hello, i'm matthew amroliwala, welcome to verified live — three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. we start with wevents in new york, because it's been called one of the biggest financial crimes in us history. now sam bankman—fried, the founder of the crypto currency exchange ftx, which made him a billionaire before collapsing in spectacular fashion, is about to be sentenced. he was found guilty of fraud and money laundering last year. this is the scene outside the manhattan courthouse — the 32—year—old currently inside the courtroom with proceedings under way. with me is our cyber correspondent, joe tidy, who was the last person to interview bankman—fried before he was arrested in december 2022. in terms of what the prosecutors want here, it is between a0 and 50 years, that is what they are pressing for. years, that is what they are pressing for-— years, that is what they are pressing for. years, that is what they are ”resin for, . ., ., ., , ., pressing for. we have already heard from the judge _ pressing for. we have already heard from the judge from _ pressing for. we have already heard from the judge from inside - pressing for. we have already heard from the judge from inside the - pressing for. we have already heard| from the judge from inside the court that he has come down from that top bracket, so it will not be that much. we went into today thinking it wouldn't be that much. the potential was 110 years, if you add up the maximum the charges, but we are now deciding, thejudges deciding whether a not to change his mind. we will have a bedside of the argument, the defence say there isn't much real world harmed us both sides. they have recovered a lot of the money, and most of the customers on a 1.2 million who are still out of pocket, will receive most of their money, 90% of it back. the prosecution say they are not taking into account the emotional harm and distress. and the fact that these people might get their dollar value back from the 2022 crash but not their bitcoin bat, which has exploded in value. find their bitcoin bat, which has exloded in value. �* . ., exploded in value. and maintained in the introduction, _ exploded in value. and maintained in the introduction, you _ exploded in value. and maintained in the introduction, you interviewed - the introduction, you interviewed him shortly before his arrest, what was he like? he him shortly before his arrest, what was he like?— him shortly before his arrest, what was he like? he comes across in all the social media _ was he like? he comes across in all the social media period _ was he like? he comes across in all the social media period and - was he like? he comes across in all the social media period and tv - the social media period and tv interviews the same, jesse is in a very shabby way, his hair in a big mess —— dresses in. we heard during the trial that according to his former girlfriend that was part of the brand, part of the calculated persona he was shelling to the world. he betrayed himself as a maths genius who was good at making money but didn't care about personal wealth —— portrayed himself. that was what inspired so many millions of followers. and all the executives to back him as a moneymaking machine. i to back him as a moneymaking machine. ~ ., , ., to back him as a moneymaking machine. ~' ., ,, , machine. i know you will stay with us, joe, machine. i know you will stay with us. joe. as — machine. i know you will stay with us. joe. as we _ machine. i know you will stay with us, joe, as we wait _ machine. i know you will stay with us, joe, as we wait to _ machine. i know you will stay with us, joe, as we wait to get - us, joe, as we wait to get developments but for now, thank you. let's speak to natalie brunell in new york, the host of the crypto podcast talking bitcoin. welcome. we were hearing from joe, but tell us more about what he actually did here over the years. thank you for having me. it was the poster child of what can go wrong in the crypto currency industry with a lot of unregistered security and people counterfeiting money. i hope the ftx case opens people's eyes to the ftx case opens people's eyes to the difference between bitcoin and crypto. i am a bitcoin educator because it is such an important distinction that needs to be made. bitcoin is a network that no one can control or manipulate. it is an asset without any due. what sbf did isissue asset without any due. what sbf did is issue his own token, he washed traded it, marked it up on his balance sheet and use that to extract billions of dollars of customer money. he went out and bought a mansion in the bahamas, put his name on a stadium, lobbied politicians, a lot of people are familiar with bernie madoff, he spent $1 million on political donations before he got caught, sbf spent nearly 100 million, customers' money. cut and dry corruption, fraud conspiracy, i hope you understand and regret the harm he caused people. this is also by bitcoin exist, to show that trust in our current system is constantly broken and we need to remove the power that exist with someone being able to just print money out of thin air, which is what he did. in just print money out of thin air, which is what he did.— just print money out of thin air, which is what he did. in terms of the general _ which is what he did. in terms of the general point, _ which is what he did. in terms of the general point, because - which is what he did. in terms of the general point, because this. the general point, because this crypto space has been often described as the wild west with a lot of talk about money coming in from money—laundering scam are criminals, so give me your assessment of the damage he has done to this space. i assessment of the damage he has done to this space-— to this space. i think he shines a s-aotliht to this space. i think he shines a spotlight on _ to this space. i think he shines a spotlight on why _ to this space. i think he shines a spotlight on why bitcoin - to this space. i think he shines a spotlight on why bitcoin and - to this space. i think he shines a i spotlight on why bitcoin and crypto are so very different and why dim sum is regulatory uncertainty when it comes to the broader crypto space —— so much regulatory uncertainty. you shouldn't be able to cheat people, there should be well crafted laws and regulation that protects freedom and that is good because it shouldn't be easy for unethical people to steal our counterfeit money. there is nothing wrong with security, what he was issuing mod security, what he was issuing mod security, but issues need to disclose the risks so that investors understand who is in control. who can make decisions that will potentially affect their money. bitcoin is a decentralised asset and commodity that nobody can control and emission is to remove the ability to print money out of thin air, which is what sbf was doing and why he harmed so many people because he still that money. we why he harmed so many people because he still that money.— he still that money. we believe it there as we _ he still that money. we believe it there as we continue _ he still that money. we believe it there as we continue to _ he still that money. we believe it there as we continue to watch - he still that money. we believe it - there as we continue to watch events in new york outside of the federal courthouse. like pictures here before we leave this, we're still waiting for that sentencing, we know the proceedings started, so as to beget more developments, we will get more reaction, and joe tidy will be with us over the next couple of balance. —— couple of hours. close—quarters fighting has continued between israeli forces and palestinian gunmen in the gaza strip, particularly around three of the territory's hospitals. the israeli military says its 11—day siege of al shifa hospital in gaza city has resulted in the killing of at least 200 hamas and islamicjihad fighters. a spokesman for the palestinian civil defence says innocent people had been killed and that there were women and children trapped by the fighting. meanwhile there's been alot of focus on the comments made by the un to the bbc. the united nation's most senior human rights official, volker turk, says, there is a �*plausible case' that israel is using �*starvation as a weapon of war�*. he was speaking to our international editor, jeremy bowen. those comments got an angry response from the israeli government dismissing them as rubbish. live now to gaza — james elderfrom the un's children's agency, unicef, is there. i will come to that point about aid getting through our not getting through in a moment, but i was listening to a couple of things you have been saying over the last a8 hours, you described what it is like to go to bed with the bombardment all around you, what teenagers have been saying to unicef. tell me more about both of those things. {lin been saying to unicef. tell me more about both of those things.- about both of those things. on the latter, we about both of those things. on the latter. we get _ about both of those things. on the latter, we get told _ about both of those things. on the latter, we get told constantly - about both of those things. on the | latter, we get told constantly about people having hope, i say yes, mothers will say that is all they have, we spoke to teenage girls who are so utterly exhausted and depressed by this, remembering things like 2500 people to a shower, for some of these adolescent girls who have said they wish they were killed, they are so exhausted by this nightmare that they have said they wanted it to be over and wanted to be hit by a bomb. the horrendous reality is that you hear things here are the time that you shouldn't normally hear, you give them time and again, whether that all talking to a child who has lost their entire family and when bombardments are intense, particularly they have seem to be intensity security council resolution, with no protection here or certainly for everyone else, you'll either just waiting or certainly for everyone else, you'll eitherjust waiting and you think it does feel like a coffin as you think of those children who have done that every single night for five and a half months. it is why a ceasefire is a game changing. get hostages home and another child and their mother to go to bed knowing with the full knowledge they will wake up. they haven't had that in a long time. wake up. they haven't had that in a lona time. .,, wake up. they haven't had that in a lona time. ., wake up. they haven't had that in a [on time. . . ., . , long time. those are extraordinary descriptions- _ long time. those are extraordinary descriptions. james, _ long time. those are extraordinary descriptions. james, talked - long time. those are extraordinary descriptions. james, talked me - descriptions. james, talked me through in terms of some of those comments from the un and the response we have heard from the israeli spokespeople, in terms of aid, is it being blocked? i israeli spokespeople, in terms of aid, is it being blocked?- aid, is it being blocked? i think the easy thing _ aid, is it being blocked? i think the easy thing to _ aid, is it being blocked? i think the easy thing to do _ aid, is it being blocked? i think the easy thing to do is - aid, is it being blocked? i think the easy thing to do is to - aid, is it being blocked? i think the easy thing to do is to share numbers, just hard facts. in the first three weeks of march, one quarter of a request for aid convoys were denied. we have to take aid from the south, on a very busy coastal road, tens of thousands of people there, we need access point in a note. there i have been in a northern scene tens of thousands of people had to mouth, universal symbol for pleas, hunger, when people in an offside to me, food, food, food, it is very willing, they say that because they assume the world doesn't know, because of the well knew, how would they be in that position? the world does now. when i see those people are mothers hunched over paper—thin babies, giving the nutritional crisis, there is an access point 15 minutes away. when unicef has a convoy from our warehouse to where it reaches people, we have to load and unload trucks for times, so it is monumentally difficult, it is unnecessarily so. i guess if you want to be optimistic, it is man—made eminent famine, it can be turned around if there is a willingness to make the right decisions for civilians here. {lin decisions for civilians here. on that point. _ decisions for civilians here. on that point, how quickly do you think the situation could change if all of the situation could change if all of the impediments are removed, crossing points for example, opened? very quickly. 0ne crossing points for example, opened? very quickly. one of the great things unicef has is magic pace for the malnourished children, turn them around very quickly in a week or two. the same for nutritional status for adults. two. the same for nutritional status foradults. flood two. the same for nutritional status for adults. flood the area, not that difficult because it is road networks. now we have ships and planes had it looks good but it is a fraction, input has 12 tracks on it, 1200 on the other side of this border. —— a boot has. a ceasefire would go hand—in—hand, it would enable us to do it safely, remembering this is a dangerous place to work and notjust my un colleagues, too many people are killed trying to receive aid. it is a game changer. ceasefire, get help at their aid a game changer. ceasefire, get help at theiraid in. irate a game changer. ceasefire, get help at their aid in.— at their aid in. we have had so many warninus at their aid in. we have had so many warnings of— at their aid in. we have had so many warnings of famine, _ at their aid in. we have had so many warnings of famine, have _ at their aid in. we have had so many warnings of famine, have begun - warnings of famine, have begun beyond that point? it is here another, that is what we're talking about. i another, that is what we're talking about. ., �* ~' another, that is what we're talking about. ., �* ~ ., about. i don't think the term matter so much to — about. i don't think the term matter so much to those _ about. i don't think the term matter so much to those children _ about. i don't think the term matter so much to those children who - about. i don't think the term matter so much to those children who are l about. i don't think the term matter. so much to those children who are on death's door. i think we get into semantics in terms of what those people are enduring the north where they are utterly cut off from everyone else.— they are utterly cut off from everyone else. they are utterly cut off from eve one else. , ., , ., ,, i. i want to show you the live pictures from baltimore, couple of days since those dreadful events where the cargo ship slammed into the bridge, bringing the whole bridge down. we know the salvage operation continues, the divers' operation continuing, two of those meaning workers found overnight, but as we look at those pictures let me also bring you more live pictures because we are expecting any next few minutes and update, the very latest on the situation from the authorities. as and when that starts, we will carry that line. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. it is just started, the briefing, let's hear the latest details. if anyone knows, especially the people on the stage that baltimore is strong and resilient, together we will get through this, please join me right now in a moment of silence. thank you. i would like to take this time to introduce some very important people here today. governor west more joining us today. baltimore city mayor brandon scott sitting in front of me. senator ben carden. as well as baltimore city council president nick mosby. i saw him somewhere. now i would like to have the pleasure to introduce the 63rd governor of our great state of maryland and passionate fan, west more. applause good morning. while today is an important day, it is important that we also acknowledge the moment that we also acknowledge the moment that we find ourselves in, and today we are thinking about the families of those who were recovered as identified yesterday. we pray for the family and families of all the victims, and our hearts are with the families and to other families we are so sorry this tragedy. i also want to recognise david rubenstein. i fitted a chance to meet david about 20 years ago when a friend and immense of mine introduced us and insisted i give david a call —— first had a chance. i always found that not only has he always been incredibly generous with his time, every conversation that i have had with david has begun with a simple question. how is baltimore doing? david is a baltimore guy. to have him at the helm of this team means everything. to this city, and to the state. so, david, thank you for believing in baltimore. and congratulations on the unanimous doubt by making the baseball declaring you the controlling owner of the baltimore team. applause it is an exciting moment. for the entire team as well, great to see you. david and diane so many in this room, we know that this team —— david and i commit more thanjust a baseball franchise. this team is about the city. the 0riels as the soul of baltimore. and knowing that, the city will need you now more than ever. —— 0rioles. it is important to take stock in this moment of what a difference a year can make. because a year ago uncertainty clouded everything. 0ne a year ago uncertainty clouded everything. one of the most storied franchises in baseball history had just months left on its lease. the default, often times, was to sign short—term deals because long—term deals were too hard. we had a team of youth and promise but hadn't yet shown baseballjust how good they could be. we had a city that was full of hope and potential. but hadn't yet shown the country its full strength. we were coming of eight straight years of 300 plus homicide in the city of baltimore alone. 0ur homicide in the city of baltimore alone. our economy was still reeling from an unprecedented global pandemic. so from day one we made the deliberate decision that we were going to work together to make sure that we were going to invest in baltimore because you cannot have a thriving state if your state's largest city is not thriving as well. studio: if you'rejustjoining us, you are watching maryland's governor who is actually at a baseball event and making broadbrush comments on a variety of topics but we are expecting once he has concluded to also hear from baltimore's mayor and have more comments about the bridge collapse and we went to see if the governor says any more. he spoke initially for the first few sentences when he said, we are thinking about the families of the two workers who they discovered overnight, they rescued from the waters, and confirmation that of course they continue to search for other missing construction workers. as we continue to watch these pictures, let me bring you in the live pictures from the baltimore bridge, or what remains of the bridge. that cargo ship that still sits exactly where it came to a standstill with the tangled wreckage of the bridge still entwined around it. certainly stradling the baal, and the only stages of the salvage operation is continuing, and it is played with timothy —— early stages. an fbi driver talked about the dangers, the movement under the waters —— diver. the difficulties for the divers start we are still in those early stages, still very much focused on the retrieval of those missing workers. we know the data recorder has been recovered from the cargo ship, as they try to find out exactly why it lost power. but we wait to hear more updating details from the mayor of baltimore in terms of how that operation is actually going. the governor has returned to the incident, so let's bring the sound up. the incident, so let's bring the sound up— the incident, so let's bring the sound up-_ the incident, so let's bring the sound up. the incident, so let's bring the soundu. ., , ., sound up. leaders from across local and state and _ sound up. leaders from across local and state and federal _ sound up. leaders from across local and state and federal levels - sound up. leaders from across local and state and federal levels are - and state and federal levels are gathering funds to rebuild this bridge. this work is not going to take hours. this work is not going to take days. this work is not going to take days. this work is not going to take days. this work is not going to take weeks, we have a very long road ahead. that is exactly why we need partners like the baltimore orioles. because this team reminds 0rioles. because this team reminds us what we're made of. the orioles give us hope. there is one give us pride. the orioles reminders what it means to be maryland tough and baltimore strong. so today baltimore stands strong. baltimore stands tough. and baltimore plans on seeing it through. so we are all here for opening day, we are all here for an exciting new chapter. but we also know that in this moment we are going to move in partnership because... i going to move in partnership because-"— going to move in partnership because... ~' _, ., because... i think we will come away from this news _ because... i think we will come away from this news briefing _ because... i think we will come away from this news briefing because - because... i think we will come away from this news briefing because it i from this news briefing because it is stradling so many different topics but we will keep an and on it. that is continuing over the next few minutes, anything significant, we will return to that. but making the point, the governor, there is a long road ahead, this will not be fixed in days but weeks. a bill that could make scotland the first uk nation to provide terminally ill people with assistance to end their lives will be introduced in the scottish parliament today. supporters of the assisted dying bill say it would ease suffering, but opponents are concerned that some terminally ill people may feel under pressure to end their lives. it could be voted on next year. the campaign group dignity in dying says that more than 200 million people around the world have legal access to some form of assisted dying. switzerland has allowed assisted dying since 19a2. the practice is lawful irrespective of the condition of the person who requests it. in the us, medically assisted dying for adults is legal in 11 of the 50 states, including california, newjersey and washington. the benelux countries — belgium, the netherlands and luxembourg — — all have laws that allow people who are not terminally ill to receive assistance to die. but in many countries, like japan, the practice of assisted dying is illegal. let's speak to alex cole—hamilton, a supporter of this bill since it was originally announced. welcome to the programme. thanks for your patience, waiting as we were on the news conference, but tell me more about why you are bringing this bill forward now.— why you are bringing this bill forward now. , , ., , forward now. this is a bill in the name of my _ forward now. this is a bill in the name of my friend _ forward now. this is a bill in the name of my friend and - forward now. this is a bill in the| name of my friend and colleague forward now. this is a bill in the - name of my friend and colleague lee macarthur, a liberal democrat msp, this is a private members bill, but we have reason to believe it carries the support of the majority of msps across the chamber. with good reason we have human rights that protect every aspect of our lives, save one. that is our departure from it. i want to know that if i am terminally ill, either in tremendous pain or suffering, that i would have the chance to say this far and no further action leave this life on my own terms, end of my own suffering, and the suffering that that my state or condition is causing my family as well. but this is very narrow in scope, you name some countries with permissive assisted dying laws, this will only be available to people with a terminal diagnosis, it will only be available to adults and only available to people who have mental capacity, that is assessed by two independent clinicians who ascertain firstly that the condition is terminal and they are of sound mind and not being coerced into these decisions. there are many safeguards which liam has went very hard to garner from the best practice of other nations who have gone before us. ~ . other nations who have gone before us, ~ ., ., ., other nations who have gone before us. we have heard from palliative care doctors _ us. we have heard from palliative care doctors who _ us. we have heard from palliative care doctors who say _ us. we have heard from palliative care doctors who say they - us. we have heard from palliative care doctors who say they are - care doctors who say they are concerned that it starts as a choice, it then becomes a suggestion, then becomes an expectation. how do you protect against that sort of progression? i know many palliative care doctors who are in favour of theirs, because they have known patients in their career who they were unable to help, they know the pain and extreme suffering these people went through. it is not a replacement for palliative care, that is important, palliative care, that is important, palliative care, that is important, palliative care is amazing, it should be available to everybody. but it is just the final tool in the box. but it is 'ust the final tool in the box. �* , , , box. but the issue is the progression, _ box. but the issue is the progression, those - box. but the issue is the l progression, those stages box. but the issue is the - progression, those stages that box. but the issue is the _ progression, those stages that those doctors were worried about. maw; doctors were worried about. many prescriptions _ doctors were worried about. many prescriptions go — doctors were worried about. many prescriptions go unused, - doctors were worried about. ij�*ia�*iy prescriptions go unused, it isjust prescriptions go unused, it is just a comfort to people, in countries where this happens already, to know that option is there, that they can enter their suffering at a time of their choosing, but they don't tightly need it in the end because the palliative care is excellent and they are gently moved off this mortal coil. that is quite as important a parliament is allowed to scrutinise this bill, liam has many years now of international best practice to lean into, and where we have seen this in operation, this is assisted dtying, not assisted suicide, this has actually improved the quality and therefore people, so many people in scotland and across the uk are denied the right to a good death. i think it is high time that we offered something that the public want as well, the consultation around this bill garnered 1a,000 plus responses, one of the biggest ever responsive to a scottish parliament consultation. 76% of those responding tos emphatically supported this. i have to cut across _ emphatically supported this. i have to cut across you, _ emphatically supported this. i have to cut across you, we _ emphatically supported this. i have to cut across you, we are _ emphatically supported this. i have to cut across you, we are at - emphatically supported this. i have to cut across you, we are at a - emphatically supported this. i have| to cut across you, we are at a time, but thank you for your time here today. i am but thank you for your time here today. iam back but thank you for your time here today. i am back injust a moment. hello there, good afternoon. it won't be completely dry this weekend. there's always a chance of some further showers, longer spells of rain, but a lot of dry weather around. today though, blustery showers pushing northwards, longer spells of rain at times, and coastal gales. towards the south coast of england and across the channel islands, there could be some gusts of around 60 to 65 miles an hour. a deep area of low pressure descending, the showers and the rain spiralling around it. we're seeing some particularly heavy downpours of rain across eastern areas of northern ireland. but here the rain should largely clear as we head through the rest of the afternoon, some showers arriving, perhaps again by the time we get to the end of the day. this rain will be pushing into central, eventually northern areas of scotland. 0therwise, these thundery showers just pushing northward, squally gusts of wind in association with those showers, perhaps some hail at times. temperatures for most in double figures, but cooler across northern ireland and also eastern scotland, with quite a brisk easterly blowing here. now, as we head through this evening and overnight, a lot of showers around. watch out for some icy stretches as the skies clear across northern ireland. and there could be some longer spells of rain perhaps edging into north—western scotland as well. some clearer spells too across the midlands, into north wales and perhaps for northern england into tomorrow morning. now, tomorrow, a much simpler day of weather in that most of us will be seeing sunshine and showers. that rain will clear away from north—west scotland, the western isles as we head through the afternoon. and temperatures will be just that little bit higher. just watch out for some thunder, some hail in some of those showers. it's still going to be quite blustery as well, with a brisk south—westerly wind blowing across england and wales. but the winds will lighten as we head through the easter weekend, as that low pressure pushes a little further westwards. and we will be between low pressure systems. but there could possibly be some rain grazing the south—east of england, east anglia, as we head through saturday. certainly a bit more cloud here, but some sunshine elsewhere. the focus for any showers will tend to be in the north and the west. temperatures climbing, so widely in double figures, 12 to 15 celsius. the air will feel milder and the winds will be lighter. and it's the same again really as we head into easter sunday. so we're likely to see some showers perhaps across south—west england, up through western wales, northern ireland and maybe into northern england. but many parts of scotland could stay largely dry. dry, too, across east anglia and central southern england. bye— bye.