all popeye here! tributes pour in — for the hollywood star — gene hackman — who's been found dead alongside his wife, betsy arakawa in the us. hello. welcome to today's verified live on bbc news. me tell live on bbc news. let me tell you we are keeping our eyes on that airport in florida in fort lauderdale we expect in lauderdale because we expect in the next few minutes the tate to arrive there in the brothers to arrive there in the us. there was that rather dramatic news at the of dramatic news at the start of the day, news that was

unexpected that two unexpected that the two brothers been allowed to unexpected that the two broth romania zen allowed to unexpected that the two broth romania despite ved to unexpected that the two broth romania despite those are facing them, charges that are facing them, allowed to leave. they got on plane 77 plane and 77 plane and they 77 plane and they heading the plane and they are heading the plane and they are heading the us. as i say, they to land 7 7 to land in 7 to land in florida in expected to land in florida in the next little while. the authorities say those romanian authorities say those against them still stand. 1 against tagainst them still 1 against them still stand. cases against them still stand. they the brothers to cases against them still stand. they expect the brothers to they expect the brothers to return at some stage. the return at some stage. the is early 77 is early march. but thought is early march. but thought is early march. but they have been to they have been allowed to leave they have been allowed to leave they have been allowed to leave the country. and as i say, they they have been allowed to leave the country. and as i say, they will in the us, has will land in the us, there has will land in the us, there has been pressure from the us on been pressure from the us on romania over the last few days been. pressure from the lisen. , wee ,, , ,, . w , over the been. pressure frem the lisen. , we, 7. , ,, . w , over the last been. pressure frem the ljsen. e w" e, , ~ — l 7 over the last �*days romania over the last few days for that release. well, it has for that release. well, it has happened and they got on a jet and they got a jet happened and they got on a jet earlier today. we were earlier today. we were seeing earlier today.,we were seeing picture is only a short the picture is only a short the picture is only a short while ago. the feed while ago. the live feed while ago. the live feed pictures from fort lauderdale pictures from fort lauderdale have but we expect have disappeared but we expect to come back in the next them to come back in the next them to come back in the next few minutes and we expect to be few minutes we to be few minutes and we expect to be able to in of able to update you in terms of able to update you in terms of that arrival of andrew tate and that arrival of andrew tate and his �* triston. his brother triston. do stay that arrival of andrew tate and his �*triston. do stay with us. that story is hjsggbrother triston. do stay that story is with us. that story is developing here and we will developing here and we will you 22:77" 7 bring you the latest event in you the latest event in

bring you the latest event in the next little let's the next little while. let's to the turn to the main event of the day. the uk prime minister — sir keir starmer — is expected at the white house, in around an hours time, to meet with donald trump. european leaders are trying to persuade the us president to do more, to support ukraine. trade and tarrifs will also dominate — as well as the middle east.

on keir 7 keir starmer is today sir keir starmer is here today and the ukrainian end the ukrainien'president zelensky will end the ukreinien'president zelensky will be volodymyr zelensky will be here tomorrow. and it all stems from that concern amongst european leaders to a shift in american pouec;lfi1:*e* ze: policy that president foreign policy that president trump and his administration appear to be softening their towards russia when 7 " itoiwardsirusisiaiwhen it peeitien. tewerde puzzle fiheh'it mi '"””""""” to eeeitieh tewefde edeeie’ hheh'it”"' 7, " ,,.,,...,. ' to its invasion of comes to its invasion of ukraine. whistle here ' "here and sir 7 he}? and sir keir starmer in here and sir keir starmer will the same today. will de the seme tedey; this , , . to will de the seme tedey; thie , , . to push the us effort to push the us to convince trump of the convince president trump of the need for a greater for vnot not make peace negotiations and any peace negotiations and when is a peace crucially when there is a peace that there will be a deal that there will be a security backstop. we have eeeuritg he’flg�*tfie�*fieneve had france in the uk already had france in the uk promised one of but they promised one of those but they need the us and president as of this view as they s of this view as they need 1is view as they need the �*iew as they need the us �* as security as well any provide security as well in any arrangement. prime arrangement. two prime

ministers for the price �*one. gngisters for the price of one. prime minister and peter the prime minister and peter ambassador to the pressing the flesh at there's a real buzz around washington right now. you can sense that there's a new leader in town that is a true one—off, a pioneer in business and in politics. many people love him. others love to hate him. but to us, he's just peter. mr trump and lay it on thick about the importance of britain's relationship with the us. we are living through a very, very significant moment for our alliance between our two countries. and you have a leader in this

country, in the president, who, for this country indeed. he's offering russia concessions to get a quick ceasefire. but the prime minister wants a us military backstop to guarantee ukraine's security and protect kyiv�*s rooftops in the years ahead. more lavish praise, will get him a hearing from a president president trump. and my message is really simple — that there is no more important relationship for the united kingdom

the prime minister also met business leaders, making the case for more trade with the us and investment in al, despite mr trump's promise to impose 25% tariffs we share the view that our best days lie ahead. but we are stripping away red tape and bureaucracy. thus the warm words and unctuous diplomacy at the start of sir keir�*s visit. james landale, bbc news. earlier i spoke to michael martins, who worked diplomatic efforts have

been received so far. the ground, you know, coming out with the defence spending increase and, you know, talking about investment into the us from uk businesses. and at the same time, you know he's come in with his ask. he's asking for an american hard power guarantee in ukraine is going to be opposed to it. i think he's going to be focussed more for american companies to access to make the same ask to president trump. repeated his point that he doesn't want to see us troops there.

to try again today? that he's making a mistake. is to tell him that it's a mistake, whereas i think starmer has focused much more on the relationship and, you know, starmer is walking a bit of a tightrope as you mentioned, with the potentially incoming tariffs and things like that. of whether it be flattery or a bit more about israel—palestine and those type of things. i think that's going to a farther, like, a longer way keir starmer will be here in about time. it is in about an hour's time. it is raining reasonably in

washington, dc. whistle and walk early in the week. i think we will see a keir and walk early in the week. i think we drive, ie a keir and walk early in the week. i think we drive, of; keir and walk early in the week. i think we drive, of this r starmer drive, of this driveway behind me had up to the covered entrance into the west entrance enrihte— theta-lest wing the oval entrance enrinte— theewest wing the oval office entranceen—intetheewest wing the oval office to meet trump there about president trump there are about an hourfrom now. they will a brief 7 a brief press i a brief press moment in oval will take the oval office, they will take questions from members of the that point and will be booted out, reporters will be booted out, they have their they will have their bilateral meeting and will together ”fiftogietherand n 7 together and then together and then have a lunch together and then have a press a formal conference em press conference where they will a lot of questions will take a lot of questions from the assembled journalists. i can you there is huge i can tell you there is huge media interest in this meeting today. we will bring it all teday. we will bring it all te live teday, we will bring it all te live on news. now, you live on bbc news. for now, back you, matthew. thank you back to you, matthew. thank you taking us through it. even for taking us through it. even those first pictures and comments, given what we have from donald trump in da 5, that can be uite [egggtgdays that can be quite so it you a

elehgated se it giveeyedae h . c we w, 7 sense elehgated se it giveceyedae ee e e we we e sense even early on the .-... ...of. . . .- .. . . ...... " tofth’ei t " 7 ' " " tofth’ei t fire’sid’efil" thoughts of the us president and the early thoughts from the uk prime minister. stay with us and the early thoughts from the uk the ne minister. stay with us and the early thoughts from the uk the programme stay with us and the early thoughts from the uk the programme and r with us and the early thoughts from the uk the programme and you h us and the early thoughts from the uk the programme and you will on the programme and you will miss a beat of not miss a beat of that. through the day as we up, through the day as we build up, had the to speak a number of anumberof 7 vuk to a number of former uk ambassadors and diplomats about a m bassaders and diplemats about we can a m bassadors and diplomats about we can expect in this what we can expect in this first stammer — camp meeting and what advice would give the prime �*about the uk can uniquely bring trump's( can uniquely bring trump's( can —— quely bring trump�*s( can —— stammer— important country in the world. it's also quite personal. his mother was born in stornoway. was the state visit to buckingham palace

with the late queen in 2019. you are right, the royal family is a card that only keir starmer can play. of things that he said he would do. like he did. has got a very substantial agenda. and as you rightly say, it's extremely important with this president, because this is an administration where whatever the rest of them may sometimes at a whim, but he is the man who takes the decisions, and therefore he's the person

he can talk about how focused he is on looking at european. in the future. but i think either. way, whichever way to ukraine's security- and sovereignty in the future, it's the right thing i for europeans to be requires very close l cooperation between european powers and taking a very rapid look at where l and in so doing, i have also been talking to alistair campbell, former director for director of communications for tony blair himself sat in on at least a dozen presidential

meetings. i asked about the meetings. i asked him about the dos and even to the one that donald trump was in more bullish, much more aggressive, i think much more confident. and i think in terms of dos — be very, very clear about the messages that you want to land with him, the same messages that you're landing with the public and be very, very clear about what you want the impression interviewee was saying, i think keir starmer has set

love actually moment when you stand alongside the president that is definitely a don't. that is absolutely a don't. and i agree again with matthew, who was just speaking there. about right between, if you like, the flattery and the demands. he did fact check him at one stage. and is that important, if the same thing happens again where he says things that are not factually true? he repeated in that first cabinet meeting yesterday. so if the same sort of scenario arises, what should sir keir starmer do? well, this is why it's so difficult to deal with donal trump, because you're right that the fact is, a journalistic fact checker could you could have fact checked on.

i go back to the point i made earlier, if it relates to one of the very key points that you're going to be trying but i think, for example, the way that macron he didn't say, and by the way, donald, you keep going on about ukraine he didn't do that. the aggressor was russia. i think there are ways of doing this. he does take offence and he will bridle. so it's a question of how you express your own view

and your own national interest. but i think as long as you make it clear you're standing quick couple of questions. in terms of how to calibrate what you're asking for. so we know that sir keir starmer, among other security guarantees. again, yesterday in that cabinet meeting, he said that's for europe. do you ask for that even though you think you know the answer? it has been important for generations, but is it still a special relationship? i think he's the tenth leader that trump is seeing. look, i would say that on the first, do you point it out? you talk about why it matters to ukraine and

you state why it's important that those security guarantees matter. you're the big guy, you're supposed to be looking so i think it's a question of stating your position. and so i think it's not there's no point banging on about it. donald trump is not going to be that impressed.

a final thought, what leverage, what cards does uk prime what cards does the uk prime minister really have and you .: ’e%e’i if; you seezwhat has you seefwhat has happened when you see what has happened in last month, haven't in the last month, we haven't seen donald trump in any way oi’ orstanding j j or standing up; or standing upto 5 putin. we have seen vladimir putin. we have seen pick fights with ukraine, him. pick; fighte with ukraine; ” " ' canada, with greenland, with canada, with greenland, with canada, with greenland, with european do you with european leaders, do you understand why he is doing lt} why why that 7 why that i; the that? why that approach is the one that's been adopted, and it actually means for the what it actually means for the rest of the west?— rest of the west? well, he is lots of rest of the west? well, he is - lots of the - rest of the west? well, he is - lots of the norms l rest of the west? well, he is i - lots of the norms and of the conventions and lots of the conventions and of the world order that we lots of the world order that we sort of took for granted. and he's doing it in a very he's doing itrin e ¥$"¥" , way. he's doing itrin e veryrr — way. he is literally breaking things to see what then emerges. do i understand why he's doing it? i can't claim be anywhere near —= =-—||= his head i think inside his head but i think partly he wants people that partly he wants people to understand that he is the most understand that. he is iii? $135}. man efifiéfiiéfifi eiiéf. he is iii? $1351. man in understand that. he is the most man in the he

powerful man in the world, he wants people to understand that 7£= 7 h7as7d7e7c7id7ed7 7 7 7 h7as7d7e7c7id7ed7to 7 7 h7as7d7e7c7id7ed7to b7e7 77 7 7 h7as7d7e7c7id7ed7to b7e7a777 77 7 has decided to be a massive in the world, and he disrueter in the worlds and he ~ ~ decided disrueter in the werlde and he ~ ~ decided that those norms has decided that those norms and conventions have got to go. have to argue for the parts we have to argue for the parts that that we want to hold of thetthet we went to held and i think it will make onto. and i think it will make a difference in the keir a difference in the fact keir starmer has stood up in parliament and said will parliament and said we.will defence spending. lots increase defence spending. lots us have for a of us have argued that for a long time. a bit of humility around that, we should have around that, we shouldhave this earlier, we should done this earlier, we should have that this have realised that this relationship was changing. but then there is so much i think then there is so much else that be brought else thatcan be brought to in terms of talking about beer in terms'of talking about i wouldn't do it in the commend! wouldn’tdorit in the of cliched way, it's about m interaction day to day interaction between the that our business, the way that our intelligence community work together, the way our military have worked together so much is have worked together so much of the cultural that bind of the cultural ties that bind us together. and actually think this is a massive challenge for keir starmer today but it's also a huge opportunity. these are when

because these are moments when statecraft and really defweeeeeles ~ . so the next few there is a chance that hours, there is a chance that this will the uk this will define the uk government and the success of for some time that government for some time to come. let's you the live pictures from florida because thatjet is on the tarmac. we were telling you a short werejust telling you a short. .. ago that we were while ago that we were expecting the jet carrying andrew gant tristan tate that set �* this morning andrew gant tristan tate that set �*this morning from had set off this morning from romania to land florida. —— �*and tristan tate. slightly —— �* and tristan tate. slightly unclear as we look at are still on 7 77 7 7773}; stiiish b7oa7rd, are still on board, or brothers are still on board. or i expect it have disembarked. i expect it is the camera is the latter. the camera in. difficult to make moving in. difficult to make out what that actually is. but 77777777i say, i say, the 7 i say, the rather 7 i say, the rather surprising as i say, the rather surprising is that it started the day which was that andrew and

tristan tate had been allowed the authorities in leave cou ntry. leave country. they of to leave the country. they of course were arrested three years ago in romania. they face years ago in eomaniae thssfats '”""" on allegations years age in semaniae theyfate '”""" on allegations of rape, trial on allegations of rape, of trafficking miners and money laundering. the romanian authorities say case is authorities say that case is still active and they expect the brothers to return, we think march. ——minors. we will see if but we will see if that actually course actually happens. and of course in the last few the irttbeelast few days the have been romania to allow7 brothers romania to allow7 brothers to nania to allow7 brothers to actually al7low77 brothers to actually leave7 the brothers to actually leave and is exactly what has and that is eeaetly what'has " " " " what happens next, happened. what happens next, that really is an open question with of course the lawyers for some of the alleged in some of the alleged victims in the uk about �*those the uk. talking about how those have been speaking to 77777s7aying saying are distra77ught him, saying they are distraught at today cosmic developments. 77 77w77il7l7play fitpi�*éi gale} " ' ' fitpi�*éi gale} aft”? " ' ' �*in the �* in the little mgr“??? "i $55 fi§fi [mtg h" 7 7” ”w ' w" those are 'htef¥'e§ 'h ehe hegt lltfle h" 7 7” ”w ' w" those are the 'heef¥'e§ ih ehe heee lleete 777 7 777 7777 7 7777 those are the pictures whiee; theee ere the ee�*eee from florida whiee; theee ere the pcteee from florida with the jet live from florida with the jet on the ground. the

gci’oss across the uk, you are and across the uk, you are watching news. —— news.

you're watching bbc that jet is now on the ground having brought andrew and tristan tate from europe no romania to the frere eereee he! rereergie ts; the , ,, ,. romanian frtvtt etjrette rttt ttttrttertie ttt the , ,, ,. romanian prosecutors frertt etlrette he remertie te the , ,, ,. romanian prosecutors agreed let 7 let them 7 let them leave. 7 let them leave. they 7 let them leave. they are 7 let the to .eave. they are 7 let the to return they are 7 let the to return to by are 7 let the to return to face 5 7 expec�*ted'te— retu'fn tc: fece proceedings. as i say, those proceedings. as i say, rape, trafficking minors and laundering, the money laundering, the offences they are accused of. and to those bringing civil cases, 7 rhasv 7 7 has been talking the bbc in the last few to the bbc in the last few hours talking about the shock “ehe elma eieeee ehe ehmfi ' ' ' the people “ehe eeeehe eieeee ehe eheee ' ' ' the people he heb“? eele'he eheee ehe ehe“? 7 7 7

the people he in of the people he represents in reaction to it's the victims�* reaction. they don't understand how this could happen. why would the so—called most powerful man in the world intervene on the behalf of one traffickers and rapists? you refer to the most powerful man in the world. you mean donald trump? i do mean donald trump, yes. are you clear that he's been involved in this? the power that trump wields over his administration, one must think that it's how could this have happened, then? how this decision has been reached. that the trump administration has been bullying romania to return andrew tate

and his brother what does that mean for the future prospects of the case that you're looking to bring? criminal prosecution of the tates for their alleged crimes. i don't think they'll ever face justice in romania now. the big question now is, will they face justice in the uk? authorities for the tates�* extradition to england. that request was made to romania and approved. a similar request must now be made to the us and do you think it's less likely that that will happen but whether the trump

administration will given the support that they've given the tates respect the international treaty, in respect of extradition. that is lawyer for some of the uk alleged victims in the [el-i matthewjury. let me take you to the live pictures in back to the live pictures in florida because as we have seen floride bechse es we'h-sve'seeh plane is fleride eeeeuse es we'heve'seefl plane is on the gflqride eeeeuse es we'heve'seefl plane is on the ground, the the plane is on the ground, the shots just being helicopter shots just being supplied to us coming in live the 7 the bbc. 7 the bbc. | 7 the bbc. iwill the bbc. i will tzke from the bbc. i will take you from the bbc. i will take you from that to another set of from—thet te—ensther set sf and shots from—thet te—enether set ef and shots that are now cameras and shots that are now being set up we think being set up because we think andrew and tristan tate are being set up because we think ant plane 1d tristan tate are e: .. being set up because we think ant plane and �*istan tate are e: .. being set up because we think ant plane and the n tate are e: e being set up because we think ant plane and the cameras e e: e being set up because we think ant plane and the cameras just e at one of the atone of the main to 7 to see if 7 to see if they appear and theirfirgt and their first comments there and their first comments after being allowed to travel there and their first comments af the eing allowed to travel there and their first comments

af the us. allowed to travel there and their first comments af the us. all were to travel there and their first comments af the us. all werejust avel there and their first comments af the us. all werejust hearing to the us. we were just hearing items �*the to the us. we were just hearing {tense 1the uk to the us. we were just hearing {tense �*the uk who from some of the uk women who have been talking to their lawyer and expressed their shock at today's developments. sheek. et tedeteee-e'eeee"�*e romanians settle will ’ ’ with ' " ’ ’ with the " press ahead with the trafficking minors charges and fee money that those fee money laundering that those brothers now with the news, ben thompson is will 7 will see in a here. we will see you in a bit in the build—up to keir starmer�*s visit to the white hello there. it's been a drier day today. just one or two showers around, but mostly fair—weather cloud that we're seeing right now. dry for most places. there'll be some sunshine too, but chilly at night again, so some frost around. there may be some patches of mist and fog as well, of high pressure that's in the azores is going to build towards the uk. right now, though, we've

still got yesterday's low more cloud and some showers. the odd light shower possible, but otherwise it's looking dry. becoming lighter in east anglia. the cloud, the showers move away. there's the risk of one or two showers around some coastal light winds overnight. it's going to get cold quickly. there'll be a widespread frost, this time early on friday morning. down towards the m4, the cotswolds. from a bit of fair—weather cloud, it's looking dry on friday underneath that area of high pressure. that's going to bring some rain briefly into scotland

that weather front then weakens as it runs southwards and to the south of that with some clearer skies. we've got some frost, some fog early in the morning for east anglia and the south east. it sits across southern scotland into northern england and moves away from northern ireland see, 10 celsius. the second half of the weekend. that weather front continues to fade away, always going to get some stronger winds coming in from the atlantic to scotland, perhaps northern ireland, maybe the far north of england. still be some sunshine, especially in sheltered eastern areas. parts of wales and the midlands, a little bit of mist and fog too.