with a strike by nurses. the family of yousef makki when the fight to have a fresh inquest into his death. a surprise fall in the amount spent by shoppers in december, as people cut back on their christmas spending. # it would be so nice. # and tickets have gone on sale for madonna s good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news channel. the ukrainian president volodomyr zelensky has appeared via videolink to make a direct appeal for tanks, at a meeting of western defence chiefs in germany. representatives of more than 50 countries are discussing the co ordination of stronger military support for kyiv. president zelensky called on the allies to agree the delivery of tanks and other advanced weapons as a matter of urgency. germany is under pressure to allow its leopard two tanks to be exported to ukraine, which isn t a member of nato. the uk has commited to sending 1a challenger 2 tanks to the frontline. here s our diplomatic correspondent, james landale. for western defence chie