this is bbc news. i'm ben boulos with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. pointing the finger of blame: the committee investigating the attack on the us capitol condemns donald trump and the republicans. i say this to my republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible — there will come a day when donald trump is gone, but your dishonour will remain. previously unseen footage was shown, and there was testimony from those who tried to defend the building. they were bleeding, they were throwing up, they were, you know,

they had — i mean, i saw friends with blood all over their faces. i was slipping in people's blood. the uk's foreign secretary will talk to her ukrainian counterpart about two british men sentenced to death by a russian—backed court. and heading to the high court: lawyers try to stop a controversial scheme that will send asylum seekers from britain to rwanda. hello and welcome. the congressional committee investigating the storming of the us capitol last year has held its first public hearing on prime—time television. it says it's established that the former president donald trump conspired to overturn the result of the 2020 election.

graphic new footage was shown of the riots at the capitol building in washington last january when supporters of mr trump tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power to president biden. the committee spent almost a year investigating the attack. some republican leaders called the hearings a democratic "smokescreen" to promote a "radical agenda." but liz cheney, the committee's republican vice—chair, said mr trump had summoned the mob, lit the flame of the attack, and then failed to intervene to end the violence. she called on her party colleagues to honour the oath that binds them to uphold the constitution. tonight, i say this to my republican colleagues defending the incident indefensible — there will come a day when donald trump is gone, but your dishonour will remain. finally, i ask all of ourfellow americans, as you watch our hearings over the coming weeks,

please remember what's at stake. remember the men and women who have fought and died so that we can live under the rule of law, not the rule of men. the hearing's first live witness testimony came from police officer caroline edwards who was on duty on the capitol onjanuary 6. she described a memory of the day that stood out vividly in her mind. i canjust remember my breath catching in my throat because what i saw wasjust a war scene. it was something like i'd seen out of the movies. i couldn't believe my eyes. there were officers on the ground, you know, they were bleeding. they were throwing up. they were, you know, they had — i mean, i saw friends with

blood all over their faces, i was slipping in people's blood. we can now speak to robert reich, who's an author, former us secretary of labor and currently professor of public policy at the university of california at berkeley. very warm welcome to the programme. there was some very moving testimony, some very graphic footage that was shown. what stood out most for you of what we have seen so far? undoubtedly, liz cheney's opening remarks. she was the number three ranking republican in the house of representatives until she was yanked out of that role by the current republican party that simply felt that she was disloyal to donald trump. but she, being a republican and being the daughter of a former vice president, dick cheney, she has a great deal of public legitimacy, and for her to be there and say what she did about donald trump, about other

republicans, about the critical importance of this entire hearing, it lifted it above partisanship. it made it much more difficult for donald trump orany more difficult for donald trump or any other republican to say it is a part witch—hunt. but it is a part witch-hunt. but for her statement - it is a part witch-hunt. but for her statement to - it is a part witch—hunt. but for her statement to have any impact on her fellow republicans would require them to be watching and listening. do you think they would have been or not? i do you think they would have been or not?— been or not? i think many of them were — been or not? i think many of them were watching - been or not? i think many of them were watching and - them were watching and listening, but the real question is how many americans who believed or who continue to believe the lie that the election was stolen from donald trump, how many of them were watching and listening? how many of them were persuaded? i don't think very many. fox news for example didn't even carry the hearings. america is really divided now. iwas the hearings. america is really divided now. i was very moved by the chairman of the hearing, his reference to the civil war, because it is, in a way, a kind

of civil war right now. we are dealing with the most serious part of the constitution since the civil war of 1861, 1862, and i think it is going to be very hard for any committee hearing to heal or repair of the breach.— hearing to heal or repair of the breach. ~ . , ., , the breach. what powers does this committee _ the breach. what powers does this committee have - the breach. what powers does this committee have at - the breach. what powers does this committee have at the . the breach. what powers does| this committee have at the end of this process to hold anyone accountable, responsible? i mean, could we seek charges brought, for example? it could be tried as _ brought, for example? it could be tried as referred _ brought, for example? it could be tried as referred to - brought, for example? it could be tried as referred to the - be tried as referred to the justice department. the real question is whether the attorney general is working on this case, there does seem to be indication he is working in this direction. he has already brought hundreds of people who were involved in the assault on the capital to either invite them or criminal proceedings or they are injail. but is he

going after donald trump? that is the biggest question of all. could these hearings prompt him to maybe speed that up? once, assuming donald trump is going to want to run again for president, and it does seem like he will, once he declares that he is in the running, it is going to mean much more difficulty for the attorney general to bring charges against him because then it looks like, really, a partisan plot. looks like, really, a partisan lot. , looks like, really, a partisan lot, , , ., ., plot. many people are drawing comparisons — plot. many people are drawing comparisons between - plot. many people are drawing comparisons between this - comparisons between this congressional investigation and watergate in the 1970s. is this bigger than that? is that comparison a fair one? it is not really _ comparison a fair one? it is not really comparable. - comparison a fair one? it 3 not really comparable. richard nixon covered up a third—rate burglary. donald trump, and there is a lot of evidence, allegedly but i think it is pretty clear, donald trump orchestrated an attempted coup. this is far different from covering up a third—rate burglary. this goes to the

essence of our democracy and the continuation of democracy here in the united states. fik. here in the united states. 0k. robert, thank _ here in the united states. 0k. robert, thank you _ here in the united states. ok. robert, thank you very much indeed to speaking to us here on bbc news.— we can now speak to us political pollster and democratic strategist ben tulchin. hejoins us from san francisco. are the indications that this will make any difference to the midterms as we approach them? i think it good. based on polling i have done in bowling that other in a pond on polling i have analysed, we know that strong majority of americans strongly disapprove of events on january strongly disapprove of events onjanuary six and former president from's role in those events, and over time, presidents have faded from people's memories, the republican party has made every effort to sweep this under the rug. and when you put these events front and centre of the emotional testimony today, video footage was very powerful

and what we saw from january six, he saw the images and appalled by them, in turned a strong majority of voters against former president trump. it very much could sway public opinion. it very much could sway public oinion. . ., opinion. the nature of technology, _ opinion. the nature of technology, the - opinion. the nature of technology, the reach| opinion. the nature of. technology, the reach of opinion. the nature of- technology, the reach of social media means that we all saw this play out in real time, we saw that footage as the rioters were descending on the us capital. given how much people have already seen and how much they are already aware of, this it somehow is the impact of what committee is now putting up what committee is now putting up there in public, or do you think it is still so visceral and raw that it still has the power to make people stand back and think, oh, my goodness, this actually happened? i think it is very powerful, _ this actually happened? i think it is very powerful, very - it is very powerful, very visceral, very emotional. they resented new footage with audio, with testimony. these are credible witnesses who are as political figures giving testimony. a police officer, a

republican congresswoman, i think it is very credible. it can have a very significant impact. can have a very significant im act. ., can have a very significant imact. ., , ., can have a very significant imact. ., i. can have a very significant imact. ., ., , impact. from your polling, does the belief still— impact. from your polling, does the belief still hold _ impact. from your polling, does the belief still hold among - the belief still hold among many or any people that this was somehow a fabricated event, that this didn't actually happen is vital that we are seeing? happen is vital that we are seeinu ? , . , .., seeing? there is a significant ma'ori seeing? there is a significant majority of — seeing? there is a significant majority of the _ seeing? there is a significant majority of the republican i majority of the republican party in this country that sides with former president trump and whatever lies he communicates to them. this isn't... i don't see... there isn't... i don't see... there is a limit to how much it can impact public opinion, but based on my analysis and my polling, i see that basically you can win over a solid majority, 55% of the country to get on your side on this, and we still have a solid minority that has voted for donald trump

now. he has lost the popular vote two times and he still resents a minority in the country, but it is a very fervid loyal following he country, but it is a very fervid loyalfollowing he has, and these hearings will persuade most of those voters, but there is still solid majority of the country that is open to persuasion on this and is deeply disturbed by the events of january six. events ofjanuary six. going back to the _ events ofjanuary six. going back to the hearing - events ofjanuary six. going back to the hearing itself, l events ofjanuary six. going l back to the hearing itself, the timing was very deliberate during prime time, to be shown on television. how much difference will that make to the impact of it on the american people watching at home? it american people watching at home? , , .. american people watching at home? ,, ,, home? it is significant because uuite home? it is significant because quite frankly — home? it is significant because quite frankly right _ home? it is significant because quite frankly right now, - home? it is significant because quite frankly right now, we - quite frankly right now, we have a very splintered media landscape, media broadcast news is not as dominant as it used to be, lot of sources of news that people consume. this event is covered by, other than fox news, but most of the networks, prime fodderfor

news, but most of the networks, prime fodder for social media, it can go viral. this will have an impact on what i have seen, by 2.5 decades of political experience, big events like this to move public opinion, and when they break, when an event like this can really penetrate the public consciousness and dominate the conversation, notjust one day event, it can have a real impact. event, it can have a real impact-— event, it can have a real imact. �* ,, impact. 0k, ben, us political ollster impact. 0k, ben, us political pollster and _ impact. 0k, ben, us political pollster and democratic - pollster and democratic strategist, thank you very much. . ., strategist, thank you very much. . ,, much. thank you. thank _ much. thank you. thank you - much. thank you. thank you for - much. thank you. i thank you for being much. thank you. - thank you for being with much. thank you. _ thank you for being with us. don't go away. plenty more to come still on bbc news. still to come: as france prepares for another vital election, we'll be looking at what's at stake. the day the british liberated the falklands.

and by tonight, british troops have begun the task of disarming the enemy. in the heart of the west german capital, this was gorbymania at its height. the crowd packed to see the man who, for them, has raised great hopes for an end to the division of europe. it happened as the queen moved towards horse guards parade - for the start of- trooping the colour. gunshots the queen looks worried, but recovers quickly. - as long as they'll pay to go see me, i'll get out there and kick �*em down the hills. what does it feel like to be the first man to go across the channel by your own power? it feels pretty neat. it feels marvellous, really. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: the congressional committee investigating the attack on the us capitol

has pointed the finger of blame at donald trump. previously unseen footage was shown, and there was testimony from those who tried to defend the building. the british foreign secretary, liz truss, will speak to her ukrainian counterpart later to discuss the case of two british men sentenced to death after they were captured by russian forces while fighting in ukraine. an unrecognised court in the rebel—held area of donetsk found aiden aslin and shaun pinner — along with a moroccan man — guilty of being mercenaries. frances read reports. britain has called it a sham judgement with no legitimacy, both of these men could face death by firing squad.- death by firing squad. didn't really have _ death by firing squad. didn't really have any _ death by firing squad. didn't really have any choice - death by firing squad. didn't really have any choice other| really have any choice other than to surrender.— than to surrender. this is durin: than to surrender. this is during the _ than to surrender. this is during the battle - than to surrender. this is during the battle for- than to surrender. this is| during the battle for maria paul. they were both captured backin paul. they were both captured back in april. now they are part of the propaganda war with moscow claiming they are

foreign mercenaries. everyone ex - ects foreign mercenaries. everyone exoects they — foreign mercenaries. everyone expects they are _ foreign mercenaries. everyone expects they are not, - foreign mercenaries. everyone expects they are not, they - foreign mercenaries. everyone expects they are not, they willj expects they are not, they will be held as a diplomatic tool and i think the bigger picture here what is happening is that the russians are going to become increasingly aggressive as part of the indirect conflict against the baltic republics, against the uk and others who are closed with ukrainian administration. it is true that foreign _ ukrainian administration. it is true that foreign fighters signed up alongside you onions after the russian invasion, but thatis after the russian invasion, but that is not the case for them. they had made their lives in ukraine some years ago, serving its armed forces for several years prior. the us army medic trained aidan. he years prior. the us army medic trained aidan.— trained aidan. he went to ukraine in _ trained aidan. he went to ukraine in 2017, - trained aidan. he went to ukraine in 2017, he - trained aidan. he went to ukraine in 2017, he has i trained aidan. he went to ukraine in 2017, he has a| ukraine in 2017, he has a ukrainianfiance, ukraine in 2017, he has a ukrainian fiance, they do have a good have a home outside of mariupol. he was part of the 36, so he had a well—established life in

ukraine, ukrainian citizenship. kremlin backed media showed the men arriving for symptoms and in the next yesterday, which is under the control of pro— russian rebels. — i donetsk. it is a breach of international law to prosecute them. a view supported by the ukrainian government.— supported by the ukrainian covernment. . , ., , , government. the main problem is that russia _ government. the main problem is that russia doesn't _ government. the main problem is that russia doesn't follow - government. the main problem is that russia doesn't follow any - that russia doesn't follow any rules of war. they don't follow anything. that is my main message. there is no international order for them, there is no international rules for them. there is no international rules for them-— there is no international rules forthem. ., ,, . . , for them. the foreign secretary is affected _ for them. the foreign secretary is affected to — for them. the foreign secretary is affected to speak— for them. the foreign secretary is affected to speak to - for them. the foreign secretary is affected to speak to the - is affected to speak to the ukrainian foreign ministry this morning in an attempt to secure their release for the russian state media suggests the men have a month to appeal against their death sentences. but condemned men or simply a bargaining tool, ultimately thatis bargaining tool, ultimately that is something that could be decided by president putin himself.

here in the uk lawyers acting for asylum seekers due to fly to rwanda as early as next week have launched legal action which will be heard in the high court this morning. a coalition of charities and a trade union has applied for an injunction to halt the operation. dominic casciani reports. a bed with a roof over it, but is it safety and century? this is it safety and century? this is one of the reception hotel's waiting in rwanda's capital, asylum seekers from the uk due to leave on flights next tuesday. legally controversial, priti patel struck the deal that the home office doesn't want to considerfor that the home office doesn't want to consider for refuge at home. people like these. migrants crossing the english channel this year, 10,000 since january, double the rate of last year. targeted for removal from the uk because the home office claims they have no legal right to seek asylum here. the home office says it's

rwanda policy targets migrants taking dangerous, unnecessary and illegaljourneys to the uk. the rules apply to some but not all reaching the uk through a safe country. rwanda will take responsibility for their asylum claims although the uk will foot the bill is. charities say the entire plan is illegal and thatis the entire plan is illegal and that is why they are today asking judges to stop it. we asking 'udges to stop it. we don't asking judges to stop it. - don't believe that anyone should be being punished for claiming asylum. the uk as a signatory to the refugee convention, the right to claim asylum as a human right. into is a 1—way ticket, there is no way back to the uk even if they are recognised in rwanda as a refugee. it is a stepping back entirely from our responsibility to protect it. but the government recognises that the plan is controversial but it says it is lawful to send people to rwanda because they should have claimed asylum first in the eu. so today's case is notjust about what is ethically and politically

possible, but about the uk's international obligations to refugees. international obligations to refu . ees. international obligations to refugees-— international obligations to refu~ees. ., ' . ., �* refugees. the home office won't confirm who _ refugees. the home office won't confirm who would _ refugees. the home office won't confirm who would be _ refugees. the home office won't confirm who would be first - refugees. the home office won't confirm who would be first to - confirm who would be first to head to a new life in rwanda, but one charity says it includes recently arrived afghans who led the taliban. if next week's flights are stopped, they will try to kill the policy, a policy that they say is vital to repairing a broken migration system. dominic casciani, bbc news. france is preparing to vote in parliamentary elections this weekend, a month after president emmanuel macron won a second term. his party, newly renamed 'renaissance', hasjoined allies in a pro—government alliance called ensemble. it's fighting to retain its majority in the face of a new left—wing alliance, led by the far—left leaderjean—luc melenchon. the first round of voting this sunday will be followed by a run—off next weekend. our paris correspondent lucy williamson has been looking at what's at stake in this race.

having beaten the far—right to the presidency, emmanuel macron is facing a new threat from the left. former marxistjean—luc left. former marxist jean—luc melenchon is left. former marxistjean—luc melenchon is threatening the government in parliamentary elections with a new alliance of green and left—wing parties, and in case anyone misses what is at stake, his campaign literature has one slogan. melenchon: prime minister. that is more wishful thinking than anything but they are expected to make sweeping gains. he is very charismatic _ to make sweeping gains. he is very charismatic and _ to make sweeping gains. he is very charismatic and france. i very charismatic and france. macron is a lucky guy. he was here at the right time where the credibility of our politicians are the lowest. jean—luc melenchon is a firebrand politician who says he would like to be prime

minister, but he has managed to unite a wide range of green and left—wing parties behind him in the selection and his main aim is to block president macron from a parliamentary majority. this man, once an mp with president macron's party has nowjoined the melenchon's new alliance. brute now joined the melenchon's new alliance. ~ . ., , alliance. we agree on this programme _ alliance. we agree on this programme which - alliance. we agree on this programme which is - alliance. we agree on this programme which is veryl alliance. we agree on this - programme which is very strong on ecology and solidarity and we also recognise that we do have some divergences on some other points. d0 have some divergences on some other points-— other points. do you really want jean-luc _ other points. do you really want jean-luc melenchon | other points. do you really i want jean-luc melenchon as wantjean—luc melenchon as prime minister? want jean-luc melenchon as prime minister?— want jean-luc melenchon as prime minister? the little bit of political — prime minister? the little bit of political experience - prime minister? the little bit of political experience i - prime minister? the little bit of political experience i have | of political experience i have now has taught me that there are some questions which need to be postponed to win is the right time. mr to be postponed to win is the right time-— right time. mr macron's 's interest — right time. mr macron's 's interest group _ right time. mr macron's 's interest group currently i right time. mr macron's 's i interest group currently has right time. mr macron's 's - interest group currently has 56 seats clear of a majority. losing that margin could mean his reform is running into the

ground. in his reform is running into the round. . . i. his reform is running into the round. . . . ground. in france if you want to be able — ground. in france if you want to be able to _ ground. in france if you want to be able to pass _ ground. in france if you want to be able to pass reform - ground. in france if you want| to be able to pass reform and change the country in life of people, you need to have a clear majority in parliament. is a project ofjean—luc melenchon it is leaving the european union, leaving nato, it is being complacent with vladimir putin.— it is being complacent with vladimir putin. after years of rotests vladimir putin. after years of protests against _ vladimir putin. after years of protests against his - vladimir putin. after years of protests against his reforms, j vladimir putin. after years of i protests against his reforms, a rebellious parliament is not on mr macron's wishlist. jean—luc melenchon can paralyse melenchon can pa ralyse parliament melenchon can paralyse parliament now with 17 mps, one government supporter told french radio. imagine what he could do with the. lucy williamson, bbc news, paris. let's catch up with all the latest sports news. hello, i'm mark edwards with your sport. big news from the world of golf. the pga tour has suspended all its members who are playing in this week's rival saudi—backed tournament in hertfordshire, which threatens to tear the sport apart.

48 players, including major champions such as phil mickelson and dustin johnson, are earning eyewatering amounts of money upfront forjust appearing in the liv series, which continues near london. the organisers of the new tournament say the pga is being vindictive by banning the players. former us open champion graeme mcdowell says he was forced into resigning from the tour just before he played in the liv golf event. it was a tough decision. i wanted to keep the moral high ground and remain a member of the tour because they really didn't feel like i needed to resign or like they should have to resign. it was a very difficult decision. a kind of resigned out of an abundance of caution, honestly, because i've felt like it puts me in a less litigious situation with regards to getting drawn into anything unnecessarily. but like ice a, i didn't want to resign. i love the pga tour, it has been great to me. —— but

like i say. later on friday, france are in austria looking to get their uefa nations league campaign back on track. they're winless in two. while on thursday, portugal's unbeaten start to the tournament continued after they saw off the czech republic 2—0 in lisbon. joao cancelo opened the scoring for the 2019 champions on 33 minutes. gonzalo guedesh then made it two before half—time. liverpool's mohamed salah and chelsea's sam kerr have won the men's and women's pfa players�* player of the year awards. the liverpool forward narrowly missed out on winning the premier league title, but won the fa and league cups. both salah and kerr were their respective league's top scorers although this award is voted for by other players. well, i think about it, of course i wanted the premier league before anything, champions league as well, but it shows you that you are working really hard and you get what you work for, kind of copy the team comes first but when

the team comes first but when the players one as well. the second test of the three—match series between england and new zealand gets under way at trent bridge in nottingham on friday, and the kiwis have been rocked by the news that their captain, kane williamson, will not be featuring after testing positive for covid. williamson undertook a rapid antigen test after experiencing minor symptoms on thursday and will now begin five days of isolation, while the rest of the touring party have returned negative tests. england lead 1—0 after a close game at lord's in what was ben stokes's first match since taking over as captain. he says he is looking to bringing the fun back into playing for your country. the pressures of going out and delivering performances on a weekly basis, it can get challenging but we are playing for england, we are doing a job that we all grew up just playing as a hobby and i think

that everyone has just really enjoyed themselves because at the end of the day when you are playing for your country, the first and foremost thing is to make sure that you have as much fun as you possibly can. from me and the rest of the team, that's your sports news for now. don't go away, i will be back with the business news injust a few minutes. hello there. we're going to see a mixture of sunshine and showers over the next few days. coupled with some stronger winds as well. the reason for all that is this large area of low pressure and it's actually an ex tropical storm and that is going to get steered to the north—west of scotland and bring the strongest winds into scotland in the next few days. now, during thursday, we have cloud pushing across the uk. didn't bring an awful lot of rain, mind you. and following on from that cloud, we saw clearer skies turning to move in from the west and those clearer skies are pushing into many parts of the country overnight. so, if you're heading out first thing in the morning, these are the temperatures, typically 12 to 15 degrees. not a good day for hay

fever sufferers on friday because we've got very high grass pollen levels quite widely across england and wales. we could start the day with some cloudy damp weather to clear away first thing from the south east of england. otherwise, plenty of sunshine for england and wales, some patchy cloud, one or two showers in the west, but many places dry, the bulk of the showers coming in to scotland and northern ireland, they could be heavy, possibly thundery and the winds will be stronger here, as well. more sheltered eastern parts of scotland should see temperatures at 20 degrees and widely over 20 celsius across england and wales. promising start to the second test match at trent bridge, it looks dry on friday, dry to the weekend and into monday, as well. may turn a little bit cooler, still got those fairly brisk westerly winds. there is our area of low pressure as we head into the weekend, it's getting steered between iceland and scotland and is still going to bring some windy weather, perhaps a little more widely on saturday. strongest winds continue to be in scotland, gales in the far north of the country, showers or longer spells of rain here.

also, some showers for northern ireland, maybe one or two more for england or wales, still many places will have a dry day and temperatures probably still reaching 22, maybe even 23 degrees in the south east of england. during the second half of the weekend, that area of low pressure starts to pull away from our shores. higher pressure in the south, the winds won't be as strong on sunday. and we are likely to have fewer showers on sunday, lighter showers as well, most of the showers will be in western scotland. again, decent spells of sunshine for england and wales and temperatures ranging from around 15 degrees in glasgow to a high of 21 celsius in london.

decided by president putin himself.

this is bbc news with the latest business headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. fuelling the cost—of—living crisis: the price to fill a car tops £100 here in the uk for the first time ever. can anything ease the pressure at the pumps? rebuilding confidence: prime minister borisjohnson pledges to boost the uk economy as investor concerns see the pound drift ever lower. no us recession on the way says treasury secretary janet yellen despite another month of inflation at a ao—year high. plus, back in business: japan reopens to foreign

visitors after a two—year ban, but strict rules remain.