankerson, the news director at whro public media in virginia has been following the story. we know the six—year—old child is in custody. we also know that the teacher has life—threatening injuries, but they are being treated for that, but nothing else has come from the police department.

i think parents are scared, especially initially in some facebook groups, community facebook groups, parents were seeing, you know, a bunch of emergency vehicles all racing towards the school, going towards there, and, obviously, it takes a little bit of time to communicate what is going on, so i think there was a lot of fear especially considering we, our area of virginia just experienced a mass shooting in november. soi so i think that was the immediate fear. i think we might get more information monday about potential charges. the child is in custody. the other aspect of this is that in virginia we have a child access prevention law meaning that essentially adults who allow a child to use a firearm, if the firearm isn't kept safely for some reason they give a child a firearm to use

in an uncontrolled environment, that adults can face a criminal charge and jail time, adults can face a criminal charge and jailtime, so i'm adults can face a criminal charge and jail time, so i'm anticipating that we might get some more information about that. president zelensky has welcomed a decision by the us to supply ukraine with armoured fighting vehicles for the first time. he said they were exactly what the country needed. the americans will also provide surface—to—air missiles, armoured personnel carriers and artillery systems under a package of assistance worth more than three billion dollars. it follows a decision by germany to give ukraine a0 armoured troop carriers. this all comes as ukrainians celebrate orthodox christmas, the bbc�*s hugo bachega is in kyiv. of virginia just experienced a mass shooting in november. millions of people across the country are celebrating orthodox christmas, one of the most important days in the ukrainian calendar, and this is an important day here, at kyiv�*s pechersk lavra monastery. millions of people across the country are celebrating orthodox

christmas, one of the most important days in the ukrainian calendar, and this is an important day here, at kyiv�*s pechersk lavra monastery. this is the seat of the ukrainian orthodox church, which has ties to russia, and today for the first time in history the christmas service here is being led by leaders of the orthodox church of ukraine, which is an independent church. it gained independence four years ago. so this is a moment that is being celebrated here as a very significant moment. some people have said that this is a christmas miracle. some people who are here today told us they believe this is the day that is marking ukraine's independence from the russian church. this day is obviously happening as the war continues. president putin announced a unilateral ceasefire to allow people, in his words, to celebrate orthodox christmas in parts of the country where fighting is happening. now some ukrainian officials say that russian forces have continued to attack ukrainian positions in some parts of the country, especially in the east of the country, and the ukrainian authorities had dismissed this announcement by president putin as cynical propaganda, but i think

for those gathered here today, this is a moment of reflection, to mark an important day, orthodox christmas. hugo bachega. the majority of train services across britain will not run today, as rail workers from the rmt union continue their 48 hour walk—out. the strike is part of an ongoing dispute about pay, jobs and working conditions. people are being asked to avoid travelling by rail unless absolutely necessary. i'm joined now by our business correspondent marc ashdown. murk, thank welcome to you at kings cross station here in central london. what's happening there, or either not happening?— either not happening? exactly. this is the usual— either not happening? exactly. this is the usual story, _ either not happening? exactly. this is the usual story, isn't _ either not happening? exactly. this is the usual story, isn't it? - either not happening? exactly. this is the usual story, isn't it? we've . is the usual story, isn't it? we've had five days _ is the usual story, isn't it? we've had five days of _ is the usual story, isn't it? we've had five days of this _ is the usual story, isn't it? we've had five days of this now. - is the usual story, isn't it? we've had five days of this now. the - is the usual story, isn't it? we've. had five days of this now. the fifth strike day with _ had five days of this now. the fifth strike day with no _ had five days of this now. the fifth strike day with no trains _ had five days of this now. the fifth strike day with no trains at - had five days of this now. the fifth strike day with no trains at all. - strike day with no trains at all. just 20% of services across the uk running. we are facing eerie quiet with no trains on the board whatsoever. of course services are running and if you are lucky to get

to train they started a lot later this morning and they will be finished by early evening. you won't get many trains at all fast about six o'clock this evening and of course large areas of the uk will get no services whatsoever. now, the good news here is that after the week of strikes this is the last one. once this second 48—hour strike by the rmt union finishes tonight just before midnight there were no muffed strikes for the venue dates in the diary at all but make no mistake, the dispute is far from resolved. it has been rumbling on since june, resolved. it has been rumbling on sincejune, of course, involves 40,000 members of the rmt union, the specific dispute. half of them work with a 14 rail companies and half of them work for network rail which operates in the signalling of the system. it is overjobs, a pay rise and working practices. there is a pay offer on the table, of course, but it is some of those conditions that are really red lines the unions. just for example, driver operated only trains, so it kind of escaped your attention if you take a

train at the moment the guards are the ones that open the doors and operate those. the companies want to update that so they want the driver to do that instead. now, that's always been a red line for the union but we have heard some atomic strong whispers over night that may now be “p whispers over night that may now be up for negotiation and possibly removal from the deal which i up for negotiation and possibly removalfrom the deal which i have to say would certainly seem to get things moving. no promises at the moment, though, no—one has confirmed anything. if you are keeping their cards close to that chest. i will correspond _ cards close to that chest. i will correspond to _ cards close to that chest. i will correspond to king's _ cards close to that chest. i will correspond to king's cross, . cards close to that chest. i will correspond to king's cross, thank you. ——our correspondent at king's cross, thank you. iran has hanged two men for allegedly killing a security official during anti—government protests. both were convicted of causing the death of a member of the loyalist basij militia near tehran. three others have been sentenced to death in the same case, while 11 received prison sentences. the trials are highly politicised, and the defendants are not granted choice of their own legal representation. here's more from our colleague from bbc monitoring, the iran analyst khosro

kalbasi isfahani. these two men, mahdi karami and mohammad hosseini were executed this morning. their court cases have been described as a rushed, a sham trial, a group trial, by amnesty international international that had no resemblance of a meaningful judicial proceeding. these two men were deprived of the right to pick their own lawyers. theirfamilies have been campaigning to get them to choose their own lawyers. one of these men had gone on hunger strike, he was on hunger strike when he was executed this morning, and his family have been pleading to just get a chance to meet him before his execution. his parents were literally outside the prison when he was executed this morning, and they were deprived of this right at the last moment. this is the whole case, the whole trial.

we don't have access to the evidence. thejudicial system in iran has released some videos of the scene that allegedly shows the killing of a militiaman, but we haven't seen any proof of showing these men were involved in that incident. in addition to that, thejudicial system has used their own confessions, but rights groups have long documented that islamic republic uses forced confessions and torture—tainted confessions to solicit these confessions against political prisoners. prince harry is facing more criticism over claims made that he killed 25 taliban fighters during his service as a helicopter pilot in afghanistan. in his memoir, "spare" he describes them as "chess pieces removed from the board." our reporter zoe o'brien is at

buckingham palace with the latest. it was late on thursday evening that we began hearing about the content of prince harry's memoir, spare. that is due to be published on tuesday and it is fair to say that the comments that he's made about taliban fighters have dominated the headlines today and caused upset and disappointment among the military community. now, we've heard from external to colonel tim collins. he is a retired commanding officer. he told force news that harry has badly let down the side and this just isn't the done thing for people in the army. he said you would never count the notches on the butt of your rifle. we've also heard from senior taliban leaders, them saying they may have been your enemy, but these were people with families to go home to. we haven't heard anything from buckingham palace. from kensington palace so far, although that is not entirely unusual.

that may change in the coming days because we know that prince harry has taken part in a number of pre—recorded interviews to promote his memoir. now, the first of those is going to go out on itv tomorrow evening at 9pm and then on monday morning we will see more on american tv networks. now, i know he said in his tv interview that he wants reconciliation with his family but first he says there must be truth and accountability. he is also cast doubt over whether or not he will be at his father's coronation in may, saying a lot can happen between now and then. of course, when those interviews are the royal family will have another decision to make about whether or not they will comment publicly about what he said. again, on tuesday, when the memoir is published. at the moment, that is not looking likely. it seems they going to want to have this play out away from the public eye, especially this year in the king's coronation year. a court case in new york

has left some red faces in the literary world. 30—year—old filippo bernardini was found guilty of stealing more than 1,000 electronic manuscripts from authors, some of them very famous indeed — all of them signed to the leading publisher, simon and schuster. our europe regional editor, paul moss has been following the story. just explain the stores. how did he do it? ., , just explain the stores. how did he do it? . , ., , just explain the stores. how did he doit? ., ., _, just explain the stores. how did he doit? , ., do it? really, really simple. you robabl do it? really, really simple. you probably get _ do it? really, really simple. you probably get these _ do it? really, really simple. you probably get these e-mails - do it? really, really simple. you probably get these e-mails all. do it? really, really simple. you i probably get these e-mails all the probably get these e—mails all the time saying this is your bank here, can you just remind us what your username and password is, fake e—mails like that may be from friends or supposedly from fencing stranded abroad, please send me some money. i'm guessing that when you get those you either delete the more you probably check them. it seems that people in the publishing world aren't quite so savvy. all that this guy did, he set up about 150 fake e—mail accounts and fake websites and he sent similar e—mails except he was sending them to famous authors, in mcewan, margaret atwood, the people that represent them. we know that at least one pulitzer prize winner was successfully targeted but they won't say to you

and all the seamen said was to an author, this is your publisher here, can ijust get author, this is your publisher here, can i just get the author, this is your publisher here, can ijust get the latest author, this is your publisher here, can i just get the latest draft of your book? or he would send it to the publisher, saying this is the italian publishers, we do need a copy so we can get hold of the translation and it seemed to work. she said, he got his hands are more than 1000 manuscripts from favours, cream is all there others and i think the time of the trial which ended yesterday as very interesting because it is a week in which public security has been in the news. of course there was desperate attempts made by prince harry's book to keep it secure and no leaks and then what happened? it went on sale in the spanish book shop. sometimes an image of people in the publishing industry that they may be living in ivory tower and on this occasion it does seem that they are lacking a bit of nous. does seem that they are lacking a bit of nous-— does seem that they are lacking a bit of nous. ~ , ., . ., bit of nous. why did he do it? what did he want — bit of nous. why did he do it? what did he want to _ bit of nous. why did he do it? what did he want to get _ bit of nous. why did he do it? what did he want to get out _ bit of nous. why did he do it? what did he want to get out of _ bit of nous. why did he do it? what did he want to get out of it? - bit of nous. why did he do it? what did he want to get out of it? that . did he want to get out of it? that is the fascinating _ did he want to get out of it? trisgt is the fascinating thing. we don't know. it certainly wasn't for money. when the publishers discovered that these manuscripts were missing they

feared the worst. these do it? what did he want to get out of it? that is the fascinating thing. we don't know. it certainly wasn't for money. when the publishers discovered that these manuscripts were missing they feared the worst. these stomach they thought these folks the macbooks were going to go on sale on the black market does what they thought these books were going to go on sale in the black market may be get ransom demands but it didn't happen. it looks like he was may be collecting these uses electronic trophies. i would say that the mandate is to work for simon & schuster. maybe it was revenge? brute schuster. maybe it was revenge? we don't know. what will happen to him now then. he don't know. what will happen to him now then. ., , , don't know. what will happen to him now then. . , , ., , now then. he has been found guilty. the charges — now then. he has been found guilty. the charges are _ now then. he has been found guilty. the charges are serious _ now then. he has been found guilty. the charges are serious charges, - the charges are serious charges, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft which sound rather serious. we have a maximum sentence of 20 years. it seems the publishers about the blood. simon & schuster say they were shocked and horrified by what happened despite the facts in the end no—one actually suffered from this except for suffering great embarrassment. i'm a journalist and it is not myjob in any way to advise new york'sjudges it is not myjob in any way to advise new york's judges on their sentencing policy but given the lack of a victim here one thinks that maybe the court will be lenient on him. thank you very much for taking

us through that tall tale! thank you. that's it from me for the moment. you can reach me on twitter. hello, there. the weather's going to stay pretty windy today and it's been quite a wet start as well, particularly across scotland, england and wales. fighter conditions are going to spread in from the west later on with a mixture of sunshine and showers more generally this afternoon. now, the area of low pressure is here. it's been bringing the wet weather. this area clouds are rain band that sweeping its way eastwards across scotland, england and wales. what follows is brighter, showery conditions but it has also been a very windy start the day, particularly across the coast of south—western england where we have had a gust around 55 miles an hour near brixham and 64 of the north

york moors. ahead of this rain band that will continue to click through and then we get a second swathe of strong winds moving to the north—west on with againj down at gail's place in the day because another some portions. it will stay blustery with lots of shows in the west, not too many for scotland, eastern england once the main band of rain has cleared through the quite mild, temperature of an 8—11 to base most. overnight in shows continue to reason despite feeding and it will stay pretty windy because it is those winds that will means the frost free night, temperatures for — eight celsius. tomorrow the same area of low pressure vessel in the charts, dragging its feet and just working to the north of scotland. again, it will be quite a blustery kind of day, another day of sunshine and showers, so there will be some quite lengthy dry spells where the sun will be out within a few showers around, as well. the most part the shells blow through pretty quickly and the strong winds but again we can have some lengthy spells of rain closer to the area of low pressure

across the north—west of scotland where it's going to be particularly gusty, but even in land, gust well into 30 miles an hour and it will be another blow we kind of day and the temperature is not really changing too much, highs ranging between about 7—10 c. intimidate's forecast, the low pressure pulls away northwards and we can do that as well. it won't be as windy. there are still quite a few showers and we can do that as well. it won't be as windy. there are still quite a few shows and with some lengthy spells of rain across north—western areas. bit of snow over the scottish mountains. mostly doesn't mean a bit more snow in some of the scottish ski resort and that of the weather pattern deep into next week stays and settled so expect rain at times. generally, it was not going to stay pretty mild as well. that's the latest.

this is bbc world news, the headlines... after dramatic scenes in the us house of representatives, the republican kevin mccarthy is finally elected speaker. it took 15 rounds of voting for mr mccarthy to win the job, despite his party having a majority in the chamber. the uk's prime pinister is holding talks with health officials in an attempt tackle the ongoing challenges facing the nhs. a six—year—old boy has shot and injured his school teacher in the us state of virginia. it is unclear how the child obtained the gun, but the police said the incident was not "an accidental shooting'. president zelensky welcomes the announcment of us military vehicles, as putin's unilateral ceasfire appears to have had little effect on the frontline.