live from washington. this is bbc news. president trump signs an executive order suspending the entry of migrants into the united states at the southern border with mexico he's also threatening russia with high tariffs and sanctions if president putin does not end the war in ukraine soon. in one of his first interviews since his commutation by president trump, oathkeepers founder stewart rhodes speaks to the bbc. i'm grateful to president trump. he did the right thing. he has unwound and rewound the law. and prince harry gets a unequivocal apology and substantial damages after a 5 year legal battle with rupert murdoch's newspaper empire.

we start with the latest on donald trump's immigration crackdown — on his third day back in the white house. just a few hours ago, he signed an executive order suspending the entry of migrants into the us at the southern border with mexico. the white house says the order directs various departments to take all necessary action to immediately "repel, repatriate and remove illegal aliens" across the southern border. mr trump also turned his focus to foreign policy today — urging russia's president putin to make a deal to end what he called the �*ridiculous�* war in ukraine, orface tough tariffs and sanctions — we'll be looking at that in the programme. and we'll hear from oathkeepers founder stewart rhodes in one of his first interviews since his commutation by president trump. but first here's our north america editor sarah smith on the day's events. applause. donald trump has enormous ambitions that include ending the wars in the middle east and ukraine. my proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier. i that's what i want to be.

he had claimed that on his first day in office he would end the ukraine war. obviously that didn't happen, but he is making clear he wants to see a peace deal asap — threatening that russia will pay a high price if they don't enter negotiations. he posted on social media... meeting mr trump in new york just after the election, ukrainian leader volodymyr zelensky said he thinks the new president could be decisive in ending the war, and he knows he really has no choice but to start negotiating. zelensky wants to make a deal. i don't know if putin does, i he might not, i don't know. he should make a deal. i think he's destroying russia by not making a deal. - president trump used to boast about his great relationship with vladimir putin and insists russia would not have invaded ukraine if he had still been in the white house.

but now he seems to be rapidly losing patience. without american—supplied weapons, ukraine could not continue theirfight. mr trump had said he would stop paying for ukraine's defence, but hasn't yet moved to cut their funding. he does think, though, america is paying too much compared to other nations. one thing i do feel, _ the european union should be paying a lot more than they're paying, because under biden,| i mean, we're in therei for $200 billion more. now, it affects them i more than it affects us. we have an oceani in between, right? a little thing called an ocean. on america's southern border, donald trump has introduced strict new immigration laws that have banned refugees and asylum claimants from entering the us. last year, he said he would close the border. now he's sending 1,500 troops to stop what he calls "an invasion of aliens". the and he's changed the law to make it easier to detain

and deport illegal immigrants already in the united states. critics call his new policies harsh and unfair. he says he's simply keeping the promises that got him elected. joining me live is melinda haring nonresident senior fellow at the atlantic council's eurasia center. what do you think this message means? it's this message means? great to be back with you. so it's great to be back with you. so vladimir putin is not so happy with the new president. i think we've all forgotten that donald trump loves instability. so it's easy to forget that donald trump has said a lot of really nice flattering things about vladimir putin. we all remember that. about vladimir putin. we all rememberthat. but about vladimir putin. we all remember that. but when you go back and look at his record in the first term when he was president, not that long ago, he was actually pretty tough on putin. he authorised javelins when obama wouldn't. he kept the sanctions in place over crimea. he also was the one who shot down the pipeline. let's fast—forwa rd to shot down the pipeline. let's fast—forward to where we are now. he is saying i'm not going

to be pushed around. he is sending vladimir putin into the war, we are going to face severe consequences. it's really game on is what trump is saying today. really game on is what trump is saying today-— saying today. he's been very clear. saying today. he's been very clear- he _ saying today. he's been very clear. he wants _ saying today. he's been very clear. he wants to _ saying today. he's been very clear. he wants to see - saying today. he's been very clear. he wants to see a - saying today. he's been very| clear. he wants to see a deal made. what could that look like from the perspective of ukraine?— from the perspective of ukraine? , ukraine? the first thing, the most difficult _ ukraine? the first thing, the most difficult thing - ukraine? the first thing, the most difficult thing is - most difficult thing is actually getting vladimir putin to come to the table. when we look at what the trump team can offer, they wrote an early paper before they were in office, the author on it was lieutenant general, we talked about this. it basically said they can offer two things. they can tell the world that they are going to freeze ukraine's nato ambitions and gives him sanctions really. moscow already rejected that plot. so that's not going to fly. now trump is saying come to the table or else. moscow has not really responded yet. there are military blockers around putin who are saying that the new

president is nothing but a salesman, that this is degrading, they are saying we're just degrading, they are saying we'rejust going to degrading, they are saying we're just going to ignore all of this, but we haven't heard unofficial response moscow yet. again, the question will be what ukrainians think of all of this and this perhaps tactic of negotiation we are seeing from president trump.— president trump. that's the interesting _ president trump. that's the interesting thing. _ president trump. that's the interesting thing. one - president trump. that's the interesting thing. one of. president trump. that's the | interesting thing. one of the tactics that we are going to see and we have already heard from moscow as we are trying to entice donald trump to sit down without the ukrainians are without the ukrainians are without the ukrainians are without the europeans. we don't know if the white house is going to agree to that. moscow is very eager to talk to donald trump, without the ukrainians and without the europeans. that may be the first iteration of what we see. but let's remember, itjust going to take a long time. this is a very complicated war. when you go back and look at what donald trump did in his first time in office, took 16 months for the trump administration to withdraw from the iran nuclear deal. this war is equally if not more complicated. we have

'ust not more complicated. we have just about _ not more complicated. we have just about a _ not more complicated. we have just about a minute _ not more complicated. we have just about a minute left. - not more complicated. we have just about a minute left. what l just about a minute left. what security guarantees, short of nato membership, do you think this trump administration would be willing to give ukraine? that one is an open question. we don't know where donald trump sits on nato membership. i think that it looks at this point, if you read lieutenant keith kellogg's essay, that they are unwilling to give nato membership. and that is not going to satisfy the european security and it's not going to satisfy ukrainians. ukraine is not going to be able to rebuild and russia is going to come back at ukraine again. nothing short of nato membership is going to solve the security dilemma in europe. always interesting _ dilemma in europe. always interesting to _ dilemma in europe. always interesting to get - dilemma in europe. always interesting to get your - interesting to get your perspective. thank you so much forjoining us. and as we heard donald trump is ordering that migrants are barred from what's described as "physical entry" into the us, including by claiming asylum. the proclamation invokes article four of the us constitution, which obliges the federal government to protect states

from foreign invasion. it comes as the us prepares to send 1,000 troops to the mexican border, after president donald trump declared the us to be under invasion by illegal immigrants. the troop movement — which was confirmed by an administration official — folows on another executive order signed by mr trump on monday. no details have been given about the planned deployment. mary meg mccarthy, executive director of the national immigrantjustice center. ijust want i just want to start by getting our i just want to start by getting your thoughts _ i just want to start by getting your thoughts on _ i just want to start by getting your thoughts on the - i just want to start by getting your thoughts on the latest l your thoughts on the latest that we have seen from donald trump sending 1500 ground troops along with aircraft support to the us—mexico border as part of this immigration crackdown. i as part of this immigration crackdown.— as part of this immigration crackdown. i think it's very concerning. _ crackdown. i think it's very concerning. the _ crackdown. i think it's very concerning. the president| crackdown. i think it's very l concerning. the president is talking about invaders, and the reality is these are

individuals who are seeking asylum, who are fleeing danger and persecution in their home countries, who are entitled under us and international law, decades long laws that provide protection for them, and allow them to enter the united states. it is very concerning that he has declared this a border emergency when it's not an emergency. we have one of the lowest numbers of people entering the country right now seeking asylum. and there's so many limitations to people's ability to even seek asylum. nonetheless, members of congress on both sides of the aisle who we have spoken to have said that it is clear that the immigration system and even the immigration system and even the asylum system is broken. would you agree that the ability to orderly, in an orderly way, process immigration, particularly migrants crossing that southern border is not working at the moment? i border is not working at the moment?— border is not working at the moment? ~ �* , , ., moment? i think it's improved

latel , moment? i think it's improved lately. and _ moment? i think it's improved lately. and i — moment? i think it's improved lately, and i think— moment? i think it's improved lately, and i think that - moment? i think it's improved lately, and i think that there i lately, and i think that there are solutions, but it does not closing the border. there are solutions to provide people access to the united states to have a determination made about their case and their ability to pursue asylum with a lawyer that we can implement, but we just have not done it, instead, we are now calling people, children who are fleeing danger, "invaders" when that is so farfrom danger, "invaders" when that is so far from the truth. danger, �*invaders' when that is so far from the truth.— danger, "invaders" when that is so far from the truth.— so far from the truth. what we have also _ so far from the truth. what we have also heard _ so far from the truth. what we have also heard is _ so far from the truth. what we have also heard is that - so far from the truth. what we have also heard is that the - have also heard is that the asylum system is being abused by members of violent cartels who have come into the country alongside some of those who are seeking protection, as you've said. is that something that you have seen?— said. is that something that you have seen? said. is that something that ou have seen? ., ~ ., ., you have seen? no. we have not seen that- _ you have seen? no. we have not seen that. there _ you have seen? no. we have not seen that. there is _ you have seen? no. we have not seen that. there is a _ you have seen? no. we have not seen that. there is a process - seen that. there is a process right now, even at the border, where those individuals will be fingerprinted and checked, what

i am worried about are individuals who are fleeing those cartels and seeking asylum in the united states may now be labelled as terrorists because of the terrorist activity in their home country from where they are fleeing. should there not be a legal pathway for those people come as you said, who are fleeing violence or persecution at home? ~ , ,., , violence or persecution at home? ~ , home? absolutely. in the past administration, _ home? absolutely. in the past administration, they _ home? absolutely. in the past administration, they did - home? absolutely. in the past administration, they did try . administration, they did try that some of the cubans, vacations, the nicaraguans, the venezuelans did have a path to seek protection, a lawful path. that was cancelled by this administration on monday. mary, more generally. _ administration on monday. mary, more generally, excuse - administration on monday. mary, more generally, excuse me, - more generally, excuse me, looking at the immigration orders that we've seen from the president shutting down the border, declaring this national emergency, what do you think is going to happen in terms of immigration policy going forward in the us? do you see any avenue for providing, looking for some of those legal

pathways? looking for some of those legal athwa s? �* .,, looking for some of those legal pathways?— pathways? i'm hopeful. ithink it's auoin pathways? i'm hopeful. ithink it's going to — pathways? i'm hopeful. ithink it's going to require _ pathways? i'm hopeful. ithink it's going to require a - pathways? i'm hopeful. ithink it's going to require a lot - pathways? i'm hopeful. ithink it's going to require a lot of. it's going to require a lot of challenges and, you know, the courts to intervene, again, as i said, we have decades long of us and international law that has recognised asylum—seekers, including children who are in harm's way in need of legal protection. this goes back to world war ii when we provided protection for those who were fleeing the war. that was the beginning of a refugee protocol, and the us —— the us signed the refugee act in 1980. what is happening today with these executive orders is that they are violating both our own domestic laws and international laws, and that is not what this country stands for. we laws, and that is not what this country stands for.— laws, and that is not what this country stands for. we have to leave it there _ country stands for. we have to leave it there for _ country stands for. we have to leave it there for today, - country stands for. we have to leave it there for today, but i leave it there for today, but thank you so much forjoining us on bbc news.

meanwhile the fate of regufees destined for the united states is in question, in the wake of an orderfrom mr trump halting the country's refuee admissions programme. in an email to organisations involved in the programme, the us state department said that quote "refugee arrivals to the us have been suspended until further notice" the processing of asylum claims has also been suspended. our state department correspondent tom bateman has more. well, what we now know is the agency that is responsible for processing refugee applications has notified its officials overseas to tell them to stop any planned travel by refugees who are already cleared to come to the united states. now that follows the executive order that was signed by president trump on monday, which basically suspended the refugee admissions programme. this is something that allows or has allowed somewhere around 100,000 refugees into the us per year. and the effect of that executive order

means that people who had already been vetted by the united states. and it's a pretty rigorous vetting process, who are overseas, who have fled to those countries fleeing war or persecution. they've then gone through an entire process of being registered as refugees by the united nations, vetted by the us, will now be unable to travel, and any future applications will also be suspended as well. and the processing of those. so it means, for example, that around 1600 afghans, some of whom had helped the us military, and also afghans who are relatives of us soldiers. in many cases, afghan americans who are active duty soldiers in the us military. those people who had been expecting very soon to be able to travel to the us, have been told they will not be able to do so. some of those people stranded in pakistan, for example, and that whole process now for them closed. and there are a number

of other cases too. so this has been met with a lot of criticism by refugee support groups and those volunteer organisations that helped refugees in the united states. the trump administration had said. and it says in the executive order, it's doing this because it believes that the united states has been overwhelmed by migration, and it wants to put that funding into communities within the us. american communities, they say. so already, a big impact from that executive order on monday, with the machinery of the bureaucracy implementing it straightaway, meaning that many people who have been expecting to come here can no longer do so. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. a 12—year—old boy who was stabbed to death on his way home from school on tuesday in birmingham has been named as leo ross. his family described him as "the most beautiful kind

child" who "had not one aggressive bone in his body." a 1a—year old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder. a 26—year—old man who shot and killed his ex girlfriend and her sister with a crossbow and stabbed their mother to death has pleaded guilty to their murders. kyle clifford attacked carol hunt and her daughters louise and hannah — who were the wife and daughters of the bbc racing commentatorjohn hunt — at the family home in hertfordshire last summer. the chancellor says she's "optimistic" about the economy, despite government borrowing rising by more than expected last month. the figure of almost 18 billion pounds is the highest for december in four years. rachel reeves is in switzerland, where she is trying to attract investors to the uk. more coverage of this on our website. you're live with bbc news. president trump has sought tojustify his decision to pardon more than 1500 supporters who stormed

the us capitol building four years ago. he's described their punishments as "ridiculous and excessive". asked whether people who attacked law enforcement officers should be held to account, mr trump agreed, but said their sentences could be commuted. a policeman who was on duty during the insurrection has described the pardons as a "slap in the face". one of those whose sentence was commuted is the founder of the far—right oathkeepers' group stewart rhodes. he was being held in a federal correctional institute in cumberland, maryland, when clemency was handed down. he was sentenced to 18 years in prison for sedition. my colleague christian fraser has been following the story and spoke to him do you still lead the oath keepers?— do you still lead the oath keeers? . .., , ., do you still lead the oath keeers? . , ., ., keepers? welcome i 'ust got a resent, keepers? welcome i 'ust got a present. we h keepers? welcome i 'ust got a present, we will— keepers? welcome i 'ust got a present, we will see _ keepers? welcome ijust got a present, we will see what - keepers? welcome ijust got a present, we will see what the l present, we will see what the future holds. i am here today on capitol hill, i was here, first in the dcjail on capitol hill, i was here, first in the dc jail advocating for the other brothers of mine who have not yet been released from dcjail, despite having been pardoned. it's ridiculous that they are waiting to have

been three days now to be turned loose when i was let loose monday night at midnight. i'm very grateful to president trump, ithink i'm very grateful to president trump, i think he did i'm very grateful to president trump, i think he