on verified live, we will continue to investigate the causes of the russian plane crash. we have been analysing the latest footage from the crash site to see if it can shed more light on what caused the aircraft to come down. here in the uk, the families of three people stabbed to death in nottingham say they've been let down by the police after their killer is sentenced after admitting three counts manslaughter by diminished responsibility. in the last half hour, fence�*s constitutional council say plans for contested new immigration law go against the constitution and must be scrapped. —— france's constitutional council. hello, i'm matthew amroliwala. welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them.

now — we start with our exclusive bbc interview — with the man who's planning to take on vladimir putin — in russia's presidential election. he stands no chance of winning — but given what has happened to many other opposition politicians, it's a move that carries significant personal risk. we'll hearfrom boris nadezhdin — a prominent ant—war campaigner — in just a moment, but first olga malchevska in the newsroom can tell us more about how he's managed to get enough support to mount his bid, in a country where criticising russia's �*special military operation�* in ukraine can result in a jail sentence. this is yakutsk city in northern russia. it is —43 celsius and people are queueing to pledge their support to the opposition candidate boris nadezhdin. now, such queues have been seen across russia and he has to gather 100,000 signatures to be eligible to stand against vladimir putin in the next presidential race. what do we know

about boris nadezhdin? currently, he is one of the most prominent critics of putin and his war in ukraine. on his official website, he says putin made a fatal mistake by starting the special military operation. that is how the war in ukraine is known in russia. now, people who give their signatures for boris nadezhdin are also at risk because it's not only their signatures — they also have to provide very sensitive personal data, including their address and passport numbers. and let's look what happens to other prominent opposition leaders. boris nemtsov was murdered in 2015. alexei navalny was poisoned and jailed. justice is short while ago i spoke to macklin and asked him why he is standing against vladimir putin.

i've than the presidential election because i think that president putin has made eight fatal mistake as you say starting the special military operation, we use this turn in russia because i have to do in russian law. and second the main problem that putin sees the walk from the past that drugs rush into the past. russia needs a future. the future of the country, it is free and peaceful country and then you get people will live in this country because you know a lot of people went away from russia from the start of this special military operation so it was a reason for me to start my campaign against the politics of the current president. you my campaign against the politics of the current president.— the current president. you say the secial the current president. you say the special military — the current president. you say the special military operation - the current president. you say the special military operation is - the current president. you say the special military operation is a - special military operation is a fatal mistake. how much unease is there amongst the public opposition to this walk as much as it possible to this walk as much as it possible to say? to this walk as much as it possible to sa ? ~ , ., , , to this walk as much as it possible tosa? to say? when beasts special military o eration to say? when beasts special military operation just _

to say? when beasts special military operation just started _ to say? when beasts special military operation just started in _ to say? when beasts special military operation just started in february . operationjust started in february 20 to 52, a lot of people supported it, a lot of people, because we have many years of propaganda ten hours each day explaining to people in russia that the ukrainian power was taken by nazis, fascists, bad guys, etc, etc and a lot of people really think the same. and in this time, at the very beginning of the special military operation, just about 20, about 15—20% of all the people were against the special military operation from the start like me. but now the situation has changed dramatically because after about two years, a lot of people understand that life in russia became more complex. we have less and less food and drugs in our stores and shops and drugs in our stores and shops and the prices higher and a lot of people died, a lot of people died. and briefly on this, i read that a

lot of mothers of soldiers fighting in ukraine are supporting your campaign or have contacted you. is that the case?— that the case? yes, of course, because you — that the case? yes, of course, because you should _ that the case? yes, of course, | because you should understand that the case? yes, of course, - because you should understand that i'm a council man for 33 years from 1990. i am a council man in my city where i am now and, of course, it is my electors, it is my voters, the soldiers and their mothers and their wives and others and we have more than 300 people taken to the special military operation for my city and of course i have too and i started contact with the media before and now they became a very big activity. dozens of thousands of men and women, dozens of thousands all over the russia support me in my campaign now. �* , .,

the russia support me in my campaign now. �* y ., ~ the russia support me in my campaign now. �* , ., ~ ., the russia support me in my campaign now. �* 4' ., the russia support me in my campaign now. �* ,, ~ ., i. ~ now. and did you think, do you think ou will be now. and did you think, do you think you will be able _ now. and did you think, do you think you will be able or _ now. and did you think, do you think you will be able or allowed _ now. and did you think, do you think you will be able or allowed to - now. and did you think, do you think you will be able or allowed to stand l you will be able or allowed to stand or think the authorities will find a way somehow of blocking you? fit way somehow of blocking you? of course, of course putin's administration has a lot of opportunities to block me but now everything is going very well for us. many hundreds of thousands of people all over the will support me. russian people all over the world because a lot of motion people are now in great britain, united states, france, germany, turkey. we collected signatures and 300 cities of 42 states all over the world. it's absolutely... i will say it is clear support. it's absolutely... i will say it is clear support-— it's absolutely... i will say it is clear su--ort. ., ~' ., . ., ,, , clear support. you know what happens to vocal opponents _ clear support. you know what happens to vocal opponents of— clear support. you know what happens to vocal opponents of vladimir - to vocal opponents of vladimir putin. you were close to boris

nemtsov who was murdered. another murdered. navalny poisoned and now in a penal colony. even prigozhin. do you recognise the service to your life of actually doing this? i am more than _ life of actually doing this? i am more than 30 _ life of actually doing this? i am more than 30 years _ life of actually doing this? i am more than 30 years in - life of actually doing this? i —n more than 30 years in russian politics, from 1998 was elected 20 years from 2003 i criticised mr putin very hard, i would say, criticised mr putin. i never... i had never violated russian law all this time. i run only in accordance with the russian constitution and in accordance with russian law. i never said bad words about mr putin personally, mr putin personally. but ou personally, mr putin personally. but you know what has happened to alexey navalny, all of those around his campaign talk about the trumped up charges. he said to producer now is not the time for fear but is it

exactly the time for fear? is in yourfamily, nervous, worried, your family, nervous, worried, startled yourfamily, nervous, worried, startled by the potential of what could happen here?— startled by the potential of what could happen here? friendly speaking -- frankly speaking. _ could happen here? friendly speaking -- frankly speaking, in _ could happen here? friendly speaking -- frankly speaking, in the _ could happen here? friendly speaking -- frankly speaking, in the start - could happen here? friendly speaking -- frankly speaking, in the start of. —— frankly speaking, in the start of my campaign i have declared that i would run for president injuly in the meeting of the central commission because i ran for moscow oblast and i was out for this campaign and it was cold and etc etc and i declared injuly and frankly speaking, my family was not very... but i said to my wife and i said my children — i have four children— some of them older, some of than 30 years, etc. and i sit to them that our life, the life of me, of my children, my grandchildren, of my great grand children may be, i will say them, their life will be much better if we will change the russia. and now they understood and now my family support me, not only my

family. i think millions, dozens of millions of people in russia support me, really. millions of people in russia support me, reall . �* , , , millions of people in russia support me. really-— me, really. but, briefly, they were scared when _ me, really. but, briefly, they were scared when he _ me, really. but, briefly, they were scared when he told _ me, really. but, briefly, they were scared when he told them - me, really. but, briefly, they were scared when he told them what - me, really. but, briefly, they were| scared when he told them what you plan to do? scared when he told them what you [an to do? scared when he told them what you plan to do?— plan to do? i... i... i believe in best future _ plan to do? i... i... i believe in best future of _ plan to do? i... i... i believe in best future of russia _ plan to do? i... i... i believe in best future of russia and - plan to do? i... i... i believe in best future of russia and bestl best future of russia and best feature of may.— best future of russia and best feature of may. now, you must realise that _ feature of may. now, you must realise that you're _ feature of may. now, you must realise that you're not - feature of may. now, you must realise that you're not going i feature of may. now, you must realise that you're not going to | feature of may. now, you must - realise that you're not going to win so what realistically are you hoping to actually achieve here? we so what realistically are you hoping to actually achieve here?— to actually achieve here? we have russian people. _ to actually achieve here? we have russian people. the _ to actually achieve here? we have russian people. the appetite - to actually achieve here? we have russian people. the appetite is i russian people. the appetite is coming during you eat. i don't know the english but when you start something you have little eggs, single eggs. later, you achieve these aims and you begin to run for a little more aims and etc, etc, etc. two weeks before, two weeks

before, when we started collecting signatures, no—one could believe in russia that my campaign will collect several hundreds of thousands of signatures. nobody believed it. and so i believe, i think that my aim is to change the russia. maybe i will not be elected the president in the 7th of march this year, maybe, but i should have the best result because i know exactly which of the speech of just 15—20% were against the special military operation when it started but now more, much more, the majority of russians want peace. the majority of russians want peace. the majority of russians want peace. the majority of russians want peace, absolutely. i talk with people. i visited many cities in russia. a lot of people tell me. hundreds of people. big crowds of people speaking with me on streets and in meetings etc. aha,

speaking with me on streets and in meetings ete— meetings etc. a final question, then. meetings etc. a final question, then- you _ meetings etc. a final question, then- you say _ meetings etc. a final question, then. you say you _ meetings etc. a final question, then. you say you hope - meetings etc. a final question, then. you say you hope this . meetings etc. a final question, | then. you say you hope this will start the process of bringing change. what changed you actually want? and a final point because vladimir putin has been in power since the year 2000. he would argue he has restored russia's position in the world is a global power, a real influence. how would you describe where vladimir putin has taken russia? i where vladimir putin has taken russia? ., where vladimir putin has taken russia? . ., ., , where vladimir putin has taken russia? . . ., , ., russia? i have already said that putin has made _ russia? i have already said that putin has made the _ russia? i have already said that putin has made the loss - russia? i have already said that putin has made the loss of - russia? i have already said that - putin has made the loss of mistakes. by putin has made the loss of mistakes. by the way, not only special military operation, practically he destroyed the key institutions of modern government, of modern state of russia, like government, like free elections, etc, etc, so myjob will be to restore these institutions, to restore eads institution. i have a documentary called the plan of notation. what i will be doing the thursday of my term, first week of the first month, first—term, etc my first task will

be to stop the conflict with ukrainian and then to restore the normal relations between russian and western community to the united states, great britain, germany, france, european community, etc, and then i should restore the normal institutions, the nominal elections, the normal governance, normalfree the normal governance, normal free mass the normal governance, normalfree mass media in russia. i have a lot ofjobs. i have a lot ofjobs but my aim is to make russia great, peaceful and free country. just ten seconds, peaceful and free country. just ten seconds. if — peaceful and free country. just ten seconds. if you — peaceful and free country. just ten seconds, if you would. _ peaceful and free country. just ten seconds, if you would. if— peaceful and free country. just ten seconds, if you would. if putin - seconds, if you would. if putin wins, as everyone expects, what then? i wins, as everyone expects, what then? ., wins, as everyone expects, what then? . ., , ., then? i am not sure that i will win this time but _ then? i am not sure that i will win this time but i — then? i am not sure that i will win this time but i am _ then? i am not sure that i will win this time but i am absolutely - then? i am not sure that i will win this time but i am absolutely sure j this time but i am absolutely sure that putin will not rule the russia six years more, absolutely sure, because more and more people each day understand that he, throughout the russia, in this track of militarism, in this track of

authoritarianism, track of isolation, this track killed the russian empire in 1970. this track killed the soviet union in 1991 and more and more people understand that we should be awake from this track to the quiet road of normal life. that was boris nadezhdin talking to me a little early on the programme exclusively to the bbc. we will talk to our russia editor steve rosenberg hear about some of the things said in the interview here in the programme in about an hour's time. do stay with us for that. let's stay in russia because... questions remain over the shooting down of a russian military transport plane, which moscow blames on kyiv, and says it was carrying ukrainian prisoners of war. ukraine's security service has opened a criminal probe and the government has called for the united nations and red cross to have access to the crash site. earlier emergency services found the black boxes from the transport plane. the bbc has verified this video shared on social media, showing a plane going down followed by an explosion and a fireball. the crash happened near the village of yablonovo, 70km to the north—east of the city of belgorod.

none of the details surrounding those on board can be independently verified. the bbc has verified the study on social media showing a plain... 0ur eastern europe correspondent sarah rainsford has been following this developing story from the kharkiv region in ukraine. we've had more statements today from both russia and ukraine about the crash of this il—76 transport plane in the belgorod region. lots more statements, but very little clarity still about exactly what has happened. we do know that that plane came down, but what we don't know is exactly how and why it came down and crucially, we don't know who or what was on board the plane. now, russia has been saying from the very beginning that the plane was carrying ukrainian prisoners of war. ukraine says it has no reliable information about that and certainly we have seen no physical evidence of it. certainly we've seen no physical evidence of it. russia hasn't presented any evidence

of its claims at this point. in terms of whether or not it was ukraine that shot the plane down, well, there has been no actual denial of that from here in ukraine. there have been statements that have defended ukraine's right to defend itself, particularly here in the kharkiv region, where i am now. this is an area which has come under very intense missile strikes for the whole of this war, but particularly in the last few weeks. in fact, today here in kharkiv is a day of mourning because ten people were killed in the most recent missile strike, killed in their own buildings. so those are the people that ukraine says it is defending by targeting russian military targets, including inside russia itself. and it has made the point, the air force's commander has talked about the fact that transport planes are also a threat to russia about the fact that transport planes, too, are a threat to russia and therefore ukraine will target them as it sees necessary. so an implicit acknowledgement from ukraine, but no direct admission.

meanwhile, russia is saying the black boxes have been found. they'll be examined. of course, that won't be an independent investigation — it will be a russian state body that looks into that. in all of this, as i say, very big questions and, of course, big questions for the families of all ukrainian prisoners of war who are in russia. they want to know that their relatives are safe. we will get more from bbc verify on the very latest details abound in that crash. around the world and across the uk, you're watching bbc news. another story making headlines in the uk has heard in the uk covid—19 inquiry has heard that nicola sturgeon cole borisjohnson a clown in an expletive laden conversation. the first minister has been facing scrutiny in his tenure as health secretary.— been facing scrutiny in his tenure as health secretary. there is a gap reaardless as health secretary. there is a gap regardless of _ as health secretary. there is a gap regardless of the _ as health secretary. there is a gap regardless of the management - as health secretary. there is a gap| regardless of the management plan

and policy, there is clearly a gap in relation to how material and informal communication can be retained in regards to a statutory public inquiry and that is why we have instructed an externally led review to look at this issue and other issues for what the cabinet secretary should do. should they, for example, change device in the midst particularly of emergency and anything related to that?— anything related to that? humza yousaf talking _ anything related to that? humza yousaf talking about _ anything related to that? humza yousaf talking about whatsapp i yousaf talking about whatsapp messages, that is what he was being asked there at the inquiry for some of today's evidence. you are life with bbc news. here in the uk — we've been covering the sentencing of a man with paranoid schizophrenia who stabbed three people to death in nottingham lastjune, a crime which shook the nation. two university students, barnaby webber and grace 0'malley kumar, were celebrating the end of their first year. they were attacked as they walked home from a night out. ian cotes, a school

caretaker, was also killed. today, valdo calocane was sentenced to an "indefinite hosptial order" after admitting three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. the judge said he would probably stay there for the rest of his life. in a series of missed opportunities to prevent the killings, calocane had previously been detained in hospitalfour times, and a warrant for his arrest had been issued months before his deadly rampage. the families say, justice has not been served and the local police force has blood on its hands. navtej johal has this report. taser, taser! stay where you are! this is the moment valdo calocane, a killer who caused carnage on the streets of nottingham, was caught. an hour and a half earlier, cctv footage shows his first two cctv footage shows his first two victims,

barnaby webber and grace 0'malley—kumar — 19—year—old students walking back from a night out, unaware that they will never make it home. an hour and a half earlier, cctv footage shows his first two victims, barnaby webber and grace 0'malley—kumar — 19—year—old students walking back from a night out, unaware that they will never make it home. the night before, calocane, who's 32, arrives back late in nottingham by train from london. he walks around the city for several hours before his attacks begin at 4.00 in the morning. police emergency, what's the emergency? there has been a stabbing on ilkeston road, - there's somebodyl lying in the street. i think they're dead. oh, it was awful. he emerged from the alleyway and without any sort of warning whatsoever, he launched an attack on barnaby to begin with. she tried to intervene, she tried to help her friend, she tried to help barnaby/ and the defendant then turned on her and began stabbing her, at her. calocane then walks across the city. he tries to break into a building housing vulnerable adults but is pushed off by a resident. meanwhile, 65—year—old school caretaker ian coates is in his van on his way to work.

the defendant causes ian to stop in his van and, again, seemingly without any sort of warning or any sort of conversation, he attacks ian and he launches, you know, an equally ferocious attack on him. calocane then drives ian coates' van towards the city centre and hits three pedestrians. they were wayne birkett, marcin gawronski and sharon miller. they were all injured but survived. minutes later, the van is tracked down and the killer is arrested. calocane pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility and guilty to three counts of attempted murder. the court heard he has had a history of mental illness, was in and out of hospital since 2020, and has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. he was also known to mental health services in nottingham and had been sectioned four times. a psychiatrist who assessed him told the court that calocane said that voices in his head told him that if he didn't carry out the attacks they would kill his family. your sickening crimes both shocked

the nation and wrecked the lives of your surviving victims and the families of them all. i therefore make an order under all six counts of the indictment that you will be readmitted to and detained at ashworth high security hospital. nottinghamshire police admitted yesterday that more should have been done to arrest calocane prior to the stabbings, after a warrant had been issued for his arrest nine months earlier. true justice has not been served today. | we, as a devastated family, i have been let down by multiple agency failings and ineffectiveness. to the assistant chief constable, | rob griffin, who finally released| this information publicly yesterday, i say this _ you have blood on your hands. if you had just done yourjobsj properly, there is a very good chance my beautiful boy would be alive today. i

that report from our correspondent. plenty more on the programme from nottingham coming up. that sentencing took place on the day the uk government is introducing plans to crack down on so—called zombie style knives and machetes in england and wales. a zombie knife is a large bladed weapon that has increasingly been linked to gang crime and violence in britain. the blade will typically will have a serrated edge on one side and a smooth, sharp edge on the other. they're inspired by the kinds of weapon used in zombie movies. do stay with us because here in the programme and about 45 minutes' time we will talk to mike brindley, who lost his sonjames in a stabbing. we will be talking to him in response to what we've heard from the british government and the introduction of a tightening of the law around those specific weapons, some more on that

story a little later. to the us now. the us supreme court has declined to halt the execution of a death row prisoner in alabama. kenneth smith is due to become the first person in the us to be executed using nitrogen gas. it's a method which the united nations has called "cruel and inhumane." it will be the state's second attempt to execute smith, who was convicted in 1989 of murdering a preacher�*s wife, in a hired killing. a journey to the alabama jail where the first ever execution by nitrogen gas is due to happen. kenneth eugene smith has spent three decades on death row. he's already dodged death once — his executioners botched an attempt to kill him by lethal injection. and now he faces suffocation by the state. 0pponents see this as a crucial test

case and are urging alabama's governor to stop it — here led by smith's spiritual adviser, who will be in the execution chamber with him. so, i need some assurance that this is safe. so this right here is an invitation to governor ivey to accompany me into the execution chamber. it was two weeks ago today... smith was convicted in 1989 for his part in the murder of elizabeth sennett, the wife of a preacher who paid smith $1,000. the jury said he should get life injail, but thejudge sentenced him to death. 0ne medical expert against capital punishment explains that inhaling pure nitrogen will starve the body of oxygen, but could cause catastrophic mishaps. it's very likely, if he doesn't die, he could be significantly injured by this experience — and, for that matter, so could other people in the proximity of kenneth smith, because the nitrogen gas,

some of it will be exhaled, along with carbon dioxide, some of it may leak out of the mask. the victim's family backs the death penalty. alabama's governor's office claims the method has been thoroughly vetted, saying it is ready to move forward, although the authorities haven't presented any plausible evidence of its safety. so far, urgent calls for a stay of execution, including from the un, have not been heeded. and smith, pictured on the left with his spiritual adviser this week, awaits death for a second time. many us states have been moving away from carrying out executions. alabama remains an outlier, and today's case is supercharging america's debate over state—sanctioned death. tom bateman, bbc news, atmore, alabama. let's ta ke let's take a short break. when we are back we will have more in all the stories and today's business news. coming up here injust a moment auto. hello there. recent winter storms have now been replaced by some

unseasonable winter warmth, and notjust in the uk. take a look at what's been happening across iberia. temperatures way above average. in fact in valencia, 28 degrees was recorded on wednesday afternoon. their average is around 16 or 17 at this time of year. this afternoon we could see temperatures peaking at 13 celsius. in the london area, we should be seeing 7 degrees at this stage injanuary. it's a mild story but unfortunately it's a rather grey and drab one as well, quite widely across the country. yes, this was wales, and there is some rain pushing into wales as we speak. that's going to be moving its way into northern england, gradually drifting its way eastwards. we keep the cloud through the day today and with that south—westerly flow some poor visibility on exposed coasts as well. and a mild afternoon, temperatures widely into double figures at 10—13, the high. through the evening and overnight, that front will slowly meander its way eastwards and then it will be kicked out of the way

almost by this cold front. this is going to bring more heavy, persistent rain overnight and some strengthening winds. a spell of wet weather for all of us at some point through the night but once it clears through, because it's a cold front, it's introducing some cooler air so some of the showers in scotland may turn wintry to higher ground again as we could see temperatures into low single figures to start off on friday. a mild start down to the south—east, double digits here as that frontal system eases away. a little ridge of high pressure will build in and quieten things down for friday so expect more sunshine for most of us. plenty of isobars further north and west. gale force gusts of winds will drive in a rash of showers into northern ireland and north—west scotland. again with elevation some of those will be wintry. but it's a sunny afternoon for most of us, not quite as warm but hopefully the sunshine will compensate. 7—9 the high. high pressure across europe will dominate the story into the weekend. and across england and wales that means a quieter theme of weather but across the top of that high, always the risk of

some weather fronts. into the weekend, the further north and west you are there is still a risk of showers or longer spells of rain. dry, sunny and milderfurther south. take care.

this is bbc news, the headlines...

the man who's planning to take on vladimir putin in the russian presidential elections speaks exclusively to the bbc and says there's growing oppositionrussia's there's growing opposition special military operation in ukraine. i am not sure i will win this time but i am absolutely sure putin will not rule russia for six years more, absolutely sure. here in the uk the families of three people stabbed to death in nottingham say they've been let down by the police after their killer is sentenced after admitting three counts manslaughter by diminished responsibility. you have blood on your hands. if you had done yourjob is properly there is a good chance my beautiful boy would be alive today. bud is a good chance my beautiful boy would be alive today.— is a good chance my beautiful boy would be alive today. and we have a secial would be alive today. and we have a special report _ would be alive today. and we have a special report as _ would be alive today. and we have a special report as some _ would be alive today. and we have a special report as some of— would be alive today. and we have a special report as some of ghana's i special report as some of ghana's crown jewels stolen by british soldiers more than a century ago are being returned on loan.