hello. i'm lewis vaughan jones. we are going to start this hour in the us. donald trump has held a campaign rally in the southern state of alabama. he said the latest criminal charges against him are �*ridiculous�*. mr trump said the charges over his efforts to overturn the presidential election results were an �*illegal and unconstitutional travesty�*. he claimed president biden was trying to preserve his grip on power. our washington correspondent sean dilley reports from the beginning of our movement, it's really been a true force in american politics that's dead to stand up. it's incredible thing. we dare to stand up to the corrupt clinical establishment... familiar words.- clinical establishment... familiar words. clinical establishment... familiarwords. ., ., ., familiar words. we are going to make america _ familiar words. we are going to make america great _ familiar words. we are going to make america great again. - familiar words. we are going to i make america great again. was donald trump — make america great again. was donald trump knows his audience of republican supporters want to hear. some have paid thousands to be here in alabama. mrtrump thousands to be here in alabama. mr trump knows, though, that he needs wider support from the country if he is to win the white house. if elected he said he would and the war in ukraine. it elected he said he would and the war in ukraine.— the war in ukraine. it will be done very. _ the war in ukraine. it will be done very. very _ the war in ukraine. it will be done very, very quickly. - the war in ukraine. it will be done very, very quickly. i'm| done very, very quickly. i'm the only candidate who can make this promise. i will prevent world war iii. this promise. i will prevent world war m.— this promise. i will prevent world war iii. this promise. i will prevent world wariii. �* ~ , world war iii. but mr trump has some fights _ world war iii. but mr trump has some fights of _ world war iii. but mr trump has some fights of his _ world war iii. but mr trump has some fights of his own - world war iii. but mr trump has some fights of his own before i some fights of his own before any of that. he was speaking just one day after appearing in court in washington, dc, accused of trying to cheat the last election. the latest case on top of search or charges in new york and florida. onepoll suggest some monies about this within his party. 52% of republicans polled online said they would not vote for donald trump at the presidential elections if he was serving a prison sentence. 45% said they wouldn't support him if he was convicted of a felony full 35% said they would. but that is all a bit hypothetical. donald trump is by far the frontrunner to win his party's nomination and it's almost unthinkable that republicans would support anyone other than their candidate. you want a smart president, you don't want a stupid president. and on his legal troubles... every time they fail an indictment we go way up in the polls. we need one more indictment to close out this election. one more indictment and this election is closed out, nobody has even a chance. but however he spends his troubles as a win, his increasing number of score stays and trails will severely limit his ability to make speeches like this.- limit his ability to make speeches like this. the deep state is destroying _ speeches like this. the deep state is destroying our - speeches like this. the deep i state is destroying our nation, but the tables must turn and we will quickly destroy the deep state. sean dilley, bbc news, in washington. live now to washington and let's speak to our correspondent sean dilley. either. good morning. just talk us through _ either. good morning. just talk us through than _ either. good morning. just talk us through than the _ either. good morning. just talk us through than the sense - either. good morning. just talk us through than the sense you | us through than the sense you are getting on how donald trump is going to respond to these charges. have we already now got a clear idea of what is line will be, what is going to say in public in the months ahead? ~ , ., ahead? well, there is a difference _ ahead? well, there is a difference what - ahead? well, there is a difference what the - ahead? well, there is a - difference what the motivation for this is, that has been fairly consistent for some time, he says it is a political witch—hunt. he believes they would not be doing it, he says he believes, if it wasn't for the election being around the corner. and he has been quite offensive about the prosecutor, for example, describing him as doreen�*s. the context of the speech in alabama is nothing to a fundraiser he did in iowa, there will be many of these things, limited only by his many court appearances. —— describing him as deranged. it is a challenge, isn't it, in reporting these things, because he does and did there some claims that are very difficult to back up with any evidence. what are the editorial decisions going on with you and your colleagues there? it’s your colleagues there? it's really simple, _ your colleagues there? it�*s really simple, actually, it's a very incisive question, because people, particularly on the donald trump supporting side, believe that the media are particularly against him, that they are biased, but editorially you just have to tell the truth, it doesn't matter who's is one thing, uses the other, one point republicans sit back on, he was standing outside the court in washington, dc as i was, we were reporting on this, they said why are you not reporting on allegations made againstjoe biden, also will not repeat here, i said biden, also will not repeat here, isaid ifjoe biden, also will not repeat here, i said ifjoe biden were ever to be federally prosecuted and indicted we would absolutely report on that and if usos bbc news online and joe biden allegations we report on everything, we tell the truth, thatis everything, we tell the truth, that is the notion and that is why we hope anywhere the contrast our output.- why we hope anywhere the contrast our output. thank you very much _ contrast our output. thank you very much for— contrast our output. thank you very much for that. _ contrast our output. thank you very much for that. let's - contrast our output. thank you very much for that. let's look. very much for that. let's look ahead in the weeks and months ahead, just my kalkite for us, what happens next as it were in the schedule course timetable —— mark al-quds. the schedule course timetable —— mark al—quds. the the schedule course timetable -- mark al-quds._ -- mark al-quds. the copy something _ -- mark al-quds. the copy something interesting - -- mark al-quds. the copy i something interesting coming up, the prosecutorjack smith late last night said he wanted to release the material, but we wanted to be sure the former president wouldn't tweet it. it included with that former president put out earlier the evening saying if you come after me i will, view, this could be significant because thejudge could be significant because the judge warned could be significant because thejudge warned him in no uncertain terms it would be a crime if he intimidated anyone in the case stop and arrest warrant theoretically could be issued and he could be taken into custody. not that we would expect that, by the way, but how many things you would expect of happened so far? the next key date is 28 august, donald trump won't be in court in washington but a court date could be set. next march, new york is the venue for his first trial, he is standing trial of allegations he used his business to hide hush money payments to a porn star. two months later in may is due to stand trial over claims that he held onto classified documents in mar—a—lago in florida that he wasn't entitled to. all of this is severely going to restrict his ability to campaign and so, as has been seen so far, would expect them to use those court appearances as a campaigning platform. interesting. thank you so much without. speak to you later on. live now to california, and david alan sklansky, law professor at stanford university and former federal prosecutor. thank you so much for coming on the programme. it's good to be with you. 50 the programme. it's good to be with ou. ., l, the programme. it's good to be with ou. ., .,~ the programme. it's good to be with ou. ., ., with you. so what you make of donald trump's _ with you. so what you make of donald trump's latest - with you. so what you make of. donald trump's latest campaign rally and his response to those criminal proceedings?- rally and his response to those criminal proceedings? well, he said the things _ criminal proceedings? well, he said the things you _ criminal proceedings? well, he said the things you expect - criminal proceedings? well, he| said the things you expect them to say, he attacked the prosecutors. this is the venue in which she wants to be speaking just just in which she wants to be speaking justjust in in which she wants to be speaking just just in front in which she wants to be speaking justjust in front of a large, adoring crowd, talking about what he wants to talk about what he wants to talk about which, for the most part, is the prosecutors and not what he has done. the problem that he has done. the problem that he faces is that he is going to wind up in a courtroom and in a courtroom that doesn't fly. he's not going to be in front of a large, adoring crowd. he can talk about whatever he wants to talk about, in fact, for the most but when he is in a courtroom, did you this comes to trial, hejust a courtroom, did you this comes to trial, he just has to sit there are lots of other people talk about him and for a guy who's whole thing is looking strong and being powerful that his kryptonite. ba; strong and being powerful that his kryptonite.— his kryptonite. by too many of his kryptonite. by too many of his suoporters. _ his kryptonite. by too many of his supporters, we _ his kryptonite. by too many of his supporters, we know- his kryptonite. by too many of| his supporters, we know that's not the case, is it? they don't mind that he is in court. it feeds into his narrative. well, eah. a feeds into his narrative. well, yeah- a lot — feeds into his narrative. well, yeah. a lot of _ feeds into his narrative. well, yeah. a lot of his _ feeds into his narrative. well, yeah. a lot of his supporters i yeah. a lot of his supporters are going to stay with him no matter what, are going to stay with him no matterwhat, but are going to stay with him no matter what, but he can't win the residence just with matter what, but he can't win the residencejust with his base. and i think that the problem that he faces is not just the danger that he can wind up convicted and sent to prison, even though that is a very real danger, the danger any shorter is that every time he is in a court room he is diminished and he is not getting to play the role that he wants to play and i'm not sure how much that's going to erode his support with his hard—core supporters, but it's definitely going to make it more difficult for him to project the kind of image that he thinks he wants to project in order to win the presidency. what this whole series of events has uncovered, as it were, are some kind of holes i suppose kameni was constitucion, some gaps, anomalies. things like disbarment from entering the race to be president. some people thinking there aren't very many at all, perhaps there should be a few more, they are looking ahead to elections and back at elections, the electoral college, meaning people can become president evenif people can become president even if they get fewer votes than their opponents. any chance of those big constitutional issues like that being changed at all now? there is a chance. _ being changed at all now? there is a chance, but _ being changed at all now? there is a chance, but not _ being changed at all now? there is a chance, but not in _ being changed at all now? there is a chance, but not in the - is a chance, but not in the short run. we are in an incredibly polarised country right now and you're right, we have a constitution that is more than 200 years old, is showing its age, in some ways it's creaky. there are things that were not planned for. you know, this was a document that was written a long time ago and there is a lot about donald trump they didn't foresee. fascinating to get your thoughts. david alan sklansky, thank you very much for coming on the programme. mi; thank you very much for coming on the programme. countries from the west african regional body, ecowas, say they have now agreed on a plan for possible military intervention in niger if the military leaders who seized power there do not restore the country's president before the deadline this sunday. the coup continues to be condemned internationally. the us says it will pause some foreign assistance programmes that benefit the government of niger but will continue humanitarian assistance. this potential military intervention could have huge regional repercussions. our reporter pierre—antoine denis has more from the newsroom. it is absolutely no understatement to say that the next few days in niger are going to be absolutely crucial, not only for the country, the region as a whole. now, all we know so far about this intervention is it will be led normally by nigerian troops and there is a clear reason for that. have a listen. bill there is a clear reason for that. have a listen. all the enemies — that. have a listen. all the enemies who _ that. have a listen. all the enemies who would - that. have a listen. all the enemies who would go - that. have a listen. all the | enemies who would go into that. have a listen. all the - enemies who would go into an intervention have been worked out here and been refined. and it was going to tell the coup protest, when and where we will strike. that is an operational decision that will be taken by the heads of state.— the heads of state. could it happen. — the heads of state. could it happen. this _ the heads of state. could it happen, this will _ the heads of state. could it happen, this will be - the heads of state. could it happen, this will be the - happen, this will be the seventh military operation led by ed since its operation in 19 90. the last was in gambia in 2017 to resolve a post—election crisis. since 2020 the whole of the region has been hit by different coups in countries like burkina faso or mali or guinea, for instance. but niger is the only case in which ecowas has talked about a potential military intervention. they drew up plans for it. the reason for that, among others, is the well being of this man, the presidents, who openly said he is being taken to hospital by this man, the colonel, the leader of the jaunter in niger and that is that must not be crossed for ecowas. but could it have important consequences for the whole region? well, according to these two men, surely because the leader of burkina faso and the leader of mali have said that should there be an intervention in niger they will not only not support the intervention, but would send troops to niger to defend the jaunter against the ecowas military intervention —— jean todt. it would lead to a full out war while they are already battling islamic insurgency in the region. thanks to pierre—antoine denis. it's been two months since ukraine's forces launched their long—awaited counter—offensive aimed at pushing the invading russian forces out of the areas they've seized. the uk, the us, and other western nations have invested heavily in these efforts, donating billions of pounds of military equipment and training soldiers. so, two months on, how is ukraine coping against formidable russian defences? the bbc�*s security correspondent frank gardner has teamed up with bbc verify to assess what progress is being made. ? this is what their map looks like 18 months on after the full—scale russian invasion last year. if it looks familiar, that's because it is. it hasn't changed much since last november with the russian occupied areas are shaded in red. in orderfor ukraine's counteroffensive to succeed, it needs to cut the russian area in two. earlier this summer, earlyjune, south of the city, there was a battle, the russian defensive lines are in black, let's have a zoom in and look, you can see the russian defensive lines, heavily mined, interspersed trenches, artillery, bunkers, very hard for ukraine to get through all of that. this verified drone footage shows what happens when a ukrainian army patrol ran into a minefield, some of the close—up staff is frankly too graphic to show but the point is these minefields and russian defences are so heavy, so intense that it makes it very slow going for the ukrainians to advance and southward, and the russians have been quite innovative in some of the things they have done, so this for example is that tm 62 antitank mines. some of ukraine's armour will withstand a strike by wannabes but not two so what are the russians do? they are putting two of them, monitored by the other to blow up the whole of a ukrainian armoured vehicle. this footage here shows a whole bunch of these russian antitank mines that have disabled a western supplied tank. another weapon that the russians are using very effectively is the alligator, the ka 52 attack helicopter, so given all of these factors, how successful could this counteroffensive actually be?— actually be? they bring in forces, actually be? they bring in forces. to _ actually be? they bring in forces, to take _ actually be? they bring in forces, to take all - actually be? they bring in forces, to take all the - forces, to take all the occupied territories including crimea. i do not think that will happen anytime soon �*s. what ukraine does have in its favour is some very powerful western supplied weaponry, such as the storm shadow long—range missile that is applied, and these are allowing ukraine to hit distant targets, to undermine russia's differences from within, but the problem here is that all of this takes time, and that's a luxury ukraine does not have. within three months, the rainy season will have arrived, telling a lot of the roads into mud, making it difficult for ukraine to advance. frank gardiner, bbc news. live now to mick ryan, a retired major general in the australian army, and an adjunct fellow at the centre for strategic and international studies. �*s thank you so much for coming on the programme. h0 's thank you so much for coming on the programme. no problem, treat to on the programme. no problem, great to be _ on the programme. no problem, great to be with _ on the programme. no problem, great to be with you. _ on the programme. no problem, great to be with you. what - on the programme. no problem, great to be with you. what you i great to be with you. what you make overall, _ great to be with you. what you make overall, broadbrush - great to be with you. what you | make overall, broadbrush terms of the success or otherwise of the counteroffensive so far? 50 the counteroffensive so far? so far the the counteroffensive so far? sr far the ukrainians are the counteroffensive so far? sr farthe ukrainians are making far the ukrainians are making progress, it is slow and grinding progress, but we should also remember this is not one offensive in the south, this is a series of campaigns in the south, and they are taking more progress around bakhmut, and there is the offensive in the north at luhansk, and it offensive in the black sea, so the ukrainians are doing ok and this will take time and we should be careful about sending back assigning fake timelines to something as deadly and time—consuming. be to something as deadly and time-consuming.— to something as deadly and time-consuming. be wary of timelines — time-consuming. be wary of timelines but _ time-consuming. be wary of timelines but what - time-consuming. be wary of timelines but what about. time-consuming. be wary of| timelines but what about the idea of dominance in the air? airpower? i rememberspeaking airpower? i remember speaking to airpower? i rememberspeaking to a crainey and officials in the lead up to the offensive —— ukrainian officials. they felt they did not have time to wait for that however much they would have wanted it to wait for that however much they would have wanted it. leaving aside the kind of decision they are, give us a flavour of how critical, how important is inferiority in the air could be? i5 inferiority in the air could be? , ., ., ., be? is not on one weapon in silver bullet _ be? is not on one weapon in silver bullet but _ be? is not on one weapon in silver bullet but it _ be? is not on one weapon in silver bullet but it is - silver bullet but it is important if you want to prevent your ground forces from being attacked and clearly there are some challenges, as there are some challenges, as the previous report noted with the previous report noted with the attack helicopters, but no campaign is conducted at the perfect time, there is no perfect time, there is no perfect preparation and the timing is a combination of politics and military preparedness, but this campaign will go through until the money season and we need to be prepared for further campaigns in 2024 and beyond.— prepared for further campaigns in 2024 and beyond. let's focus on the weather, _ in 2024 and beyond. let's focus on the weather, and _ in 2024 and beyond. let's focus on the weather, and as - in 2024 and beyond. let's focus on the weather, and as we - in 2024 and beyond. let's focus on the weather, and as we talk| on the weather, and as we talk into the months ahead, what difference will it make, how it changes strategy and capabilities. fist changes strategy and capabilities.- changes strategy and ca abilities. �* ., , ., capabilities. at the moment you are seeing _ capabilities. at the moment you are seeing a _ capabilities. at the moment you are seeing a lot _ capabilities. at the moment you are seeing a lot of _ capabilities. at the moment you are seeing a lot of dry _ are seeing a lot of dry weather, a lot of growth and undergrowth that it does make things more difficult on the ground if you are breaching through minefield. as we get towards the winter months, that makes cross—country mobility difficult, logistics even more difficult, logistics even more difficult, so we really need to think about how we support ukraine now, how we support them across the winter months and into 2024 as well.- and into 2024 as well. great to net our and into 2024 as well. great to get your thoughts _ and into 2024 as well. great to get your thoughts on _ and into 2024 as well. great to get your thoughts on it, - and into 2024 as well. great to get your thoughts on it, thank | get your thoughts on it, thank you so much for coming of the programme. here the met office is warning of potential road closures, power cuts, and flying debris as storm antoni batters wales and south—west england. amber alerts are in place for high winds and heavy rain is also expected in northern ireland. tomos morgan has the details. it's not quite been a great british summer that met all hoped for, that something should all be outside, means disrupting music and sporting events up and down the country. this was just a last month, just some of the rotten weather that has made thisjuly one of the wettest on record. unfortunately it does not look like things are due to get any betterfor like things are due to get any better for some like things are due to get any betterfor some of the like things are due to get any better for some of the country this weekend.— this weekend. there are a few areas of concern, _ this weekend. there are a few areas of concern, first - this weekend. there are a few areas of concern, first of - this weekend. there are a few areas of concern, first of all. areas of concern, first of all northern ireland where we would get happy, persistent rain, 20-40 get happy, persistent rain, 20—40 millimetres, they could be enough to bring some flooding problems and then, as storm antoni moves into england and wales, across south—west england and wales we get a swathe of very strong winds, gusts of 50—65 mph potentially bringing down trees. the gusts of 50-65 mph potentially bringing down trees.— bringing down trees. the met office began _ bringing down trees. the met office began naming - bringing down trees. the met office began naming stores i office began naming stores about eight years ago and it's the third time they have weather event in august, with some predicting this could be the worst we cannot summer on the worst we cannot summer on the roads. haste the worst we cannot summer on the roads-— the roads. we are expecting it to be a very — the roads. we are expecting it to be a very challenging - the roads. we are expecting it to be a very challenging day i the roads. we are expecting it| to be a very challenging day on the roads, around 4 million people are expected to travel, lots of people heading away a lots of people heading away a lot of people heading back so we are urging people to take lots of care, the roads will be wet and the wind will be a big problem, so the message is to slow down, leave extra space behind the vehicle in front and behind the vehicle in front and be particularly careful of the wind, two hands on the wheel and remain in control all times. ., ., ,. times. in the month of school holida s times. in the month of school holidays to — times. in the month of school holidays to go, _ times. in the month of school holidays to go, most - times. in the month of school holidays to go, most will - times. in the month of school holidays to go, most will be l holidays to go, most will be hoping the sign pictures up soon to rescue what has been a day of summer so far. two expelled members of the so—called �*tennessee three�* have officially reclaimed their seats in the local state�*s house of representatives nearly three months after they were expelled for their involvement in a gun control protest on the body�*s floor. state representatives justin pearson, justinjones, and gloria johnson took part in the demonstration just days after a fatal shooting at a nashville elementary school where 6 were killed, including three children. republican lawmakers claimed their actions violated house rules, and moved to expel their three colleagues. johnson narrowly avoided expulsion, but pearson and jones were ousted. the move briefly left about 140 thousand voters in primarily black districts without representation for nearly a week and drew national attention. police in new york say they plan to charge the us live—streamer kai cenat with multiple counts of inciting a riot and unlawful assembly, after a "giveaway" event he organised in manhattan got out of control. thousands of people rampaged through union square and new york park, with some throwing bottles, stones and tins of paint at police officers. they also set off fireworks and took spades and axes from a nearby building site. police said more than 60 people were arrested and they had to deal with a whole range of injuries. i personally observed young people walking off bleeding from their heads, bleeding from their faces, from their heads, bleeding from theirfaces, i observed young people having panic attacks, anxiety attacks, asthma attacks, people were suffering out here, there were a lot of people, it was uncontrolled, it took us a while to get it under control and a lot of young people got hurt. at its height, the roman empire covered much of europe, north africa and western asia. even today, relics of that empire are being uncovered. the latest example was the remains of a roman ship discovered in a coal—mine in modern—day serbia. tim allman reports. from cold comes diamonds, and that this mine in eastern serbia, they found a real gem. the remarkable remains of a roman ship buried in the sand and mud, a vessel that could have been hidden away for as long as 2000 years. translation: given that there are no roman legionaries stationed here, is not entirely surprising the ship is roman. what a surprise then, finding the ship so well preserved. the roman empire _ the ship so well preserved. the roman empire lasted around 1000 years, and its tentacles spread out across several continents. once upon a time this was a city of somewhere in the region of 45,000 people. it�*s been a veritable goldmine for archaeologists, they have unearthed sculptures, mosaics and frescoes, even the remains of three mammoths, and you can now add a roman ship to the list. �* ,, �* now add a roman ship to the list. �* ,, ~ , , list. translation: this will be a very challenging _ list. translation: this will be a very challenging procedure. l a very challenging procedure. but we will protect the ship so that it would does not fail, we will preserve the ship in a stable position so it can be exhibited in a archaeological ark. ., exhibited in a archaeological ark. ~' ,., exhibited in a archaeological ark, ~' ., park. unlike so many other roman cities, _ park. unlike so many other roman cities, this - park. unlike so many other roman cities, this one - park. unlike so many other roman cities, this one was| roman cities, this one was completely abandoned, no modern day city took its place, and yet it has proved to be rich with history. and in football, the women�*s world cup last 16 kicks off in an hour and the first game is a clash between two european nations as switzerland take on spain from 6am uk time. later on, japan will take on norway for a spot in the quarter finals of the competition. stay with us here on bbc news. hello there. weather across the uk has certainly been testing our patience of late. we are heading for the fourth consecutive weekend where an area of low pressure will dominate the weather story, bringing us some wet and windy weather. but every cloud has a silver lining. and next weekend, i can offer you something a little more promising, settled and summer—like. but at the moment, it�*s all about storm anthony, which is moving its way across northern ireland, bringing a heavy spell of rain during the early hours of saturday morning. and as that rain continues to drive its way steadily eastwards, the winds will strengthen as well. so we�*re widely likely to see 20 to 40 millimetres, maybe more for northern ireland for a time. and then the winds gusting 50 to 65 miles an hour along west—facing coasts of wales and south west england. very unusual, really, for this time of year. the rain drives its way quickly eastwards, and then into the afternoon, circulating around that low, we will see a rash of sharp, possibly thundery downpours. slowly improving into northern ireland and lighter winds and fewer showers likely for scotland. but the temperatures will be disappointing right across the country, a maximum of just 14 to 18 celsius by the middle part of the afternoon. the low pressure will gradually move away and the winds will die down. so as we push into sunday, it might be a pleasant start, with some early morning sunshine, particularly in eastern areas, lighter winds. and as we go through the day, we will see a scattering of showers developing out to the west, and some of these will gradually move further inland. but with a little more sunshine coming through, it will be a degree or so warmer. top temperatures of 20 degrees, 68 fahrenheit. not that much change monday into tuesday. showers or longer spells of rains likely, particularly on tuesday. another spell of wet weather to come. but we can offer you a glimpse of something more optimistic by the middle part of next week. an area of high pressure is likely to build, and we haven�*t seen this for quite some time. so from wednesday onwards, we are likely to see some drier, settled and more summer—like weather. there�*s still an uncertainty how long it�*s likely to last, but for next week, showers or longer spells of rain to begin with. but as the high pressure builds, certainly things will settle down and warm up for many. this is bbc news. the headlines: donald trump has used a campaign rally in the southern state of alabama to dismiss as "ridiculous", the latest felony charges against him. mr trump said the charges over his efforts to overturn the presidential election results were an "illegal and unconstitutional travesty". he claimed president biden was trying to preserve his grip on power. a powerful west african bloc agrees on a possible military intervention in niger ahead of a deadline for coup leaders to hand back power. meanwhile, the united states announces cuts in aid to niger following the coup last week. police in new york say they plan to charge the us live—streamer kai cenat with multiple counts of inciting a riot and unlawful assembly, after a giveaway event he organised in manhattan got out of control.