live from london. this is bbc news... three people have been arrested in connection with the deaths of five migrants in the english channel on tuesday. at this dangerous moment, the bombardier —— bond between our nations are stronger than ever and we meet as the war rages on our continent and new threats are rising around the world. three people have been killed and 18 injured accross ukraine in the latest russian bombing, as the us senate approves a long—awaited aid bill. we have been investigating reports of drone strikes on oil depots in russia and the latest russian missile attacks on ukraine. former leader of the dup sirjeffrey donaldson appears in court, charged with sexual offences including rape. and four people are injured after escaped horses bolt

through central london. hello, i'm lucy grey, welcome to verified live. britain's national crime agency is questioning three people on suspicion of immigration offences, afterfive migrants died while trying to cross the channel to reach the uk yesterday. the dead included a seven—year—old girl. two of the three people arrested are from sudan, the other is south sudanese. they are aged between 19 and 22. craig turner, the deputy director of investigations at the national crime agency, gave this statement about the arrests. i can confirm that three men have been arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration and entering the uk illegally. the men, to sudanese nationals, aged 22 and 19, and a south sudanese national aged 22, were detained last night and this morning by the national crime agency and our partners in immigration enforcement and will be questioned by investigators at a police

station in kent. additionally, another 55 people, also believed to be on that boat which arrived in the uk yesterday have also been identified. they have now been through their initial interviews with further interviews likely to take place over the coming days. french police continue investigating the circumstances that led to the deaths. the nca is closely supporting that investigation alongside kent police, immigration enforcement and also border force. this tragic incident once again demonstrates the threat to life posed by these crossings, and brings into focus why it is so important to target these criminal gangs involved in organising them. the nca with partners and partnering with french counterparts will obviously collect evidence, identify those responsible for this event and bring them to justice. thank you.

let's speak to our reporter victoria bourne, who is at the national crime agency. just talk us through what you know about these arrests.— about these arrests. yes, 'ust to reca - , about these arrests. yes, 'ust to recap. the — about these arrests. yes, 'ust to recap, the nationalfi about these arrests. yes, 'ust to recap, the national crimeh about these arrests. yes, just to | recap, the national crime agency says three men have been detained, two of those are from sudan, aged 22 and 19, and the third is from south sudan, and he is aged 22. they were detained in raids last night and in the early hours of this morning. and they are now being questioned at police stations in kent. investigators are trying to identify the people who remained on the boat which eventually made it to dover. they say they have identified 55 people and we know that the investigation is being led by french authorities who are still looking into the exact circumstances i saw what happened on that vessel which seemed to be so overcrowded. just cive us seemed to be so overcrowded. just give us the —

seemed to be so overcrowded. just give us the wider context of this because of course it comes after the government rwanda bill passed. that's right. this happened as the flagship bill of rishi sunak passed after months of wrangling. this bill would see asylum seekers sent to rwanda, which is in south central africa, to have claims process. it designates rwanda as a safe country, however that has seen lots of predictors —— criticism by the little opposition and human right groups. ministers argue this plan would deter people from trying to cross the english channel which is such a powerless journey to reach the uk, however the latest home office figures show that it is not necessarily acting as a deterrent, as more people have made that journey over the same period at the start of this year than last year. rishi sunak has said about these deaths that they serve as a reminder as to why it is just so important to

tackle people smuggling gangs. thanks very much. the uk and germany have pledged to support ukraine for as long as it takes, after talks in berlin on toughening europe's defence. the british prime minister rishi sunak and the german chancellor olaf scholz have agreed a new defence initiative to combat the threat from russia. the announcement came as president biden promised to send ukraine more arms and equipment within a week, after the us senate approved a £61 billion aid package. president zelensky has reiterated the importance of the fast delivery of military assistance, saying "every leader who does not waste time is a life saver". chancellor scholz underlined the scale of the threat posed by moscow. translation: rush's aggression against ukraine has marked a watershed moment, i have repeatedly stated that and that of course also means that we need to take note of the fact that the

russian war of aggression has changed and has put at risk european architecture, so in europe and in the world, we need to make a dash make it clear that borders must not be shifted by the use of force and for us in europe that means we need to strengthen the european pillar of nato also and especially when it comes to sufficient potential of deterrence. because our european capability is to deter and defend, must always remain credible. europe is divided over how to respond to the russian war in ukraine, but mr sunak praised germany's europe is divided over how to respond to the russian war in ukraine, but mr sunak praised germany's shift in defence policy. at this dangerous moment, the bond between _ at this dangerous moment, the bond between our two nations are stronger than ever_ between our two nations are stronger than ever and between our two nations are stronger than everand we between our two nations are stronger than ever and we meet as a war rages on our— than ever and we meet as a war rages on our continent and new threats are rising _ on our continent and new threats are rising around — on our continent and new threats are rising around the world. i know that i rising around the world. i know that iwant _ rising around the world. i know that iwant to— rising around the world. i know that i want to congratulate you on your leadership— i want to congratulate you on your leadership in recognising this and

taking _ leadership in recognising this and taking the historic decision to increase _ taking the historic decision to increase the defence spending and we stand here _ increase the defence spending and we stand here today together as the leading _ stand here today together as the leading defence spenders in europe, unshakeable nato allies, and the two largest— unshakeable nato allies, and the two largest military supporters of ukraine — largest military supporters of ukraine in europe. and together, we will continue to provide unwavering support— will continue to provide unwavering sunpori for— will continue to provide unwavering support for our ukrainian friends, as you _ support for our ukrainian friends, as you said. — support for our ukrainian friends, as you said, for as long as it takes — let's speak to our berlin correspondent, jessica parker. they were warm and friendly but there are some differences, if you want to talk about them and we will talk about all they agreed after that. , ., ., ., 4' talk about all they agreed after that. , ., , , that. yes, i mean, look, broadbrush, in terms of— that. yes, i mean, look, broadbrush, in terms of the _ that. yes, i mean, look, broadbrush, in terms of the war— that. yes, i mean, look, broadbrush, in terms of the war in _ that. yes, i mean, look, broadbrush, in terms of the war in ukraine - that. yes, i mean, look, broadbrush, in terms of the war in ukraine for - in terms of the war in ukraine for example, the uk and germany are essentially on the same page, they are both sending weapons, lots of them, the biggest donors in europe,

to kyiv to try and help them with that effort after the russian full scale invasion but there are differences. first of all these men are actually from pretty different political backgrounds. olaf scholz is a social, rishi sunak a conservative. but they do have a bit of a rapport and they do go back some way because they did know each other when they were both finance ministers. on this issue of defence, there are stations bubbling underneath the surface. one of them for example that came up in the press conference —— frustrations. olaf scholz is refusing to send long—range cruise missiles to ukraine, something the uk would like germany to do. and yesterday you had rishi sunak announcing that if he remains as prime minister, he will push towards ramping up defence spending to 2.5% of national income by 2030. immediately the question in serbia, what is germany going to do? actually, germany has onlyjust

reached 2% for the first time since the 1990s. the end of the cold war. as you saw in the press conference, a lot of efforts to keep things very diplomatic. i think they do genuinely seem to have some sort of fairly warm relationship and get on, thatis fairly warm relationship and get on, that is certainly what the officials tell me. ., ., ,., ,., tell me. there are also some questions — tell me. there are also some questions about _ tell me. there are also some questions about donald - tell me. there are also some i questions about donald trump, tell me. there are also some - questions about donald trump, with an eye to the election in the us this year and his attitude to nato. and all of schultz struggling that off, saying american presidents have always talked about this sort of thing. focus through what was said on that. , .,, ., , , thing. focus through what was said on that. , ., , , ., on that. there is obviously a concern _ on that. there is obviously a concern that _ on that. there is obviously a concern that they _ on that. there is obviously a concern that they don't - on that. there is obviously a - concern that they don't necessarily publicly voice on events like this, that if donald trump were to be elected again to the white house, given the things he has said in the past this could undermine the nato military alliance and the idea of mutual defence. that is the concern. when asked about it in public as you

say leaders, and i have asked this before, they tend to just say, the nato military alliance is very long—standing and lots of us presidents come and go but this has been a long—standing relationship and we have faith that relationship will continue, but officials i have spoken to are also clear that behind—the—scenes conversations are going on and they did kind of address it in that press conference about what europe leads to do to strengthen what is called a european pillar of nato, so strengthening european defence, strengthening the industrial base and spending more, industrial base and spending more, in order and this is something that french president emanuel macron has been talking about right long time, if somehow us support was not there in the same way in the future, could european position to defend itself as well as continue to support ukraine? . ~ as well as continue to support ukraine? ., ,, , ., , as well as continue to support ukraine? ., ,, i. , . as well as continue to support ukraine? ., ,, , . ., ukraine? thank you very much for that. for more analysis we're joined now by the director of the institute of international affairs in rome, nathalie tocci.

thank you forjoining us. picking up on that, the question is, how battle ready is europe in general? we have rishi sunak today saying it is at the most dangerous points as the cold war and we need to be war ready. how abel rees europe to cope? well, we are not battle ready at all. in a sense i think the paradox of this moment is we have been, our european continent, has been at war for over two years. and the realisation that this is happening has only really dawned kind of now, in some countries more than others obviously, but it is only really happening now. fora obviously, but it is only really happening now. for a long time, after the 24th of february of two years ago, there was an assumption that somehow this war would end in a couple of years and it would end in

a sort of fudge and our defence industry... often it is talked about, putting the defence industry on a war footing and rush of a seated from day one, many days before day one, and europeans are only beginning to talk about it now. and this is i think what makes this moment so dangerous because on the one hand we are not ready, on the other, you have war, which is raging on and not going in a positive direction and then of course, there is the additional question of what happens with donald trump. it is the coming together of those three things. not being prepared, the realisation of a war not going as planned and the spectre of donald trump returning, which is not only

to do with how we see going to... as he going to put out of nato? but is he going to put out of nato? but is he going to throw ukraine under the bus and if he does, does this mean... the answer to that is widely, yes. what does that mean in terms of irresponsibility —— a responsibly that europeans will have to take in order to sustain a war thatis to take in order to sustain a war that is not have a sending site. the costs keep — that is not have a sending site. the costs keep going up, billions every year, but the issue for ukraine as personnel. the issues they are having, mobilising enough people in generalfor this war. and i suppose the question may arise if this does go on for many years about whether personnel would have to be sent as well as just weapons. this personnel would have to be sent as well asjust weapons.— well as just weapons. this is indeed--- — well as just weapons. this is indeed... french _ well as just weapons. this is indeed... french president | well as just weapons. this is - indeed... french president macron was the first one to put this question on the table. i don't think you necessarily put it on the table because of an intention to send

troops to ukraine. i think the intention really was saying maybe there is some value in strategic ambiguity. maybe it makes sense actually not hotel europe —— tell them what you are not able to do. maybe it is a smart move. so far, what we have been very clear about is what we were going to do, thinking and hoping that this would have a ds greater effect, the truth of the matter it has simply escalated the war even further. at the moment, there is at least some consideration as to whether at the very least it is appropriate to say it or not say it and maintain a certain ambiguity over it but then as you say, if indeed things were to go in a very negative direction, and the minute in which we realise ukraine security is integral to european security, the question of troops will come online. i don't

think it is a question of today or tomorrow, but it is at the moment. it is something that ones should start talking about.— start talking about. really good talk team -- — start talking about. really good talk team -- talking _ start talking about. really good talk team -- talking to - start talking about. really good talk team -- talking to you. - start talking about. really good i talk team -- talking to you. thank talk team —— talking to you. thank you so much. around the world and across the uk, this is easy news. —— bbc news.

breaking news from police in wales, and three people have been injured at a stabbing at a school in south—west wales. two air ambulances were called to the scene in ammanford and one person has been arrested. our correspondent, hywel griffith, is in cardiff. hejoins me now. thank you forjoining us. tell us thank you for “oining us. tell us what ou thank you forjoining us. tell us what you know. _ thank you forjoining us. tell us what you know. we _ thank you forjoining us. tell us what you know. we understand| thank you forjoining us. tell us - what you know. we understand this incident happened at ysgol dyffryn aman, a secondary school, about 11100 pupils, late morning before the lunch break. the police say that

three people were injured and needed treatment and one person has been arrested and they are not looking for anyone in connection with the incident. the school has recently put out a statement saying that everything has been contained. a governor of the school says that they use their lockdown protocols for children so they were not able to leave the classroom. the police were called, two air ambulances were called as well. one has since left and flown to the university of wales in cardiff, suggesting at least one of those three people injured needed hospital treatment. the police have not given any more details. but they have asked anyone who has been publishing videos online to take that down. they say some video of the incident has been published online. they have asked people to take that down. their investigation is ongoing. we know that dozens and dozens of worried parents turned up at the school and have been

communicating with children inside. at the moment, the school is still in lockdown. pupils being kept inside. but we understand that is for the please to speak to them about the what they saw and knew of today's incident before releasing them later on. the incident is over, three people have been injured and one person arrested by the police. thank you very much. we are looking at the moment right now of pictures of that school, and you can see that they are leaving the school building as we speak. a lot of parents are standing outside at the barriers and also a few moments ago, still ambulances and police cars outside the school. we were just seeing further along, they shall say few moments ago. it would be the normal school departure time, i would expect. and as we were hearing,

three people have been injured and they are receiving treatment and one person has been arrested in relation to the incident at that school and police say they are not looking for anyone else but they say the incident is over. as resort, still ambulances and police officers at the scene. the school day finishing there. the us�*s top diplomat, secretary of state, antony blinken, is in china to meet with senior officials in beijing and shanghai. china and the us, the world's two biggest economies, remain deeply at odds over trade, technology, taiwan and the ukraine war. mr blinken is expected to warn beijing against exporting components that help russia's war efforts. washington says moscow uses chinese machine tools and microchips for weapons deployed against ukraine. let's get more from yuka kobayashi, lecturer in china and international politics at soas, university of london. thank you very much forjoining us. there is a lot for them to discuss.

we can go through each individual topic in a moment but let's talk generally about how things are, relations between them and what both sides might be hoping to get out of this. i sides might be hoping to get out of this. ~ , . , sides might be hoping to get out of this. ,, , ., , , this. i think it is a very tense time between _ this. i think it is a very tense time between the _ this. i think it is a very tense time between the us - this. i think it is a very tense time between the us and - this. i think it is a very tense . time between the us and china. this. i think it is a very tense - time between the us and china. the joe biden administration said they did not want to have a second cold war with china, but what we are actually seeing between the two superpowers now is that there is very tense relations. joe biden is ending antony blinken over now, given that we are actually seeing possibly china exporting things to russia that would help in the war effort with ukraine, we are also seeing the us just pass something in the senate that allows for aid to taiwan. putting together taiwan with ukraine and gaza, which is kind of an interesting... with israel, and thatis an interesting... with israel, and that is an interesting development

because of the current policy. it is a very tense time and i think it is going to be a very challenging discussion that antony blinken is going to have with his counterpart and he supposedly is meeting the president as well. it is planned to be a very lengthy conversation that covers everything from trade, economy, military confrontation. let's talk about taiwan. the us giving this money that has been allocated to the region and taiwan is very pleased about it but china has responded today saying that america should not be doing this. in terms of what could possibly be said at these meetings to make things any better on that front, is there anything? i better on that front, is there anything?— better on that front, is there an hint ? ,, , ., ., better on that front, is there an hint? ,, , ., ., , anything? i think it is going to be china pushing — anything? i think it is going to be china pushing a _ anything? i think it is going to be china pushing a lot _ anything? i think it is going to be china pushing a lot in _ anything? i think it is going to be china pushing a lot in terms - anything? i think it is going to be china pushing a lot in terms of. anything? i think it is going to be i china pushing a lot in terms of what does a safe package really mean, given that the indo—pacific, the south china sea, is seen legitimately as kind of an extension

of the chinese back yard. it has a different conceptualisation of the maritime sort of boundaries in the south china sea, given that it has also been labelled the south china sea, they see it legitimately as part of their maritime sort of area. given that the us is now pledging to help taiwan in areas around the indo—pacific, this is sending a strong signal towards china and the us has also been reacting to what —— towards what china has been doing, which has been clarified in the last week, the highest expenditure for military expenditure for china in history, so we are seeing more and more kind of modernisation on the china military front which is actually having this kind of reaction with the aid package and essentially, i think, reaction with the aid package and essentially, ithink, it reaction with the aid package and essentially, i think, it is going to be very difficult, the conversations antony blinken will have with his counterpart. find antony blinken will have with his counterpart-— antony blinken will have with his counterpart. and they will be talk about tiktok. _ counterpart. and they will be talk about tiktok. the _ counterpart. and they will be talk about tiktok. the us _ counterpart. and they will be talk about tiktok. the us is _ counterpart. and they will be talk about tiktok. the us is trying - counterpart. and they will be talk about tiktok. the us is trying to | about tiktok. the us is trying to get the chinese company behind

tiktok to sell up. i suppose it is a sign of the distrust isn't dead, that there is, and we also had the increased attention because of that chinese spy balloon which was shot down, wasn't it, over the us? in terms of the tiktok side of things, how much of that is an issue on the chinese side? it how much of that is an issue on the chinese side?— chinese side? it is a very important issue, chinese side? it is a very important issue. given _ chinese side? it is a very important issue, given that _ chinese side? it is a very important issue, given that tiktok _ chinese side? it is a very important issue, given that tiktok is - chinese side? it is a very important issue, given that tiktok is one - chinese side? it is a very important issue, given that tiktok is one of l issue, given that tiktok is one of the key performing sort of assets that china has an the other issue we are seeing is that we had different understandings of how data is process. you have very divergent positions between china and the united states. you know, the issue here is what happens with the data on these platforms and whether or not the parent company has access to this. we all know that we have very different kind of ideas around data

protection around china and also the united states and we are actually seeing sort of trade and sort of us companies of china being taken because of different understandings of data protection and to bear in mind is this —— this is not the first sort of ban on tiktok. this is a development that has been happening in the past couple of years. in 2020, we already saw india camping down on tiktok with a similar consideration but it has taken a lot longer in the us, given this kind of deliberation, domestically, but it is no surprise and you just raise, it is also a tense time with the spy balloon happening last year and essentially conversations stopping between china and the united states but now it is hopeful that antony blinken is over there and having these lengthy conversations so it is tense but i am hopefulfor some kind of discussion and conversation,

communication channel surrounded —— happening around these areas. thank ou for happening around these areas. thank you for ending _ happening around these areas. thank you for ending on _ happening around these areas. thank you for ending on a _ happening around these areas. thank you for ending on a note _ happening around these areas. thank you for ending on a note of _ you for ending on a note of optimism. thank you so much. some very unusual scenes earlier in central london. we need to warn you these images could be upsetting. these houses horses are from the cavalry regiment. it is believed that noise spoke to the animals and five horses run loose and four soldiers were unseated. london ambulance has confirmed four people have been injured. we can now head to central london. at whitehorse was covered in blood. it to central london. at whitehorse was covered in blood.— covered in blood. it has been an extraordinary — covered in blood. it has been an extraordinary day. _ covered in blood. it has been an extraordinary day. the - covered in blood. it has been an i extraordinary day. the authorities are clearing up now but the morning sort of began at half past eight when the london ambulance was called

to buckingham palace road with reports of a rider unseated and then there was a bbc crew filming something else, seeing these two horses riding past without their riders, one of them covered in what appeared to be blood. an extraordinary sight. we spoke to another eyewitness in belgrave another eyewitness in belg rave square, another eyewitness in belgrave square, not far from another eyewitness in belgrave square, not farfrom here, he says he saw five horses running past. one of them still with a rider on board trying to slow it down but one of them crashed into a van and another crashed into some bicycles. one of our colleagues in westminster sorry tour bus with its windscreen smashed by another of these horses. they really have been causing chaos all over the city. but they are under control now. over the city. but they are under control nova— over the city. but they are under control now. ., ,, , ., , . ., control now. thank you very much and we will keep — control now. thank you very much and we will keep you _ control now. thank you very much and we will keep you updated. _ control now. thank you very much and we will keep you updated. if— control now. thank you very much and we will keep you updated. if we - control now. thank you very much and we will keep you updated. if we hear. we will keep you updated. if we hear anything more on that, thanks very much for talking to us. do stay with

us on bbc news. hello, there is very little sign of the weather warming up over the next few days. we will stick with this unusually chilly feel for the time of year. some sunshine and a scattering of showers. some of the showers will be wintry over high ground in the north of the uk. we will keep this old air mass —— cold air mass from the north. the blue colours on the chart taking us through thursday and on into friday. for the rest of today, showers around, affecting eastern areas, a brisk breeze and it will feel cold. the best of the sunshine i think further west. the highest temperatures around 12, 13 degrees. ceiling and overnight, areas of cloud drifting southwards. that will bring showers, some of them wintry

over high ground in scotland. even over high ground in scotland. even overfairly modest over high ground in scotland. even over fairly modest hills, above 200 metres, some snow mixing in and staying windy across northern and eastern coasts. temperatures dropping close to or even below freezing in some spots. a touch of frost for some others. tomorrow will bring areas of cloud southwards across england and wales. some showery rain. scotland seen a mix of sunshine and showers. still some wintry missing though showers over high ground. just 8 degrees for aberdeen and mine for newcastle. maybe 13 in cardiff and plymouth. through thursday night and friday, another front will system grazing the south of the uk. maybe some showers in southern england and south wales. further north, sunny spells and showers. still some hints of something wintry over the hills and mountains. still cold in the

north—east. forthe and mountains. still cold in the north—east. for the weekend, some signs of something a little bit less chilly but only a little bit. these yellow colours trying to spill northwards but the reason for that is an area of low pressure. certainly not a heatwave and certainly not completely dry. some outbreaks of rain for england and wales. a better chance of sunshine in northern ireland and scotland.