wagner group leader, delirous is the wagner group leader, yevgeny prigozhin, is now in the country. a damning report finds racism, elitism and misogyny are "widespread and deep rooted" in english and welsh cricket. can ai help treat cancer request make the latest research shows that the technology could help people get treated faster. welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories and checking out the truth behind them. i want to take you to that breaking news from the last few minutes that nicola bulley drowned accidentally after falling nicola bulley drowned accidentally afterfalling into nicola bulley drowned accidentally after falling into a cold water river. that is what the inquest has just concluded. nicola bulley was

45, just concluded. nicola bulley was a5, she vanished back injanuary. of course, you remember that massive search in lancashire and at the north of england. we are expecting to hear from the family. let me dish out the live pictures from the coroner's court. we are expecting to hear from the family in the next little while. as soon as that starts we will carry that life here on bbc news. whilst we wait for that, let's turn to the situation in russia and the aftermath of the mutiny by wagner paramilitaries. president putin has said the authorities will now miss you how money paid to the missionaries was spent. early he thanked his security forces, silently stopped a civil war. vladimir putin told troops gathered in the kremlin that they stood up to turmoil which would have let to chaos. he led a minute's silence for pilots killed during that mutiny.

the fsb has confirmed that a criminal case against the wagner group has now been dropped. the defence ministry says that the group will now have two hand over heavy weapons and equipment. translation:— weapons and equipment. translation: . , translation: soldiers and officers are the true defenders _ translation: soldiers and officers are the true defenders of— translation: soldiers and officers are the true defenders of the - are the true defenders of the motherland, who in a difficult time for the country stood in at the way of unrest which inevitably would have resulted in chaos. you protected the constitution, no lives, the safety and freedom of our people. you saved our motherland from turmoil. in fact, you stop a civil war. ~ . from turmoil. in fact, you stop a civilwar. ~ . ., ., civil war. meanwhile on the ground in ukraine in _ civil war. meanwhile on the ground in ukraine in kyiv _ civil war. meanwhile on the ground in ukraine in kyiv says _ civil war. meanwhile on the ground in ukraine in kyiv says its - in ukraine in kyiv says its counteroffensive against russian forces has made advances on all fronts. president volodymyr zelensky has been seen handing out medals to soldiers who have been fighting in bakhmut in the east of the country. breaking away from that back to the coroner's court, because the families are just coming out in the

next few seconds. let me just put the pictures on the screen because we have had the verdict of that conclusion to report in the last little while. nicola bulley drowning after accidentally falling into cold water, that is what the inquest has concluded. we are waiting to hear from the family and from those in the immediate aftermath. nicola bulley, who was a5, vanished after dropping off her daughters to school and taking her dog for a walk near the river in lancashire onjanuary 27. you may remember that huge search that went on for weeks until she was actually found. now the coroner recording her death as accidental, saying that she had suffered cold water shock, and ruled out suicide. nicola bulley�*s mobile

phone was still connected to a work call and was found on a bench overlooking the water. her body was found eventually in the river about a mile from the bench on february 19, three weeks or so after initially doing missing. these are the scenes outside of the coroner's court as we wait to hear a little more from the family's legal team and those speaking after the conclusion of today's inquest. we are told that is not that far away. i think we will put these pictures just in the corner of your screen and watch the scenes there in lancashire as we return to the situation in russia that we were breaking away from. sarah rainsford is our correspondent in russia, she

has been watching what has been going on with vladimir putin. he spoke overnight and then addressed the soldiers. a ratherfrantic effort to restore some sort of authority? i think that is exactly what is going on now.— authority? i think that is exactly what is going on now. vladimir putin once aaain what is going on now. vladimir putin once again trying _ what is going on now. vladimir putin once again trying to _ what is going on now. vladimir putin once again trying to show— what is going on now. vladimir putin once again trying to show himself. what is going on now. vladimir putin once again trying to show himself as| once again trying to show himself as the strongman and portray a picture of how he and the security forces who remained loyal to him essentially save the country... studio: i will have to interrupt you, apologies for that. we're going back to coroner's court. the you, apologies for that. we're going back to coroner's court.— back to coroner's court. the last few months _ back to coroner's court. the last few months have _ back to coroner's court. the last few months have been _ back to coroner's court. the last | few months have been extremely back to coroner's court. the last - few months have been extremely tough to process for our family. few months have been extremely tough to process for ourfamily. the emotional impact will stay long in our hearts, and it was we will never forget the loss of our nicky, we will forever remember her as a brilliant mum, partner, daughterand sisterthat brilliant mum, partner, daughterand sister that we all knew and loved sue very much. they help and support

we have received over these past few months has meant more than words can say. from family and friends to complete strangers across the country and the world. thank you. nicky and paul's girls have already taken nicky and paul's girls have already ta ken comfort nicky and paul's girls have already taken comfort in that they deeply thoughtful gifts sent to them in goodwill, and in time they will read the many cards which are filled with such kindness and love. sadly, we feel the need to again raise and address the issue of social media. it is upsetting that we have continued to receive negative targeted messages, and still wildly inaccurate speculation being shared on numerous platforms. we encourage people to look at the facts, the evidence which has been heard during the inquest, and the conclusion reached by the coroner, to ignore

any amateur views and opinions, and be mindful of the impact that words bring. we want to formally say thank you for the support and compassion showed by lancashire constabulary, his majesty's coroner, his team, so if kc, and terry wilcox. we now need to be allowed time to comprehend all the events leading up to this day. we ask that you respect our privacy, and let others rebuild and take time to heal. thank you. i and let others rebuild and take time to heal. thank you.— to heal. thank you. i want to start b sa in: to heal. thank you. i want to start by saying that. — to heal. thank you. i want to start by saying that, first _ to heal. thank you. i want to start by saying that, first and _ to heal. thank you. i want to start| by saying that, first and foremost, our thoughts today are with nicki's family— our thoughts today are with nicki's family and — our thoughts today are with nicki's family and loved ones. they had been throughout— family and loved ones. they had been throughout the most unimaginable ordeal_ throughout the most unimaginable ordeal of— throughout the most unimaginable ordeal of the last six months. i can only hope — ordeal of the last six months. i can only hope that this inquest in some

way will_ only hope that this inquest in some way will help by entering some of the questions they have had about having _ the questions they have had about having to — the questions they have had about having to nicky on january 27 and allow _ having to nicky on january 27 and allow them to start the process of rebuilding — allow them to start the process of rebuilding their lives as best as they— rebuilding their lives as best as they can — rebuilding their lives as best as they can i_ rebuilding their lives as best as they can. i would like to thank the coroner— they can. i would like to thank the coroner for— they can. i would like to thank the coroner for his careful consideration of the evidence presented at this inquest, as well as legal— presented at this inquest, as well as legal counsel and all the witnesses for their participation. i hope _ witnesses for their participation. i hope his — witnesses for their participation. i hope his majesty was my coroners clear— hope his majesty was my coroners clear and — hope his majesty was my coroners clear and definitive findings were put clear and definitive findings were out to— clear and definitive findings were put to end speculation and conspiracy theories which have been so damaging to nicky's family and the community of saint michaels. i would _ the community of saint michaels. i would like — the community of saint michaels. i would like to finish by bringing this hack— would like to finish by bringing this back to nicky. she was clearly a much _ this back to nicky. she was clearly a much loved mum, partner, daughter, slater— a much loved mum, partner, daughter, sister and _ a much loved mum, partner, daughter, sister and friend. i would once again— sister and friend. i would once again like _ sister and friend. i would once again like to express my deepest sympathy to all her loved ones. i would _ sympathy to all her loved ones. i would ask— sympathy to all her loved ones. i would ask that their privacy is

respected at this time to allow them the time _ respected at this time to allow them the time and space to rebuild and to heal _ the time and space to rebuild and to heal thank— the time and space to rebuild and to heal. thank you. studio: there way hear from the family, talking about the need to be able to reflect on events and thanking all those well—wishers and the help and support and the messages they have received. they were saying there that the family have taken great comfort from all of that. but returning to that theme that. but returning to that theme that we heard of so much at that time injanuary and february, critical of the social media coverage, which they describe as wildly inaccurate, so returning to

that in those comments. our correspondents, danny savage, is there. danny, time to absorb what they have gone through it at the last few days, the conclusion of this inquest, but returning to some of those themes we had about back in january and february about the wild speculation that had been on social media. i speculation that had been on social media. ~' ., ,., , ..,, media. i think the reason this case has attracted _ media. i think the reason this case has attracted so _ media. i think the reason this case has attracted so much _ media. i think the reason this case has attracted so much attention i media. i think the reason this case | has attracted so much attention for this inquest taking place, and are so many people here and so much interest is because of all that social media with the raw rare of the time, that nicola bulley was missing. there was a three—week gap between her vanishing on the river bank and her body being found about 1.5 miles down river. during that time herfriends 1.5 miles down river. during that time her friends held 1.5 miles down river. during that time herfriends held signs on at the roadside appealing for

information. social media, some corners of it, went mad with wild theory and wild speculation. it has left us family fighting a rearguard action against lies. you heard that being referred to in both of those statements there. the first one from the solicitor representing nicola bulley�*s family, and at the second one from lancashire police. all trying to, still, stamp out the flames of social media and the nasty, negative comments and horrible theories and straight lies and accusations that have surrounded the disappearance of nicola bulley. and what the coroner has decided here this afternoon and ruled, absolutely correctly and it reasonably after hearing all the evidence put to him, is that nicola bulley accidentally fell into the river that day onjanuary bulley accidentally fell into the river that day on january 27 this year and died almost immediately. the sad fact is that it took that

river three weeks to give her body up. but that is what happened. that message needs to go out like a wave, really, to the people who are still making accusations towards that family. because without taking anything away from this, we would not normally be at a case like this where somebody has just fallen into a river accidentally and drowned, but because of all that coverage at the time and all the social media comments, which drove huge interest in what happened to nicola bulley, this is where we end up today. i think people will look back on this very tragic case as a game changer, is something that happens in the world of social media, and i think it will be talked about for many years to come. but the message from the family is absolutely clear— leave us alone, it is plain to see what happened. our beloved nicky died in very tragic circumstances

and we need to move forward and tried to come to terms of that for the rest of our lives, and not be looking over our shoulders all the time or worried about what to see on social media about what happened to her. , ., ., ~ social media about what happened to her. , ., ., �*, her. danny savage, thank you. let's return to the — her. danny savage, thank you. let's return to the situation _ her. danny savage, thank you. let's return to the situation in _ her. danny savage, thank you. let's return to the situation in russia - return to the situation in russia and ukraine. we were seeing pictures early of president putin thanking trips today, saying they had avoided a civil war over the course of the weekend. meanwhile, president zelensky has been talking about the counteroffensive, saying that his forces had made advances on all fronts. let's go to our security correspondent, frank gardner. frank, is there any indication exactly where those gains have been made? one of the places mentioned is a pretty small village south of bakhmut. it is not a place that you and i will probably have heard of,

but it is significant because according to the uk ministry of defence, they say that they believe that this village is one of the places that has been [and reclaimed tjy places that has been [and reclaimed by ukraine, a land that was held since 2014, and this will be one of the first bits of land since 2014, and this will be one of the first bits of [and reclaimed. to put this into context, the amount of land put this into context, the amount of [and reclaimed by ukraine from invading russian forces since they began at the counteroffensive earlier this month is absolutely minuscule. everyday we hear announcements from ukraine, we have advanced 200 metres here, 400 metres there. it is tiny. i don't think they have begun at the big counteroffensive in earnest yet, they have not yet committed their main force. but the obstacles they have still got to surmount are huge. the only way the ukrainians are going to make a real big strategic

difference in this fight is if they can split the russian forces in two, if they can drive south and separate the two big bits of russian occupied territory. to do that, they have got to get through— you are seeing pictures there of trench warfare. it is almost like world war i stuff, it is almost like world war i stuff, it is like passchendaele. they have got to get through triple layers of russian defences of trenches, tank traps, ditches, what is called dragons chief obstacles, of minefields. according to a uk mining charity, there are 200 square kilometres of ukrainian territory that have been mined. that is a massive amount. we seen earlier this month the ukrainians are not very good at dealing with mines. they ran into a minefield, the cluster together, i panicked and withdrew. as a long way to go before they can actually drive russian forces out of

the area have occupied.— actually drive russian forces out of the area have occupied. around the world and across _ the area have occupied. around the world and across the _ the area have occupied. around the world and across the uk, _ the area have occupied. around the world and across the uk, you - the area have occupied. around the world and across the uk, you are i world and across the uk, you are watching bbc news. let's turn to some of the story is making the headlines here in the uk. the government says the costs and extra £60,000 more to send immigrant to places like the than to keep them in the uk. the assessment is going through a assessment of going through a assessment of going through parliament. the total cost of keeping an individual is about £169,000. tracking by the royal couege £169,000. tracking by the royal college of nursing will not continue after high members ballot of the union failed to reach a majority threshold. the numbers taking part in that without fail to meet the mandate. supermarket executives are being

grilled by mps over why food prices are still rising as some are wholesale costs are falling. those are some of the stories making the headlines here in the uk. your life with bbc news. a long—awaited report into cricket in england and wales, has found that racism, sexism and class— based discrimination — is widespread and deep rooted within the game. an inquiry was commissioned two years ago, following allegations of racism at the english county team, yorkshire. it's concluded that most ethnically diverse players experience racism, that women are treated like second—class citizens, and that cricket is dominated by players from private schools. the chairman of the ecb has apologised unreservedly. dan roan reports. for england's cricket teams, this is a summer to be savoured. both men's and women's sides hosting ashes series. but the sport now faces a reckoning after a damning report laid bare entrenched discrimination. the woman who led the independent commission for equity

in cricket told me the game needed urgent reform. i think it's a watershed moment for cricket, i really do. our findings are unequivocal. racism, sexism, class—based discrimination, and elitism are widespread and deep—rooted throughout the game. the stories were absolutely horrific, and it goes to show that the culture in cricket is rotten. the report, called holding up a mirror to cricket, heard from more than 4000 people, with 50% saying they had experienced discrimination in the game. 75% of those who suffered it did not report it to the cricket authorities. i think the first thing i need to do, dan, is to apologise. and that's the first recommendation that the report made. so i think to those individuals that have been discriminated against, excluded, all of those individuals, the game, the ecb, the game as a whole owes them a real genuine apology, a heartfelt apology as to the fact that this should be a game for all and unfortunately this report identifies the fact that it has not been a game for all.

among many failings, the report found that women were treated as subordinate and second—class citizens, routinely experiencing sexism. that there was little to no focus on addressing class barriers with scarce provision of cricket in state schools. that a heavy drinking culture excludes many people. and that the ecb had failed to support black cricket. maurice chambers came to essex from jamaica as a teenager and said he experienced racism at the club. an investigation is ongoing. he wonders if young black players will even consider cricket as a career. how many people of my background do you see playing professional cricket now, these days? there's not many of them, are there? is this the kind of stuff i'm going to be faced whenever, whatever club that i will be playing for? nobody wants that. tomorrow, lords will welcome a full house for the start of the second men's ashes test, one of the highlights of the sporting calendar.

but alongside the excitement, the game is also now reeling after one of the most chastening reports to rock english sport in recent years. the game was already under scrutiny over the yorkshire racism scandal exposed by the county's former spinner, azeem rafiq. now with this fresh report making 44 recommendations including an independent regulator, the ecb has three months to come up with a plan to salvage trust across the whole of the sport. dan roan, bbc news. you saw the report further in the report. let's go to her life now. cindy, well,. this is such a devastating statement — racist, sexist, elitist. were you personally shot by what you found and heard? i shot by what you found and heard? 1 have to say, yes. i expected to

encounter some issues. i mean, we were set up because the ecb were already aware of some racism issues within the game and people had come forward and talked about their experiences. i honestly didn't expect the nature and the scale of theissues expect the nature and the scale of the issues that we found. that is really quite shocked me. i am not naive, i am someone that has been around the block. i oversaw the net for 12 years. but i have got to say, some of the experiences were truly shocking. some of the experiences were truly shockina. ~ . , ~ some of the experiences were truly shockina. . ., , ~ some of the experiences were truly shockina. ., , shocking. what shocked you the most? i know ou shocking. what shocked you the most? i know you describe _ shocking. what shocked you the most? i know you describe some _ shocking. what shocked you the most? i know you describe some of— shocking. what shocked you the most? i know you describe some of the - i know you describe some of the storage ahead utterly horrific. i mean, whether that was a storage ahead utterly horrific. i mean, whether that was a muslim player having had alcohol poured over him, being urinated on, another one. one having bacon sandwiches for a win at him. asian people, south asians routinely being called the p

word, sometimes being called to an address. a young black girl and attlee talent pathway, 13, being called at the in word and been told to go back home, and that's from grown men within the game. and that's not to speak of the examples of women facing predatory behaviour, misogyny. you know, women are not supposed to be playing cricket— that was said by e—mail coach coaching women. die —— a male coach. people who spoke to and support you. in respect of class and discrimination, teams being divided into chavs and public schoolboys. just teams being divided into chavs and public schoolboys.— teams being divided into chavs and public schoolboys. just about every exam - le public schoolboys. just about every example you _ public schoolboys. just about every example you have _ public schoolboys. just about every example you have just _

public schoolboys. just about every example you have just highlightedl public schoolboys. just about every l example you have just highlighted is so shocking. in terms of individually lay different areas, in terms of black cricket, it is staggering. you can barely actually measure the numbers. it is way worse than golf or tennis, which are considered white spots principally. in terms of how you go about tackling that, what are the immediate short—term is here. first immediate short-term is here. first of all, immediate short-term is here. first of all. we — immediate short-term is here. first of all. we just _ immediate short-term is here. first of all, i've just got _ immediate short-term is here. first of all, i've just got to _ immediate short—term is here. f “st of all, i've just got to say willie plainly, that has been an absolute failure to understand and to halt the decline in black cricket. this country for so long and for so many years has had a strong history of people from the caribbean playing here, and it is absolutely lamentable and shameful that nothing was done to halt the decline of black cricket. what we say is that the ecb needs to develop an action plan that is significantly resourced

in order to rectify that and to revive black cricket. in in order to rectify that and to revive black cricket.- in order to rectify that and to revive black cricket. in terms of some of these _ revive black cricket. in terms of some of these solutions, - revive black cricket. in terms of some of these solutions, you i revive black cricket. in terms of - some of these solutions, you mention with women the sexism and misogyny. stamping out the culture is one huge challenge. what about things like equal pay and investment? are those potentially perhaps easier? i equal pay and investment? are those potentially perhaps easier?— potentially perhaps easier? i don't know about _ potentially perhaps easier? i don't know about easier. _ potentially perhaps easier? i don't know about easier. i'm _ potentially perhaps easier? i don't know about easier. i'm glad - potentially perhaps easier? i don't know about easier. i'm glad you i know about easier. i'm glad you raised it because i think it is important to recognise that there was interpersonal racism and discrimination in terms of sexism and class —based discrimination. but there are also structural issues that needs to be tackled in cricket. the way in which cricket is so co—dependent on private schools, thatis co—dependent on private schools, that is where it sources its talents from. it disadvantages state school pupils who already are not being giving access or the same opportunities. there are issues in

relation to the talent pathways and the costs associated with that. there are a lot of structural issues, including the issue of equal pat’- issues, including the issue of equal pay. we have made 44 recommendations. what we're saying is that it wasn't enough for us to just try and make cricket better. our ambition was to make cricket best in class. we want cricket to blaze a trail, to be the most inclusive sport in the country. i and my fellow colleagues, we love cricket, we want it to succeed. i'm saying some changes are short—term, some are medium and some are slightly longer term. but it is for the game to work out now what it doesin the game to work out now what it does in response to our recommendations, and i sincerely hope that it takes the evidence that we have presented seriously. you mentioned _ we have presented seriously. you mentioned eton, _ we have presented seriously. you mentioned eton, harrow, playing at

lord's. does all of this in terms of solutions need to be vastly exhilarated?— solutions need to be vastly exhilarated? , ., , , , exhilarated? yes, absolutely. they eat tinned- — exhilarated? yes, absolutely. they eat tinned- harrow _ exhilarated? yes, absolutely. they eat tinned- harrow at _ exhilarated? yes, absolutely. they eat tinned- harrow at lord's, - exhilarated? yes, absolutely. they eat tinned- harrow at lord's, the l eat tinned— harrow at lord's, the so—called home of cricket. i mean, outdated. outdated speaks to cricket wasn't elitism. it outdated. outdated speaks to cricket wasn't elitism-— wasn't elitism. it should go. we have run out — wasn't elitism. it should go. we have run out of— wasn't elitism. it should go. we have run out of time. _ wasn't elitism. it should go. we have run out of time. thank - wasn't elitism. it should go. we have run out of time. thank you wasn't elitism. it should go. we i have run out of time. thank you so much forjoining us on bbc news. but with more headlines arejust much forjoining us on bbc news. but with more headlines are just a moment or two. hello there, we had one or two lovely sunrise pictures sent to us earlier this morning, like this one from the isle of wight, the early rising sun picking out layers of cloud to the west of the uk. that cloud to the west of the uk. that cloud is associated with areas of low pressure is near iceland. we have a one front bringing that weather to the northern half of the uk. behind this one from the air will be turning quite she met as we

go through the rest of the day and overnight tonight come up with these south—westerly winds pushing humid air right across the country. through the afternoon, cloud will be thick enough to bring as patches of rain, most of it tight and spotty. but we are good to see some heavier bursts of rain across scotland for a time. should stay right and right across the south, temperatures quite widely still into the low 20s. overnight tonight is that humid air works its way in we had increasingly thick cloud across western areas of the uk with extensive drizzle developing overnight, there will also be some mist and fog patches around our western coasts and hills. the other thing the humid weather will do is stop temperatures from falling very far. tomorrow morning it's going to be a damp start the day, with extensive drizzle, wales and western parts of england probably staying dry through most of the day. but another band moves

across northern ireland, getting into scotland as we go through the day, it could be heavy bursts on this that front. the best of any sunshine will be for western scotland and northern ireland late in the day. by thursday, fresher air arrives from the north—west. however, if an event to start the day across east anglia in south—east england could be slow—moving, it might even last all day. if that happens at the rain could be quite might even last all day. if that happens at the rain could be quite heavy but will be welcome for some. heavy but will be for example, parts of essex have only seen 7 millimetres of rain so for example, parts of essex have only seen 7 millimetres of rain so far this month so i'm sure gardeners far this month so i'm sure and farmers would welcome that rain. a fresher feel to the weather. low only seen 7 millimetres of rain so far this month so i welcome that rain. and farmers would welcome that rain. a fresher feel to the weather. low pressure stays today north—west of ggggure today north—west of pressure stays today north—west of the uk, we are going to see the uk, we are going to see widespread showers on friday and widespread showers on friday and longer spells of rain through the longer spells of rain through the weekend across the north—west.