hello, i'm matthew amroliwala, welcome to verified live — three hours of breaking stories and checking out the truth behind them. let's start straightaway in the us. it is the most serious criminal against him so far — on the seat of american democracy" which was "fuelled by lies". the charges are... is charged with four counts in the indictment, the description from the council saying that the january sex assault was an unprecedented assault on the seat of american democracy, which was fuelled by lies. the charges are...

the former president is due to appear before a federal court on thursday in washington as our washington correspondent now explains. chanting: we love trump! he's the first president to be charged with a federal crime. but if previous cases are anything to go by, donald trump's third indictment is only likely to boost his popularity with republican voters. the charges he faces, though, are serious. the 45—page indictment accuses the former president of knowingly spreading false claims about election fraud to trick and persuade states into helping him overturn the election results. the police are now running back into the capitol building. he's not been charged with inciting the violent scenes of january 6th, but prosecutors have drawn a link. the attack on our nation's capital on january 6th, 2021, was an unprecedented assault on the seat of american democracy. it's described in the indictment.

it was fuelled by lies. lies by the defendant, targeted at obstructing a bedrock function of the us government, the nation's process of collecting, counting and certifying the results of the presidential election. donald trump responded by posting a campaign statement on his social media network, truth social, likening his prosecution to lawless persecution in nazi germany. shortly after charges were announced, he sent a campaign email, vowing to continue his campaign for the white house. his son, donald trump jr, has questioned the motives and timing. have we noticed the pattern of what's happening? have we seen what they're doing on a daily basis? i mean, my father's right. why did they wait two and a half years? you know why?

because he's leading in the polls because they're afraid of him becoming president and dismantling the uniparty, dismantling the deep state. thursday's hearing here in washington, dc, is all about the crimes mr trump is accused of committing in the two months following the 2020 election. he's already been charged in two other unrelated cases. he's due to face trial in new york next march over crimes he's alleged to have committed in relation to payments to a former adult film star. in may, he's set to stand trial in florida over claims he unlawfully held onto military and other classified documents. for now, it's all a question of time. in other cases, mr trump has tried to delay until after next year's elections, but prosecutors in this case say they want the trial to go ahead as soon as possible. sean dilley, bbc news in washington. earlier i heard from the former republican congressman joe walsh and congressmanjoe walsh and asked him about the magnitude of this latest

indictment. this is what america looks like when one of its two when the leader of one of its two major political parties is a criminal. and that's what we have right now. legally, donald trump is in a heck of a lot of trouble. he'll be indicted again in a couple of weeks down in georgia. but politically, this will secure the republican party nomination for him, and he's got a very good chance at becoming president again. so where does that leave the us? it leaves the us dangerously divided. on a very bumpy, ugly, violent road. and i've said this often. there are a lot of people, myself included, who don't know, who worry about whether america can stay unified. can all 50 states stay together? i think that's very much in doubt. trump didn't start that.

he's just an ugly consequence. you really think that's a possibility? some sort of split. 0h, absolutely. we have not been this divided as a country since just before the civil war. i mean that and look, i said that before trump even came on the scene. trump is just an ugly consequence of how divided we are. i hope that doesn't happen, but that's where we are right now. i mean, all the evidence... nomia iqbal, our correspondent, was intimating it all. the evidence suggests it is making no dent at all on his support. the bbc did a recent poll saying 61% of republican voters said that the indictments didn't change how they viewed the former president. 14% said that they made it to see him more positively. i mean, why do you think the numbers are like that? and it doesn't impact the needle in terms of where republicans are. on the contrary, i think this

indictment is actually your right, strengthening donald trump. here's the deal. donald trump. and remember, 80 some percent of republican voters in this country right now don't believejoe biden won fair and square. they believe trump won in 2020. donald trump has convinced his voters that the government deep state is after him, that he's a victim. they believe that and every new charge and every new indictment only strengthens that narrative with them. that's why his support is strengthening, and i don't think it'sjust with his hardcore base. in terms of what we are likely to see over the next month to a year, the prosecutor is talking on the special counsel, talking about a speedy trial. what are you anticipating in terms of how all of that fits into the political timeline with the republican nomination, the potential general election? i

nomination, the potential general election? . , nomination, the potential general election? ., , 4, nomination, the potential general election? ~ election? i actually think most leual election? i actually think most legal exnerts _ election? i actually think most legal experts in _ election? i actually think most legal experts in america - election? i actually think most legal experts in america don't| legal experts in america don't believe any of these trials will take place or be concluded until after the election. so that means the republican party well in all likelihood have a four times indicted nominee. again, politically, he is running against joe biden and the democrats, they have their own weaknesses and issues and the latest polling in this country right now shows it to be a trump— biden matchup of a 50—50 race, because most republicans, almost all republicans have no problem with these indictments. just a final question then in terms of tactics, for republicans, and i recognise it as a minority, and you are in that minority, for those that don't want to trump and all of those democrats who don't want to trump, what is the best tactics to try to the challenge and combat all of this? they've been allowing the

judicial process to play its course without too much of a pile on. is that dangerous in terms of leaving a vacuum to allow trump to set the agenda, state the narrative. they've not to agenda, state the narrative. they've got to ignore — agenda, state the narrative. they've got to ignore the — agenda, state the narrative. they've got to ignore the legal _ agenda, state the narrative. they've got to ignore the legal stuff. - agenda, state the narrative. they've got to ignore the legal stuff. our - got to ignore the legal stuff. our justice system in this country is independent. here is what i know. i know that there are more of us in this country who oppose donald trump them support him. and this is, again, one of those moments were a conservative like me is going to lock arms with democrats because our only move right now is to defeat them at the polls. we all have to get out and vote, conservatives, independents and liberals for the democratic nominee, which is going to bejoe biden if we want to defeat donald trump. that's got to be our focus. that's the former republican congressman, joe walsh, speaking to me itjust a short while ago. the stepfather of a ten—month—old

little boy has been found guilty. and manslaughter, but found guilty of causing or allowing phil mackie has more. he has been following this case. every detail of this case was absolutely harrowing, wasn't at? film. absolutely harrowing, wasn't at? 0h, eah, absolutely harrowing, wasn't at? oi yeah, absolutely, absolutely harrowing, wasn't at? ©“i, yeah, absolutely, and there were tears and gasps as the verdicts were read out, but there were also tears on the faces of the family members and even some of the police officers who had been involved in what was an awful case at the end of a seven week trial. a smiling, giggling baby but during jacob crouch's short life he endured what was described as a "culture of cruelty" at the hands of his mother, gemma barton, and stepfather, craig crouch. can you feel or hear any breathing? there's nothing. he's...he's gone.

he's stone cold and he's gone stiff. this is the 999 call made after they found jacob's lifeless body in his cot, five days after christmas in 2020. they met on a dating site when she was four months pregnant. they were obviously infatuated and quickly moved in together. crouch was even named as father onjacob's birth certificate. they pretended to be good parents. barton said that he was her bundle ofjoy and crouch said he doted on his stepson. but in reality, jacob's life was relentlessly miserable. in text messages, they discussed cruel punishments, they called him "a devil" and whenever he cried, they'd smack him or send him to bed. this footage from her phone shows crouch joking about whetherjacob had been killed. everything all right? mm—hm. it's very quiet in there, have you killed him? . no... i wouldn't blame you if you had. you're under arrest.

barton and crouch were arrested on suspicion ofjacob's murder nearly a week after he died. i'm arresting you on suspicion of murder ofjacob, you do not have to say anything... at the time of his death, jacob had 39 rib fractures, i9 visible bruises and a perforated bowel which led to a fatal infection. he was only ten—months—old. the amount of injuries that he had, the sustained period that they were inflicted over, it would have been completely normal forjacob to have lived in a life of pain. he would have been in pain almost throughout his ten month life. just, yeah, horrendous levels of injury. crouch has been found guilty ofjacob's murder. barton was cleared of murder but convicted of causing or allowing her son's death. neither have explained how or whyjacob died. phil mackie, bbc news, derby. the obvious question is did anyone know this is going on? had something

had been done to intervene and save jacob? it appears possibly not in this case. this was 2020. all those lockdowns were going on, and it appears that crouch and barton were able to use those lockdowns to hide away from view and maintain their happy family for side. they will be back here on friday for a sentencing hearing, although they may not get sentenced until a later date, but as a result of jacob's death, the local board has they put in a new multi—agency approach when it comes to children which they say has already had a positive impact. thank ou ve already had a positive impact. thank you very much- _ around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. cold calling to offer services and products could be banned under new government plans. the home office says fake scans cost the economy sunak £750 million in the last year.

the government will also outlaw so—called "sim farms" — which are used by criminals to send thousands of spam texts at once. the prime minister insists he cares about reaching net zero, but he also said the 2050 target needs to be achieved in "a proportionate and pragmatic way". rishi sunak is facing pressure from some conservative mps to review the government's green policies, after the party's surprise win in the uxbridge by—election, when it capitalised on anger over london's ultra low emissions zone. the number of people missing payments on essential household bills like energy, phone and water is as high as it was over the winter, that's according to consumer group which?. they estimate that around 2.4 million households missed at least one bill payment in the month to mid—july. which also said 770,000 failed to make mortgage or rent payments. you're live with bbc news. turning to the situation in niger. the us announces that plans to

evacuate staff in the country after the military office seized power following that's a's clue. uk's foreign secretary has also said that the government is prioritising getting british citizens out of the country to safety. it comes as a delegation from the west african regional block are in niger to discuss the crisis. some countries in the region have come to the defence of the new leadership, including burkina faso, and guinea, declaring that any military intervention in the country will be considered a declaration of war. earlier on wednesday, nigeria revealed that they cut electricity supplies to niger. our correspondent in nairobi is following all of today's developments. we started to get communication saying that they were experiencing power blackouts. this is quite rare

for people there at the moment and they were talking about having power for maybe an hour, then it would be blackout for four hours. and eventually, the country's electricity company of the national electricity company of the national electricity company, said that they believe that this is a result of sanctions from neighbouring nigeria. so what nigeria has done is that, we understand, according to authorities in niger, because of sanctions following the coup, they are cutting off site and power supplies to its neighbour they are in niger. this is obviously part of what we are seeing, a multipronged effort by neighbouring countries trying to get to grips with the situation there in niger following the coup. they are sending mediation teams there, and now enforcing sanctions. in sending mediation teams there, and now enforcing sanctions.— now enforcing sanctions. in terms of that delegation, _ now enforcing sanctions. in terms of that delegation, is _ now enforcing sanctions. in terms of that delegation, is there _ now enforcing sanctions. in terms of that delegation, is there anywhere l that delegation, is there anywhere and seeping out about whether any progress is being made? still and seeping out about whether any

progress is being made?— and seeping out about whether any progress is being made? still 'ust a short while since i progress is being made? still 'ust a short while since they * progress is being made? stilljust a short while since they arrived. - short while since they arrived. remember that they been trying to speak to the military leader is, over the past week they've been trying to speak to them about handing power back to the former president. we understand that this is quite a senior delegation. so on the team is a military ruler, there is also a key religious leader, the sultan of... so you have a military man who can maybe speak to the new coup leaders soldier to soldier, also a key religious leader there to reinforce the fact that niger's members are concerned about these developments, they are concerned about the possible destabilisation of the region and they are calling for them to return to democracy and reinstate the civilian leader. briefly, catherine, what is the latest in terms of further evacuations, numbers? exactly, so

what we have _ evacuations, numbers? exactly, so what we have seen _ evacuations, numbers? exactly, so what we have seen over _ evacuations, numbers? exactly, so what we have seen over the - evacuations, numbers? exactly, so what we have seen over the course j evacuations, numbers? exactly, so i what we have seen over the course of the day is that there where more than 260 people who were flown from niger to france in a french military aircraft. it wasn'tjust french nationals on board that aircraft come they also had other europeans portuguese, then there was an italian that landed in rome and eve had mostly italians, but you also had mostly italians, but you also had americans, a british national and also some africans that were on board that flight. spain is also expected to carry out its own flight. the pay, for example, hasn't announced an evacuation yet but it's calling on its citizens who want to leave niger to register with authorities. the us has also said that right now it doesn't see the need to carry out a mass evacuation similar to what european countries are doing. straight to breaking news from the us from pennsylvania because we are hearing just and the last two

seconds, the pittsburgh synagogue shooting that happened in 2018, a man has just been sentenced to death in that case, robert powers sentenced in the last little while. you may remember 11 people killed in that attack, seven wounded and that jerry considering the death penalty. and that is what they have just come back with in the last few moments, so robert bowers sentenced to death that that federal jury trial revolving around the pittsburgh synagogue shooting. as i say, 11 people killed in that attack and the jury people killed in that attack and the juryjust coming back with that death sentence and that attack taking place in 2018. we will keep an eye on that and bring you more in the next few moments. russia says vladimir putin has asked to take you to help export its grain to vulnerable african countries at the same time as russia continues to target ukraine's food supply network. following a telephone call between mr putin and the turkish

president, they spoke of the willingness for cooperation with turkey and other states, according to the turkish president's office the two leaders also agreed that putin will visit turkey, but it's not yet clear when that will be. boats, according to reports from the southwester tip of europe. of one traumatised orca or that perhaps they are merely doing wells may be imitating the behaviour of one traumatised orca, or perhaps that they are merely doing it for entertainment. our science correspondent victoria gill reports. are these animals attacking or playing? for more than an hour, five orcas nudged, rammed and spun this yacht around. it's one of at least 100 incidents this year, and scientists are trying to work out what's driving this strange dangerous behaviour. playing with the rudder,

the rotor is split on the back, so it was completely split. so it ended up in the water? yes, because it is floating the orcas are playing with it from the bottom on their nose. were they? yes. in this boatyard in southern spain, they prepared at least a0 sailing vessels damaged by orcas since april. here in the narrow strait of gibraltar, a population of than 60 critically endangered iberian orcas move through one of the busiest waterways in the world. in the nearby fishing port, some crews say their boats have also been a target. translation: we have seen them a few i days ago sailing an hour from here. i they have always been there, but they never came near us. in the last few years, it has changed. scientists are examining footage of these encounters that has been taken by sailors since 2020 — when sailing vessel started

reporting that orcas were attacking them. it's thought the first encounters began four years earlier with just two young serious killer whales. now scientists say up to 20 individual animals have learned this behaviour. by pinning tracking tags to the animal's fins, a technique used for many years to study them, researchers here are gathering information that could help sailors. this is the information coming from this orca, thanks to the satellite tagging, we know exactly how to say to the sailing boats and motorboats, how to leave the area and to not cross the main area of the killer whales. what are these killer whales trying to do? it's all a game, it's not revenge, it's not climate change or nothing like that, it is just a game and that is it. that game is focused on the boat's rudder. after orcas broke the rudder of the french boat earlier this year, they appear to play with the floating debris. these incidents have become divisive here.

tourists unaware on watching boats like this they wait for hours just ——tourists on a whale watching boats like this they wait for hours just for a glimpse of these or because, they are a spectacle, but sailors and the fishing industry here are desperate to understand how to avoid them. for sailing crews that are navigating these waters, if they see the orcas, what do scientists suggest that they do? full ahead. full ahead the motors and straight on. don't change course and full ahead. just moved away from them as quickly as possible. their unusual new habit is putting our ability and our willingness to share the ocean with its wild life to the test. victoria gill, bbc news, southern spain. let's now speak to someone who knows all about orcas and their behaviour. the marine biologist, dr renaud stephanis joins us from spain. sometimes these are being dubbed attacks. what do you think is going on here with these orca? it

attacks. what do you think is going on here with these orca?_ on here with these orca? it started in 2017 more _ on here with these orca? it started in 2017 more or— on here with these orca? it started in 2017 more or less _ on here with these orca? it started in 2017 more or less than - on here with these orca? it started in 2017 more or less than they - in 2017 more or less than they started to play a bit with other boats that were around, slowly but slowly, the other killer whales started to play and in 2020, started to go stronger and stronger and started to break the rudder. the rudder is enrichment in the area and have something that moves and they can play with that, and that is at. the problem is that it has been costing a lot of money to the sailing boats. 50 costing a lot of money to the sailing boats.— costing a lot of money to the sailin: boats. ' . , , ., sailing boats. so effectively, you think the sailing boats. so effectively, you thinkthey are — sailing boats. so effectively, you think they are just _ sailing boats. so effectively, you think they are just a _ sailing boats. so effectively, you think they are just a bit - sailing boats. so effectively, you think they are just a bit bored i sailing boats. so effectively, you| think they are just a bit bored and are playing? think they are 'ust a bit bored and playing?— think they are 'ust a bit bored and playing?_ think they are 'ust a bit bored and are -la inc? . ., �*, are playing? yeah, that's the thing. those killer — are playing? yeah, that's the thing. those killer whales _ are playing? yeah, that's the thing. those killer whales are _ are playing? yeah, that's the thing. those killer whales are in _ are playing? yeah, that's the thing. those killer whales are in the i those killer whales are in the middle of the sea, and they, if you imagine, the sea has nothing to play with, they are mammals and theyjust play with whatever they see around. we see them playing with plastic bags, we see them playing with sunfish and now they are with these boats. ., ~' ., sunfish and now they are with these boats. ., ~ ., ., , ., sunfish and now they are with these boats. ., ~ ., ., ., , boats. you know that you have been cooperating — boats. you know that you have been cooperating with _ boats. you know that you have been cooperating with the _ boats. you know that you have been cooperating with the spanish - cooperating with the spanish environment minister. in terms of

how they are trying to combat this, what are you trying to do to try to mitigate? we what are you trying to do to try to mitiuate? ~ ., what are you trying to do to try to mitiuate? ~ . ., ,, ., mitigate? we are approaching that in two wa s. mitigate? we are approaching that in two ways- the _ mitigate? we are approaching that in two ways. the first _ mitigate? we are approaching that in two ways. the first way _ mitigate? we are approaching that in two ways. the first way is _ mitigate? we are approaching that in two ways. the first way is to - mitigate? we are approaching that in two ways. the first way is to try i mitigate? we are approaching that in two ways. the first way is to try to i two ways. the first way is to try to limit the interaction and to play satellite attacks to see where the orca tsar and to try to bring the mothers to know where there are going to be at a certain time, like in the weatherforecast, going to be at a certain time, like in the weather forecast, we have a orcas forecast. this is already working. in the area being spread by the spanish environment minister, you can avoid the problem. the second one is experimenting different techniques to try to escape or to try to put things and things like that on the boat to avoid them. what we saw as if you stop when you see the killer whales, you give the boat to then and they break the rudder. if you try to escape as fast as possible and going close to the shore, usually you reduce the loss the probability of

having your boat broken.- reduce the loss the probability of having your boat broken. doctor, we are out of time, _ having your boat broken. doctor, we are out of time, but _ having your boat broken. doctor, we are out of time, but we _ having your boat broken. doctor, we are out of time, but we are - having your boat broken. doctor, we are out of time, but we are so i having your boat broken. doctor, we are out of time, but we are so bad i are out of time, but we are so bad that you have given us our time. thanks so much for speaking to us live from there, spain. i am back with more of the day's headlines in just a moment or two. don't go away. hello there. this is certainly not the weather we would expect to find across the uk at this time of the year. once again, all due to another area of low pressure bringing wind and rain. it has been named storm patricia by the french met service with the biggest impacts across the northern coast of france, partly due to the supermoon and also due to the strength of the wind. it will be windy through the english channel, the south coast of england, strong to gale—force winds, though they will be easing late into the afternoon. we are also seeing clusters of heavy and thundery downpours developing in england and wales and the more persistent rain is still affecting yorkshire and north lincolnshire, keeping it particularly cool here. temperatures not much better

in scotland and northern ireland but at least here it is somewhat drier. it should become a lot drier across england and wales as we head into the night. the strong and gusty winds tending to ease down and change direction. the heavier rain and thunderstorms moving away. clearer spells developing by the end of the night in places and temperatures probably not dipping away any lower than 11 degrees. storm patricia itself, that area of low pressure, will be heading into southern scandinavia on thursday, taking the wet and windy weather away. the wind changes for thursday and we get a cool, north—northwesterly wind, bringing showers. sunshine for a while but the cloud will increase and we will have some showers into northern scotland and showers could develop almost anywhere on thursday afternoon. some thunderstorms across the southeast of scotland, northeastern parts of england. with shelter, temperatures could reach 20 degrees in glasgow and it should be a little bit warmer in east anglia and the south east,

where we miss most of the showers. that will not be the case on friday. across eastern parts of england we will see most of the showers. not be as windy but there are threats of thunderstorms in the south east. western parts will be drier to end the week but temperatures still only 18 degrees in belfast and 19 in cardiff. so still cool air we have through the next few days, and that's because the jet stream, the strong ribbon of air up in the atmosphere, is running to the south of the uk. quite a strong jet stream and the position will change by the time we get to saturday, picking up another area of low pressure and bringing some wet and windy weather to england and wales, a bit like we're seeing today.

this is bbc news. the headlines... the most serious criminal charge yet — donald trump is accused of plotting to overturn the 2020 election result. the stepfather of a ten—month—old boy has been found guilty of his murder in derbyshire. thousands of women in africa will die in pregnancy and childbirth, as a result of cuts to the uk's overseas aid budget. we'll hear from someone who defends the government's position.

and a gunman who killed people at a pittsburgh synagogue has been sentenced to death. sport now — and for a full round—up, from the bbc sport centre, here's marc edwards. thank you very much, matthew. we start at the women's world cup down under, where it's been a day to rememberforjamaica and south africa — who have both upset the odds to reach the knockout stages. having had to crowdfund just to get to the tournament, jamaica were able to hold brazil to a goalless draw in their final group game in melbourne to book their place in the last 16 for the first time. that means brazil and their six—time world player of the year, marta, are heading home. and if you wanted to know how much it meant to jamaica, have a listen to their captain post—match. we fought for each other, now i believe that we believe in ourselves!—