this is bbc news — welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. i'm geeta guru—murthy. our top stories... britten's britten�*s government is accused of utter failure for new asylum rules to stop migrant boats crossing the channel, but prime minister rishi sunak insists his plan as the people's priority. we sunak insists his plan as the people's priority.— sunak insists his plan as the people's priority. sunak insists his plan as the --eole's riori . ~ . ., . people's priority. we are doing what is riaht, people's priority. we are doing what is right. acting _ people's priority. we are doing what is right, acting with _ people's priority. we are doing what is right, acting with compassion, - is right, acting with compassion, fairness and to respect the laws and borders of our country. this fairness and to respect the laws and borders of our country.— borders of our country. this is their fifth _ borders of our country. this is their fifth prime _ borders of our country. this is their fifth prime minister, - borders of our country. this is| their fifth prime minister, their si>

of its highest paid presenters — gary lineker — is being �*spoken to' after he criticised the government's immigration plans on social media kyiv denies any involvement in reports that a pro—ukrainian group was behind september's attack on the nord stream pipeline. i think that investigation of official authorities will describe every detail. it is like a compliment for our special forces but this is not our activity. the un secretary general is in ukraine forfurther talks on extending a deal to export grain via the black sea. the daughter of the duke and jess are 66 has been christened at the couple's california home. princess lilibet diana — couple's california home. princess lilibet diana was _ couple's california home. princess lilibet diana was born _ couple's california home. princess lilibet diana was born last - couple's california home. princess lilibet diana was born last july - couple's california home. princess| lilibet diana was born last july and lilibet diana was born lastjuly and crescent on saturday. —— andrew

christened. welcome. britain's prime minister has been defending his government's new plan to stop migrants arriving illegally in the uk on small boats. rishi sunak told the house of commons that only the conservatives would stop the boats. but the labour leader sir keir starmer said the government is simply offering gimmicks and empty promises. the measures announced yesterday would effectively ban those who come here illegally from claiming asylum, and require that they be detained and deported. the prime minister says they will detain people not eligible to claim asylum and then return them. they already tried that under the last legislation. last year 18,000 people were deemed ineligible to apply for asylum, that is the easy bit, the talk, but as for the action, how many of them have actually been returned? he many of them have actually been returned? ., r'

many of them have actually been returned? . ., ., ., , returned? he asked about our laws, when i returned? he asked about our laws, when i was — returned? he asked about our laws, when i was in _ returned? he asked about our laws, when i was in dover _ returned? he asked about our laws, when i was in dover yesterday - when i was in dover yesterday talking — when i was in dover yesterday talking to _ when i was in dover yesterday talking to our law enforcement officials — talking to our law enforcement officials they tell me precisely because — officials they tell me precisely because of the law the conservative government posted last year they have been able to arrest more than double _ have been able to arrest more than double the — have been able to arrest more than double the number of people dated before, _ double the number of people dated before, 397 in the last six months. but stopping the boats is notjust my priority, it is the people's priority _ my priority, it is the people's riori . ., ., , my priority, it is the people's riori . . priority. that was some prime minister's _ priority. that was some prime minister's questions. - priority. that was some prime | minister's questions. jonathan priority. that was some prime - minister's questions. jonathan blake is in westminster, we saw a fiery, personalised session of prime minister's questions. we have known for a while that the tories want to recognise immigration, it is something they feel help them with brexit and has been politically useful at a time when they are lacking in the polls?— useful at a time when they are lacking in the polls? watching the exchanues lacking in the polls? watching the exchanges in _ lacking in the polls? watching the exchanges in the _ lacking in the polls? watching the exchanges in the house _ lacking in the polls? watching the exchanges in the house of - lacking in the polls? watching the i exchanges in the house of commons todayit exchanges in the house of commons today it is clear the conservatives feel they are on the front foot with this issue, there was cheering from

the tory backbenchers and jeering at sir keir starmer�*s questions, rishi sunak seemed more confident than usual with his answers. they feel labour does not have a plan to tackle what the conservatives at least feel is an important issue, one of rishi sunak�*s fight stated political priorities, but that has not stopped a lot of criticism coming the way of the government from sir keir starmer, the labour party and elsewhere about the latest plan. sir keir starmer puts it is what he sees as the latest utter failure of the government to tackle this issue. he was trying to pin down the prime minister on how many people have been deported over existing laws the government has brought in and when it plans to have the system in place of turning people back and sending them away, because it is not something sir keir starmer has made a political priority of his own, there is a dangerfor him that

priority of his own, there is a danger for him that he priority of his own, there is a dangerfor him that he is priority of his own, there is a danger for him that he is seen on the defensive about this issue which many people feel strongly about. his tactic is to push the government on exactly how the plan will work and point to what labour sees as previous failures of this conservative administration and others to do anything about it. the lanauuae others to do anything about it. the language is — others to do anything about it. the language is incredibly heated, as it often is. we have seen rose involving one of the bbc presenters we have mentioned, gary lineker, and we have mentioned, gary lineker, and we have mentioned, gary lineker, and we have also seen fundamental questions at the heart of those on whether the government because my plans go against the refugee convention. —— we have seen rows. is there a way of determining consensus without it going to the courts first? ., ., , ,., first? not really, the government has set out _ first? not really, the government has set out that _ first? not really, the government has set out that it _ first? not really, the government has set out that it cannot - first? not really, the government has set out that it cannot be - first? not really, the government has set out that it cannot be sure | has set out that it cannot be sure its planned legislation will comply with the human rights act, the legislation and shining the european

convention on human rights into uk law, and many conservatives are openly calling for the uk to withdraw from that international framework if these laws cannot be put in place and cannot be proved unworkable without constant challenges in the courts. that, along with the language the government is using some of the rhetoric ministers are employing to pitch this policy, is where lots of the criticism is centred at the moment. seemingly in an e—mail sent to thousands of conservative supporters yesterday, the home secretary suella braverman talked about the attempts so far to tackle small bloat crossing being blocked by a small blob of the labour party, left—wing lawyers and civil servants —— a small boat crossings being blocked. it has now been said she did not see the e—mail before it was

sent out, downing street is saying this is clearly an operational problem and the mistake seems to have been with somebody at conservative party headquarters, but it is that general tone where the government has called into question, deliberately or otherwise, the independence of civil servants, that it will need to have on—site and need to have trusting in what ministers are asking them to do if this policy is to be effective. jonathan blake in westminster, thank you very much. let's talk now to dave penman — general secretary at the union for the civil service in the uk - the fda. dave has written a letter to rishi sunak demanding an apology from suella braverman — after an email in her name blamed "left—wing" civil servants of blocking the government's attempts to stop channel boat crossings in the past, without changing the laws. thanks for being with us, dave. you

might have seen that downing street is saying the home secretary did not, quotes, sanction or sign off that e—mail sent to conservative supporters accusing civil servants of blocking attempts to stop the small boat crossings. if of blocking attempts to stop the small boat crossings.— of blocking attempts to stop the small boat crossings. if that is the case she will _ small boat crossings. if that is the case she will have _ small boat crossings. if that is the case she will have no _ small boat crossings. if that is the case she will have no problems i case she will have no problems apologising to the tens of thousands of civil servants who loyally serve the government and implement policies. i would the government and implement policies. iwould be the government and implement policies. i would be interested in an explanation that if that does not represent the views of the prime minister or the home secretary, it appears to represent the views of the conservative party so that is why they say it came from. they need to explain how this happened and if it does not represent the views of the home secretary she needs to apologise. it is no good praising civil servants when that has been written in her name and e—mail to hundreds of thousands of people, she needs to apologise because if she does not she is in breach of the ministerial code.— does not she is in breach of the ministerial code. even if that was sent without _ ministerial code. even if that was sent without her _

ministerial code. even if that was sent without her seeing - ministerial code. even if that was sent without her seeing it - ministerial code. even if that was sent without her seeing it and - ministerial code. even if that was sent without her seeing it and it | sent without her seeing it and it was an administrative mistake? then she will apologise _ was an administrative mistake? then she will apologise and withdraw, thatis she will apologise and withdraw, that is what she needs to do, if she does not, it is a breach of the ministerial code. she cannot brief it is a mistake and say nothing, she has to address the material fact that in her name, with her signature, she wrote to hundreds of thousands of people and said civil servants were blocking government policy. if you are a civil servant working in the home office you do some of the most difficult work at government, you choose to work in the home office knowing that will be the home office knowing that will be the case that you do not expect is to see something in the name of the home secretary accusing you of breaching your impartiality obligations and acting in cohort with left—wing lawyers and the labour party. she needs to correct the record, and quickly. she labour party. she needs to correct the record, and quickly.— the record, and quickly. she said this was a _ the record, and quickly. she said this was a cc _ the record, and quickly. she said this was a cc hq _ the record, and quickly. she said this was a cc hq product - the record, and quickly. she said this was a cc hq product and - the record, and quickly. she said | this was a cc hq product and they would have to review what happens operationally, do you accept that as a legitimate explanation and how

does the tone of that e—mail chime with previous statements of herds about the civil service? she with previous statements of herds about the civil service?— with previous statements of herds about the civil service? she has to exlain about the civil service? she has to exniain why _ about the civil service? she has to explain why conservative - about the civil service? she has to explain why conservative party - explain why conservative party headquarters thought it was ok to draft an headquarters thought it was ok to draftan e—mail headquarters thought it was ok to draft an e—mail in her name talking about civil servants. does that represent the views of the conservative party? if this is a terrible mistake she needs to speak directly to civil servants that she needs in the home office, explain what happened, apologise and withdraw. the rhetoric around this, as you were discussing earlier, it's really dangerous. people working in the home office headquarters already have security guidance about how to make sure they cannot be identified with id passes etc when they go outside because of concern for their safety. this sort of language and rhetoric that the government finds politically convenient now potentially endangered civil servants, that is why it is

important she accepts absolutely the record straight, we do not want to hear from sources or friends close to, we want to hear from the hear from sources or friends close to, we want to hearfrom the home secretary. to, we want to hear from the home secreta . ., ~ secretary. something that i think has been weak _ secretary. something that i think has been weak to _ secretary. something that i think has been weak to journalists, - secretary. something that i thinki has been weak to journalists, the prime minister press secretary said the prime minister has been, quotes, very clear, he is grateful to the work of the cabinet secretary and civil servants at the home office and more widely in government. they have said this is a cross government efforts to deliver this legislation, etc etc. they are clearly trying to put out statements not apologising for trying to explain this. isn't that enough? it for trying to explain this. isn't that enough?— for trying to explain this. isn't that enou~h? , ., ., ., ., that enough? it is not good enough, ou can't that enough? it is not good enough, you can't put — that enough? it is not good enough, you can't put out _ that enough? it is not good enough, you can't put out something - that enough? it is not good enough, you can't put out something like - you can't put out something like this to hundreds of thousands, accusing civil servants are breaking their impartiality obligations, potentially endangering, and then think you can just do a bit of briefing and praising civil

servants, that is not good enough. she needs to step up, if she or the conservative party have made a mistake, admit it and apologise to those you have insulted, they are working on some of the most difficult and complex work in government and deserve better than this and the home secretary needs to recognise what leadership looks like, meaning getting on the record to the very people she has criticised and insulted. dave penman. — criticised and insulted. dave penman, general— criticised and insulted. dave penman, general secretaryl criticised and insulted. dave l penman, general secretary at criticised and insulted. dave penman, general secretary at the civil service union the fta, thank you very much. i'm joined now by harjap bhangal, a uk immigration lawyer at gls solicitors, from birmingham in the uk. do you have a view on whether on the fundamental question of this legislative plan from the government, does it go against our european legal commitments and break the refugee convention? it is the refugee convention? it is controversial _ the refugee convention? it is controversial at _ the refugee convention? it is controversial at the - the refugee convention? it 3 controversial at the moment because we do not have the exact plans. it

seems to say we now are preventing people from claiming asylum, which would be in contravention to commitments under the convention. but at the same time it says we will detain and process people quickly, if we are going to process and that means we have accepted their claim for asylum and will deal with it, you can't blanket we say we will send boats back and refused to take people because my claims for asylum, because they were one hearing made it very clear that each client has to be decided on its merits. —— because the rwanda hearing. if to be decided on its merits. -- because the rwanda hearing. if the lanners of because the rwanda hearing. if the planners of the _ because the rwanda hearing. if the planners of the overall _ because the rwanda hearing. if the planners of the overall briefing seems to suggest, you think it will not be able to be implemented? 1 would think even if it not be able to be implemented? i would think even if it theoretically gets the nod, it is not practical because you are talking about returning migrants to other countries. we don't have return agreements with any countries, we

only have with six countries, rwanda, nigeria, serbia, india, pakistan and albania. they will not agree to take other people... asylum seekers from other countries, why should they? when we left the eu we should they? when we left the eu we should have had treaties with each eu country, return agreements as they are called, at the moment we had zero return agreements with any eu country and therefore cannot send people back to france, france have refused to sign an eu return agreement treaty with us, so has spain, denmark, belgium and other eu countries. no eu country at the moment it's willing to sign a return agreements with us so we have no where to send them to. if agreements with us so we have no where to send them to.— where to send them to. if this legislation _ where to send them to. if this legislation does _ where to send them to. if this legislation does not _ where to send them to. if this legislation does not work - where to send them to. if this - legislation does not work ultimately and does not go through, it is clear that for some parts of the british population the question of illegal

migration is a political concern. is there any policy answer you are aware of that political parties are not looking at yet?— aware of that political parties are not looking at yet? yes, there needs to be a mixture _ not looking at yet? yes, there needs to be a mixture of _ not looking at yet? yes, there needs to be a mixture of everything. - to be a mixture of everything. firstly the problem is the gangs, the people is smugglers are making money, putting people on boats and sending them to the uk. nothing is being mentioned about stopping people gangs, so if you want to stop drug dealing you want to catch the drug dealing you want to catch the drug dealers, if you want to stop people smuggling you have to catch the people smugglers. people smuggling makes more money than drug smuggling makes more money than drug smuggling and yet there is no war on people smugglers can hardly ever hear of a people smuggling gang convicted, and it is very unfathomable that in the last 20 years we know these gangs operate from calais, the same place, asylum seekers end up at the same place,

the kent coast, yet we cannot catch a group of gangs despite our elite units and cooperation with the eu and the spite paying money to france to cooperate. that is almost an admission yesterday from rishi sunak saying we can't catch the gangs profiting from this, so we will punish the end user. it is almost the equivalent of saying we will lock up all drug users and hope drug dealing stops, we know that does not work. ., ~ dealing stops, we know that does not work. . ~ , ., dealing stops, we know that does not work. ., ~' , ., , dealing stops, we know that does not work. . ~ i. , . work. thank you very much indeed, har'a work. thank you very much indeed, harjap bhangal- _ the bbc says it will have a frank conversation with match of the day presenter gary lineker after he compared this policy to 1930s germany and described it as immeasurably cruel. downing street has described the criticism as not acceptable and disappointing. mr lineker has been tweeting again, saying he would continue to try to speak up for the poor souls who have

no voice. katie russell reports. one of the bbc�*s most high—profile presenters being accused by some of breaking the corporation's rules on impartiality. having called the government's new announcement beyond awful on twitter, the match of the day presented called it immeasurably cruel and said the language was not dissimilar to that being used in 1930s germany. the home secretary hit back. i'm disappointed, obviously. i think it's unhelpful to compare our measures, which are proportionate and compassionate, the 1930s germany. i also think that we are on the side of the british people here. it is plain for anyone to see that the british people have had enough of the situation. the bbc�*s director general, who has made impartiality a cornerstone of his leadership, will have a frank conversation with the star. it's totally appropriate that we speak privately to members of the team. according to bbc rules, staff and talent to work in these must act

impartially. —— staff and challenge work in news. it's to make sure audiences feel the corporation represents them. gary lineker is a sports presenter, and because of that his risks of compromising bbc impartiality are deemed lower. however, he was found to have broken the rules last year over a tweet about the then foreign secretary urging premier league teams to boycott the champions league final in russia. will the party hand back donations from russian donors, he asked. as a high profile presenter the bbc complaints unit said he had additional responsibilities and should avoid taking sides on party political issues. with some conservative mps demanding the bbc sack him, gary lineker took to twitter this morning again, to say he was getting a lot of praise, adding that he will continue to try and speak up for those poor souls that have no voice. ukraine has denied any involvement in an attack last september on the nordstream pipelines, which were built to carry russian gas to europe.

this map shows where they run, along the sea bed, from russia, across the baltic, to germany. the damage was discovered near the danish island of bornholm. it's also relatively close to the russian territory of kaliningrad. the damage was first noticed when huge amounts of gas bubbled to the surface. when cameras were sent down to film what had happened, this is what they recorded — several experts said it appeared the pipes had been damaged by an exterior explosion. it's not yet been established who was responsible — but a report in the new york times has now quoted anonymous us security officials as suggesting a pro—ukrainian group was to blame. ukrainian defence minister 0leksii reznikov commented on nord stream allegations, here's what he said. for me, it's a little bit of a strange story because the story is nothing with us, and i think that the investigation of official authorities will describe every detail.

it is like a compliment for our special forces, but this is not our activity. i'm joined now by elisabeth braw, a defence and security expert serving as a senior fellow with the american enterprise institute. there was a lot of comments at the time as to who might be behind this. what do you make of these allegations in the new york times? this is an extraordinary turn of events. for month the swedish and danish governments have been investigating, as has germany —— for months. germany is conducting a criminal investigation. the general assumption was that it was russia because western governments, this is not the sort of thing they do. ukraine did not seem to be a candidate either. now we are seeing an allegation that it was a stand—alone, privately financed

ukrainian undertaking. what is clear is this isjust ukrainian undertaking. what is clear is this is just a rumour that is being shared, and an intelligence assessment from the americans, but the swedish and danish governments are conducting the investigation and they had said nothing. i think we can in fact be pretty sure they won't say anything in the near future. if won't say anything in the near future. ., , , ., ., , ., future. if it was proven it was a u-rou future. if it was proven it was a group linked — future. if it was proven it was a group linked with _ future. if it was proven it was a group linked with ukraine, - future. if it was proven it was a group linked with ukraine, the | future. if it was proven it was a - group linked with ukraine, the risks of that are obvious in terms of public support for ukraine continuing from germany, europe, the us and so on? if continuing from germany, europe, the us and so on?— us and so on? if that is indeed the case, that us and so on? if that is indeed the case. that is _ us and so on? if that is indeed the case, that is why _ us and so on? if that is indeed the case, that is why the _ us and so on? if that is indeed the case, that is why the ukrainian - case, that is why the ukrainian government has been so quick to distance itself from this allegation, this report. we should say the american intelligence assessment does not link the ukrainian government to the

explosion and so we are really none the wiser because we don't know, evenif the wiser because we don't know, even if it was ukrainian group, who was behind it or what its links were to the ukrainian government or indeed to any other government. but the point is that several months into this investigation the swedish and danish governments have said nothing and even if they do know at this point, they are likely not to say anything because it would cause further instability in the region. with the ukrainians have a motive? there have been expressions of concern about this pipeline which was obviously taking gas to germany. is it possible for ukrainian private group to operate separately from the government? that group to operate separately from the government?— government? that is one of the reasons that — government? that is one of the reasons that people _ government? that is one of the reasons that people like - government? that is one of the reasons that people like me - government? that is one of the l reasons that people like me have said all along that was not a terrorist attack, it has to have

been a hostile attack carried out, it is not everyday terrorism to get down to the sea bed, this is very sophisticated stuff and for that reason it seems obvious it had to be the government and these allegations we are looking at involve the handful of divers and the captain of the ship and a medic, and this seems to be a very small group for the sabotage of this kind. but we have not had any say from the swedish and danish authorities. what is clear is this whole case of nord stream, the two pipelines being attacked, will cause massive disagreements between the western european companies that our investors are nord stream 1, billions of euros were invested by then in nord stream 1 which is clearly no longer in operation

because it was sabotage, and their insurers. , . ., , ., insurers. there is clearly a question — insurers. there is clearly a question over _ insurers. there is clearly a question over who - insurers. there is clearly a question over who pays. . insurers. there is clearly a - question over who pays. elisabeth braw, thank you. the un secretary general is in ukraine today holding talks with the country's president, volodymyr zelensky, about extending a deal which allows ukraine to export grain. the black sea grain initiative was signed injuly last year and allows ships to sail from southern ukraine into the international waters of the black sea, avoiding mined areas. it has to be renewed by the end of next week, wheat. ukraine was once one of the world's biggest exporters. so when russia invaded and closed the country's ports last year, global food prices soared and millions faced severe hunger. but last summer shipments out of the ukrainian city of 0desa resumed after a deal was brokered by the un and turkey under which russia allowed some grain to be exported via the black sea. but the agreement has to be renewed every four months and russia has signalled it might not allow an extension next week unless more is done to lift restrictions

on its own agricultural exports. certainly ukraine needs this deal for our economy, yes. but ukraine will not starve anyway, the world needs this deal even more than ukraine because the black sea is vital for the food security of the world and everybody has now realised it. and all the while, as we head into spring, fighting in the east is intensifying. these pictures released by the russian defence ministry claim to show its tanks in operations striking at ukrainian units on the frontline. what remains of the eastern ukrainian city of bakhmut could fall to russia in the next few days, according to the head of nato in comments he made this morning. so while there is hope today of diplomatic progress on wheat, the war shows no let up. jon donnison, bbc news.

thank you for watching, this is bbc news. a mixture of rain, sleet and snow across parts of southern england and south wales this morning and we have had the coldest night of the year so far with temperatures in the highlands falling to —15. arctic air has a grip on the weather for most of us but you can see the milder yellows in the far south—west, temperatures here not falling away so much. this weather is bringing in rain, sleet and snow and will continue to do so, it will ease for a time that you can see the rain pushes eastwards and the snow moves across wales, into the midlands, so made northern england and east

anglia. also that we are in sunnier skies with wintry showers in the north and east, particularly close to the coast. into the evening and overnight the rain continues to drift east, we hang on to some snow across wales, into the midlands, some of the north home counties could see that, getting into east anglia and northern england. bear this in mind if you are travelling. it will be cold with the widespread frost but not as cold as last night and we have this area of low pressure coming from the atlantic with weather fronts. into tomorrow, rain across urban areas, snow pushes northwards for a time, as the next system comes in it will introduce some rain, and we will also see snow coming in, but still very mild in the southwest and cold for the rest of us. the met office has a yellow weather warning for thursday and friday for this area, on average we could see 15 or 20 centimetres of snow, less than that at low levels,

it could be double that on the trans pennine routes, treacherous conditions as the low pressure drifts across, taking snow with it. on thursday night the rain is pushing across the south of england, snow pushing northwards across wales, the midlands, northern england, northern ireland and southern scotland. it will be windy notjust southern scotland. it will be windy not just on thursday southern scotland. it will be windy notjust on thursday put into friday, this snow will be blowing, treacherous travelling conditions but it will ease through the course of the day, many of us ended up largely dry, wintry showers across the north but temperatures two in the north but temperatures two in the north to turn in the south. —— ten in the south.

following the fed, markets fall over warnings of further rate rises as head of us central bank faces second day in front of lawmakers. and taking a back seat — we look at the driverless car that could revolutionise the way we get around. welcome to world business report, i'm ben thompson. we start in the us where all eyes are once again on the head of the central bank — and his efforts to tame rising prices. in the next hour or so, jerome powell is due for a second